iOS 26.1 Beta 1 is Out! - What's New?

Apple has released iOS 26.1 Beta 1, which introduces expanded language support for Apple Intelligence, new UI animations and visual refinements, additional translation languages, an updated Wi-Fi toggle, and significant bug fixes, along with preparations for future security improvements.

• iOS 26.1 Beta 1 significantly expands Apple Intelligence and Live Translation language support.

• The update introduces numerous UI animations, visual refinements, and addresses many bugs for improved stability.

• Initial performance and battery life show improvements, though storage usage has increased with the update.

iOS 26.1 Beta 1 is now available for developers, bringing several new features and substantial bug fixes. Key updates include broader language availability for Apple Intelligence and Live Translation, refined UI animations across Music and Photos apps, and a redesigned Wi-Fi toggle and phone dialer. Notably, the update significantly reduces known issues from 37 categories to just five, indicating a focus on stability and performance improvements, with potential background security enhancements in the pipeline.

New Features and UI Changes

• 00:00:55 iOS 26.1 Beta 1 includes a modem update and a new 'hello screen' upon installation. Apple Intelligence now supports additional languages like Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese, Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese. UI changes are visible in the Music app with new animations for skipping songs and transitioning to full-screen album art, and a new scrubber and display in the Photos app for videos.

Expanded Language Support & Accessibility

• 00:02:57 Live Translation in the Translate app has been updated to include additional languages such as Chinese Mandarin (Simplified and Traditional), Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Portuguese. Accessibility features under 'Display and Text Size' have also seen changes, with increased contrast settings now appearing differently across various pages and buttons, providing a more distinct visual experience.

Visual & System Refinements

• 00:04:02 The Wi-Fi toggle now features the 'liquid glass' visual effect, an update that was previously missing. The phone dialer has also been refined to have a more transparent, glass-like appearance, moving away from the previous gray look. Additionally, the code suggests Apple is reintroducing 'background security improvements' to install security updates and system files before full iOS software updates.

Bug Fixes and Stability Improvements

• 00:05:33 Many Wi-Fi issues reported on the public release of iOS 26, particularly on newer iPhone models, are expected to be addressed. Safari's performance has significantly improved, feeling much smoother. The release notes show a substantial reduction in known issues, from 37 categories in iOS 26 to only five in two categories for iOS 26.1 Beta 1, indicating a major focus on bug resolution.

Performance and Storage Considerations

• 00:07:35 Initial observations suggest improved heat dissipation on the iPhone 17 Pro Max, with less heating during update installation. Battery life on the iPhone 17 Pro Max shows considerable improvement compared to the iPhone 16 Pro Max. The new beta takes up more storage, totaling 24.1 GB, largely due to Apple Intelligence and the new language updates.