Apple’s next-gen iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 operating systems land on September 15, but you won’t find me updating on day one – here’s why.
Hot off the heels of Apple’s big iPhone 17 series keynote, we have confirmation that iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 are releasing to the public on September 15. Launching alongside macOS 26, watchOS 26, and visionOS 26, these next-generation operating systems are set to debut with an all-new ‘ Liquid Glass’ design language, several major app updates, and, in the case of the iPad, a re-engineered window management system.
While I’m fairly eager to download and install macOS 26 on my 24-inch iMac next week, I’m coy about updating my iPhone 15 Pro and my iPad mini 6 to their respective platform releases. I’m normally an early adopter of new software updates, but, this time around, I think I’ll be sitting out the initial hype in favor of a smoother upgrade experience once the dust has settled in a few weeks.
Here are three reasons why I’ve decided to hold off on updating to Apple’s latest-and-greatest operating systems — at least for the short-to-medium-term future. 1
Liquid Glass is a work in progress
Apple’s new software design language is still rough around the edges
For the most part, I’m a fan of Apple’s new Liquid Glass design language. The added sense of material depth, the reactive and more playful animations, and the advanced reflectivity are a breath of fresh air in the software world, while at the same time harkening back to the good old days of Microsoft’s Windows Vista and 7 releases on PC.
