At WWDC 2025 on Monday, Apple announced a series of new features to be released on IOS 26 this fall. These include important updates such as call screening, more travel-friendly features in wallets, and highly requested group chat features in messages.
These updates include Apple Intelligence, such as live translation. Others just make the device a little easier to use, just like Apple brings the tabs back to the Photos app. This post will be updated as new features appear.
phone
Call screening allows you to determine what your phone is before you pick it up. When calls are received from unknown numbers, call screening responds quietly in the background. Once the caller shares his name and the reason for the phone, the iPhone rings and you can see their response before deciding whether to receive or ignore it.
Hold Assist holds the music and stays on the line until live agents are available, and live translations translate conversations on the spot. Your words will be translated as you speak, and the translation will be spoken loudly via the AI voice of the call recipient. You will hear the spoken translation of their voices as the person you are speaking will respond in your own language.
message
Message group chat members can now create votes to better plan events and make quick decisions. Apple Intelligence detects when a vote is useful and suggests that users will start one. Additionally, Group Chat can now create custom backgrounds for chats, check typing indicators, and request, send and receive Apple Cash in Group Chat.
This app allows you to screen messages from unknown senders. Messages from unknown senders appear in a dedicated folder where you can mark known numbers, ask for more information, and delete messages. Apple points out that these messages remain silent until users accept them.
Live translations also come to the message. This feature will automatically translate text when you type and distribute it in your preferred language. When the person sending the text message responds, their message will be translated for you.
Apple Music
Apple Music users can access the lyrics translation feature to help them understand the words of their favorite songs in other languages. The new Lyrics Pronunciation feature displays audio lyrics so that listeners can sing together in another language.
The app also adds an Audiomix feature that moves from one song to the next, using time stretching and beats that hit matching like a DJ to provide continuous playback. This feature can be considered a competitor to Spotify’s AI DJ feature.
Apple also introduces karaoke functionality to turn your iPhone into an Apple TV handheld microphone. Real-time lyrics and visuals are displayed on the TV screen, so this feature amplifies your voice when you acquire your favorite songs on the belt.
You can also pin your favorite music to the top of your Apple Music library for easier access.
Apple Map
Apple Maps will improve by understanding your daily commute. Now, using on-device intelligence, you start viewing your preferred routes when you’re back home or heading to the office. The app notifies you of delays and also provides alternative routes.
Apple Maps also gets new visited location features that will help you remember where you have been. You can choose to detect when you’re in a restaurant or shop on your iPhone, and display all the locations you visit on a map. Apple says the locations you visit are protected with end-to-end encryption and you cannot access them.
Apple Wallet
Apple Wallet introduces a function called a digital ID that stores the digital version of your passport. Tech Giant says this is not a replacement for your actual passport, but it can be used with apps that require age and identity verification, as well as supported TSA checkpoints. With actual ID implementation, digital IDs provide another way to present your ID directly during your domestic trip.
Additionally, another feature allows Chime, Turo, Uber Eats, and US Bank, Arizona MVD, Georgia DDS, Maryland MVA to present your driver’s license or status ID to the website for age and identity verification.
Apple is also refreshing the boarding pass experience in your wallet. Now you can get real-time updates for flights with live activity. You can also share your flight live activities with others and continue to be updated on your trip.
You will now be able to access the map from your wallet boarding pass and take you to the airport. You can also use Find My To To Track items to report lost luggage from your boarding pass, or view important services on airline apps such as seat upgrades and standby lists.
Apple has also announced that Wallet will use Apple Intelligence to automatically summarize and view order tracking details from emails sent by merchants and delivery personnel.
FaceTime
Like phone calls and messaging, FaceTime leverages live translation to allow people to communicate with each other in different languages. When you’re talking to someone in another language, FaceTime displays a translated caption so that the two can understand each other.
photograph
After receiving a significant user backlash of redesigning the Photos app on iOS 18, Apple is reverting the tabbed interface to the photos. The collection has the ability to search across your favorites, albums, and libraries. The Library tab allows you to easily scroll through recent photos.
The Photos app also allows you to convert 2D photos to 3D spatial photos.
camera
The iPhone Camera app introduces the two capture modes that are most used on the main screen: photos and videos. You can swipe your finger left or right to view additional modes, such as portrait mode or movie mode.
You will now swipe from the bottom of the screen to access other settings such as flash, timer, and aperture. You can also change the format by tapping. This is useful when switching between HD and 4K resolutions and adjusting the frame rate of your video.
Apple Podcast
Apple Podcasts is getting a new, customized playback experience with speed options available from 0.5x and 3x. This feature brings you more listening experiences with Apple podcasts alongside Spotify. This allows you to already select the playback speed for your podcast.
Additionally, Apple Podcasts uses audio processing and machine learning to obtain a “dialog” feature that makes the sound more clear than the background sound.
Picture play area
Apple has added ChatGpt integration to SuperCharge Image Playground. Access new styles, including vector art and oil painting. Plus, you can tap on the “Any Style” option to explain exactly what you need. Image Playground sends a description or photo to ChatGpt to create a unique image.
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