Just as marketers finally adapted to the changes introduced in Apple’s iOS18 – especially around Apple Mail and Apple Intelligence – another wave is coming. Apple has officially announced that iOS26 will launch in September 2025.

First Off, Why iOS26 and Not 19?

Apple is aligning their software numbering with calendar years moving forward. iOS26 reflects the release year (2025), not a sequential update. Expect features to roll out in phases, like iOS18, so not everything will hit right away in September.

What’s New in iOS26?

Apple is introducing a range of updates, rolling out in phases starting September 2025:

• Fresh Look & Smarter AI – A redesigned Liquid Glass interface, dynamic screens, and new Apple Intelligence features like live translation, visual search, Genmoji, and automation tools.
• Messaging Upgrades – AI-powered call screening, smarter spam filtering, new group chat polls, typing indicators, and the upcoming “Unknown Senders” change.
• App & Device Enhancements – A dedicated Games Hub, revamped Camera, Photos, and Safari apps, plus performance boosts with Adaptive Power Mode.
• Accessibility & Compatibility – Expanded reading tools, braille support, audio personalization, and assistive controls; supported on iPhone 11+, with advanced AI reserved for newer models.
  

Why Marketers Should Pay Attention

The biggest impact for marketers will likely be on SMS performance. A new message-screening update could reduce double opt-ins, particularly from desktop popups that rely on shortcodes.

What’s Changing with Message Screening?

Apple is redesigning how messages from unknown senders are handled:

• This feature will not be turned on by default - it has to be opted-in to in settings
• Messages from numbers a user has never saved to contacts or replied to will be placed in a new “Unknown Senders” folder – which will be tucked away in the top corner of the Messages app.
• These messages will not trigger push notifications. The exception to this is time sensitive messages (or if the user has toggled those notifications on).
• Once the user replies, adds the contact to their address book or manually marks the sender as known, messages will move back to the “Known Senders” bucket.

This is especially critical for SMS marketers who rely on users replying “Y” to confirm double opt-in via shortcode. If the message gets buried in the “Unknown” folder, opt-in rates may drop.

How Should Marketers Prepare?

Here’s what Listrak recommends to stay ahead:

• Update desktop popups to notify users they may need to check their "Unknown Senders" folder for the confirmation message.
• Use tap-to-join on mobile with keyword/keyphrase opt-ins. This behavior ensures messages are automatically bucketed as “known.”
• Ensure Welcome Series messages give a contact card so the user can add the brand to their address book.
• Revisit your opt-in window. Consider extending the timeframe in which users can confirm, accounting for potential message visibility issues.
  

Other Updates Marketers Should Watch

• Message summarization will continue to evolve with Apple Intelligence. This may impact how SMS content and email pre-headers are displayed.
• UTM parameters may be stripped from Mail and Messaging apps in private browsing modes. Listrak has not seen this in beta yet, but it’s one to monitor.
  

Stay Tuned

‍With members of our team enrolled in the iOS26 beta, Listrak is actively testing these new features and monitoring changes in real time. We’ll continue updating this post as functionality rolls out, so check back for the latest insights and recommendations leading up to the official September 2025 launch.