Top 10 Apple Unified OS 26 Features We Can't Wait To See & Use

Geek Culture

3 days ago

Apple is a company always looking at the future, and if you haven't been aware of it, the tech giant made it known during its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) when it announced a unified operating system version number to match the next year of its release – so anything planned, announced and introduced this year will bear the number 26 (because we're in 2025 and anything new will last into 2026).
iOS 26, watchOS 26, tvOS 26, visionOS 26 and iPadOS 26 will represent every new software feature update and introduction the company has lined up for the next year, continuing the premise behind WWDC since its inception. For anyone wondering, macOS Tahoe 26 is also part of that list and the only outlier OS to retain an actual name as part of its version number, reflecting the OS's strong legacy with unique standalone names, first based on big cats (Jaguar, Panther, Tiger, etc) and currently, based on popular California – where the company was founded – landmarks (Mavericks, Yosemite, El Capitan, Sierra, etc).
Alongside today's announcement also comes a unified Liquid Glass visual (re)design language across the various operating systems, with a revamped user interface since iOS 7 in 2013. Liquid Glass brings an almost-translucent, glass-like look across widgets, pop-up windows and other corresponding interface elements, where its colour and appearance match that of the underlying content and lighting, like that of a vibrant photo, a black-and-white website and everything in between.
The advancement of hardware and software technology has allowed this fluid behaviour that behaves like actual glass and builds upon past UI designs, most notably from the more recent visionOS that powers the Apple Vision Pro headset, showing off spectacular highlights on windows that have a see-through appearance, and floating interface windows that brings about a visual dynamism.
While it will be more apparent to iPhone users, this change in visual will apply across iPads, MacBooks, Apple Watches and the Apple ecosystem, because what's the point of creating one when there's no connective tissue that links it across performance, style and recognisable iconography?
But while there is a connection, Apple is also cognizant that each of its devices fulfils a unique use, so here are 10 features that we cannot wait to use across the many upgrades and new features across its operating systems and hardware, with a majority of them quality-of-life improvements that can benefit users without anyone even realising it.
From enabling different background images in Messages to more easily identify users and their relationship to contacts (such as red for the passionate girlfriend or angry wife, and a vibrant blue for your poker buddies), to more advanced emojis creation where you can use descriptions to enhance standard emojis (want to add a glass of bubbly to that birthday cake?), to creating polls in group chats (don't you hate it when no one wants to decide where to eat?), iOS 26 adds some quality of life features that users can benefit from, but may not immediately understand they need.
The phone rings, and it's an unknown number. It could potentially be a scam, or it could jolly well be the new delivery guy wanting to drop off the parcel at your doorstep, but no one is answering the door. The phone will ring, and if it's an unknown caller, Call Screening will 'answer' and wait until the person on the line identifies themselves. The phone will then list the identity of the caller and ring, allowing you to decide if you wish to take the call or ignore it, without touching the phone. This feature is device-enabled and not dependent on your cellular provider, so any iPhone user will benefit.
And for those who baulk at speaking with operators at banks and telcos who constantly put callers on hold, Hold Assist will support you by keeping the call connected and running in the background, and ring users when a warm body actually answers. Goodbye elevator music, hello productivity. Like with Call Screening, this is device-enabled and not dependent on your telco.
We know, we know – other mobile phones have this feature in one form or other, and you can now do the same on the iPhone by translating incoming and outgoing messages to preferred languages on Messages, or even handle real-time translations during FaceTime calls, which is extremely useful when talking to colleagues in other countries.
Apple's tablet also sees an overhaul in its use, such as running background tasks like video conversion and editing, while users can open and use other apps. The updated File system provides a detailed list view, like on your MacBook, and you can even create custom folders. There's even a Menu Bar that behaves pretty much like its equivalent on the MacBook, which brings the question: what are the differences between the iPad and the MacBook Air?
Well, the lines have been further blurred with iPadOS 26's new windowing feature that makes multitasking on the iPad almost MacBook-like. Apps have a virtual handle that users can 'grab' to resize apps into smaller windows, allowing users to run apps side-by-side, or several at a time in the same window. Want to browse the web on Safari and watch a video, or chat on the new WhatsApp on iPad while scrolling a webpage? The tiling allows you to lock a window screen left or right, adjust the size of each app accordingly, such as a larger Netflix app compared to WhatsApp, or a smaller one for Zoom calls and a larger one for typing out notes.
Will this multi-window approach affect an older iPad's performance? Well, the first-generation M1 on the MacBook has no issue with multiple windows on a laptop, so why would it face any challenges on an iPad?
It's a small screen on your wrist, so how would the unified approach apply? Aside from the Liquid Glass overhaul, that's where Apple Intelligence comes into play, with the aforementioned Call Screening and Live Translation, and a healthier Smart Stack that prioritises and predicts features that you'll need, based on your use patterns. There's even a Wrist Flick gesture for you to dismiss notifications in the manner that they deserve.
Then there is your new active best friend that looks into your fitness history, and provides you with audio cues that coach you on the distance you've run, your current exercise performance compared to previous ones, and acts like that workout partner you detest, but know you need. Or maybe just flick it away if you don't feel like exercising?
Yes, that visual avatar on the Apple Vision Pro looks a lot like you and can almost double for you on virtual calls. However, Apple has improved on the details with a more realistic-looking persona, with a full side profile and more accurately rendered facial complexion, hair and even eyelashes. You can now even use the PlayStation VR2 Sense Controller to fire up some precise gameplay on the headset.
Some work has been done to use artificial intelligence and turn a photo into a short video, allowing you to render your photo of a childhood pet into, for a few brief seconds, a short video clip of the beloved animal. It's not real but an approximation, and with Spatial Sense, you can take old photos and create an almost 3D render where you can shift the image around, lean in to see the image from a new vantage point, and look around.
Visually, Liquid Glass would match the cinematic aesthetics of the movies and TV shows the device brings, and new features to the operating system include the creation of profiles, because the shows you enjoy are different from your children and your wife.
But one thing you can do as a family is sing aka karaoke, where you can fire up Apple Music, and use your iPhone as a microphone and croon to the latest tunes – be it rock classics like Bon Jovi for yourself, some Cantopop for the Mrs, K-pop for the youngest one, and maybe Chapelle Roan's Pink Pony Club for that teen in your home.
Alongside the iPhone and iPad, Apple's line of laptops and desktops will also see the most benefits of Liquid Glass, with updates to the user interface that bring a new shine to the operating system. From a transparent menu bar to a customisable Control Center where you can lay out the interfaces that suit your needs, change colours to folders, and add emojis to them as well.
Casting the spotlight on Spotlight, the universal search for all things sitting in your Mac machine, the updated Spotlight is a complete overhaul that offers new suggestions, actions and apps, which are listed and also ranked intelligently based on relevance to the user, to deliver more efficient results. So instead of manually launching apps to do one action, followed by another, you can create shortcuts that cut the number of steps.
In a demo during the keynote, a user simply typed 'sm' in Spotlight to indicate Send Message, where you can compose and send a message directly in Spotlight by using the built-in subject and recipient fields, without moving over to Messages. Imagine the use of AI that supports quality of life improvements by cutting down on the effort to complete tasks.
With the introduction of Apple's silicon chips, the company has expressed its desire to craft a gaming experience for the Mac, but things have been quiet, short of making several AAA games — including Civilization VII and Assassin's Creed Shadows — available. Well, now there's the new Apple Games on macOS Tahoe 26, a dedicated repository that houses a gamer's game collection, making it simpler for players to dive into their favourite virtual worlds and play or chat with friends.
Given the multitasking capabilities of Apple's Mac machines, Game Overlay provides players an option to tweak their system and game settings, and chat or invite friends to play, without leaving their game. Now, about adding new and more games…
This is not so much a new feature, but a look at the tighter way in which Apple users can integrate their devices more seamlessly, especially between the iPhone and a Mac, via improved Continuity experiences and Apple Intelligence.
Apple added the ability to mirror your iPhone screen on your Mac, and you can now do more, including the latest updates like Call Screening and Hold Assist (See iOS 26 above). You can also track Live Activities from your phone placed nearby, allowing you to know what's happening on your phone as you're working on your Mac, such as getting live sports results or when your food delivery is coming, without touching your phone. Simply click on the Live Activity to open iPhone Mirroring, where you can act on any updates from your Mac.
Naturally, these are just some of the features and improvements Apple announced at WWDC, and with the developer beta already available, and the public beta around the corner, users as well as developers, will look at new ways these features can enhance the user experience, offer a seamless experience across devices, and provide quality of life improvements that you never knew you needed.
Which new feature or implementation across the unified OS 26 are you looking forward to the most?
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