From iOS 25 to 26: Why It’s Apple’s Biggest Redesign in a Decade

Apple has released iOS 26, and it’s more than just a software update — it’s a foundational shift in how users interact with the iPhone. From the striking new Liquid Glass design to deep AI integration and enhanced security, iOS 26 marks Apple’s biggest visual and functional redesign since iOS 7 in 2013.

In this post, we’ll compare iOS 25 and 26 feature-by-feature and show you exactly what makes iOS 26 a monumental leap forward.

1. Visual Evolution: Goodbye Flat, Hello Liquid Glass

With iOS 26, Apple has finally moved beyond the “flat” aesthetic introduced in iOS 7. The new Liquid Glass interface brings:

Translucent layers and depth-based design
Refractive UI elements that respond to motion
Dynamic lighting effects on Control Center and widgets

iOS 25 vs iOS 26: Interface Comparison

Feature	iOS 25	iOS 26
Lock Screen	Static, blurred widgets	Spatial photos, depth-aware
App Icons	Flat & static	Light-reactive, animated
Control Center	Grid-based, basic blur	Liquid blur with animations
Dynamic Widgets	Limited interactivity	Real-time, tappable widgets

2. Apple Intelligence: The Beginning of On-Device AI

With Apple Intelligence, iOS 26 brings deep AI integration directly on the device.

What Changed:

Feature	iOS 25	iOS 26
Siri	Basic commands only	Context-aware, multimodal AI
Writing tools	Manual grammar/spellcheck	Rewrite, summarize, tone change
Calendar	Manual entry	Auto-fill from screenshots
Image generation	Not available	Image Playground for stickers

iOS 26 supports on-device and private cloud processing, keeping user data secure while unlocking intelligent features.

3. Messaging & Communication: Smarter, Safer Conversations

iOS 26 modernizes communication across the system:

Live Translate in Phone and FaceTime
Message categorization: Primary, Promotions, Spam
On-device nudity detection in FaceTime (optional)

These tools are part of Apple’s broader strategy to protect users, particularly younger audiences, without sacrificing usability.

4. Security & Privacy: Unmatched Controls

Privacy has always been a core part of iOS. iOS 26 takes it further:

Security Feature	iOS 25	iOS 26
App Privacy Reports	Static summary	Real-time usage tracking
Lockdown Mode	Manual configuration	Adaptive & smarter toggles
Spam Filters (Messages)	Not available	Built-in, AI-driven filters
FaceTime Content Filters	Not present	Nudity detection (on-device)

5. Performance & Device Support

iOS 26 is also optimized for newer chips, especially those with Neural Engine capabilities.

Notable performance changes:

Faster multitasking with lower memory use
Energy-efficient animations in Liquid Glass UI
Reduced input latency in Apple Pencil (on iPadOS 26)

iOS 26 Compatible Devices:

iPhone 12 and newer
iPhone SE (2nd gen and above)
M-Series iPads (for iPadOS 26)

6. Developer & Power User Features

Apple has also added tools for developers and enthusiasts:

App Intents: Let apps tap into Apple Intelligence features
New widgets APIs: For adaptive layouts and interactivity
Debug over Wi-Fi for Xcode with no cable needed

7. Why This Is Apple’s Biggest Redesign Since iOS 7

Let’s break it down:

Category	iOS 7 (2013)	iOS 26 (2025)
Core Theme	Flat design	Liquid Glass + depth
Performance	Graphics-first	AI-first + privacy-first
Interaction	Simple tap/swipe	Multimodal AI, generative input
User Control	Limited customization	Adaptive widgets, smart categories
Privacy	Baseline controls	Advanced real-time protection

iOS 26 isn’t just a design change — it’s a functional shift toward AI-native mobile experiences while reinforcing Apple’s stance on privacy and hardware optimization.

Final Thoughts

Apple has officially moved into the next era of mobile software. iOS 26 is bold, intelligent, and privacy-conscious — a redesign worthy of its place alongside iOS 7 in the timeline of major Apple milestones.

As we move closer to the public release in September 2025, the real-world impact of iOS 26 will become clearer. Until then, early adopters and developers will shape the feedback loop that refines this new system.