Editor Backs 9 iOS 26 Features After 1 Year, Flags Gaps Versus Android
Updated
Updated · Tom's Guide · Jun 8
Editor Backs 9 iOS 26 Features After 1 Year, Flags Gaps Versus Android
3 articles · Updated · Tom's Guide · Jun 8
Summary
Nine iOS 26 features stood out after nearly a year of use ahead of WWDC 2026, with Call Screening, Hold Assist, the Spatial Scene lock screen and the revamped Camera app rated among the most useful.
Call Screening and Hold Assist earned the strongest praise because they cut spam interruptions and waiting time, while Visual Intelligence in screenshots and CarPlay’s new widgets and ChatGPT option improved everyday convenience.
Liquid Glass, initially criticized for hard-to-read transparency, won approval after Apple added opacity controls; the 3D lock screen effect was also highlighted as one of iOS 26’s most striking visual upgrades.
Android comparisons still exposed limits: Live Translation was judged effective but behind Google’s Pixel tools, and Apple’s Call Screening was seen as less robust than the Pixel 10 Pro’s equivalent.
With WWDC 2026 approaching, the review frames iOS 26 as a meaningful but uneven update and shifts attention to what iOS 27 could signal for future devices such as the iPhone 18 line and a rumored foldable.