The new interface for Apple’s iPhone software, together with the software upgrades that are now available for the Mac, iPad, Apple Watch, and Apple TV, is referred to as Liquid Glass. With simplified menus and a design inspired by the visionOS software that drives the Vision Pro headset, Apple aims to provide a more cohesive software experience.
Transparent menus and fluid animations that adapt to the activities on-screen are characteristics of Liquid Glass. (Consider how the URL bar in Safari gets smaller as it goes across a page.) In iOS 26, has new tinting choices, including one that renders the icons fully transparent, and certain icons have been rearranged.
As part of iOS 26’s interface changes, the user’s iPhone lock screen can take on a new look with spatial photos available as the background image for their phone and an adaptive time feature that adjusts the look of the on-screen clock to fit with the other visual elements.
Calling and FaceTime app
Recent and missed calls are combined into a single display in the Phone app’s unified design. The option to choose the previous appearance is still available to the user. Call screening and hold help, however, are the most significant features and may be found on any phone running iOS 26.
Call screening asks callers who are phoning from unknown numbers to identify themselves and provide a reason for their call. They may choose whether or not to answer the call after seeing that information on their iPhone’s screen.
When the user is placed on hold, Hold Assist will keep an eye on the phone line so they can do other things. They will be notified when a live representative answers the phone.
The Phone and FaceTime applications on phones with Apple Intelligence support, on the other hand, benefit greatly from live translations, which allow them to have conversations with people in other languages. Currently, just a few languages are available, and in order for the functionality to function properly, the user must download the relevant language from the Translate app.
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Camera
Although iOS 26 has streamlined controls throughout, the Camera app is where this is most noticeable. When they turn on their camera, they’ll only see two controls: one for photos and one for videos.
Camera UI in the iOS 26 (Express Image)
The user can access different camera modes, like portrait, pano, slo-mo, and time-lapse, by swiping left or right. They may alter exposure, aspect ratio, and other parameters by swiping up and down. Additionally, all of their options are displayed when they touch the Format button in video mode.
iOS 26 Photos
Following a significant redesign of Photos in iOS 18, Apple is making more subtle tweaks in iOS 26. Restoring tabs to switch between their library and collections in Photos’ latest edition should reduce scrolling and allay concerns about the makeover from the previous year.
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Additionally, the user may alter how Collections are arranged. Additionally, the user may create spatial photographs with depth effects from images in their collection if they have an iPhone 12 or later. An added advantage is that their favourite photographs will be automatically transformed into spatial visuals if they have a photo widget on their home screen that shows them at random.
Messages
Many new features have been added to group conversations, such as the ability to pay Apple Cash to groups and type indications. A new polling tool that allows them to include polls in group conversations so that users may vote for their preferred alternative is also most beneficial to group chats.
Wallpapers can also be added as the background for their chat windows, giving each conversation a unique visual identity. Additionally, Messages can filter texts from unknown senders by simply changing one of the app’s settings, just like Phone and FaceTime.
Shortcuts and Reminders
Adding Apple Intelligence to more of the iPhone’s built-in apps has been one of Apple’s objectives with iOS 26.
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They can now design processes in Shortcuts that utilise Apple Intelligence tools like Image Playground and writing tools. For example, users can create a shortcut that summarises text and paste it into a document. Additionally, ChatGPT and Apple Intelligence’s on-device models are supported.
Regarding Reminders, the app can now identify and generate pertinent tasks by analysing content in emails and on websites. Additionally, it automatically generates grocery lists using recipes from the Apple News Plus service. Additionally, Apple Intelligence integration has made it possible for reminders to be automatically grouped into a list.
Visual Intelligence
iOS 26’s enhanced Visual Intelligence features will be available on iPhones that support Apple Intelligence. The upgrade specifically allows the AI-powered tool to view the contents of their iPhone screen through a screenshot.
On a compatible phone, the users will see choices to search using Google or ChatGPT when they snap a screenshot. Additionally, they’ll have commands that are pertinent to the context, such as making calendar events or using translation tools. Additionally, they may search by highlighting particular regions of the screenshot, much like Android’s Circle to Search function.
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Apple Maps
The iOS 26 Maps app will ask users if they want it to record every location they visit when they initially use it. Without requiring any further effort from the user, the Visited Places function is intended to assist people in remembering their preferred spots for future use.
After Updating to iOS 26, the first pop-up (Express Image)
For regular journeys like errands, school drop-offs, and commutes, another new Maps feature remembers their favourite routes and displays a preview of them in a Maps widget. To choose a different method of travel to Point B, there are notification alerts that let them know when there is likely to be a delay on that route.
Other iOS 26 features
It comes to the iOS 26 update, there are several key features and additions to note. The redesigned Safari toolbar gives users more control over its appearance. For Apple Music subscribers, the Music app now includes an AutoMix feature, while all users can pin their favourite songs, albums, artists, and playlists to the top of their library.
Additionally, the Wallet app is set to introduce a new digital passport feature for use as a valid ID at TSA checkpoints for domestic flights. This functionality, however, will be rolled out later. The update also brings enhancements to Genmoji and Image Playground. Users can now combine two emojis to create a new one and add expressions to Genmoji of people. The Image Playground also now has access to ChatGPT, which provides more image style options, and expressions are also available there.
