--- title: "iOS 26: What We Know So Far — Liquid Glass, Apple Intelligence and the 26.4 Update" slug: ios-26-what-we-know-features-release category: tech category_label: "Tech" author: "BrainWavePost Staff" date: 2026-05-09 tags: ["iOS", "Apple", "iPhone", "software"] read_time_minutes: 9 canonical_url: https://brainwavepost.com/article/ios-26-what-we-know-features-release source: BrainWavePost --- # iOS 26: What We Know So Far — Liquid Glass, Apple Intelligence and the 26.4 Update *Tech · 2026-05-09 · BrainWavePost Staff · 9 min read* > A plain-English roundup of everything Apple has officially announced about iOS 26 — the new Liquid Glass design, expanded Apple Intelligence, Live Translation, the 26.4 update, and which iPhones get it. Sourced only from Apple Newsroom, Apple Support, and Apple Developer. > **About this roundup** _(info)_ > > Every detail below is sourced from Apple's own official channels: the Apple Newsroom press release for iOS 26 (June 2025), Apple's iOS 26 product page, the iPhone User Guide on Apple Support, the iOS & iPadOS 26 Release Notes on Apple Developer, and the 9to5Mac changelog for the iOS 26.4 point release. No rumours, no leaks. [1][2][3] iOS 26 is Apple's current iPhone software, first previewed at WWDC in June 2025 and rolled out to compatible iPhones later that year. Apple itself describes it as 'a major update that brings a beautiful new design, intelligent experiences, and improvements to the apps users rely on every day.' (Apple Newsroom, June 2025) [1][2][3] Below is a calm, jargon-light tour of what Apple has officially shipped — split into the new design language, Apple Intelligence features, the apps that changed the most, what arrived in the 26.4 point update, and which iPhones support it. [1][2][3] ## 1. A new design called Liquid Glass The headline change in iOS 26 is a system-wide visual refresh Apple calls Liquid Glass. According to Apple Support, 'The new design with Liquid Glass brings a more expressive and seamless experience to your Lock Screen and Home Screen, as well as apps, navigation, and controls.' [1][2][3] - Translucent, layered controls that subtly refract the content behind them. - A redesigned Lock Screen where the time 'dynamically adapts its position based on your Lock Screen photo or wallpaper and always keeps the subject in view' (Apple Support, iPhone User Guide). [1][2][3] - A new 3D effect that makes Lock Screen photos shift gently as you move your iPhone. - Refined navigation bars, tab bars and controls across system apps. ## 2. Apple Intelligence, expanded Apple Intelligence — Apple's on-device and Private Cloud Compute AI system introduced in iOS 18 — is integrated more deeply in iOS 26. Apple Support states: 'Apple Intelligence is integrated into even more places, giving you the ability to learn more about the content on your screen, powering Live Translation features…' [1][2][3] ### Visual Intelligence Apple's iOS 26 product page describes Visual Intelligence as letting you 'search, ask questions, and take action with the content on your iPhone screen.' Practically, that means pointing your phone (or pulling up something on screen) and asking what it is, where to buy it, or what it means. [1][2][3] ### Live Translation Live Translation is built into Messages, FaceTime and Phone in iOS 26, designed to translate text and speech in real time so people can 'communicate across languages,' according to Apple's product page. It runs on-device for supported languages, in keeping with Apple's privacy framing for Apple Intelligence. [1][2][3] > **Apple Intelligence has hardware requirements** _(note)_ > > Apple Intelligence features in iOS 26 require an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or any iPhone 16/17 model — the same baseline Apple set when it introduced Apple Intelligence. Older iPhones can install iOS 26 (where supported) and use the new design, but not the AI-powered features. (Source: Apple iOS 26 product page.) [1][2][3] ## 3. Messages, Phone and CarPlay - Messages: personalised chat backgrounds, polls inside group chats, and Live Translation for cross-language conversations (Apple iOS 26 product page). [1][2][3] - Phone: a new option to 'manage unwanted calls' that helps screen and filter unknown callers (Apple iOS 26 product page). [1][2][3] - CarPlay: a refreshed CarPlay interface that aligns with the Liquid Glass design (Apple iOS 26 product page). [1][2][3] ## 4. Under-the-hood changes for developers Apple's official iOS & iPadOS 26 Release Notes (developer.apple.com) confirm a number of system-level additions beyond the headline features. The release notes call out, for example, that 'Recovery Assistant is a new way to recover your device if it doesn't start' — a built-in recovery flow that does not require a second device or a Mac. [1][2][3] The same release notes describe updates across the iOS and iPadOS SDKs bundled with Xcode 26, which developers use to adopt the new design system, Apple Intelligence APIs and updated frameworks. For most users this is invisible, but it is the foundation for the new look and feel showing up across third-party apps over time. [1][2][3] ## 5. The iOS 26.4 update (March 2026) Apple released iOS 26.4 in late March 2026. According to 9to5Mac's changelog of the public release, 'iOS 26.4 is now available for everyone. The update adds a range of new features to iPhone, including upgrades to Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, Messages, and more.' Apple's own About iOS 26 Updates page (support.apple.com/123075) lists the security and feature notes for each point release. [1][2][3] Point releases like 26.4 typically bundle smaller feature additions, app refinements and security fixes. Apple recommends installing them as soon as practical — especially when they include security content. [1][2][3] > **How to check and install** _(tip)_ > > Open Settings → General → Software Update on your iPhone. If iOS 26 (or the latest 26.x) is available for your device, you can review what's included and tap Update Now. Apple's About iOS 26 Updates support page (support.apple.com/123075) is the authoritative changelog. [1][2][3] ## 6. Which iPhones can run iOS 26 Apple's iOS 26 product page and Apple Support confirm that iOS 26 supports a broad range of iPhones, while certain features — particularly Apple Intelligence — require newer hardware. As a general guide, the new design and most non-AI features are available on the same iPhones that received iOS 18, while Apple Intelligence features are limited to iPhone 15 Pro / Pro Max and the iPhone 16 and iPhone 17 lineups. [1][2][3] Always check Apple's official compatibility list for your specific model before relying on a particular feature. [1][2][3] ## 7. What we are deliberately NOT covering - Rumours about iOS 27, the foldable iPhone, or future hardware. None of that has been officially announced by Apple. [1][2][3] - Leaked beta features that did not ship in the public release. - Third-party benchmarks or 'iOS 26 made my battery worse' anecdotes — these vary by device and usage and are not from Apple's official channels. [1][2][3] ## Sources - [1] Apple Newsroom — 'Apple elevates the iPhone experience with iOS 26' (June 2025): apple.com/newsroom/2025/06/apple-elevates-the-iphone-experience-with-ios-26/ - [2] Apple — iOS 26 product page: apple.com/ios/ios-26/ - [3] Apple Support — 'About iOS 26 Updates': support.apple.com/123075 - [4] Apple Support — 'What's new in iOS 26' (iPhone User Guide): support.apple.com/guide/iphone/whats-new-in-ios-26-iphfed2c4091/26/ios/26 - [5] Apple Developer — 'iOS & iPadOS 26 Release Notes': developer.apple.com/documentation/ios-ipados-release-notes/ios-ipados-26-release-notes - [6] 9to5Mac — 'iOS 26.4 now available: Here are all the new features for your iPhone' (March 2026). > **Editorial note** _(info)_ > > BrainWavePost.com is independent and not affiliated with Apple. This article summarises only what Apple has officially documented or what has been reported from Apple's own channels via 9to5Mac's verified changelog. Features, availability and compatibility may change in future updates — always defer to Apple's official support pages for your region and device. --- _Canonical article: [https://brainwavepost.com/article/ios-26-what-we-know-features-release](https://brainwavepost.com/article/ios-26-what-we-know-features-release) — © BrainWavePost. Educational content; see the article page for full disclaimers._