Every summer, Apple brings the latest version of iOS. Compared with previous years, this year's iOS 26 is undoubtedly the largest update in recent years. Especially in terms of appearance design, the visual foundation of interaction has been completely reshaped through the new design language of the new "Liquid Glass".
After the official push of the Public Beta version, more and more users have upgraded their iOS devices to the latest system. After a few days of in-depth experience, I want to share with you how the "liquid glass" experiences when it comes to us.
Although the public beta version has significantly improved stability compared to the previous Developer beta version, it is still a test system. This means that you may encounter various unexpected bugs, application crashes, increased calorie generation, reduced battery life, etc., which may affect daily use. So if you only have one iPhone or have high requirements for system stability, I strongly recommend that you stay waiting and wait for the official version of the autumn. If you are really eager to try it out, be sure to use iCloud or computer to make a complete backup of the device before upgrading to avoid data loss.
"Liquid Glass" brings new possibilities
After upgrading to iOS 26, you will find that "liquid glass" runs through the entire iOS 26 system. Its core concept is to simulate the light and shadow effects of materials such as frosted glass and translucent gel in the real world, bringing a sense of space and layering to the flat UI interface. Especially in the notification center and the control center, all buttons will float on the surface in the form of a "glass sheet", which looks much more eye-catching.
In this year's iOS 26 system, the new transparent effect is also very attractive. It can be said to be the UI that best fits the iOS 26 "liquid glass" effect, and it can also blend with the background of various colors, looking quite harmonious.
In early developer beta versions, Apple's use of transparency effects was very radical. It will give users a very eye-catching first impression, but after being amazed, the excessive transparency also seriously affects the readability of text and icons. In the public beta version, iOS 26 has also found an ideal balance point. The overall transparency of the system has been significantly reduced, especially in areas like the control center, which contains a large number of buttons. The current effect is to add a layer of delicate matte to the bottom of the button, which makes those buttons more prominent. At the same time, the reflective texture of the glass material on the surface of the button also ensures that the upper content has a high enough contrast, making the "liquid glass" not only look good, but also easy to use.
At present, real-time capture of the dynamic effects of lower UI and performing Gaussian blur and light and shadow rendering puts forward extremely high requirements for hardware performance. Taking the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which currently has the strongest performance in my hands, as an example, in the current public beta version, the system will still have occasional frame drops and stutters, especially when quickly opening the notification center, sliding the App list or switching between multiple complex applications, the phone will have occasional frame drops. This occasional "not following" still reminds you that this is a beta system. From this point of view, for some old models, "liquid glass" may become a considerable performance burden, which is also a problem that Apple needs to quickly solve before launching the official firmware in September.
In addition, Apple also provides an additional option. If you think the current liquid glass effect will affect reading efficiency, just go to the "Assistance Functions" - "Show and Text Effects" in "Settings" and find the "Reduce Transparency" option to bring the system interface back to the familiar, basically opaque matte style.
A brand new camera under minimalism
In addition to the visual innovation of UI, another native app in iOS 26 that has changed greatly is the camera. Apple seems to hope that through this revision, the camera interface will return to the purest and simplest state. When you turn on the new version of the camera, your first feeling must be "empty". Below the view frame, you can only see the two most core mode options, "Photo" and "Video". In the past, the portraits, panoramics, slow motion and other modes we were familiar with were all "hidden" and needed to slide left and right to discover them in turn. This design undoubtedly greatly simplifies the main interface, allowing users to focus more on the view itself when turning on the camera.
However, for old users, the new camera app also brings certain learning costs. Many "muscle memory" that have long been accustomed to need to be reshaped. The most important thing to adapt is the reversal of lateral sliding logic. In the past, we wanted to switch from "photo" to the "video" mode on the left, and our fingers needed to swipe from left to right, while in iOS 26, this logic was completely overturned. You need to swipe from right to left to push the glass block of "photo" to the "video". This seemingly slight change needs to be adapted to for old users (Note: In the latest version of Developer Beta system, Apple provides switches in the settings to facilitate users to adjust the sliding logic according to their own use). In addition, the convenient function of swiping up and down to quickly switch photo proportions in the past was also cancelled. Now you need to click the arrow at the top to select it in the secondary menu, adding operation steps.
It can be said that the new version of the camera app uses a more modern visual presentation in exchange for some operational intuition, and early pain is inevitable. However, considering that it is still a beta system at present, Apple may optimize and adjust in the subsequent iteration process to provide users with a more acceptable solution.
Smarter power management
Every time the iOS beta version is released, the battery life performance is always the focus of users' attention, and the usual battery life performance of the beta version is indeed not satisfactory. This year's iOS 26 public beta version also faces the problems of heating and power consumption, but behind this, Apple has also brought a more intelligent evolution in battery management.
iOS 26 public beta experience: new UI design When "liquid glass" shines into reality
In the "Settings-Battery" option of iOS 26, when you plug in the charger, the system will display the remaining time required for fullness in real time. In addition, it can also identify the user's current charging speed and give corresponding prompts. This ability to sense charging power and give dynamic estimates makes charging controllable. Although the current charging speed of iPhone is really unsatisfactory, and the new function cannot improve battery life, this function reflects Apple's continuous polishing of user experience details, and allows users to "know in their minds" when using their phones.
Written at the end
Overall, iOS 26 is undoubtedly Apple's boldest attempt at the software level in recent years. It attempts to inject new vitality into the mobile operating system through the visual revolution of "liquid glass" and the interactive reshaping of core apps. Admittedly, domestic users still cannot enjoy the many AI functions brought by Apple's intelligence. However, the stunning feeling and design uniformity brought to users from new systems such as iOS and iPadOS this year also make us more looking forward to the new products to be released in September.
