WWDC 2025: Prepare for iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and the Dazzling Era of Liquid Glass

Apple, at its Worldwide Developer’s Conference (WWDC) 2025 keynote, went all out with a full suite of updates – some of which may even be known as “groundbreaking” throughout its software program platforms. Of course, the spotlight for the keynote stays Liquid Glass, the all-new translucent materials design that may prolong throughout all software program platforms, together with iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, watchOS 26, and tvOS 26.

However, a serious spotlight for me was the iPadOS upgrades that carry Windowing, Menu Bar, and Pointer – all macOS-style updates that lastly make it extra multitasking-friendly.

iOS 26: The New Order for iPhones

The all-new glass look can also be obtainable for your iPhone. Starting later this 12 months, the iOS 26 replace might be obtainable to iPhone 16e to iPhone SE (Second-gen) gadgets. Of course, the new iPhone 17 collection will launch with the newest iOS 26 pre-installed out of the field.

The new iOS 26 is now obtainable for beta testing via Apple Developer Program

Announcing the new redesign, Apple’s Alan Dye, VP of Human Interface, throughout the keynote, in contrast it to the final main redesign with iOS 7 in 2013, which was impressed by the emergence of Retina shows.

The new redesign extends throughout the system, with optical qualities of glass and fluidity coming to your Lock Screen, Home Screen, Control Centre, apps, and extra. This additionally expands to the lock display, the place the time dynamically adapts to your photograph and the surrounding house. Then, there are the up to date app icons, crafted from the Liquid Glass theme, which can be found throughout each gentle and darkish themes, in addition to dynamic navigation and controls.

Even the lock display has been redesigned, preserving the Liquid Glass theme

iOS 26 additionally brings a ton of new options for iPhone customers, like name screening that mechanically solutions unknown callers, new screening instruments for spam, Hold Assist, Polls in Group Messages, and extra. We will break down each facet of the newest iOS 26 in our first impressions that we’ll put up after just a few days.

The Liquid Glass Transformation

Apple is asking it the subsequent chapter in its software program design that brings translucent materials throughout software program platforms. While it does give a contemporary look to the total Apple ecosystem however, it additionally brings flashes from Windows Vista, for me that was launched in 2007. Apple showcased at its keynote how Liquid Glass adapts to gentle and darkish themes throughout gadgets and intelligently syncs with the content material on-screen.

The new Liquid Glass design extends throughout iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, watchOS 26, and tvOS 26

The firm additionally showcased how the controls and navigation throughout apps might be crafted from Liquid Glass and will fluidly rework to carry extra focus to a consumer’s content material. The consideration to element is notable, extending to the smallest parts, equivalent to buttons, switches, sliders, textual content, and media controls, in addition to bigger parts like tab bars and sidebars for navigating apps. iOS 26 additionally introduces redesigned controls, toolbars, and navigation inside apps. Of course, the up to date design parts span throughout system apps like Camera, Photos, Safari, FaceTime, Apple Music, Apple News, and Apple Podcasts. Even on the lock display, Apple has revamped how photograph wallpapers with clocks seem, incorporating the total fluidity idea with Liquid Glass.

The builders can now refresh the design of their app utilizing SwiftUI, UIKit, and AppKit, which have up to date APIs.

iPadOS Finally Moves Closer to Being a Multitasking Machine

From the keynote, the largest overhaul for me was for iPadOS, which will get macOS-style redesigns that not solely make it look contemporary but in addition extra multitasking pleasant.

iPadOS 26 will let customers customise the house display in keeping with the Liquid Glass redesign

The windowing system, menu bar, and pointer are welcome adjustments, and I believe my iPad can lastly substitute my Mac for every day duties. While the apps nonetheless open in full-screen mode, however customers now have the choice to resize – showcased at the WWDC keynote. There’s additionally window tiling that allows customers to rearrange their home windows with a flick. Then, there is a new menu bar to entry the instructions obtainable inside an app. Note to overlook: the iPadOS 26 additionally brings the means to handle, entry, and edit information. Well, from the seems of it, the iPadOS undoubtedly feels extra intuitive and with fast switching doable – it feels extra multitasking pleasant – a grievance quite a bit of iPad customers at all times had with iPadOS.