Podcast Summary: Hands-On Apple 200: New Messages Features in iOS 26

Host: Micah Sargent
Podcast: All TWiT.tv Shows – Hands-On Apple
Episode: 200 – New Messages Features in iOS 26
Date: September 18, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Micah Sargent explores the newest features introduced to the Messages app in iOS 26. The focus is on practical demonstrations and tips for customizing conversations and improving user experience in Messages, including new conversation backgrounds, built-in polls, spam filtering, and notification enhancements. The episode provides hands-on guidance and commentary, helping listeners quickly get acquainted with the most visible and useful changes in Apple’s latest update.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Launching iOS 26 and Messages App Updates

[02:11]

• iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and related updates are available.
• Micah wants to spotlight Messages first, as it's a highly used app that immediately exposes users to some of the most notable interface and functionality changes.

"But when I thought about one of the first places that you're likely to sort of interact with the system... It is in the Messages app." — Micah Sargent [02:25]

2. The Updated Contact Info Page

[03:00]

• Tapping the arrow next to a contact's name in Messages now surfaces a more robust Info page:
  • Quickly edit contact details without leaving the app.
  • Access shortcuts to call, FaceTime, and email.
  • Hide alerts and send/read receipts can be toggled easily.

3. Conversation Backgrounds

[04:50]

• Major Visual Change: Users can now personalize chat backgrounds for individual conversations.
• Customization Options:
  • Set any photo from your library.
  • Choose from several Apple-designed colors and gradients:
    • Options include mango, ice, plum, deep sea, green apple, cherry, bubblegum, tangerine, magenta, lime, silver, carbon, stone.
    • Gradient themes: sky (dusk, haze, sunset, clear, sunrise, dawn), water (light, dark), aurora (green, purple, pink).
    • Create custom gradients by adjusting lighter and darker tones.
  • Apply photo filters: natural, black & white, duotone, color wash (mirroring lock screen options).
• Live Demo: Micah sets a black-and-white photo taken at Coit Tower in San Francisco as his chat background.

"Now there are backgrounds for your messages... I really like that black and white." — Micah Sargent [06:03]

• The background remains visible during messaging, and the UI’s new “liquid glass” look dynamically adjusts to what's on screen.

4. Built-In Polls for Group Decisions

[07:20]

• New native feature allowing users to create polls inside iMessage threads.
• Example: Quickly poll friends on where to eat — options inputted in real time.
• Poll participants can vote, and results update live in the chat.
• Option to view poll details and see who voted for what.

"Very excited to see this come to messages. It used to require a third party app to do, but... now that's built in." — Micah Sargent [07:34]

• Voting and poll management are intuitive, and the feature replaces the need for external apps.

5. Improved Spam Filtering and Notifications

[11:09]

• In Settings → Messages, users can configure new filtering options:
  • Screen Unknown Senders:
    • Hides notifications from unrecognized numbers, moving them to a dedicated “Unknown Senders” tab.
    • Helpful for minimizing spam or campaign messages.
  • Time-Sensitive Notifications:
    • Keeps important messages, such as verification codes, visible even if they come from unknown numbers.

"If you have not received a message from this before, but you’ve set up SMS verification codes... this is a great way to make sure that you still get those." — Micah Sargent [12:07]

6. Additional Settings and Filters

• Filter conversations directly from the Messages app via a new filter button:

  • View messages, unknown senders, spam, and recently deleted.
  • “Manage Filtering” option allows further customization.

• Conversation Backgrounds Toggle: Enable/disable message backgrounds globally.

• Photos Visibility Option: Control whether sent photos are immediately visible in chats.

• Show Contact Photos: Keep or remove avatar photos at the top of conversations.

7. Closing Thoughts

[13:37]

• Micah hints at more feature rundowns coming soon across iOS 26, macOS Tahoe, and iPadOS 26.
• Encourages regular tuning in for further discoveries and tips.

"There’s a lot in iOS 26... stay up to date with what's new as you kind of dig in yourself and begin to discover the new features." — Micah Sargent [13:45]

Notable Quotes

• "It's a really great way to edit your contacts without having to hop all the way into the Contacts app."
  — Micah Sargent [03:10]

• "The new kind of look and feel of iOS 26 with the liquid glass sort of adjusts itself around what you have on screen..."
  — Micah Sargent [06:24]

• "Used to be you'd send a message to say: hey everybody, download an app and we'll all get into a poll together. Now that's built in."
  — Micah Sargent [07:38]

Important Timestamps

• [02:11] Launch of iOS 26 and jumping into Messages app
• [03:00] Exploring the new contact info page
• [04:50] Customizing conversation backgrounds
• [07:20] Demonstration of in-message polls
• [11:09] Updated spam filtering and notification settings
• [13:37] Wrap-up and tease of future episodes

Summary Takeaway

This episode offers a focused, hands-on exploration of iOS 26’s most significant Messages enhancements. From expressive conversation backgrounds and practical polling to improved spam management, Apple is turning Messages into a more customizable, organized, and user-friendly experience. Micah’s walkthroughs and commentary make it easy for listeners to immediately try out these features and optimize their messaging habits for Apple’s new software era.