5 iOS 26 options that make me glad I pur...

I did not purchase my iPhone 16 Pro final yr with future variations of iOS in thoughts — primarily I used to be involved with the growing older battery in my iPhone 13, and upgrading to raised cameras and show tech. However one of many advantages of upgrading any smartphone is sustained entry to new software program, and with iOS 26, there is a rising checklist of options that may solely work should you personal an iPhone 15 Pro or later. That is the cutoff for Apple Intelligence, a collection of AI instruments that is been controversial to date — largely as a result of Apple has delayed promised options, like contextual consciousness for Siri.

Within the interim, there are a number of iOS 26 options that ought to make homeowners of newer iPhones pleased. Some are comparatively area of interest, however the ones I’ll get into at present might make a significant distinction to you, relying on what your day-to-day existence appears to be like like.

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1

Visible Intelligence for screenshots

Seek for something, anytime

Apple

Successfully, that is Apple’s reply to Google’s Circle to Seek for Android. When it premiered in iOS 18.2, Visible Intelligence was restricted to no matter you would level your digicam at, which was solely often helpful. With iOS 26, it turns into an choice everytime you take a screenshot, too — you’ll be able to ask ChatGPT questions on what you are seeing, and search on supported apps comparable to Google, Etsy, and Pinterest. If a picture incorporates an apparent occasion comparable to a live performance, the characteristic can detect it and counsel including the day, time, and/or location to a Calendar entry. Count on to see much more flyers in your messages as soon as iOS 26 turns into widespread.

Visible Intelligence is not fairly as handy as Circle to Search, which could be triggered by long-pressing Android’s navigation deal with at any time. However each instruments allow you to hint particular objects to look, so the comparability is fairly apt.

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2

Reside Translation in first-party communications apps

Let’s hope it catches the subtleties

Apple

In one other bid to meet up with Google, iOS 26 provides computerized translation to the Telephone, FaceTime, and Messages apps. It was fairly spectacular throughout Apple’s WWDC 2025 keynote, although the corporate used pre-recorded (and presumably scripted) demonstrations. I am curious to see how properly it really works in real-world situations — translation apps usually miss the nuances of context, like idioms. The outcomes could possibly be significantly entertaining in Quebec, the place loads of swear phrases are primarily based on French Catholicism.

Talking of which, language help is comparatively restricted to begin with. The Messages app helps English, Chinese language, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, and Brazilian Portuguese. The Telephone and FaceTime apps work with English, French, German, Spanish, and Brazilian Portuguese, however solely in one-on-one conversations. Even inside these obstacles, many dialects are being omitted — there is no Québécois French or Mexican Spanish, for example.

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3

Computerized order monitoring in Apple Pockets

No extra want for outdoor instruments?

Apple / Pocket-lint

Apple has really had an order monitoring system within the iOS Pockets app for a couple of years, however till now, it required energetic participation on the a part of retailers. This wasn’t very interesting to firms with their very own monitoring methods, or anybody preferring a platform-neutral choice. Typically, once I’m monitoring packages, I will simply use Shopify’s Store app — I haven’t got to fret about being on an Apple gadget simply to learn how shut a bundle is.

To simplify issues, iOS 26 routinely scans for monitoring particulars in your electronic mail threads. That, in fact, could also be a limitation in its personal proper, if it is restricted to the Apple Mail app and does not help the likes of Outlook or Gmail. However who is aware of — for folks with frequent deliveries, this could possibly be an incentive to change electronic mail shoppers.

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4

Computerized Reminders strategies and sorting

Remembering the stuff you forgot to recollect

Apple / Pocket-lint

I’ve by no means had an enormous want for to-do apps, since usually, something that is actually necessary to me needs to be executed instantly or is unattainable to overlook. However even I make use of the iOS Reminders app often, and a few folks appear to dwell and die by it. I get it, because it offloads a number of the burden of remembering what your job, mates, and household want from you.

iOS 26 scans your electronic mail and Messages conversations for duties you would possibly wish to add to Reminders, together with gadgets you’ll be able to add to a grocery procuring checklist. To arrange issues additional, related reminders are routinely sorted into sections inside every checklist. I think about each of these items are going to be extraordinarily helpful for Reminders diehards, since we’re usually bombarded with a flood of communications day-after-day. It is simple to overlook that it is advisable name somebody again once you’re already late selecting up your little one from college.

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5

Apple Intelligence in Shortcuts

An undiscovered nation

The Shortcuts app often is the most underappreciated a part of iOS. I do not use it as a lot as I used to, however should you’re affected person, you’ll be able to construct some fairly elaborate automations to simplify duties — my “I am driving residence” routine is able to texting my spouse, getting Apple Maps instructions, and loading an Apple Music playlist all by way of a single voice command. Likelihood is, if it is baked into iOS, there is a approach of automating it by way of Shortcuts.

The iOS 26 model of the app permits Apple Intelligence actions, comparable to picture technology or textual content summaries. In truth, I am on this not a lot for what’s attainable now, however relatively what’s coming as soon as Apple delivers on its unique AI guarantees.

I might like to have a shortcut that routinely shuffles a particular Spotify playlist when it could possibly inform I am headed out on a bunch journey with my electrical unicycle, for example. The chances could also be huge, even overwhelming for the typical particular person — it is a good factor persons are sharing shortcut concepts on-line.

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