With the launch of Apple’s new slate of iPhone 17s, iOS 26 is finally here for real. While we’ve had developer and beta versions since the summer following WWDC in June, this is the first official version that brings Liquid Glass to an entirely new generation of iPhones. According to Apple, iOS 26 will be available to everyone on Sept. 15, and will bring some new non-visual tweaks in addition to a new look.
Among those new features are Visual Intelligence, which allows AI to both see and interact with your iPhone screen, a live translation feature that’s integrated into the Messages, FaceTime, and Phone apps, and a new, streamlined Camera app that should make it easier to switch between video and still photo modes.
While those might be nice to have, I’m most interested to see how people react to Liquid Glass in its final form and whether Apple’s big risk on changing the face of iOS 26 pays off. It’s worth noting that if you don’t want the new, glassy look, you can just turn it off in accessibility settings. I, for one, am going to be giving Liquid Glass a shot, though it’s nice to know that if it’s not getting the job done, I can just go back to basics.
Either way, this will be a big test for Apple in its effort to steer a new generation of iPhones into the future and pioneer a new look along with them. iOS 26 isn’t the only platform getting a makeover, either. The rest of Apple’s software is also getting a revamp, and, according to Apple, those “26” versions will also be ready on Sept 15. That includes iPadOS 26, macOS 26, and watchOS 26. It’s finally time to get glassy, folks—beta-free.