6 coolest new iPhone features in iOS 26 and 8 more you might miss
Here's a look at the most standout features you'll want to try first, followed by everything else coming to iPhones later this year.
Standout Features in iOS 26
1. Liquid Glass design
Apple introduces a new design language called Liquid Glass, which brings dynamic translucency and light refraction to the system UI. It makes app icons, widgets, and controls feel more alive and interactive. The Lock and Home Screens also become more customisable, with fluid time placement, 3D-style wallpapers, and clearer widgets.
2. Apple Intelligence goes system-wide
Apple's privacy-focused AI engine now powers real-time features like:
Live Translation in Messages, Phone, and FaceTime — translating audio/text instantly on-device.
Visual Intelligence that understands what's on your screen and lets you search, translate, or take action using ChatGPT, Google, or Etsy.
Contextual Actions, like suggesting a calendar event when you view a date or automatically summarising order details from emails.
3. Genmoji & Image Playground
Users can now create custom emoji by mixing existing ones with prompts, or generate unique images for conversations. Think of it as Apple's creative spin on stickers, emoji, and AI art.
4. Call screening & hold assist
Spam and unknown calls are less intrusive now. A new Call Screening feature gathers caller info before you decide whether to pick up. Meanwhile, Hold Assist monitors those long customer service lines and notifies you the moment a live agent comes on.
5. Messages get smarter and more social
Aside from smarter sorting of unknown senders, users can now:
Add custom backgrounds to chats
Create and vote on polls (suggested by AI!)
See typing indicators in group chats
Send, receive, and request Apple Cash within conversations
6. Apple Music Smarts: AI-Driven Audio Delight
Apple Music gets a serious upgrade with:
AutoMix, which uses AI to create seamless, DJ-style transitions between songs
Lyrics Translation & Pronunciation, perfect for learning and singing along to music in foreign languages
Smarter discovery features that learn your taste and mood better over time
All the other iOS 26 features worth knowing
Apple Games
A new app called Apple Games gives you a unified space to track achievements, discover new titles, monitor progress, and join in-game events. It's also the new home for Apple Arcade.
CarPlay upgrades
New compact call view
Pinned messages, Tapbacks, and widgets
CarPlay Ultra: A unified Apple interface across the car's screens
Apple Music Smarts
AutoMix DJ-like transitions using AI
Lyrics Translation & Pronunciation to help you sing in any language
Apple Maps & Visited Places
A Visited Places feature keeps a secure, encrypted record of places you've been — handy for foodies, travelers, and memory-keepers
Smarter commute suggestions and real-time delay alerts
Wallet + Travel enhancements
Pay with instalments and rewards using Apple Pay
Smarter boarding passes with Live Activities and Maps/Finder integration for navigating airports and tracking baggage
AirPods Become Remote Shutter Tools
Press and hold AirPods stem to remotely take a photo or video
Studio-quality audio recording support for AirPods Pro 2 and newer models
Parental Control & Safety
Easier creation of Child Accounts
Enhanced protections in Communication Safety, App Store, and FaceTime (like blurring sensitive visuals in Shared Albums)
Privacy & Accessibility Boosts
Full fingerprinting protection in Safari by default
Accessibility Reader for customized reading support
A new Braille Access interface and updates to Personal Voice and Live Listen
Availability
These are all the features that are coming to iOS 26. Later, we'll provide another rundown of features that will be available and applicable to UAE users.
New software features will be available this fall as a free software update for iPhone 11 and later. The Apple Intelligence features require supported devices, which include all iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
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