Apple announced on the 20th that it will enhance privacy and security through its latest operating system, iOS 26, which will be introduced in September. During a press conference held at the ASEM Tower in Gangnam, Seoul, Apple emphasized that 'data is thoroughly the user's own.' It also unveiled a new feature called 'currency screening' that protects users from unwanted calls.
The new currency screening feature in iOS 26 filters out spam and fraudulent calls. If a call comes from an unknown number, the Apple device responds on behalf of the user to request additional information from the caller. Additional information is displayed on the user's screen in the form of a message, and the user can block the call if they do not wish to receive it.
During the demonstration, a voice phishing call disguised as 'insurance premium refund' was cited as an example. When the caller replied, 'You qualify for an insurance premium refund, please share your account number,' the system automatically displayed the caller's intent in text form. The user can choose whether to respond after confirming this. Currently, the feature is available in beta across several languages, including Korean.
However, this feature does not operate for numbers saved in contacts or for those with previous call or message records. Users who receive many calls from unknown numbers can choose whether to enable the currency screening feature.
In addition, starting from iOS 26, messages from unknown senders will be stored in a separate space within the messaging app, and spam messages will be automatically categorized into a dedicated folder. Features such as link deactivation and reply blocking are also supported.
Apple outlined its four core principles of privacy protection as ▲ minimal data collection ▲ on-device processing ▲ transparency and user control ▲ security.
Apple explained that it collects only minimal data and processes as many operations as possible on the device itself rather than on cloud servers, thereby reducing the risk of information leakage. It also stated that it guarantees transparency so users can see what information is being collected and can take control when necessary.
Apple is conducting sessions on privacy and security in major countries, including this briefing in Korea.