iOS 26 Features: Apple’s Liquid Glass, Visual Intelligence and More | WSJ

New iOS Features - Apple announces iOS 26, a major redesign with a sleek, glass-like interface across lock screen, home screen, and redesigned apps like Camera and Safari, aiming for a bigger screen feel [1][2][3] - The new OS includes call screening for unknown numbers, hold assist, and live translation, features already present in Google and Samsung devices [5][6] - Messages are enhanced with typing indicators for group chats, polls, and customizable backgrounds [6] - Apple integrates AI, including visual intelligence for screenshots with search and ChatGPT integration, and opens on-device large language models to developers [7] - iOS 26 includes smaller updates like customizable alarm snooze times, camera lens cleaning alerts, and a redesigned CarPlay with widgets [8] User Experience and Design - The "liquid glass" design aims for a translucent, real-world glass-like feel, customizing app icons and redesigning popular apps [2] - Web pages in Safari will flow edge-to-edge, dynamically shrinking the tab bar to maximize content visibility [3] - Camera app receives a more intuitive design, simplifying photo and video capture modes [3] - The new design language will extend to macOS, iPadOS, CarPlay, and more [3] - Redesigns can initially face user resistance, as seen with iOS 7, but users typically adapt over time [4] Availability - iOS 26 will be available to the public this fall, with a public beta in July, supporting iPhones as far back as the iPhone 11 [9]