Previous apple intelligence targets a bit of a miss
New API to access the raw on device AI model
Unified version numbers, all platforms will be 26
New design: Liquid glass
A “once a decade” type change. Last big change was iOS 7
Will be consistent across all the platforms
Inspiration from visionOS
Very translucent, emphasis on transparency and responsive color overlays
Floating buttons and bars, not attached to screen edges
Windows corners are so roundy
New developer app: Icon composer
iOS 26
Lock screen
Smart photo and clock arrangement
Can generate a 3d effect from a basic image
Bringing tabs back to photos app
Safari, edge to edge webpages
Facetime moved buttons and new landing page
CarPlay
Widgets
Live activities
Carplay ultra has launched in the first cars
Phone app
New optional unified layout, like photos got last year
Call screening: auto answers phone in the background, then rings the device after gathering details from the caller. Details are displayed on the page. Unknown numbers only.
Hold assist: phone waits for the hold music to end and sends an alert
Messages
Backgrounds per chat
Group chats
Polls
Typing indicators
Apple cash requests
Screening, hiding spam messages and unknown senders
Live translations added to phone, facetime, messages
Music
Automixing, can blend playlist songs together like a DJ
Lyric translations
Music library pins
Maps
Learns preferred routes
Search “visited places”
Wallet
Create a digital ID based on passport
Improved order tracking monitors email for non-integrated orders
Standalone games store/app. Replaces or enhances GameCenter.
watchOS 26
Liquid glass design
Workout buddy
Voice LLM model based on fitness instructors, give motivation during or after workouts
Smart stack improvements
Alert volume auto adjusted based on ambient noise
“Wrist flick” new gesture to postpone a notification or silence a call, etc
Notes added to apple watch
tvOS 26
Profiles
Auto sign-in API
macOS Tahoe (26)
Liquid glass design
Floating panels, transparent top bar
More flexibility adding menu bar items
Add emoji or images to folders
Tinted app icons
Live activities in menu bar
Phone app added to mac
Shortcuts adds AI actions, and has more OS triggers
Spotlight
Can do specific searches for apps or files
Can launch system and app actions
Access menu bar items for the current app
QuickKeys, shorthand to type for actions, or custom shortcuts
Clipboard history
Developers can add shortcuts and actions with the App Intents API
Is this a potential Alfred/Raycast killer? Seems like it has many of the features built in
Games app, like iphone
Journal app comes to mac
visionOS 26
Spaitial widgets
Organizations can share a device pool, with the settings stored on iphones
Accessories, like a new logitech 3d pencil, or playstation hand sensors
iPadOS 26
Design, same stuff as other platforms
Multitasking
Actual windows on ipad
Existing behavior by default, split screen control replaced by bottom right resize handle
When using a mouse, actual arrow pointer instead of circle
Has a dock and menu bar
Traffic light buttons expand when clicked
Flick to tile windows
Various new gestures for expose and dismissing windows
New menu bar for apps
Files app
Table list view
Put folders in the dock
Preview app comes to ipad
Edit pdfs, even apple pencil markup and autofill
Background tasks
For long running, difficult workflows. ie, for video export