prepared to introduce iOS 26 to users, as the company has just released its Release Candidate version to developers. Although this version will not vary greatly from beta 9, it serves as the last testing build prior to the distribution of the update to all compatible iPhones.
iOS 26 RC centers around the Liquid Glass aesthetic. Throughout the last few months, Apple has been fine-tuning the UI’s transparency to strike an ideal equilibrium between elegance and legibility. This fresh design philosophy is also reflected across other operating systems, with users encountering it on iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe, watchOS 26, tvOS 26, and visionOS 26.
For Apple, iOS 26 emphasizes the seamless integration across its platforms, ensuring that transitioning from iOS to iPadOS and macOS feels smoother than ever. The company has also refreshed multiple first-party applications while enhancing the Apple Intelligence platform.
