Still not seeing any reason to upgrade from my Xr either.
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Here Are All the iOS 26 Features That Require iPhone 15 Pro or Newer
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Without fancy pants Apple "Intelligence"
I'm pretty sure even an iPhone 5 could've suggested polls in messages... Some of these restrictions are so pathetic
The graphic overhaul is still limited to some devices. iPhone 12 does not get liquid glass highlight effects that move with gyroscopes.
Wild that you need an AI-capable iPhone to create a poll in messages. 
[Edit: would have been wild, but you don't if you are capable of thinking up your own poll voting choices]
[Edit: would have been wild, but you don't if you are capable of thinking up your own poll voting choices]
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Apple thinking it's still 2011 and people would run to buy a new iPhone just for some mediocre features... Timmy the Cook, the smartphone market has changed.
You can create polls without it, AI is only used to suggest poll choices based on context.Wild that you need an AI-capable iPhone to create a poll in messages.
Yep I just decided to test it before you posted, and see you are right. Wish I had done that before posting my pointless comment. It took like 10 seconds.
Hopefully, you can turn this bloat off. The only thing worth while is the reminders suggestions and organization from that list.
thank goodness I don't need to worry about these "features" in my life with my cranky iPhone 14.
With iOS 26, Apple has introduced some major changes to the iPhone experience, headlined by the new Liquid Glass redesign that's available across all compatible devices. However, several of the update's features are exclusive to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models, since they rely on Apple Intelligence.
The following features are powered by on-device large language models and machine learning, which require the advanced neural processing capabilities found in Apple's latest A-series chips. Here's what iPhone 15 Pro users and newer can expect from iOS 26 that older device owners will miss out on.
Users with iPhone 14 Pro and earlier models can still get to experience the visual refresh and many other iOS 26 improvements, but the new AI-powered capabilities remain limited to Apple's latest iPhone models.
- Live Translation in Messages, FaceTime, Phone – Provides real-time translation across Apple's communication apps, automatically translating messages as you type, displaying live captions during FaceTime calls, and speaking translations aloud during phone conversations.
- Shortcuts Actions with AI Features – Adds new Shortcuts app actions that tap into Apple Intelligence models, enabling users to create images, summarize text, and access AI responses within their automated workflows.
- Reminders Suggestions and Organization – Uses on-device AI to suggest new tasks and grocery items based on text found in Messages and emails, while automatically categorizing task lists into organized sections.
- Messages Background Generation and Poll Suggestion – Adds AI-powered poll suggestions for easy creation and enables custom background generation through Image Playground integration, beyond the standard background options available to all users.
- Apple Wallet Order Tracking – Leverages AI to extract order tracking information directly from emails in your inbox, eliminating the need for merchant participation in Apple's tracking system.
- New Genmoji and Image Playground Features – Enhances existing Apple Intelligence image tools with the ability to mix emoji together, customize generated characters, and access ChatGPT-powered style options including anime, oil painting, and watercolor effects.
- Visual Intelligence with Screenshots – Expands the camera-based AI feature to work systemwide with screenshots, allowing users to analyze captured content for shopping, calendar events, and more information gathering.
It's worth noting that the new Spatial Scenes effect might sound like an Apple Intelligence feature, but it actually uses the Neural Engine to create a spatially reactive version of a photo that animates as you move your device. The Spatial Scenes option is available in the Photos app and on the Lock Screen, but since it does not use Apple Intelligence, it's available on iPhone 12 and newer devices.
Article Link: Here Are All the iOS 26 Features That Require iPhone 15 Pro or Newer
I haven’t used Siri since its launch for various reasons, one of those Siri limitations ofc. And obviously I’m sceptical about Apple Intelligence being useful enough to justify an upgrade from my iPhone 14 Pro. Also not looking forward to the new aluminium iPhone with that ugly camera bump. And I’m still considering iPhone 16 Pro for USB-C and titanium body but it’s not enough of an upgrade. I guess I’ll wait another year or two 😅
Well… what I feared had become true… AI is just a magical excuse to make clients upgrade to the latest model for no real justification.
Come on… you need a PRO model for polls in messages? ridiculous on you Apple.
This was already for years a feature in fb messages, so I am not sure what happened here. Anyway, moving on to the next thing to hate from Apple
Come on… you need a PRO model for polls in messages?
ridiculous on you Apple. This was already for years a feature in fb messages, so I am not sure what happened here. Anyway, moving on to the next thing to hate from Apple
I'm surprised they haven't enabled live translation in Notes. This would be such a benefit for international students and instructors.
The ONLY thing on that list that I hate that I won't be getting is live translation. I'm incredibly bad at learning other languages, I can read French, and that's pretty much it, I can pick up a few words of spoken French, I know very, very little Spanish, and that's it. It would be incredibly handy occasionally. But since it's only in calls and messages, it's not nearly as useful as it could be, what would be way more useful is in-person live translation.
Or a 16 or 16e... The 15 Pro is the oldest model to support Apple Intelligence, all the iPhones released since, Pro or not, support the features.
I have a couple of questions, Tim (or whoever wants to answer):
1st: Is the spam calls feature, the ability to let the phone answer an known call and show you the transcript, available on devices without Apple Intelligence?
2nd: what happens when you have Apple Intelligence on your iPad Pro and your Mac, and not on your iPhone? What happens to… those grocery lists for instance? Or the messages background?
1st: Is the spam calls feature, the ability to let the phone answer an known call and show you the transcript, available on devices without Apple Intelligence?
2nd: what happens when you have Apple Intelligence on your iPad Pro and your Mac, and not on your iPhone? What happens to… those grocery lists for instance? Or the messages background?
I had my first order turn up this week, I ordered Rock Paper Pencil v3.0 directly from Astropad and the delivery info turned up in Wallet, that is the first time I've ever seen that feature.
The Live Translation might be interesting, although I mostly talk to people in languages I know, but I hope that it asks, before it starts translating. I live in Germany and my iPhones are set to German, same for Macs and iPads and web browsers, for example, will often try and automatically translate. It is the same with YouTube, I've seen a few English videos now, where the speaker's voice is replaced by a horribly fake sounding German voice, with YT, I have to select the original sound track on each video, there doesn't seem to be a way to disable it globally for certain languages...
My eyes .. omg
It's like someone vomited all over the iPhone screen.
🤮
Wallet tracking is already available. Whenever I buy something online with Apple Pay I get a notice of when the item is shipping. I don't see the added value of Apple Intelligence for this.
Oh hey, someone who obviously didn’t read the article.
Message backgrounds are on all phones, the only thing exclusive to the new ones is specifically AI generated backgrounds.
I have apple pay orders show up in wallet all the time. and siri already pulls movie tickets from mail to the calendar app, so it seems unlikely this feature actually requires the newest iphone.
I have a 15 Pro and the first beta iOS 26 runs like an absolute dog - but the first beta is always a bit rough!
"None of these Apple Intelligence features will work on your iPhone 14 Pro."
Don't threaten me with a good time.
Don't threaten me with a good time.