iOS 26 introduces a wide range of new features and design enhancements over iOS 18, bringing a fresh, modern experience with improved functionality, aesthetics, and intelligence.
Design and Interface Changes
iOS 26 introduces a visually striking new design element called Liquid Glass, which impacts the lock screen, home screen, and various system apps. The digital clock on the lock screen now dynamically resizes based on the wallpaper and notifications, unlike the static clock size in iOS 18. When unlocking the phone, a new unlock effect simulates lifting a sheet of glass with a shiny edge. Notifications in iOS 26 have a near-transparent background with white text, replacing the more opaque backgrounds with black text found in iOS 18.A significant UI update is the introduction of dynamic tab bars within apps that adjust their appearance and size based on user interaction such as scrolling or menu usage. These tab bars free up screen space and offer a cleaner, more intuitive user experience compared to the static tab bars in iOS 18. Additionally, menu icons and text colors automatically adapt to the background, switching between black and white for better visibility depending on whether the background is light or dark.
App icons on the home screen can now be tinted with different colors or set to light, dark, or clear appearances, adding customization options beyond the capabilities of iOS 18. The lock screen photos feature a new 3D effect that animates when the iPhone is moved, enhancing visual depth.
Apple Intelligence and AI Features
iOS 26 integrates more powerful Apple Intelligence across the system. This includes live translation capabilities that automatically translate text in Messages, provide live captions and translations during FaceTime calls, and offer spoken translations during phone calls. Visual intelligence is expanded to help users learn more about content on their screens.The update introduces Genmoji, which allows users to create custom emoji using descriptions, existing emoji, or combinations thereof, and modify their expressions. Image Playground lets users create original images and backgrounds, offering more creative control directly on the device.
Phone and Messages Improvements
The Phone app has been revamped with new features to manage calls more efficiently. Screen Calls can automatically screen unknown callers, while Hold Assist helps users stay focused by managing call interruptions.Messages gain new expressive capabilities with customizable backgrounds and the ability to add polls directly into conversations, facilitating group decision-making. A custom snooze timer for notifications from Messages and other apps adds flexibility in managing alerts.
Battery and Power Management
iOS 26 introduces advanced battery features powered by AI. The Battery section now includes detailed usage analysis with trends compared to historical data. There is a new Adaptive Power mode that automatically optimizes power consumption based on user behavior to extend battery life. Additionally, the lock screen displays precise charging time estimates, showing when the battery will reach 80% or 100%.Camera and Photos
The Camera app in iOS 26 has been redesigned for improved usability and aesthetics compared to iOS 18. Users can save custom presets for their frequently used camera settings, making it quicker to switch between styles during shooting sessions. Photos app enhancements complement the new camera capabilities.Apple Playback Enhancements
iOS 26 adds new interactive features to Apple Playback. Lyrics Translation helps users understand song lyrics in different languages, and Lyrics Pronunciation assists with singing along correctly by providing pronunciation guides. AutoMix uses intelligent beatmatching and time stretching to create seamless transitions between songs, emulating a DJ experience.Maps and Location Features
The Maps app introduces Visited Places, which tracks places the user has visited like restaurants or shops and displays them in the app. This data is protected with end-to-end encryption. Maps also uses on-device intelligence to predict preferred routes for daily travel, providing timely notifications about delays and alternative paths.CarPlay and Wallet Updates
CarPlay receives updates that improve the integration and user experience within vehicles, though specific details were not deeply outlined. Wallet continues to expand its functionality with new features that support easier management of digital cards, tickets, and passes.General Performance and Responsiveness
iOS 26 is noted to be faster and more responsive across all supported devices, with smoother animations and enhanced multitasking performance compared to iOS 18. This results in a snappier user experience, especially on newer iPhone models.Additional Features
- A new built-in assistant to screen calls and manage interruptions helps reduce distractions.- Custom shortcuts are enhanced with new actions for faster task completion.
- The system-wide update emphasizes privacy with on-device processing for many AI tasks and encrypted user data.
- App icons and widgets are more customizable, fitting better with the overall aesthetic and usability upgrades in iOS 26.
Overall, iOS 26 represents a major evolution from iOS 18 with a focus on a glass-like, dynamic interface, deeper AI integration, enhanced communication tools, sophisticated battery and camera improvements, and richer multimedia experiences that together redefine the user experience on the iPhone. This update not only brings surface-level visual enhancements but also improves core functionalities across daily-use apps and system features for a more intelligent and expressive iPhone.