Apple’s giving iPhone basics a fresh coat of paint in iOS 26
Apple’s WWDC 2025 will spotlight sleek redesigns in iOS 26, with the Phone, Safari, and Camera apps getting their biggest updates in years.
Apple is set to kick off WWDC 2025 on Monday, June 9 at 10 am PT/1:00 pm ET. This year, we anticipate that the Cupertino-based tech giant will likely be focusing on visual updates across its platforms.
As part of iOS 26, Apple is rolling out significant updates to three of its core apps: Phone, Safari, and Camera. According to Bloomberg, while most native apps will see only visual refreshes inspired by the new systemwide visionOS-inspired “Solarium” interface, these three are getting more substantial changes aimed at improving usability and streamlining functionality.
The first up to get a major revamp is the Phone app, which hasn’t seen much of a change since its launch in 2007. The iOS 26 iteration is said to introduce a new view that combines contacts, recent calls, and voicemails into a single window. Users can toggle it off if they don’t like the streamlined version.
Safari will see a big visual upgrade in iOS 26, adopting a more visionOS-inspired transparent, glass-like appearance. There won’t be too many functional changes at launch, but the transparent, glassy address bar aligns with Apple’s pivot in overall design.
The Camera app is set to slim down in iOS 26, too. While Apple has added plenty of new features in recent years like spatial video, panorama, and slow-motion, the app has become somewhat cumbersome to navigate. While Bloomberg doesn’t say what changes are coming to the Camera app, it suggests that Apple is “rethinking the approach.”
Simplicity is said to be front-and-center. It’s not clear what that means, but the debut of the new version is soon enough.
If you want to get a first look at the changes coming to iOS 26, be sure to check out our helpful guide on how to watch WWDC 2025. AppleInsider will also be offering up-to-the-minute coverage and insights for Apple’s biggest software event of the year.
