Apple announced on the 24th (local time) that it will release the public beta version of its next iPhone operating system, iOS 26. The public beta is a test software version that allows general users to experience it before the official release. iPhone users will be able to preview the new interface before the official distribution in September.
iOS 26 is evaluated as the biggest design change since iOS 7 in 2013. At the recent Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple revealed the 'liquid glass' design, which makes iPhone buttons and menus translucent and adds animation effects during app navigation. This new design has also been applied to the operating systems of the iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch.
iOS 26 also includes improvements to the currency app. Users can view call records and voice messages on a single screen, and features for filtering spam calls and text messages have been added. However, a major update for the artificial intelligence (AI) voice assistant Siri is not included and is expected to be released next year.
New features utilizing AI include real-time translation capabilities and a visual search function using screenshots. This feature helps users find specific products online when they select them from news articles.
Apple announces major software updates annually, which are publicly revealed at the WWDC in June, followed by developers and early adopters testing the beta version. In September and October, they are officially distributed alongside the latest iPhones, with most iPhones updating automatically.