For enthusiasts within the Apple ecosystem, this past week has been remarkable. Apple’s annual WWDC 2025 keynote unveiled an entirely new Liquid Glass design, now unified across all its platforms. Also unified is the numbering scheme, with iOS 26 designed to signify the year of release… plus one.
The new platform doesn’t introduce one of the key elements I had hoped for—multitasking, which is available on iPadOS 26—but it does bring several innovative features that significantly enhance the iPhone’s usability. These are some of the standout iOS 26 beta features that have impressed me most.
I’ve been running the first iOS 26 developer beta on my iPhone 16 Pro for a few days, and it’s worth noting that this is just the first release designed to help developers build experiences. As it is every year, there will be improvements before the final beta launches next month, and many more before the stable release in the Fall.
1. Liquid Glass Design: A Visual Refresh
I am thoroughly impressed by the new Liquid Glass interface design. The translucent effects, as you can observe, lend an incredibly refreshed feel to the system. While I can’t yet comment on its impact on battery life or performance, it looks stunning and is poised to stand out even more on the upcoming iPhone 17 series.
iPhone 16 Pro displaying the new Liquid Glass design in iOS 26 beta, showcasing translucent notification center.
Currently, it has already transformed my iPhone 16 Pro, making it feel revitalized and more premium. While iOS 18 introduced several new functionalities, it lacked the polish of earlier Apple releases. Liquid Glass is a different beast: it represents a comprehensive overhaul of the entire interface and user experience, with an added advantage.
Prior to the Liquid Glass announcement, rumors hinted at a redesign of Apple’s platform. I had called for Apple to do more than just a cosmetic update; I wanted them to address the inconsistencies, bugs, and aging elements that had accumulated since the last major redesign 12 years ago. We are still in the early stages with the first developer beta, but this is a significant overhaul that has already addressed many of my previous concerns.
2. Enhanced Productivity: Preview and Files Apps from iPadOS
For years, Apple has touted the iPhone as a productivity machine, but with iOS 26, the company has taken a significant leap forward. The iPadOS 26 reveal highlighted the new Preview and Files apps, inherited from macOS, but it was unmentioned that these powerful applications were also coming to the iPhone. By bringing these apps to the iPhone, Apple has largely matched the file management capabilities of Android, although direct access to on-device photos outside the Photos app remains restricted.
The new Preview app interface on iOS 26 beta for iPhone, with a grid view of documents, enhancing productivity.
I’ve long relied on PDF Expert across my iPhone, iPad, and Mac. While the new Preview app won’t allow text editing within PDFs—a feature PDF Expert offers—it does enable free document signing and the addition of text boxes to fill out PDF forms. It’s an elegant solution with just enough features for the average user.
Meanwhile, the Files app, though not new, has been substantially updated to include many of the same context menus and features found in Preview. You can also set default applications for opening different file types and modify other parameters from a Mac-like menu, accessible by a long press on the file.
Enhanced Files app in iOS 26 beta on iPhone 16 Pro, showing a detailed context menu with file management options.
Both applications seamlessly integrate with iCloud Drive, meaning I can access any file from my Mac on my iPhone after setting them up to sync. While Files could perform this function previously, Preview now makes it effortless to accomplish many tasks on either my iPhone or iPad that I would typically reserve for a Mac. [internal_links] (Consider linking “iCloud Drive” to a relevant MaagX article about iCloud).
3. Revolutionized Calling: Dialer, Hold Assist, and Call Screening
It’s uncommon for any company to make a significant announcement about a new dialer, but Apple did precisely that during the iOS 26 reveal. The dialing and contact experience has been radically improved in iOS 26, resulting in an interface that feels far more akin to the Google Pixel than the Apple of old.
iOS 26 beta's redesigned unified Phone app dialer on iPhone, merging call log, missed calls, and voicemails for a streamlined experience.
Firstly, the dialer introduces a single unified view that displays your call log, missed calls, and voicemails. It’s an intriguing approach, reminiscent of the unified inbox featured on many early smartphones. If the new dialer isn’t to your liking, like many other aspects of iOS 26, there are options to disable certain features or revert to previous designs.
Customization settings for the new dialer in iOS 26 beta, offering users options to adjust the unified calling interface.
Alongside the revamped dialer, Apple has introduced two additional calling features that leverage AI to simplify life. Similar to the Pixel 9 Pro series, iOS 26 will screen your calls or stay on hold for you, so you don’t have to. Call screening has already proven handy numerous times, and I eagerly anticipate using Hold Assist for those lengthy calls to various service providers.
Call Screening, in particular, is beneficial as it means you aren’t constantly disturbed by incoming calls. Haptic notifications have also improved, so I often find myself seeing the call transcript displayed, even when my phone is on silent, allowing me to quickly decide whether to answer. These are some of the features that have tempted me towards the Pixel 9 series in the past, especially given the high volume of automated spam calls I receive. These are huge changes to iOS 26 that are already making daily use more convenient.
4. Usability and Efficiency Improvements
This isn’t a single feature, but rather a collection of small yet significant improvements I’ve noticed throughout iOS 26. As mentioned, the Files and Preview apps come with substantial enhancements to their context menus, but this improvement isn’t limited to just those applications. Across the entirety of iOS 26, I’ve observed notable advancements in how easy it is to perform actions.
Improved contextual menu in iOS 26 beta for dialing, offering multiple app choices like WhatsApp or Telegram when selecting a phone number.
For much of the iPhone’s existence, it has been less customizable and functional when compared to Android, but iOS 26 feels infinitely more usable. There are useful drop-down menus that appear intuitively, such as when you attempt to call a number found on a website. Instead of just a “call” and “copy number” option, you now have choices to dial with various apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, or others. [internal_links] (Consider linking “WhatsApp” or “Telegram” to relevant MaagX articles if available).
iOS 26 is replete with these minor enhancements that collectively make the iPhone feel more like using a portable Mac. Yes, multitasking is still absent, and it’s disappointing as it was one of the three features I most wanted to see. However, so far, the iOS 26 developer beta is shaping up to be a far more useful and refined update for the iPhone.
Conclusion: A Promising Glimpse into the Future of iOS
The iOS 26 developer beta, even in its nascent stage, showcases Apple’s commitment to refining the user experience. The introduction of the elegant Liquid Glass design provides a much-needed visual refresh, making the interface feel modern and premium. Furthermore, the integration of more powerful Preview and Files apps significantly boosts the iPhone’s productivity potential, bringing it closer to a true pocket computer. Coupled with the intelligently revamped dialer, AI-driven Call Screening, and Hold Assist, everyday interactions become smoother and more efficient.
While the absence of true multitasking is a noted omission, the wealth of usability improvements and thoughtful enhancements across the system demonstrates a clear focus on practical, impactful changes. The iOS 26 beta is more than just an incremental update; it’s a substantial step forward, promising a more intuitive and powerful iPhone experience. As development continues, it will be exciting to see how these features evolve and what further refinements Apple has in store for the final release. For now, the future of iOS looks bright and user-centric.
