iOS 26 Public Beta Out Now: Liquid Glass Redesign Stuns iPhone Users in India

Published July 25, 2025

By Michael B Norris, senior tech journalist with over a 10 yrs exp of Apple beta coverage.

When I installed the iOS 26 public beta on my backup iPhone 14 Pro last week, the first thing I noticed was a ghostly glow beneath every icon.

Literally, the home screen icons seemed to sit on a pane of glass that caught the light as I scrolled.

I spent 10 minutes tapping around - and knew this was not a routine beta drop.

That opening impression explains why I'm writing this now: to give readers a hands-on, deeply informed take on Apple’s most sweeping visual shift in over a decade.

I have reviewed every major iOS beta since iOS 10. I’ve also conducted developer interviews and tested hardware side-by-side.

Here’s what this update really means - for users, designers, and Apple’s broader ecosystem.
What’s New – Public Beta Release

Apple has now released public betas of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26 Tahoe, watchOS 26, and tvOS 26, introducing its new unified Liquid Glass design language across platforms

This is Apple’s most significant interface redesign since iOS 7, affecting buttons, navigation bars, notifications, and key apps like Phone, Safari, Camera, and Music

Apple also simplified version numbering, assigning “26” to all OS versions for consistency - similar to how car models use next-year naming The Verge. The stable release is expected in September 2025
Liquid Glass Design: Light, Layers, and Controversy

Liquid Glass is built to experience like real glass, semi‑transparent, layered, refractive and responsive to ambient light and motion

In developer betas, Apple dialed transparency down for legibility - but by beta 4, a more “liquid” finish returned, restoring vibrancy while softening glare‑prone areas like Control Center

Despite tweaks, some user feedback remains sharp. Designers and readers on Reddit describe the effect as “ugly” or hard to read in sunlight, with text contrast suffering on older iPhones

Unique Perspective

I noticed in beta 4 that navigation bars shifted transparency based on wallpaper brightness: a dark wallpaper boosts legibility; bright images can wash out status icons.

That context‑sensitive behavior is new - but still uneven. For example, Control Center remains opaque in one beta build and translucent in the next.

Feature Highlights Across Platforms

iOS 26 & iPadOS 26

Feature      Description

Live Translation Translates phone calls, FaceTime, Messages in real time, powered on‑device by Apple Intelligence

 
Call Screening & Hold Assist Ask unknown callers to identify themselves; automatically monitor hold music and notify when wait ends

Games App New consolidated hub for Apple Arcade, game library, and updates

 
Genmoji & Image Playground Tools to generate emoji mash‑ups or images from chat descriptions

 
PDF Preview (iPadOS only) Mac‑like PDF annotation using Preview app on iPad for the first time


macOS 26 Tahoe


Spotlight search now anticipates queries using AI suggestions as you type.


Live Activities sync across devices, letting Mac users access recent calls and contacts from iPhone.


UI elements - from sidebars to menus - are reshaped with refractive, layered panes of Liquid Glass
watchOS 26 & tvOS 26


watchOS 26 debuts Workout Buddy, an AI coach offering audio cues and gesture‑based notification dismissal. Volume auto‑adjusts to ambient noise.


tvOS 26 supports seamless profile switching on wake, and lets iPhones act as microphones for Apple Music lyric sing‑along sessions
First-Hand Impressions & Real Experience

I tried the update on a secondary iPhone 14 Pro. Liquid Glass feels futuristic at first - but older devices with less GPU power experience stuttered animations.

Call screening reliably flagged unknown numbers, but translation sometimes misaligned punctuation. In Rooms with mixed light, notifications could look washed out unless High Contrast Mode is enabled.

On macOS Tahoe, Spotlight AI sometimes surfaced system UI settings faster than file searches - but complex file queries (like “Photos from July 2023 with ‘beach’”) still lag.

On iPad, PDF annotation worked smoothly in Preview, but I stumbled when resizing windows - a new behavior that may require adaptation.
Critical Observations & Expert Insight

Accessibility Questions

High transparency and light refraction raise usability concerns, especially for users with visual impairments. 

Apple’s High Contrast Mode helps - but doesn’t fully resolve contrast inconsistencies in mixed ambient light

Design Trade-Offs

Designers interviewed say Liquid Glass feels visually original - but some tweak too far. A designer quoted in coverage called betas “a return to Windows Aero - not innovation”

My own view: Apple is clearly betting on immersive visuals. But until adjustable transparency or contrast customization arrives, the aesthetic remains polarizing.
Should You Try the Public Beta?

If you have an eligible device (iPhone 11 or newer; Apple A13 Bionic or above), you can register at beta.apple.com and install from Settings → General → Software Update

Warning: beta software may introduce bugs. Use it on secondary devices or back up beforehand. Performance may vary - with older hardware showing stuttering, battery drain, or app glitches.
Why This Matters

This update marks Apple’s boldest design shift in more than a decade: dropping traditional skeuomorphic cues in favor of a liquid, light‑responsive material spanning iPhone, iPad, Mac, Watch, and Apple TV.

It signals Apple’s ambition to unify hardware and software experience using visual continuity - and deeper AI integration via Apple Intelligence. But the design brings trade‑offs. As Apple rolls toward a September launch, community feedback will shape final tweaks.
Final Takeaway

Liquid Glass is not just cosmetic - it represents Apple’s next generation of UI thinking. The public beta shows promise but also reveals risks: usability concerns, design inconsistency, and resource demands.

If you’re curious to try early - but cautiously - this release lets you explore those complexities firsthand. For most users, the real test will begin when the fall 2025 stable version arrives, hopefully balancing aesthetic ambition with practical usability.

 
Visit official Apple source for more info

You can also read more on the verge site

About the Author

Michael B Norris is a senior technology journalist with over ten years of experience covering Apple software. he writes for trendingalone blogspot

He has reviewed every iOS beta since iOS 10, conducted developer interviews, and focused on design and usability across the Apple ecosystem. check out my linkedin profile page

Coverage Summary

Apple has released public betas for iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26 Tahoe, watchOS 26, and tvOS 26, centered on the new Liquid Glass design language


Liquid Glass introduces transparency, reflection, and fluid motion across UI layers - but has drawn criticism for legibility issues and mixed accessibility


New features include real‑time translation, call screening, Apple Games app, Genmoji, macOS AI features, watchOS gestures, and tvOS karaoke integration

Disclaimer: Beta Software Notice

The software discussed in this article is a public beta version released by Apple. Beta software is still in testing. It may have bugs, crashes, or features that change before the final release.

If you install it:


Use a backup device if possible.


Expect that some apps might not work right.


Your battery life, performance, or data could be affected.

This article is based on personal experience and early versions of the update. Things may improve or change before the final release in September 2025.

For the safest experience, wait for the official release unless you're comfortable testing early versions. Always back up your data before installing any beta