Alright, Apple fans, the iOS 26 Developer Beta is finally here—and let me be honest right from the start: it’s not a breakthrough update. In fact, if you’re an Android user, you’re probably chuckling right now. Most features feel like Apple is catching up rather than innovating. But hey, one thing did grab my attention: Liquid Glass—a complete visual overhaul after what feels like forever.
Let’s dive in.
Liquid Glass Design – Eye-Candy, But Not Perfect
I’ll start with what Apple clearly spent the most time on—Liquid Glass UI. It’s slick, shiny, and yes, a huge shift from the current flat design. You get tons of translucent overlays, animations, and effects that give the phone a futuristic feel.
But (and it’s a big but), it’s not without flaws.
The screen feels cluttered. When you’re jumping between apps, pulling down the notification shade, or even just navigating—there’s so much happening visually that it starts to feel overwhelming. Readability takes a hit, especially when you have bright colors layered over semi-transparent backgrounds. It’s beautiful, yes. But functional? Hmm, not always.
Adaptive Lock Screen Clock – Minor Tweaks
Apple has made slight improvements to the lock screen. You can now customize the clock more than before. Fonts, sizes, maybe a few more widgets—it’s nice, but nothing to write home about. It’s more like a version 1.2 of what we already had, rather than something brand new.
Camera App – Finally, Some Focus
One welcome change is in the Camera App. Apple has reorganized it a bit—now “Photo” and “Video” are center stage, which actually makes a lot of sense. It’s a small change, but when you’re quickly trying to capture a moment, this tiny UX improvement is really handy.
Phone App – A Cleaner Look
Apple’s Phone App got a nice update. Now, Favourites, Recents, and Voicemail are grouped together neatly, and switching between Contacts, Keypad, and Calls is smoother with the new bottom bar. It looks more unified and polished. Not a game-changer, but a welcome cleanup.
Visual Intelligence Search – Disappointing
Okay, now let’s talk about Visual Intelligence Search. The idea is—you take a screenshot of anything on your screen and then search from it. Sounds smart? Well, not really—Android’s “Circle to Search” does this without needing a screenshot, and it feels more seamless. Apple’s method feels like a workaround, not a native feature. This one feels half-baked.
Live Translation – It’s… There
Live translation for both text and audio is here, but again, Android’s been doing this for a while. It works, sure, but there’s nothing particularly impressive about Apple’s implementation. Feels like Apple just had to tick this box.
Apple Music – Lyrics Translation & Pronunciation
Here’s something cool. Apple Music now gives you translated lyrics and even pronunciation support. That’s honestly helpful for people who love foreign music (like me!). This was a nice surprise—and one of the few things that felt fresh.
Battery & Performance – Some Concerns
Now let’s talk real-world use. With all these new animations and visual layers, the GPU is working harder—and trust me, the phone heats up noticeably. Battery life takes a hit, and in this Developer Beta, there are a bunch of small bugs too. I’m hoping Apple will fix these in the final release, but as of now, it’s a bit rough.
Also, be prepared—this update is massive. After downloading the 15–16GB update, it took up about 21–22GB of space. That’s not small!
Compatibility & Smart Charging
This update is only for iPhones after the iPhone 11—so if you’re on an older model, sorry, you’re out. One new thing that stood out is Smarter Power Charging. Now, while charging, you get a more detailed battery percentage with improved charging info. Again, not revolutionary, but useful.
Final Thoughts
iOS 26 feels like a mixed bag. Apple is clearly trying to refresh the visual identity with Liquid Glass—and I respect that. But in terms of functionality, a lot of features feel like they’re catching up with Android rather than breaking new ground.
Still, it’s just the Developer Beta. I’ll keep exploring, and I’m hopeful the final version will iron out the bugs and optimize performance.
Till then, let’s just enjoy the glassy new vibes… and keep the charger close!