iOS 26 Review: Features, Flaws, and Is It Worth the Upgrade?

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16 Sep, 2025

iOS 26 and the Challenges of New Updates

Introducing iOS 26 and the "Liquid Glass" Design

iOS 26 Launch: Apple has launched the new and innovative iOS 26 operating system for iPhones, which is considered one of the most significant updates in the iOS system in recent years. This release introduces the advanced "Liquid Glass" design, in addition to a wide range of fundamental changes that significantly distinguish it from iOS 18. Despite Apple's official welcome of this update, some users who installed iOS 26 have expressed dissatisfaction with the new look and overall experience, with multiple complaints reported about the update's impact on their devices' performance.

Definition of "Liquid Glass": "Liquid Glass" design is a new design language developed by Apple to provide a unified visual appearance and integrated graphical user interfaces across all its operating systems, including iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe, tvOS 26, and watchOS 26. It was first announced on June 9, 2025, at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). This design features a smoother, glass-like interface, where transparent materials reflect and refract surrounding light and content, dynamically changing to focus more on content, giving controls, app icons, and widgets new vibrancy. This design is inspired by the depth and dimensions offered by visionOS, and represents a shift in interface design from flat styles to more expressive and realistic elements, with ongoing debate about its impact on text clarity and readability in some circumstances. [Source] [Source] [Source]

Impact on Performance and Battery Life

Apple's Warning: Apple itself has warned that upgrading to any new operating system version may initially affect the device's battery life and performance efficiency. This issue is a common and well-known phenomenon among iOS users for years, as the new operating system requires time to index files, download necessary assets, and perform other initialization processes. This problem is usually temporary, as battery and device performance stabilizes and returns to normal after a short period, although it may cause initial inconvenience for some users.

Update Size: The size of the iOS 26 update is another concern, ranging from 6 GB to 12 GB for installation, depending on the user's iPhone model. This large size is attributed to the integration of a set of entirely new visual assets, in addition to important security patches and added feature updates in this release.

Challenges of Text Clarity in "Liquid Glass"

User Dissatisfaction: A number of users have expressed dissatisfaction with the "Liquid Glass" design introduced by Apple, particularly regarding text clarity. Sources indicated that Apple was aware of this issue, having made multiple adjustments to the "Liquid Glass" design during the beta stages of iOS 26 to improve these aspects. However, some users remain unsatisfied with the final result, and Apple is expected to continue working on further improvements over time.

Advice on Upgrading and Device Performance

No Need to Rush: If you are hesitant about upgrading to iOS 26, there is no need to rush. Apple's iOS 18 operating system will continue to receive critical security updates for the time being, ensuring that your device will not be vulnerable. It is worth noting that Apple does not force users to install iOS 26 if the update is not desired.

Update Performance: The performance of the iOS 26 update can vary significantly based on your current device model and its overall condition. For example, some iPhone 11 users on Reddit reported that performance was "smooth and fast," while others with the same model noted that "performance was very poor" after the update.

New Features in iOS 26

iOS 26 Features: Despite the challenges, iOS 26 offers a wide range of new and improved features that significantly enhance the user experience. These prominent features include Call Screening, which helps block annoying spam calls, and Live Translation for quick translation of messages and voice conversations. The update also includes fundamental improvements to essential Apple apps such as Maps, Wallet, and Music, in addition to many other features not available in iOS 18.

Customization Options and Final Decision

Adjusting User Experience: Although the "Liquid Glass" design in iOS 26 may spark some debate, it offers options to modify the user experience. Users can significantly reduce transparency effects by going to the Settings app, then "Accessibility" > "Display & Text Size" > "Reduce Transparency." As explained earlier, any initial negative effects on battery life and performance are expected to be temporary and improve with continued device use. Nevertheless, iOS 26 may not be the ideal choice for all users, and they can choose to remain on iOS 18 for now. However, it is important to realize that the update will eventually become necessary, as Apple does not guarantee providing security patches for older operating system versions indefinitely.