4 new apps released with iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 that everyone should know about

Apple releases major updates for iOS and iPadOS every year. Some years, these updates focus on subtle improvements that keep the system running smoothly and efficiently. Meanwhile, other years they bring an interface overhaul for a visual overhaul as well as new features to improve the device’s capabilities. This year’s updates fall into the latter category, with a major design change called “Liquid Glass,” which adds glass-like transparency to UI elements.

This visual overhaul comes with a series of notable updates. For starters, iOS 26 brings many features to iPhone that Android has had for years, such as call screening, support on hold, charging time estimates, and adaptive power mode. Additionally, Apple includes some cool features in iOS 26 that you should check out after updating your iPhone. Likewise, iPadOS 26 introduces many useful features that bring the iPad closer to being a MacBook alternative. But it doesn’t stop there; iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 also get many new apps that expand the functionality of your iPhone and iPad without requiring you to download third-party apps. You will get these apps automatically as soon as you update your iPhone or iPad to iOS 26 or iPadOS 26, respectively. If you deleted one of these apps after updating, you can download it again from the App Store.

It’s possible to make and receive phone calls on an iPad by taking advantage of your iPhone’s cellular connection through Apple’s Continuity feature. However, the experience wasn’t as smooth as using a dedicated app, like on an iPhone. Apple realized this and introduced the Phone app for the iPad. Although the Phone app doesn’t turn your iPad into a standalone calling device (it routes the call through your iPhone), it provides a more comprehensive experience, allowing you to make and receive calls, access call history, and listen to iPhone voicemails.

Similarly, Apple updated the Phone app for iPhone with iOS 26. It is identical to the Phone app for iPad, with a revamped interface that offers a new optional unified layout merging the Favorites, Recents, and Voicemail tabs into a single Calls tab for a streamlined experience. If you still prefer the Classic tabbed interface, you can switch at any time. Simply tap the three-dot button in the upper right corner and select “Classic”.

The Phone app on iPhone and iPad also offers many other useful features. Call screening filters calls from unknown numbers to help you avoid distractions and combat unwanted calls. Then there is Hold Assist. As the name suggests, this feature triggers when you are put on hold and notifies you when a live person is detected on the other end of the line. Finally, you have Live Translation, which provides real-time translation of conversations during ongoing calls to facilitate multilingual communication.

For the longest time, previewing, editing, and annotating documents on an iPhone or iPad required using Files, a free app from Apple that came pre-installed on both operating systems. Files managed to do a decent job, but because it’s essentially a file manager – primarily designed to simplify viewing and managing files – it lacked advanced features. Therefore, you had to download and use third-party apps to accomplish your tasks.

To solve this problem, Apple introduced the macOS Preview app on iPhone and iPad. Preview serves as a central hub for all your images and documents scattered across folders in the Files app, including iCloud and other online locations, and comes with built-in tools to help you easily edit and annotate them. Additionally, Preview contains several additional features to help scan documents, fill out forms, sign documents, change file formats, optimize file sizes, and password protect documents. Likewise, it supports Quick Actions, just like the Files app, which allows you to quickly rotate images, convert images to different formats, remove backgrounds from images, and create PDFs from images.

The preview is easy to use on an iPhone and iPad. Open the app and it will show you all your files. Use the left sidebar to navigate to different locations. Tap a file to preview it, then tap the appropriate buttons on the screen to access and use the tools you want. On iPads, you can use an Apple Pencil to accurately annotate, draw, and edit PDFs and images.

Journal is Apple’s version of popular journaling apps that you can use to record your thoughts, feelings, and experiences about your daily life. While it was first released on iPhones with iOS 17.2, the iPadOS 26 update finally brings it to the iPad, which is ideal if you like to reflect on your life every day, since you now have a bigger screen to work on. Like other apps, Journal supports rich entries, meaning your entries aren’t limited to text; you can also add drawings, music, photos and audio recordings. Additionally, external keyboards and Apple Pencil are supported, helping you create effortless input and get more creative with handwritten text and drawings.

Getting started with Journal on an iPad is easy. Open the app and follow the on-screen instructions to set it up. You will be signed in to the same Apple account as your device. If you already use Journal on your iPhone, you’ll see your existing entries here. Browse the list and tap an entry to open it. To create a new entry, tap the “+” in the upper right corner, add a title and start typing. When you want to add a drawing, tap the pencil icon in the upper right corner and use the appropriate tools. If you share your iPad with someone, consider locking the Journal app to limit access. From the main screen, tap the three-dot menu in the left sidebar and select “Lock Log”. Type your password and enable the “Lock Log” option.

Gaming on iPhone or iPad has long felt fragmented and disorganized, often requiring you to navigate to Home screens, the App Store, or Game Center to launch installed apps or explore new titles. The Games app in iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 fixes this issue. It acts as a home for everything gaming, giving you easy access to your currently and previously installed games, in addition to game suggestions and social challenges all in one place. The app also displays major events and updates for your games, ensuring you are up to date with the latest information.

The games are easy to navigate and use. As soon as you launch the app, you are greeted by the Home tab, which features live events, existing game updates, and upcoming games. It also shows personalized game recommendations based on what you and your friends are playing. Here you can tap any installed game to access it or tap a suggestion and tap the download icon to download the game. Then there is the Arcade tab which gives you access to the entire Apple Arcade catalog, the Friends tab to play multiplayer games and complete challenges with your friends, and the Library tab to view all your games, achievements and other related information. The best part? Apple Games supports third-party game controllers, so if you have a compatible controller, you can use it to navigate the app and launch games directly.