iOS 26 release date: rumors, features, and what to expect
Apple's next iPhone update could be one of the biggest in its history
🍎 Apple is expected to announce iOS 26 at WWDC 2025
📱 The next version of your iPhone’s software will adopt an entirely new naming scheme, according to rumors
🥽 It’ll have a completely new design that’s similar to how visionOS looks
🤖 Reports also suggest there will be an AI battery manager, a dedicated gaming app, live translations through AirPods, improvements to the Health app, and more
👀 Here’s what to expect when iOS 26 rolls around
Don’t call it iOS 19.
That’s the biggest rule going into this year’s software upgrade for the iPhone. Instead, it’ll be called iOS 26, aligning with a new naming scheme that Apple is rumored to be bringing to all of its software updates this year. It’s to reflect the year after the software is released, similar to how car manufacturers ship their vehicles. It’s one of the biggest announcements we’re expecting this year at WWDC 2025.
Of course, iOS 26 doesn’t stop with just the name. Apple has a slew of upgrades in the pipeline, most of which are some of the largest in iOS history. From a new design to advanced battery management to a stronger emphasis on gaming, iOS 26 could wind up being the most monumental iOS upgrade ever (at least since iOS 7).
We’ve been sifting through the rumors and have collected all of the most credible we could find, as well as a few we’re still scratching our heads about. Here’s what to expect from iOS 26 so far.
iOS 26 name and release date
🪪 A new name. Apple is ditching version numbers for release years when it comes to naming its operating systems, according to a report from Bloomberg. It’s meant to introduce more consistency and reduce confusion among consumers and developers as to what’s the latest version of each system. Across the lineup, we’re expecting the company to announce:
iOS 26 (upgrade from iOS 18)
iPadOS 26 (upgrade from iPadOS 18)
macOS 26 (upgrade from macOS 15)
watchOS 26 (upgrade from watchOS 11)
tvOS 26 (upgrade from tvOS 18)
visionOS 26 (upgrade from visionOS 2)
Apple has used years in its branding before with software suites like iLife, so the change wouldn’t be entirely new for the company. However, it would be a massive shift for Apple’s operating systems since they’ve relied on version numbers for so long.
🍁 See you in September. Given that every major version of iOS has been released in September, we expect Apple to roll out iOS 26 this September to coincide with the release of the iPhone 17 series.
iOS 26 redesign
📐 More depth and shiny glass. It’s been rumored for some time that iOS 26 would get a massive redesign, somewhere on the scale of the significance of iOS 7. Every rumor we’ve heard hints that the redesign will involve more depth in each UI element to make it feel more alive, with glass-like effects that reflect light based on how you’re holding your phone. This refreshed aesthetic is said to stretch across the entire system and restructure some of how iOS works, from revamped menus to new gestures.
🥽 Very visionOS. The new design will resemble visionOS, with rounder app icons and glass effects throughout. It’s clear that Apple has set the stage for its future with the Apple Vision Pro from both a hardware and software standpoint, so it makes sense to see iOS 26 fall in line and adopt a similar look and feel.
📲 The apps get redesigned, too. These UI changes will also affect a lot of the pre-installed apps in iOS. Some apps like Apple Invites already have design elements that reflect the new aesthetic, so if that’s anything to go by, apps could have a blend of old iOS and new iOS.
👀 Bigger than we might be thinking. While we’re anticipating a huge redesign with iOS 26, rumors say that the revamp could be even bigger than we all think. It could fundamentally change how we use our iPhones, although it’s not clear what ways that could involve. We’ll have a much better idea once we hear directly from Apple about the iOS 26 redesign.
iOS 26 Siri and AI features
🙋 Getting more personal. As every new piece of software does in 2025, iOS 26 will focus heavily on AI. While Siri isn’t getting the full AI chatbot upgrade that Apple has been promising (as least not right away), the assistant will get a bit more personal by remembering specific information about you and what’s on your device such as emails, files, photos, and more. That way, you can ask it to pull up specific things like your mom’s recipe for cookies or the email you sent last week to your spouse. It can also be used to look up data in files, which could be a life-saver if you need to dig for your passport number in a photo.
📺 Screen and app awareness. Siri might also understand what’s on your screen in iOS 26. Similar to other AI assistants like Google Gemini, Siri could get upgraded with the ability to understand what you’re looking at and remember it for later. It’s also rumored to support more interactions with the apps on your phone and complete multiple actions at once. That could involve looking up the address of an Italian restaurant with five stars and sending the details to someone in an email, or ordering an Uber and texting your friend your ETA. We’ve seen features like this with other systems before, so Apple would be playing catch-up if it manages to ship them with iOS 26.
❤️ The Health app could get a taste. In addition, the Health app might be updated in iOS 26 with a new AI-powered health coach to help keep you on the right track. For instance, it could keep tabs on your heart rate trends and proactively show you videos on how to improve your cardiovascular health. Other fitness apps like Whoop offer similar coaches, whereas the Health app now simply shows you charts and graphs about the data your Apple Watch has collected over time.
iOS 26 gaming features
🎮 A brand-new home. Apple is rumored to take a swing at the gaming market by introducing a new gaming app aimed at emphasizing all the games you can play on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and more. The app will reportedly highlight all the games available in the App Store, offer editorial content, and showcase your stats with your friends. It’ll replace Game Center and serve as a central hub for gaming in iOS 26. With the Nintendo Switch 2 on the horizon, it makes sense to see Apple try to compete more in the cloud gaming market.
More iOS 26 rumors
🎧 AirPods could help with translation. AirPods could get an upgrade with iOS 26 that lets you speak to people in different languages and hear the conversation translated in real-time so you can understand it. Other earbuds like Google Pixel Buds Pro have had this feature for years, so it would be a welcome addition to some of the most popular headphones in the world.
📸 A redesigned Camera app. Apple might redesign the entire Camera app with iOS 26. Not only will it get the new visionOS-inspired look, but it could also get a slew of new features and a new layout. Some mockups have floated around the web of what it could look like, but it’s so far unclear what Apple will settle on.
🖥️ A DeX competitor? One of the more questionable rumors we’ve seen is Apple taking on DeX with iOS 26. Plug a Samsung phone into a monitor and you can use it like a traditional desktop, complete with floating windows and a task bar for your apps. With iOS 26, Apple might add a similar feature powered by Stage Manager, letting you connect to an external display over USB-C to use your iPhone like a big iPad. It’s unclear whether this will actually happen given the few leaks we’ve seen, but anything’s possible.
🛜 Wi-Fi and eSIM upgrades. Apple is also rumored to make some upgrades to Wi-Fi and eSIM with iOS 26. For Wi-Fi, it’s said that you’ll be able to set up log-in details for public Wi-Fi portals on one device and have them automatically sync to other Apple devices. For eSIMs, the rumors say Apple will make it easier to transfer one to an Android phone.
👤 Lots of accessibility improvements. Apple has already detailed a lot of the accessibility features that’ll ship in the next version of iOS. This includes a new braille experience, Accessibility Reader to make reading content easier across the system, more settings for Background Sounds, improvements to Personal Voice, and more. Expect to hear more about these when Apple announces iOS 26 at WWDC.
iOS 26 coverage continues
With WWDC 2025 right around the corner, we’ll have a lot more coverage on iOS 26 and Apple’s other software upgrades in the coming weeks. Subscribe so you don’t miss out.
Max Buondonno is an editor at The Shortcut. He’s been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.