With the rollout of iOS 26, iPhones back as far as the iPhone 11 are getting a suite of new upgrades and features. All of these additions and tweaks are useful ones, and there’s no doubt Messages is now better than ever. You can have different backdrops for the family group chat and the work group chat, for example, so they each have their own vibe. From inside a chat, tap the + (plus) button down in the lower left hand corner, then pick Polls. Group chats have typing indicators, so you know when someone is busy composing a message, and Apple Cash is now supported in group chats too.