5 iOS 26 options that make me glad I purchased an iPhone 16 Professional

I did not purchase my iPhone 16 Pro final yr with future variations of iOS in thoughts — primarily I used to be involved with the getting older battery in my iPhone 13, and upgrading to raised cameras and show tech. However one of many advantages of upgrading any smartphone is sustained entry to new software program, and with iOS 26, there is a rising listing of options that can solely work when you personal an iPhone 15 Pro or later. That is the cutoff for Apple Intelligence, a collection of AI instruments that is been controversial to this point — largely as a result of Apple has delayed promised options, like contextual consciousness for Siri.

Within the interim, there are a number of iOS 26 options that ought to make house owners of newer iPhones blissful. Some are comparatively area of interest, however the ones I’ll get into right now may make a significant distinction to you, relying on what your day-to-day existence seems to be like.

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1

Visible Intelligence for screenshots

Seek for something, anytime

Apple

Successfully, that is Apple’s reply to Google’s Circle to Seek for Android. When it premiered in iOS 18.2, Visible Intelligence was restricted to no matter you can level your digicam at, which was solely often helpful. With iOS 26, it turns into an possibility everytime you take a screenshot, too — you’ll be able to ask ChatGPT questions on what you are seeing, and search on supported apps akin to Google, Etsy, and Pinterest. If a picture incorporates an apparent occasion akin to a live performance, the function can detect it and counsel including the day, time, and/or location to a Calendar entry. Anticipate to see much more flyers in your messages as soon as iOS 26 turns into widespread.

Visible Intelligence is not fairly as handy as Circle to Search, which will be triggered by long-pressing Android’s navigation deal with at any time. However each instruments allow you to hint particular objects to go looking, so the comparability is fairly apt.

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2

Stay Translation in first-party communications apps

Let’s hope it catches the subtleties

Apple

In one other bid to meet up with Google, iOS 26 provides automated translation to the Cellphone, FaceTime, and Messages apps. It was fairly spectacular throughout Apple’s WWDC 2025 keynote, although the corporate used pre-recorded (and presumably scripted) demonstrations. I am curious to see how properly it really works in real-world circumstances — translation apps usually miss the nuances of context, like idioms. The outcomes may very well be notably entertaining in Quebec, the place plenty of swear phrases are primarily based on French Catholicism.

Talking of which, language assist is comparatively restricted to begin with. The Messages app helps English, Chinese language, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, and Brazilian Portuguese. The Cellphone and FaceTime apps work with English, French, German, Spanish, and Brazilian Portuguese, however solely in one-on-one conversations. Even inside these boundaries, many dialects are being omitted — there is not any Québécois French or Mexican Spanish, for example.

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3

Computerized order monitoring in Apple Pockets

No extra want for out of doors instruments?

Apple / Pocket-lint

Apple has really had an order monitoring system within the iOS Pockets app for a number of years, however till now, it required lively participation on the a part of retailers. This wasn’t very interesting to firms with their very own monitoring techniques, or anybody preferring a platform-neutral possibility. Usually, once I’m monitoring packages, I will simply use Shopify’s Store app — I haven’t got to fret about being on an Apple gadget simply to learn the way shut a bundle is.

To simplify issues, iOS 26 mechanically scans for monitoring particulars in your e mail threads. That, after all, could also be a limitation in its personal proper, if it is restricted to the Apple Mail app and does not assist the likes of Outlook or Gmail. However who is aware of — for folks with frequent deliveries, this may very well be an incentive to modify e mail purchasers.

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4

Computerized Reminders options and sorting

Remembering the stuff you forgot to recollect

Apple / Pocket-lint

I’ve by no means had an enormous want for to-do apps, since usually, something that is really essential to me must be performed instantly or is inconceivable to overlook. However even I make use of the iOS Reminders app often, and a few folks appear to reside and die by it. I get it, because it offloads among the burden of remembering what your job, buddies, and household want from you.

iOS 26 scans your e mail and Messages conversations for duties you may wish to add to Reminders, together with gadgets you’ll be able to add to a grocery purchasing listing. To prepare issues additional, related reminders are mechanically sorted into sections inside every listing. I think about each of these items are going to be extraordinarily helpful for Reminders diehards, since we’re usually bombarded with a flood of communications day-after-day. It is simple to overlook that you’ll want to name somebody again once you’re already late choosing up your youngster from faculty.

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5

Apple Intelligence in Shortcuts

An undiscovered nation

The Shortcuts app stands out as the most underappreciated a part of iOS. I do not use it as a lot as I used to, however when you’re affected person, you’ll be able to construct some fairly elaborate automations to simplify duties — my “I am driving house” routine is able to texting my spouse, getting Apple Maps instructions, and loading an Apple Music playlist all by means of a single voice command. Chances are high, if it is baked into iOS, there is a manner of automating it by way of Shortcuts.

The iOS 26 model of the app allows Apple Intelligence actions, akin to picture technology or textual content summaries. Actually, I am on this not a lot for what’s potential now, however fairly what’s coming as soon as Apple delivers on its authentic AI guarantees.

I might like to have a shortcut that mechanically shuffles a particular Spotify playlist when it could possibly inform I am headed out on a bunch experience with my electrical unicycle, for example. The probabilities could also be huge, even overwhelming for the typical particular person — it is a good factor persons are sharing shortcut concepts on-line.

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