WWDC 2025 | From Liquid Glass to Genmoji: iOS 26 is Apple’s most intelligent iPhone update so far

At its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2025 on Monday, Apple unveiled iOS 26 along with major updates across its software ecosystem, introducing a fresh design language, new AI-driven features, and improvements to core apps and system experiences.

The announcement came at the company’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC 2025), where Apple also introduced updates across iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS — all tied together through a visually rich new design language called Liquid Glass.

“iOS 26 shines with the gorgeous new design and meaningful improvements to the features users rely on every day, making iPhone even more helpful,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, IANS reported.

Liquid Glass: A whole new look

At the heart of iOS 26 is Liquid Glass, a new translucent, dynamic design that reflects and refracts surroundings in real-time, giving the interface more depth and personality. The design now stretches from the Lock Screen and Home Screen to core apps like Safari, Music, and Messages.

“It lays the foundation for new experiences in the future and, ultimately, it makes even the simplest of interactions more fun and magical,” said Alan Dye, Apple’s VP of Human Interface Design.

Icons and widgets can now be customised with a new glassy appearance. On the Lock Screen, time elements adapt fluidly with your wallpaper, while spatial scenes create a 3D-like parallax effect when you move the phone.

Apple Intelligence gets more powerful

Building on last year’s launch of Apple Intelligence, iOS 26 brings new AI-powered tools:

Live Translation now works in real-time across phone calls, FaceTime, and messages — all processed on-device. Visual Intelligence lets users interact with whatever’s on their screen — from identifying jackets in social media posts to adding event info from screenshots straight to the calendar.

“Experiences are more expressive and personal… And with powerful new Apple Intelligence capabilities integrated across the system, users can get things done easier than ever,” Federighi added.

In a live demo, Apple showed how users could take a screenshot of an outfit and use Visual Intelligence to find it online — even enabling a ChatGPT-powered assistant to help search or suggest actions.

Messages and Genmoji: Customised, playful

The Messages app has received a splash of colour. Users can now set custom chat backgrounds—from Apple’s presets to images made using Image Playground, its AI art tool. You can also create polls in group chats, and the AI will even s
uggest one if the conversation sounds like it needs a vote. Apple is also enhancing its emoji game with Genmoji, which allows users to merge two emojis to create entirely new ones — think avocado-heart or cat-party hat.

Phone, safari, camera and music apps redesigned

The Phone app now includes a call screening feature that can answer calls or hold on your behalf. Safari has gone edge-to-edge, giving a cleaner browsing experience, and the floating tab bar now subtly shrinks or expands depending on how you scroll.

The Camera app gets a streamlined layout, while Apple Music introduces AutoMix, a DJ-style feature that blends songs for seamless transitions. Users can pin favourite playlists or artists at the top of the app.

All-new games app and smarter maps

Gamers now get a dedicated Apple Games app, combining their downloaded games with the Apple Arcade library. A new Play Together tab lets users see what friends are playing and check leaderboards for shared challenges.

In Maps, users can now receive real-time updates on delays or traffic along their preferred routes. Visited locations are stored, making it easier to revisit or share them.

Digital IDs, enhanced wallet, and CarPlay updates

Apple is finally rolling out digital ID creation in Wallet starting this fall. Boarding passes have been revamped with access to indoor airport maps, and Apple Pay will now track purchases made outside the Apple ecosystem, thanks to Apple Intelligence.

CarPlay also gets quality-of-life updates, while iPadOS 26 introduces a powerful new windowing system that gives users more control over app organisation. With iOS 26, Apple is not just refreshing its software visually, but also weaving intelligence deeper into the experience. These updates will begin rolling out publicly this fall.