Apple expands AI features in iOS 26 — full list of what’s new

Although the iOS 26 update did not deliver the promised radical updates to Siri, it significantly expanded Apple Intelligence. The latest version includes more than two dozen new features and improvements to communication, system applications, image creation, and messaging.

Discover over 20 new AI tools in iOS26, according to 9to5Mac.

What exactly has changed in iOS 26

Apple Intelligence in iOS 26 added more than 20 new features. These include Live Translation in Messages (two-way auto-translation of messages), prompts for creating dialogue-based polls, a conversation background with Image Playground, natural language search in Messages, and Live Translation for FaceTime and phone calls. Additionally, voicemail summaries have been added, and AirPods Live Translation now works with AirPods Pro 3, AirPods 4, and AirPods Pro 2.

AI coverage is expanding to other apps and languages:

• Maps now have more powerful search;
• AI actions with access to models, writing tools, and image generation have been added to Teams;
• Reminders are now automatically categorized, and the system offers to create reminders based on the content of emails, websites, and notes;
• Wallet has added inbox order tracking.

Developers can connect Foundation Models to third-party applications. New support languages have been added: Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese, Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (traditional), and Vietnamese.

Image Playground and Genmoji image generation has also been improved:

• Integration with ChatGPT for creating illustrations is now available;
• Mixing two emojis into a new Genmoji;
• Customizable facial expressions for images of people;
• Personal attributes such as beard or glasses can be adjusted separately.

There are also system updates that fall outside of the categories. Thanks to AI optimizations, Adaptive Power Mode extends battery life. The visual intelligence feature for screenshots now includes Ask ChatGPT, Image Search, and Add to Calendar. Notification summaries are now available for all apps in the News and Entertainment categories. Some watchOS 26 features for Apple Intelligence work through iOS 26 since the iPhone runs the AI models.

As before, support for Apple Intelligence remains limited to newer iPhones. If your device supported last year's AI capabilities, all new iOS 26 features will also be available. However, support has not been extended to older models. You need an iPhone 15 Pro or 15 Pro Max, an iPhone 16, 17, or Air.

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