GoKawiiliOS 26 overhauled one of the iPhone’s original and most iconic apps: the Phone app. While I’ve never enjoyed phone calls, two excellent new features make them a lot better in iOS 26—and have made me a big fan of the app.
Phone app was redesigned in iOS 26, but the best changes have nothing to do with the design
Apple doesn’t introduce big redesigns for apps very often. And its recent track record for major changes isn’t the best.
For example, iOS 18’s Photos redesign proved highly controversial, leading Apple to walk back some of the core changes. Similarly, iOS 18.2’s Mail app overhaul wasn’t the best received.
In iOS 26, the Phone app was the latest core app to get redesigned.
I don’t dislike the changes, but they haven’t exactly sold me either. After Apple’s experiences with Photos and Mail, I’m not surprised the company shipped an option to revert to the old Phone design right from the start.
But my indifference to the new design aside, Apple’s Phone app has become an absolute favorite update for me in iOS 26 thanks to two new features:
Call Screening Hold Assist
Call Screening and Hold Assist are both opt-in features, so make sure you have them enabled by visiting Settings ⇾ Apps ⇾ Phone.
Apple offers a few different options for screening, but I’ve chosen the ‘Ask Reason for Calling’ setting under ‘Screen Unknown Callers.’
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