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  • Apple iOS 26: Is your iPhone compatible? Here's a list which devices can download it today

    All the new features iOS 26 has to offer.

    iPhone devotees, listen up: Tons of new updates are coming to Apple's operating system this fall that you'll be excited to try out. But instead of being named iOS 19, it'll be called iOS 26. The biggest change? The new Liquid Glass design (think Windows Vista, but arguably more thoughtful), which looks to be Apple's largest visual update in years. We spent two weeks test-driving it — you can check out our detailed hands-on iOS 26 preview, or you can try it out yourself by downloading and installing the public beta, available now. Before you dive in, we'll help you answer this question: Will my iPhone be able to run iOS 26?

    Last year, Apple didn't nix any iPhones from its eligibility list, but that's not the case for 2025 — a few models are getting cut this time. All iPhone 8 models and the iPhone X were the last to get the boot in 2023, and this year the 2018 models are getting left behind. If you have an ineligible device, you won't be able to download iOS 26 when it becomes available this fall.

    We'll get to the bottom of which iPhones will support iOS 26 this year. To see what's coming with the latest OS and more, check out everything announced at Apple's WWDC June 9 event. 

    Unlike last year, several iPhone models won't be eligible to download the newest iOS when it makes its debut this fall. This trio of models first released in 2018 won't be coming to the iOS 26 party:

    • iPhone XR

    • iPhone XS

    • iPhone XS Max

    While we don't yet know the new iPhones Apple will be dropping this fall — though there are iPhone 17 rumors — we do know, per Apple's site, that the phones listed below will be compatible with iOS 26. Basically, if you have an iPhone that was announced in 2019 or later, you're in the clear:

    • iPhone SE (second generation or later)

    • iPhone 11

    • iPhone 11 Pro

    • iPhone 11 Pro Max

    • iPhone 12

    • iPhone 12 mini

    • iPhone 12 Pro

    • iPhone 12 Pro Max

    • iPhone 13

    • iPhone 13 mini

    • iPhone 13 Pro

    • iPhone 13 Pro Max

    • iPhone 14

    • iPhone 14 Plus

    • iPhone 14 Pro

    • iPhone 14 Pro Max

    • iPhone 15

    • iPhone 15 Plus

    • iPhone 15 Pro

    • iPhone 15 Pro Max

    • iPhone 16e

    • iPhone 16

    • iPhone 16 Plus

    • iPhone 16 Pro

    • iPhone 16 Pro Max

    If you want to continue using your older iPhone that isn't supported by iOS 26, that's fine. However, you'll miss out on security updates which could potentially put your phone at risk for malware and other threats. Additionally, some apps may stop working if they require a certain version of iOS or later. And of course, you won't be able to access the latest features iOS 26 offers.

    Apple usually rolls out its latest iOS in mid-September, just a few days before the new iPhones hit store shelves. Last year, it released iOS 18 on Monday, Sept. 16. Expect a confirmation of the release date at the iPhone 17 event, expected in early September. 

    Liquid Glass design: Your home screen is getting revamped with new app icons, including dark mode and all-clear options. You'll also notice buttons with a new floating design. Liquid Glass was designed to make all of Apple's OSes more cohesive.

    Phone app redesign: You'll finally be able to scroll through contacts, recent calls and voicemail messages all on one screen. It also comes with a new feature called Hold Assist that'll notify you when an agent comes to the phone so you can avoid the elevator music.

    Live Translate: iOS 26 is bringing the ability to have a conversation via phone call or text message with someone who speaks another language. Live Translate will translate your conversation in real time. 

    Polls feature: Coming to group messages in the Messages app, chat members will be able to create polls. This can help prevent the unwanted 30+ messages when it comes to deciding which restaurant you're meeting at this weekend.

    This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/apple-ios-26-is-your-iphone-compatible-heres-a-list-which-devices-can-download-it-today-191854768.html?src=rss

  • iOS 26 beta release: Here's everything you need to know about new Apple features and how to get it on your iPhone

    new liquid glass display on an iPhone
    Liquid Glass is a huge new change coming to iOS 26. (Apple)

    Can't wait until the fall to access all the new Apple iOS 26 features? You can officially download and install the public beta if you're looking forward to seeing what's coming this year. Prefer more of a guided tour? Check out our preview of the iOS 26 public beta release, which shows off the fresh home and lock screen redesign we've been asking to see for years. Called Liquid Glass, the new translucent look will extend across all of Apple's upcoming operating systems. The overhaul is one of several big changes coming to iOS, macOS, iPadOS and the rest of Apple's software suite, all of which were showcased during the company's WWDC keynote on June 9. 

    After overpromising on AI plans last year, Apple kept its iOS roadmap focused more on basic quality of life improvements this year. There are multiple useful additions coming to the Phone and Messages apps on your iPhone, for instance: Apple execs outlined the ability to weed out spam texts or other unknown senders and an option to hold your spot on a phone call when you've been waiting for a representative to pick up. Plus, a treasured feature that we took for granted is coming back (hint: it's in the Photos app).

    Siri, meanwhile, is in a holding pattern. Apple has previously specified that its smarter voice assistant — first promised at WWDC 2024 — is delayed until some point "in the coming year," so you shouldn't expect any major changes in the current betas. But there are reports that Apple is aiming to give Siri a bigger brain transplant by basing it on third-party artificial intelligence models like OpenAI's ChatGPT or Anthropic's Claude, which could make 2026 a pivotal year.

    With each beta, it seems like additional new improvements are popping up, like a newly discovered FaceTime feature that'll freeze your video if it detects nudity. Most newer iPhone models are eligible to download iOS 26(both the betas and final version). Want to see the full list of new features coming this fall? Read on.  

    While the current iPhone operating system is iOS 18, Apple is skipping the numbering ahead to iOS 26 later this year. The company has decided to line up its iOS version numbers with a year-based system, similar to car model years. So while iOS and its sibling operating systems will be released in late 2025, they're all designated "26" to reflect the year ahead. (Meanwhile, iOS 18 is still getting new versions this summer, too.)

    a list of the new OSes
    It's official, we're moving to iOS 26. (Apple)

    Let's be honest. Out of everything announced at WWDC this year, the new Liquid Glass design was the star of the show. The iPhone's home and lock screens have looked pretty much the same year after year — the last exciting thing (in my opinion) was the option to add your own aesthetic to your home screen by customizing your apps and widgets. So seeing the home and lock screens' new facelift is refreshing.

    So what exactly is Liquid Glass? Apple calls it a "new translucent material" since, well, the apps and widgets are clear. However, the screen can still adapt to dark and light modes, depending on surroundings. You'll also notice buttons with a new floating design in several apps, like Phone and Maps. They're designed to be less distracting than the current buttons, but are still easy to see. While the design overhaul has proven to be controversial since its announcement, some — including Engadget's own Devindra Hardawar — like the new direction, even if it's somewhat reminiscent of Microsoft's translucent Windows Vista Aero designs from nearly twenty years ago.

    That said, as of the release of the iOS 26 beta 2, Apple has already incorporated some user feedback into the design, dialing back the transparency in at least some places. And while it will continue to evolve, Apple users won't be able to escape it: Liquid Glass was designed to make all of Apple's OSes more cohesive. Here's a look at how the translucent aesthetic will look with the new macOS Tahoe 26 on your desktop.

    iOS 26 has a laundry list of new features. Among the most worthwhile:

    Phone app redesign: You'll finally be able to scroll through contacts, recent calls and voicemail messages all on one screen. It also comes with a new feature called Hold Assist that'll notify you when an agent comes to the phone so you can avoid the elevator music and continue on with other tasks.

    Live Translation in Phone, FaceTime and Messages: iOS 26 is bringing the ability to have a conversation via phone call or text message with someone who speaks another language. Live Translation will translate your conversation in real time, which results in some stop-and-go interactions in the examples Apple shared during its presentation.

    Polls in group chats: Tired of sorting through what seems like hundreds of messages in your group chat? You and your friends will soon be able to create polls in group messages for deciding things like which brunch spot you're eating at or whose car you're taking on a road trip.

    Filtering unknown senders in Messages: If you haven't received spam texts about unpaid tolls or other citations, you're lucky. For those of us who have, those annoying messages will soon be filtered away in a separate folder.

    Visual Intelligence: Similar to a reverse Google image search, this new feature will allow you to search for anything that's on your iPhone screen. For instance, if you spot a pair of shoes someone is wearing in an Instagram photo, you can screenshot it and use Visual Intelligence to find those shoes (or similar ones) online.

    Photos tabs are back: For anyone who's still frustrated with the Photos changes made last year, you'll be happy to know that your tabs are coming back. Library and Collections will have their own separate spaces so you don't have to scroll to infinity to find what you're looking for.

    FaceTime "Communication Safety" feature:A newer addition to iOS 26 appears to be the FaceTime "Communication Safety" feature that pauses communications if and when nudity is detected. The feature appears to be a child safety feature that uses on-device detection, thus obviating any cloud-based privacy issues. 

    New Hold Assist being displayed at the wwdc keynote
    Apple's Hold Assist will be nifty for those pesky services that put you on hold for 10 or more minutes. (Apple)

    A few iPhone models that run the current version of iOS — iPhone XR, XS and XS Max — won't be compatible with the latest upgrade. But any iPhones released in 2019 or later will be eligible for the iOS 26 update.

    • iPhone SE (second generation or later)

    • iPhone 11

    • iPhone 11 Pro

    • iPhone 11 Pro Max

    • iPhone 12

    • iPhone 12 mini

    • iPhone 12 Pro

    • iPhone 12 Pro Max

    • iPhone 13

    • iPhone 13 mini

    • iPhone 13 Pro

    • iPhone 13 Pro Max

    • iPhone 14

    • iPhone 14 Plus

    • iPhone 14 Pro

    • iPhone 14 Pro Max

    • iPhone 15

    • iPhone 15 Plus

    • iPhone 15 Pro

    • iPhone 15 Pro Max

    • iPhone 16e

    • iPhone 16

    • iPhone 16 Plus

    • iPhone 16 Pro

    • iPhone 16 Pro Max

    Not listed here are the presumed new iPhone 17 models (or maybe iPhone 26?) that are all but certain to be announced and released in September. 

    The iOS 26 public beta is now available to download via the Apple Beta Software Program. If you're not already a member, you'll need to sign up to try out all the latest features. Just visit beta.apple.com and sign up with your phone number or email address. It's free.

    Once you're in, you can install it by going to Settings > General > Software Update and selecting iOS 26 public beta.

    A word of caution: Don't sign up with your main iPhone unless you're OK with any risks that occur with using an OS that isn't finalized.

    iOS 26 will be released to the public this fall. It usually comes in September, within a week of the Apple iPhone event. Last year, it rolled out to iPhone users on September 16 — exactly one week after the iPhone 16 lineup was announced.

    If you're more interested in the Apple Intelligence features coming, here's everything Apple revealed for iOS, macOS and more during WWDC. Also, check out how iOS 26 screenshots could be an intriguing preview of Apple's delayed Siri rework.

    Update, July 24: Noted the iOS 26 public beta is now available.

    Update, July 3: Noted new FaceTime feature found in the developer beta.

    Update, June 30:Noted ongoing iOS 18 releases, and reports that Apple is considering additional external LLMs for Siri. 

    Update, June 25:Noted changes added in iOS 26 beta 2. 

    This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/ios-26-beta-release-heres-everything-you-need-to-know-about-new-apple-features-and-how-to-get-it-on-your-iphone-135749519.html?src=rss

  • Is Mark Zuckerberg flip flopping on open source AI?

    Earlier today, Mark Zuckerberg shared a rambling memo outlining his vision to build AI "superintelligence." In the memo, Zuckerberg hinted that the pursuit of more powerful AI might require the company to be more selective in what it open sources.

    Citing "safety concerns" he wrote that Meta would need to be "rigorous" about such decisions. The line stood out to many as Zuckerberg — who once said "fuck that" in reference to closed platforms — has made open source central to Meta's AI strategy.

    During Meta's second quarter earnings call, Zuckerberg further acknowledged there could be a shift, though he downplayed the significance of it. Here's what he said when asked if his thinking had changed.

    I don't think that our thinking has particularly changed on this. We've always open sourced some of our models and not open sourced everything that we've done. So I would expect that we will continue to produce and share leading open source models. I also think that there are a couple of trends that are playing out. One is that we're getting models that are so big that they're just not practical for a lot of other people to use, so we kind of wrestle with whether it's productive or helpful to share that, or if that's really just primarily helping competitors or something like that. So I think that there's, there's that concern.

    And then obviously, as you approach real superintelligence, I think there's a whole different set of safety concerns that I think we need to take very seriously, that I wrote about in my note this morning. But I think the bottom line is I would expect that we will continue open sourcing work. I expect us to continue to be a leader there, and I also expect us to continue to not open source everything that we do, which is a continuation of kind of what we, what we've been, been kind of working on.

    That's notably different than what he wrote almost exactly a year ago in a different memo titled "Open Source AI is the Path Forward." In that, even longer note, he said that open source is crucial for both Meta and developers.

    "People often ask if I’m worried about giving up a technical advantage by open sourcing Llama, but I think this misses the big picture," he wrote. "I expect AI development will continue to be very competitive, which means that open sourcing any given model isn’t giving away a massive advantage over the next best models at that point in time."

    He also argued that open source is safer. "There is an ongoing debate about the safety of open source AI models, and my view is that open source AI will be safer than the alternatives. As long as everyone has access to similar generations of models – which open source promotes – then governments and institutions with more compute resources will be able to check bad actors with less compute."

    To be clear, Zuckerberg said the company would continue to open source some of its work. But he seems to be laying the groundwork for a future in which Meta's "superintelligence" could be a lot less open.

    This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/is-mark-zuckerberg-flip-flopping-on-open-source-ai-231310567.html?src=rss

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