New features include AutoMix and updates to Lyrics in Apple Music; preferred routes and Visited Places in Apple Maps; easy-to-track orders with Apple Intelligence in Apple Wallet; the introduction of Digital ID; and more
With the release of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, tvOS 26, visionOS 26, and watchOS 26 this autumn, Apple is bringing exciting new features and adding more intelligence across its services, delivering even greater everyday functionality to users. This includes an enhanced listening experience in Apple Music; easier navigation with preferred routes and Visited Places in Apple Maps; new ways to make and track purchases with Apple Intelligence in Apple Wallet; customised playback experiences with Apple Podcasts; a refreshed boarding pass in Wallet; the introduction of Digital ID; and more.
“Apple’s services are integral to many parts of a user’s day, and we’re excited to bring features that pack even more power and fun into their everyday moments,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Services. “These updates will help users better navigate and explore the world around them with Apple Maps, offer an enhanced Apple Music experience, elevate how they shop with Apple Pay and Apple Wallet, and so much more.”
“AI and machine learning are a core part of what makes Apple’s services feel so personal and intuitive to our users around the world,” said Jeff Robbin, Apple’s vice president of Services Engineering. “They love the ease and simplicity that intelligent features like natural language search and App Store review summaries have brought, and we’re excited to continue adding thoughtful, tailored experiences to Apple’s services — including AutoMix, which mixes songs like a DJ in Apple Music, the option to use Enhance Dialogue to isolate voices and make them sound clearer in Apple Podcasts, and more.”
Apple Music Introduces AutoMix, Upgrades to Lyrics, and More
Apple Music delivers an elevated listening experience with AutoMix, which mixes one song into the next, just like a DJ. Using AI to analyse audio features, it crafts unique transitions between songs with time stretching and beat matching to deliver continuous playback and an even more seamless listening experience.
This autumn, Apple Music brings Lyrics Translation, which lets users understand the meaning of their favourite songs, and Lyrics Pronunciation, which enables users to sing along when lyrics are in another language. The new features use machine learning to translate lyrics — with fine-tuning from language experts — to ensure the emotion, cultural context, and lyrical intent are fully preserved.
With Sing, the sing-along experience reaches a whole new level, allowing users to transform iPhone into a handheld microphone for Apple TV and have their voice amplified as they belt out their favourite songs with friends. And with real-time lyrics and visual effects that light up the screen, Sing reaches a new level of fun.
Additionally, users can pin their favourite music to the top of their Library in Apple Music for easy access.
Apple Maps Gets More Intelligent and Personalised with Preferred Routes and Visited Places
Apple Maps makes everyday life easier with new enhancements that help users navigate their preferred routes and keep track of places they’ve previously visited, all while protecting user privacy.1 iPhone can now use on-device intelligence to learn and understand the routes users take between the places they frequently visit, like home and work. The Maps widget then shows users a preview of their commute so they know what to expect before they leave, and commute notifications alert users of significant delays and offer alternate routes, even before their journey begins.
With Visited Places, users can allow iPhone to intelligently detect the places they visit and spend time in — like restaurants or shops — and they’ll automatically be saved to Maps. Users can search for places they’ve visited, and easily share them with family and friends. Visited Places are built with privacy in mind; they’re protected with end-to-end encryption, cannot be accessed by Apple, and can be easily removed with just a swipe.
A Customised Playback Experience with Apple Podcasts
Apple Podcasts delivers more customisation to the listening experience, including a wider range of playback speeds and Enhance Dialogue. Users will be able to find the perfect listening speed for them, with speed options from 0.5x to 3x, and save their preferred setting for each show. Using real-time audio processing and machine learning, users can turn on Enhance Dialogue to hear speech more clearly over background sounds.
New Ways to Track Orders with Apple Intelligence and Apple Wallet, and Make Purchases with Apple Pay
Apple Wallet now uses Apple Intelligence to automatically identify, summarise, and display order tracking details from emails sent from merchants or delivery carriers. This works across all orders, giving users the ability to see their full order details, progress notifications, and more, all in one place.
Additionally, Apple Pay expands the ability to pay with rewards and instalments to in-store purchases for added flexibility and choice. Users can view and pay with rewards — as well as access instalment loan offers from eligible credit or debit cards — when making an Apple Pay purchase in person with iPhone.
The ability to access instalments from credit and debit cards, including from pay-over-time providers, when making an in-store Apple Pay purchase will roll out in the U.S. with Affirm, Cash App Afterpay, Klarna, Synchrony, and U.S. Bank; in the UK with Monzo and Klarna; and in Canada with Klarna. The ability to redeem rewards for in-store purchases with Apple Pay will be available beginning in the U.S. with Synchrony and U.S. Bank.2
Send and Receive Money in Group Chats with Apple Cash
Apple Cash provides a convenient way for users to request, send, and receive money directly within group conversations in Messages, making it easier to settle up after dinner or pay friends back for concert tickets.3 Users can send money to an individual or request money from everyone in the group.
More Convenient Travel with a Refreshed Boarding Pass Experience and Digital ID in Wallet
In Apple Wallet, a refreshed boarding pass experience delivers rich, relevant information straight to users’ fingertips with Live Activities that offer real-time updates about their flights. For added convenience, users can also share their flight’s Live Activities so friends and family can stay up to date on their journeys.
Refreshed boarding passes also allow users to conveniently access Maps to navigate airports and explore local recommendations, all in one place from their pass; quickly use Find My to track important items and report lost baggage; view key services on an airline’s app, such as seat upgrades and standby lists; and more. Refreshed boarding passes will be available starting with Air Canada, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, Jetstar, Lufthansa Group, Qantas, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, and Virgin Australia.
Digital ID offers a secure and private new way for users to store and present their ID information using their iPhone and Apple Watch. Users can seamlessly create and add a Digital ID to Apple Wallet using a U.S. passport.
With REAL ID implementation in effect, at launch, Digital ID provides another way for users to conveniently and securely present an ID in person at select TSA checkpoints for identity verification purposes during domestic travel. Digital ID is not a replacement for a physical passport, and cannot be used for international travel and border crossing in lieu of a U.S. passport. Like all IDs in Apple Wallet, this new solution takes advantage of the privacy and security features already built into iPhone and Apple Watch.
Additionally, Verify with Wallet on the Web enables users to seamlessly and securely present their eligible driver’s license or state ID in Wallet to websites for age and identity verification, starting with Chime, Turo, Uber Eats, and U.S. Bank, as well as the Arizona MVD, Georgia DDS, and Maryland MVA.
Ready-Made Custom Plans Unlock Consistent Routines in Apple Fitness+
Custom Plans in Apple Fitness+ make it simpler than ever to follow a personalised schedule, automatically creating plans based on users’ workout and meditation preferences, including their top activities, durations, trainers, music, and more.
To keep users motivated, Stay Consistent provides a premade schedule of activities that matches their current routine. With Push Further, users receive a plan that increases the time of each day’s workout sessions — or even adds another day — making it perfect for those looking to challenge themselves. For anyone new to Fitness+, Get Started provides a ready-made plan built from selected interests or popular activities, giving users a helpful starting point. Additionally, Custom Plans are now centrally located in a dedicated Plans page.
A New Daily Puzzle Brings a Fresh, Friendly Challenge to Apple News+
Apple News adds Emoji Game to Apple News+ Puzzles, joining Crossword, Mini-Crossword, Quartiles, and Sudoku. Emoji Game brings to life one of users’ favourite ways to communicate in a fun and engaging way, with players challenged to use emoji to complete three phrases, with the goal of solving the puzzle in as few moves as possible. Users can share puzzles, track stats and streaks, and compete with others through Game Centre leaderboards. Emoji Game features a daily puzzle available in the U.S. and for English-speaking users in Canada, and can be accessed from the Following tab in the News app.
Apple’s services make everyday activities more personal, productive, and enjoyable, and these new features and additional intelligent updates continue to deliver thoughtful, tailored experiences to users across the globe.
Availability
The Apple Intelligence features detailed require supported devices, which include all iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPad mini (A17 Pro), and iPad and Mac models with M1 and later that have Apple Intelligence enabled and Siri and device language set to the same supported language: English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Japanese, Korean, or Chinese (simplified). More languages will be coming by the end of this year: Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (traditional), and Vietnamese. For more information, visit apple.com/uk/apple-intelligence. Features are subject to change. Some features may not be available in all languages or regions, and availability may vary due to local laws and regulations. For more information about availability, visit apple.com/uk.
Originally published at: Apple Newsroom
Source: zedreviews.com
