Second Beta of iOS 26 Reverses Design Changes

Adrian Mühlroth

June 24, 2025, 1:46 pm | Read time: 3 minutes

The first beta version of iOS 26 for developers was already infused with Apple’s new design language, Liquid Glass. The company took the criticism regarding the readability of the new interface to heart and reversed some design changes.

In the first hands-on with iOS 26 in early June, my conclusion was already that Apple needs to work on readability before the release. Since then, we’ve published a guide showing how to reduce the transparency of the interface. Now, Apple has responded to the criticism and adjusted the appearance of Liquid Glass in iOS 26 Developer Beta 2.

Control Center with Blurred Background

The redesigned Control Center in the first beta of iOS 26 caused quite a stir. Due to the strong transparency of Liquid Glass, the colorful home screen icons showed through so much that they distracted from the controls in the Control Center. Another problem that arose: It became visible how much the grid of the Control Center deviated from the app grid. Previously, this wasn’t an issue, but in the first beta of iOS 26, the interface appeared very incoherent.

Here you will find content from third-party providers

To interact with or display third-party content, we need your consent.

In order to display embedded content, your consent to the processing of personal data, which can be revoked at any time (via the switch or via “Revoke tracking and cookies” at the bottom of the page), is required. Data may be transferred to third countries such as the USA (Art. 49 para. 1 lit. a GDPR). By switching to “on” you agree. You can find more information here.

In the second beta, Apple solved the problem by adjusting the background blur. This prevents app icons and grids from being visible underneath, increasing the visibility of elements in the Control Center.

In iOS 26 Developer Beta 2, the background in the Control Center is significantly more blurred again – especially noticeable at the app icons at the bottom edge.

The company has also slightly reduced the transparency in notifications. Although the effect is much less pronounced here, the content of notifications is overall more readable again.

Subtle difference in notifications: The background in the second beta of iOS 26 is slightly more blurred

Another point of criticism, which we also highlighted at TECHBOOK, is the readability of buttons–such as in tab bars and buttons. In this regard, we couldn’t detect any changes in the new beta version. Therefore, it is still recommended to reduce transparency in the accessibility settings.

Annoyed by Liquid Glass? Transparent Surface in iOS 26 Can Be Disabled Again

The first developer beta of iOS 26 is available for download–TECHBOOK has tested it.

First Beta Version Tested Hands-on With iOS 26: How Different the New iPhone Operating System Looks

iOS 26 Brings Many Practical Features to the iPhone

On the iPhone The Best Hidden Features in iOS 26

Other Changes in iOS 26 Developer Beta 2

Apart from design adjustments, the update for iOS 26 includes a few new features. For instance, there’s a new Apple Music widget with quick access to live radio stations. Since CarPlay is also set to receive widgets, this is a practical addition.

Apple is also testing a new default ringtone, currently listed as the “Alt 1” variant alongside the classic iPhone jingle in the settings.

Apple is testing a new variant of the default ringtone

Additionally, iOS 26 Beta includes an extra variant of the clownfish wallpaper, with a resolution of 1260 by 2736 pixels. This doesn’t match any current iPhone models but corresponds to the resolution that analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expects for the iPhone 17 Air. This model is expected to have a 6.6-inch display with 1260 by 2740 pixels.

This article is a machine translation of the original German version of TECHBOOK and has been reviewed for accuracy and quality by a native speaker. For feedback, please contact us at info@techbook.de.