Exclusive: iOS 26 to bring new features for Messages, CarPlay, and more

Next Monday at 1 PM ET, Apple will unveil its biggest OS redesign since iOS 7, its biggest OS rename ever, and, lack of Apple Intelligence blow-away notwithstanding, a slew of welcome features and improvements across all its operating systems.

And while much of the spotlight will probably shine on the visual overhaul, 9to5Mac has learned that Apple has also been quietly preparing a handful of enhancements to everyday apps like Messages, Music, Notes, and even CarPlay. Some of which could be announced as early as next week.

By now, many of WWDC25’s headline features have been teased, leaked, or outright confirmed: a sweeping UI refresh, yet another push into gaming, and renamed operating systems across the board.

But behind the scenes, Apple has also been prepping a set of lower-profile enhancements that are bound to also make waves.

Based on information shared by previously-accurate sources, here are five features that have flown under the radar that could be announced as soon as iOS 26 next week.

Messages

Automatic translation

Thanks to AI, live translation is quickly becoming table stakes for modern communication platforms. And while Apple probably won’t be launching FaceTime instant dubbing like Google Meet or Microsoft Teams just yet, it’s working on the next best thing: automatic translation of both incoming and outgoing messages.

Granted, most users stick to familiar languages when texting, but this is the kind of feature that ends up proving useful when you least expect it.

Polls

Long, long, long supported by Telegram, WhatsApp, and Slack, Apple is working on adding support for polls to Messages. Apple is also testing integration with Apple Intelligence as part of this feature. For example, one possibility is that Messages could automatically suggest the poll structure based on the context of the conversation.

Music

Full-screen animated lock screen artwork

The Lock Screen’s Now Playing view got a notable facelift recently, with the maximized album artwork from the Now Playing widget tinting the entire interface.

Now, Apple is taking it a step further: animated album art, which is already a staple inside Apple Music. When it ships, this feature will animate full screen on the Lock Screen itself. It’s a small but stylish touch that makes the experience feel livelier.

Notes

Finally, Markdown export

Apple is working on supporting the ability to export notes in Markdown from Apple Notes, which is something third-party apps have supported for years.

Granted, this is a niche feature, but as a fierce participant in the niche, I can confirm: this is huge.

CarPlay

New UI to match iOS 26

And finally, our sources say that in addition to iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS, Apple is also planning to bring its UI overhaul to CarPlay. The extent to which the redesign comes to CarPlay remains to be seen, but Apple is working on multiple changes to match the new iOS 26 design language.

To many, this was a given, since every other OS is getting the new look. But Apple’s recent focus on CarPlay Ultra might have left some readers uneasy about the regular, non-Ultra CarPlay getting some love. All signs point to yes.

WWDC25: What to expect

Apple is expected to unveil major updates across all its platforms, including iOS 26, macOS 26, iPadOS 26, watchOS 26, and more. With AI reportedly playing a smaller role this year, the spotlight will likely fall on design refreshes, and long-time wishlist picks like better window management support on the iPad.

The keynote kicks off Monday, June 9, and 9to5Mac will feature full coverage before, during, and after the event. See you then!

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