Apple has announced a few new features coming with the new iOS 26 for the Messages app. These new features are available within beta starting today and will be available later this year. Let’s focus on the new upcoming features.
Live Translation in Apple iOS 26
This feature is powered by Apple Intelligence. By using this feature, users can communicate in any language because the translation appears on each message, and also for those who don’t speak the same language.
Liquid Glass Design
Few parts of the Messages app look different from the system, but with iOS 26, it will provide a more cohesive experience by using the new liquid glass design and will create the same look across all operating systems.
Screen Messages from Unknown Senders
This feature is dedicated to unknown senders. There you can mark someone known, or else you can ask for more information, and lastly, you can delete the messages from the unknown number you got. The message stays muted until you accept the message. And this option is similar to Instagram.
Create Polls
There, you can create polls like WhatsApp within chats. AI will suggest the base of the poll based on the conversation topic.
Custom Background
Finally, users can choose or customize the background of the group chats. They can customize the background color, pphotoor AI-generated image. This feature has been available in WhatsApp for many years, finally making its way to iMessage.
Typing Indicators
It will show who is typing in group chats. This new feature has been added by WhatsApp recently. This feature is an updated version of the previous year’s typing pop-up that didn’t identify the specific person.
Apple Cash
Users can now send requests and receive Cash in group chats.
Other Features
It can now share the names of the users and their photos more prominently with others. From the bottom of the search bar, the new chat icon has been removed.
