iOS 26: Which features are missing on which devices
Apple has published a list of which new functions will be available on which iPhones under iOS 26. Some of it seems arbitrary.
Innovations in iOS 26.
(Image: Apple)
Unfortunately, it is standard operating procedure at Apple every year that not all new features of a new iPhone operating system are available on all devices that support it. This is no different with iOS 26, as the company has now stated in the small print. Allegedly, the lower processor performance of older devices is to blame. This affects graphical features as well as AI, but also various convenience functions that could be assumed to run smoothly on iPhones that are years old.
Any AI only from iPhone 15 Pro onwards
The topic of graphics first: Liquid Glass, Apple's controversial new operating system design, is coming to all phones that support iOS 26. These are models since the iPhone 11 from 2019, plus iPhone SE from the second generation. However, the new 3D effect for the lock screen, which can be turned on if desired, requires at least an iPhone 12 (or SE 3). The new option to analyze screenshots using Visual Intelligence is reserved for newer iPhones – as is Visual Intelligence itself. Without an iPhone 15 Pro or newer, nothing will work here.
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The same applies to the new live translation in FaceTime, the Telephony app and the Messages app. This is based on on-device models that require a newer iPhone. The new shortcuts with AI are also reserved for iPhone 15 Pro and newer, as are the improved options for Genmoji and Image Playground image generators (including ChatGPT support).
No background images for messages
Apple has also restricted two other new features that appear to be related to Apple Intelligence to iPhone 15 Pro or later: Suggestions for reminders including automatic reorganization plus package tracking for Apple Wallet, which should now work with almost all shipments. For reminders, Apple uses Apple Intelligence to find suitable suggestions, while for Apple Wallet tracking, the system uses AI to look through emails to find tracking numbers.
Very annoying: Even the option to create surveys in the Messages app and set a background that other users can also see is reserved for iPhone 15 Pro and newer. Apple justifies this with the fact that the system uses AI to provide suitable suggestions from the message context. However, wallpapers have nothing to do with AI – except perhaps that Apple (also) enables Image Playground to be created here. iOS 26 is expected in September. A developer beta phase is currently underway, followed by a public beta test in July.
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