Rockin' Your iPhone Experience: The Exciting Upgrades in iOS 26
By Klaus Wedekind
Key advancements in iOS 26 unveiled:
Get ready for an exciting adventure as Apple prepares to launch iOS 26 this September! Alongside a breathtakingly refurbished user interface, this update is packed with practical new features, such as real-time translations or an amazingly smart voicemail system.
Unveiled at the WWDC conference, iOS 26 is a game-changer for iPhone users because, since 2013, Apple is completely overhauling the user interface. While the other improvements might not be as groundbreaking, they're still worth the buzz.
Liquid Lens Gaze
Prepare for a mind-blowing user interface transformation, as Apple joins forces to unify its operating systems — a fusion that's clearly evident in the sleek, shared look called "Liquid Lens." According to Apple insiders, these interfaces will morph dynamically to present your content more vividly, using see-through elements that seem to float above other elements. This breathes life into controls, navigation, app icons, widgets, and more.
This revamp starts on the lock screen, where the clock time wiggles and flows to fit the picture. You'll also notice a 3D effect on background images when you move your iPhone around. A transparent address bar in the Safari browser allows websites to fill the entire display on iOS 26.
The Camera app is also experiencing a makeover, with the shutter button now levitating above the preview. Another example of "Liquid Lens" is the Photos app, which will boast a transparent look and separate tabs for the media library and collections.
Smarter AI On Your Team
Though Apple pushed back plans to make Siri a powerful AI like Google Gemini until next year, iOS 26 still delivers some exciting, mind-boggling features powered by Apple Intelligence.
At the top of the list are real-time translations for both text and audio, available in Messages, FaceTime, and phone calls. Initially, only a handful of languages like English, Spanish, German, French, and Portuguese will support speech translation. But the list will expand for text.
Visual Intelligence offers features unheard of before! You can now ask ChatGPT about what's on the screen. You can also search Google, Etsy, or other supported apps to find similar images and products. Additionally, you can automatically add displayed events with location, date, and time to your calendar.
There are also extended AI capabilities to enhance conversations with Gemini Mojis or images created using Image Playground, along with integrating Apple Intelligence functions in iOS 26 using Shortcuts. If you prefer, AI will now automatically identify and summarize shipping details from emails sent by retailers and carriers.
New Features for Calls and Chats
The Phone app receives a sleek overhaul, bringing all Favorites, call history, and voicemail into one easy-to-find place. It can now also answer calls from unknown numbers automatically and gather details to help you decide whether to take the call. The Hold Assistant steps in during busy times when you're on hold during a call, alerting you when a human is on the other end of the line.
Messages are getting an upgrade, too: you can now filter out messages from unknown people, moving those messages to a special folder. You can mark the number as known, ask for more information, or delete it, leaving your inbox peaceful.
In the spirit of innovation, you can now create 26 polls in messages on iOS. Apple Intelligence even suggests it at opportune moments. To add a personal touch, conversations can now be adorned with custom backgrounds created in Image Playground. In group chats, you can now view a typing indicator, request, send, and receive Apple Cash.
A Smarter Ride with CarPlay
With iOS 26, CarPlay gets a boost with a compact view for incoming call notifications, ensuring you don't miss vital information like directions. You can now quickly react to messages with emojis and other symbols (Tapbacks). Upcoming features include pinned conversations, widgets, and real-time compact information about sports scores, delivery status, travel plans, and more.
And that's not all! "Lyrics Pronunciation" allows everyone to sing along, regardless of the language they speak, thanks to real-time translations of song lyrics in Apple Music. It can be a bit of a riot, as this means lyrics will be displayed in real-time during songs!
Economy
Apple revamps designs after a decade of updates. In Wallet, you can now view live activity information from airlines, like gates and delays. Maps are also improved by providing airport maps.
Apple Games is a new app where players can discover games from the App Store and Apple Arcade, including events and updates, in one place.
The AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 (ANC) will offer studio-quality audio recordings. They can also serve as a camera remote under iOS 26.
Parents receive extra child safety options with the update, with features such as allowing contact requests, blurring sensitive content in FaceTime calls and photos in shared albums, and allowing children to download age-restricted content exceptions.
The Safari browser is designed with improved protection against fingerprinting, a technique used to uniquely identify and track users online based on specific device or browser data. Accessibility features also receive updates, including a new interface for Braille displays that help blind and visually impaired users create Braille notes and perform calculations.
Source: ntv.de
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- In light of the new iOS 26 update, employment policies within community organizations may need to be revised, as the use of advanced technology such as smartphones and various gadgets could potentially disrupt workflow due to employees' interest in exploring new features, like real-time translations.
- As Apple unveils its revolutionary "Liquid Lens" interface in iOS 26, there might be a需求 (demand) for upgrading the existing employment policies regarding the use of technology, to ensure that employees are efficient and productive while utilizing the latest smartphone and gadget functionalities during work hours.
