iOS 26, iPadOS 26, watchOS 26 and macOS 26 introduce a bunch of latest options along with the Liquid Glass design makeover that can convey shiny, translucent concord to Apple’s software program ecosystem this fall. Nonetheless, not all of these superior options will make it to each appropriate gadget when Apple releases its next-gen working techniques.
In case you personal an outdated iPhone or Intel-based Mac, you’ll miss out on a number of enhancements. Right here’s a take a look at what received’t make the reduce.
Your outdated iPhone or Mac received’t get these iOS 26 and macOS 26 options
Apple didn’t speak a lot about Apple Intelligence throughout WWDC25 final week, when it launched Liquid Glass to the world. The corporate didn’t even introduce any main new AI options. Nonetheless, it did the following neatest thing potential: Apple built-in AI into lots of its apps.
Which means a number of new options in iOS 26, iPadOS 26 and macOS 26 received’t come to older iPhones and Macs, since they lack help for Apple Intelligence. For iPhones, solely iPhone 15 Professional fashions and the iPhone 16 lineup help Apple Intelligence. For Macs and iPads, fashions with an Apple M-series chip qualify, as does the iPad mini with A17 Professional processor.
Another options received’t make it to older fashions because of different {hardware} constraints.
Desk of contents: iOS 26 and macOS 26 options that received’t make it to older gadgets
AI polls and customized backgrounds within the Messages app
Screenshot: Apple
iOS 26 will convey two main enhancements to the Messages app: help for AI-powered Polls and customized backgrounds generated by Picture Playground. Since each options partially depend on Apple Intelligence, older iPhone fashions received’t acquire full entry to them.
You possibly can nonetheless make polls on older iPhones, however with out the AI options. Likewise, you can be restricted to selecting from considered one of Apple’s inventory photographs for the Messages app background.
AI-powered options within the Reminders app
Just like the Messages app, iOS 26 will add a few AI-powered options to the Reminders app. This consists of utilizing AI to supply options for objects so as to add to a reminder based mostly in your iMessages conversations and emails. Equally, the iOS 26 Reminders app can neatly categorize your process listing into totally different sections.
Since each these options depend on Apple Intelligence, they’ll solely come to iPhone 15 Professional or later fashions.
Genmoji and Playground enhancements
Genmoji and Picture Playground are solely out there on iPhone 15 Professional, M1 Macs and iPads, and later gadgets. Unsurprisingly, the enhancements coming to them in iOS 26 — the power to combine Genmoji and emoji collectively, and ChatGPT integration in Picture Playground — stay unique to those gadgets.
AI actions within the Shortcuts app
iOS 26 supercharges the Shortcuts app with AI-powered actions. Apple will assist you to instantly use the Apple Intelligence fashions “to supply responses that feed into your shortcut.” For the reason that enchancment depends on Apple Intelligence, it received’t come to older gadgets that don’t help Apple’s suite of AI options.
Lens cleansing warning
The Digital camera app in iOS 26 reveals a warning to wash your iPhone digicam lens when it’s soiled. Whereas a easy and much-needed function, it seems Apple will solely convey it to the iPhone 15 Professional and later fashions.
Dwell Translation
Picture: Apple
Dwell Translation is without doubt one of the massive enhancements in iOS 26. It robotically interprets textual content in Messages, FaceTime captions and the unified Cellphone app, breaking down language limitations in actual time. Once more, for the reason that function depends on AI to work, solely house owners of iPhone 15 Professional and newer fashions can take pleasure in it. On Macs and iPads, it would solely come to Apple Intelligence-compatible fashions.
Moreover, Dwell Translation in Cellphone and FaceTime calls will solely work for one-to-one calls. It is going to help the next languages: English (U.S., U.Okay.), French (France), German, Portuguese (Brazil) and Spanish (Spain).
3D Lock Display impact
iOS 26 makes the iPhone’s Lock Display extra vibrant by permitting the numbers that point out the time to dynamically adapt to the background picture and the encompassing area. There’s additionally a 3D impact whenever you transfer your iPhone round. Since this function is resource-intensive, Apple will solely convey it to iPhone 12 and later fashions.
Visible Intelligence enhancements
Screenshot: Apple
Apple Intelligence-powered Visible Intelligence is just out there on the iPhone 15 Professional and later fashions. Unsurprisingly, the Visible Intelligence enhancements in iOS 26 — the power to investigate screenshots and pull related contextual data — will solely come to iPhone 15 Professional and later.
AI order monitoring in Apple Pockets
Picture: Apple
Apple will use AI in iOS 26 to tug order monitoring data from the Mail app and present its standing within the Pockets app. For the reason that function depends on Apple Intelligence, it will likely be out there on the iPhone 15 Professional and newer fashions.
Wrist flick gesture in watchOS 26
watchOS 26 introduces a brand new wrist flick gesture for the Apple Watch, enabling you to dismiss incoming notifications and calls, and silence timers or alarms. The function depends on machine studying and information from the gadget’s accelerometer and gyroscope.
Apple will convey the brand new wrist flick gesture to the identical Apple Watch fashions that help the double-tap gesture: Apple Watch Collection 10, Apple Watch Collection 9 and Apple Watch Extremely 2.
Older iPhones will miss out on extra iOS 26 options, too
Apple will preserve including new options to iOS 26 in future level releases. And just like the options talked about above, most of them received’t come to older iPhones. This probably consists of the improved, AI-powered Siri, now slated to arrive someday in 2026 after a number of delays.
Apple additionally may introduce sure new iOS 26 options solely for the iPhone 17 lineup when it launches this fall.
