Apple OS 26: the new stuff that actually matters

Apple’s yearly keynote focused on its OS software is all wrapped up and what was expected to emerge as the most important software announcement for 2025 turned out to be precisely that: the new visual user interface its latest operating systems will be based on, Liquid Glass. That does not mean there are no new features offered by macOS, iOS, iPadOS, tvOS or watchOS, though – in fact, given how much attention Liquid Glass predictably attracted, there’s more new in the Apple OS 26 batch than what the company actually needed for a good software year. In terms of implementation quality it’s all still up in the air… but new features we definitely got.

Not all of the the Apple OS 26 features are noteworthy or even interesting, though, so here’s a quick rundown of the ones that actually matter: the ones that can and probably will make a difference in the way we use our iPhones, Apple Watches, Macs and iPads going forward.

Yours truly decided to focus on iOS, watchOS, iPadOS and macOS because (a) too few people own a Vision Pro and (b) tvOS basically got just enhanced Profiles and Karaoke this year. If rumors making the rounds about a new Apple TV model in late 2025 turn out to be true, it will be worth taking a look into its refreshed software side of things in that context. So, without further ado…

iOS 26 and watchOS 26 get handy features, quality-of-life improvements

Consumers owning iPhones as old as the 2019 iPhone 11 can look forward to a couple of handy new call features with iOS 26, namely Call Screening for managing incoming calls of unknown origin and Hold Assist for better handling automated services that put callers on hold. There’s also message filtering from unknown numbers, as well as Apple Cash support in group chats. The Camera app is greatly changed (we’ll have to see whether that’s a good thing or not for most iPhone users), parental controls are enhanced and… that’s about it, really.

For those interested in Apple Intelligence, there’s a single new feature worth mentioning: Live Translation. It does exactly what it sounds like for voice or messages and could prove quite useful in certain situations. Power users can experiment with Shortcuts taking advantage of certain AI features now but, when it comes to Apple Intelligence, the Foundation Models framework – which allows developers to tap into Apple’s machine learning subsystem in order to add functionality to their own apps – may very well end up being much more important than anything the company itself has so far offered on the AI front.

Apple Watch owners will enjoy some quality-of-life improvements for their devices too. For those who feel they’re getting too many notifications – that’s most of us – they can now dismiss those they don’t really care about by just flicking their wrist (it also works for incoming calls). Call Screening and Hold Assist also come to the Apple Watch – they do need a paired iPhone nearby – as does Live Translation for messages.

People into fitness may have already heard all about the virtual Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence and they either love it or hate it… so there. The rest of us will most probably have an easier time picking watch faces from the new Gallery, so that’s something!

iPadOS gets the royal treatment at last, macOS get turbocharged Spotlight

The Apple operating system getting the most useful upgrades in 2025 is easily iPadOS. The most popular tablets around will be able to do more come fall, as Apple finally decided to drop the act and grant them most of the capabilities expected of a modern computer: windows can be resized and placed anywhere, there can be multiple windows open on screen at once, Exposé allows for easy management of open apps, apps can work in the background (proper multitasking!), there’s even a menu bar available now in supporting apps.

Never has iPadOS come so close to macOS in terms of functionality than with this new version – it is as simple as that. It’s not the dual-boot approach yours truly still feels it would be the ideal way to use macOS on an iPad Pro for work, but (since Apple seems unwilling to ever offer that for all sorts of reasons) it will have to do. For many people, it will. Including improvements in external monitor connectivity, a seriously upgraded File Manager and seamless integration with Apple’s other productivity tools and communication services, iPadOS 26 may be the best software upgrade for any tablet, not just iPads. Yes, it is that impressive.

Compared to iPadOS, macOS got far fewer upgrades in version 26 but – truth be told – the ones it did get are quite interesting. Power users, for instance, will absolutely love the extended functionality of Spotlight, which is now able to search for practically anything and present results in a smarter, more useful way. It’s fully usable through Quick Keys, it can perform various actions from the menu bar of the current active app and even access the core functionality of third-party tools through the App Intents API. People already call this a gamechanger for everyday tasks or productive workflows and it can only improve over time.

Users of macOS 26 will also be able to tap into the most noteworthy 2025 Apple Intelligence feature, Live Translation, as well as enjoy enhanced Continuity functionality that now includes the iPhone’s full Phone app (plus information exchange between desktop and mobile in real time). Not bad, Apple. Not bad at all.

A new, common Games app for many Apple devices

One noteworthy addition coming to the iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV is the much-discussed, often-rumored, redesigned Games app. This can be thought of as the Apple equivalent of the Xbox app, bringing into the same user interface a player’s friends list and achievements, his/her game library and other games he/she may be interested in, as well as multiplayer functionality and even some editorial content.

This app basically does what Apple Arcade and Game Center used to do separately, which never made a lot of sense (the latter was not even easily accessible to begin with). It’s good to see Apple pay more attention to gamers’ needs and it will be interesting to find out whether that move just addresses gaming functionality shortcomings from a UI standpoint or is indicative of something more. Sure, the Games app may not exactly turn an Apple TV or an iPhone into the dedicated Apple games console many of us have been asking for, but it’s the next best thing – for now – so there.

All in all it’s fair to say that, as a whole, Apple brought a lot to the table this year in terms of new functionality for its popular operating systems – in the same year it introduced a new visual user interface no less. All that’s left now is 3-4 months of waiting in order to determine how well all of these additions and changes are implemented in the final version of what can be collectively called “Apple OS 26”. Cross fingers?