I think that the new IOS 26 is absolutely shite. I have never been more than a little irritated regarding a new iPhone operating system release before, and I am usually pleasantly happy with changes, even if they are simple improvements that Android devices have had for years.
I am a complete geek, so I obviously sign up for every beta release on every device I own. I was pretty excited to receive a notification that my iPhone 15 Pro was ready for a brand-new operating system.
The scores of iPhone shills on social media were telling me how amazing the update was, but for me, it was really a case of the emperor’s new clothes. If you don’t know what this means, then imagine everyone gaslighting you, telling you something looks great when, in reality, it looks terrible. This is what I thought about iOS 26.
I can’t stand the way the icons and widgets appear on my homescreen against my black minimalist wallpaper. The bevels resemble something from 2015, and the entire liquid transparent design might appeal to some people, but to me, it is impractical, lacks contrast, and looks absolutely terrible.
This is my subjective opinion, of course, so I will spend the next hour or so finding ways to make my phone look half decent again instead of ranting about it on the internet to complete strangers.
Am I already that much of a grumpy old man?
