Apple Releases iOS 26 Public Beta with Liquid Glass Design and Enhanced AI Features

Apple has officially launched the first public beta of iOS 26, giving iPhone users an early look at the upcoming mobile operating system set to debut later this year. The update delivers a striking new design and a suite of advanced AI-driven features that aim to make the iPhone experience more intelligent, intuitive, and personalised.

Liquid Glass Design Ushers in a Bold New Look

The most eye-catching change in iOS 26 is the introduction of the “Liquid Glass” design. This futuristic visual update completely reimagines the user interface, giving UI elements the appearance of polished, translucent glass. Buttons, menus, navigation tools, and notifications now feature a more layered, fluid, and refined aesthetic.

This design overhaul is consistent across the entire system, from the Lock Screen and Control Centre to key apps like Safari, Phone, Camera and Music. Users can customise their app icons with a glass-like, semi-transparent finish, creating a cohesive visual theme across their Home Screen.

The Lock Screen also receives a significant upgrade, featuring a 3D photo effect and a dynamic clock that subtly shifts based on the time of day and chosen wallpaper. These enhancements bring a sense of motion and depth to the interface.

Smarter AI Features Improve Everyday Use

iOS 26 isn’t just about looks. Apple has introduced several powerful AI-based features that elevate usability and convenience.

One standout is Live Translation, which allows real-time language translation during FaceTime calls, Messages conversations, and even regular phone calls. This makes communicating across languages far more seamless and natural.

Apple has also added context-aware AI shortcuts that learn user habits and anticipate the next action, offering proactive suggestions to save time. In group chats, the Messages app now uses AI to automatically suggest polls, making coordination and decision-making faster and easier.

The new Visual Intelligence feature enhances browsing by allowing users to search for and identify images on the fly, instantly surfacing contextually relevant results while scrolling.

Key App Improvements and New Features

iOS 26 brings enhancements to several built-in apps. A newly launched dedicated gaming app offers a central hub for discovering, managing, and playing mobile games, a welcome change for gaming enthusiasts seeking a more organised experience.

The Phone app gains Call Screening, which prompts unknown callers to state their name and purpose before you decide whether to answer. Hold Assist notifies you when hold music ends and a live agent becomes available, eliminating the need to wait with your phone glued to your ear.

Smaller but welcome upgrades include the ability to customise alarm snooze times, along with new features in Genmoji and Image Playground. Subtle refinements have also been made to Camera, Photos, and Maps.

Should You Install the iOS 26 Beta?

Apple recommends backing up your device before installing the iOS 26 public beta, as the build may still contain bugs and performance issues typical of pre-release software.

That said, iOS 26 represents a major step forward, combining stunning visual design with meaningful AI-powered improvements. For tech enthusiasts and early adopters, this public beta offers a glimpse into a smarter, more personalised iPhone future.