The Messages app isn't just getting a new look in iOS 26 — it's also picking up some new features. Here's what's changing from group chats to new capabilities.

Get early access to the new translucent design, the latest Apple Intelligence tricks, call-screening tools and other goodies.

The biggest news about iOS 26 is that it will undergo the biggest user interface redesign since iOS 7. We expect big changes to the way everything looks and behaves, from icons to the lock screen.

The public beta version might be buggy so -- when the time comes -- downloading on a secondary device is recommended.

With all that in mind, iOS 26 will be the most interesting thing coming out of WWDC 2025 for me. I'm a longtime iPhone user, and I'm already looking forward to the iOS 26 beta releases.

In the years that followed, Apple scaled back its over-flattening of the system, evolving toward what we have today. Now, that’s about to change once again. Why iOS 26 probably won’t be like iOS 7 ...

Apple is giving several core apps notable updates in iOS 26. In the Phone app, it's pulling together your recent calls and voicemails into a single tab, with your favorite contacts above those.

The move from iOS 6 to iOS 7 meant that the straight lines turned to curves further in, that is, the corners were, well, curvier. This time, perhaps the corners will change in the other direction.

The Messages app isn't just getting a new look in iOS 26 — it's also picking up some new features. Here's what's changing from group chats to new capabilities.