Ticci is back with a comprehensive look at iOS and iPadOS 26:
There was a lot riding on Apple’s software strategy in 2025. Now that we’re entering the final phase of the Apple product launch year, I believe that, in hindsight, their three key moves from the first half of 2025 are – at least from a marketing perspective – the best approach they could have followed.
First, the new AI Siri features were officially delayed to “the coming year”, and at WWDC, executives explained why they needed more time than anticipated to get them right. Then, Apple unveiled a new design language that – to varying degrees of success – unifies its user interfaces across platforms. Finally, the company embraced the iPad’s modular nature with a complete reimagining of the device’s software in iPadOS 26, borrowing from the decades-long traditions of macOS to bring new windowing and multitasking features to the tablet. You have to hand it to Apple PR: that’s a pretty effective marketing strategy to, once again, steer the public conversation and attention to a place that’s more comfortable for Apple.
But my reviews aren’t about marketing; they’re about the reality and everyday practicality of using these operating systems. Beyond the renewed promise of Apple Intelligence and a future version of Siri, what is it actually like to use the new AI features shipping in iOS 26 today? Once the novelty of Liquid Glass wears off, does the new design meaningfully improve our interactions with apps? Is iPadOS 26 truly the miracle answer to all of our iPad woes that we thought it could be at WWDC?
These are the questions I hope to provide an answer to with this review.
I look forward to these every year, and this one doesn’t disappoint. I suggest reading it on an iPad with a nice cup of coffee.