I agree 100%. What a hell of a step backwards for UI/UX.
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I absolutely loathe iOS 26
- Thread starter profmjh
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I think you expect the bugs with a new version of iOS these days, it’s actively making a UI that’s more hard to use that’s new.
The thing with this is that it is unsolvable. Update today and you have to use it even if you despise it.
But like I always say, I have zero empathy with that. The information is out there by now. If you update you either knew or should’ve known.
I find the recurrent “I updated to iOS 26.2 and now the design is garbage and legibility and battery” very funny. You’re on MacRumors. This has been discussed since June. You knew and you updated anyway?
I don’t expect Apple to get rid of liquid glass anytime soon, but I would at least like an option to have a choice of UI design.
I think this is the first time in all my years with iPhones that I’ve felt that Apple are actively trying to push me off the ecosystem. Or failing that at least provide security updates to iOS 18 for longer.
I got about 30 mins in with iOS 26 on Sunday on a relatives SE3 and oh my god do I hate it.
😠
This is software that actively makes me question my desire to use Apple moving forward.
It is stunning how many UI bugs, glitches and issues I was running into when moving around Accessibility to get things set up how she (my Aunt) likes it. She needs the text size bumped up just a couple clicks and it breaks things ALL over the UI.
Just an absolute hot mess.
Completely inexcusable for released software from a 4T company.
😠
This is software that actively makes me question my desire to use Apple moving forward.
It is stunning how many UI bugs, glitches and issues I was running into when moving around Accessibility to get things set up how she (my Aunt) likes it. She needs the text size bumped up just a couple clicks and it breaks things ALL over the UI.
Just an absolute hot mess.
Completely inexcusable for released software from a 4T company.
You should be able to replicate these issues and submit a bug report?
Maybe you or your aunt should get a galaxy and try something else.
Yes, I learned this the hard way with iOS 17. I had to update from 16 to transfer the data from my old iPhone to the then new one. I stumbled nearly a year, until the roughs and bugs of iOS 17 were merely flattened out. I then tested iOS 18 and was disgusted - sorry, no go! Therefore I never tested iOS 26 on my own devices cause I knew, there is absolutely no way back! The reports on the net and seeing family, friends and colleagues struggling with the "new innovative" (🤣) design and maneuvering around the (so called 🤣) "glitches" was enough to hold me back, even considering this (censored) outcome of an UI/UX/OS.
I feel your pain! FOUR TRILLION DOLLAR COMPANY puts out this crap???? Damn, that is disgusting. Makes me think the human race ain't gonna make it.
I think that’s exactly what’s going to happen with quite a few people. I know I’ve already got one foot in the Android camp as a result of iOS/iPadOS 26. But I’m trying to give Apple at least a year. See my post #937 in this string.
Whoever is responsible for the round mini pic in the photoapp bottom left, should get diarrhoea for the rest of his life. And why there is „Apple maps“ written in the search field so you think it is the title of the app? All other apps simply put „Search“ there.
Every update, every day something new to hate about ios26.
Every update, every day something new to hate about ios26.
A committee would lead to a consensus on overall look and feel. What we have instead is different individual designers creating different apps and not communicating with each other. And they all work at different paces, so not every app update is in sync. Take my long-standing grudge: why is the Calendar new event + at the top and the Reminders app has it at the bottom? Just have some consistency!
Like in Mail. When one goes to delete the trash, one cannot do it. One has to delete "deleted items". Unlike deleting the junk folder. That one is... delete Junk folder. So stupid.
I’ve been using ios26 for a week now (had to upgrade to fully enjoy my recent gift of AirPods pro3). One thing I cannot understand regarding UI is the new radio toggle buttons. At first I thought it was a glitch on my iPhone… until I checked some of the videos. Why ruin something so basic , simple & efficient and replace it with a gimmick & make it visually longer. Please someone explain this UI design choice 
Many videos seem to initially focus on the look of ios26, I found the macrumors ios26 section here a good overview of the other features, that depending on your phone model, could be useful.
Many videos seem to initially focus on the look of ios26, I found the macrumors ios26 section here a good overview of the other features, that depending on your phone model, could be useful.
Apple should have made iOS18 updates still available for "legend" modals up to at least IP13/14 and give the fancy featured gimmicks to the newer more powerful modals with more RAM. But no, they wanted to screw us and pulled the plug on all access to iOS18 updates, including the public beta updates, to force this crap on us. Apple should have at least had the decency to offer the option to update to iOS18.7.3 until the end of 2025 (today) then upgrade later to ISO26 at their own choice once bugs had been more or less ironed out.
Apple: "Finding the going a bit sluggish on your old phone, son? Thought you might... once you upgrade your phone ...
we think you're gonna love iOS26"
Apple be warned. Karma goes both ways.
Apple: "Finding the going a bit sluggish on your old phone, son? Thought you might... once you upgrade your phone ...
we think you're gonna love iOS26"
Apple be warned. Karma goes both ways.
Oh ... btw... a Happy New Year 2026 to all MR members!! That doesn't include Apple unless they bring back iOS18.7.3 to the public beta updates!!!
It’s so, so obvious it’s only being done to force people to buy new iPhones as well. I know this is nothing new but it feels especially blatant with the launch of iOS 26.
I like the new elongated buttons. Seems to me they are much easier to flip from state to state. But YMMV.I’ve been using ios26 for a week now (had to upgrade to fully enjoy my recent gift of AirPods pro3). One thing I cannot understand regarding UI is the new radio toggle buttons. At first I thought it was a glitch on my iPhone… until I checked some of the videos. Why ruin something so basic , simple & efficient and replace it with a gimmick & make it visually longer. Please someone explain this UI design choice
Many videos seem to initially focus on the look of ios26, I found the macrumors ios26 section here a good overview of the other features, that depending on your phone model, could be useful.
Interesting, I tend to click the radio button & it’s very quick in the pre ios26 era. The new design sometimes lags when toggling it, or maybe it’s the new « effects » they introduced that I am liking less. A radio button is such a simple UI element, what are they trying to innovate here ?
I appreciate other users views and trying to really learn how to best cohabitate with ios26.
I am happy to upgrade my phone when I WANT TO. And I will need to use the latest iOS at that time. But that is MY choice .... it is a not a choice those tosser key decision makers @ Apple should be making. Complete and absolute abuse of consumer rights to have the right to choose between previous and new iOS systems like Apple offered us for so long. Obviously, bucketloads of software engineers are buggering off to Meta and Apple lost the last 2 or 3 people in the iOS18 team.
Happy New Year!!
You are absolutely 100% correct. It is consumer abuse at its worst.
Oh darn, what happened to slide over ? I finally figured it out and is this new Liquid Glass slide over for real ?!? 26.2 never ceases to amaze how they broke basic simple functionality to pursue a fantasy of a horrible new design paradigm. I switched back to full screen on iPad bcoz the other multitasking modes are just not polished, at best it’s alpha level functionality.
Personally I’ve grown to really like iOS 26.2. There are so many subtle changes which you don’t notice immediately that I really appreciate. Also, I’ve grown to like Liquid Glass. Takes some readjusting/adapting, but now I like it. Initially I was very sceptical, but now when the battery life has stabilised I don’t have any major complaints. The changed battery life indicator, as have been mentioned, is annoying though, but overall I’m content.
So I'm color blind and glass tint and refraction in real life can mess with me and make me dizzy. Not that it's happens often, but it can. So when Apple released this new LG junk I wasn't sure what was gonna happen. I tried it from Beta 1 thru 26.2, toggled "off" the glass and have done all the little tricks to cut down the glass and it's still a no go for me. Every time I pull down the control center panel I get dizzy and nauseous. Same on my iPad. Ended up using my Android devices as my main devices now so I don't have that problem. But I do miss the Apple eco system
