Apple is known for one of the best software experiences in smartphones and tablets. But visually, not much has changed over the past few years. At WWDC 2025, Apple finally gave a major design overhaul to iOS 16. Here’s everything new coming to iOS 26.
Table of Contents
WWDC 2025: New iOS Announcements
1. New Liquid Glass Interface
The biggest highlight of iOS 26 is the Liquid Glass interface. A major design revamp inspired by VisionOS. It brings a glossy, semi-transparent look that mimics the behavior of actual glass. Android users have seen this before.
The sheen, reflection, and see-through effects are now a part of Apple’s toolbars, in-app interfaces, and system controls, and this design is consistent across all Apple platforms. It is pretty subjective and not for everyone.
2. Refined Design, Rounded Corners
Apple has reworked the UI elements that previously relied on rigid, rectangular shapes. Now, they blend seamlessly with the rounded corners of modern Apple hardware. Most UI elements on iOS 26 have rounded corners.
3. Dynamic Interactions
There’s more to the interactions in iOS 26. Apple has made them smarter and more functional. Here are a few new ways to interact while using apps:
- The context menu now expands into a more readable, scannable list.
- When you scroll, tab bars shrink, giving you more space to focus on content. Scroll up, and they reappear smoothly.
- The lock screen clock now bends light depending on how you move your phone in a subtle but striking effect.
Also Read:
- How to Enroll and Download iOS 26 Developer/Public Beta
- iOS 26 Gets Adaptive Power Mode Feature – What Is It?
- Apple Devices That Will Support iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26 – Full List
4. Smart Visual Adaptations
A new feature called Time Fluidly adjusts the clock size on the lock screen based on the space available in the wallpaper image. You can also reduce or increase the size of the clock widget on the lock screen to your liking, and if you expand it too much, the lock screen widgets will move towards the bottom of the screen, making them more accessible.
Another addition, Spatial Scenes, brings depth to wallpapers using motion-based 3D effects. Some may find it to be a little jarring to their eyesight.
5. Control Center and Icons
The Control Center also follows the same Liquid Glass theme with some new additions
Now, you can switch to an All-Clear Mode, where icons appear translucent and colorless, letting wallpapers and themes shine through. All the icons are round, while widgets have rounded corners.
You can revert to regular colorful icons by switching to light or dark mode. Apple also added new dynamic wallpapers and tints for more personalization.
6. Redesigned Apps: Phone, Messages, Camera, and More
iOS 26 breathes new life into some of Apple’s most-used apps, not just visually, but also functionally.
Apple Music, News, and Podcasts
These apps feature a floating tab bar that dynamically shrinks as you browse, putting your content front and center. When you scroll back up, the bar returns, making controls easily reachable. to put content front and center, and then expand when they scroll back up.
Phone App
After years of the same layout, the Phone app finally gets a much-needed overhaul with iOS 26. It combines favorite contacts, recent calls, and voicemails into a single, scrollable view. No more tapping through multiple tabs, everything is now in one place for quicker access.
Messages App
Messages gets some social-savvy features with iOS 26:
- Polls: You can now create polls right inside your chats — great for group decisions.
- Shared Chat Backgrounds: Customize your chat background with images that sync across both users in the conversation for a more personalized experience.
iOS 26 lets you screen messages from unknown senders. These messages go into a separate folder, stay silenced, and give you options to mark as known, request more info, or delete without cluttering your main chat list.
Safari
Safari embraces the new glassy theme with a transparent address bar and a refreshed interface. Web pages now flow edge-to-edge, letting you see more content while keeping essential actions like refresh and search easily accessible.
Camera App
Apple’s Camera app now has a streamlined design for faster access to settings and modes. The interface is more thumb-friendly, helping you switch between features effortlessly while capturing the perfect shot.
Photos App
Photos now includes separate tabs for Library and Collections, making navigation more organized and finding memories quicker than ever.
Smarter Apple Maps
Apple Maps now uses on-device intelligence to learn your daily routes, automatically suggesting your preferred way home or to work, with real-time delay alerts and alternate route options.
