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The wait is almost over. Apple is set to release iOS 26 on Monday.
It's been three months since the company announced the software update at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June, with the first beta version released shortly after. Since then, I've been living with the beta software on two iPhones: my iPhone 16 Pro and 14 Pro. I would have downloaded it on my iPhone XR, too, but that device doesn't support the software (sorry to anyone who still has an XR).
After using the iOS 26 beta for a few months, I found a lot of the new features to be fun and useful. The Liquid Glass redesign looks clean and is visually impressive. Call screening, a true game-changer, manages to protect you from robocalls while still allowing other folks to reach you. And iOS 26 brings other hidden upgrades to my iPhones that still manage to surprise me.
While most of these upgrades are good, iOS 26 takes half-measures at times. Some features are moving in the right direction but need work. The new Games app feels as though it hasn't been fully built out yet, and Visual Intelligence's ability to add information to your Calendar could use improvement.
But the Liquid Glass redesign helps usher in a more immersive visual experience for Apple users, and overall, the update adds more functionality to your phone. It's not a fundamental reworking of the iPhone's operating system, but it offers nice quality-of-life upgrades that help Apple stay apace with its competition.
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