TLDR;
Ellen's Tips for iOS provides a comprehensive overview of the iOS 26 update for iPhones, highlighting key features and changes beneficial for seniors. The update includes a new "liquid glass" design, simplified phone and messaging apps, enhanced photo organization, adaptive power mode for extended battery life, improved accessibility features, and the introduction of Apple Intelligence for smarter functionalities like live translation. The video also offers practical tips on adjusting settings for better visibility and comfort.
- New "liquid glass" design with smoother, rounded interfaces.
- Simplified phone and messaging apps with better spam filtering.
- Enhanced photo organization and search capabilities.
- Adaptive power mode for extended battery life.
- Improved accessibility features for vision and hearing.
- Introduction of Apple Intelligence for live translation and other smart functionalities.
Intro [0:00]
Ellen from Ellen's Tips for iOS introduces a detailed overview of the new iOS 26 update for iPhones. The update brings exciting features, changes to familiar apps, and a fresh new look. The video aims to highlight the most useful aspects for seniors and suggests immediate settings adjustments.
Liquid Glass [0:29]
The new iOS 26 design, termed "liquid glass," features smoother interfaces with rounded corners and transparent menus. While modern and stylish, these changes may affect readability. To improve clarity, users can adjust text size and enable bold text in the settings. The app library and notification center exhibit increased transparency, which can be modified for better visibility via the settings app. The pointer has been changed from a circle to an actual pointer.
Phone and Messages app [2:11]
The phone app has been redesigned for simplicity, making recent calls, contacts, and voicemails easier to access. Users can find their most frequent contacts without difficulty. The upper right corner menu offers options for classic or unified views, direct access to missed calls, voicemail, and spam. In the messages app, Apple has introduced new backgrounds and polls for group chats, with improved spam and junk filtering to sort out unknown senders more effectively. Users can change message backgrounds by selecting colors or images in the app settings.
Photos app in iOS 26 [4:23]
The photos app has been refreshed to offer cleaner photo grouping. Instead of endless scrolling, photos are now organized more efficiently, with easier navigation through albums. The search function is faster, allowing users to quickly find specific memories by searching for terms like "dog," "cat," or "beach." This update is ideal for managing family pictures and vacation memories without frustration.
Adaptive Power Mode iOS 26 [5:11]
Adaptive power mode is a practical update for seniors, automatically reducing performance when the battery is low to extend the iPhone's battery life between charges. While low power mode can still be manually activated, adaptive power provides an extra battery cushion without user intervention. This feature can be enabled in the battery settings, along with optional notifications.
Accessibility in iOS 26 [6:10]
Apple has enhanced accessibility features to aid users with vision, hearing, or those who need a simplified phone interface. Tools include a magnifier for small print, live speech for typing and having the phone read aloud, and adjustable color filters for better contrast. These options can be found in the accessibility settings, offering daily use improvements.
AI features in iOS 26 [6:55]
Apple Intelligence introduces smarter features to the iPhone, such as live translation of conversations during calls or in text messages. This feature helps bridge communication gaps when traveling or speaking with someone who speaks another language. Users can translate messages by pushing and holding on the text and selecting the translate option. Availability of these features depends on the iPhone model.
Take the time to learn iOS 26 [7:46]
Apple's app redesigns may require users to adjust to new button placements and layouts. If the new transparent design appears too bright, enabling dark mode or increasing contrast in accessibility settings can improve screen comfort. Dark mode and color tinting options are available in the customize settings, allowing users to adjust the screen to their preference.