Kerry Wan/ZDNET
Apple has been busy prepping iOS 26 for its likely debut in September. Until then, the iPhone's upcoming new OS has been accessible for anyone to try via a developer beta (now up to version 5) and the initial public beta. Though iOS 26 still has at least a month of tweaks before it's finalized, the beta flavors already provide a peek at what to expect.
You can download iOS 26 beta on your iPhone now. Here's how to install it -- and which models support it.
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I've been running the public beta since its release on July 24. Among the new and improved features in iOS 26, these are my five favorites so far.
1. Liquid Glass
Adding a new translucent design to the interface, Liquid Glass gives the impression that you're looking at your screen elements through glass. With this new aesthetic enabled, icons appear more three-dimensional and layered, while menus are semi-transparent. I've read some negative comments about Liquid Glass, but I like the new design. I feel the interface draws me in and engages with me in an artistic but practical way. Comparing my test iPhone with iOS 26 and my current phone with iOS 18, I can clearly see and appreciate the differences with Liquid Glass.
Also: What is Liquid Glass? Here's everything we know about Apple's major UI overhaul
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET
2. Camera app
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