- Apple has launched iOS 26 in its range of iPhones
- Not everyone is happy with the changes that iOS 26 brings
- Fortunately, you still don’t have to update your iPhone
The wait is over since iOS 26 is now officially available, with its liquid glass redesign and other changes. It is probably the most significant iOS update in many years, and the difference is the night and day compared to iOS 18.
But although Apple could be celebrating, not all who have installed iOS 26 are happy with the new appearance. In fact, there have been many complaints from Apple users about what happened with their devices.
In particular, even Apple has intervened on the subject, issuing a warning that updating to a new version of the operating system can negatively affect the duration and performance of the battery of its device.
This has been of common knowledge among some iOS users for years: the new operating system needs to index its files, download assets and more, after all. It is worth taking into account that this is usually a temporary problem, and the battery life and performance should return to normal after a while. But, nevertheless, it can be frustrating when you experience it.
In a similar topic, the size of iOS 26 has caused some dismay, and the update requires between 6GB-12 GB of space before it can install it, depending on its model. This is due to a combination of new visual assets, security patches and characteristics updates, but naturally obtains part of that once the temporary update package has been installed.
In other places, some users have expressed their disgust with Apple liquid glass design, especially when it comes to the readability of the text. This is something that Apple seems to be very conscious, since it modified the liquid glass several times, while iOS 26 was in beta. Even so, it seems that not everyone is happy with the final result, although Apple will probably continue to make adjustments as time passes.
Should you update?
If you are not sure to update to iOS 26, there is no need to hurry. Apple’s iOS 18 Operating System will continue to receive security updates at the moment, so your device is not at risk at this time. If you don’t like iOS 26, Apple does not force you to install it.
Your mileage can also vary according to the model you have and your current condition. For example, some iPhone 11 owners have reported that Reddit is “soft and fast”, while others with the same model claim that “performance is terrible.”
That said, iOS 26 comes with many useful new features, including call projection that blocks spam calls, live translation for when you need a quick way to translate messages and voices, improvements in applications such as maps, wallet and music, and more. These new characteristics are not available in iOS 18.
Although the liquid glass design in iOS 26 seems to be a pain point, it can be adjusted, while its transparency effects can be reduced considerably when opening the configuration application and going to accessibility> screen size and text> reduce transparency. And as mentioned, any negative impact on battery life and performance is likely to be temporary and should be softened over time.
Even so, iOS 26 will not be for everyone, and you can continue with iOS 18 if that is what you prefer. Just keep in mind that you will eventually have to update, since Apple does not provide security patches forever.
