iOS 26 :Apple announced everything including Liquid Glass design and more features Apple’s next-generation of operating software is about to be has just been announced, on Monday, June 9 at the company’s World Wide Developers Conference. The 90-minute keynote revealed new versions of the software that powers the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV and Apple Vision Pro.
Liquid Glass design and new software names
As was expected, Apple revealed a new visual design language coming to all of its operating systems dubbed Liquid Glass. It called this new system its “broadest” design update yet, and it features semi-translucent features like redesigned widgets, notifications and more. Apple is billing it as more dynamic than the previous design language, and a way to bring even more consistency across all operating systems including iOS, iPadOS and macOS.
In addition to the redesign, Apple is revamping the names of all of its operating systems. Instead of iOS 19, for example, we’ll have iOS 26 coming out this fall. iPadOS 26, watchOS 26 and others will follow suit, marking the first time Apple has given its software updates year identifiers instead of arbitrary generation numbers.
Apple Intelligence Updates
Building upon the introduction of Apple Intelligence features on iPhone from last year, Apple is expanding upon its capabilities. It has introduced Live Translation which is integrated in apps like Messages, FaceTime, and Phone. Powered by the company’s proprietary on-device AI models, this feature automatically translates text and audio in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, and other languages.
Apple has also introduced AI-powered shortcuts and dedicated actions for Writing Tools and Image Playground. The company’s AI model can also identify and summarise details, such as invoice in emails received from merchants. Users can also mix their favourite emojis, Genmojis, and descriptions for unique creations. Meanwhile, the new Foundation Models framework provides developers access to Apple’s on-device foundation model which powers Apple Intelligence.
Updates to Apps
Speaking of the Phone app, it’s getting the biggest redesign since its launch with the original iPhone all those years ago. It puts scrolling front and center, allowing you to scroll through key contacts, recent calls and voicemail messages all on one screen. A translucent bar at the bottom of the screen gives you quick access to additional contacts and the keypad. Hold Assist, a new feature, will mute hold music but keep you on a call until someone picks up on the other line.
Messages
With iOS 26, users can screen messages from unknown senders in the Messages app, which appear in a dedicated folder and remain silenced unless chosen otherwise. Users can also create polls, generate backgrounds for chats using Apple Intelligence, and see typing indicators in group chats.
Games app
In addition to updates, Apple has introduced a new app dubbed Apple Games. It is claimed to act as a one-stop-shop for all gaming needs of iPhone users. It presents users with an overview of the activities in their games including major events. Further, they can also launch the game from the app and switch between them.
Maps and Wallet
Apple Maps gets a feature dubbed Visited Places which enables the user to remember the places they’ve been. Apple says iPhone can use on-device AI to analyse their daily route and present them with a preferred option, while also notifying them of potential delays.
Wallet app will support Digital ID, which lets you create a digital ID that’s different from your driver’s license and passport and can be used to verify your identity in some locations. You’ll also be able to add updated boarding passes to Wallet when you’re flying.
Enhancements to CarPlay
CarPlay — the smarter, safer way to use iPhone while driving — is used over 600 million times per day, and now with iOS 26, it receives updates that make it even more beautiful and easy to use. The stunning design includes a new compact view for incoming calls, allowing users to see who’s calling without missing key information like upcoming directions. iOS 26 also brings Tapbacks and pinned conversations to Messages in CarPlay, and with widgets and Live Activities, users can stay in the loop without losing focus on the road. iOS 26 updates also come to CarPlay Ultra, which brings the best of iPhone and the best of the car together for a deeply integrated, unified experience across every screen.
Additional features in iOS 26:
- Apple Games is a new app that gives players an all-in-one destination for their games. It helps players jump back into titles they love, find their next favourite, and have even more fun with friends. They’ll find out what’s happening across all their games, including major events and updates, so they never miss a moment. The Games app is also the best way to experience Apple Arcade, Apple’s game subscription service with more than 200 award-winning and highly rated games for the whole family.
- AirPods are more versatile than ever with new features for AirPods 4, AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), and AirPods Pro 2. Building on the benefits of Voice Isolation, studio-quality audio recording allows iPhone, iPad, and Mac users to record their content with great sound quality and enjoy even clearer calls. With camera remote, users can press and hold the AirPods stem to take a photo or start and stop a video recording on iPhone or iPad.
- Parents can now create or move kids into Child Accounts even more easily, taking advantage of a wide set of parental controls designed to keep children safe. Enhancements across Communication Limits, Communication Safety, and the App Store include parental approvals for contact requests from kids, blurring out sensitive content in FaceTime calls and photos in Shared Albums, and enabling parents to grant an exception for their child to download an app with an age rating that exceeds the app content restriction they set.
- Browsing in Safari gets even more private with advanced fingerprinting protection extending to all browsing by default.
- Powerful accessibility features include Accessibility Reader, which provides a customised systemwide reading experience, and Braille Access, an all-new interface for iPhone devices with connected braille displays. Updates to Live Listen, Background Sounds, Personal Voice, and more bring a new level of accessibility across the Apple ecosystem.
Also More :
iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 device list : which iPhones and ipad will support, check the full list
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