iOS 26: All New Apple Intelligence Features

4 min read 08.12.2025

Discover the new Apple Intelligence features in iOS 26, including live translation, visual intelligence, Wallet updates, and more!

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Overview of Innovations in iOS 26: Apple Intelligence and Other Features

At the WWDC 2025 conference, Apple focused on new capabilities in the realm of Apple Intelligence, although it did not place significant emphasis on this topic. In particular, the Liquid Glass design remained largely unchanged, and there was almost silence regarding the absence of Siri features. However, developers continue to enhance Apple Intelligence in iOS 26 by adding new functionalities and updating existing ones.

iOS 26: All New Features of Apple Intelligence

Live Translation

The live translation feature is now available in Messages, FaceTime, and Phone. It automatically translates spoken and text conversations when participants speak different languages. In Messages, you can activate automatic translation by tapping on the contact's name and selecting the appropriate option. Language packs are approximately 900 MB in size and include English (US and UK), Chinese (Simplified), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish (Spain).

Translation to and from the selected language can be configured in the settings. Your messages will appear on the device in both languages, while the other participant will see only their language. In Phone and FaceTime, the feature works similarly, but it needs to be activated and language resources downloaded for each conversation.

In Phone, voice translation uses an AI voice for quick processing and also provides transcription. In FaceTime, translated subtitles appear, allowing you to listen to the speaker in the original language while reading the translation simultaneously. Both participants must support this feature, requiring a device with iOS, iPadOS, or macOS 26 series.

Visual Intelligence

With iOS 26, users can utilize visual intelligence to interact with content on the screen. For example, after taking a screenshot, you can tap on the image and choose the options "Ask" or "Image Search." Using "Ask," you can pose questions about the image to ChatGPT, which will provide answers. The "Search" function allows you to find specific elements in the screenshot or send the entire screenshot to Google or other apps.

In Apple Wallet, you can now scan electronic receipts for automatic order identification and tracking. Information is automatically added to the "Orders" section in Wallet, even if the purchase was not made through Apple Pay. In the settings, you can enable automatic order detection, and in the app, you can view them by pressing the appropriate button.

Image Playground and ChatGPT

Updates in Image Playground have made it more realistic and appealing—faces and eyes look more natural, and hair is more detailed. Integration with ChatGPT is now available, allowing image generation using ChatGPT with a paid account.

Genmoji has also been updated—a service for creating new emojis that combines multiple emojis into one. It is now integrated into Image Playground, making it even more convenient for creativity.

Other Innovations

iOS 26 has added features for automatic detection and classification of actions in emails, websites, notes, and other applications. This helps quickly find important information and create reminders, including based on Siri's suggestions.

In Messages, the ability to create AI-enhanced polls has been introduced, especially in group chats where the system can suggest adding a poll.

With new frames featuring Apple Intelligence, you can automatically summarize text, create images, or generate new content using Writing Tools, Image Playground, text generators, and other tools.

Apple Watch and Siri

The Workout Buddy feature in watchOS 26 helps maintain motivation during workouts by analyzing data and suggesting ideas for improving activity. Meanwhile, Siri's functionality remains under development. After WWDC 2025, company executives confirmed that an update for Siri is expected in 2026, as the first-generation architecture posed challenges. The planned release date is iOS 26.4 in April, paving the way for improvements in the personalized capabilities of the voice assistant.