iOS 26: Release Date, iPhone Compatibility & New Features

A comprehensive redesign

iOS 26 will constitute the biggest interface redesign since iO7, so it’s the operating system update to get excited about.

Apple announced a huge design overhaul, inspired by visionOS, which was created for Apple’s mixed reality headset, Vision Pro. Within Apple, the design project was codenamed “Solarium” but it’s publicly referred to as “Liquid Glass”.

The design changes will encompass new controls and navigation, and translucent app icons and widgets. What’s more, the aesthetic will extend across the range of Apple products, giving the interfaces of the Apple Watch, iPad, Mac, Apple TV and Vision Pro a unified appearance.

At the heart of the visual changes are clear, floating menus and windows, with glassy effects. These will be more dynamic than the current design, with tabs and menus expanding when at front and centre, and shrinking when not in use.

The lock screen will be the focus of design changes, with the time display enlarging to fill space in your chosen image. Wallpapers will also move with a responsive, 3D design when you pick up your phone. And, if you use Apple Music, the lock screen can feature animated album art.

Apple

The Camera app will be another focal point of the redesign, with a cleaner, more streamlined interface and fewer distractions around the viewfinder.

Apple

Apple Music, News and Podcasts will also feature new Liquid Glass elements, and a fresh set of APIs provided to developers means that third-party apps can also adopt the look.

Live Translation

A key Apple intelligence feature of iOS 26 is live translation, either through text or captions on videos, across Messages, FaceTime, and Phone. What’s even better is that translation is run entirely on device, so conversations remain private.

Apple

Enhanced Apple Intelligence

Live Translation isn’t the only new Apple Intelligence feature that’s coming. Still, given the fact that it’s lagging other AI and that Apple announced features last year which have still not arrived, perhaps it’s no surprise that this year’s suite of announcements feels more modest.

Instead of rumoured Gemini integration, users will instead be able to ask ChatGPT questions. The focus here is on Visual intelligence, meaning that you’ll be able to ask questions about images on your screen and will be prompted to add relevant events to your calendar.

There’s also a commercial angle, as you’ll be able to use it to search Google, Etsy and other supported apps for products similar to objects in photos you’re viewing.

Apple

Finally, Apple announced AI updates to Image Playground and Genmoji.

Games app

A new Games app simply called Games – will replace the Game Center app, offering new features to mobile gamers. Games will be a gaming hub, with recommendations, leaderboards, matchmaking and news. You’ll be able to find all your downloaded games there, and challenge friends to matches.

As of 9 June, a new Apple Games domain appears to be live – although at the time of writing, it’s not yet available to browse.

Other features

• Messages: Texts from unknown senders are filtered into a separate list; a new poll feature is to be added.
• Apple Music: An AI DJ feature will beat match and fade songs in and out for seamless sets; you’ll be able to pin music at the top of your lists.
• Maps: Preferred routes, with information on travel time, will appear; listing of places you often visit – but all travel and location information is end-to-end encrypted for privacy.
• Phone app: New unified layout; call screening; hold assist.
• Photos app: Separate Library and Collections views, allowing users choose a system of organisation much more similar to the previous, more popular iteration.

Not announced: Apple Intelligence battery management system

The rumoured AI battery management system, which will analyse your phone usage and help you to maximise battery life, was not announced at WWDC. The current belief is that it’ll debut in September alongside the launch of the iPhone 17 series.

The reason for this is that it’s thought to be intended specifically for the iPhone 17 Air, where battery size is the compromise for the phone’s slimness and light weight.

It’s also not known whether this feature will be available for all Apple handsets compatible with Apple Intelligence, or only the Air.

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Sources: MacRumors | MacRumours (2)

A shift in software rollouts

While not a feature in itself, a significant shift in Apple’s approach to software development may influence when iOS 26 features roll out.

Foundry

The brand is expected to move away from rigid, annual feature launches, instead focusing on releasing updates when they are ready.

This strategy aims to ensure a more polished and refined experience for users – and avoid a repeat of the unfulfilled Apple Intelligence promises, in which AI features were announced at September 2024’s Apple Event, and subsequently failed to materialise. This strategy means that we may see fewer features at launch.

Foundry

Sources: Bloomberg | Mark Gurman on X