Apple has unveiled iOS 26, its new operating system for the iPhone. The new software brings many changes and advancements with it, including an all-new transparent design language called Liquid Glass, which allows background colors of content on your iPhones screen to show through interface elements like buttons and toolbars.
iOS 26 is also introducing other useful features, including major improvements to the way the iPhone handles phone calls, a dedicated gaming app, enhancements to its artificial intelligence offerings, updates to Messages and Maps, and more.
However, while Apple has now showcased iOS 26, not everyone can get their hands on it yet. Some can download iOS 26 today, while others will need to wait until later in the summeror into the fall. Heres when and how you can download iOS 26.
iOS 26 developer beta: download it now
Apple unveiled iOS 26 at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on Monday, June 9. That day, the company made what is known as the iOS 26 Developer Beta immediately available for download onto iPhones.
However, as the developer beta moniker suggests, this version of iOS 26, which is now available, is only accessible to registered Apple developers. The good news is that anyone can register for the Apple Developer Program (membership costs $99 per year). But unless youre an actual developer, its best to stay clear of the iOS 26 Developer Beta.
The reason for this is that developer betas are notoriously buggy. In fact, one of the primary purposes of a beta program is to allow users to identify and report bugs, enabling Apple to fix them before the software is released to the general public. And some bugs can be nastyleading to lost data or even damaged devices.
Thats why, unless you are an actual developer making apps for iOS, its best to steer clear of the iOS 26 Developer Beta.
iOS 26 public beta: download it in July
The good news is you dont have to be a developer to beta test iOS 26. Apple also offers a public Apple Beta Software Program that allows anyone who signs up for it to get early access to beta software, including iOS 26.
This iOS 26 beta, released through the Apple Beta Software Program, is colloquially known as the iOS 26 Public Beta. This beta is generally safer to use than the Developer Beta, but Apple releases it after it has had the chance to fix some of the critical bugs that developers report finding in the Developer Beta.
That bad news about the iOS 26 Public Beta is that Apple wont release it to the public until July. The public beta is also updated a few weeks later than the Developer Beta, which means developers get any beta improvements first, while public beta testers will have to wait a while longer (again, this is primarily done to protect public beta testers from any critical bugs).
Anyone can sign up for the Apple Beta Software Program for free, which will then enable you to install the iOS 26 Public Beta when Apple releases it next month.
iOS 26 general release: download it in September
If putting potentially buggy software on your phone doesnt appeal to you, then youll want to wait for what is referred to as the iOS 26 general release. This is the finished version of iOS 26.0 that Apple will release to iPhone owners everywhere in the fall.
The general release is a thoroughly tested piece of software that has (at least in theory) all of the critical bugs fixed and most of the minor bugs, too. Its the safest version of iOS 26 to put on your iPhone and is the release that Apple considers the finished version.
Apple has historically made the general release of the latest iOS available for download in September, and we expect Apple to continue that trend this year.
These days, on any stretch of highway, youre likely to encounter an assortment of electric vehicles, from passenger cars to buses, trucks, and motorcycles. Likely absent? An electric RV.
This is a tall order for three main reasons, according to McKay Featherstone, senior vice president of global innovation at the RV manufacturer Thor Industries: RVs need to travel long distances without stopping, U.S. EV chargers aren’t always readily available along highways, and many drivers want to enjoy their vehicle off-grid. This year, a Thor subsidiary is set to debut the countrys first-ever hybrid electric RV, and Featherstone says it solves those problems in one fell swoop.
Thors prototype hybrid RV, a 2024 test model made in collaboration with the EV company Harbinger Motors, is a Class A motorhome (essentially a truck and home in one). Its hybrid construction means it works like a regular EV, with an added gas generator that can charge its batteries in a pinch. Other companies, like Lightship and Grounded EV, are currently focused on making electric RVs for the U.S. market (the company Bowlus has a luxury model that’s commercially available), but Thor believes its new vehicle will be the first-ever hybrid model in the country.
Thor’s hybrid RV delivers 150 miles of electric range and 500 miles with the gas range extendermore than double the average range of EV vans and trucks in the U.S. It can charge at any campsite hookup, and all of its amenities can be powered up off-grid.
The generator can provide electricity so you can go further down the road, or so you can stay at the campsite longer, Featherstone says.
Harbinger helped Thor modify an existing electric chassis design into a hybrid model tailored to the dimensions of the RV. The chassis is a series powertrain, meaning that all of the energy used by the vehicle comes from the RVs 800-volt lithium-ion batteries. As long as the batteries have some charge, all of the RVs systems will be functional, including heating, cooling, and lights.
Featherstone says the hybrid chassis will be available to Thors subsidiary companies, including brands like Airstream, Jayco, and Tiffin. The first commercially available model is expected to debut sometime this year.
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In 2012, when a tree fell on her familys car, Jessie Owens life transformed. Both of her parents died, and the then-27-year-old Owen was paralyzed. I lost everything overnight: my independence, career, home, she says. And its hard to rank them, but losing my autonomy to control my own body was up there.
Her spinal cord injury left her with some limited movement, but fine motor skills were especially challenging. Then, a few years ago, she took part in a clinical study of new technology: a device called ARC-EX, which temporarily attaches electrodes to the skin to stimulate sensory nerves in the spine. After a few weeks of therapy, Owen could tie her shoes, open a jar of peanut butter, and drink from a glass without a straw. Theres a quiet dignity in needing less help, she says.
Results of the study appeared in <i>Nature Medicine</i> last year, showing improvements in hand strength or function among 90% of participants. Owen also saw her blood pressure stabilize, and she no longer had neuropathic pain. In the past, after an injury, patients with quadriplegia typically got three months of rehab and were then told nothing more could be done. The study showed it was possible to help people with 34-year-old injuries.
The device, which spun out of research at UCLA, became the first of its kind to get FDA clearance last December. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the medical tech company Onward is bringing ARC-EX to market, with plans to use it at 10 clinics before it becomes widely available later this year. The company is also running studies on an implantable version and a third platform with a brain-computer interface that can help people move again using their thoughts.
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A decade ago, as bike commuting surged in London, three U.K.-based designers started thinking about how to improve safety. What if a helmet could fold flat when it wasn’t in use so a cyclist could easily carry it around? We knew it was on the edge of impossibility, says Colin Herperger, an architectural designer who led the project. But we had a suspicion that it could exist.
After years of R&D, their new design, the inflatable Ventete aH-1, hit the market in the U.K. last year and sold out within hours. Later this year, its expected to roll out in the U.S.
The helmet, which retails for 350 (about $450), folds down to a tenth of its size to slide into a backpack. When youre ready to jump on a bike, a small USB-C pump attaches to a valve and fills the helmet with air. (Any tire pump can also do the job.) Within 30 seconds, it expands, accordion-style, and the ballistic fabric becomes rigid and strong. In a safety study at Imperial College London, the design outperformed 30 conventional competitors in tests of linear impact absorption.
As the designers expected, the development was challenging. The team initially experimented with 3D printing, then pivoted to fabric, partnering with other companies to create custom materials that could meet their complex performance requirements. Because nothing like this had been produced before, the process also involved innovative manufacturing techniques, such as creating new tools for high-frequency welding.
The startup went through more than 100 iterations before getting to the design that came to market; the company now holds 26 patents. The final helmet has other advantages beyond its portability and strength. Unlike a foam helmet, it doesnt hold in heat, so its more comfortable to wear. And while foam helmets become less effective if theyre dropped, the Ventete helmets pressurized air makes the new version more resilient. It arguably also looks better than a typical helmetmaking it more likely that riders will actually want to wear it.
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Temperatures in Los Angeles continue to risethe number of annual extreme heat days has tripled over the past century, and average summer temperatures have increased more than one degree Fahrenheit in the past 20 years.
To provide some relief from the sun, StreetsLA is deploying 3,000 bus shelters across some of the highest-ridership areas in L.A. Some of the citys most vulnerable communities live in these neighborhoods and yet green space with natural shade is scarce. Since the shelters started being rolled out, an average of 63,800 riders are seeing the benefits every weekday.
It became a very human-centric effort of understanding who the transit riders are and understanding their needs, says Carlos Madrid III, senior associate principal at SOM LA studio, the architecture firm that designed the project.
Inspired by California modernism architecture, the shelters are simple and functional, with clean lines and a clear indoor-outdoor connection.
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Dairy farms account for about 2% of total greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. Manure in waste lagoons decomposes into methane, a major greenhouse gas.
The Varcor system from Sedron Technologies recycles biosolids into carbon-negative ammonia and dry fertilizer. Varcor also processes dairy waste into certified organic liquid nitrogen and phosphorus-rich dry solids. Traditional nitrogen fertilizer production and wastewater treatment contribute significantly to global greenhouse gas emissions, but the Varcor system disrupts this cycle by capturing ammonia directly from wastewater, preventing unnecessary emissions and reducing reliance on petrochemical-based fertilizers. It costs less than current methods, says Stanley Janicki, Sedrons chief commercial officer, and it is solving incredibly large environmental issues.
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The oubli is an ultra-sweet tropical fruit from West Africabut its not full of sugar. Instead, it contains a type of sweet protein called brazzein. Recognizing the potential of sweet proteins to replace sugar, California-based food-tech company Oobli is using precision fermentation to make them at scale.
Because they evolved along with us to trick us into thinking they were sugar, they hit our sweet taste receptors in a very similar way, says Jason Ryder, Ooblis founder and chief technology officer. But after that, they digest just like other proteins do. The proteins dont affect blood sugar, so they can avoid the health issues of sugar and sugar alternatives, such as heart attack and stroke.
Ooblis fermentation-based approach avoids the difficulty of harvesting the fruit in its native tropical environment. For every 1% reduction in sugar production, the company estimates that it can save 525,000 acres of land, 88 billion gallons of water, and a million metric tons of CO2 emissions.
In 2024, when the FDA reviewed the safety data for two of Ooblis proteins and raised no objections, other food-ingredient companies, such as Ingredion, ramped up their R&D with Oobli. The sweet proteins can replace up to 90% of sugar in most sweet food and drinks, and since the proteins can be as much as 5,000 times sweeter than sugar, only a tiny amount is needed. That helps the proteins compete on cost with sugar, which is cheap to produce. In products like baked goods, Ooblis alternatives leave room in recipes for other nutrients, such as extra fiber. They can also be used to reduce the aftertaste of sugar alternatives.
The company now makes its own line of chocolates using the proteins. Multiple global brands, including Mexico-based Grupo Bimbo, the worlds largest baked goods company, are preparing to launch products with the ingredients soon.
Healthy soil is alive. Its full of insects, fungi, and microbes that break down dead organic matter and convert it into nutrients. Microbes are the most abundant: One teaspoon of soil contains more microbes than there are people on Earth. As all these organisms do their work of decomposition and nutrient cycling, they release energy.
Milú Brunells Soli lamp turns that energy into light. The recent Savannah College of Art and Design grad designed the outdoor lamp to use microbial fuel cells, a type of battery that converts the chemical energy released by microorganisms (like those in soil or wastewater) into electricity. When Brunell, an industrial designer with a passion for sustainability, embarked on her senior project at SCAD, she wanted to design lighting with more than just function in mind. She says she was guided by the question, How can we create things that help us be in tune with our environment?
Microbial fuel cells arent totally new, but they are still a nascent technology. Researchers have said they could be an alternative to fossil fuels, powering everything from biosensors to wastewater treatment and desalination plants. In research labs, the cells have powered small fans, LEDs, and calculators, and scientists have also conducted wastewater treatment pilots. But scaling up this electricity source is still a challenge because it produces relatively low power and isnt yet cost competitive. Brunell focused on designing lighting because she loves the way it can shift emotions or create ambience.
Though mostly a conceptual project, the Soli lamp is now a functional prototype, powered by a microbial fuel cell Brunell built herself using the soil from her own garden. She sees Soli working one day for streetlights or in public parks, too. Soli is just the beginning of creating awareness, and asking ourselves, If we nurture soil and we give back, how can we explore this relationship further? she says. Instead of just exploiting Earth, how can we collaborate with it, respect it, and coexist with it?
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In 2018, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released a policy statement warning that plastic foodware could potentially leach hormone-disrupting chemicals into childrens food. Seven years later, millions of children across the U.S. are still eating hot cafeteria lunches off plastic dishware. Manasa Mantravadi and her startup, Ahimsa, are working to change that.
A board-certified pediatrician and mother of three, Mantravadi was spurred by the AAPs findings to launch Ahimsa in 2019 to make steel dishware for children. Having gained traction with direct-to-consumer sales to thousands of families, Ahimsa is now aiming to get into schools across the U.S. Through a partnership with the Clinton Global Initiative, the company launched a national pilot in 2024 called the Conscious Cafeteria Project, which saw 15 elementary schools (in California, Minnesota, Indiana, and New York) swap their plastic trays and utensils for reusable stainless steel over the course of a school year.
The nonprofit Upstream claims that permanently eliminating plastics from these cafeterias can reduce their average annual CO2 emissions by 83%. The project displaced more than 1 million single-use items in total and decreased water usage by 78% (the difference between water used during production for single-use plastic and production for reusable steel). And, by making the swap, each school saved nearly $4,000 per year.
One major challenge Mantravadi continues to face is that many school administrators are unaware of plastic dishwares risks. She shares educational content and research on Ahimsas Instagram account, and the companys website includes additional resources.
Children cant advocate for themselvesthey dont have voting power, they dont make purchasing decisions, Mantravadi says. Its my job as a pediatrician, its parents jobs, its legislators jobs, its teachers jobs. Were the adults in the room, and weve got to make better choices to invest in the health of our children.
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Top-selling Peruvian cement brand Cemento Sol partnered with ad agency Circus Grey to make the sidewalks of Peru more accessible. In collaboration with the countrys largest advocacy and service organizations for the visually impaired community, the Sightwalks project created cement tiles with coded markings detectable by an individual using a walking stick. The tiles feature tactile horizontal lines; the number of lines are associated with adjacent businesses, services, or venues. The project is both scalable and adaptable to any urban setting.
Creativity can be a powerful tool, says José Luis Rivera y Piérola, creative chairman and CEO of Grey Peru.
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