On August 5, 2025, Apple rolled out the iOS 26 developer beta 5 (build 23A5308g), following closely on the heels of beta 4 released just one week earlier (Apple Developer). This update refines Apple’s bold Liquid Glass design overhaul and introduces a handful of user-facing UI tweaks across several core apps.
Visual Upgrades & Design Tweaks
- Lock Screen animations now feature a lively bounce effect when entering your passcode or locking the device while music plays (9to5Mac).
- The Control Center now swipes between pages with smoother, bouncier transitions (9to5Mac, MacRumors).
- In Home Screen editing, the minus button on app icons now reflects the translucent Liquid Glass style rather than an opaque background (9to5Mac).
New Icons & Shared Experiences
- A refreshed AirDrop icon appears in the share sheet, offering a cleaner look (9to5Mac).
- Splash screens for built‑in apps such as Apple Music, Journal, and Notes now appear upon first launch post-update—giving users a preview of what’s new (PhoneArena).
App-Specific Enhancements
- The Camera app gains a “Classic Mode Switching” toggle under Settings, allowing users to revert to the previous swipe-based mode transitions (9to5Mac).
- In Mail, the “Select” button has been restored prominently, making multi-message actions like marking as read or archive more accessible again (9to5Mac).
System Alerts & Connectivity
- A new Dynamic Island warning pops up when battery level hits 20 percent (9to5Mac).
- The Wi‑Fi control in Control Center now displays whether a network is public or private and shows a lock icon for secured networks upon long‑press (MacRumors).
Travel & Wallet Features
- A predictive Siri travel suggestion now appears when you are likely to be traveling, offering recommendations for appropriate cellular roaming options (MacRumors).
- In Wallet, the Apple Card’s “Payments” button has been renamed "Preauthorized Payments" for clarity (MacRumors).
Apple Watch Leak?
Beta 5 also contains image assets hinting at a potential new Apple Watch Ultra 3 display size. One image is scaled at 422 × 514 pixels—slightly larger than the Ultra 2’s 410 × 502 resolution. If the physical size remains the same, pixel density could increase to 344.6 ppi, or the display itself may be marginally larger with thinner bezels (PhoneArena).
Why It Matters
iOS 26 represents Apple's biggest UI shift since iOS 7, adopting Liquid Glass—a translucent, refractive design language that spans iPhone, iPad, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS (Wikipedia). Beta 5 puts polish on animations, design consistency, and app usability in preparation for a public release expected in September 2025.
Apple is entering weekly beta release cadence in August as the launch approaches, signaling that later updates will likely focus on stabilization and bug fixes rather than major changes (9to5Mac).
Who Can Install
Developer beta 5 (23A5308g) is available now via Settings → Software Update on eligible devices. Apple continues its simplified naming convention—now using calendar year-based release labels, like iOS 26—for clarity (Apple Developer).
iOS 26 compatibility: iPhone SE (2nd gen) and later, iPhone 11 series and newer. Features leveraging Apple Intelligence require iPhone 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max, or any iPhone 16 model (9to5Mac).
Quick Summary
| Area | Key Change |
|---|---|
| UI / Design | Lock Screen & Control Center animations, Liquid Glass styling in icons/buttons |
| Built-In Apps | Camera, Mail, AirDrop, splash screens |
| System Features | Battery warning, Wi‑Fi network label |
| Travel & Connectivity | Predictive Siri hint, Wallet rename |
| Apple Watch Preview | Image leak suggests Ultra 3 with bigger display |
Bottom line: iOS 26 beta 5 trims the fat and smooths the experience as Apple heads into final launch. While no blockbuster features debut this build, the finer visual and interface tweaks suggest development is entering its final stretch.