Apple will introduce two major enhancements to its Messages app with iOS 26: the ability to create polls in group chats and the option to customize chat backgrounds. These updates reflect Apple’s growing push to bring Messages in line with features already popular in apps like WhatsApp and Telegram.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the poll feature will allow users to create simple, tappable surveys inside chat threads. These polls will make it easier for friends and colleagues to reach quick decisions—where to meet, what to eat, or which movie to watch. Apple has designed the feature to work seamlessly with group conversations.
Polls will be native to the app, requiring no third-party tools or integrations. Apple is also leveraging its new Apple Intelligence platform to suggest poll topics and responses based on conversation context. This integration could make creating and responding to polls much faster and more intuitive, although Apple has not confirmed the full range of AI-driven enhancements.
Alongside polls, Apple will also introduce the ability to set custom chat backgrounds for individual conversations. This level of visual customization has been available in WhatsApp for years, and it allows users to add more personality or clarity to their messaging experience.
What sets Apple’s implementation apart is how the backgrounds will sync across users in the same chat. If one person in a conversation sets a background image, it will appear for all participants. That could be useful for themed group chats or family threads, although it’s still unclear whether users will be able to opt out of shared themes.
Keeping Pace with Competitors
These features are part of a broader evolution of Messages, which has lagged behind competitors like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal in some key areas. While Apple’s Messages app remains tightly integrated with iOS and popular among iPhone users, it has historically focused more on stability and security than on rich user features.
With iOS 26, that seems to be changing. Earlier reports have suggested Apple is redesigning several core apps as part of a broader UI overhaul. The company appears increasingly willing to adopt features that have become standard elsewhere in the messaging landscape.
Looking Ahead to WWDC
Apple is expected to formally announce these changes at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 9. More details about how polls and chat backgrounds will work, along with other iOS 26 improvements, should emerge during the keynote.
Until then, early reports point to a more expressive, interactive, and modern Messages app. By finally adding features like polling and background customization, Apple is responding to years of user feedback and increasing competition in the messaging space.