Apple Announces iOS 26 With a Range of New Features and Appearance Updates

Apple has announced iOS 26, previewing its major new software update for the iPhone. The update features a significant design refresh, expansive AI features, additions to CarPlay, Maps, Apple Music, Wallet, and the introduction of "Apple Games," a new hub for games on the platform.

The new interface, named "Liquid Glass," employs translucent elements to reflect and refract surroundings, featuring updated design options and layouts across the operating system and key built-in apps. Notably, the Lock Screen and Home Screen receive more customization options, spatial scenes with a 3D effect, and more expressive widgets and app icons.

Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of Software Engineering, commented: "iOS 26 shines with the gorgeous new design and meaningful improvements to the features users rely on every day, making iPhone even more helpful."

Apple Intelligence enhances user experiences with new tools including more integrated translations (Live Translation), expanded visual search (Visual Intelligence), and new expressions through Genmoji and Image Playground. Apple also introduced intelligent shortcuts, order tracking summaries directly from emails, and a new Foundation Models framework allowing developers to leverage on-device machine learning power.

Improvements also appeared in the Phone and Messages apps, notably Call Screening and Hold Assist features to manage unwanted calls and wait times, in addition to more robust message screening and control options.

Updates to CarPlay include a new compact view for incoming calls, message enhancements like Tapbacks and pinned conversations, plus widgets and Live Activities to improve interactions while driving. Apple also previewed CarPlay Ultra for even deeper integration with supported vehicles.

In Apple Music, new lyrics translation and pronunciation tools, as well as AutoMix (automatic DJ-like transitions), were introduced. Maps gained secure, encrypted logging of visited locations ("Visited Places") and intelligent route learning. Updates to Apple Wallet provide options such as payment through installments and expanded features for flight boarding passes.

Apple Games will become a single destination to explore games, including updates, events, and access to Apple Arcade's library.

Additional improvements include AirPods enhancing voice recording quality and offering a remote camera control. Further parental control features have also appeared, with increased privacy and security across apps, including advanced fingerprinting protection in Safari and more powerful accessibility tools across the platform.

New Features and Improvements in iOS 26

• Redesigned system interface ("Liquid Glass") with translucent effects on UI elements
• Customizable Home Screen and Lock Screen layouts, 3D spatial effect wallpapers
• Enhanced Camera and Photos apps with simplified layouts and new views
• Safari redesign featuring full page scrolling UI
• "Apple Intelligence" integrated into various built-in features and apps
• "Live Translation" in Messages, Phone, and FaceTime with real-time text and audio translations
• Expanded visual search capabilities and on-screen chat using ChatGPT within Visual Intelligence
• Genmoji and Image Playground for expressive chatting visuals
• Enhanced Shortcuts with intelligent actions integration
• Automatic summarizing and tracking details of online orders from emails
• Foundation Models framework providing on-device AI inference tools for developers
• Advanced call screening and "Hold Assist" in the Phone app
• Unknown message sender screening, message polling capability, and custom chat backgrounds in Messages
• CarPlay updates introducing a compact call interface, expanded Messages interactions, and support for widgets and Live Activities
• New CarPlay Ultra experience for deeper vehicle integration
• Apple Music improvements (Lyric translation, Lyric pronunciation, AutoMix)
• Maps app: Visited Places logging with end-to-end encryption, improved route learning
• Wallet app updates: payment installments, flight boarding pass enhancements
• "Apple Games," a dedicated app for gaming-related content
• Enhanced AirPods functionality: higher quality voice recording and remote camera control
• Expanded parental controls and privacy options
• Advanced Safari fingerprinting protections
• New accessibility capabilities including Accessibility Reader, Braille Access, Live Listen improvements, and more

Availability

iOS 26 is currently available for developers via the Apple Developer Program. A public beta will be available next month to users enrolled in the Apple Beta Software Program. The final public release is expected this fall as a free software update for the iPhone 11 and later.

Certain Apple Intelligence features require compatible hardware (all iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max, iPad mini with A17 Pro, and select iPad and Mac models with M1 chip or later). Initially, supported languages include English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and Simplified Chinese; Apple promised additional languages by the year's end.