Four Distinctive Wallpaper Voices
With the rollout of iOS 26 Beta 3, users can now choose from four distinct colour options for the new default wallpaper: Shadow, Sky, Halo, and Dusk, the latter adding a bold purple-pink tone alongside the three blue variants.
Previously, the wallpaper dynamically adjusted between light and dark modes, shifting between blue shades. The current beta now decouples those hues from appearance settings and offers them independently to suit varied user preferences, as per a report by Macrumours.
Liquid Glass UI Gets Subtle Refinements
Beta 3 also brings subtle user interface adjustments. Issues with icon alignment in the Dock, which previously shifted leftward when fewer than four apps were present, have been corrected, restoring central alignment .
Within core apps such as Apple Music and Photos, the innovative “Liquid Glass” visual scheme — designed to impart a translucent, glass-like aesthetic — has seen minor tweaks to improve contrast and clarity
Enhanced iPad Cursor and Multitasking Fixes
Separately, in the iPadOS 26 beta preview, users will notice the cursor now expands when shaken — mirroring the Mac’s “find the cursor” shake feature — while macOS Tahoe beta introduces a fresh Lake Tahoe-themed wallpaper
Flagship Features Behind the Scenes
Apple has hinted at several headline features for the stable release of iOS 26, as detailed during its June Worldwide Developers Conference:
- Live Translation: Real-time, on-device language translation covering FaceTime, Phone, and Messages
- Communication Safety Enhancements: Including FaceTime nudity detection that pauses calls if inappropriate content is detected — all processed locally to protect user privacy
- Improved Call Management: ‘Call Screening’ and ‘Hold Assist’ features for enhanced control over unknown or hold calls
- Liquid Glass Design Across UI: A system-wide, translucent aesthetic upgrade covering wallpaper, app icons, lock screen, and notifications
- Visual Intelligence: Enables users to query and identify images on-screen and translate or shop items seamlessly
- Spatial 3D Wallpapers and Elastic Clock Fonts: Dynamic lock screen visuals that react to device motion, along with interactive clock face options .
Wide-Ranging AI and Usability Enhancements
Beyond the visuals, iOS 26 Beta brings deeper AI integration:
- Smart Reminders and Polls: The Messages app now supports group chat polls and background image options; Reminders utilise AI to suggest tasks based on conversations
- Photos App Upgrades: 3D spatial imaging elevates photo backgrounds, with separate tabs reinstated for Library and Collections
- Enhanced Safari, Wallet, CarPlay and More: Customisable CarPlay experience, ID storage in Wallet, smarter security in Safari — alongside AI-driven Siri improvements promised in 2026
What Lies Ahead
iOS 26 Beta 3 continues refining the cohesive “Liquid Glass” concept ahead of a public beta expected this month, and a likely full launch in September during Apple’s customary event.The numbering shift from iOS 18 to iOS 26 aligns Apple’s platform versions (iPhone, iPad, Mac) with the coming calendar year .
Final Takeaway
The newly introduced wallpaper colours bring fresh visual choice to the default experience, while incremental fixes in layout and translucency polish the Liquid Glass design. With major innovations in translation, safety, and system-wide visual coherence taking shape, iOS 26 Beta 3 demonstrates Apple’s dual focus on aesthetics and intelligent functionality.
FAQs
What is iOS 26 Beta 3 and who can access it?
iOS 26 Beta 3 is the third developer preview of Apple’s upcoming iOS 26 software update. It is currently available only to registered developers, ahead of the public release expected later this year.
What is the ‘Liquid Glass’ design introduced in iOS 26?
‘Liquid Glass’ is Apple’s new translucent design aesthetic applied across iOS 26. It brings a frosted-glass-like appearance to wallpaper, icons, lock screens, menus, and app interfaces for a unified visual experience.
