The old debate of form over function remains true with iOS 26 and the final version that launched for all iPhones today. There’s all but a faint whiff of that long-promised Apple Intelligence, though you’ll still find plenty to love and more to complain about with the switch from iOS 18 all the way to the “26” generation.
Remember to set aside some storage on iPhone, as the update will demand a good chunk. iOS 26 showed up as 6GB for me on my iPhone 14 Pro, coming from version iOS 18.6. (Apple is also pushing out iOS 18.7 today.) Our senior editor, Raymond Wong, got the update on his iPhone 16 Pro and noted it was 14.9GB. So your mileage will vary depending on your device and software version.
Along with iOS 26, Apple also released iPadOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26, tvOS 26, visionOS 26, and all the rest. The iPhone 17 lineup, from the 17 Pros to the Air, will come preinstalled with the new software update when those new phones launch on Sept. 19. Every Apple product now shares a similar design language centered on the “Liquid Glass” look. The UI is full of semi-transparent windows and bubbles that can distort and contort text and images underneath it, as if you were looking through a convex glass lens. It’s a means of separating the controls from the content itself. The changes are both subtle and overt. For instance, the “Search” button on iPhones may blend more into your background wallpaper. In apps like Apple Music, the “Now Playing” bar will display a hint of the album artwork underneath it.
Liquid Glass everywhere, from iPhone to Mac
The iOS 26 release may be the most controversial since the drastic changes made to iOS 7 back in 2013. Users didn’t appreciate having to watch short animations before getting into their apps. Many complained about the UI hiding useful buttons, making it harder for power users to find the right tools for the job. Despite the controversy, skeuomorphism—where Apple tried incorporating more familiar images and designs, such as the battery image representing battery life—still remains to this day. That brings us to now and the emphasis on “glassmorphism,” emphasizing opaque windows for a pseudo-3D effect.
As somebody who has used multiple versions of the iPadOS 26 and macOS 26 betas extensively during the beta period this past summer, I appreciated some design changes more than others. Apple removing the opaque layer for the menu bar at the top of the Mac screen helps make the screen feel larger without sacrificing functionality. Spotlight has also been beefed up to take actions directly in apps like Messages without having to click on the icon and type out your text to a recipient. The Mac is now more connected to the iPhone than ever with Live Activities, letting you monitor iPhone notifications without unlocking and fiddling with the device. Clicking on those notifications also opens up the iPhone Mirroring, a feature that was introduced in last year’s macOS Sequoia. It’s not all great, however. There’s no more Launchpad available in the dock, and to bring it back you need to muck around in Terminal. Instead, you’re granted an “Apps” folder that is overloaded with all your iPhone apps in addition to those you installed on Mac.
macOS 26 also sports a few more minor additions, like the largely ineffectual Game Overlay. All that functionality is now bedecked in the translucent layer of glass, from your app icons to the Control Center. The real innovation was saved for Apple’s tablets. The iPad is now far more usable as a dedicated laptop replacement for all your tasks. Apple added the ability to have multiple apps open on-screen at once. You can tile them just by flicking them to the right or left side of the screen. If you want to watch YouTube and type up your notes, it’s now easier than the previous Stage Manager or dual-screen solutions.
iOS 26 has changed over time
Apple has fine-tuned Liquid Glass from its initial dev beta into the public beta and again for the final release. The early versions were practically incoherent, especially with text layered over text. Follow-up betas dialed back some of the glass and liquid effect for a more “frosted glass” aesthetic. The latest public betas honed in on the current design, where you can catch a hint of content underneath menus, as if staring into a pool of glassy water. The effect wants to evoke something tangible, like you’re doing more than scrolling pixels on a pane of glass. After months of playing with all the various betas, I still would prefer a version of Liquid Glass that matches up to the name.
Regular Apple users who use their iPhone for little more than accessing their camera or their TikTok feeds may not understand the hate, but the most-dedicated iPhone aficionados may grow impatient with the new design. Critics say Liquid Glass distracts you from the functions of each app. Some developers publicly lambasted the new design that sticks important functionality behind hamburger menus (those three horizontal bars that open up drop-down menus). Then again, that’s a fact of life for living in Apple’s ecosystem. The company is more concerned with devices that focus apps for specific use types.
Inevitably, you’ll run up against a single instance where the glass garbles words or distracts you from an important part of a text or email. In that moment, you’ll wish to scrap the entire exercise, decry Apple’s hubris, and wish to switch back to iOS 18. After those fleeting moments where the raw hate overflows, you’ll just keep using your devices the way you always have.
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