iOS 26 to Bring Message Translation, Animated Lock Screen Album Artwork and Revamped CarPlay UI: Report

iOS 26 is set to be unveiled at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC 2025) next week, and details of the company's next operating system update for its smartphones have already surfaced online. Apple is expected to introduce a revamped design with the iOS 26 update, and a new report sheds some light on a few new features that could make their way to Apple Music, Messages, Notes, and CarPlay. iOS 26 (formerly expected to arrive as iOS 19) will be rolled out to eligible iPhone models later this year. 

Apple's Messages App to Add Support for Message Translation, Polls

Citing unnamed sources, 9to5Mac reports that Apple will introduce a new automatic translation feature on the Messages app when iOS 26 rolls out. It is said to automatically translate messages that are sent and received, and could come in handy while interacting with users who speak another language, especially while travelling. 

The Messages app is also expected to add support for creating polls, a feature that is already offered by rival WhatsApp. However, the company could also rely on Apple Intelligence to suggest options for a poll, by analysing the chat. As a result, it is unclear whether these features will be fully supported on older devices that lack support for Apple's AI suite.

Apple is expected to redesign its smartphone, tablet, and wearable operating systems this year, and the CarPlay experience is likely to get a fresh coat of paint. As per the report, Apple is working on redesigning parts of the interface, as per the publication.

The Apple Music app is also expected to introduce a cosmetic feature with iOS 26 — support for animated album art on the Lock Screen. The same animations seen in the Apple Music app will also be visible when the phone is locked.

Another small, but useful change that is coming with the iOS 26 update is support for exporting notes with Markdown. The Notes app on iOS 18 allows users to write in Markdown, and these notes will soon add support for exporting text along with Markdown formatting.

Previous reports have revealed that Apple is also expected to announce several other additions and changes when iOS 26 is unveiled, including a redesigned camera app, AI-powered battery management, and new Health and Gaming apps. We can expect to hear more about these updates when WWDC 2025 begins on June 9.