The Morning After: Apple’s iOS 26 beta is ready for the public

Here is a 177-word summary of the news article: Apple has released the public beta version of its new operating system, iOS 26, a few months after announcing it at WWDC 2025. The update focuses on a major design shift to "Liquid Glass," with transparent overlapping elements and fluid animations, but aims to maintain familiarity for users across Apple's devices. Key updates in iOS 26 include a relocated search bar, improved Visual Intelligence for screenshots, and enhanced performance of Apple Intelligence features like voice note transcription and image processing. The Camera app has been redesigned, and Apple Music gains AutoMix. Messages also offers more engaging options, including custom backgrounds and live translation. While the update emphasizes design and system consistency, new Siri enhancements are not yet included. The article encourages readers to check out the full previews of the iOS 26, macOS 26, and iPadOS 26 beta builds. Overall, the update seems to prioritize a cohesive user experience across Apple's hardware and software ecosystem.