iOS 26 and the New Apple OS Lineup: A Major Shift in Design and Functionality
Apple today announced the immediate availability of its next-generation software platforms: iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe, watchOS 26, tvOS 26, and visionOS 26, marking a profound shift in design and functionality. The new releases are anchored by a unified visual aesthetic, “Liquid Glass,” and a host of powerful on-device intelligence features that are set to redefine the user experience.
The most noticeable change is the stunning “Liquid Glass” design. This translucent, dynamic material reflects and refracts light, giving a beautiful new look to app icons, widgets, and system controls across the entire Apple ecosystem. It creates a sense of depth and vitality, with elements that transform and react to user interactions, bringing a new level of consistency and delight from the Lock Screen of an iPhone to the menu bar of a Mac.
Powering this new experience is “Apple Intelligence,” a suite of on-device machine learning features designed to be personal and private. A key highlight is “Live Translation,” which seamlessly breaks down language barriers in real time during Messages, FaceTime, and phone calls. Updates to visual intelligence allow users to take a screenshot and ask questions about the content, or to search for similar products online. The new “Workout Buddy” feature on Apple Watch leverages this intelligence to provide personalised, spoken motivation during workouts, with a dynamic voice modelled after Apple Fitness+ trainers.
The updates for each platform are extensive, with iOS 26 leading the charge with a host of new features that enhance communication, privacy, and personalisation.
iOS 26
The Lock Screen on iOS 26 gets a major makeover with adaptive time displays that intelligently shift position to keep the subject of a photo visible. A delightful 3D spatial effect is now activated when the device is moved, bringing Lock Screen photos to life. Home Screen app icons have also been redesigned with options for a translucent style, colour tints, or light and dark appearances.
New privacy and communication tools have been integrated. “Call Screening” automatically answers unidentified callers, prompting them for their name and purpose before the phone rings. “Hold Assist” takes over waiting on hold for customer service, notifying the user when an agent is available. In Messages, users can now create polls in group chats, customise conversation backgrounds, and screen unknown senders into a separate category.
“Apple Intelligence” features are deeply integrated into iOS 26. “Live Translation” can automatically translate text in Messages, provide live translated captions in FaceTime calls, and deliver spoken translations in the Phone app. New “Visual Intelligence” tools on iOS 26 allow users to act on content directly on their screen, for example, converting a list in an email into Reminders. iOS 26 also includes the new “Image Playground”, which lets users create custom graphics by mixing emoji and text descriptions, while “Genmoji” produces personalised emojis styled on friends and family.
iPadOS 26
A new, powerful, and intuitive windowing system transforms multitasking on iPad, making it easier to manage and switch between apps. The menu bar and supercharged Files app offer new ways to organise and access content, while the Preview app arrives on iPad with built-in Apple Pencil Markup and AutoFill.
macOS Tahoe
The Mac experience is turbocharged with the new Liquid Glass design and a completely transparent menu bar. Spotlight receives its biggest update yet, offering new browsing views for files and enhanced search with powerful action capabilities for tasks such as sending emails or creating events directly from the search bar.
watchOS 26
The new software delivers more personalised health insights with a “sleep score” feature that helps users understand their sleep quality. The redesigned Workout app introduces new features, including Workout Buddy and a revamped layout, while a new “wrist flick” gesture streamlines the process of dismissing notifications.
tvOS 26
Sing-along sessions on Apple TV are enhanced with “Sing in Apple Music,” which allows users to use their iPhone as a wireless microphone. Contact Posters on FaceTime and updated user profiles simplify shared experiences in the living room.
visionOS 26
Widgets now seamlessly integrate into a user’s space, and “spatial scenes” add a new dimension of lifelike depth to photos. The update also brings more realistic Personas and “spatial browsing,” which allows web pages to embed 3D objects.
iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe, watchOS 26, tvOS 26, and visionOS 26 are available as free updates for a wide range of compatible Apple devices. Users can download them by navigating to the Software Update section in their device settings.
