Sorry Apple, but I don’t think iOS 26 is fit for purpose
Even though Liquid Glass didn’t convince me, the set of new features and updates that Apple seemed ready to bring with iOS 26 caught my attention.
I waited for the full version, not wanting to expose my iPhone 16 Pro Max to digital gremlins that lurk in the beta versions of iOS 26. And so, not long ago, I downloaded the full version of the next-generation iPhone operating system and was hoping for big things.
It bothers me
Keeping things anecdotal, I think I’ve encountered more bugs, pauses, and slowdowns with iOS than with iOS 18. The latest update seems to make things a little smoother, but I encountered one bug that drove me crazy and I still can’t find a workaround.
The details of this bug focus on iOS Contacts pulling a contact from WhatsApp – it’s usually a simple process, but I wanted to add a last name to the contact. I went to do this in the updated contacts situation and found it to be a nightmare.
Not only did this lead to multiple contracts under the same name, but I was also unable to combine contacts – the contact list simply retained the duplicates, but without some key information. I couldn’t delete them either.
When deleting and adding contact name in WhatsApp, proper details and format are added to contacts, duplicates remain; for someone who worries about cleanliness, it’s infuriating.
Oddly enough, when trying to reproduce this bug, it doesn’t seem to appear. I’ve been reading on different corners of the internet that this isn’t a problem exclusive to me or, in fact, iOS 26. And while writing this article, I discovered that I had to dig into iCloud on my desktop and delete contacts there. Whether or not this was triggered by iOS 26, it happened on the watch in that OS version.
Sending an SOS… for iOS
Add to that what I think is much faster battery drain since the move to iOS 26, and something others are reporting, I don’t think this version of iOS lives up to the standards I’ve long come to expect from Apple.
Of course, I’m not expecting fireworks, but I’ve written before that iPhones are boring but awesome, thanks to the way they “work” despite being much more restrictive than the best Android phones.
While I can’t argue that iOS 26 was a botched launch like Apple Intelligence, there are enough complaints to make me wish Apple would take a step back and not feel obligated to religiously release new versions of iOS every year.
Sure, we’re getting new iPhones, that’s a given, and it makes sense that people upgrade their phones in cycles; there will always be some form of demand for a new iPhone, even if it is iterative. But I don’t think software needs to be so iterative.
We’re now in a time where iOS and Android both look like sleek, feature-rich mobile operating systems; as such, there’s not much that can be added beyond security fixes to make either platform feel significantly better in everyday use. However, it is possible to add elements by integrating AI.
Today, even though AI is in the technological zeitgeist, I believe a careful approach is necessary when integrating it into the technology and tools we use every day. And I think that means taking more time to add the Google Gemini and ChatGPT elements to Android and iOS, even if that means waiting between 18 months and two years for a new version of the respective mobile platforms.
We are in an era where AI could be a step change in consumer technology, if approached carefully and integrated well. And taking a stutter step to really think about new software releases could help avoid things like the negative experience I had with iOS 26.
Do you agree with me? Was your experience with iOS 26 similar to mine or did you have a good time? Let me know in the comments below.
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