Apple iOS 26: Everything you need to know about the public beta release, new iPhone features and more

Here is a 188-word summary of the key points from the news article: Apple is releasing the public beta for its upcoming iOS 26 operating system, which introduces several notable new features for iPhones. The highlight is the "Liquid Glass" design overhaul, which brings a more translucent, floating interface across iOS, macOS, and other Apple platforms. Other key iOS 26 updates include a redesigned Phone app with better call management, live language translation in calls and messages, group chat polling, spam text filtering, and the return of the classic Photos app layout. Additionally, a new "Communication Safety" feature will pause FaceTime if it detects nudity. iOS 26 will be compatible with iPhone models released in 2019 or later. The public beta is available now, while the final version is expected to launch in September alongside new iPhone 17 models. Apple has focused more on quality-of-life improvements this year, though future plans include potential upgrades to Siri using external AI models like ChatGPT.