On September 23, Apple officially released the preview version of iOS 26.1 to developers, with the internal version number 23B5044l. The core highlights of this update include support for Apple Intelligence (Apple AI) and the AirPods real-time translation feature, as well as expanded language support. It also brings multiple optimizations to the system interface and applications.
Apple AI and Translation Capabilities Get a Major Upgrade
The highly anticipated Apple AI has added support for multiple languages in this update, including Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Traditional Chinese, and Vietnamese, further enhancing its global usability. At the same time, the real-time translation feature on AirPods has also seen a major upgrade, now supporting Japanese, Korean, Italian, and Chinese (including both Traditional and Simplified), making cross-language communication more convenient.
Optimizations to Interface and Application Experience
In addition to enhanced AI capabilities, iOS 26.1 also brings multiple visual and interactive improvements. The phone app's numeric keypad now features a new "liquid glass" design, offering users a more modern visual experience. In Apple Music, user interaction has been significantly improved, allowing users to quickly switch songs by swiping the song title, making music control smoother. Additionally, core applications such as Photos, Calendar, and Safari browser have also received visual updates, making the overall system interface more consistent and aesthetically pleasing.
This update is the first test version following the release of the official iOS 26 version on September 16. The official iOS 26 version is compatible with all 25 iPhone models starting from the second-generation iPhone SE. The latest iPhone 17 series and iPhone Air come pre-installed with the iOS 26 system.
