Apple Unveils Major Messages Update at WWDC25, Bringing Custom Backgrounds, Polls, Live Translation, and Integrated Payments
Apple announced sweeping enhancements to its Messages app during the Worldwide Developers Conference 2025, unveiling features set to debut with iOS 26 that focus on personalization, communication, and convenience.
Custom Backgrounds and AI Personalization
With iOS 26, users can now personalize their chat experience by setting custom backgrounds in conversations. These backgrounds can be dynamic designs, personal photos, or even AI-generated images created through Apple’s new Image Playground tool, allowing each conversation to reflect the user’s style or the mood of the chat.
Group Polls with AI Suggestions
A new polls feature enables users to easily create polls within group chats, streamlining decisions such as choosing a meeting spot or planning events. Apple Intelligence, the company’s on-device AI, can detect when a poll might be useful and proactively suggest creating one, making group coordination more efficient.
Live Translation Across Messages, FaceTime, and Calls
Apple is introducing Live Translation, powered by Apple Intelligence, across Messages, FaceTime, and phone calls. This feature translates text and audio in real-time, allowing users to communicate seamlessly across language barriers. In Messages, text is translated automatically as users type, while FaceTime offers live caption translation, and phone calls provide spoken translation for both parties. All translations are processed on-device to ensure privacy.
Apple Cash Integration and Enhanced Controls
Messages now supports Apple Cash integration, enabling users to send and receive payments directly within chats. Additional controls give users the ability to screen messages from unknown senders, who are placed in a dedicated folder until approved, reducing unwanted interruptions.
Broader Apple Intelligence Features
These updates are part of Apple’s broader push to infuse its ecosystem with generative AI capabilities. Apple Intelligence powers many of the new features, running primarily on-device to maintain user privacy. The enhancements aim to make communication more expressive, efficient, and secure for users worldwide.
The iOS 26 developer beta is available starting today, with a public beta expected next month and a general release anticipated in September.