I absolutely loathe iOS 26

[Makisupa Policeman]

The more I think about it, for me the problem with the iOS 26 changes have nothing to do with the new hyper transparent look to everything, or really much to do with the Liquid Glass style change overall. I can even get used to the new UI quirks and bugs as I’m sure those will get refined over time.

The real issue is that the aesthetic itself looks cheap. It’s the most inelegant, un-Apple level of quality I’ve ever seen in the look of a UI. I just don’t feel like I’m using an Apple product anymore. I’ve never felt that way going all the way back to when iPhone was first released.

 

[Makisupa Policeman]

Intolerant? Just a GUI?

The User Interface is the mechanism in how we the users interact with the device. If the gui is hard to read, hard to navigate, lacking in ways that makes the user struggle to do tasks that were otherwise easy or simple in the prior version, that's not intolerant. That's poor design.

Back during the pre-osx times, there was something called the Human Interface Guidelines (HIG). Clearly Apple forgot about that, as having monochromatic transparent icons is harder to use then opaque colored ones.

“You’ve got to start with the customer experience and work backwards to the technology.” — Steve Jobs 1997

Do you think this is a good customer experience?
View attachment 2551781

It’s amazing to me how many people just don’t get what made Apple great. GUI is the heart of what set Apple above the rest. We need Steve Jobs now more than ever.

 

[ayephoner]

The only thing I've found that legitimately bothers me is the flash of light when you press send in messages. I couldn't find anything about it on MR, but this reddit thread explains the gripe pretty well:

https://www.reddit.com/r/ios/comments/1ni33eb/the_flash_when_a_message_is_sent_on_imessage_in

Hopefully they do away with it or make an option to turn it off.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

The only thing I've found that legitimately bothers me is the flash of light when you press send in messages. I couldn't find anything about it on MR, but this reddit thread explains the gripe pretty well:

https://www.reddit.com/r/ios/comments/1ni33eb/the_flash_when_a_message_is_sent_on_imessage_in

Hopefully they do away with it or make an option to turn it off.

I can't stand that either.

 

[turbineseaplane]

This has been my lock screen and only home screen for several months.

View attachment 2551863

View attachment 2551864

Totally missed this post!
What App are you using to do that? Would love to give it a shot

 

[WarmWinterHat]

Totally missed this post!
What App are you using to do that? Would love to give it a shot

https://www.blankspaces.app/

It's a subscription app, but I got in on it when it was a lifetime purchase. You have to be in iOS >26 to make it look like mine.

Dumbify does something similar.

‎Dumbify

‎Dumbify is a minimalist home screen launcher for iPhone. Dumbify helps you keep screen time down by keeping your home screen clean and clear of notifications. Our minimalist home screen launcher is fully customizable. Dumbify allows you to select the apps that are most important to you, and...

apps.apple.com

 

[turbineseaplane]

https://www.blankspaces.app/

It's a subscription app, but I got in on it when it was a lifetime purchase. You have to be in iOS >26 to make it look like mine.

Dumbify does something similar.

‎Dumbify

‎Dumbify is a minimalist home screen launcher for iPhone. Dumbify helps you keep screen time down by keeping your home screen clean and clear of notifications. Our minimalist home screen launcher is fully customizable. Dumbify allows you to select the apps that are most important to you, and...

apps.apple.com

A subscription .. for a text list launcher?

Wow.
The world sucks.

I'll have a look at Dumbify - thx

 

[WarmWinterHat]

A subscription .. for a text list launcher?

Wow.
The world sucks.

I'll have a look at Dumbify - thx

Yea, it's BS. It does do some other things like hook into screen time where you can select apps to lock until do you have a few second breathing exercise... It doesn't make it work whatever the current $$/year is.

Dumbify was a response to Blank Spaces changing to a subscription.

 

[BigMcGuire]

Not sure if anyone noticed but I'm seeing significant standby time increase with the latest iOS 26.0.1.

I have my phone sitting on a battery every night - near my bed (wired) - 10,000 mAh and up till 26.0.1 it was using 50% of that battery every night up till the last few days. Now, 15%. Something changed with standby. (I watch Battery stats so nothing obvious was draining it).

 

[AllanMarcus]

Just “up”graded my iPhone to iOS 26 and I absolutely hate it. It’s visually the ugliest iOS Apple has ever produced. The icons all have a distracting (and non-sensical) edge to them. The blurred wallpapers look nothing like they used to.

It’s so ugly I’m thinking of cancelling my iPhone Air order and looking at Samsung options.

Me too. The one pad is the closest we can get to the ipads aspect ratio. Seriouls look at it. Apple really messed up with this release. Ive only been using apple products since ‘85. I already switched to windows for desktop, but i really used to like the ipad. Ow i just hate it. I have a samsung S7 tablet i use for media on my exercise machines, but i use the ipad most of the rest of day.

 

[tomtattoo]

After two weeks I finally gave up.
Apple forces the developers to use iOS26 icon even on 18.7. and my homescreen has got more and more cluttered with the mix of NoDarkicon, iOS18 icons and iOS 26 icons.
Had 26 installed on my ipadpro since Beta1 so I knew what was coming
but on the iphone due to narrower alignment homescreen looks horrible.

I now have the ugliest and at the same time the most ridicolous homescreen since my beloved iPhone 5.

After all the deteriorations software wise and now this....Apple has lost me.
There is only contempt.

 

[turbineseaplane]

After two weeks I finally gave up.
Apple forces the developers to use iOS26 icon even on 18.7. and my homescreen has got more and more cluttered with the mix of NoDarkicon, iOS18 icons and iOS 26 icons.
Had 26 installed on my ipadpro since Beta1 so I knew what was coming
but on the iphone due to narrower alignment homescreen looks horrible.

I now have the ugliest and at the same time the most ridicolous homescreen since my beloved iPhone 5.

After all the deteriorations software wise and now this....Apple has lost me.
There is only contempt.

I'm holding the line as long as I can.
I have updates for the OS and Apps turned off and will update only as forced to, App by App, as time goes on.

 

[FeliApple]

I'm holding the line as long as I can.
I have updates for the OS and Apps turned off and will update only as forced to, App by App, as time goes on.

As long as your new app requirements aren’t incessant, you have time. Several years at least, time in which many things can change.

My iPhone Xʀ on iOS 12’s compatibility only got kind of annoying after iOS 17.

 

[tomekwsrod]

On an iPhone 16 Pro iOS 26 is a mess. My bank app just crashed (exited), then Aliexpress app just crashed (exited). The camera app makes taking photos harder. Moreover I have an impression that the phone got slugish and the battery noticably drains faster. On iOS 18 everything worked well : |

 

[snerkler]

I’ve just been forced to update to iOS 26 for compatibility with my newly acquired AirPod Pro 3’s and my god does it look bad. I’m not liking it at all, it looks like it’s been designed to appeal to toddlers. And what makes it worse is that I’m likely going to return the AirPods due to the poor sound quality and so probably wouldn’t have needed to update 🙈

 

[turbineseaplane]

I’ve just been forced to update to iOS 26 for compatibility with my newly acquired AirPod Pro 3’s and my god does it look bad. I’m not liking it at all, it looks like it’s been designed to appeal to toddlers. And what makes it worse is that I’m likely going to return the AirPods due to the poor sound quality and so probably wouldn’t have needed to update 🙈

Oof ..

A horror story, all the way through.

Forced to update and now stuck, all for an accessory you'll be returning.
😞

 

[I7guy]

I’ve just been forced to update to iOS 26 for compatibility with my newly acquired AirPod Pro 3’s and my god does it look bad. I’m not liking it at all, it looks like it’s been designed to appeal to toddlers. And what makes it worse is that I’m likely going to return the AirPods due to the poor sound quality and so probably wouldn’t have needed to update 🙈

I like the look. It’s a nice refresh. However I’m sure Apple will continue to look and fire tires in future releases. And while you may not like the sound quality of the AirPods 3, its general reception is not one of poor sound quality.

 

[I7guy]

As long as your new app requirements aren’t incessant, you have time. Several years at least, time in which many things can change.

My iPhone Xʀ on iOS 12’s compatibility only got kind of annoying after iOS 17.

Based on my own opinion, iPhone 17 should support 5 years of updates before the phone becomes sluggish due to poor battery health.

 

[FeliApple]

Based on my own opinion, iPhone 17 should support 5 years of updates before the phone becomes sluggish due to poor battery health.

The user I replied to values battery life. iOS 26 has incurred a 15-20% penalty on the 16 series.

Performance is not as big of an issue anymore.

How the 17 will fare is a question mark, but repeated tests have shown that iOS 26 is so bad, so inefficient, that the 17 Pro Max on iOS 26 loses in repeated battery tests against both the 16 Plus and the 16 Pro Max on iOS 18. Which is ridiculous, as it has a larger battery. iOS 26 is, for the first time ever in iOS’ history, inefficient on the devices for which it is the original iOS version.

It might improve later, but if you value maximum battery life, updating a device to iOS 26 is not a good course of action. And for the second time ever, this applies to every iOS device, including the latest updatable version.

(As you know, the first instance of this was iOS 11).

 

[I7guy]

The user I replied to values battery life. iOS 26 has incurred a 15-20% penalty on the 16 series.

That ultimately will be remediated.

Performance is not as big of an issue anymore.

How the 17 will fare is a question mark, but repeated tests have shown that iOS 26 is so bad,

It seems every iOS release is “so bad” until Apple gets a few patches out the door.

so inefficient, that the 17 Pro Max on iOS 26 loses in repeated battery tests against both the 16 Plus and the 16 Pro Max on iOS 18.

This will be remediated.

Which is ridiculous, as it has a larger battery. iOS 26 is, for the first time ever in iOS’ history, inefficient on the devices for which it is the original iOS version.

It might improve later, but if you value maximum battery life, updating a device to iOS 26 is not a good course of action. And for the second time ever, this applies to every iOS device, including the latest updatable version.

(As you know, the first instance of this was iOS 11).

In my own opinion, outside the microcosm of MacRumors I do not hear or observe the same level of hubris about iOS 26. It is what it is.

 

[FeliApple]

That ultimately will be remediated.

It seems every iOS release is “so bad” until Apple gets a few patches out the door.

This will be remediated.

Not to the level and quality that iOS 18 (for the 16 series) had, no. It is a fundamental animation and OS change which is highly likely to worsen battery life permanently.

Can it improve vs iOS 26.0? Sure. Can it match iOS 18? History tells us… no, not really.

In my own opinion, outside the microcosm of MacRumors I do not hear or observe the same level of hubris about iOS 26. It is what it is.

Outside of the microcosm of MacRumors, people don’t track battery life and therefore don’t know what they’ve lost.

If usage pattern is varied, a 15% battery life loss can easily be overlooked.

As I have mentioned in discussions with other people, those who do not track this only know it for certain when the obliteration is gigantic. iOS 26 isn’t that for the 16 series.

People notice on, say, the 6s on iOS 15, which has been destroyed.

 

[I7guy]

Not to the level and quality that iOS 18 (for the 16 series) had, no.

Yes. IOS 18 was deemed “bad” at the beginning.

It is a fundamental animation and OS change which is highly likely to worsen battery life permanently.

Maybe not to any significant degree.

Can it improve vs iOS 26.0? Sure. Can it match iOS 18? History tells us… no, not really.

History tells us it’s a mixed bad about which iOS releases affect which iPhone models.

Outside of the microcosm of MacRumors, people don’t track battery life and therefore don’t know what they’ve lost.

Outside of Macrumors charging solutions aplenty and people don’t have to crimp kn their daily usage in order to get a full charge.

If usage pattern is varied, a 15% battery life loss can easily be overlooked.

15% battery loss will be noticed by most people.

 

[Paddle1]

The user I replied to values battery life. iOS 26 has incurred a 15-20% penalty on the 16 series.

Performance is not as big of an issue anymore.

How the 17 will fare is a question mark, but repeated tests have shown that iOS 26 is so bad, so inefficient, that the 17 Pro Max on iOS 26 loses in repeated battery tests against both the 16 Plus and the 16 Pro Max on iOS 18. Which is ridiculous, as it has a larger battery. iOS 26 is, for the first time ever in iOS’ history, inefficient on the devices for which it is the original iOS version.

It might improve later, but if you value maximum battery life, updating a device to iOS 26 is not a good course of action. And for the second time ever, this applies to every iOS device, including the latest updatable version.

(As you know, the first instance of this was iOS 11).

You said the iPhone 11 had no noticeable battery life decrease on iOS 18, so the new UI possibly being unoptimized or resource intensive could be the cause. There may (hopefully) be an opportunity for improvement.

 

[FeliApple]

You said the iPhone 11 had no noticeable battery life decrease on iOS 18, so the new UI possibly being unoptimized or resource intensive could be the cause. There may (hopefully) be an opportunity for improvement.

The only exception I’ve ever seen. I think the fundamentals of iOS 26 might make it more inefficient.

So far, it’s very poor. But like I’ve said, if iOS 18 is good and iOS 26 sucks then they wiped all of the progress in one second.

 

[I7guy]

The only exception I’ve ever seen. I think the fundamentals of iOS 26 might make it more inefficient.

So far, it’s very poor. But like I’ve said, if iOS 18 is good and iOS 26 sucks then they wiped all of the progress in one second.

Every iOS release has its thing at the beginning. You can’t compare iOS start to iOS 18 end. Either compare the release or what it looks like in June.

Hindsight is great.