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 old 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 checklist of options that can solely work if you happen to personal an iPhone 15 Pro or later. That is the cutoff for Apple Intelligence, a set of AI instruments that is been controversial up to now — principally 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 completely satisfied. Some are comparatively area of interest, however the ones I’ll get into at the moment might make a significant distinction to you, relying on what your day-to-day existence seems 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 would level your digicam at, which was solely often helpful. With iOS 26, it turns into an choice everytime you take a screenshot, too — you’ll be able to ask ChatGPT questions on what you are seeing, and search on supported apps corresponding to Google, Etsy, and Pinterest. If a picture incorporates an apparent occasion corresponding 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 look, 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 computerized 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 effectively it really works in real-world situations — translation apps typically miss the nuances of context, like idioms. The outcomes could possibly be notably entertaining in Quebec, the place plenty of swear phrases are based mostly on French Catholicism.

Talking of which, language help 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 limitations, many dialects are being omitted — there is no Québécois French or Mexican Spanish, as an example.

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3

Automated order monitoring in Apple Pockets

No extra want for outdoor instruments?

Apple / Pocket-lint

Apple has truly had an order monitoring system within the iOS Pockets app for just a few years, however till now, it required energetic 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 choice. Typically, once I’m monitoring packages, I am going to simply use Shopify’s Store app — I haven’t got to fret about being on an Apple machine simply to learn how shut a bundle is.

To simplify issues, iOS 26 mechanically scans for monitoring particulars in your electronic 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 help the likes of Outlook or Gmail. However who is aware of — for individuals with frequent deliveries, this could possibly be an incentive to change electronic mail purchasers.

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4

Automated Reminders recommendations and sorting

Remembering the belongings 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 necessary to me must be achieved instantly or is inconceivable to neglect. However even I make use of the iOS Reminders app often, and a few individuals appear to stay 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 electronic mail and Messages conversations for duties you would possibly need to add to Reminders, together with gadgets you’ll be able to add to a grocery procuring checklist. To arrange issues additional, related reminders are mechanically sorted into sections inside every checklist. I think about each of these items are going to be extraordinarily helpful for Reminders diehards, since we’re typically bombarded with a flood of communications daily. It is simple to neglect that you should name somebody again once you’re already late selecting up your youngster from college.

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5

Apple Intelligence in Shortcuts

An undiscovered nation

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

The iOS 26 model of the app permits Apple Intelligence actions, corresponding to picture era or textual content summaries. In reality, I am on this not a lot for what’s potential now, however quite what’s coming as soon as Apple delivers on its unique AI guarantees.

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

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