iOS 26
Reddit take
AI summary of the Reddit excerpts below — not a quote
iOS 26 is currently viewed with significant skepticism by the Reddit community, characterized by a negative sentiment due to widespread reports of bugs, performance stutters, and polarizing visual changes. While some users praise the new 'Liquid Glass' aesthetic and improvements to notifications and anti-spam features, many others describe the update as a 'flop' that prioritizes flashy graphics over system stability and efficiency.
Pros
- Liquid Glass visual style is appealing to some users, particularly the new icons in dark mode
- Incremental improvements to notification handling
- New anti-spam features and updates to contacts and texting
- Visual design is described by supporters as simple and clear
Cons
- Frequent visual glitches and 'buggy' behavior reported across multiple devices
- Performance regressions, including lag and stutters even on high-end hardware like the 17 Pro
- Readability issues caused by the 'glass effect' transparency on certain wallpapers
- Reports of battery drain and overheating issues
- UI changes that some find unintuitive or 'soulless' compared to older versions
Caveats
- The 'Liquid Glass' effect is highly polarizing, with some viewing it as a resource-heavy gimmick
- Users report an inability to downgrade to previous iOS versions once the update is installed
- Early adopters on beta versions report mixed stability compared to previous public releases
Best for
- Users who prioritize the latest visual design trends
- Those interested in improved anti-spam and notification management
Avoid if
- System stability and smooth performance are your primary requirements
- You are sensitive to UI stutters or readability issues
- You are concerned about potential battery life or thermal impact from new graphical effects
This summary uses balanced time weighting with about a 6-month half-life. The evidence comes from a window between July and December 2025, with a median age of approximately 300 days.
Sentiment
9 positive (28%) · 1 mixed (3%) · 22 negative (69%)
Trust + time weighted score: -44% · raw score -41%
What redditors said (10 of 32)
Perhaps, but this isn’t fixed in 26 either. If anything, it’s even less readable with some wallpapers due to the glass effect.
Parent context: I’ve been an iPhone user for years. Currently using a 16 Pro Max. Apple just recently released iOS 26 which has ruined everyone’s phones and you can’t switch back to iOS 18 which worked perfectly. I’m switching to Google Pixel 10 Pro. Done with Apples bullshit and games. Reply: That’s funny, I find only minor differences. The only issues I have with iOS 26 are the same ones I’ve always had with iOS. The keyboard, spell check, navigation and notifications. Everything else is mostly the same bullshit.
Ios 26 was what made me leave the apple ecosystem.
IOS 26 is awful! My sister called me up in the middle of the night on her landline freaking out because her phone updated to it without warning and she couldnt figure out how to make calls of send texts. Everything is moved around and with photos if you save a photo it takes extra steps to do so.
Apple really fucked up with iOS 26.
If you don't mind the stutters and the problems from ios 26 and also like the lack of features yes.
Is this just another unexplainable glitch in the flop that ios 26 is?
Whenever I go back to notifications on the S24U (just home on wifi now) it's like a breath of fresh air compared to iPhone, but iOS 26 has improved notifications somewhat.
iOS used to be extremely smooth and fluid without any lagging all the time but Apple fucked up with iOS 26 and now it feels like a budget phone.
Parent context: I never wear a shirt at home and my two year-old grandson he FaceTimes me all the time. I’m on iOS 26 and it’s never cut me off. (but then again I am 70) Reply: I never wear a shirt at home and my two year-old grandson he FaceTimes me all the time. I’m on iOS 26 and it’s never cut me off. (but then again I am 70)