iOS 26 Introduces Advanced AI Features, But Only for Newer iPhones

These iOS 26 features will only be available on newer iPhones - 9to5Mac

iOS 26 brings a lot of changes to the iPhone. While the biggest highlight -- the Liquid Glass redesign -- is available on all iPhones that can run iOS 26, there are several features in the new update that require newer iPhone models and Apple Intelligence. Here are the features and their device requirements. Requires: iPhone 15 Pro or newer Last year, visual intelligence debuted as a special camera feature for the iPhone 16 line. Now, the AI feature has expanded to more places systemwide -- like screenshots. Take a screenshot in iOS 26, and you'll see an option to use visual intelligence to analyze the contents of what you captured. This new tool can be great for shopping, adding events to your calendar, and more. Requires: iPhone 15 Pro or newer Apple did a lot of work this year to enable live translation across its various devices. Live translation works inside Messages, FaceTime, and the Phone app to make language barriers less of a problem than ever before. Here are the details per Apple: In Messages, Live Translation can automatically translate messages. If a user is making plans with new friends while traveling abroad, their message can be translated as they type, delivered in the recipient's preferred language, and when they get a response, each message can be instantly translated. On FaceTime calls, a user can follow along with translated live captions while still hearing the speaker's voice. And when on a phone call, the translation is spoken aloud throughout the conversation. Requires: iPhone 12 or newer iOS 26 will beautify your iPhone's Lock Screen not only with the new Liquid Glass design, but also a fun 3D effect. From Apple's website describing Lock Screen changes: The time dynamically adapts to your photo and the surrounding space, keeping your subject in view. When you move your iPhone, your photo comes to life with a new 3D effect. For example, you can use actions to create images, summarize text, or "tap directly into Apple Intelligence models to provide responses that feed into your shortcut." If you're a Shortcuts user, tapping into Apple Intelligence should open up brand new powers not possible before. With AI, Reminders will suggest creating new tasks or grocery items based on text discovered on-device in your iMessages, emails, and so on. On the organization front, Reminders can automatically categorize a task list into different sections using AI as well. Requires: iPhone 15 Pro or newer Apple Wallet has offered order tracking for years, but merchants have largely been extremely reluctant to support the feature. As a result, you've probably seldom benefited from it on your iPhone. But in iOS 26, Apple leverages AI to pull in order tracking details from emails in your inbox. That means merchants don't need to opt in to Apple's system for their orders to show up in the Wallet app. Hopefully this should make Apple Wallet's order tracking feature far more useful than before. Requires: iPhone 15 Pro or newer Last year, Genmoji and Image Playground launched as new Apple Intelligence image tools. In iOS 26, these existing features are getting upgraded in several ways. Genmoji can now be created by mixing together two existing emoji, or writing a description alongside the mix. You can also customize a Genmoji's hairstyle, clothing, etc. when it's inspired by a friend or family member. Image Playground integrates ChatGPT's image generation powers, unlocking a bunch of new style options for images including: There's also an 'Any Style' option where you can just describe any type of image you'd like to make. Two such features, Polls and Backgrounds, come with certain AI aspects that are exclusive to newer iPhones. While you can create a Messages poll on any iPhone model, if your device supports AI you'll see suggestions for polls that can be easily drafted via Apple Intelligence. And for Backgrounds, in addition to choosing from Apple's stock offering of images for everyone, newer iPhones can also create custom backgrounds using the built-in Image Playground integration.

These are the best iOS 26 features your old iPhone won't get

iOS 26 introduces numerous changes to the iPhone operating system. While the Liquid Glass redesign is universally available on all iPhones compatible with iOS 26, distinct features within the update necessitate newer iPhone models and leverage Apple Intelligence capabilities. Visual intelligence, which initially debuted as a camera feature for the iPhone 16 line, has expanded system-wide to encompass screenshots. Users can now capture a screenshot in iOS 26 and utilize a prompt to analyze the captured content through visual intelligence. This tool facilitates activities such as shopping and calendar event integration, based on the analyzed image content. This feature requires an iPhone 15 Pro or a newer model. Live translation capabilities have been integrated across Messages, FaceTime, and the Phone application, aimed at mitigating language barriers. Apple states that within Messages, Live Translation automatically translates communications. For instance, a user making travel plans abroad can have their messages translated as they type, delivered in the recipient's preferred language, and receive instant translations for responses. During FaceTime calls, users can follow along with translated live captions while still hearing the original speaker's voice. In phone calls, the translation is audibly spoken throughout the conversation. This comprehensive live translation functionality is exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro and subsequent models. The Lock Screen in iOS 26 will incorporate a 3D effect in addition to the new Liquid Glass design. Apple's description of these Lock Screen enhancements notes, "The time dynamically adapts to your photo and the surrounding space, keeping your subject in view. When you move your iPhone, your photo comes to life with a new 3D effect." This visual enhancement is available on iPhone 12 models and newer. New actions have been added to Apple's Shortcuts app in iOS 26, which can access existing AI functionalities. Users can now employ these actions to generate images, summarize text, or "tap directly into Apple Intelligence models to provide responses that feed into your shortcut." For existing Shortcuts users, this integration with Apple Intelligence introduces new operational capacities previously unavailable. These AI-powered Shortcuts actions require an iPhone 15 Pro or a newer model. The Reminders application in iOS 26 features two new Apple Intelligence-powered aspects: suggestions and organization. Using AI, Reminders will propose the creation of new tasks or grocery items based on text detected on-device within iMessages, emails, and other applications. For organization, Reminders can automatically categorize task lists into different sections using AI. These enhancements to Reminders require an iPhone 15 Pro or a newer model. Apple Wallet has provided order tracking for several years; however, merchant adoption of this feature has been limited. In iOS 26, Apple leverages AI to retrieve order tracking details directly from emails within a user's inbox. This eliminates the necessity for merchants to specifically opt into Apple's system for their orders to appear in the Wallet app, potentially increasing the utility of the feature. This AI-driven order tracking in Apple Wallet is compatible with the iPhone 15 Pro and newer models. Upgrades to Genmoji and Image Playground, both introduced as Apple Intelligence image tools last year, are also part of iOS 26. Genmoji can now be generated by combining two existing emoji or by providing a written description alongside the mix. Users can also customize aspects such as hairstyle and clothing for Genmoji inspired by friends or family members. Image Playground now integrates ChatGPT's image generation capabilities, offering new style options for images, including Anime, Oil Painting, Print, Vector, and Watercolor. An 'Any Style' option allows users to describe any desired image type. These Genmoji and Image Playground upgrades are available on the iPhone 15 Pro and newer models. The Messages app in iOS 26 gains new features, including Polls and Backgrounds, which incorporate AI aspects exclusive to newer iPhones. While standard Messages polls can be created on any iPhone model, devices supporting AI will receive suggestions for polls that can be drafted via Apple Intelligence. For Backgrounds, in addition to Apple's standard image offerings, newer iPhones can create custom backgrounds using the integrated Image Playground functionality. These specific AI-enhanced features within Messages require an iPhone 15 Pro or a newer model.

iOS 26: Full list of new features and which iPhones support them

Apple has launched iOS 26 with advanced AI features. However, these features are exclusive to iPhone 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max, and iPhone 16 models. The update includes visual intelligence in screenshots and live translation across apps. It also brings a 3D lock screen effect and AI-powered shortcuts. Smart Reminders and Apple Wallet get AI upgrades. Apple has released iOS 26, the most AI-integrated iPhone update to date, introducing a redesigned interface and new tools powered by Apple's proprietary Apple Intelligence. But there's a catch: most of the flagship features are only available on the iPhone 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max, and the newly released iPhone 16 lineup. While the update offers design enhancements across the board, the intelligence-powered tools are limited to devices with Apple's A17 Pro chip or newer. First introduced as an exclusive for the iPhone 16 camera system, Apple's Visual Intelligence has expanded to screenshots in iOS 26. Users can now capture a screenshot and allow the system to analyze it using Apple Intelligence, identifying content that can trigger actions like shopping links, calendar events, and more One of iOS 26's most useful features is Live Translation, built into Messages, FaceTime, and the Phone app. This breakthrough allows users to: This system-wide translation feature aims to dissolve language barriers. The 3D Lock Screen effect, part of iOS 26's visual overhaul, is available starting with the iPhone 12. The feature brings dynamic depth to lock screen photos, allowing the time and subject to move as you tilt your device, creating a striking layered look. The Shortcuts app becomes significantly more powerful in iOS 26 with access to Apple Intelligence. Users can create workflows that generate images, summarize text, or query the AI model directly to perform complex tasks. For example, a user could build a shortcut that pulls weather data, crafts a summary, and sends it via message, all in one tap. This opens the door to highly customized automations that feel more like personal assistants than static tools. Apple has infused the Reminders app with AI capabilities to make task management smarter. The app now scans content from iMessages, emails, and other text sources to suggest creating new reminders, such as groceries, appointments, or to-dos. It also automatically organizes lists into logical categories (like "Work," "Shopping," or "Urgent") without manual input. These features are designed to reduce cognitive load and improve productivity, but they require the neural processing available only on newer iPhones Apple Wallet's order tracking feature has received a major boost in iOS 26. Previously reliant on merchant participation, the updated system now uses on-device intelligence to parse shipping and tracking information from emails. This allows order updates to appear in Wallet even if the vendor doesn't support Apple's system directly. Creativity tools are evolving in iOS 26 with enhanced versions of Genmoji and Image Playground. Users can now blend two emojis, add descriptions, and generate unique Genmoji with customizable features like hairstyle, clothing, and accessories. The Image Playground integrates OpenAI's image generation model (ChatGPT), introducing new styles such as anime, watercolor, oil painting, vector, and even an "Any Style" mode based on user prompts. With iOS 26, Apple is signaling that the future of iPhone innovation is tightly bound to hardware capability. Many of the update's most powerful features rely on Apple Intelligence, an on-device AI system that requires advanced neural engines available only in the A17 Pro chip and newer. This growing split means that users with older devices will continue to receive basic updates and visual enhancements, but not the AI-driven experiences that Apple is betting its future on.