Latest news with #Glass
Phone Arena
12 hours ago
- Phone Arena
iOS 26 Public Beta hands-on: Liquid Glass is back in the front seat
Apple has just released the iOS 26 Public Beta. It's been a month and a half since Apple's latest software update with a newfound nomenclature broke cover at WWDC'25, giving us a sneak peek at the major design overhaul, spearheaded by the Liquid Glass restyling. We've received four developer betas up until now, with the iOS 26 Public Beta and the latest Developer Beta 4 being pretty much identical in terms of features and changes in comparison with previous beta releases. And changes, there have been plenty. With each developer beta, Apple has experimented with the strength of the Liquid Glass effect, which has so far varied from nearly transparent and lustrous to frosted matte glass. This has clearly shown that two major juxtaposing camps exist: those who simply adore the overexaggerated Liquid Glass effect, and those who call for a more moderate effect that tones down the Liquid Glass and feels more Apple-like. In all honesty, I belong to the latter camp, as I'm averse to major changes in interfaces I'm accustomed to, but judging from the Public Beta/Developer Beta 4, it might be the other team that will be victorious this September when iOS 26 rolls out. Well, if you loved Liquid Glass from the start, then strap in, as it's pretty much back. Gone is the frosted matte glass effect that served as a surprising change we welcomed in Developer Beta 3, substituted for a Liquid Glass look in its purest and most translucent form, mostly similar to Developer Betas 1 or 2. Can't say I'm a fan of it, but judging froom the discourse online, I'm in the minority. Navigation bars, buttons, and other interface elements are now generally less opaque and more translucent, which certainly makes some interface elements a bit less legible than what we saw in Developer Beta 3 and slightly hurts the accessibility of iOS as a whole. But let's not forget that this is what betas are for: to experiment and tune things before an official release. Who knows what future betas will bring to the mix, but I do hope Apple makes up its mind about how intense the Liquid Glass effect should be sooner rather than later. Some of the notable changes between Developer Beta 3 and Public Beta/Developer Beta 4 are detailed below. iOS 26 PB/DB4 iOS 26 DB3 Photos is one of the stock apps that best showcases the changes to iOS 26 's Public Beta. The navigation bar at the bottom appears significantly more translucent in the Public Beta in contrast with the more opaque one in the previous beta release. Here we can notice how the overall legibility drops inversely to the increase in the Liquid Glass effect. iOS 26 PB/DB4 iOS 26 DB3 The same can be observed in Apple Music. Although it looks slightly more interesting, the Liquid Glass navigation bar in the Public Beta is significantly harder to make out in comparison with the cleaner and significantly more legible in the DB3 release. I know for a fact that I'm significantly more inclined to pick DB3 as the better visual choice for iOS 26 , but Apple's software design team clearly has other plans in tow. iOS 26 PB/DB4 iOS 26 DB3 The App Store navigation bar is another example of this effect that objectively hurts the accessibility of iOS 26 . Sure, it looks new and fancy, but I can see it getting old really fast. Good news for me and probably anyone else who is not that infatuated with the translucent appearance of Liquid Glass is that enabling the "Reduce Transparency" option in Accessibility > Display & Text Size gets rid of the Liquid Glass effect and makes all of iOS appear just like Developer Beta 3, with nicely legible navigation buttons, bars, and other interface elements. A great thing about Apple's public betas is that they usually fix many (but not all) of the major bugs and issues that have been introduced by the earlier developer betas. Performance and battery life are also much better as a rule of thumb. That's precisely the case with the iOS 26 Public Beta. It performs much better than iOS 26 DB3 and lacks most of the annoying bugs. However, some notable bugs still exist. Open any of your recorded videos in the Photos app, and the audio will continue playing in a loop even if you flick away the video itself. You can actually simultaneously play up to four audio streams at the same time, which is a serious bug. The only way to fix this currently is to manually play pause on any video you've finished watching, which is not the expected behavior. It's definitely worth it to report whatever bugs you encounter in the Feedback app, it's the only way to get them fixed. Performance- and battery life-wise, the iOS 26 Public Beta is definitely an improvement from previous betas. The UX performance is smoother, and the battery life is slightly better. I didn't notice the iPhone running the software get hot too often, which was sadly the case with earlier builds of iOS 26 . Well, that's the question that in hindsight, I always say "no" to, but I always make the mistake of installing new developer betas as soon as they are available. That's why I'm probably not the person who should be telling you what to do. That said, the iOS 26 Public Beta is decent. Performance and battery life are good, the bugs are annoying but not that major, and the Liquid Glass redesign is, well, an acquired taste, something you should experience yourself. Apple gets a thumbs up for handling the iOS beta season this season, even though the zigzagging between the different levels of Liquid Glass intensity could have been handled a bit more consistently.
Engadget
a day ago
- Engadget
Apple iOS 26: Everything you need to know about the public beta release, new iPhone features and more
We're getting closer to accessing all the cool new features coming with Apple iOS 26 this fall. But if you can't wait that long, you can download and install the public beta as of today. Prefer more of a guided tour? Check out our preview of the iOS 26 public beta release. We're pretty excited for the fresh home and lock screen redesign we've been waiting to see for years. Dubbed Liquid Glass, the new look and feel will extend across all of Apple's upcoming operating systems. The overhaul was one of several big changes coming to iOS, macOS, iPadOS and the rest of Apple's software suite, all of which were showcased during the company's WWDC keynote on June 9. After overpromising on AI plans last year, Apple kept its iOS roadmap focused more on basic quality of life improvements this year. There are multiple useful additions coming to the Phone and Messages apps on your iPhone, for instance: Apple execs outlined the ability to weed out spam texts or other unknown senders and an option to hold your spot on a phone call when you've been waiting for a representative to pick up. Plus, a treasured feature that we took for granted is coming back (hint: it's in the Photos app). Siri, meanwhile, is in a holding pattern. Apple has previously specified that its smarter voice assistant — first promised at WWDC 2024 — is delayed until some point "in the coming year," so you shouldn't expect any major changes in the current betas. But there are reports that Apple is aiming to give Siri a bigger brain transplant by basing it on third-party artificial intelligence models like OpenAI's ChatGPT or Anthropic's Claude, which could make 2026 a pivotal year. With each beta, it seems like additional new improvements are popping up, like a newly discovered FaceTime feature that'll freeze your video if it detects nudity. Most newer iPhone models are eligible to download iOS 26 (both the betas and final version). Want to see the full list of new features coming this fall? Read on. What is iOS 26? While the current iPhone operating system is iOS 18, Apple is skipping the numbering ahead to iOS 26 later this year. The company has decided to line up its iOS version numbers with a year-based system, similar to car model years. So while iOS and its sibling operating systems will be released in late 2025, they're all designated "26" to reflect the year ahead. (Meanwhile, iOS 18 is still getting new versions this summer, too.) It's official, we're moving to iOS 26. (Apple) What is Liquid Glass design? Let's be honest. Out of everything announced at WWDC this year, the new Liquid Glass design was the star of the show. The iPhone's home and lock screens have looked pretty much the same year after year — the last exciting thing (in my opinion) was the option to add your own aesthetic to your home screen by customizing your apps and widgets. So seeing the home and lock screens' new facelift is refreshing. So what exactly is Liquid Glass? Apple calls it a "new translucent material" since, well, the apps and widgets are clear. However, the screen can still adapt to dark and light modes, depending on surroundings. You'll also notice buttons with a new floating design in several apps, like Phone and Maps. They're designed to be less distracting than the current buttons, but are still easy to see. While the design overhaul has proven to be controversial since its announcement, some — including Engadget's own Devindra Hardawar — like the new direction, even if it's somewhat reminiscent of Microsoft's translucent Windows Vista Aero designs from nearly twenty years ago. That said, as of the release of the iOS 26 beta 2, Apple has already incorporated some user feedback into the design, dialing back the transparency in at least some places. And while it will continue to evolve, Apple users won't be able to escape it: Liquid Glass was designed to make all of Apple's OSes more cohesive. Here's a look at how the translucent aesthetic will look with the new macOS Tahoe 26 on your desktop. What are the new and notable features of iOS 26? iOS 26 has a laundry list of new features. Among the most worthwhile: Phone app redesign: You'll finally be able to scroll through contacts, recent calls and voicemail messages all on one screen. It also comes with a new feature called Hold Assist that'll notify you when an agent comes to the phone so you can avoid the elevator music and continue on with other tasks. Live Translation in Phone, FaceTime and Messages: iOS 26 is bringing the ability to have a conversation via phone call or text message with someone who speaks another language. Live Translation will translate your conversation in real time, which results in some stop-and-go interactions in the examples Apple shared during its presentation. Polls in group chats: Tired of sorting through what seems like hundreds of messages in your group chat? You and your friends will soon be able to create polls in group messages for deciding things like which brunch spot you're eating at or whose car you're taking on a road trip. Filtering unknown senders in Messages: If you haven't received spam texts about unpaid tolls or other citations, you're lucky. For those of us who have, those annoying messages will soon be filtered away in a separate folder. Visual Intelligence: Similar to a reverse Google image search, this new feature will allow you to search for anything that's on your iPhone screen. For instance, if you spot a pair of shoes someone is wearing in an Instagram photo, you can screenshot it and use Visual Intelligence to find those shoes (or similar ones) online. Photos tabs are back: For anyone who's still frustrated with the Photos changes made last year, you'll be happy to know that your tabs are coming back. Library and Collections will have their own separate spaces so you don't have to scroll to infinity to find what you're looking for. FaceTime "Communication Safety" feature: A newer addition to iOS 26 appears to be the FaceTime "Communication Safety" feature that pauses communications if and when nudity is detected. The feature appears to be a child safety feature that uses on-device detection, thus obviating any cloud-based privacy issues. Apple's Hold Assist will be nifty for those pesky services that put you on hold for 10 or more minutes. (Apple) Which iPhones will be able to upgrade to iOS 26? A few iPhone models that run the current version of iOS — iPhone XR, XS and XS Max — won't be compatible with the latest upgrade. But any iPhones released in 2019 or later will be eligible for the iOS 26 update. iPhone SE (second generation or later) Not listed here are the presumed new iPhone 17 models (or maybe iPhone 26?) that are all but certain to be announced and released in September. When will the iOS 26 beta be available? As of July 24, the iOS 26 public beta is available to download via the Apple Beta Software Program. If you're not already a member, you'll need to sign up to try out all the latest features. Just visit and sign up with your phone number or email address. It's free. Once you're in, you can install it by going to Settings > General > Software Update and selecting iOS 26 public beta. A word of caution: Don't sign up with your main iPhone unless you're OK with any risks that occur with using an OS that isn't finalized. When will the final version of iOS 26 be released? iOS 26 will be released to the public this fall. It usually comes in September, within a week of the Apple iPhone event. Last year, it rolled out to iPhone users on September 16 — exactly one week after the iPhone 16 lineup was announced. If you're more interested in the Apple Intelligence features coming, here's everything Apple revealed for iOS, macOS and more during WWDC. Also, check out how iOS 26 screenshots could be an intriguing preview of Apple's delayed Siri rework. Update, July 24: Noted the iOS 26 public beta is now available. Update, July 3: Noted new FaceTime feature found in the developer beta. Update, June 30: Noted ongoing iOS 18 releases, and reports that Apple is considering additional external LLMs for Siri. Update, June 25: Noted changes added in iOS 26 beta 2. If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission.
Tom's Guide
a day ago
- Tom's Guide
iPadOS 26 hands-on preview — the biggest upgrade in years
iPadOS 26 is expected to launch this fall, but you can try it now via the iPadOS 26 public beta. Though previous iPadOS updates have introduced minor updates, iPadOS 26 is arguably the most significant update yet for the best iPads that can run the new software. Like iOS 26 and macOS 26, the upcoming iPad operating system will utilize the Liquid Glass design language, which creates a unified look across most of Apple's devices. For iPads specifically, a new windowing system lets you move and resize apps to your liking. Apple Intelligence also receives a modest update for iPads. I've used iPadOS 26 on the iPad Pro M4 for the last month via the developer beta, and I think it's a pretty solid update. While not revolutionary, the OS is certainly more MacBook-like in terms of functionality. And though it's a controversial design choice, I like the Liquid Glass look since it instantly distinguishes iPadOS 26 from its predecessors. Here are my impressions of the iPadOS 26 public beta so far. Before we move on, here is a list of all the iPads that are compatible with iPadOS 26. Of the tablets capable of running the current iPadOS 18, only the 7th-generation iPad has lost support with this update. Like I said in the intro, the most immediate change you'll see with iPadOS 26 is the new Liquid Glass design language. The design isn't super prominent, with the Liquid Glass appearance mostly seen in the lock/unlock screen and when you click on the apps folder. That said, the slight glass-like sheen around the borders of apps is very eye-catching. I also like how items behind the apps you have open get blurred. You can disable this transparency effect and eliminate all background elements, but that looks boring to me. The new windowing system for iPadOS 26 is a great update that can help you better manage windows on your iPad. It lets you easily resize, move and organize app windows. It's also simpler to work with multiple windows at once. You're not wrong to think this sounds a lot like the windowing system on macOS, but it all works nicely with the iPad's touch controls. The new window controls allow you to close, minimize, resize and tile windows however you want. The latter is designed for an iPad's screen, such as letting you snap windows into place with a quick swipe. Another cool feature is that any app you've previously resized will open back up in the same position and size every time. iPadOS 26 borrows the macOS menu bar, featuring the same red, yellow and green circles for close, minimize and full screen (respectively). Since this is an iPad, you can access these controls by swiping down or moving the cursor up—with said cursor now looking like a pointer instead of a circle. The built-in search feature that lets you find extra features fast is also very helpful. Lastly, the Exposé function lets you see all of your open apps at once, which is useful for easily switching between your apps. This all works quite nicely with Stage Manager if you want to group windows, and it's especially handy if you're connected to an external monitor, where you can work with even more apps than you can comfortably view on an iPad's display. Getting work done on an iPad is easier than ever thanks to the updated Files app. The new List view lets you see more of your document details in resizable columns and collapsible folders. There are also new folder customization options that let you adjust colors, icons and emojis to make it simpler to identify folders at a glance. You can also drag any folder from Files to the Dock, which is very helpful for quickly accessing the Files you use the most. Doing all of this on an iPad, especially the 13-inch iPad Pro or iPad Air, is as intuitive and smooth as you'd expect. I personally like using the Apple Pencil to move and resize folders, but finger controls work just as well. Apple Intelligence now has better personalization for Genmoji and Image Playground. There are also new intelligent actions that let you create shortcuts like summarizing text with Writing Tools and creating images with Image Playground. Though I don't often use Apple Intelligence features, I have to admit that Live Translations works very well for the Phone, FaceTime and Messages apps. For example, incoming texts in Messages (even group messages) get automatically translated into your preferred language. This also works in FaceTime, where you can follow along with translated live captions while still hearing the speaker's voice. If you're like me and have relatives who speak another language (Spanish in my case), this can be an invaluable Apple Intelligence feature. I'm still testing and toying around with iPadOS 26, but it's clear that this update gets us another step closer to making iPads as useful for everyday work as the best MacBooks. That said, iPadOS 26 isn't just slapping a macOS-like operating system on Apple's tablet. This is still very much an iPad experience. I'll continue using and testing iPadOS 26, so be on the lookout for my ongoing impressions of the operating system. So far it's working well, but I'm curious to see how it will evolve from now until it officially launches this fall. Stay tuned for more coverage!
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Apple iOS 26 public beta arrives
Apple released the first public beta of its new mobile operating system, iOS 26, featuring its 'Liquid Glass' user interface and improved AI features. The release allows early adopters to get their hands on Apple's latest software before its wider public availability later this fall. The update represents the most notable visual transformation since iOS 7, featuring a 'Liquid Glass' design that offers a more transparent, glass-like feel to user interface elements, like buttons, screens, and in-app navigation and controls, among other things. Liquid Glass is integrated throughout iOS 26, including in key apps like Phone, Camera, Safari, Music, and others, as well as in notifications, the Lock Screen, Control Center, and the Home Screen. The software update also includes an updated Lock Screen for iPhone and iPad with a 3D photo effect and dynamic clock and updated app icons, which users can now set to clear, too. In terms of AI features, the new software brings a live translation feature that translates conversations in real-time, AI-powered shortcuts, poll suggestions in Messages, and an update to Visual Intelligence for conducting image searches as you browse. Other software versions, including iPadOS 26, macOS 26, tvOS 26, and watchOS 26, have also adopted the Liquid Glass design. Here is a brief overview of all the new features being introduced. iOS 26 In addition to the glass aesthetic, iPhone users have several updates to be excited about, including a dedicated gaming app that serves as a new destination for playing and discovering games in one place. The Phone app is introducing a new Call Screening feature that prompts unknown callers to state their name and reason for calling before the recipient answers. Additionally, a Hold Assist feature will notify users when hold music ends, signaling that they can speak to a live agent. The app, along with Messages and FaceTime, will also support real-time live translations. In the Messages app, meanwhile, users can expect a feature that has AI-generated suggestions for polls. iOS 26 will also bring updates to Genmoji and Image Playground, as well as improvements to Camera, Photos, Maps, and a range of other minor additions, including the ability to customize alarm snooze times. iPadOS 26 A big win for iPad users is that they'll experience a more Mac-like tablet. For example, iPadOS 16 is bringing the Preview app from macOS, which enables annotation on PDFs. Plus, a new windowing system that lets users adjust the size of web pages and apps, as well as manage multiple windows and tabs at once. MacOS Tahoe 26 One notable update for macOS 26 involves Spotlight, which will employ AI to anticipate user searches and suggest actions based on frequently performed tasks or ongoing projects. Additionally, macOS is gaining Live Activities, allowing users to sync activities directly with their iPhones and access recent calls and contacts. watchOS 26 One of the more significant features coming to the new watchOS is Workout Buddy, a fitness assistant powered by Apple Intelligence that provides motivation using a generative voice during workouts, pointing out key moments like closing the Exercise ring for the day. Apple has also revamped the Workout app, introducing a helpful new option called Autoplay Media. This feature automatically starts playing music, podcasts, and audiobooks. Additionally, Apple Music can intelligently recommend the most suitable playlists for your workouts and will recall listening habits for each type of exercise. Another update is the automatic volume adjustment capability, which adjusts the volume of calls, timers, alarms, and Siri to match the surrounding sound levels, ideal for quiet places like libraries. Apple also introduced a new one-handed flick gesture that's designed to dismiss notifications, silence incoming calls, and return to the watch face, among other actions. tvOS 26 Arguably, the most useful new feature coming to Apple's TV operating system is the ability to switch profiles seamlessly. Users can easily select their profile as soon as the Apple TV wakes from sleep, allowing them to quickly resume their viewing experience. Apple Music introduced a fun feature that enables users to use their iPhones as microphones for sing-alongs, complete with on-screen lyrics displayed on the TV. Multiple iPhones can connect at once, making it possible for friends and family to join in, queue songs, and even send emoji reactions. Additionally, new Contact Posters for FaceTime allow users to showcase customized photos and names, personalizing the experience. Another notable update includes the expansion of Live Captions to support translations in languages such as French, German, and Spanish.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Apple's iOS 26 brings the most significant change to your iPhone in years
Apple (AAPL) is bringing the biggest changes to the iPhone in years with its upcoming iOS 26 software. I've been using a beta version of the operating system, and while it's taken a bit of getting used to, I generally appreciate the broad-based refresh. Available for download as a public beta on Thursday, iOS 26 brings a new naming convention pinned to the year ahead, in this case 2026, as well as a completely new look and feel. Apple calls the new aesthetic Liquid Glass, owing to its translucent features that make it appear as though light is warping and bending around buttons, sliders, and app folders. Like any major software change, iOS 26 is sure to stir up controversy for some users. Apple has already dialed back the translucence in some menus after early user complaints about readability. But iOS 26 doesn't just come with a stylistic makeover. It also brings improvements to the Phone and Messages apps, as well as Apple's AI-powered Visual Intelligence. There's even a new Games app that acts as a hub for all of your time-killing adventures. But it's hard to imagine iOS 26 boosting iPhone sales, which is Apple's main goal. People generally upgrade their phones based on hardware improvements, like better batteries or enhanced cameras, not new software. Still, iOS 26 could set the table for what is expected to be Apple's foray into superthin smartphones, including, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, an iPhone 17 Air later this fall. That Air will also help guide a future foldable phone, a smaller market dominated by Android device makers like Samsung. That makes getting the software right all the more important as the company prepares for some of the most radical changes to its phones since the iPhone X. Liquid Glass and the new look of iOS 26 Part of Apple's decision to roll out Liquid Glass, the company said, was to create a cohesive look across all of its devices, from the iPhone to the iPad to the Mac. But most users will experience the software on their iPhones. And while it's a big change, it's not as though you'll download the update and have to learn how to use your iPhone from scratch. Virtually all of the menus and apps you're used to are exactly the same. That doesn't mean some folks won't like the new look. I like seeing light move around the app folders on my home screen, even if they're somewhat reminiscent of "Candy Crush" blocks. But after a while, I hardly noticed the change. And for people who aren't fans of the design update, you can still adjust the color and tint of app icons and folders. The lock screen has also been revamped. The time now adjusts to better match your background photo, and you can add a 3D effect to your image. You'll also see an animated album cover image when you're listening to songs with Apple Music+. The FaceTime, Phone, and Messages apps now feature customizable backgrounds, Live Translation, and the ability to poll your friends when you and the gang want to figure out where to grab dinner. Visual Intelligence gets some enhanced options, including the ability to see what's on your screen via screenshots, which you can then use to search for items, images, or text — such as the details of a concert being advertised on Instagram. Take a screenshot of an upcoming sporting event with the date, and Visual Intelligence will automatically ask if you want to add it to your calendar. The Camera and Photos apps are more streamlined as well. Rather than displaying a variety of shooting settings, the Camera app now provides photo and video options at the bottom of the screen. Tap the buttons and swipe to the left and right, though, and you'll find the portrait, slo-mo, and other functions. Apple brought back the tab view for the Photos app, so your photo library and collections now appear separately rather than on a single page. One particularly impressive feature Apple added is the ability for iOS to recognize if a specific photo was taken at a concert. When it does, you'll see a small ticket stub icon at the bottom of the screen. Tap it, and you'll get info about when and where the concert took place, the set the artist was playing, and links to their page in Apple Music. And, mercifully, Apple has made it easier to block spam calls and texts. If your iPhone doesn't recognize an incoming call, it can screen it for you by answering and asking for the caller's name and the reason they're calling. That allows you to choose when you want to answer or ignore a call. Hold Assist also uses Apple Intelligence to put your call on hold when it detects you're waiting to speak to someone. It will then alert you when someone gets on the line, making waiting for your insurance agent to go over your co-pay just a bit less of a burden. Apple's new Games app is also a welcome addition to iOS 26. Serving as a hub for all of your games, the app allows you to play with and against friends and quickly find new titles to help you pass the time. The iOS 26 update includes a slew of other smaller features that will generally make your life a bit easier, including changes to Wallet, Apple Maps, and Apple Music. As for Apple Intelligence, rather than a massive overhaul, the company has sprinkled smaller AI-powered enhancements across a variety of apps, making it feel as though Apple Intelligence is a larger overarching piece of the operating system instead of a singular experience. And in the end, that will likely be more appealing and less confusing for customers. Apple will launch iOS 26 later this fall. You can check out the public beta in the meantime. But if you don't want to risk running into any bugs, it's best to just wait until the full public Daniel Howley at dhowley@ Follow him on X/Twitter at @DanielHowley.
