Latest news with #CallScreening
CNET
3 days ago
- CNET
You Can Download iOS 26 Developer Beta 5 on Your iPhone Right Now. Here's How
The official iOS 26 public beta is out now for anyone to try, but it's not the latest version available. No, that's reserved exclusively for the developer beta, and Apple has just released the fifth version. It brings a few new design tweaks, bug fixes, smoother animations and more. It mostly seems like a polishing of the last version. The biggest news in iOS 26 is Liquid Glass, Apple's new cohesive design language across all its devices, as well as two long anticipated phone features -- Call Screening picks up unknown numbers on your behalf, asks why callers are calling and shows a live transcript so you can decide whether to answer the call; while its sidekick, Hold Assist, listens to hold music for you and alerts you the instant a real person is available. By jumping straight from iOS 18 to iOS 26, Apple is aligning its mobile OS naming with the rest of its platforms and signaling a generational leap rather than the usual annual tune-up. It's the biggest OS update since iOS 7, with updates and enhancements to nearly every facet of the iPhone. If you want to try out any of these features, you can do so right now. Here's how you can download the iOS 26 developer beta. Watch this: I'm Impressed With iOS 26. Apple Just Made iPhones Better 05:40 Warning: Download the iOS 26 developer beta at your own risk Yes, the iOS 26 developer beta is free, but remember it's meant for developers, not day-to-day use. Early builds often carry bugs that can crash apps, drain your battery, overheat your phone and generally make your device feel sluggish. Unless you need to test software against Apple's next release, it's smarter to stick with the public beta, which should be released very soon, on your main iPhone. The iPhone 17, when it's announced, will support iOS 26. Viva Tung/CNET Which iPhone models support iOS 26? As long as you own an iPhone 11 or newer, you can download iOS 26. That means the iPhone XR/XS generation is out, while every A13 Bionic handset forward, including the forthcoming iPhone 17 models, are included. Here's the full list of compatible iPhone models that can run iOS 26: Apple Intelligence works only on compatible phones, which include any iPhone 16 model and the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. How to prepare your iPhone to install the iOS 26 developer beta Before you get too excited and start downloading the iOS 26 developer beta, there are a few things you need to do: Check your hardware first. This beta runs only on iPhone 11 and newer . If you want the headline Apple Intelligence features, you'll need an iPhone 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max or anything in the forthcoming iPhone 17 lineup . This beta runs only on . If you want the headline Apple Intelligence features, you'll need an . Update to the latest public release. Make sure your phone is already on the most current stable build (right now that's iOS 18.5). This helps prevent any issues that arise from updating with outdated software. Make sure your phone is already on the most current stable build (right now that's iOS 18.5). This helps prevent any issues that arise from updating with outdated software. Have a good Wi-Fi connection . You want the install to go flawlessly, which means you should be connected to some pretty decent Wi-Fi. . You want the install to go flawlessly, which means you should be connected to some pretty decent Wi-Fi. Have enough space on your phone . You need at least 15GB of space on your phone to download the iOS 26 developer beta. . You need at least 15GB of space on your phone to download the iOS 26 developer beta. Archive a backup. A normal iCloud backup can be overwritten; you need one that can't. On your Mac , connect your iPhone, open Finder , select your device, hit Back Up Now > Manage Backups , right-click the new backup and click Archive . On Windows , it's pretty similar. Open iTunes , click Back Up Now, locate the backup in Preferences and archive it. A normal iCloud backup can be overwritten; you need one that can't. On your , connect your iPhone, open , select your device, hit > , right-click the new backup and click . On , it's pretty similar. Open , click Back Up Now, locate the backup in and archive it. Know the escape hatch. If the beta breaks your phone for any reason (this has never happened to me), you'll have to put the phone in Recovery Mode, restore iOS 18.5, and then pull that archived backup back onto the device. Once you've followed these steps, you're pretty much ready to go. How to install the iOS 26 developer beta on your iPhone Apple now lets anyone install developer betas without paying the $99 annual fee. To do so, visit the Apple Developer site on the device you plan to update, open the ☰ menu, choose Account, and sign in with that device's Apple ID. Agree to the terms, tick the required boxes, and tap Submit. You may also need to enable Developer Mode in Settings > Privacy and Security. Now you can install the iOS 26 developer beta on your phone as an over-the-air update: After you sign up for the Apple Developer program, you should see the option to download the iOS 26 developer beta in your settings. On your device, open Settings > General > Software Update > Beta Updates and choose the iOS 26 Developer Beta. Go back and tap Download and Install under the new "iOS 26 Developer Beta" option that appears. The iOS 26 developer beta is 15.28GB in size. Screenshots by Nelson Aguilar/CNET Finally, punch in your passcode, accept the T&C, and let the installer do its thing. On a decent Wi-Fi connection, the download-and-reboot routine should take roughly 10 to 15 minutes, but that may vary. When your iPhone powers back on, you'll be running the iOS 26 developer beta.
Phone Arena
22-07-2025
- Phone Arena
Apple quietly revives controversial news summaries in iOS 26 beta 4
iOS 26 Notification summaries for news are back in the fourth beta of iOS 26 . | Images credit — PhoneArena Receive the latest iOS news Subscribe By subscribing you agree to our terms and conditions and privacy policy The past mistakes were notable. In late 2024, the BBC flagged several of Apple's summaries for misrepresenting headlines, which all turned out to be inaccurate due to the system combining unrelated articles or removing important context. So far, there's no confirmation that Apple has retrained the summarization system or introduced new safeguards. But the reappearance of the feature suggests Apple wants to give it another chance, perhaps with more transparency about the risks. Alongside the return of headline summarization, iOS 26 beta 4 also introduces a few other small changes. The Liquid Glass interface continues to evolve, with subtle changes to translucency. A new Dynamic wallpaper has also been added, which gradually shifts color based on the time of day. And Call Screening now includes an option to silence unknown callers, which had briefly disappeared in earlier betas. Recommended Stories But Apple isn't pretending the issues are fixed. A red warning under the News & Entertainment option reads: "Summarization may change the meaning of the original headlines. Verify information." That's a strong signal that Apple is aware of past problems and isn't ready to guarantee that the feature works as past mistakes were notable. In late 2024, the BBC flagged several of Apple's summaries for misrepresenting headlines, which all turned out to be inaccurate due to the system combining unrelated articles or removing important far, there's no confirmation that Apple has retrained the summarization system or introduced new safeguards. But the reappearance of the feature suggests Apple wants to give it another chance, perhaps with more transparency about the the return of headline summarization,beta 4 also introduces a few other small changes. The Liquid Glass interface continues to evolve, with subtle changes to translucency. A new Dynamic wallpaper has also been added, which gradually shifts color based on the time of day. And Call Screening now includes an option to silence unknown callers, which had briefly disappeared in earlier Apple Intelligence continues to expand across the OS, features like notification summaries will need to strike a careful balance between convenience and accuracy — even while it still considered under beta, and especially when dealing with real-world news. Get a Motorola Razr 2025 for just $199.99! Switch to a 2-month Total 5G or 5G+ plan with Total Wireless and score this foldable deal. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer After being pulled earlier this year, Apple's notification summaries for news apps are back in the latest iOS 26 developer beta, which just launched today. However, questions remain about how reliable the feature will be this time iOS 18 , Apple introduced notification summaries that used AI to condense multiple alerts into one. While that worked well for app updates and social messages, problems started when the system tried to summarize breaking news headlines. Some notifications changed the context entirely, resulting in major factual errors. After backlash from publishers, Apple quietly removed the feature from news apps in inbeta 4, the feature is returning. After updating, developers are prompted to choose which types of alerts they want summarized. One of the new categories is "News & Entertainment," which now includes summaries from popular news apps.
Android Authority
26-06-2025
- Android Authority
Pixel phones might finally be getting this highly requested feature in India (APK teardown)
Andy Walker / Android Authority Pixel 8a TL;DR Google might be getting ready to introduce Call Screening on Pixel phones in India. The feature lets users identify callers and their reasons for calling before answering the phone, helping thwart spam calls. India might get the manual version of Call Screening instead of the automatic version available in the US. India has over a billion cellphone users and is one of the most affected countries in the world when it comes to spam calls. Hundreds of millions of spam calls are reported daily in the country, yet Pixel phones don't offer Call Screening as an option for Indian users. Pixel enthusiasts in the country have been requesting the feature for years, and it looks like their pleas may soon be answered. Authority Insights story on Android Authority. Discover You're reading anstory on Android Authority. Discover Authority Insights for more exclusive reports, app teardowns, leaks, and in-depth tech coverage you won't find anywhere else. An APK teardown helps predict features that may arrive on a service in the future based on work-in-progress code. However, it is possible that such predicted features may not make it to a public release. Google introduced Call Screening on Pixel phones in 2018. While India now receives all of Google's flagships, this feature, along with other useful functions like Spam Detection, has been missing from the Pixel lineup in the country. When I previously spoke to Mike Abary, Vice President of Devices & Services Business, APAC at Google, he acknowledged this gap and told Android Authority that the company is actively working to bring these features to India. 'It is not lost on us that we need to make sure that we bring this capability to India, and we have plans to do that. The delay is less about technical challenges and more about policy-related hurdles, which we are working to address,' Abary had said at the time. Call Screening finally ready for its Indian debut? While digging through a recent version of the Phone by Google app, we discovered internal files that strongly indicate Pixel's Call Screening feature is in development for the Indian market. Call Screening allows users to identify callers and their reasons for calling before answering the phone. It also uses AI to provide smart replies during calls, allowing users to quickly respond to common questions without speaking. Buried within the Phone by Google app's internal data folders, we found several resources related to Call Screening and its smart replies feature, including a batch of audio files in Hindi. This suggests that Google is preparing localized support for the feature, an important first step toward an Indian rollout. Unlike in the US, where users can opt for automatic Call Screening, the Indian version of the feature appears to rely on a manual screening method. This would allow users to initiate the screening process by tapping a 'Screen call' button when they receive a call, instead of the phone automatically screening calls. That said, these are just initial findings. Google may just be testing the waters while it awaits regulatory approvals to launch the feature in India. Given that the country has over 22 officially recognized languages, Google has its work cut out for it. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Phone Arena
12-06-2025
- Phone Arena
iOS 26 takes the fight to voicemail spam – one report at a time
iOS 26 brings some useful updates to its Phone app, including two notable features, Hold Assist and Call Screening. Alongside the new design, there are plenty of little updates here and there that Apple didn't talk about during the WWDC 2025 keynote. One of those is a new feature to the Phone app which allows you to flag spam voicemails. There's a new "Report Spam" button when you tap into a voicemail from an unknown number in iOS 26 . If it was a spam call, you can report it from there. When you tap this option, the voicemail is sent to Apple, and you can either report the message as spam and keep it or report it and delete it. It is not clear what Apple does with the spam voicemails once they've been reported. However, the company has a similar reporting process for spam messages, and it's been around for quite some time now. It's possible that these reported spam messages are used for building the spam filtering functionality that iOS 26 adds. Just like with iMessage, if you report a voicemail as spam, the sender doesn't automatically get blocked. You need to block them separately if you wish to do that. The new report spam for voicemails. | Image Credit – MacRumors Apple has been putting effort into making features that cut out spammers from your life as much as possible. The new Call Screening feature in iOS 26 works on calls that are not coming from your contact and then asks the caller for more information before forwarding the call to you. Meanwhile, the Messages app also has refined spam reporting capabilities with the new OS update. The messages detected as spam are sent to a specific Spam folder, which is now different from the Unknown Senders folder. Now, messages from people who aren't in your contact list (including two-factor authentication messages) go to Unknown Senders, and scam messages go to the spam folder. Understandably, if you see a spam message that didn't get categorized properly, you can tap on the "Report Spam" option. Both these categories (spam messages and messages from unknown senders) are silenced, so they won't bother you with a notification. You'll only see a badge at the top of the Messages app. These features can be disabled from Settings, then Messages, if you wish to do so, but I'd recommend you leave them on. For now, there's no automatic filtering of spam voicemails thought. But by how things are looking, Apple could use the reported voicemails for such a filtering option in the future. iOS 26 is now in developer beta and will launch officially in the fall. If you wish to try it out beforehand, you can do so when the public beta launches in July as well. I find these new anti-spam features very useful. There are periods when my iPhone receives a lot of scammy and spammy messages, so the filtering is great and needed. Although I don't get a lot of spam voicemails (thankfully), I'm still glad we'll be able to report those as well.
TechCrunch
11-06-2025
- TechCrunch
All of the new features coming to Apple's iOS apps
At WWDC 2025 on Monday, Apple unveiled a series of new features that will launch with iOS 26 this fall across its apps. These include significant updates like Call Screening, more travel-friendly features in Wallet, and highly-requested group chat features in Messages. Some of these updates include Apple Intelligence, like Live Translation. Others, like Apple bringing back tabs in the Photos app, just make devices a bit easier to use. We'll update this post as new features come out. Phone Call Screening lets you determine what a call is about before picking it up. When you get a call from an unknown number, Call Screening will automatically answer silently in the background. When the caller shares their name and the reason for their call, the iPhone will ring, and you can view their response before deciding whether to pick up or ignore it. Image Credits:Apple Hold Assist will detect hold music and stay on the line for you until a live agent is available, and Live Translation will translate conversations on the fly. Your words will be translated as you talk, and the translation is spoken out loud via an AI voice for the call recipient. As the person you're speaking to responds in their own language, you'll hear a spoken translation of their voice. Messages Members in groups chat on Messages can now create polls to better plan events and make quick decisions. Apple Intelligence will also detect when a poll might be useful and suggest that users start one. Plus, group chats can now create custom backgrounds for chats and see typing indicators, and you can now request, send, and receive Apple Cash in group chats. Image Credits:Apple The app now also lets you screen messages from unknown senders. Messages from unknown senders will appear in a dedicated folder where you can mark the number as known, ask for more information, or delete the message. Apple notes that these messages will remain silenced until a user accepts them. Live Translation is also coming to Messages. The feature will automatically translate text for you as you type and deliver it in your preferred language. When the person you're texting responds, their message will be translated for you. Techcrunch event Save $200+ on your TechCrunch All Stage pass Build smarter. Scale faster. Connect deeper. Join visionaries from Precursor Ventures, NEA, Index Ventures, Underscore VC, and beyond for a day packed with strategies, workshops, and meaningful connections. Save $200+ on your TechCrunch All Stage pass Build smarter. Scale faster. Connect deeper. Join visionaries from Precursor Ventures, NEA, Index Ventures, Underscore VC, and beyond for a day packed with strategies, workshops, and meaningful connections. Boston, MA | REGISTER NOW Apple Music Apple Music users will get access to a Lyrics Translation feature to help them understand the words in their favorite songs in other languages. A new Lyrics Pronunciation feature will display phonetic lyrics so that listeners can sing along in a different language. Image Credits:Apple The app is also adding an AudioMix feature that will transition from one song to the next using time stretching and beat matching like a DJ to deliver continuous playback. The feature could be seen as a competitor to Spotify's AI DJ feature. Apple is also introducing a karaoke feature that will turn your iPhone into a handheld microphone for Apple TV. The feature will amplify your voice as you belt your favorite songs, as real-time lyrics and visuals appear on the TV screen. You can also pin your favorite music to the top of your Library in Apple Music to allow for easier access. Apple Maps Apple Maps is going to get better at understanding your daily commute. It will now use on-device intelligence to start showing you preferred routes when headed home or to the office. The app will notify you of delays and offer alternative routes, too. Image Credits:Apple Apple Maps is also getting a new Visited Places feature that will help you remember the places you've been. You can choose to have your iPhone detect when you're at a restaurant or shop, and view all of your Visited Places in Maps. Apple notes that Visited Places are protected with end-to-end encryption and that it cannot access them. Apple Wallet Apple Wallet is introducing the ability for people to store a digital version of their passport, called a Digital ID. The tech giant notes that this won't be a replacement for your actual passport, but it can be used in apps that need to verify age and identity, and at supported TSA checkpoints. With REAL ID implementation in effect, Digital ID will give you another way to present an ID in person during domestic travel. Image Credits:Apple In addition, another feature will let you present your driver's license or state ID in Wallet to websites for age and identity verification, starting with Chime, Turo, Uber Eats, and U.S. Bank, as well as the Arizona MVD, Georgia DDS, and Maryland MVA. Apple is also refreshing its boarding pass experience in Wallet. You'll now get real-time updates about flights with Live Activities. You can also share your flight's Live Activities with others so they can remain updated on your travels. Image Credits:Apple You'll now be able to access Maps from your boarding pass in Wallet to navigate to the airport. You can also use Find My to track items and report lost baggage from the boarding pass, and also view key services on an airline's app, such as seat upgrades and standby lists. Apple also announced that Wallet now uses Apple Intelligence to automatically summarize and display order tracking details from emails sent from merchants or delivery carriers. FaceTime Like Phone and Messages, FaceTime will leverage Live Translation to let people communicate with each other in different languages. When you're talking to someone in a different language, FaceTime will display translated captions so that the two of you can understand each other. Image Credits:Apple Photos After receiving significant user backlash for its Photos app redesign in iOS 18, Apple is bringing back a tabbed interface to Photos. In Collections, you'll find your favorites, albums, and the ability to search across your library. The Library tab makes it easier to scroll through recent photos. Image Credits:Apple The Photos app is also able to transform your 2D photos into 3D spatial photos. Camera The iPhone's Camera app will showcase the two capture modes you use most on the main screen: photo and video. To reveal additional modes, like Portrait Mode and Cinematic Mode, you can swipe your finger left or right. Image Credits:Apple To access other settings, such as flash, timer, aperture, and more, you'll now swipe up from the bottom of the screen. You can also change formats with a tap, which can be helpful when switching between HD and 4K resolution or adjusting the frame rate on video. Apple Podcasts Apple Podcasts is getting a new customized playback experience that will allow you to choose speed options, from 0.5x and 3x. The feature will bring listening experience on Apple Podcasts more in line with Spotify, which already lets you choose playback speed for podcasts. Image Credits:Apple Plus, Apple Podcasts is getting an 'Enhance Dialogue' feature that will use audio processing and machine learning to make speech more clear over background sounds. Image Playground Image Credits:Apple Apple is adding a ChatGPT integration to supercharge Image Playground. You'll be able to access new styles, such as vector art or an oil painting. Plus, you'll be able to tap the 'Any Style' option to describe exactly what you want. Image Playground will send the description or photo to ChatGPT to create a unique image.
