iOS Today 756

Apple just dropped the biggest design overhaul since iOS 7, and hosts Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard dive deep into everything announced at WWDC 2025, from the stunning "liquid glass" interface to game-changing iPad features that finally make it feel like a real computer.

• Liquid Glass Interface - Biggest visual redesign in many years! Translucent elements, enhanced lighting effects, and improved visual hierarchy
• Design Principles - Built around hierarchy, harmony, consistency, layering, depth, and vitality for a more expressive user experience
• Visual Effects - Enhanced Control Center with peek-through background visibility and ghostly transparent aesthetic

Apple Intelligence Levels Up

• Live Translation - Real-time translation in Messages, FaceTime, and Phone calls running entirely on-device for privacy
• Visual Intelligence Expansion - Now works with screenshots and integrates with third-party apps like Etsy for product searches
• ChatGPT Integration - Enhanced Image Playground functionality with ChatGPT support across the platform

Carplay & Music Updates

• Message Improvements - Tapback support directly in CarPlay without needing CarPlay Ultra
• Widgets Integration - CarPlay now supports widgets for enhanced navigation and app experiences
• Apple Music Features - Auto Mix with crossfade and beat matching, plus lyric translation for foreign language songs

Phone App Overhaul

• Call Screening - System asks unknown callers for their name and reason before connecting you
• Hold Assist - Automatically waits on hold and notifies when a human agent returns to call
• Unified Interface - Streamlined call history and contact management in a single interface

Gaming & Social Features

• Apple Games App - New dedicated hub for Apple Arcade with recommendations and social "Play Together" features
• Game Library - Comprehensive view of installed games with play history and activity tracking

Messages Upgrades

• Built-in Polling - Native poll creation with expandable voting options and visual participant tracking
• Custom Backgrounds - Personalized chat backgrounds, including AI-generated options through Image Playground
• Group Payments - Apple Cash support for splitting expenses in group chats
• Smart Filtering - Automatic separation of unknown sender messages into a dedicated folder

Apple Watch Enhancements

• Gesture Controls - New wrist flick gesture to dismiss notifications and return to watch face
• Configurable Widgets - Enhanced customization options for watch complications and widgets
• Integration Features - Seamless connection with iPhone's hold assist and other new iOS features

Accessibility Advances

• System-wide Reader - Enhanced reading experience across all apps and interfaces
• Braille Improvements - Better support for connected Braille displays on iPhone
• Enhanced Features - Updates to Live Listen, background sounds, and Personal Voice capabilities

iPadOS 26 

• Mac-Style Windows - Red, yellow, green window control buttons finally come to iPad
• Default Apps - Set specific applications to open different file types automatically
• Preview App - New system app for viewing and annotating PDFs and images
• Folder Customization - Color-coded folder system across Files app (also coming to Mac)
• Background Processing - Computationally intensive tasks can run in the background with progress indicators
• Pro Features - Local audio/video recording capabilities and enhanced multitasking

Shortcuts Corner

• Mac Automations - Shortcuts automations are finally coming to macOS with focus mode triggers and system integrations
• Messages Actions - New actions to find conversations by name/date and search messages by content, date, and other criteria
• Mail Integration - Enhanced email search capabilities for automated workflow processing
• AI Integration - New "Use Model" action allows direct integration of Apple Intelligence and ChatGPT into shortcut workflows with customizable output formats

App Caps

• Hidden Folks+ - Interactive search-and-find game now on Apple Arcade where you tap to open doors, grow plants, and discover hidden characters in detailed illustrated scenes with clever environmental interactions.
• Airalo - eSIM travel app offering affordable international data plans to avoid expensive roaming charges, with options for individual countries, regional passes, and global coverage.

 

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• Transcripts: iOS Today 756 Transcript

Links

• Apple elevates the iPhone experience with iOS 26 - Apple
• iPadOS 26 introduces powerful new features that push iPad even further - Apple
• Apple Intelligence gets even more powerful with new capabilities across Apple devices - Apple
• Apple introduces a delightful and elegant new software design - Apple
• WWDC25: The Bento Boxes - 512 Pixels
• Hidden Folks+
• Airalo