iOS 26: New Messages and Phone App Features Leaked Ahead of WWDC

Apple is planning to announce several new features for the Messages and Phone apps on iOS 26, according to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman.

In a lengthy report outlining his WWDC 2025 expectations today, Gurman said that the two main changes in the Messages app will be the ability to create polls, as well as the option to set a background image within a conversation.

9to5Mac was first to report that the Messages app would be gaining polls, allowing users to vote on questions and topics. It is a feature that has long existed in other popular messaging apps, such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Telegram.

Background images would add a personalized flair to conversations, and Gurman said that the images will automatically sync across Apple devices.

The new Messages features should extend to iPadOS 26 and macOS 26.

For the Phone app, Gurman said that iOS 26 will introduce a new view that combines favorite contacts, recent calls, and voicemails into a single, scrollable window. He said this new design will be optional, with users able to revert to the legacy interface.

iOS 26 and other software updates will be announced during Apple’s WWDC 2025 keynote, which begins on Monday, June 9 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time.

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