Want to live dangerously, get a glimpse of the future, and help Apple find bugs? You can now install public betas of nearly all Apple’s v.26 operating systems: macOS 26 Tahoe, iOS 26, iPadOS 26, watchOS 26, tvOS 26, and HomePod Software 26. There’s even a public beta of the next version of the AirPods firmware, but none for visionOS 26.
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If it sounds like I’m trying to dissuade you from installing the public betas, I am. If you don’t know what you’re getting into, you could lose data or waste time recovering from problems. Conversely, if you’re comfortable with the technical implications, have fun exploring and reporting bugs! I certainly intend to.
I’d like to reiterate something: being fine with Liquid Glass does not mean that I think it’s great. After using it for a few weeks, I feel neutral toward it, which is better than I anticipated. Liquid Glass started with the Vision Pro’s interface, where windows appear to float on top of background elements as if they were on transparent glass. Makes sense for a VR headset. But then someone at Apple watched Minority Report and decided that every OS the company makes should adopt the look.
As with any change this sweeping, it’s always going to take some time to adjust. There are some who will decry it as change for change’s sake, but as undesirable as that might be, the countervailing argument is that you shouldn’t keep things the same just because it’s the way you’ve always done them. My experience with Liquid Glass has had its ups and downs, with interactions that feel both interesting and dynamic to those that are downright frustrating.
It’s like a weight has been lifted from the soul of the iPad. It remains a very nice device to use in full-screen mode with all the simplicity attendant to that mode, or via a single tap it can turn into a multi-window, multitasking device that’s appropriate for the Mac-class hardware underpinning today’s iPads. The iPad no longer feels like it’s trying to live up to the promise of being the Future of Computing; with iPadOS 26, it’s more comfortable being itself.
I’ve gone back and forth over the years on whether or not I can actually work from an iPad. The answer has always been: sort of. I can write on an iPad. I can edit on an iPad. So, I guess I’ve always been able to “work” from an iPad. But with a Magic Keyboard and an iPad running the iPadOS 26 beta, I can work like I would right on my MacBook or Surface Pro, using a bunch of windows plastered all over the place.
After a month using early builds of macOS Tahoe full time, I can confidently report that this is an upgrade that feels like an upgrade. The additional power of Spotlight and Shortcuts is going to delight a lot of longtime Mac users, and I’m really liking the direction Apple is taking Control Center in the menu bar.
That said, it’s also clear that the Mac is the lowest priority platform when it comes to Apple’s new design language. The beta interface feels messy and unfinished, and worse, it feels like an iOS design that’s been imported without enough consideration for how it should manifest on the Mac. I understand that the iPhone is the top priority, but the Mac deserves a version of this design that fits how the Mac is used. So far, it doesn’t feel like that.
Ever since Apple first introduced us to macOS Tahoe26 I've been excited for all the changes coming to Macs in 2025, and I might be most excited about the supercharged new Spotlight Search.
I know, Spotlight Search is hardly the most exciting part of macOS, but with Tahoe it's becoming a lot more like the Windows 11 Start button—and I couldn't be happier.
I bet most people, whether trying the public beta for Tahoe or waiting on the full release in the fall, will upgrade and think, “This is fine.” And they won’t be wrong. But Sequoia’s flatter, simpler design felt cleaner and more purposeful — and every time I see or use a Mac that’s not on the beta I want to go back. Liquid Glass feels desperate, like Apple was fishing for ways to freshen things up for the sake of doing something different. Hey, everybody, look at the shiny new UI! No, don’t pay attention to how underwhelming Apple Intelligence still feels, despite the endless overselling in TV ads.
For all of that, Liquid Glass is generally less prominent on the Apple Watch, given the more limited screen size and content. If you don’t like it for the clock on the Photos watchface, good news: you can easily switch the tint of the colors to solid white or any color you like.
For 95% of these examples, this is all sensible and respectful, understanding musical phrases and rhythm to put two songs together in a way that breathes. There are one or two bad examples here - but in both cases, those examples are tracks that are a little confusing in terms of how they end. No excuses for that ending of Joe, though. Oh, my.
Rather than try to distribute every Apple executive’s company news to every possible social media feed, Apple has made its own solution.
Apple regularly shares new iPhone, iPad, and Mac wallpaper to celebrate Apple Store openings. But for the first time, the company has now launched an online tool where you can create your own custom Apple logo wallpaper.
Apple is notifying developers about automatic changes to the age rating of their apps and games, as it introduces more granular tiers as part of the upcoming expanded family tools.
Today, Apple published on its Machine Learning Research blog, select recordings from its 2024 Workshop on Human-Centered Machine Learning (HCML), highlighting its work on responsible AI development.
Today, Apple Original Films announced a new documentary feature “Stiller & Meara: Nothing is Lost,” from Emmy and DGA Award-winning director, producer and son Ben Stiller (“Severance,” “Escape at Dannemora”). “Stiller & Meara: Nothing is Lost” features the inspiring story of comedy icons Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, and is set to premiere in select theaters October 17, and stream on Apple TV+ October 24, 2025.
If you have to ask whether you should install the public betas, you probably shouldn't. And if you are just curious to try out liquid glass, I'd suggest to wait further. No harm waiting, especially since Apple may still do some major tweaking. And there are plenty of examples out on the net to see what's going on.
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Thanks for reading.