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ZDNET Highlights
- iOS 26.1 lets you control the Liquid Glass design.
- iOS 26.2 offers improved security for AirDrop.
- On top of that, iOS 26 fixes a number of nasty security bugs.
My wife and I both have iPhones. But differences exist between our respective ownerships. I immediately install every new OS update for both personal and business reasons. However, my wife balks at this daunting task, complaining that the update will break her phone, change familiar things, and force her to learn new things.
Other iPhone users feel the same way as my wife, although reports vary on how many have adopted the new version since its introduction last October. Analytics service StatCounter says the iOS 26 adoption rate is only 16%, while TelemetryDeck puts the rate at around 60%. Even if we consider the higher number to be more accurate, adoption of iOS 26 at this point is slower than most previous iOS versions.
Also: Is Liquid Glass Too Clear For You? There’s a new switch in iOS 26.1 that fixes this – here’s how
Why? Probably for the same reasons my wife claims. Updating can be troublesome. Snafus may occur. Familiar characteristics change. And you need to learn new things. However, especially with iOS 26, people are complaining about other issues.
Like any new update, battery life seems to be bad. The new liquid glass aesthetic has been a turnoff for many people. Also, there are no essential new features in the latest OS. For those and other reasons, many iPhone owners are content to stick with iOS 18.
But I think this is a mistake. And here are my reasons.
1. Battery life and performance will improve
After you install any major new OS update, your phone has a lot of housekeeping tasks to do. This means it will have to re-index all your files, update your apps, and change some settings. All this can put a strain on the battery and overall performance. But once all the housekeeping is done, you’ll usually find that the battery charge goes back to normal.
2. Control liquid glass beauty
The design of the new Liquid Glass has been divisive, with some loving it and some hating it. If you don’t like it, you can reduce its impact on your device or give it a more colorful look, courtesy of a setting in iOS 26.1. I applied the tinted look and ever since then I’ve been happy with the design.
Also: Apple’s iOS 26.0.1 fixes several bugs — update your iPhone now
3. Better AirDrop security
With AirDrop, you are able to share files and other items with nearby Apple users. Previously, you could share up to 10 minutes of content only with your contacts or with everyone. Thanks to iOS 26.2, you can now use a one-time code to allow transfers with people who are not in your contacts list and only for periods longer than 10 minutes. This means you can use AirDrop more easily and still keep your security tight.
4. Security Patch
Speaking of security, here’s the final and top reason why I recommend moving to the latest version iOS 26.2 at this point. Since the launch of the new OS, Apple has released several patches to resolve known and serious security vulnerabilities.
iOS 26.0.1 fixed a flaw in Apple’s font parser framework through which an attacker could create a malicious font to corrupt memory or crash an application. iOS 26.1 Over 51 security vulnerabilities patchedAny of which could be exploited by hackers.
With iOS 26.2, Apple fixed 25 different bugs that affected the App Store, FaceTime, Messages, Photos, and other apps. But the most significant were two zero-day vulnerabilities. Reported as exploits in the wild, both zero days may have been used in extremely sophisticated attacks against targeted individuals running versions of iOS prior to iOS 26.
That last line should give you pause, as iOS versions prior to iOS 26 may still be vulnerable to some security flaws. So you may be concerned about liquid glass. You may complain about the lack of exciting new features. You may not generally like change. But if you value your security, you may want to install this latest version.
