Get ready for a game-changer! Apple Intelligence has just dropped a massive update with iOS 26, packing over 20 brand-new features that will revolutionize your iPhone experience. But here's the catch: it's not just about Siri upgrades (though we're still waiting on those promised enhancements). This release is a treasure trove of improvements across the board, and we're about to dive into every single one of them.
Communication Gets a Major Boost
Apple Intelligence in iOS 26 puts a strong emphasis on enhancing your communication experience. Get ready for some serious upgrades in the Messages, FaceTime, and Phone apps.
- Live Translation for Messages: Say goodbye to language barriers! With automatic two-way translation, you can now chat seamlessly with friends and family in different languages.
- Messages Poll Suggestions: Need to make a group decision? Apple Intelligence suggests creating polls based on your conversation, making it easier than ever to gather opinions.
- Conversation Backgrounds with Image Playground: Personalize your chats with custom background images. Create unique, fun backgrounds for your Messages app conversations.
- Messages Natural Language Search: AI-powered search is now available in Messages, helping you quickly find messages, photos, links, and more.
- Live Translation for Calls: FaceTime and Phone calls get a language boost too! Apple Intelligence can transcribe or speak aloud translations in supported languages, making international calls a breeze.
- Voicemail Summaries: No more tedious voicemails! Apple Intelligence provides automatic summaries for voicemail transcripts, saving you time and effort.
- AirPods Live Translation: Debuting with AirPods Pro 3, but also supported on AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2, this feature brings live translation to your earbuds, making language learning and communication even more accessible.
Apple Intelligence Expands Its Reach
iOS 26 sees Apple Intelligence expanding its capabilities to new system and third-party apps, as well as adding new supported languages.
- Apple Maps Upgraded Search: AI-powered search in Maps makes finding locations and points of interest faster and more accurate.
- Shortcuts AI Actions: Take advantage of Apple's AI models, Writing Tools, and image creation features with Shortcuts AI actions.
- Auto-Categorizing Reminders: Transform your disorganized reminder lists into well-organized, categorized tasks with a single tap.
- Reminders Suggestions: Create new reminders based on content from emails, websites, or notes, making task management a breeze.
- Apple Wallet Order Tracking: AI pulls order tracking info directly from your email inbox, including Amazon purchases, so you never miss a delivery update.
- AI Models for Third-Party Apps: Developers can now tap into Apple's Foundation Models to implement new AI features in their apps, opening up a world of possibilities.
- New Supported Languages: Apple Intelligence now supports Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (traditional), and Vietnamese, making it more inclusive and accessible.
Image Creation Gets an Upgrade
Apple's Genmoji and Image Playground features have received some exciting upgrades in iOS 26.
- ChatGPT in Image Playground: Create custom images using ChatGPT, adding a whole new level of creativity to your image creation process.
- Genmoji that Mix Multiple Emoji: Get creative with Genmoji by mixing two emoji together to create a unique, personalized Genmoji.
- Custom Facial Expressions: Image Playground and Genmoji now allow you to customize facial expressions for your creations based on people, adding a personal touch.
- Personal Attributes for People's Images: Modify personal attributes like facial hair, eyewear, and more in Image Playground and Genmoji, making your creations even more realistic and detailed.
Miscellaneous Improvements
Apple Intelligence's iOS 26 update also includes a new battery mode, powerful visual intelligence changes, and expanded notification summaries.
- Adaptive Power Mode: Extend your battery life with AI-driven optimizations, ensuring your iPhone stays powered up for longer.
- Visual Intelligence for Screenshots: New features like Ask ChatGPT, Image Search, and Add to Calendar enhance your screenshot experience, making it more useful and efficient.
- Notification Summaries for All Apps: News and Entertainment notification summaries are now available, keeping you informed without overwhelming your screen.
And let's not forget about watchOS 26! Apple Intelligence features on the Apple Watch require iOS 26 to run the AI models, so those are essentially iOS features too.
iPhone Compatibility
When Apple Intelligence launched last year, it supported only a limited number of recent iPhone models. With iOS 26, the good news is that if your iPhone supported last year's AI features, it will also support all the new capabilities. However, the bad news is that Apple hasn't expanded AI support to older devices. So, to enjoy these new features, you'll need an iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max, or any iPhone 16, iPhone 17, or iPhone Air model.
Which new Apple Intelligence features in iOS 26 are you most excited about? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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