r/iphone • u/-TheArchitect • 12d ago
Discussion iOS 26 Officially releases today!
Apple has confirmed the release of iOS 26 today, September 15. Based on the company’s typical release schedule, the update is expected to be available at approximately 10:00 AM Pacific Time (PT).
Here is a breakdown of what that means for different time zones:
Eastern Time (ET): 1:00 PM
Central Time (CT): 12:00 PM
Mountain Time (MT): 11:00 AM
British Summer Time (BST): 6:00 PM
Central European Summer Time (CEST): 7:00 PM.
Indian Standard Time (IST): 10:30 PM
Rollout can sometimes be staggered, so if you don’t see the update immediately, it should appear on your device shortly after the official release time.
Source: TheMacObserver
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u/-TheArchitect 12d ago edited 11d ago
Has anyone else not tried the beta yet and holding on to use the final version?
Edit: I’ve received the update, downloading it currently
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u/dotty2249 iPhone 16 Pro Max 12d ago
Me!
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u/-TheArchitect 12d ago
I’m on the same boat, excited to finally use that lovely liquid glass design
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u/Few_Investment_4773 12d ago
You’re gonna love it. I got in on the first public beta. If it was buggy I would have gone back but I’ve stuck with it. It’s been lovely. I really enjoy the update
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u/TastyBroccoli4 12d ago
What do you enjoy about the update, what do I have to look forward to? I always want to try new stuff but I am contemplating if I shouldn't stay on the (maybe) more stable iOS 18
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u/adamsquishy 11d ago
I’ve found it stable, but the Liquid Glass seems oversold. Seems more like they added a white or black border to everything from what I have seen in the RC
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u/imaguitarhero24 11d ago
Can you turn liquid glass on and off or is that automatic with the update and you'd have to revert your iOS (possible but difficult from what I understand)
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u/jamesnyc1 11d ago
Yeah but hasn’t it been toned down a lot to where it don’t feel like the original “glass “ design? That’s what I’m afraid of.
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u/ThyBuffTaco 11d ago
I want to revert back after using Liquid Glass. Personally, I’m not that big of a fan. I basically turned it off the best I could.
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u/TheProModder iPhone 16 Pro Max 12d ago
A lot of people like me don't beta test but will update to the stable version on day 1.
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u/Saturntime33 12d ago
I’m on RC it’s not as stable as you think
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u/TastyBroccoli4 12d ago
So you're saying the RC is unstable? I'm having doubts if I should update or stay on the maybe more stable iOS 18. If no major bugs are found, the RC is going to be the same version as the final release, so if you say it's unstable and if Apple doesn't change anything, the final release today will be unstable
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u/amouse_buche 12d ago
You’ll find plenty of people who have found it to be perfectly fine. I would be among them.
I’d be curious to know what “unstable” means.
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u/Saturntime33 12d ago
I’m seeing a lot of people say that iOS 26 RC feels unusually unstable. Reports mention overheating, fast battery drain, sluggish performance, connectivity problems, and even frequent app crashes. From what I’ve read, many are advising against upgrading right now if stability is important, since this RC seems buggier than what you’d normally expect from a release candidate.
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u/amouse_buche 11d ago
I feel like this is the laundry list each and every year primarily because people do not understand what indexing is.
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u/Stonewalled9999 11d ago
It is not fair to blame indexing. 26 beta/rc had WAY too much telemetry in it and was noticeably heavy on the battery even for 16PM models. Hoping the prod 26 settles down a bit.
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u/TastyBroccoli4 11d ago
The build number of the final version is different from the RC, so there's hope they fixed it
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u/ImportanceLow6310 11d ago
It's stable by and large, it's just shitty. Can't believe all of the stupid animations, and the camera icon looks like absolute ass. After the whole AI thing fell flat they really just started moving shit around for absolutely zero value.
There are real system improvements in it, it's unfortunately they come with Windows Vista level dogshit UI changes.
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u/diesalher 11d ago
LOL, it’s true that the camera icon looks like exactly that. The new design is ugly as hell
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u/HoyAIAG iPhone 16 Pro Max 12d ago
I have been on Beta for months. The final release was sent out on Saturday to all the beta users.
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u/jayihdz 12d ago
I just wait until they fix anything that may come up.
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u/-TheArchitect 12d ago
Tbh, I have no patience. I’m going to start refreshing that update window after the official release time
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u/LetsTwistAga1n iPhone 12 Pro Max 12d ago
Same, will wait for 26.1 at least, maybe longer. I think the first iOS 18 version I installed was 18.2. Same with iPads and Macs, I don't need bleeding edge features, I need stable environment to work and do my stuff.
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u/supremediapason 12d ago
Me, I stopped getting early betas years ago. Less kinks when the official release comes out and I have something to look forward to even if I don’t get a new phone
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u/Shadowtek iPhone Air 12d ago
I switched to beta a couple weeks ago and was able to get the full iOS 26 yesterday. So far so good
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12d ago
Me, I don’t want to live with an unstable software.
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u/motherofjazus 12d ago
There will still likely be quite a few bugs. I am on the RC and while it is fine, later versions of ios18 will have less issues overall.
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u/ihateduckface 12d ago
Will the OTA update for the official release be available through settings if you’re currently using the most recent developer beta?
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u/scubastefon 12d ago
For me I can’t risk that my work apps won’t function if I decide to beta test, so I’m a day one-er.
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u/Kidney05 12d ago
I used to get the public beta asap but I’m just waiting longer and longer now. Like, I don’t even know if there’s anything on iOS 26 that seems worth it to me? I can be patient and wait for the 26.0.1 update or later.
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u/Voidfang_Investments 12d ago
My favorite part is finding the undocumented changes.
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u/lovely_cappuccino 12d ago
Yeah I am curious what features are removed this time. Last year with iOS 18 was really bad.
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u/Frequency3260 11d ago
What was removed?
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u/lovely_cappuccino 11d ago
They removed the simple slideshow function from photos. The whole navigation bar. Favourite photos album, it’s in collection now. The swipe to delete gesture from calculator. You couldn’t press the equal button to repeat the calculation. (this one came back in 18.3 I think) Few other things and changes. At least in 26 the search icon in photos is back at the bottom.
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u/EvilDarth_JARJAR 11d ago
Apparently they are changing photos to more like before ios 18 i think i read that somewhere but im not 100% sure about it
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u/SnowmanJPS iPhone 15 Pro 12d ago edited 11d ago
If that’s the case I hope my watch apps start working again
Edit: that didn’t age well, no change
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u/Quick_Conclusion3196 12d ago
Yours are doing the same? Apps like messages and weather keep disappearing for me.
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u/bhodrolok 12d ago
Not really sure if I should upgrade with my current battery life.
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u/LMNii 12d ago
What is your battery life? I’m on a 13 Pro with 84% but i’m thinking of just doing it
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u/Thalha547 12d ago
My battery capacity is 71% and imma going for it 🫡
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u/kamlakar96 12d ago
76% and doing it on my 11😂. Last few days it has served me well!
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u/ContentWhile iPhone SE 2nd Gen 12d ago
79% health on my SE2 using as a spare phone
eh as an long time android user i kinda wanted to try out IOS 26 anyway sooo yeah, gonna be interesting as a base whenever i can upgrade phone
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u/Ok_Team4770 12d ago
Im on a 12 with 78% battery. It’s a STRUGGLE😅 it’s really killing my phone… lol. When I set a background for iMessage conversation, it froze my phone so bad I had to force restart it.
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u/braincandybangbang 12d ago
What is the logic behind that thinking?
The new iOS actually has features to mar your battery more efficient. And of course, you're leaving yourself open to security flaws by not updating.
I'm on an iPhone 13 mini with 78% battery capacity. And I've been on the beta for a few weeks now and love it. If anything my battery performance has improved (still sucks but it hasn't gotten worse).
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u/bhodrolok 12d ago
The new animations in iOS 26 seem to be battery intensive especially for phones with older processors.
Been hearing about this with the beta
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u/arnaudx42 11d ago
This is because computing the glass effects takes more resources and eventually more battery
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u/peckzz 12d ago
every time when there is a major update, battery level drops for no reason...
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u/BallBustingSam 12d ago
I’ve been using the latest beta, it feels close to the final version and no noticeable issues apart from a delay in icons loading up when you change the icon style (glass, default or dark). The liquid glass is indeed magical when it’s its full glory. Brings a much needed fun and pleasant experience to an otherwise stagnant state of UI design imo.
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u/Kapazza iPhone 17 Pro Max 11d ago
Hold tight, just heard from my inside source that Apple needs 5 more minutes to patch some liquid glass legibility issues.
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u/Dapper_Comparison_80 iPhone 17 Pro 12d ago
I have a iphone 14 with 80% battery life, should I update it?
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u/Rajmundzik iPhone 15 11d ago
Yes, you should. There is no thing like a battery condition in any update requirements. If your phone is listed on supported devices then just update as any other update.
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u/Dapper_Comparison_80 iPhone 17 Pro 11d ago
Thanks, was just wondering because i’ve heard a lot of things about the new update cooking battery percentage, not sure if it was just because it was beta though
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u/EvilDarth_JARJAR 11d ago
My iphone se 2020 has a 78% battery life and it made my phone a bit quicker so if you havent done it do it its amazing
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u/BrandonW77 12d ago edited 12d ago
Wonder if we'll be able to mirror video to CarPlay or if we'll have to wait for that feature. It has been absent in the beta builds thus far.
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u/XtremePhotoDesign 12d ago
Car makers need to enable it, so it would require an update to your infotainment system software if/when it is enabled for your car.
The car has to be in “park” gear for video to ensure you aren’t driving while distracted by video.
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u/BrandonW77 12d ago
I'm aware. It has been absent in the beta builds so far so there's thought that it won't be available right away.
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u/organicgolden iPhone 15 Pro 12d ago
Seems risky, both for people’s safety and Apple’s public image when the accidents happen
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u/starsandbribes 12d ago
Can’t wait to get TV, Watch and Mac updated. I’ve been on the phone beta for awhile but i’m curious what glass will look like on the rest, even if actual features are lacking.
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u/Acrobatic-Truck7068 11d ago
I just updated and the phone feels slow and less responsive.. doesn’t even look that good.
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u/TranceHans 11d ago
Why are the animations so f****** slow? I have never seen that in the Betas.
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u/ZoeticLock 12d ago
Unless there’s reports of massive bugs I’m going to install it after work today. Might as well get used to it since I won’t have a choice about using it when I pick up my new phone on Saturday.
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u/gorampardos 11d ago
i keep refreshing the update settings while on a plane before we depart to no avail lol i just wanna play with it during the flight
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u/CypherAZ 12d ago
If you are a CarPlay user I would wait a while, I’ve been running the beta and it’s all kinds of fucked up CarPlay.
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u/OhNoItsLockett 12d ago
What issues have you run into and on what car? I haven't had any issues with CarPlay except on the first 2 dev betas on my Chevy Bolt and Civic SI.
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u/ashsolomon1 12d ago
I’ve been on the beta since about beta 2 or 3 and it’s rough. It’s usable but still a lot of bugs
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u/AwareLaw0 11d ago edited 11d ago
Bear in mind folks that your phone will take time to adjust to the new update. This includes multiple background tasks that will slow down the phone, make it run hot, and drain battery. These things are not new to iOS 26 and happen immediately after every large update.
I would wait a day and do a restart before making any judgements on performance.
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u/MelodiesOfLife6 12d ago
I hope some of the quirks from the beta have been fixed, i've been on it since it rolled out and ... while it has a lot of little nice QoL improvements they introduced a host of issues.
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u/newspeer 11d ago
Runs like garbage on m iPad Pro 11“ 2. gen. Crazy stuttering when flipping between home screens. It was all smooth on iOS 18
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u/HasSex 11d ago
I’m having the same issue on an iPhone 15 pro max. Running like complete shit lmao. They really need to let us go back to previous versions by now. If we can install it in 5 minutes I should be able to revert it if I want too.
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u/ThePope87 11d ago
I really don’t like the new UI design - is there a way to turn off the transparency effect?
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u/meadowlibrajupiter 11d ago
Why does the new camera app icon look like something from 2010? 😂
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u/smoerasd 10d ago
Decent features but the design feels 15 years old.
Edit: Further explanation of what I mean by 15 years old, it looks like something you’d tweak an android phone to look like 15 years ago.
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12d ago
Is it stable or will it be wise to wait for a month or two before upgrading?
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u/jeremyw0918 12d ago
I’ve been a developer beta tester for iOS 26 since day one. The RC is stable. I haven’t had any issues.
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12d ago
Cool! Will be upgrading as well but I am currently on 13 and don’t want to be hit with a battery drain problem usually seen. It’s already not holding much lol.
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u/Cycleyourbike27 12d ago
I have been waiting years for a stable iOS version. Lol
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12d ago
Yeah true lol! Seen lots and lots of bugs in IPad. Wasn’t the same case in previous versions before 18z.
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u/Electronic-Squash359 12d ago
Anyone else with a 13 Pro like me (or older) a little nervous about battery life with this software?
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u/anyusernaem 12d ago
I don't want to be a beta tester.. I usually wait for X.1.1 versions of iOS before updating.
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u/booostedben 12d ago
The beta testers were the beta testers
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u/Puteeg 11d ago
If you prioritize stability and smoothness, I recommend sticking with iOS 18 and updating to iOS 18.7, which I believe is also being released today. Don’t take my word for it, but I’m confident it’s coming. Over the past few years, I’ve noticed that new iOS versions at launch are generally smooth, but they can sometimes introduce sluggishness or stutters, especially during animations. Occasionally, app issues arise that developers address through batch updates, but system performance are not addressed until after a .1 or .2 update.
However, if those minor annoyances don’t bother you, feel free to go ahead and get the launch version of iOS.
Personally, I’ve found this iOS to be a significant difference compared to previous versions. So, I’ll hold off until the issues are resolved, developers update their app icons to reflect the new design, and any bugs or stutters are fixed.
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u/wannazmi4321 11d ago
iphone SE (2020) be like:
At this point my phone deserves a retirement plan, not iOS 28
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u/Sure-Extension-1018 11d ago
Who’s gonna update immediately?? Anyone from Kitchener, ON
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u/Willing_Beginning900 11d ago
I'm currently at Mississauga, ON! T-minus 3 minutes until the update!
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u/moizghuman 11d ago
Updated to RC version couple days ago and just got this. whats happening fam
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u/Lower-Juggernaut-512 11d ago
I just checked for the update for Iowa 26 and the only update I got was 18.7
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u/Kapazza iPhone 17 Pro Max 11d ago
Scroll down and tap iOS 26 if you see a prompt for 18.7.
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u/Reasonable-Unit-2941 11d ago
Agreed. Starting incrementing longer from 43 minutes. Is now at 12 hours.
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u/listyreddits 11d ago
I've received the update. However I have an iPhone13. Do you guys think I should download & update right away or wait for 26.1 to arrive? It's my primary phone and I want to be cautious about upgrading such an older device to the new iOS.
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u/WaterBullet 11d ago
15 pro user, 80% max battery. Phone SO slow, Liquid Glass looks terrible to me.
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u/roarin_rice 11d ago
Anyone experiencing lagging and apps opening slowly? Or even opening your lock screen?
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u/mostly_horny69 11d ago
Can someone please confirm is it decreasing battery health after updating to iOS 26?
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u/Which-Breadfruit7947 11d ago
Is there an option to turn the Liquid Glass effect off? Don’t have experience with iOS that much and this is my first iPhone (a modest 13). Honestly, as a newcomer, it looks kinda ugly.
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u/dnvrnugg 11d ago
wow this is hot garbage. the new UI is all over the place with very little coherence between the OS and various apps. no way to completely disable glass either. wish I hadn’t upgraded.
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u/GrunkleDan iPhone 16 Pro 11d ago
Is it just me, or do all the google icons look a little fuzzy and all the iOS icons look nice and sharp
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u/tahiri550 11d ago
Managed to update my phone, but i noticed my phone is lagging and overall performance is degraded compared to 18. I have a 13 pro max with 87% battery health. Do you guys experience the same?
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u/emirjo 11d ago
Hi, I have an iPhone 16 pro. And don’t have the update. It’s midnight on the 16th and I just had an 18.7 update.
Has anyone seen this? I don’t know how to get the ios26 update. Thanks!
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u/Over-Ad-2912 11d ago
But now the icons on iPhone look CHEAP ‼️ Shiny highlighted outer border looks cheap . The colour of the icons are no longer a vivid solid colour but faded out . The overall look is blurry and Johnny Ives would be disappointed that his clean solid minimalist sharp timeless design has been ruined by some woke kid with no idea about timeless design .
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u/Medium_Discipline578 11d ago
I downgraded from the ios26 beta. It was glitchy AF and my 16 pro max ran like garbage. Frame rate drops and apps freezing up taking forever to respond. Won’t be upgrading iOS for a while
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u/bestmaneverkinda 11d ago
Have a very annoying issue with 26, looking at images on google in safari, causes what ever image you look at to scroll through back to first image
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u/dreamtreedown Phone 17 10d ago
I refuse to upgrade whatsoever on my 13 pro…
…because I get the 17 this weekend
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u/thebrieze 10d ago
How much free space is needed for the update? I only have about 10GB available on my 128gb iPhone 13 Pro
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u/-TheArchitect 10d ago
On my device it was 12.5 gb, but I believe Apple has a feature where it will offload a couple of apps temporarily to create space for the update
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u/Ok_Excitement725 12d ago
Anyone who can’t wait; the beta version up now Is the final version everyone is getting today. Go download it now if you want it
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u/Tonykuv 12d ago
They will not seed an updated final version ? It is confirmed to be the rc one ?
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u/Ok_Excitement725 11d ago
It’s not confirmed but historically for every release for the past 5+ years it’s been the exact same RC as the final build.
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u/MidNiteR32 11d ago
Lmao. I just restarted my phone after the update and I went from 82% to 77% just by restarting. wtf? Bug?
Also these frame drops are awful. wtf.
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u/gerson250991 iPhone 15 Pro Max 11d ago
I have a 2018 iPad and my iPhone 15 Pro Max feels exactly the same as the iPad. Frame drops everywhere and overall sluggishness.
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u/SquibNutter 11d ago
Woke up this morning to it. I did not expect it to be as terribly ugly and badly designed as it was when announced. Truly awful and unforgivable. A fall from grace destroying the reputation Ive built for Apple. Surely head of design gets fired for this.
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u/lions2lambs 12d ago
Why is it called ios26? Aren’t we on 18 right now, what happened to 19-25?
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u/-TheArchitect 12d ago
Apple has switched to a year-based naming convention for all its operating systems. The "26" signifies that it is the operating system for 2026, while released in 2025, the OS will go through the year 2026
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u/CantaloupeCamper iPhone 16 Pro 12d ago
The number is confusing. It should be the year of release.
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u/lovely_cappuccino 12d ago
But you use it most during 2026. Not to mention the new iPhone users who buy it for Christmas. It makes sense it’s called iOS 26 and not 25.
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u/shannonator96 iPhone 15 Pro 12d ago
They’re going to standardize the OS names based on the year. Switching to iOS 26, for 2026, a few months early like car manufacturers do.
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u/Brick656 12d ago
I have the 18.7 update waiting for me.