Apple unveils groundbreaking iOS 26 features to tackle unwanted calls and hold music
- Apple revealed iOS 26 at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June 2025, introducing two significant features for better user experience.
- The Call Screening feature automatically answers calls from unfamiliar numbers, asking the caller for their name and purpose, displaying the responses as text.
- iOS 26 aims to enhance customer service interactions and reduce frustrations associated with unwanted calls and hold music.
In June 2025, at the Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple introduced iOS 26, their latest operating system for iPhones. This update brings significant improvements, especially to the Phone app, addressing key issues users face such as unwanted scam calls and frustrating hold music experiences. The new features, known as Call Screening and Hold Assist, aim to enhance user experience by automatically managing calls and waiting times. With Call Screening, iOS 26 can answer calls from unfamiliar numbers and query the caller, providing users with a text display of the answers, assisting them in deciding whether to accept the call. Hold Assist functions by detecting hold music during phone calls and can ask the user if they would like the phone to stay on hold for them. If agreed, the phone reduces the hold music volume, allowing the user to use their device freely until a live agent is available, notifying the user to return to the call. This handles two common annoyances effectively, improving customer service experiences significantly. Additionally, iOS 26 features a new user interface called Liquid Glass, designed to be responsive and visually appealing. The Liquid Glass interface adapts to the user’s environment by changing colors based on the content being displayed and switching between light and dark modes seamlessly. Apple executives described this new material as beautiful and delightful, which not only enhances aesthetics but also makes navigation smoother and more enjoyable. Apple CEO Tim Cook and other executives emphasized the importance of these enhancements in their keynote, aiming to create an engaging and interactive user experience with their devices. Supporting these new features, additional updates were announced, including AI-driven tools such as Live Translation and Visual Intelligence, which promise to transform communication and search functionalities on the platform. Overall, the unveiling of iOS 26 marks a significant step forward in Apple's commitment to improving its ecosystem and user satisfaction through innovative technology.