Unveiling iOS 26: What’s New for the Latest iPhone Models?

Full Experience Limited to Latest iPhones

While the 3D effect on the lock screen will be available starting with the iPhone 12 (the photo reacts to the iPhone’s movements, creating an immersive depth illusion), you will need at least an iPhone 15 Pro to enjoy certain new features.

Indeed, although iOS 26 introduces a slew of updates, the majority of the advanced functionalities depend on Apple Intelligence. As a result, not all iPhones compatible with iOS 26 will benefit from these features. A minimum of an iPhone 15 Pro and, of course, models from the iPhone 16 or 17 range will be required. This decision reaffirms Apple’s strategy: to make its high-end models the only ones to offer a complete experience of integrated AI.

At Least an iPhone 15 Pro Needed for These Features

Highly anticipated, the real-time translation function in Messages, FaceTime, and Phone is the first to be affected. This year, Apple is taking a significant leap in real-time translation: Messages translates your conversations on the fly as you type, and FaceTime offers live translated subtitles. Even phone calls now benefit from real-time voice translation.

Also included are Message functionalities enhanced by Apple Intelligence (automatic suggestions for creating polls and the ability to generate custom backgrounds via Image Playground).

The same goes for new Shortcuts: generating images, automatic summaries, enriched responses… All these are new possibilities for automating complex tasks. And the intelligent suggestions in Reminders.

The Reminders app also leverages AI to suggest new tasks and automatically organize lists: recognizing items in your iMessages or emails, automatically grouping tasks by categories, etc.

Similarly, intelligent analysis of screenshots that extend Visual intelligence beyond the camera is involved. Now, taking a screenshot allows for instant analysis thanks to Apple Intelligence: recognizing a product for shopping, detecting a date to convert it into an event, etc.

Finally, the same is true for order tracking in Apple Wallet thanks to AI (the AI scans your emails to automatically retrieve tracking details, independent of merchants), the enhanced Genmoji and boosted Image Playground.

What About Other iPhones?

Users of iPhone 14 Pro or older will still enjoy many new features: the Liquid Glass interface, spatial scenes (animations that react to movements of the iPhone via the neural engine), updates to Apple Music, Safari, and the Phone app. However, the most advanced Apple Intelligence features will remain exclusive to Apple’s high-end models.

In summary, iOS 26 marks a significant functional division based on the power of the chip. And it confirms a growing trend: in the future, certain key iOS functions may require a more recent iPhone Pro to be fully accessible – which leaves the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus out in the cold!