Apple has just released iOS 26, a major update across iPhones, iPads, Watches, and Macs, and it’s shaping up to be stable and smart. If you’re wondering whether to upgrade (spoiler: go for it!), here’s what people are going to notice first, what’s new under the hood, and which features look genuinely useful.
✨ A big visual overhaul: Liquid Glass & everything is version 26
- Liquid Glass design: Everything feels slicker this year. Buttons, sliders, toolbars, and control panels have more texture and gloss. The look is radiant, reflective, Apple’s calling it “Liquid Glass.” You’ll see more rounded edges, a layered-glass effect in icons, and new animations on Lock Screen and Control Centre. Lots of new visual options.
- Unified versioning: Instead of different version numbers for each device, now all compatible Apple devices share the version “26.” iPhone, iPad, Watch, Mac – all rolling forward together. Makes things much simpler.
🛡 Safe to upgrade — and some early caveats
- iOS 26 looks stable from what early users report. Apple is pushing it out broadly now.
- One thing to watch: battery life right after installing major updates sometimes dips while the system “settles in” (background tasks, indexing, etc.). Totally normal and won’t last long.
- Is your device compatible? iOS 26 supports iPhones back to the iPhone 11 and newer (including SE gen 2). If you have an older model, this might not be an option.
🌟 Fun & useful new features
Here are a few additions in iOS 26 that look interesting and likely to matter for everyday usage:
- Hold Assist: If you’re on hold with a company, tired of the loop of jazzy music and elevator tunes, your iPhone will now “listen” and notify you when a human finally gets on the line. Thank you! That’s nice!
- Live Translation in calls and texts: Messages, FaceTime, and Phone can translate in real time. Plus, you can do in-person translations using AirPods in certain languages. No more confusion and rude looks at the patisserie.
- Visual Intelligence & on-screen tools: Snap a screenshot and ask it to analyse what’s on screen. Or it can summarize text you see on screen, ask Siri about things visible without switching to another app.
- Adaptive Power: Your phone will try to conserve battery automatically when it detects heavy usage or background activity, useful if you’re out for a long day.
✅ Should you update now?
If you have a phone that’s compatible and feel like a fresh look and some fun new features, go for it. If you’re someone that doesn’t like change, it’s not that drastic and you’ll probably get used to the new feel quite soon.
A few tips before updating:
- Make sure you’ve backed up your device.
- Charge your phone or connect to power during the update.
- Give it a little time after updating for everything to settle (battery usage normalises).
Final thought
iOS 26 is Apple’s strongest visual refresh in years, plus it brings some genuinely helpful tools. If you’ve been waiting for a reason to update, this looks like it might be it. Once you’re updated, there’s something fun to discover in there that’ll make you smile.
PS – If you’re a nerd, or you ever you trouble getting to sleep, here’s an article listing 100 of the new features and improvements in this version.
