Final week, Apple held its annual September media occasion and debuted the brand new iPhone 17 sequence, Apple Watch Sequence 11, and AirPods Professional 3. The comparatively modest {hardware} updates targeted on improved cameras and processor enhancements, in addition to a brand new, thinner iPhone Air.
Past the incremental digital camera and processor updates, many of the {hardware} and software program updates have been comparatively minor and targeted on design or efficiency enhancements to present options. The iPhone 17 received’t begin transport till later this week, however pilots can now obtain and set up the free iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 replace on present iPhones and iPads now.
And in case you have been questioning concerning the massive soar in model numbers, Apple switched to the “26” conference to carry naming consistency to all of their software program platforms, together with iPhone, iPad, Watch and Imaginative and prescient Professional. The “26” in iOS 26 represents Apple waiting for subsequent 12 months, 2026.
With that in thoughts, right here’s a have a look at iOS and iPadOS 26, together with an outline of machine compatibility, replace concerns, and some options we expect you would possibly discover helpful.
Ought to I replace to iOS 26?
Pilots ought to at all times be cautious about updating to a model new model of iOS proper when it’s launched as a result of significance of aviation apps to our flying. Whereas Apple and app builders check the software program extensively months prematurely, all new working methods have undiscovered bugs that will trigger sudden machine or app points.
So, it’s important to test for steerage out of your aviation app developer and GPS/ADS-B receiver producer to see what they are saying. To assist with this job, we provide the iOS Inexperienced Gentle Program, which serves as your one-stop store for figuring out in case your favourite EFB app or accent is appropriate with the most recent iOS launch from Apple. We keep up a correspondence with all the key app and accent producers to get their suggestions on whether or not or to not replace, primarily based on their in depth testing with every iOS launch. The iOS Inexperienced Gentle web page is up to date often, so test again typically to see if you’re alright to replace.
Suitable gadgets
iOS 26 is appropriate with the next gadgets:
iPhone 17 (all), iPhone 16 (all), iPhone 15 (all), iPhone 14 (all), iPhone 13 (all), iPhone 12 (all), iPhone 11 (all), iPhone SE (2nd and third gen)
iPadOS 26 is appropriate with the next gadgets:
iPad Professional (third gen or later), iPad Air (third gen or later), iPad (eighth gen or later), iPad Mini (fifth gen or later)
The way to replace
If you resolve you’re able to replace, the very first thing to do is again up your machine to iCloud or a pc by following these directions. Subsequent, ensure your machine’s battery is charged and you might be related to the web through Wi-Fi, and go to Settings > Common > Software program replace, and faucet the “Improve to iPadOS 26” button.
What’s new
Whereas there aren’t any groundbreaking new options in iOS 26, there are lots of of small adjustments and options you’ll discover when utilizing Apple’s default apps like Telephone, Mail and Messages. We’ll begin with the brand new “Liquid Glass” design replace, which would be the first change you’ll discover after you full the replace.
Liquid Glass Design
Apple introduced the brand new Liquid Glass design theme for iOS 26 earlier this summer time and is kind of happy with it. This purely aesthetic change provides your entire OS a extra translucent and fluid really feel. App icons, controls, and navigation parts have a brand new look with the objective of enhancing layering and readability.
Some have famous that in some circumstances it reduces readability, however thankfully, you possibly can management that. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Show & Textual content Dimension, and allow the choice for “Cut back Transparency”.
Multitasking Updates
iPadOS 26 utterly adjustments how multitasking works and makes it really feel extra like a desktop pc. For higher or worse, Break up-View and Slideover multitasking are utterly gone. This was changed with a brand new window and tiling format, that lets you have two or extra apps open on the similar time in no matter measurement or place you favor.
To make use of this characteristic, go to Settings > Multitasking and Gestures, and allow the “Windowed Apps” possibility:
Then you possibly can faucet on the highest of the display screen to view a brand new menu bar, much like what you’d see on an everyday pc. Choose the Window menu, Transfer and Resize, after which choose a preset for the window place:
You’ll be able to then open one other app from the dock and resize it to slot in the remaining area. Whereas this permits you continue to obtain the earlier split-view format, it takes a number of extra steps and isn’t at all times intuitive.
Airline Boarding Move Enhancements
iOS 26 provides new capabilities if you add your airline boarding cross to the Pockets app, together with the power to see and share Reside Actions on the lock display screen and within the Dynamic Island for real-time updates on a flight. The boarding passes additionally present handy entry to related info, akin to Maps to navigate airports, Discover My integration to trace your Airtags and report lacking luggage, and extra.
Passport Digital ID in Pockets
Apple can be including the power for U.S. residents with a passport to create a Digital ID within the Pockets app. You should use this for id verification functions at TSA checkpoints in choose U.S. airports throughout home journey. That is primarily a comfort characteristic, as it’s not a alternative for a bodily passport, and it can’t be used for worldwide journey and border crossing functions. This characteristic can be obtainable in a future replace to iOS 26.
iPhone Adaptive Energy
There’s a brand new battery administration mode known as “Adaptive Energy” that makes use of Apple Intelligence to be taught your typical day by day utilization patterns and prolong battery life. After no less than every week of gathering information in your habits, it could possibly predict if you’re more likely to have a day of heavier-than-normal battery drain, akin to throughout an extended journey day, an all-day flight, or a day with heavy use of demanding apps. It can then alter show brightness, background exercise, and efficiency as wanted. In case your battery drops beneath 20% whereas this mode is lively, it’ll additionally routinely have interaction Decrease Energy mode.
This characteristic is obtainable on iPhones that help Apple Intelligence (iPhone 15 Professional and later fashions). It’s price noting that it’s turned on by default on the most recent iPhone 17 fashions, however customers with iPhone 15 Professional, iPhone 16, and iPhone 16 Plus fashions might want to allow it manually within the Battery part of Settings.
Time Remaining to Cost
The Battery part of the Settings app gives a wealth of data that will help you perceive which apps and processes are most power-hungry. iOS 26 provides a brand new “time remaining to cost” information level on the high of the display screen, which can present how lengthy it’ll take to cost to each 80% and full cost.
Screenshot Evaluation
We’d categorize Apple’s Synthetic Intelligence options as extra of a novelty, and so they’re nowhere close to as succesful as these obtainable from Google or OpenAI. They added some new AI options in iOS 26, and one which caught our eye is the power for it to summarize textual content in your display screen. First, take a screenshot by concurrently urgent the amount up and energy buttons in your iPhone. You’ll see a brand new “Summarize” button on the backside of the display screen; press this, and your iPhone will present a brief abstract of the textual content on the display screen.
We’d be a little bit hesitant to do that with detailed aviation preflight information like NOTAMs or TFRs, however we discovered it really works nicely to focus on the important thing takeaways from the textual Aviation Forecast Dialogue:
Steady Background Processes
iOS 26 permits new instruments for app builders to run extra processor-intensive duties and enormous file transfers within the background. You seemingly received’t discover something immediately, however it will permit your favourite EFB app to obtain full database and charts units within the background, or extra seamlessly sync logbook entries and tracklogs.
Bret is a senior vp at Sporty’s and senior flight teacher for Sporty’s Academy. Along with Bret’s instructing duties, Bret leads Sporty’s video manufacturing and app improvement crew and serves as editor of iPad Pilot Information. As an airline transport pilot, Bret is a senior captain in Sporty’s company flight division.
