Uhoh, I haven’t updated, maybe I should put it off!

Bpath, my DH is the techy here and follows these sorts of things. IIRC the update was suggested because of the threat of a digital virus. This is one of the most important reasons to keep your software and OS up to date.

If I can catch DH, I will check for details.

PS We usually find Apple engineers and designers very on top of things. They create elegant, well-engineered products. Great finesse.

Here is some info on the latest iPad OS, 26.2

https://9to5mac.com/2025/12/12/ipados-26-2-is-now-available-for-ipad-heres-everything-new/

DH says:

”Apple “claimed” that iOS 26.2 and iPad 26.2 corrected an operating system vulnerability that was actively being exploited by malicious hackers.”

Uhoh again, i just looked and I’m at version 18something. DH is great with Microsoft but my ipad is the only Apple product in the house.

petalique, your screen capture shows the original post to be in Computer Help and The Kitchen Table. I don't see it in either.

We used to do IBM, Microsoft. Now most of our digi stuff is Apple, for years now.

One thing I appreciate is the finessed niceties I continue to encounter. I will go to do something I think should be available, and it’s there, often very elegantly. Apple engineers and designers seem to actually use their products and care about other users.

Yes, 26 is a big change that I find highly irritating. I feel like I am a student the softwear engineers are forcing to figure out the new changes, with no instruction, as though it’s somehow good for my brain. It’s offensive.

Yeah, it published, then pfoofed.

I agree, this whole v26 has been a nightmare. I’ve spent as much as 30 minutes a couple of times trying to figure out if settings were correct on either my phone or my husband’s to fix some issue. Today it was the sudden re-orientation of email and text messages that would not rotate. my home screen also had a big rectangle of one of my apps with options I could select there. I did not do that! I removed the app and reloaded it. I finally have just turned the dang phone off and back on and things were back to normal. Well, for now anyway.

Here is yet another thing that irks me (is it my fault?):

I search for an item. I used Google. Options of various vendor sites are displayed.

In the good old days (before updating to iOS 26.2), I could click on an option and that page would open in the window; OR, I could hold option down and elect ”Open in background” and I could keep my current window, while a WHOLE, COMPLETE FULL WINDOW would be available in a new Tab. I usually select that.

However, now, I select that option and I get a 1/3 sized screen opening in the window I'm using, off to the right. No no no. TORTURE. I want a whole window size so that i can view it, not just 1/3rd of a window to the right of my current window.

Grrrr. Maybe it is user error. Perhaps i am tired or have forgotten how to open a different window in another, new tab. (I don’t think so. I am being humble.)

But I get this (below). See the intruding part (outlined in RED). I elected (see screenshot above) to open in background —- i.e. with a new tab. Then I could open THAT Tab and see a full window, not just a section on one. Am I missing something? Techy guru is sleeping. Maybe I should wake him ;)

bpath, there is nothing between 18 and 26 so you are ok. They just jumped way ahead for some reason I have forgotten.

Thanks for this thread. I just updated my MacBook Air to 26.2. My iPhone is still 18.6.2. I am not updating that to 26. I've heard too many horror stories and I have been an Apple advocate since 1984. I will wait until they work it out.

I have an iPad mini but it is ancient and I don't use it and I'm pretty sure it couldn't accept any upgrades.

I would suggest not going from ios 18 to 26 on an old device. Maybe someday, just not right now. The new iphone has 26 and it is a different experience for sure. I think the new operating system is meant to work with the new liquid crystal display. I could be using the wrong terminology here but I am too lazy to look it up.

While I was waiting in Best Buy for my screen protector to be installed on the new phone, I witnessed a man who came in with a bricked iPhone. It was and 11 or 12 model. He had upgraded to IOS 26 and lost his phone. When I left he had his fingers crossed that they could roll it back to IOS 18 but I have no idea how it ended for him. Since I use my iPad more than my phone the aggravation has been minimal as I learn the new phone. There are some useful youtube videos that help with the settings on the new operating system.

My phone iPhoneXr is too old to support this update. My latest is 18.6.3 that apparently it will support and I have no plans to buy a new phone.

I read that you cannot go back to IOS 18 once you upgrade to 26 if you dislike the new features. I’ll wait.

I cant stand this update. Everything seems to take twice as many clicks to get where you’re going. Also, GW wont let me link to videos since I ”upgraded”. Yuck, I agree.