Hold on. Did Apple Intelligence just become… good?

Last month, I revealed that Google I/O’s AI announcements made me question my loyalty towards the iPhone. Android users are getting all sorts of next-level, sci-fi-like features, while Apple Intelligence on iOS has generally been underwhelming. That kind of changed this week.

WWDC25’s main keynote, as expected, didn’t really focus on AI advancements; I can’t remember Siri being mentioned once outside of the opening mea culpa. Nevertheless, Apple previewed over a dozen AI features—some subtle, others less so—coming to iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS 26. What stood out to me is that, while not as jaw-dropping as those we’ve seen elsewhere, these handy tools will fit into most users’ everyday digital lives. They’re useful rather than showy. I had an epiphany: Apple isn’t ahead or behind in the mainstream AI race, it’s running on a separate track.

Here are the AI upgrades from WWDC that you need to know about.

Live Translation

When Google previewed real-time translation in Meet during I/O, I was confident it would take Apple years to replicate it. I was so very wrong.

As of the launch of iOS 26 and macOS 26, users will get access to Live Translation in calls and messages. While the language pairs are currently limited, the feature works fully offline, making it faster and more private than rivals’ cloud-based approaches. Whether you’re touring a foreign country or helping out a visitor, this addition will make communication easier and more intuitive.

Call Screening

Another useful addition launching in September is Call Screening. This AI-powered tool automatically answers calls from unknown numbers, asks callers to identify themselves and provide the reason they’re calling, then neatly displays the information on your Lock Screen. You can decide whether it’s a call you want to pick up or ignore accordingly.

Spam filter

Similarly, the Messages app can now place texts from unknown numbers in a separate inbox—unless it detects time-sensitive content. So, for example, authentication codes and reservation confirmations should come through, but not random, irrelevant texts.

Hold Assist

Hold Assist is yet another AI-powered communication feature launching with iOS 26. Thanks to this handy tool, you can set your iPhone aside when put on hold, and it’ll automatically alert you once you’re connected to an agent. This spares you from wasting your time to wait in a digital queue.

Cleanup Recommendations

This year Apple is introducing Cleanup Recommendations for iCloud Mail. Similar to iOS 18’s email categorization feature, the tool scans your inbox and suggests ways to minimize the noise.

The tips include deleting old promotions, unsubscribing from mailing lists, and more. Instead of manually going through endless emails to delete unwanted content, the system can spotlight the likely culprits so you can take quick action.

Visual Intelligence 2.0

One thing I disliked about Visual Intelligence when it first launched was being limited to camera input. I often need to identify content on my screen, and the alternative was manually asking Siri to send my queries to ChatGPT. That was neither reliable nor intuitive.

With iOS 26, Apple is bringing Visual Intelligence to screenshots. As with Google Lens, you’ll be able to quickly inquire about on-screen matters without jumping through unnecessary hoops.

Reminders

Apple is also bringing the AI goods to the Reminders app. With this year’s releases, Apple Intelligence can recommend tasks you may want to add based on your emails and other indicators. It can also separate relevant items in a list based on their category. Given Apple’s acquisition of Mayday, it’s safe to assume that Calendar and Reminders will only get more powerful in future updates.

AI image generation

Image Playground’s launch last year was disastrous. From the questionable app icon to the nightmarish human animations, it just didn’t feel like a finished product. With iOS, iPadOS, and macOS 26, Apple has switched to a more presentable icon. More importantly, it has acknowledged its shortcomings by baking ChatGPT into the app. So you can now create more polished cartoons using OpenAI’s servers when Apple’s models disappoint.

Similarly, you can now tweak the appearance and facial expressions of humans in Genmoji stickers. This helps you get the exact look you’re aiming for, without needing to get too specific with the text prompt.

iMessage backgrounds

Speaking of AI images, iMessage’s new background feature lets you opt for artificially generated graphics. This lets you create unique wallpapers that match the vibe of a conversation. Hopefully Apple extends this useful tool to the system’s wallpaper in a future update.

Shortcuts

Another underrated yet extremely powerful new feature is support for AI actions in the Shortcuts app. You can use Apple’s Private Cloud Compute, on-device models, or ChatGPT to tweak text, get answers, generate images, and much more when building shortcuts and automations. While it may not mean much to casual users, the possibilities are truly endless for tech-savvier folk.

Apple Music

Spotify has long offered an AI DJ feature, and Apple Music appears to be heading down a similar road. iOS 26 introduces a new AutoMix feature that optionally replaces the traditional cross-fade lasting a preset number of seconds. Instead, the new tool analyzes songs in your queue and “crafts unique transitions between songs with time stretching and beat matching to deliver continuous playback and an even more seamless listening experience.”

Apple Music on iOS 26 similarly gets a taste of Live Translation, letting you view real-time English lyrics for foreign songs.

Workout Buddy

While the Apple Watch doesn’t generally get a lot of AI love, watchOS 26 does bring one exclusive Apple Intelligence feature to your wrist. Workout Buddy delivers motivational messages based on your previous exercises, health data, and achievements. This could push interested users to commit to their active lifestyles and aim higher during workouts.

ChatGPT in Xcode

Lastly, Apple is integrating ChatGPT into Xcode with macOS Tahoe. The feature could become invaluable for developers who need assistance with building and debugging. That’s not to mention that devs can now integrate Apple Intelligence into their own apps.

AI for the rest of us

Until a few days ago, I was quite skeptical about Apple’s AI efforts and overall direction. The company seemed clueless compared to the competition—especially after the Siri 2.0 delay. Now, however, I’m starting to see the bigger picture.

Apple is choosing to build AI features that make sense within users’ daily routines; they’re not wacky gimmicks that show off the power of an artificial brain. While Google and Samsung rush to overload their phones with AI, Apple is testing the waters with reliable solutions that cater to customers’ needs.

Siri in its current state is unfit for purpose. But AI is much more than just a chatbot—and a future release is bound to clean up its mess. All the company needs to do is release a dozen foolproof AI features per year, and Apple Intelligence on iOS will naturally mature and feel more comprehensive down the road.

Author: Mahmoud Itani, Contributor, Macworld