With the release of iOS 26, Apple introduces a groundbreaking Call Screening feature designed to revolutionize how iPhone users handle spam and unknown calls. Unveiled at WWDC 2025, this AI-powered tool automatically intercepts calls from unsaved numbers, prompting callers to provide their name and reason for calling before the phone even rings. By displaying a real-time transcript of the caller’s response, Call Screening empowers users to decide whether to answer or ignore the call, effectively filtering out robocalls, telemarketers, and potential scams. Building on iOS 17’s Live Voicemail, this feature processes everything on-device to ensure privacy and is set to significantly reduce the 3.3 billion spam calls Americans receive monthly, offering iPhone users a seamless, distraction-free experience.
Michael Burkhardt for 9to5Mac:
When an unknown phone call arises, your iPhone will no longer ring to you directly.
Instead, your iPhone will answer the call for you, and ask the caller for their name and reasoning. Ideally, this would deter a large number of spam phone callers, largely as the result of data brokers selling your information, and it’ll definitely reduce the number of times your phone interrupts you midday.
Robocalls have increasingly become a problem in recent years. Americans receive an average 3.3 billion spam phone calls every month, according to data from Truecaller. While the number of calls has been decreasing in recent months, it’ll certainly be nice to have your iPhone handle the process for you.
MacDailyNews Take: There’s going to be a lot of ignoring going on from iPhone users running iOS 26!
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I see AI mentioned in the description. Does that mean this feature will be available only on iPhone 15 Pro or later?
I would gladly train Apple AI all the way back to their servers if it meant not getting robocalls.
I so hope this is an option that I can turn OFF immediately. The last thing I need is “intelligence” other than mine deciding if I am going to pick up the call. Yet another reason to hang onto my iPhone 14 to avoid the erroneously-named “artificial intelligence”.
Yes. AAPL Mail can’t even determine consistently what belongs in “Junk.” I find in Junk emails with entities that I’ve dialogued for yrs and have posts currently residing in my Inbox. Set “Preferences” are ignored.
I’m still using my iPhone 12 and just set it to only ring if the caller is in my contact list and I never get spam calls.
This was clearly the most overlooked feature in the WWDC keynote. I was all excited when I saw this but the press didn’t mention it back when. I suppose it was because there were too many non-essential features and gadgets mentioned.
How about creating a master list to compare against, seems easier. and a button to easily tag the call and add to the list, eh?
Hopefully it will have a feature to tell the caller to go f*** off
I wish Apple would streamline text messages. When a junk text pops up, one click on a STOP button would send STOP back and then delete the text. TEXT responses confirming that the TEXT messages will stop also need to be blocked. If I hit stop when a junk text shows up that should be the end of it for me.