Apple iPhone Air screen
Prakhar Khanna
Apple’s latest iOS 26 beta update brings crucial tweaks to Liquid Glass, but you don’t need to install the beta to enjoy a host of new features. The stable version of iOS 26 brings a refreshed design, improved Apple Intelligence tools, and more.
As a freelancer who needs to proactively manage his time, Calendar and Phone are two of my most used built-in apps. And with iOS 26, Apple has made some tedious tasks easier to manage. The update may not yet include the major overhaul of Siri, but these two thoughtful additions are already making my life noticeably easier.
Call screening
Dealing with unwanted calls can be stressful and a waste of time. This is why I like the new call screening feature. With iOS 26, my iPhone can automatically handle unknown calls with iOS 26. Just go to Settings > Applications > Phone > Screen Unknown Appellantsand you will see three options: Never, Ask the reason for the callAnd Silence.
I selected Ask the reason for the callthen the telemarketers hang up, frustrated, before I even have to answer. And if it’s a real person who really wants to reach me, I always receive the message they leave.
However, Never is the default setting, which allows calls from unsaved numbers to go through and ring normally, while saving them as Recents in the Phone app. The third option, Silencesends calls from unsaved numbers directly to voicemail without ringing your phone.
Fortunately, call screening is not tied to Apple Intelligence, so it works on all iPhones that support iOS 26.
Visual intelligence for screenshots
Screenshots are now usable with iOS 26. I use Visual Intelligence for screenshots to save calendar invitations directly from my email app.
After taking a screenshot of an event invitation, Visual Intelligence suggests a “Add to calendar” fast. Tap it and an event is automatically created. You can either edit it or save it as is. The time and location are usually accurate, although the event name sometimes requires a quick change.
As someone whose work life depends on their schedule, this small change saves me from manually adding every event or embargo detail into the calendar, which can become tedious over time. Plus, these screenshots are automatically deleted once you’re done adding the event, keeping my gallery clutter-free.
Unfortunately, this feature only works on Apple Intelligence compatible iPhones.
iOS 26 may not reinvent productivity, but it definitely refines it. Between smarter call management and creating screenshot-based events, I spend less time on repetitive tasks and more on things that really matter. Sure, Liquid Glass is the headline feature, but these are the two features that actually make my life easier.
