iOS 26 & iPadOS 26 — Public Beta 4, Major Features, and Compatibility
Apple previewed iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 at WWDC (June 9, 2025). Public Beta 4 is available now. Major highlights include the new Liquid Glass design language, a revamped Phone app, on-device Live Translate, and a range of productivity improvements for iPad.
Quick summary
- Public Beta: Public Beta 4 is available for those enrolled in Apple’s beta program (beta software has risks).
- Major features: Liquid Glass UI, Phone app redesign, Live Translate (real-time call/text translation), polls in Messages, and iPad productivity updates.
- Release timing: Expect the public release in mid-September 2025 (typical Apple schedule).
Devices dropped from iOS 26
Apple has removed support for three 2018 iPhone models. The following will not receive iOS 26:
- iPhone XR
- iPhone XS
- iPhone XS Max
iPhones compatible with iOS 26
If your iPhone was announced in 2019 or later, it should be compatible. Notable supported models include:
- iPhone SE (2nd gen or later)
- iPhone 11 / 11 Pro / 11 Pro Max
- iPhone 12 / 12 mini / 12 Pro / 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 13 / 13 mini / 13 Pro / 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 14 / 14 Plus / 14 Pro / 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 15 / 15 Plus / 15 Pro / 15 Pro Max
- iPhone 16 series and iPhone 16e
iPads compatible with iPadOS 26
- iPad Pro (M4)
- iPad Pro 12.9‑inch (3rd gen and later)
- iPad Pro 11‑inch (1st gen and later)
- iPad Air (3rd gen and later, including M2/M3)
- iPad (8th gen and later, including A16)
- iPad mini (5th gen and later, including A17 Pro)
Should you upgrade?
If your device is supported, the beta lets you test new features early; remember beta builds can have bugs. If your device is no longer supported, it will miss future security updates and features — consider upgrading if security/app compatibility is important.
Official Apple links
For more details and hands-on impressions, check Apple’s previews and enroll in the beta program if you want to try Public Beta 4.
Originally aggregated from official Apple previews and reporting on iOS 26.