Apple today released exciting new features and capabilities across each of its software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS — and introduced a beautiful new design with Liquid Glass that brings even greater consistency across the Apple ecosystem.
New Apple Intelligence features help break down language barriers with Live Translation, extend the capabilities of visual intelligence, and bring personalized, motivational audio insights with Workout Buddy on Apple Watch. Users will also find a range of updates across apps and experiences they use every day, including helpful ways to screen phone calls, customize messages on iPhone, and create delightful spatial scenes that bring photos to life. iPad users will experience an entirely new powerful and intuitive windowing system, and Mac gets the biggest update ever to Spotlight. Apple Watch introduces sleep score to give users a better understanding of sleep quality, plus Apple Vision Pro now features widgets and all-new Personas that are more natural and familiar.
Liquid Glass brings a unified design
The standout visual change across this year’s updates is Liquid Glass, a translucent material effect that reflects and refracts its surroundings. The new design appears consistently across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV, while still keeping each platform’s unique character. App icons, widgets, navigation elements, and even third-party apps are adopting the more expressive look, which Apple says enhances focus and makes everyday interactions feel more dynamic.
Apple Intelligence expands to more experiences
Apple is also expanding Apple Intelligence, its privacy-focused AI system. Live Translation is now available in Messages, FaceTime, Phone, and AirPods, allowing users to bridge language gaps in real time. Visual intelligence can analyze screenshots, provide context, and search platforms like Google or Etsy for similar images or products.
Creative tools are getting smarter too. Users can build Genmoji by blending multiple emoji, or experiment with new image styles in Image Playground with ChatGPT. Workout Buddy, powered by generative audio from Apple Fitness+ trainers, delivers personalized spoken motivation during workouts on Apple Watch, iPhone, and AirPods.
Developers can also tap into Apple Intelligence through Shortcuts and app integrations. Apps like Streaks, CARROT Weather, and Detail: AI Video Editor are already leveraging the system for smarter task suggestions, natural language weather conversations, and automated script generation.
iOS 26: Customization, calls, and games
On iPhone, iOS 26 introduces new lock screen customization with adaptive clock styles and 3D spatial scenes, as well as updates to Camera, Photos, Safari, and the Phone app.
Two notable additions address call fatigue: Call Screening can filter unknown numbers, while Hold Assist waits on hold until a live agent answers. Messages gains polls, background customization, and spam filtering. Apple Music adds lyrics translation and pronunciation, while Apple Maps now shows a history of visited places.
Other highlights include order tracking in Wallet, improved AirPods recording for creators, and a brand-new Apple Games app, which curates favorites, recommendations, and multiplayer fun. CarPlay also gains widgets, Live Activities, and refreshed views for calls and messages.
iPadOS 26: A leap for productivity
iPadOS 26 is billed as the biggest iPad update yet. It introduces a powerful new windowing system that makes switching between and organizing apps more intuitive. A menu bar now surfaces app commands, and the redesigned Files app allows deeper organization.
The Preview app finally arrives on iPad, bringing PDF editing with Apple Pencil support. Creative professionals gain new background task capabilities, more audio controls, and improved high-quality recording. Journal also comes to iPad, offering a dedicated space for writing and reflection.
macOS Tahoe: Spotlight and beyond
macOS Tahoe brings both aesthetic and functional upgrades. Control Center has been redesigned with more customization, and users can now recolor folders, icons, and widgets. A fully transparent menu bar makes displays feel larger.
The biggest change comes to Spotlight, which now supports browsing views, enhanced search, and quick actions like sending emails or creating events. Shortcuts gains tighter AI integration, while the new Phone app syncs familiar call features from iPhone with Call Screening and Hold Assist. Live Activities from iPhone can also appear directly on Mac.
watchOS 26: Health breakthroughs and smart tools
watchOS 26 deepens Apple’s health focus. A sleep score feature provides nightly quality insights, while FDA-cleared hypertension notifications can warn users of signs of chronic high blood pressure — powered by a machine learning algorithm validated in a large clinical study.
New watch faces (Flow and Exactograph) expand personalization, and Workout Buddy offers first-of-its-kind generative audio coaching. Everyday tools also improve: Smart Stack hints now surface proactive suggestions, Messages gain Live Translation, wrist flick gestures simplify one-handed control, and the Notes app arrives on Apple Watch.
tvOS 26: Karaoke and personalization
On Apple TV, tvOS 26 enhances social entertainment. Sing in Apple Music now lets users turn an iPhone into a wireless microphone, complete with real-time lyrics and visual effects. Friends can join in with their own iPhones to queue tracks and react with onscreen emoji.
Contact Posters arrive in FaceTime for more personal calls, and profile updates make it easier for households to switch between recommendations, playlists, and watchlists.
visionOS 26: Widgets, spatial scenes, and Jupiter
visionOS 26 expands the Vision Pro’s capabilities. Widgets can now persist across sessions, Personas look more realistic, and spatial scenes add lifelike depth to photos. Safari supports spatial browsing, allowing 3D objects to be embedded directly into web pages.
Collaboration gets easier with shared experiences in mixed reality, and Vision Pro now supports unlocking and viewing iPhone while worn. A new interactive environment, Jupiter, lets users explore the gas giant’s storms in real time. The update also adds native playback for immersive 180-degree and 360-degree video from popular action cameras.
Accessibility features
Accessibility gets a major boost across platforms. The App Store introduces Accessibility Nutrition Labels so users can quickly see supported features. Mac adds a Magnifier app, while a systemwide Accessibility Reader offers customizable text display and spoken content. Braille Access improves braille display navigation, and Apple Watch gains Live Listen and expanded Live Captions in more languages.
Availability
All six updates — iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe, watchOS 26, tvOS 26, and visionOS 26 — are available today as free software downloads. Apple notes that many features depend on hardware, language, or regional support, with Apple Intelligence remaining in beta across supported devices. — WALPHS.com