iOS 26 Programming for Beginners: Build Real-World Apps with SwiftUI, Core ML, AI, ARKit and Xcode 16

What if you could build beautiful, powerful iPhone and iPad apps without needing years of coding experience? What if you could create real-world, fully functional apps using the same tools Apple developers use—starting today?

Have you ever opened an app and thought, “How did they build this?” Or maybe you’ve dabbled in Swift before but felt overwhelmed by Apple’s ever-changing landscape. You’re not alone. And now, with iOS 26, Swift 6, and Xcode 16, there’s never been a better time to jump in.

“iOS 26 Programming for Beginners: Build Real-World Apps with SwiftUI, Core ML, AI, ARKit, and Xcode 16” by Beth Thompson is more than just a guide—it’s your hands-on, interactive conversation with the latest version of Apple’s ecosystem. This isn’t just theory. You’ll learn by building. You’ll understand by doing. And you’ll gain confidence by actually creating.

So what’s really inside this book?

Let’s break it down together. Are you curious about what changed in iOS 26 and how SwiftUI 5 reshapes the way we build interfaces? Wondering what Swift 6’s new features are—and how async/await, structured concurrency, and modern syntax make your code cleaner and faster? Ever wanted to explore AI and machine learning on your iPhone without being a data scientist?

You’re going to get your hands dirty with real apps. Not toy examples. Not just buttons on a screen. But real-world, purposeful apps that connect to live data, respond to user interaction, and showcase the very best of Apple’s latest tech stack.

Here’s what you will learn:

• How to install and navigate Xcode 16 with ease—even if you’ve never touched it before
• How Swift 6 simplifies app logic with modern syntax and powerful type inference
• How to design visually stunning interfaces using SwiftUI’s declarative approach
• How to integrate Core ML and Apple's new foundation models for intelligent app features
• How to build augmented reality experiences with ARKit 7 and RealityKit
• How to use Live Activities, Widgets, and Dynamic Island for interactive user experiences
• How to work with HealthKit, Sensor Data, and Apple Watch integration
• How to test, debug, and deploy your apps using Xcode Cloud and TestFlight

And here’s the fun part: you’re not doing this alone. Beth Thompson walks you through every step as if she’s sitting right next to you, helping you understand why things work, not just how. Every chapter is a back-and-forth dialogue—between you, the beginner, and the voice of experience guiding you through the fog.

Who is this book really for?

• Are you completely new to iOS development but excited to learn? This book’s for you.
• Have you played around with Swift in the past but want to build serious, modern apps? This book’s for you.
• Are you an Android developer curious about Apple’s world? You’ll feel right at home here.
• Even designers, product managers, or tech-savvy students will find that this book explains complex tools in a way that just makes sense.

This is not just a book. It’s your entry point into the Apple developer universe.
And once you’ve built your first app with your own hands and seen it run in the simulator or on your own iPhone—you’ll realize: you can actually do this.

So, what’s stopping you?

• Are you ready to stop watching from the sidelines and finally build your own iOS app?
• Are you ready to take your idea from sketch to screen with tools built for the future of mobile development?
• Are you ready to join the world of Swift, SwiftUI, and AI-driven mobile innovation?