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I absolutely loathe iOS 26
- Thread starter profmjh
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Same. I've gone to Pixel 10 Pro this year because I could not stand the new update.
Hopefully Apple improves this next year and I can consider coming back.
Hopefully Apple improves this next year and I can consider coming back.
Not sure what's wrong with androids. Pixels are pretty clean.
Or is this about the blue bubbles?
Just chiming in to say that I've been using iOS 26 on my work phone since mid September. I still can't stand it, and think it looks more dated now than it did when it was released.
It just looks....I don't know the exact word, but chintzy is the best I can come up with.
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You can make your Android phone to look like a flying banana with elephants for ears if you want to.
The updates will be forced upon you sooner or later. I have tried to resist many times, it's impossible. I'm now running iPhone 15 Pro on the latest iOS 17 - still good.
But older devices always progress like this:
- get bombarded with notifications to update every couple of days
- some apps stop supporting your iOS version
- new Apple hardware demands update of your device for compatibility (Watch, Homepod, AirPods...)
- banking apps stop supporting your iOS version (big red stop for most people)
- one day you're suddenly logged off of iCloud and you have to update to the latest supported iOS to log in
at this point your phone is practically a paperweight nagging you to update every time you unlock it unless you keep it offline (for the rest of the day because the WiFi gets auto enabled at midnight
)
I don't get the issue either.
If they'd ever make a Pixel that's the size of an iPhone Mini, I'd pop over and run GrapheneOS and be happy.
I had to upgrade so I can use ALL AirPods pro3 features (head gestures) and imo ios26.2 is one of the worst ios ever: visual overload, tons of ui/ux bugs, unclear text in many native apps (transparency), … liquid glass is a gimmick just to hide the fact that Apple design innovation is a thing of the past oh maybe i need to upgrade my ip15 to ip17 to truly enjoy it 🤔
oh maybe i need to upgrade my ip15 to ip17 to truly enjoy it 🤔
I dunno. I’m enjoying iOS 26 on my iPhone 15.I had to upgrade so I can use ALL AirPods pro3 features (head gestures) and imo ios26.2 is one of the worst ios ever: visual overload, tons of ui/ux bugs, unclear text in many native apps (transparency), … liquid glass is a gimmick just to hide the fact that Apple design innovation is a thing of the past
Well, my frustration with iOS/iPadOS 26 has let me to a decision: I have picked up a Google Pixel 10 Pro at a surprisingly low price on Amazon and I plan to link it to a very inexpensive cellular plan offered by US Mobile. No, this isn’t one of those “I’m mad as hell and I’m leaving Apple forever!” posts. But the clock is ticking. I’m keeping my iPhone and other Apple devices and I’ll still use them, even if a bit less often. But, again, the clock is now ticking. If the company hasn’t solved most of its OS issues in calendar year 2026 (as in by the time iOS 27 comes out), then the path I should take is clear.
Agreed. I've got plans to shift away as well. Apple's got their head up their glass.
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I did the same back at the end of October but with the regular 9 at a discount (AU$814). Was eyeing the Find X9 but didn't want to spend that much and we didn't get the red
.I've also used this to exit my limited use of the Apple Ecosystem, iCloud, Music and Notes. I do like the Advanced Data Protection option, but as a Windows user without a Mac, managing was a pain.
Preferring Pixels Material UI and Androids ability to scale UI smaller, completely turn off animations which I've done on all Androids. Before there was a global back gesture in Android, I was a big advocate in iOS's swipe to go back, but feel it has become quite inconsistent. My biggest reason always returning to iOS was the UI/UX, now I just find it inconsistent, big, slow (speed and actions/tasks sometimes needing extra navigation presses to accomplish).
I haven't missed the 'extra polish' iOS apps can have.
I do miss Face ID, and steel/titanium frame hardware (dented phone 3 times already).
I'll probably get another iPhone in the future, if iOS points in a direction I like, there's a significant feature improvement (not AI related) and hardware advancement other than the SoC.
liquid glass is ass, but 26 has a bunch of important security architectural changes, so...
My parents upgraded to the latest iOS and they also had the same experience. The Liquid Glass is garbage and phone doesn’t feel smooth. They both have the 16 PM.
Hey, bear with me. I had the same reaction as you at first. However liquid glass has grown on me over time. [Wow, on-device processed dictation has improved with iOS26]
iOS 26 has a ton of small new features and improvements, such as the new voicemail that sends you a text transcript in real time. However, the looks or aesthetics look like a step backwards, like going back to 2001, I know.
It took me a week or so to get used to Liquid Glass, the new icons, and the new layout. However, over time, I’ve ended up loving some elements such as the new Settings app layout and the new, glassy, translucent keyboard. Or the new menus when you select a word or a text, which instead of offering you an endless horizontally scrolling menu, just gives you the two/three most common options and, if you want more options, it opens a bigger menu. Smart.
Mind you, there are a gazillion of improvements and new features that in my opinion outweigh the new, anachronistic watery buttons, the old-looking icons, and the slower animations (tip: to make some animations snappier, just go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Haptic Touch > and switch the response time to short. Believe me, it makes a difference)
Yes, we could say there are some tradeoffs, the new UI looks a bit older than what we had, and if we were given the option to remove the reflections and the glossiness from the interface, many of us would go back to the flat interface of iOS 13-18. But I guess it’s a trade off 🤷🏻‍♂️
Really, look for some of the tens of YouTube videos that talk about the hundreds of new small features and improvements, and maybe you will appreciate the positive side of iOS 26.
Who knows, maybe we have a bit of luck and by iOS 30 Apple switches to the cleaner, more modern Neumorphism style
Sure, there are other downsides to iOS 26, such as the new, more confusing Battery usage data in settings, or the heavier battery usage in some devices, although I’m pretty sure this isn’t iOS 26 per se, because on my iPhone SE 3 (iPhone SE 2022) which has a relatively old A15 chip and a small 2000mAh battery, the battery performance of iOS 26.2, clean install using the IPSW, is actually better than on iOS 18.7. Unbelievable, I know, although I don’t use Facebook, TikTok, Instagram or other battery taxing apps, and disable some location settings.
TL;DR: @profmjh look, I know it’s not easy to adapt from a more modern looking flat design to a more “pseudo-realistic” and older looking user interface. I get it, really, it’s like going back to the aqua days, like this was the natural step after iOS 6 and not after iOS 18. However, given that this new look is here for at least the next 3-4 years, I’d like to encourage you, and others, to focus on the new features and little improvements we got all over the system. Such as the new Preview app, or being able to set a default app to open each type of file, the improved Files contextual screen, or the ability to combine several files into a PDF, or being able toto customize the folders with colors, glyphs or emojis… there are a gazillion of small improvements that, in my opinion, outweigh the few annoyances the Liquid Glass interface can give us.
And if you think Liquid Glass in iOS is ugly, just take a look at what they did on macOS 26 Tahoe. Now that’s dramatic.
EDIT: take a look at this hour-long video from Brandon Butch talking only about all the new stuff on iOS 26:
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I have a 15PM and had stayed on iOS 17.7.2 for quite sometime because I hated the look of Photos in iOS 18 but I finally 'upgraded' to iOS 26.2 a week or so ago. I don't like the look of a lot of it and my iPhone definitely doesn't feel quite as smooth as it did on 17.7.2. Also, whilst I was out last night and was taking photos in the Camera app, when I looked at a photo I'd taken, if I switched between portrait and landscape, it would glitch and I'd have to close/re-open the app.
I definitely feel with most iOS updates it is a case of change for change's sake. If it ain't broke...
I definitely feel with most iOS updates it is a case of change for change's sake. If it ain't broke...
I know it’s still early, but after jumping from iOS 18.7 directly to iOS 26.2, I honestly feel the system less buggy. So far, I’m experiencing far less bugs than when I was on iOS 18, which honestly was a ******** of bugs. Maybe because you come from iOS 17, which was a more polished system, you didn’t notice the improvement…
I’m pretty sure that iOS 26 had a good share of bugs, but as of iOS 26.2, which I installed performing a restore from DFU mode, the system works quite well. At least better than iOS 18.
And to make some parts of the interface snappier, I’ll give you the same tip I gave OP, an advice from the MR user @sleeptodream : go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Haptic Touch and change it to fast.
Also you can leave just one page on Control Center in hopes that it makes it snappier, although the bouncing animation still makes it slower than previous versions.
Sure, the features are there, but in my experience, I don’t use half of the new features and I always use my iPhone in the same way.
I don’t update iOS. I jumped from iOS 12 on my iPhone Xʀ to my 16 Plus on iOS 18 and I use it in the exact same way. The only cool feature I use all the time is transferring via AirDrop through phone contact (put the top of both phones together). That’s the only noteworthy addition. That and Dark Mode.
Apart from that I don’t really care about the rest. And I definitely value performance and battery life far more than pretty much anything they’ve included since like iOS 10 or so.
Others will disagree because my position is rather extreme, but I’d rather have iOS 10 and good battery life than iOS 26 and garbage battery life, obviously with the unrealistic hypothetical of full compatibility (which isn’t the case for pretty much iOS 14 and below).
And I’m not even mentioning the design flaws. They’re subjective, but imo it is absolutely awful. I would get used to it. But getting used to it != liking it.
My 16 Plus and my 11th-gen iPad will run iOS and iPadOS 18.
I like to understand how new features could impact my usage in a positive way.
I hit the update button when a new release is available. I’m guessing you go little if anything critical on your iPhone if you are willing to live with multi-year old unpatched operating systems. That’s not many who use their phones in performance of their jobs.
I value functionality. Battery life is easily addressable. On the iPhone side from the iPhone XS iOS updates have a minimal impact on performance and battery life that I have seen. But I value new features and security updates.
What garbage battery life? Do you have a citation that my phone battery life has suffered?
So in your option only iOS 26 has design flaws?
I’ve already stated I like the changes in iOS 26.
Waiting for my iPad Air m3, set to arrive today. Liquid Glass and Apple Intelligence here I come.
As I've said - if we own these devices, we should be able to do what we want with them (even if that means using them in an insecure way). I understand Apple's motivation to encourage security - my 85 year old mother in law has been taught to update immediately and because of that she's secure and has a consistent OS experience on her iPad/Mac mini/iPhone.
I do everything on my Apple devices so I want them to have the latest and most secure OS... My data and my family's data matter to me. Also, the new features in iOS 26 are quite nice - my only complaint is the loss of several lines of text on too many applications at the top of the screen because of that massive floating glass ui tile at the top (iMessages included).
And I agree - iOS 26 was noticeably less buggy than iOS 18 when it came out. It has really grown on me. One thing I REALLY love about Mac OS is the stability - it stays out of my way and lets me get my work done (regardless of the OS version). I cannot say the same of Windows 11 (which I use regularly for work).
I have wish lists... I wish Apple would let me use my FULL screen for text (no glass ui top tile) - I wish the battery stats were far more detailed. I wish cellular usage would automatically reset every month and store the history. I wish Siri wasn't a flaming pile of - let me use my own LLM - don't force one on me.
Advanced Data Protection. Not spamming me with ads. Amazing hardware with amazing batteries. Apple has my business for the foreseeable future.
(I understand not everyone has my experience and hey, I appreciate everyone's perspective and opinions).
I do everything on my Apple devices so I want them to have the latest and most secure OS... My data and my family's data matter to me. Also, the new features in iOS 26 are quite nice - my only complaint is the loss of several lines of text on too many applications at the top of the screen because of that massive floating glass ui tile at the top (iMessages included).
And I agree - iOS 26 was noticeably less buggy than iOS 18 when it came out. It has really grown on me. One thing I REALLY love about Mac OS is the stability - it stays out of my way and lets me get my work done (regardless of the OS version). I cannot say the same of Windows 11 (which I use regularly for work).
I have wish lists... I wish Apple would let me use my FULL screen for text (no glass ui top tile) - I wish the battery stats were far more detailed. I wish cellular usage would automatically reset every month and store the history. I wish Siri wasn't a flaming pile of - let me use my own LLM - don't force one on me.
Advanced Data Protection. Not spamming me with ads. Amazing hardware with amazing batteries. Apple has my business for the foreseeable future.
(I understand not everyone has my experience and hey, I appreciate everyone's perspective and opinions).
One of my most recent issues with iOS 26 is the memory management. Especially since 26.2, I find apps just crash during use, or, some apps tell me there is high memory utilisation. Never been an issue previously on my 13 Pro Max but it's a daily occurrence now.
The main issue with iOS 26 and what’s stopped me upgrading is the terrible legibility from what I can see of it. With my eyes these days I don’t want a UI that’s actively going to give me eye problems.