Apple has announced the availability of new Apple Intelligence features via software updates to iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe, watchOS 26, and visionOS 26. These updates integrate advanced AI functionalities into core applications, such as Messages, Phone, and Fitness, while maintaining a strong emphasis on user privacy through on-device processing and Private Cloud Compute.
Live Translation for Multilingual Communication
The Live Translation feature facilitates real-time language conversion across various communication platforms. It enables typed responses in Messages, live captions during FaceTime calls, and spoken translations in Phone conversations. Compatibility extends to AirPods Pro for in-person interactions, where users can initiate translations via Siri or by pressing the device stems. This functionality incorporates Active Noise Cancellation to reduce ambient speaker volume, ensuring clear auditory delivery of translations. Processing occurs on-device to uphold privacy standards. Support for additional languages, including Italian and Japanese, is scheduled by the end of the year.
Advancements in Visual Intelligence
Visual Intelligence enhancements allow users to analyze on-screen content using the iPhone camera or Action button. Capabilities include querying information via ChatGPT, conducting image searches on platforms like Google or eBay, and integrating events from visual elements such as flyers directly into calendars. Accessible from the Control Center, this tool supports tasks such as text summarization and translation.
Creative Tools: Genmoji and Image Playground
Genmoji offers users the ability to combine existing emojis or generate custom ones based on descriptions, with options to customize appearances using recent selfies for attributes like hairstyles or expressions. This tool enhances personalization in messaging applications.
Image Playground integrates with ChatGPT to generate images in styles such as Watercolor or user-defined variations, derived from text prompts or photographs. It supports applications including chat background design in Messages, ensuring secure, on-device operation.
Workout Buddy
Workout Buddy provides AI-driven coaching by evaluating metrics such as heart rate, pace, and historical workout data to offer verbal encouragement. Modeled after Fitness+ trainers, the system delivers adaptive feedback, such as acknowledgments of personal milestones, to maintain user motivation. This feature is compatible with Apple Watch paired with Bluetooth headphones and a proximate iPhone, or directly via AirPods and iPhone for activities like running.
Enhanced Shortcuts
Intelligent Actions within Shortcuts enable automation of tasks, including document summarization, image generation, and data extraction from PDFs into spreadsheets, leveraging Apple Intelligence models while preserving privacy.
Third-party applications are incorporating these capabilities, with examples including intelligent task suggestions in Streaks, detailed forecast analysis in CARROT Weather, and script generation in Detail: AI Video Editor. These integrations are available offline and at no cost to developers, broadening AI accessibility across the ecosystem.
Additional refinements include automated action extraction from emails or notes in Reminders, order tracking summaries in Apple Wallet derived from email content, AI-suggested polls in Messages, and custom backgrounds created via Image Playground.
