iPhone is better at stopping scams thanks to iOS 26 (www.vox.com)

iOS 26 adds more aggressive, AI-driven defenses against robocalls and spam texts. For calls, an optional “Ask Reason for Calling” screen uses Siri to answer unknown numbers, prompt the caller to state their name and purpose, transcribe that reply in real time, and surface a notification so you can read, type a response, answer, or send the call to voicemail — and mark numbers as “Known” to skip screening later. For messages, iOS 26 expands “Screen Unknown Senders” and turns on an on‑device “Filter Spam” by default; spam conversations are quarantined (no replies or links) and you can add Apple’s Transactions/Promotions sorting or third‑party filters (Hiya, Robokiller, etc.). Those changes matter because call- and text‑based scams are massive and growing: billions of spam texts monthly, huge financial losses, and widespread caller ID spoofing and voice‑cloning. Apple’s approach emphasizes on‑device ML for privacy and integrates multiple inboxes to make SMS behave more like email spam filtering. But it’s not a silver bullet — scammers can still lie to Siri, filters can flag legitimate contacts (missed calls from agencies or new doctors), and screening may signal that a number is active. The update is a meaningful step toward reducing nuisance and fraud, but users and industry-wide fixes (carriers, regulators, cross‑platform standards) are still essential.