Apple released the iOS 26 public beta
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Apple today provided developers and public beta testers who have an iPhone 11 with a new beta of iOS 26. Apple did not seed the iPhone 11 version
Looking at the home screens, the primary difference you'll find is that in iOS 26 the background of the dock and the search option that sits in between the dock and the home screen icons are more transparent and have a sheen to the edges, whereas in iOS 18, these are slightly darker.
Apple has confirmed iOS 26’s public launch this fall, following the release of beta 4 to developers and testers with major UI and Apple Intelligence updates.
Testing with developer and public beta versions went smoothly for even the oldest supported models. But there are safety measures if upgrading to the beta or release version goes awry.
Discover iOS 26 Beta 4’s dynamic wallpapers, app redesigns, and performance upgrades that elevate your Apple experience.
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It means iPhone owners can now download the iOS 26 public beta, iPad owners get access to iPadOS 26, Mac users can now check out macOS Tahoe, while Watch wearers have the option to experience the watchOS 26 public beta. All ahead of the official releases later this year (likely mid-September).
In iOS 26, you'll get new tools for creating custom Genmoji using ChatGPT. According to Apple, "Genmoji and Image Playground provide users with even more opportunities for self-expression, including mixing their favorite emoji, Genmoji, and descriptions together to create brand-new images."
We’ve been playing around with the developer betas of Apple’s latest software, and now that we’ve spent time with iOS 26, Liquid Glass and more on actual devices, we have thoughts. From representation in Genmoji and Live Translation adventures to Apple Intelligence musings,
Back in 2024, we described how the then-new iOS 18 enabled you to tint your homescreen icons, allowing you to tweak the look of your iPhone’s display. Now, with Apple’s introduction of its Liquid Glass design for iOS 26, you can make your icons completely clear ( assuming you’re a fan of the new invisible look).