Here’s what to expect if you update to iOS 26 later in 2025, and how it compared to iOS 18.
Apple pulled back the covers on the latest iteration of iOS at WWDC 2025. This will initially confuse some people, as the successor to 2024’s iOS 18 is… iOS 26! Moreover, the software will release at the end of 2025. We guess naming is hard. So, does the rejiggering of the numbers look like clumsy PR, or is the new iOS one that marks a bold new direction for the iPhone?
In this comparison of the two iOS versions, we’ll run though what the main differences are and how the two compare, so you can be sure that you want to update to the new iOS when it arrives in September 2025. What was new in iOS 18?
When iOS 18 launched in September 2024, it came with some cool updates to the interface and feature set of the Apple apps. Here are some of the highlights:Apple Intelligence
One of the main selling points of iOS 18 was the introduction of Apple Intelligence, although many of the touted features took quite a while to arrive. These included Writing Tools that helped users create, edit and rephrase texts, emails and other text messages.
Visual Intelligence turned the iPhone camera into a way to get more information about objects and places, aided by Apple Intelligence searching for matching images and information.
Siri was also meant to be powered up by the new AI features, although that seems to need more work, but the Image Playground did allow you to generate pictures via prompts on your device. Apple Intelligence was limited to only the iPhone 16 generation of devices, as well as the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.Personalisation
Following on from the widgets in iOS 17, the ability to personalise your home screen with shaded/tinted icons that you could place wherever you like (shock horror!) was another big player for iOS 18.Control Center Updates
Apple also gave users the ability to add new shortcut controls and ones for third-party apps in Control Center. The option to group them into specific situations, such as Home, Work, Music, etc, is also provided.Privacy Enhancements
In iOS 18 you can lock and hide specific apps, plus there’s the option to restrict which contacts apps can see and which wireless accessories they can access.Messages improvements
The Messages app in iOS 18 finally allowed users to be able to add formatting, such as underlining and italicisation. You can also use animations called Text Effects to show your support or surprise at what your friends say.
There was also the introduction of Message Via Satellite which allowed you to send emergency messages if you’re stuck in a place with no carrier signal.Photos redesign
The Photos app got some attention in iOS 18, with new filters and collections there to make it easier to find images. This wasn’t an entirely successful attempt to help users: there was a big backlash to Apple’s changes to Photos, with people searching for ways to turn the new Photos app changes off.What’s new in iOS 26?
Building on the foundations of iOS 18 (and all that went before), Apple has unveiled what we can expect to see on our iPhones when September 2025 rolls around and the iOS 26 update becomes available. Here’s the pick of the bunch:Liquid Glass
At the heart of iOS 26 is Apple’s new design language, which is calls Liquid Glass. This revamped the existing menus and interactive parts of the OS with translucent areas that mimic glass. Those fearing a return to the old Aqua design of ancient macOS versions, the iPhone design is actually very tasteful.
Search bars seem to float above the images behind them, allowing colors to pass through as if refracted. The effect is something that looks organic rather than the blocky overlays to which we’ve grown accustom. Contextual menus appear where you tap the screen in newly designed cards that look consistent throughout the interface.
Liquid Glass supports both light and dark modes, as well as the tint introduced in iOS 18, plus there’s a new translucent mode for iOS 26 that looks rather fetching.
