With iOS 26, Apple has completely overhauled its iPhone interface with the "Liquid Glass" design, bringing numerous improvements and new features to all compatible models. But behind this graphical facelift lies a series of much more ambitious features that are exclusively accessible to owners of an iPhone 15 Pro or newer. The reason: their compatibility with Apple Intelligence, the manufacturer's artificial intelligence layer that relies on the most recent chips.
AI features reserved for an elite
Some of these features rely on language models and AI processing performed directly on the device (the rest is done on Apple's own servers). They notably concern real-time translation in the Messages, FaceTime, and Phone applications. During a call, the iPhone can display live subtitles, read translations aloud, or even automatically translate messages as you type.
Another example: the Shortcuts app is enriched with new actions integrating AI. It becomes possible to generate images, summarize text, or ask questions directly via automated scenarios. Even the Reminders app becomes more proactive, suggesting tasks or errands to add by analyzing the content of messages and emails.
With iOS 26, Apple is also pushing visual customization further. Users of the latest models can create custom Genmoji (AI-generated emojis), blend different faces, or apply various artistic styles—from manga to watercolor—thanks to deep integration between the Image Playground app and ChatGPT.
Wallpaper management in Messages is also becoming more sophisticated, with personalized backgrounds automatically generated based on the tone of the conversation. And for those struggling to decide, iOS even suggests polls to integrate into the discussion.
On the productivity side, Apple Wallet uses onboard intelligence to automatically detect and track online orders from emails, without relying on merchants.
Finally, screenshots are also becoming intelligent: the iPhone can now analyze what has been captured to suggest a purchase, create a calendar event, or extract useful information — just as it already did with the camera via Visual Intelligence.
Users of iPhone 14 Pro and older models will still be able to enjoy the new Liquid Glass look, classic iOS 26 features, and some visual effects like Space Scenes, a 3D animation of photos that react to the phone's movements. This feature is compatible from the iPhone 12 onwards, as it does not rely on Apple Intelligence but on the Neural Engine.
However, to benefit from the majority of truly "intelligent" new features, you will have to pay.
0 Comments