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iOS 26 Public Beta Hands-On: Apple Debuts Liquid Glass Look and Smarter Calls
New Delhi, India – July 28, 2025 By Michael B Norris
I still remember holding my iPhone 5 back in 2013, the moment iOS 7 dropped.
It was the first time Apple reimagined the iOS interface so radically - flat icons, bright whites, translucent layers. I stared at my screen that day like it was a piece of modern art.
Fast forward to this week, when I installed the iOS 26 public beta on my iPhone 16e.
That same feeling washed over me - but this time, it wasn’t nostalgia. It was the unmistakable sense that Apple had finally pulled off another major leap.
This article aims to help readers understand what the iOS 26 public beta brings - visually, functionally, and strategically - and what it means for Apple users, developers, and the broader tech ecosystem.
A First Look at Liquid Glass: Apple’s Boldest Visual Overhaul in Years
From the very first reboot, iOS 26 makes its presence felt. The lockscreen clock shimmers with a subtle glass-like texture.
Left and right shortcuts resemble contact lenses resting on air.
Swiping up feels like peeling a transparent layer off your screen. Apple calls it "Liquid Glass" - and it's everywhere.
On the homescreen, the app dock floats gently above a milky translucent bar, giving it definition without rigidity.
Icons feel tactile, almost like soft enamel laid under glass. App folders? They now ripple slightly when opened, a micro-animation that responds to your gesture.
The Quick Settings panel and Notification Center have received similar polish - each item sits in its own frosted-glass bubble.
Hands-On With the Lockscreen & Homescreen Tweaks
The clock widget on the lockscreen now resizes based on wallpaper layout, and users can also manually stretch it. It’s a small yet meaningful tweak, especially for users who love customization.
Grouped apps show a dynamic magnifying effect when swiped - giving the illusion that they're suspended on curved glass.
Apple even lets you apply a "Clear" theme to icons, in light or dark tint, for a fully unified visual language.
While this reduces icon legibility slightly, it undeniably contributes to a minimalist aesthetic.
Notably, the Liquid Glass design extends to most third-party apps. Exceptions like Airtel Xstream Play and the Formula 1 app have yet to be updated.
This inconsistency is expected to reduce by the stable release.
Apple Intelligence in Action: Real Features, Real Use
Beyond aesthetics, iOS 26 is Apple’s first public beta with real, functional Apple Intelligence tools. And while the branding is lofty, some features already feel practical.
Hold Assist, for example, minimizes the call UI when you’re on hold and transcribes any spoken words once the other party returns.
During a test call with my bank’s customer support, I manually enabled Hold Assist - and sure enough, when the agent came back after 5 minutes, their first words were transcribed in real time.
It works, but needs polish. The system currently doesn’t auto-detect hold status, which undercuts the magic. Apple is likely to address this.
Live Translation also delivers. I placed a call with a friend in Spain and tested the Spanish-English live translation tool.
It worked well, though with a slight lag. The current language support is limited, and the voice overlay feels cartoonish. But it’s a solid v1.
Call Recording now stores audio and a full transcription in Notes. It’s simple, functional, and surprisingly accurate.
Creative Tools: Image Playground & Spatial Photos
The new Image Playground lets users generate visuals in styles like oil painting, vector art, anime, and watercolor.
The backend processing is handled by ChatGPT, and prompts are sent via Siri.
For example, I requested a “watercolor of a rainy Tokyo street” and had a usable image in under 20 seconds.
The experience is not just fast - it’s imaginative.
More impressive is the Spatial Image upgrade in the Photos app.
Even pictures taken with older phones (or other brands) can now be converted into 3D-like spatial views.
Though the feature lacks deep integration - like setting a spatial image as wallpaper requires a workaround - it’s a technical feat.
Core App Redesigns: Subtle, Yet Meaningful
The Camera app now offers just two primary modes: Photo and Video.
Additional modes like Portrait and Timelapse are tucked away via swipe gestures.
It’s cleaner, more intuitive. In just two days, I found myself fumbling less and shooting more.
In Photos, a new floating search button replaces the cluttered bottom tab. As you scroll, the layout adapts and reveals sorting options.
This is the kind of thoughtful redesign that doesn’t demand attention but improves usability nonetheless.
Safari introduces a translucent bottom bar that minimizes as you scroll. This isn’t just eye candy - it genuinely maximizes screen real estate. Tapping brings back full navigation controls.
For someone like me, who reads long-form journalism on mobile, this change felt like it was made just for me.
Two New Apps Worth Noting: Preview and Games
Apple has finally brought its Preview app to iPhone. You can now annotate PDFs, edit screenshots, and save directly - no third-party apps needed. It’s long overdue, but welcome.
The new Games app isn’t just Game Center 2.0 - it’s a full hub. Achievements, in-game events, App Store links, and social gameplay tracking are now bundled in one clean UI.
Retailers I spoke with in New Delhi's Nehru Place believe this could eventually make Apple a more serious player in mobile gaming across India.
Local Feedback From India: Excitement, But Caution
In a quick field interview at a local Apple reseller in Delhi, I asked whether customers were inquiring about iOS 26 features. "Yes," said Rajiv, the store manager. "Especially younger buyers - they're asking about the translation and call recording features. But we tell them it's still in beta."
On Reddit India’s r/Apple subreddit, users are cautiously optimistic. One post titled “iOS 26 Looks Slick But Battery Sucks” summarized what many echoed - great visuals, but some early bugs remain.
What This Means for Apple’s Competitive Edge
Apple’s decision to integrate generative AI this deeply - while retaining user privacy and on-device processing - is a bold, calculated move.
Google’s Gemini and Samsung’s Galaxy AI have already set the bar. But Apple’s tight ecosystem may offer a more consistent experience in the long run.
From a broader lens, iOS 26 is Apple’s first real answer to the generative AI wave.
Instead of flashy gimmicks, the company has built practical tools like live transcription and contextual enhancements. That restraint might just be its advantage.
Final Thoughts After 4 Days of Use
In four days of testing, I’ve encountered two crashes, mild overheating during multitasking, and a few widget glitches.
But I’ve also seen a glimpse of the future: a more fluid iOS that looks better, feels smarter, and hints at a post-screen computing era.
If you’re an iPhone 11 or newer user and have a second device handy, trying the public beta is worth it. Just know that it’s still a work in progress.
Key Specs at a Glance
Feature DetailsAvailability iPhone 11 and newer (Public Beta)
Main Visual Update Liquid Glass interface
AI Tools Hold Assist, Live Translation, Call Recording
Image Playground Art generation via ChatGPT styles
Spatial Image Conversion Available in Photos app for non-spatial images
Core App Redesigns Camera, Safari, Photos
iOS 26 Public Beta Out Now: Liquid Glass Redesign Stuns iPhone Users in India
Michael B Norris is a delhi based mobile technology journalist with over 8 years of experience covering Apple’s ecosystem.
He writes for trendingalone blogspot and specializes in iOS reviews, product launches, and user-experience testing from a global perspective, particularly focusing on emerging markets like India.
Author expertise
Michael B Norris is a delhi based mobile technology journalist with over 8 years of experience covering Apple’s ecosystem.
He writes for trendingalone blogspot and specializes in iOS reviews, product launches, and user-experience testing from a global perspective, particularly focusing on emerging markets like India.
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