rumors, features and what to expect

• 🍎 Apple should announce iOS 26 on WWDC 2025

• 📱 The next version of your iPhone software will adopt a brand new denomination scheme, according to rumors

• 🥽 It will have a completely new design which is similar to the appearance of visionos

• 🤖 The reports also suggest that there will be an AI battery manager, a dedicated game application, live translations via AirPods, improvements to health application, and more

• 👀 Here is what to expect when iOS 26 rolls around

Do not call it iOS 19.

This is the biggest rule in this year’s software upgrading for the iPhone. Instead, it’s called iOS 26Aligning on a new name of name that Apple would bring to all its software updates this year. It is to reflect the year after the release of the software, similar to the way car manufacturers ship their vehicles. This is one of the biggest announcements we are waiting for this year WWDC 2025.

Of course, iOS 26 does not stop with the name. Apple has a multitude of upgrades in the pipeline, most of which are among the most important in iOS history. From the new design to the advanced battery management to a more important accent on the game, iOS 26 could end up being the upgrading of the most monumental iOS of all time (at least since iOS 7).

We crossed the rumors and we collected all the most credible that we can find, as well as some on which we always scratch our heads. Here is what to expect from iOS 26 so far.

🪪 A new name. Apple abandons the version numbers for the years of exit when it comes to appointing its operating systems, according to a report of Bloomberg. It is intended to introduce more consistency and reduce confusion between consumers and developers regarding the latest version of each system. Throughout the range, we expect the company to announce:

• iOS 26 (Upgrade of iOS 18)

• iPados 26 (upgrade of iPados 18)

• MacOS 26 (upgrade of macOS 15)

• Watchos 26 (Upgrade of Watchos 11)

• TVOS 26 (TVOS upgrade 18)

• Visionos 26 (Visionos 2 upgrade)

Apple has already used years in its brand with software suites like Ilife, so change would not be entirely new for the company. However, this would be a massive change for Apple operating systems, as they are counting on version numbers for so long.

🍁 See you in September. Since each major version of iOS was published in September, we expect Apple to deploy iOS 26 in September to coincide with the exit from iPhone 17 series.

📐 More depth and shiny glass. Rumor has been said for some time that iOS 26 would get a massive overhaul, somewhere on the scale of the meaning of iOS 7. Each rumor we heard indicates that the overhaul will imply more depth in each user interface element to make it more alive, with glass effects that reflect light according to how you keep your phone. It is said that this refreshing aesthetic extends over the entire system and restructure part of the functioning of the iOS, from the menus to new gestures.

🥽 Very visionos. The new design will look like visionos, with round application icons and glass effects throughout. It is clear that Apple has prepared the field for its future with the Apple Vision Pro From the point of view of hardware and software, it is therefore logical to see iOS 26 fall online and adopt a similar appearance and sensation.

📲 Applications are also redesigned. These changes in the user interface will also affect a large part of the preinstalled applications in iOS. Some applications like Apple Privte already have elements of design that reflect the new aesthetic, so if it is something to pass, applications could have a mixture of old iOS and new iOS.

👀 bigger than we think. Although we planned a huge overhaul with iOS 26, rumors say that the overhaul could be even greater than we all think. This could fundamentally change the way we use our iPhones, although it is not clear what ways could involve. We will have a much better idea once we have heard Apple directly on the IOS 26 overhaul.

🙋 become more personal. Like each new software in 2025, iOS 26 will focus strongly on AI. Although Siri does not obtain the full upgrade of the Chatbot Ai that Apple has promised (the least not immediately), the assistant will become a little more personal by remembering specific information about you and what is on your device such as emails, files, photos, etc. In this way, you can ask him to draw specific things like your mother’s recipe for cookies or email you sent to your spouse last week. It can also be used to search for data in files, which could be a rescue rescue if you need to dig for your passport number in a photo.

📺 Screen and applications awareness. Siri could also understand what is on your screen in iOS 26. Similar to other AI assistants like Google Gemini, Siri could be upgraded with the possibility of understanding what you are looking at and remembering it later. It is also said that this supports more interactions with applications on your phone and finish several actions at a time. This could involve looking for the address of an Italian restaurant with five stars and sending the details to someone in an email, or ordering an Uber and sending SMS to your friend your ETA. We have already seen features like this with other systems, so Apple would play the catch-up if he manages to ship them with iOS 26.

❤️ The health application could have a taste. In addition, the Health application could be updated in iOS 26 with a new health coach fueled by AI to help you keep on the right track. For example, he could keep an eye on your heart rate trends and proactively show you videos on how to improve your cardiovascular health. Other fitness applications like Whoop offer similar coaches, while the health application simply shows you graphics and graphics on the data that your Apple Watch has collected over time.

🎮 A whole new house. The apple is According to rumors To take a swing on the game market by introducing a new game application aimed at highlighting all the games you can play on iPhone, iPad, Mac, etc. The application would have highlighted all the games available in the App Store, would offer editorial content and will present your statistics with your friends. He will replace Game Center and will serve as a central center for the game in iOS 26. With the Nintendo Switch 2 On the horizon, it is logical to see Apple try to compete more on the cloud game market.

🎧 Airpods could help translation. Airpods could get an upgrade with iOS 26 which allows you to speak to people in different languages ​​and to hear the conversation translated in real time so that you can understand it. Other headphones like Google Pixel Buds Pro have this functionality for years, so it would be a welcome addition to some of the most popular headphones in the world.

📸 A redesigned camera application. Apple could rethink the entire camera application with iOS 26. Not only will it get the new look inspired by Visionos, but it could also obtain a multitude of new features and a new provision. Some models have floated around the web of what it could look like, but it is so difficult to know what Apple will be settled on.

🖥️ A competitor Dex? One of the most questionable rumors we have seen is that Apple will face Dex with iOS 26. Connect a Samsung phone in a monitor and you can use it as a traditional desk, with floating windows and a task bar for your applications. With iOS 26, Apple could add a similar feature supplied by the stage manager, allowing you to connect to an external display on USB-C to use your iPhone as a large iPad. We do not know if this will really happen given the few leaks we have seen, but everything is possible.

🛜 🛜 Wi-Fi and esim upgrades. According to rumors, Apple has upgrades to Wi-Fi and ESIM with iOS 26. For Wi-Fi, it is said that you can configure connection details for public Wi-Fi portals on a device and have them automatically synchronize with other Apple devices. For Esims, rumors say that Apple will facilitate the transfer of an Android phone.

👤 Many accessibility improvements. Apple has already detailed A large part of the accessibility features that will be shipped in the next version of iOS. This includes a new experience in Braille, an accessibility reader to facilitate reading the content in the system, more parameters for background sounds, personal voice improvements, etc. Expect to know more when Apple announces iOS 26 at WWDC.

With the WWDC 2025 just at the corner of the street, we will have much more coverage on iOS 26 and the other Apple software upgrades in the coming weeks. Subscribe not to miss.

Max BUONDONNO is a shortcut editor. He reports on the latest consumption technology since 2015, with his work presented on CNN underlined, ZDNET, How-to Geek, XDA, Thestreet, and more. Follow him on x @LegendarySCOOP and Instagram @LegendarySCOOP.