Apple officially took the wraps off iOS 26 on Monday, and there are lots of changes.
At its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2025, the tech giant launched a range of features that could change how iPhones function, from answering calls on your behalf to converting text messages in real-time into foreign languages.
Let’s begin with what matters most to many users: the Phone app. With iOS 26, Apple is deploying Call Screening, a feature designed to cut through the noise of unknown callers.
Here’s how it works: if someone calls you and you don’t have their number saved, your iPhone will silently pick up in the background, ask for their name and reason for calling, and only then decide whether to alert you.
You’ll read what they said and decide if it’s worth your time. For those of us tired of spam and telemarketers, this could be the most practical upgrade in years.
There’s also Hold Assist. If you’ve ever waited endlessly to speak to a human during a customer service call, this one’s for you. iOS 26 can now stay on the line for you while you’re on hold and let you know once a live agent joins. It’s subtle, but incredibly useful, and shows Apple is finally getting personal with real-world pain points.
Another addition is Live Translation, available across Phone, Messages, and FaceTime. You speak your native language, and the system instantly translates and reads it out loud in the recipient’s language. They respond in their own tongue, and you hear the reply translated in real-time. No need for third-party apps. No delay in human connection.
Now, onto Messages; Apple is catching up with group chat demands. You can now create polls right inside a conversation. Want to decide quickly where to meet or who’s bringing what to the party? Start a poll.
The app can even detect when a poll might be helpful and suggest one. You also get typing indicators in group chats, custom backgrounds, and the ability to send or receive Apple Cash within the thread.
Screening for unknown senders has also been tightened. Messages from numbers you don’t recognise are filed into a separate folder. You can either verify them, ignore them, or delete them. Until you make a move, those messages remain muted. This level of control is new and long overdue.
We also saw Apple push into entertainment territory. There’s AudioMix in Apple Music, a new DJ-style transition feature that blends songs using beat-matching and time-stretching. For those who enjoy karaoke nights, your iPhone is now a microphone, literally. With the new karaoke feature, lyrics sync to Apple TV, your voice is amplified, and your phone becomes the star.
Apple Maps is smarter and it now learns your routine. If you regularly commute to a location, it will predict your route, alert you to delays, and suggest alternatives. You’ll also be able to see all the places you’ve been, sorted automatically under Visited Places, which Apple says is fully encrypted and private.
Wallet gets even more powerful and truly, more convenient. Digital ID is here, allowing you to store a virtual version of your passport or driver’s licence. It’s not a replacement yet, but can be used in apps that require age verification or at select TSA checkpoints.
Again, Apple is letting you access services like flight tracking and even lost baggage reporting directly from your digital boarding pass.
“Wallet now uses Apple Intelligence to automatically summarise and display order tracking details from emails sent from merchants or delivery carriers,” Apple confirmed.
Photos and Camera get some functional changes too. Tabs are back in the Photos app after user outcry over previous redesigns. In Camera, your most used modes are now upfront, switching between photo and video is faster. Swiping up reveals controls like flash, timer, and resolution. You can move between HD and 4K with a tap.
FaceTime takes advantage of Live Translation as well. When you’re on a video call with someone speaking another language, translated subtitles will appear on screen. It’s smooth, fast, and might make multilingual conversations far less awkward.
On a design level, Apple introduces Liquid Glass, a material that visually responds to its environment. It affects everything from widgets to app icons. There’s a noticeable transition toward personalisation. Your Lock Screen adapts to the photo in use, and your Home Screen now allows deeper customisation.
If you’ve felt iOS updates in recent years were incremental at best, iOS 26 is a different innovation. Apple seems to be embracing not just innovation, but also accountability, listening to user complaints, addressing real-world needs, and rethinking how core apps operate.
So, iOS 26 is built for utility and speed. The features are designed to make your iPhone more human, more helpful, and possibly, more irreplaceable than ever.
