iOS 26 Features

Less than a week remains until the major keynote address at the 2025 Worldwide Developers Conference. For anyone interested in a preview of some of the features anticipated in Apple’s next software releases, we’re releasing a number of rumor summaries this week.

The operating system that we’ve heard the most about is undoubtedly iOS 26, and there are reports that it will undergo a significant redesign. Below, we’ve highlighted what we know.

Naming

Apple has chosen to alter the numbers for its software releases rather than renaming iOS 18 to iOS 19. Rather, iOS 26 will be published concurrently with iPadOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26, tvOS 26, and visionOS 26 respectively.

The “26” in the name denotes that iOS 26 will be released between September 2025 and September 2026. We’ll get iOS 27 next year, followed by iOS 28. It’s now easy to keep track of new releases because all software updates have the same year number.

Updates to the Design :

With some visual components taken from the visionOS operating system, iOS 26 will undergo a significant redesign. The design project within Apple is called “Solarium,” which gives us a clue as to what to expect.

Transparent pop-out menus in a mockup of the Camera app, for instance, better merge into the background to highlight the photos.
Simpler, translucent UI elements with expanding buttons are found in more recent Apple apps, such as Apple Sports and Invites. These apps may also be examples of the design language that Apple is introducing with iOS 26.

With the new design, Apple intends to redesign its built-in apps, albeit some will receive more significant updates than others. Additionally, Apple will give developers design elements and instructions so that other apps can easily use the new style.

Streamlining and Simplifying Navigation
Apple plans to simplify navigation options in iOS 26 in addition to giving it a new design. To make the operating system easier to understand and use, Apple is making changes to the menus, buttons, and navigation.

To improve design coherence and navigation across Apple’s operating systems, some of the interface and design modifications will also be applied to macOS, iPadOS, tvOS, and watchOS.

Features of Apple Intelligence
With iOS 26, a number of new Apple Intelligence features are anticipated.

AI Battery Control

To optimize battery life, an AI-powered battery management function will examine your iPhone usage patterns and make necessary adjustments. Depending on device usage, the option will be able to restrict how much power apps and other system features use.

Although it will be available on iPhones running iOS 26, battery management will be especially helpful for the iPhone 17 Air, which will have a smaller battery than previous iPhones.

The Shortcuts App

In order to enable users to design actions that utilize Apple Intelligence models, Apple intends to upgrade the Shortcuts app with Apple Intelligence. This feature could make shortcuts more user-friendly by enabling even non-technical users to generate practical shortcuts using natural language.

Google Gemini

As an alternative to ChatGPT, Google Gemini will be added to the iPhone as part of an upcoming agreement between Apple and Google. This feature is probably going to be included in iOS 26. Similar to ChatGPT, Google Gemini would interface with Siri, allowing Siri to send questions to Gemini for more thorough AI-powered responses.

Siri

All of the Apple Intelligence tailored Siri features that were unveiled at WWDC 2024 are still pending. Although the updates might not be prepared for the software’s launch, they are anticipated to arrive at some time in iOS 26. To save more embarrassment, Apple will not bring up the functionality at WWDC 2025 if it is not yet ready.

Here’s what’s coming, eventually:

• Personal Context – ‌Siri‌ will be able to keep track of everything on your device, like emails, messages, files, and more, helping you complete tasks and find things.
• Onscreen awareness – ‌Siri‌ will know what’s on your screen and will be able to complete actions involving whatever you’re looking at.
• Deeper App Integration – ‌Siri‌ will be able to do more in and across apps, performing actions and tasks that are not possible with the personal assistant right now. This will be a feature available for Apple’s apps and third-party apps.

App for Gaming

Game Center will be replaced by a brand-new gaming software from Apple that will offer more features than before. It will house the App Store’s games area, allowing you to locate and start games from a single, handy location dedicated to gaming.

In-game achievements, editorial content and suggestions, leaderboards, and communication tools for interacting with other players are among anticipated features of the app.

New Features for Existing Apps

Rumors suggest that there are several new features coming to existing Apple apps.

• Messages – Automatic translations and support for polls.
• Music – Full screen animated art on the Lock Screen.
• Notes – Markdown support.
• CarPlay – Updated user interface to match ‌iOS 26‌.

Real-time translation for AirPods

An iOS 26 feature will enable the AirPods to translate in-person talks between languages with a firmware update. When speaking with someone who speaks Spanish, the iPhone will pick up the audio, translate the speech, and send it back to the person wearing the AirPods in English.

Interconnection

You will only need to input your login credentials for a captive Wi-Fi network once thanks to a new feature that Apple is implementing that will synchronize your captive Wi-Fi portal login information across devices and be accessible on all of your Apple devices. Coffee shops, hotels, airports, and other places where there are shared or paid internet alternatives frequently have captive networks.

Additionally, Apple may facilitate the transfer of an eSIM from an iPhone to an Android smartphone.

App for Health

Apple may not be intending to release the new Health app just yet because it may not be ready when iOS 26 hits. According to reports, the updated app would have AI-powered health coating features along with tailored health advice.

Additionally, there might be new food tracking features that let users monitor how many calories they consume each day.

Manager of the Stage

For iPhone models with a USB-C port, Apple may include a Stage Manager feature. This feature would be activated when an iPhone is linked to an external display via USB-C.

A more Mac-like experience while using an iPhone with a display would be provided via Stage Manager, which would enable numerous apps to be opened simultaneously.

Accessibility Features

Apple previewed new Accessibility features coming to ‌iOS 26‌ earlier this year, and there are some interesting new additions.

• Music Haptics – Music Haptics will get customization options so haptics can be enabled for an entire song or just vocals, plus there will be options to adjust the intensity of taps, textures, and vibrations.
• App Store Labels – ‌App Store‌ product pages will get Accessibility Nutrition Labels that highlight accessibility features in apps.
• Accessibility Reader – Accessibility Reader is a systemwide reading mode that will make text easier to read thanks to customization features for adjusting font, color, spacing, and more.
• CarPlay – CarPlay is getting support for Large Text, and Sound Recognition will be able to alert drivers to the sound of a crying baby.
• Background Sounds – Background Sounds will be customizable with new EQ settings, timers, and automation actions in Shortcuts.
• Personal Voice – Personal Voice will let users preserve their voice faster and more easily. It will use on-device machine learning to create a smoother, more natural-sounding voice in under a minute.
• Tracking – Head tracking and eye tracking are getting updates, plus Apple is adding support for Brain Computer Interface devices.

iPadOS 26

iPadOS 26 will have the same glass-like, translucent appearance as the iPhone thanks to the similar design changes.

It’s also said that Apple is working on additional features that will make using the iPad more like using a Mac. These features include increased window management options, greater multitasking capabilities, and enhanced productivity.

When paired with a Magic Keyboard, iPadOS 26 may have a menu bar similar to that of a Mac. Additionally, Apple is introducing a new reed calligraphy pen option for Apple Pencil users who need to create Arabic script.

Compatibility

Rumors suggest that ‌iOS 26‌ will not be available on the ‌iPhone‌ XR, ‌iPhone‌ XS, or the ‌iPhone‌ XS Max, but it will run on all other iPhones that support ‌iOS 18‌.

• iPhone 16e
• iPhone 16
• ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus
• iPhone 16 Pro
• ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max
• iPhone 15
• ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus
• ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro
• ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max
• ‌iPhone‌ 14
• ‌iPhone‌ 14 Plus
• ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro
• ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro Max
• ‌iPhone‌ 13
• ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini
• ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro
• ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max
• ‌iPhone‌ 12
• iPhone 12 mini
• ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro
• iPhone 12 Pro Max
• ‌iPhone‌ 11
• ‌iPhone‌ 11 Pro
• iPhone 11 Pro Max
• ‌iPhone‌ SE (2nd generation or later)

Advanced functionality might only be available on newer iPhones with better processors, even if these iPhones will support iOS 26. For instance, Apple Intelligence in iOS 18 is limited to the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models.

Google AI Model Local App: Download & Run AI Locally on Your Device | Updatix News

Google AI model local app

Google discreetly unveiled an app last week that enables users to run a variety of publicly available AI models from the Hugging Face AI development platform on their phones.

The Google AI Edge Gallery app is currently available on Android and will soon be accessible on iOS. Users can locate, download, and run compatible models that can write and edit code, create pictures, and respond to queries. The devices utilize the CPUs of compatible phones to function offline, without requiring an internet connection.

Although cloud-based AI models are frequently more potent than their local counterparts, they do have drawbacks. Some users would want to have models available without having to locate a Wi-Fi or cellular connection, or they may be hesitant to send sensitive or private information to a distant data center.

You may obtain Google AI Edge Gallery from GitHub by following these steps. Google is referring to this as a “experimental Alpha release.” Shortcuts to AI functions and tasks, such as “Ask Image” and “AI Chat,” are displayed on the home screen. When a capability is tapped, a list of models that are appropriate for the task is displayed, including Google’s Gemma 3n.

Additionally, Google AI Edge Gallery offers a “Prompt Lab” where users can begin “single-turn” model-powered tasks, such as rewriting and summarizing material. Several task templates and adjustable settings are included in the Prompt Lab to help you fine-tune the behaviors of the models.

Your mileage may vary in terms of performance, Google advises. Models will inevitably run faster on modern devices with more powerful hardware, but model size is also important. When asked a question regarding an image, for example, larger models will take longer to finish than smaller models.

Google is asking developers to provide their thoughts about the Google AI Edge Gallery experience. Because the application is licensed under Apache 2.0, it can be used without limitation in the majority of situations, whether they are commercial or not.

Stock Market Rally: Stocks Head for Best Month Since 2023 Ahead of Inflation Data | Updatix News

WhatsApp iPad app

WhatsApp, the well-known messaging program, has hinted at a long-awaited iPad app that will be available in addition to its current Mac and iPhone apps.

In response to a message stating that WhatsApp need to release an iPad app, the official account on X today displayed an eyeballs emoji. With WhatsApp for iPad being available for beta testing through TestFlight for almost two years, this could be a sign that Meta is getting ready to release the app. Put this news under the heading “finally.”

It looks like Meta is finally embracing the iPad for more of its most well-known programs, as an iPad version of Instagram is reportedly in the works.

Facebook and Threads are owned by Meta, along with Instagram and WhatsApp. Facebook has an iPad app, but the Threads app is still only available for iPhones.

Tag: WhatsApp

Apple Smart Home Products: Upcoming Launches You Need to Know | Updatix News