Apple is bringing polls to group chats and live translation in major iOS update
Some big changes are on the way for iPhone users as Apple unveiled what is coming to iOS 26 on Monday morning at the annual Worldwide Developers Conference in California.
During the keynote, a number of upgrades were announced, and there was huge fanfare over the new “Liquid Glass” look that will be part of iOS 26.
So what else will be included in iOS 26?
Message Updates
Laine Mitchell/Daily Hive
Users can now screen messages from unknown senders and manage who appears in their coveted conversation list.
We aren’t fans of those unknown numbers popping up with a message, and the new update will take messages from unknown senders and place them in a dedicated folder, where users can then mark the number as known, request more information, or delete it.
iOS 26 also offers enhancements to conversations, including custom backgrounds and the ability to create polls.
Messages will soon be able to detect when a poll might be useful and suggest one, thanks to Apple Intelligence. You’ll also be able to see when someone in a group chat is typing, so you know what to expect. Bye-bye, double-up texts!
Live Translation
A game-changing update was revealed on Monday, including the live translation feature, which translates messages as you type and delivers them in the recipient’s preferred language.
You can even receive translated live captions in FaceTime and phone calls translated on the lines.
Honourable mentions
Apple
CarPlay will also see a huge benefit from iOS 26, with a new design that includes a new compact view for incoming calls, allowing users to see who’s calling without missing key information like upcoming directions, Tapbacks and pinned conversations to Messages in CarPlay, and with widgets and Live Activities, users can stay in the loop without losing focus on the road.
Apple Music fans will now be able to get Lyrics Pronunciations in real time with Apple Music, so they can follow along to any artist they desire. Lyrics Translation will also help users understand the words to their favourite songs, regardless of the language.
iPhone will also now learn your preferred maps, and visited places will stay in the Maps library. Additionally, it will let you know if there is construction or a delay on your usual route.Â
Apple Wallet users will also enjoy refreshed boarding passes, with the ability to view and share live activities for real-time updates on their flight. They also provide convenient access to a traveller’s most relevant information, such as Maps to navigate airports.
Browsing in Safari with iOS 26 also gets even more private with advanced fingerprinting protection extending to all browsing by default.