During the WWDC 2025 keynote on June 9, Apple unveiled iOS 26, introducing a range of features and enhancements designed to improve user experience. While numerous updates have been made, several standouts are particularly noteworthy for their potential impact on daily device usage.
### Adaptive Power Mode
A staple in iOS, the Low Power Mode has long helped users extend their iPhone’s battery life by curtailing background activities. In iOS 26, Apple has launched a new feature, Adaptive Power Mode, which provides smarter management of battery resources. When enabled, this feature actively monitors device usage and can trigger adjustments such as diminishing screen brightness or slowing down certain processes when it detects higher-than-typical usage. This proactive feature steps in to conserve battery life, automatically activating Low Power Mode when the battery dips to 20%.
### Enhanced Lock Screen Customization
With the introduction of Lock Screen customization in iOS 16, users enjoyed a degree of personalization, albeit limited to font and color changes for the clock and widgets. iOS 26 expands on this foundation significantly. Users can now customize the placement of Lock Screen widgets, allowing them to shift these elements closer to the bottom of the screen, near the Camera and Flashlight buttons, or maintain their location above the clock. Additionally, the clock widget can be resized by dragging, enhancing its visibility and aesthetics. An intriguing feature here is the dynamic sizing that adjusts the clock widget based on the elements in the background wallpaper, ensuring a cohesive look.
### Visited Places in Apple Maps
A notable addition to Apple Maps in iOS 26 is the Visited Places feature, which tracks and logs locations that users have visited. This functionality organizes past visits by categories such as dining, travel, and nature, while also enabling users to browse through their history chronologically. This feature echoes the Timeline in Google Maps but offers a uniquely Apple approach.
Furthermore, the new Routes feature learns regularly traveled paths and provides estimated arrival times based on current traffic conditions. Users can receive suggestions for alternate routes if their preferred path experiences delays or is obstructed.
### Revamped Photos App
The Photos app witnessed significant changes in iOS 18, which were met with mixed reactions. In response, Apple has implemented enhancements in iOS 26 aimed at improving the user interface. The app now features a dual-tab structure—one for the Library, displaying photos with the most recent ones at the forefront, and a second tab dedicated to Collections. This update allows users to easily navigate albums or memories while customizing how the Collection cards are presented, including options for resizing and organizing.
### Expanded Visual Intelligence
Visual Intelligence in iOS has previously manifested through features like Live Text and Visual Lookup. Building on these capabilities, iOS 26 ensures Visual Intelligence is more pervasive throughout the system and across applications. A user can now perform image searches for items seen in social media screenshots using Visual Intelligence, which defaults to Google’s search engine for results. Nonetheless, users can opt to explore alternative platforms like Pinterest or Etsy for specific items. Moreover, Visual Intelligence is context-sensitive; for instance, it can recognize a concert poster in a screenshot and suggest adding it to a calendar, along with the option to query ChatGPT for further information.
### Group Chat Improvements in Messages
iOS 26 brings substantial updates to the Messages app, particularly for group chats. A new Polls feature allows users to gather group opinions for decision-making effectively—ideal for situations like scheduling a gathering. Automatic translation is another noteworthy addition, enabling messages to be translated from a selected language to the user’s default language, with various options available.
Customization has also been enhanced; users can now modify chat backgrounds that will apply universally across group conversations. This includes options to utilize personal images or default templates. Additional functions such as typing indicators and integrated Apple Pay support add to the convenience of group chats.
### Introduction of Call Screening
In response to the rising nuisance of spam calls, iOS 26 introduces Call Screening. When an unknown number calls, the feature discreetly answers the call in the background, prompting the caller for their name and purpose of the call. Once this information is obtained, the user’s iPhone rings, displaying the caller’s responses, allowing users to decide whether to respond, answer, or disregard the call.
### Conclusion
iOS 26 stands out as one of Apple’s most comprehensive updates to date, featuring substantial design tweaks and innovative features. From user-friendly enhancements like Call Screening and Visited Places to new functionalities in group chats, this update is poised to significantly enrich the iPhone experience. The improvements made to existing features, such as Visual Intelligence, further underscore Apple’s commitment to evolving its software to meet user needs.
