New ringtones and app launch speed-up: What's new in iOS 26 beta 6
The sixth developer beta of iOS 26 has arrived, and it introduces an onboarding sequence, along with six additional iPhone ringtones. Here's what's new.
iOS 26 beta 6 features new versions of Apple's "Reflections" ringtone.
On Monday, a week after the debut of the fifth developer beta, Apple released iOS 26 developer beta 6. The update increments the build number to 23A5318c, up from the previous 23A5308g.
As a whole, the iOS 26 update introduced a variety of meaningful upgrades, including improvements to Image Playground, Shortcuts, and new features for the Messages and Phone apps.
Along with a dedicated Games app, Apple unveiled a Foundation Models framework that lets developers utilize Apple Intelligence tools in third-party apps, while Visual Intelligence now supports screenshots. Some of these enhancements are ideal for creative work on iPhone, while others are arguably better for business users.
Still, iOS 26 is largely known for its controversial "Liquid Glass" design language, which is used across all of the company's platforms. The software features dynamic user interface elements that mimic the look of real-world glass, replacing the flat aesthetic used from iOS 7 through iOS 18.
The sixth developer beta of iOS 26 builds upon the design choices introduced in prior releases through updates to animations and UI elements. There's even a new sequence detailing the most noteworthy changes of iOS 26.
New intro sequence and improved app animations
Monday's developer beta features an entirely new onboarding sequence. Through a series of animated splash screens, Apple details the key changes within iOS 26, namely its "Liquid Glass" design language.
The macOS Tahoe beta got a similar onboarding video, along with an updated splash screen for the Photos app.
iOS 26 beta 6 features an entirely new onboarding sequence.
The intro sequence highlights the customization options of iOS 26, as well as the dynamic user interface elements that were introduced as part of the "Liquid Glass" redesign. Apple also emphasizes how iOS 26 makes searching within apps significantly easier through UI changes.
With iOS 26 developer beta 6, Apple altered the animations used when applications are launched. The new animations are imperceptibly faster, and they now feature a genie-type effect, making them somewhat reminiscent of iPadOS.
Apple also fixed the way priority notifications are displayed, eliminating a cutoff bug that was present in earlier developer betas of iOS 26.
The Lock Screen clock, meanwhile, has received an improved "Liquid Glass" effect, more closely resembling what Apple previewed during WWDC 2025. Some of the changes in iOS 26 beta 6, however, have more to do with sounds rather than imagery.
More ringtones, removed Camera toggle
By opening the Settings app and navigating to Sounds & Haptics > Ringtone, you'll see six new options under the "Reflection" ringtone. The melodies offer different takes on the existing Reflection ringtone, and they're no less recognizable than the original, which is still the default iPhone ringtone.
The sixth developer beta of iOS 26 includes new variants of Apple's 'Reflections' ringtone.
The different "Reflection" ringtone variants in iOS 26 developer beta 6 are labeled as follows:
- Default
- Buoyant
- Dreamer
- Pond
- Pop
- Reflected
- Surge
The iOS 26 update itself also makes it much easier to add custom iPhone ringtones. The company's decision to include a new ringtone variant goes well with its improved customization options. Apple first added an alternate version of its "Reflections" ringtone with the second developer beta of iOS 26.
iOS 26 developer beta 6, meanwhile, removed a toggle for the Camera app that was added in the previous beta. The fifth developer beta featured a "Camera Mode Switching" toggle that let users swipe through camera modes like they did with prior iOS releases, disabling the navigation method implemented with iOS 26.
With iOS 18, for instance, users were able to swipe through camera modes as though they were interacting with a dial. iOS 26, meanwhile, replaced this with a loupe-type element that's arguably more clunky. Unfortunately, Apple has now made it impossible to revert to the previous method of navigation without downgrading to iOS 18.
Overall, iOS 26 developer beta 6 offers a few new ringtones, but not much else beyond quality-of-life improvements. Apple deploys new developer betas of iOS nearly every week or two, meaning that we'll likely see additional features and changes with subsequent software releases.
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