When iOS 26 was launched, a major bug affected group chats. Several users mentioned that their messages intended for ongoing group chats were delivered as private messages instead of being sent to the whole group, and they vanished from the group chat. A Reddit user pointed out that this issue was particularly evident in chats that involved non-iPhone numbers.

Nevertheless, in the weeks that followed, the glitch appears to have been fixed, and users are now turning their attention to the thrilling new features introduced in the iOS update. 9to5Mac emphasized five remarkable features: the typing indication, polls, Apple Cash, background alterations, and contact additions.

The typing indication, which was previously limited to one-on-one chats, is now accessible in group chats. Although not everyone is thrilled (one Reddit user looked for ways to turn it off), I find it quite fascinating.

Group chats now support polls, which Mashable’s Alex Perry referred to as “one of my favorite” new features after experimenting with it in beta. He observed that it’s designed for making decisions such as selecting dinner venues but will probably be utilized for resolving inside-joke disputes among friends.

Groups are also capable of sending Apple Cash. While I’m not aware of anyone who prefers this over Venmo, CashApp, Zelle, or cash, it could prove useful for settling expenses post-trip.

You can modify the background of a group chat. In one of my group chats, there’s an image of my cat altered to appear as though he’s sporting jeans.

The options are limitless.