Apple's Intelligence features in iOS 26, MacOS 26 and iPadOS 26
Apple Intelligence - Beta
Apple has released Developer Beta versions of its iOS 26, MacOS 26 and iPadOS 26 operating systems. Apart from the new numbering scheme which has jumped from 18 to 26 to reflect the year when the OS is going to be released in its final form, the new OS has lots of Apple Intelligence features which I’ll try to touch in this post. It also has lots of non-AI improvements, but I will not deal with them.
Visual Intelligence
In this new version, Visual Intelligence can be used on screenshots, rather than on the image on the camera. One can do a Google search on an object visible and selected on the screenshot, or one can ask ChatGPT about the scene on the screenshot.
Visual Intelligence can now identify other types of objects from a screenshot or on camera, notably artwork, books and other objects. If a user highlights an object on screen by drawing around it with a finger then the search is about the highlighted object. It can also detect events and suggest to add them to your calendar.
Live Translation
Apple can now provide Live Translation over its communication apps, namely in Messages, Phone and FaceTime. I must emphasise that Apple does not use the on-device LLM for this, but rather uses its own speech and translation libraries.
Shortcuts
Apple Shortcuts can now include commands which can use the Generative AI features available, thus it is possible to automate image generation, text generation, on and so on.
Improvements in Genmoji and Image Playground
Enhances existing Apple Intelligence image tools with the ability to mix emoji together, customize generated characters, and access ChatGPT-powered style options including anime, oil painting, and watercolor effects.
In addition to the three main styles of images available in Image Playground\ one can select different styles available in ChatGPT and use it. The number of images created without a ChatGPT account is limited to one per day and otherwise it is limited by your ChatGPT account rules. It must also be noted that asking ChatGPT to create the image can take a bit of time depending on whether you have a subscription and the type of subscription (determining your quotas etc.)
Here is an oil painting generated from a photo of the author.
Image Playground can generate Genmoji now, previously this was only possible in the Messages app.
The overall quality of image generation is much better in iOS/MacOS 26 as compared to their previous versions.
Order Tracking
Apple Wallet can now scan emails to find order and tracking information, arranges these in a separate section in the application. I did not have a chance to try it, since my Wallet did not find any information, partly as I can not use ApplePay in Turkey (although Apple claims the functionality works for all orders, not just orders paid through ApplePay.
New Languages
Starting this fall, Apple Intelligence will be available for more languages including Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese.
Siri
Unfortunately, most improvements with Siri, which would really integrate AI with Apple’s ecosystem, are delayed to a future release, potentially a 26.2 or 26.3 release later this year. With Apple’s alleged buyout talks with Perplexity, this part is still uncertain.
Programming
One notable improvement in this version is that Apple has now opened their models and libraries to developers. So it will be possible to include AI actions in your own applications, using the on-device model that seems to have got better in this version. I am working on the changes and will have separate posts about this more relevant for developers.