In Fall 2025, Apple officially released iOS 26. Following the major evolution of iOS 17, this update once again fundamentally transforms the mobile experience. With rapid advances in AI and semiconductor technology, iOS 26 is not just a “system upgrade,” but a deep integration of “visual design,” “intelligent interaction,” “productivity tools,” and “accessibility,” making the iPhone the central hub of every user’s smart life.

The most direct impression iOS 26 brings to users is a comprehensive enhancement of “intuition” and “personalization.” Powered by the robust Apple Intelligence platform, whether it’s instant translation, AI suggestions, custom wallpapers, or automation shortcuts, every feature is more tailored to individual needs. Notably, Traditional Chinese users can now also enjoy full system-level AI support, with significantly improved translation quality and conversational fluency.

In this article, we will go through the most anticipated features of iOS 26 by chapter, helping you fully grasp the highlights and practical scenarios of this upgrade.

The most eye-catching feature of iOS 26 is the brand-new “Liquid Glass” design language. Home and lock screen icons, widgets, and fonts all adopt rounded transparency and refracted light effects. When swiping app icons, liquid-like glowing ripples appear, and the wallpaper automatically adjusts its color temperature according to day and night, making the phone feel like a piece of breathing glass.

The lock screen supports full-screen dynamic effects such as weather particles, flowing starfields, and falling petals, and allows photos to be layered with dynamic scenes to create a unique personalized visual experience.

This time, Apple has fully unleashed the potential of “personalization”:

The most stunning feature is “3D Spatial Wallpapers.” With iPhone’s LiDAR sensor and neural network processing, the system can instantly convert 2D photos into 3D wallpapers with depth. When tilting the phone, the depth changes naturally—for example, a portrait subject “pops out” of the background, and landscapes show clear foreground and background layers, making the lock screen truly come alive.

Apple positions “system-level AI” as the core competitiveness of iOS 26. Apple Intelligence is no longer a standalone app but an invisible assistant integrated into every operation—from message understanding and email classification to smart suggestions and automation—emphasizing “privacy first.” All AI processing is done locally on the device, with no sensitive data uploaded to the cloud.

Users of Traditional Chinese can now also enjoy complete AI support, covering semantic understanding, voice commands, and image recognition. The system provides proactive suggestions based on usage habits, such as automatically archiving duplicate emails or recommending suitable reminder tags.

Cross-language communication has never been smoother:

AI is deeply embedded in daily life:

iOS 26 is not only a revolution in visual aesthetics but also a milestone in intelligent living and personalized experiences. From the Liquid Glass visual feast to the seamless integration of Apple Intelligence, and the comprehensive upgrades across entertainment, productivity, and accessibility, the iPhone is becoming more attuned to you than ever.