Apple is set to officially release iOS 26 on September 15, marking a significant overhaul of its mobile operating system. The update, which has been in beta testing since June, introduces a new design language dubbed "Liquid Glass," inspired by the translucent aesthetics of visionOS. This redesign brings a fresh look to user interface elements such as menus, notifications, and core applications like Messages, Phone, and Camera.

The "Liquid Glass" design aims to create a more immersive experience, with translucent materials that interact with their surroundings. This visual transformation extends to the lock screen, featuring redesigned time and date widgets and dynamic elements that adapt to the wallpaper. Users will also be able to create spatial scenes that offer a sense of depth when the device is moved. The home screen will see changes as well, allowing for customization of icon appearance, including translucency.

Beyond the visual enhancements, iOS 26 integrates significant improvements to Apple Intelligence. Key features include live translation capabilities in Phone, FaceTime, and Messages, enabling seamless conversations across language barriers. The Phone app itself receives a redesign, offering a unified view of contacts, recent calls, and voicemails, along with a "Hold Assist" feature to notify users when a live agent is available.

The update also promises enhanced audio recording with "studio-quality" sound, particularly in noisy environments, and introduces a camera remote control function for AirPods. For CarPlay, iOS 26 brings a more compact view for incoming calls and integrates features like Tapbacks and pinned conversations. A new "Apple Games" app is also set to be included, alongside advancements in Safari's fingerprinting protection and accessibility features.

iOS 26 will be available as a free software update for a wide range of compatible iPhone models, including the iPhone 11 series and later, as well as the iPhone SE (2nd generation and later). The newly launched iPhone 17 series will come pre-installed with iOS 26. The release candidate version of iOS 26 is now available for beta testers, signaling its readiness for the public rollout next week.