What Are the Must-Try Features After Upgrading to iOS 26?

With the launch of the iPhone 17 series, Apple has significantly revamped its software experience, introducing iOS 26, which features a visually stunning Liquid Glass interface along with practical, quality-of-life enhancements. This update focuses on improving user experience rather than just flashy additions, making everyday tasks easier and more efficient.

Last updated: 17 October 2023 (BST)

Key Takeaways from iOS 26

• Redesigned Liquid Glass interface enhances aesthetic appeal.
• Messages app introduces custom backgrounds and live language translation.
• Phone app gains call screening and Hold to Assist features.
• Visual Intelligence allows for context-aware actions using the camera.
• GPT-5 integration enhances Siri and overall AI capabilities.

Aesthetic Overhaul: The Liquid Glass Interface

The most striking aspect of iOS 26 is undoubtedly its aesthetic overhaul. The new Liquid Glass interface offers a translucent design that not only looks stunning but also enhances the smoothness of animations across the user interface. From the lock screen to notifications, every component feels refreshed and unique. This change, initially met with mixed reactions, has matured into a design that many users now find visually appealing.

One of the first things users should do after updating is explore the theme customisation dashboard. Selecting the "clear" preset allows for a minimalist look that complements the new interface beautifully. When setting up the lock screen, users can choose a picture, enabling a spatial effect that creates a dynamic 3D experience as the device is moved. The new clock preset adds to this aesthetic, adjusting its appearance based on user interactions with notifications.

Revamped Messages App: More Than Just Texting

The Messages app has long been a cornerstone of the iPhone experience, particularly in Apple’s home market. In iOS 26, Apple enhances its appeal with several new features aimed at retaining its loyal user base. Users can now send custom backgrounds for individual chats, adding a personal touch to conversations. Additionally, the ability to launch polls within chats brings a fun, interactive element that many third-party messaging apps have offered for some time.

One notable feature is the call screening capability, which will be integrated into the Messages app. This functionality provides users with a cleaner view of their messages, categorising them into unified sections for friends, family, and unknown senders. Messages from contacts not saved will be stored in a separate "Unknown Senders" section, making it easier to manage communications.

Moreover, the app introduces live language translation, allowing users to communicate effortlessly across different languages. When conversing with someone who speaks a different language, messages will be automatically translated, though this feature is limited to devices equipped with Apple Intelligence.

For users who connect their phones to their car's infotainment system via CarPlay, a new Tapback feature enables quick responses to texts, enhancing safety and convenience while driving.

Phone App Innovations: Call Screening and Assistance

The Phone app also sees significant changes in iOS 26, particularly with the introduction of a new screening feature for incoming calls. When a call comes in from an unknown number, the onboard assistant can take the call for you, providing a brief transcript of the conversation on-screen. This way, users can screen calls effectively and only be alerted when the caller's identity is verified.

In addition to call screening, the Phone app now includes a "Hold to Assist" feature. If a user is placed on hold during a call, the assistant will take over, notifying the user when a human operator is available to continue the conversation. This feature streamlines the often tedious process of waiting on the line, which can be a significant time-saver.

Furthermore, the Phone app introduces a translation feature that supports bilingual conversations, displaying chat bubbles with both the original speech and its translated version. This functionality is compatible with voice and FaceTime calls and supports multiple languages, including English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Visual Intelligence: A New Dimension to Interaction

Visual Intelligence emerges as a standout feature in iOS 26, allowing users to interact with their environment in an unprecedented way. By pointing the iPhone's camera at various objects, users can receive insights and take intelligent actions. For instance, tapping on a business name visible through the camera prompts suggestions for viewing operational hours, placing orders, or making reservations.

This feature can also identify plant and animal species, facilitate calendar entries directly from images, translate text, and initiate context-aware actions like sending emails or making calls. The introduction of the "Highlight to Search" feature further enhances this capability. Users can take screenshots, highlight items with their fingers, and pull up contextual information from various sources, including Google Search and Etsy.

AI Integration with GPT-5: Enhancing User Experience

Apple's commitment to artificial intelligence has led to significant advancements with the integration of GPT-5, the latest AI model developed by OpenAI. This update supports the seamless offloading of complex queries to ChatGPT, enhancing Siri's capabilities significantly. Users can expect improved performance in tasks ranging from writing and coding to visual perception and reasoning.

Moreover, the introduction of Writing Tools allows users to refine and summarise text, while ChatGPT also assists in image creation. The enhanced capabilities of GPT-5 make it faster and more reliable, reducing instances of misinformation, commonly referred to as hallucination.

The Road Ahead: What’s Next for Apple’s iOS?

Despite the robust features introduced in iOS 26, Apple faces challenges in the competitive landscape of AI. The anticipated overhaul of Siri, referred to as "LLM Siri", is expected to launch in 2026, and Apple is exploring partnerships with Google and Anthropic to enhance its AI capabilities. Until then, users can enjoy the benefits of generative AI through their devices running iOS 26, ensuring an enriched experience with their iPhones.

As Apple continues to innovate, the integration of AI into everyday tasks and the expansion of features like Visual Intelligence and enhanced messaging capabilities will undoubtedly shape the future of user interaction on mobile devices. How will these advancements influence your daily activities? Stay tuned for more developments in the world of iOS and AI.

FAQs

What are the key features of iOS 26?

iOS 26 introduces a redesigned Liquid Glass interface, enhanced Messages and Phone apps, live language translation, and Visual Intelligence capabilities powered by GPT-5.

How does the new Messages app improve user experience?

The Messages app now allows custom backgrounds, polls in chats, and categorised messaging views for easier navigation. It also supports live language translation for multilingual conversations.

What is the purpose of the Hold to Assist feature in the Phone app?

Hold to Assist allows the onboard assistant to take over calls when placed on hold, notifying users when a human operator is available to continue the conversation.

How does Visual Intelligence work in iOS 26?

Visual Intelligence enables users to point their iPhone's camera at objects for insights and actions, such as identifying species, translating text, and accessing business information.

What improvements does GPT-5 bring to iOS 26?

GPT-5 enhances Siri's capabilities, reduces misinformation, and introduces advanced features like Writing Tools, allowing users to refine and summarise text easily.