This is probably the most expected feature, because it represents a significant change compared with the previous iOS 18 design. With a glassy look, we can say that Apple drew inspiration from the Vision Pro interface to make the entire operating system look more translucent. But this transparency really challenged Apple in terms of readability and how elements look on top of each other.
Even if Apple has indeed released the official version of iOS 26 already, users should expect in the coming months new versions of the iOS 26 that have different adjustments.
Here, Apple doesn’t have many updates for artificial intelligence, compared with last year’s announcements. Since the launch of Apple Intelligence, which was a huge event indeed, the iPhone maker has revealed important and very useful features that would make users’ lives easier with the help of AI. But now, we have seen only minor AI features added, such as Translation powered by artificial intelligence, which can now be used during FaceTime calls, during conversations on Messages, and also for phone calls.
It should be mentioned that the AI-powered translations are only available for languages such as French, German, Portuguese, Spanish, and, of course, English.
But a more interesting feature is implemented for AirPods users, who can enjoy Live Translation when they are talking with somebody. Thanks to the active noise cancellation, the AirPods will lower the voice of the one who speaks, and will automatically translate to make the conversation much easier. Also, this feature works both ways, so if someone doesn’t have their AirPods, they can read the translation directly on the iPhone screen.
You probably already know some of these new features, but they are too good not to be mentioned here.
The phone app is coming with a more unified look, with the favorite calls condensed in a card format along with recents and voicemails. You have the option to choose which calls your iPhone should show, directly from filters. But if you feel that the old interface suited you better, you can come back to the classic look from settings.
For calls, the iPhone gives users the opportunity to not answer a call from an unknown number. Instead, the system will answer on their behalf, and will ask for their name along with the purpose of the call in order to allow users to decide if they want to answer that call or not.
For the camera app, the new Liquid Glass design is available only for Video and Photo modes. You should know that it is possible to scroll and switch the modes according to your needs. Now you can find the Night mode along with the Flash in the top right corner, with the option to switch these on and off with a single screen touch.
These are the most important changes that you might notice when downloading and installing the new iOS 26 operating system. But there are many more iOS 26 features that wait to be discovered by users. Download the new Apple iOS 26 on your phone, and enjoy all the iOS 26 features that can make your life much easier.