iOS 26.6 ― Bug Fixes, Changes, and Improvements

[one more]

Yeah, iOS 26 is a shame because Apple had massively improved on this. The iPhone 11 onwards were all mostly fine on iOS 18, sure, with the occasional performance drop, but they were fine.

26 threw a wrench into this status quo and even the 16 series suffered.

I hope that 26.6 is indeed a widespread improvement for everyone vs earlier 26 versions, it is about time, but I fear there’s something fundamentally wrong with 26, and I fear that Liquid Glass’ increased power consumption can be improved but not corrected.

Liquid Glass appears to be intrinsically more resource-intensive. Let’s see what 27 brings to the table, but I have serious doubts that they’ll ever reach iOS 18-like quality.

FWIW, in our household we have an iPhone 15 and 16 Plus, both on iOS 26 and their users do not complain, so you might have very high OS expectations that may not be realistically met.

 

[FeliApple]

FWIW, in our household we have an iPhone 15 and 16 Plus, both on iOS 26 and their users do not complain, so you might have very high OS expectations that may not be realistically met.

My expectations are very simple: original iOS version-like performance and battery life.

Nothing more and nothing less than that.

 

[FeliApple]

You believe all the random negative posts about iOS on Reddit but not the positive ones?

Do you even have a device running any version of iOS 26 currently?

Look at this post: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/ios-26-battery-life-thread.2458618/post-34701692

(Post 1,189 just in case the link doesn’t work as it should).

Clarifying first: I have nothing against that user, people have the expectations they have and that’s okay. I took them as an example because it was very… illustrative.
That said, however…


See why I don’t take positive posts at face value? 2 hours 4 minutes of SOT with 45% battery used, and… “Only day 1 with 26.6 but I was very surprised at how good my battery was today.”

Good?

2 hours with practically 50% used is good? That is appalling, horrible battery life. Not even with full 5G and camera am I getting a number that is THAT low. (Based on repeated tests, some of my heaviest cycles on my 16 Plus which entailed full 5G, full camera with outdoor brightness seem to end up at 5 hours of SOT with 60% remaining or so).


Keep in mind that people typically do not give numbers or screenshots. Most posts say.. well, that, some version of “it’s fine” with no context or numbers.

See why I don’t believe them at face value?

 

[one more]

My expectations are very simple: original iOS version-like performance and battery life.

Nothing more and nothing less than that.

Original as in the version your device came with? This is not possible due to the constant software evolution that puts an extra load on the hardware. Software is dynamic, while hardware remains static. However, Apple are trying to optimise the iOS right now with iOS 27 and this process is going well, as far as I can tell.

 

[FeliApple]

Original as in the version your device came with? This is not possible due to the constant software evolution that puts an extra load on the hardware. Software is dynamic, while hardware remains static. However, Apple are trying to optimise the iOS right now with iOS 27 and this process is going well, as far as I can tell.

Exactly, the device’s first major version. It may not be possible for Apple not to turn their iOS updates into malware, but…

I’ll do everything I can to avoid Apple malware from being installed on my iPhone.

I have huge doubts about 27, especially in terms of battery life.

 

[Artemiz]

Look at this post: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/ios-26-battery-life-thread.2458618/post-34701692

(Post 1,189 just in case the link doesn’t work as it should).

Clarifying first: I have nothing against that user, people have the expectations they have and that’s okay. I took them as an example because it was very… illustrative.
That said, however…


See why I don’t take positive posts at face value? 2 hours 4 minutes of SOT with 45% battery used, and… “Only day 1 with 26.6 but I was very surprised at how good my battery was today.”

Good?

2 hours with practically 50% used is good? That is appalling, horrible battery life. Not even with full 5G and camera am I getting a number that is THAT low. (Based on repeated tests, some of my heaviest cycles on my 16 Plus which entailed full 5G, full camera with outdoor brightness seem to end up at 5 hours of SOT with 60% remaining or so).


Keep in mind that people typically do not give numbers or screenshots. Most posts say.. well, that, some version of “it’s fine” with no context or numbers.

See why I don’t believe them at face value?

Obviously they know how their battery fares during day-to-day use better than you or I. People subconsciously notice changes in pattern quite well. So, if someone says it’s improved then it’s improved.

From what I gathered you are a light user meaning that the same 17PM would last much longer for you. You run your device in a very tightly controlled environment with most features/settings disabled even manually controlling the brightness. You can’t compare your config to theirs.

So yes, if you choose to believe someone noticing their battery feeling worse then you should also believe the other saying they noticed an improvement. Your credibility is lost if you cherry-pick posts that support your claim but dismiss others because their numbers are lower than what you’re expecting.

 

[FeliApple]

Obviously they know how their battery fares during day-to-day use better than you or I. People subconsciously notice changes in pattern quite well. So, if someone says it’s improved then it’s improved.

From what I gathered you are a light user meaning that the same 17PM would last much longer for you. You run your device in a very tightly controlled environment with most features/settings disabled even manually controlling the brightness. You can’t compare your config to theirs.

So yes, if you choose to believe someone noticing their battery feeling worse then you should also believe the other saying they noticed an improvement. Your credibility is lost if you cherry-pick posts that support your claim but dismiss others because their numbers are lower than what you’re expecting.

If I said my battery life was good with updates and then posted that garbage my credibility should be shot. Come on, what in the world is that? Not even with heavy use do I get anything close to that, ever. Not even if I go back to the Xʀ, even a 6s.

That is exactly why I tend not to believe the “battery life is the same for me” with no specifics.

Post a screenshot from iOS 18 and one from 26 detailing your usage and then we can talk. “It’s fine” and you (general you) either upload nothing or you upload.. well, that garbage.

But again, do you see why I am very skeptical? Whatever “improvement” the user got is irrelevant if they’re using 50% of their battery after 2 hours of SOT. Whatever “it’s fine” they utter is false. You’re seeing the numbers. You can’t possibly tell me that is, in any way, shape, or form, “good” battery life.

“Good” battery life is indeed subjective. But some results are appalling no matter how you look at them. This is one. A years-long pattern of this is why I don’t take positive posts at face value.

 

[James6s]

From what I gathered you are a light user meaning that the same 17PM would last much longer for you. You run your device in a very tightly controlled environment with most features/settings disabled even manually controlling the brightness. You can’t compare your config to theirs.

Is there a post anywhere which states the environment and what features and settings are enabled/disabled? @FeliApple

 

[Artemiz]

Is there a post anywhere which states the environment and what features and settings are enabled/disabled? @FeliApple

You'll find more than a few if you look at his post history.

 

[FeliApple]

Is there a post anywhere which states the environment and what features and settings are enabled/disabled? @FeliApple

No specific environment. Background app refresh, push mail, persistent location services and app location access unless required are all disabled.

That and not updating are the backbone of my device longevity.

 

[Artemiz]

But again, do you see why I am very skeptical? Whatever “improvement” the user got is irrelevant if they’re using 50% of their battery after 2 hours of SOT. Whatever “it’s fine” they utter is false. You’re seeing the numbers. You can’t possibly tell me that is, in any way, shape, or form, “good” battery life.

My counterargument is not about whether the battery life is good. It's about whether it's an "improvement" compared to the prior releases. While iOS 26 itself is a strain on the battery, there are quite a lot of other factors that come into play when it comes to battery life. Each of those factors might not be significant on their own but do add up.

Only way you can be absolutely sure is if you have two devices configured the exact same way.

 

[FeliApple]

My counterargument is not about whether the battery life is good. It's about whether it's an "improvement" compared to the prior releases. While iOS 26 itself is a strain on the battery, there are quite a lot of other factors that come into play when it comes to battery life.
Only way you can be absolutely sure is if you have two devices configured the exact same way.

Agreed, but posts like that are exactly why I dismiss positive feedback with no specific numbers.

Still, I do hope 26.6 is indeed an improvement. Long overdue. Onwards and upwards! (If you’re on 26, that is).

 

[Artemiz]

Agreed, but posts like that are exactly why I dismiss positive feedback with no specific numbers.

Still, I do hope 26.6 is indeed an improvement. Long overdue. Onwards and upwards! (If you’re on 26, that is).

And that's exactly why I consider these battery posts unnecessary. No one needs/wants to post every detail as to how they configured and used their device and it's ridiculous to expect them to do that with every post.

If someone says it's improved, it's a point in that column. Someone's experiencing the opposite? It's a point for the other side. In the end, it's the aggregate that matters as there's 20M different configs and is the reason why I don't compare the exact numbers with mine.

 

[FeliApple]

And that's exactly why I consider these battery posts unnecessary. No one needs/wants to post every detail as to how they configured and used their device and it's ridiculous to expect them to do that with every post.

If someone says it's improved, it's a point in that column. Someone's experiencing the opposite? It's a point for the other side. In the end, it's the aggregate that matters as there's 20M different configs and is the reason why I don't compare the exact numbers with mine.

Then they must accept that their “it has improved” post is largely irrelevant.

Post whatever you like, don’t bash me when I balk at your “battery life is good” with no details or “it has improved” with no numbers.

It’s the aggregate but I’d almost argue otherwise: it’s your own result what matters the most.

The problem? Naturally, that you can’t try it and go back. So it’s a one-way ticket. Most accept it, many suffer the consequences.

 

[Artemiz]

Then they must accept that their “it has improved” post is largely irrelevant.

They can only post what they can concretely defend which is their own experience on their own device. People post it so others can use that as a data point before making their own decision.
It's never about making something relevant rather to try and help others with their experience.

You're missing my point here if you're making the same argument. So, let's leave it at that.

 

[FeliApple]

They can only post what they can concretely defend which is their own experience on their own device. People post it so others can use that as a data point before making their own decision.
It's never about making something relevant rather to try and help others with their experience.

You're missing my point here if you're making the same argument. So, let's leave it at that.

We are fundamentally disagreeing on something here:

You’re saying that their experience works as a data point for others, and I agree.

But I am saying that even if their experience is that… the way they frame it is completely misleading. Because like I said, sure, their experience is that it improved… from an abhorrently horrible result to a slightly less abhorrently awful result.

The framing of “good” is the part that is misleading, because come on, will you really make the argument that even if battery life is subjective, a battery life of 2 hours on 50% can be characterised as “good”?

 

[Biro]

Quite a few bugs that appeared with iOS 26.5 (and 26.5.3) seem to have been fixed with 26.6. That includes some weird wifi behavior - including problems making wifi calls from my iPads.

 

[James6s]

delete

 

[The Oak]

Exactly, the device’s first major version. It may not be possible for Apple not to turn their iOS updates into malware, but…

View attachment 2648644

I’ll do everything I can to avoid Apple malware from being installed on my iPhone.

I have huge doubts about 27, especially in terms of battery life.

Hmmm, maybe an iPhone then is not for you???

I have a car and I will never ever never change the oil, the new oil cannot be trusted!

Seems like you need a phone with an OS you can trust.