iOS 26 allows users to set custom backgrounds in conversations, and it introduces the ability to create polls for voting.
In the Messages app, users can now screen messages from unknown senders. Apple says messages from unknown senders will appear in a dedicated folder, where users can mark the phone number as known, ask for more information, or delete it. These messages will remain silenced until a user accepts them.
In group chats, users can now see typing indicators, plus send and receive Apple Cash.
A new Live Translation feature in the Messages app, powered by Apple Intelligence, can translate text and audio on the fly.
Apple's WWDC 2026 graphic provides "a glimpse of the revamped Siri interface coming in iOS 27," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said iOS 27 will include a new Siri interface in the Dynamic Island. When you trigger Siri, he said the Dynamic Island will show a "Search or Ask" prompt, and this will apparently be accompanied by a "glowing cursor"...
Apple today highlighted four Distinguished Winners of this year's Swift Student Challenge, ahead of the WWDC 2026 developers conference next month.
The annual Swift Student Challenge gives eligible student developers around the world the opportunity to showcase their coding capabilities by using the Swift Playground or Xcode apps to create an interactive "app playground."
Apple said this...
macOS 27 will have a "slight redesign" compared to macOS Tahoe, along with an option to automatically group tabs in Safari, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said the design changes will help to address some of the criticism surrounding macOS Tahoe's new Liquid Glass interface. In particular, the changes should improve overall readability....
