iOS 26: Which features are missing on which devices

Unfortunately, every year it is “Standard OperationG Procedure” at Apple that not all new functions of a fresh iPhone operating system come to all devices that basically support it. With iOS 26, this is no different, as the group has now indicated in the small print. Allegedly, the lower processor performance of older devices is to blame. Graphic features are affected as well as AI, but also various convenience functions that could be assumed that they can easily run on years old iPhones.

Any AI only from iPhone 15 Pro

The topic of graphics in advance: Liquid Glass, Apple’s controversial new operating system design, comes to all cell phones that support iOS 26. These have been models since the iPhone 11 from 2019, plus iPhone SE from the second generation. The new 3D effect for the lockscreen, which can be turned on on request, requires at least one iPhone 12 (or SE 3). The new way to have screenshots analyzed using visual intelligence is reserved for newer iPhones – like visual intelligence itself. Without iPhone 15 Pro or newer, nothing works here.

The same applies to the new live translation in FaceTime, the telephony app and the news app. This is based on ON-DEVICE models for which a newer iPhone is needed. The new short commands with AI are also reserved for iPhone 15 Pro and Neuer, as well as the improved possibilities for genemoji and image-playground image generator (including chatt-support).

No background images for news

Apple also has two other new functions that seem to be related to Apple Intelligence, to iPhone 15 Pro or higher: Suggestions for memories including automatic reorganization plus packetracking for the Apple Wallet, which should now work with almost all programs. In the case of memories, Apple searches for suitable suggestions using Apple Intelligence, during Apple Wallet tracking, the system uses AI in emails to find tracking numbers.

Very annoying: Even the possibility of creating surveys in the news app and setting a background that other users also see is reserved for iPhone 15 Pro and Neuer. With the surveys, Apple justifies this with the fact that the system makes suitable suggestions from the news context using AI. Background images have nothing to do with AI – except maybe that Apple (also) enables Playground to create. iOS 26 is expected in September. A developer beta phase is currently underway, in July then A public beta test.