Apple has announced iOS 26 during its WWDC 2025 keynote, confirming the next major update for iPhones. The update brings system-wide design changes, Apple Intelligence integration, and several app upgrades. With a fresh visual look and smarter features, iOS 26 aims to make the iPhone experience faster, more personal, and more secure. Apple also released the developer beta of iOS 26 on the same day, with a public beta coming soon.
Developer beta release date
The iOS 26 developer beta is available starting June 9, 2025, for registered Apple Developers. Those with access can install the beta on eligible iPhones via the Settings app by navigating to General > Software Update > Beta Updates. From there, users can switch to the iOS 26 Developer Beta if their Apple ID is linked to a developer account. Apple warns that early beta builds may contain bugs and could affect daily usage.
Public beta release date
Apple has confirmed that the public beta of iOS 26 will roll out in July 2025. Any iPhone user who wants to test new features ahead of the stable release can sign up via Apple’s Beta Software Program. The final, stable version of iOS 26 is expected to be available globally in the fall, likely around September, alongside the launch of the iPhone 16 series.
iOS 26 release date in India
The iOS 26 update will be rolled out to all iPhone users globally, including India, later this year. However, we currently do not have a confirmed rollout date, but this usually happens soon after the new iPhone launch which is likely to happen in September this year.
Eligible iPhones
iOS 26 will be a free software update for the following iPhone models:
iPhone 11
iPhone 12 series
iPhone 13 series
iPhone 14 series
iPhone 15 series
iPhone 16 series
However, some features powered by Apple Intelligence will be limited to devices with newer hardware. These include:
iPhone 15 Pro
iPhone 15 Pro Max
iPhone 16
iPhone 16 Plus
iPhone 16 Pro
iPhone 16 Pro Max
What’s new with iOS 26
iOS 26 introduces a new design system called Liquid Glass. It adds real-time reflections, translucency, and motion across the interface. This refreshed aesthetic brings more visual depth to widgets, icons, notifications, and apps.
System apps like Photos, Music, and News have also been redesigned to align with the new interface, focusing more on content than controls.
The update also introduces tighter privacy controls, expanded on-device intelligence, and smarter Siri suggestions. Apple Intelligence, which powers features like Genmoji and Live Translation, will work across native and supported third-party apps.
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