Apple Unveils iOS 26: Discover Liquid Glass Interface and Apple Intelligence Now!

On Monday, June 9, 2025, during the opening keynote of the Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple’s annual event, the company unveiled iOS 26, the upcoming software update for the iPhone. Set to roll out in the fall to compatible devices, if Apple follows its usual roadmap, this version features a completely redesigned interface built from a “new material” called Liquid Glass. Here’s what to expect with iOS 26.

1. Apple Rebrands Its Operating Systems

As reported by Bloomberg in late May, Apple has decided to rename all of its operating systems for consistency. Now, the naming will not reflect the version number but the year following the software update’s release. Therefore, what would have been iOS 19 is now iOS 26. This new naming convention also applies to macOS, watchOS, iPadOS, and visionOS.

2. Interface Overhaul

Undoubtedly, the most significant new feature introduced at WWDC 2025 is the upcoming redesign of the iOS interface. Like Android, iOS will soon adopt a new software design “created from a new material called Liquid Glass,” Apple states in a press release. Inspired by visionOS, the operating system for the Vision Pro mixed reality headset, this new visual language stands out with its translucent, glass-like appearance, featuring “real-time rendering” that “dynamically reacts to movements with specular reflections.” This visual overhaul is implemented across all the company’s operating systems, affecting every element of the interface from buttons and tab bars to widgets, as well as pre-installed apps like Photos and Camera. “It also shines in system experiences, including the lock screen, home screen, notifications, and Control Center,” adds Apple. This is the most extensive visual redesign of the iPhone since iOS 7, released in 2013.

Here is a preview of the new interface in video:

3. Updates for Apple Intelligence

Launched last March 31 in France, Apple’s “personal intelligence system” sees minimal user-side changes with iOS 26. The main update is for developers, who will soon be able to access the “embedded model that powers Apple Intelligence,” allowing “users to enjoy new intelligent experiences that are available offline and privacy-centric,” highlights the company.

Here are the key Apple Intelligence features presented at WWDC 2025:

• Live translation feature: Integrated into Messages, FaceTime, and Phone, this feature, which runs locally on the device, aims to “break down language barriers.” It will automatically translate messages in the Messages app, display live subtitles in FaceTime, and speak aloud translated words during a phone call.
• “Smart actions” in Shortcuts: Thanks to Apple Intelligence, new preconfigured actions will appear in the Shortcuts app. “Users will see actions tied to functionalities, such as summarizing text with Writing Tools or creating images with Image Playground,” the brand notes.
• A visual search tool: With iOS 26, the iPhone gains a visual search functionality. Users can interact with elements displayed on the screen across all apps, explains Apple. For instance, it will be possible to invoke ChatGPT to answer a question about a product displayed on the screen, “as well as initiate searches on Google, Etsy, or other supported apps to find similar images and products.”

Here is what the visual search feature will look like:

4. Additional Discrete Features in Messages

The Messages app, which already underwent a complete overhaul in 2024, will offer options to filter messages from unknown senders, and “display them in a dedicated area where users can mark the number as known, request more information, or proceed to delete them,” details Apple. With iOS 26, other new features will also be deployed: typing indicators in conversations, the creation of polls in group discussions, and the option to set a custom background in a conversation.

5. A Dedicated App for Video Games

At WWDC 2025, Apple also introduced a new app focused on gaming. Named Jeux in its French version, it “brings together all the users’ games in one place,” while allowing them to keep up with the latest news about their favorite titles, start games with friends, or compete through a leaderboard. It also serves as a gateway to Apple Arcade, the brand’s subscription gaming service.