This missed Apple Pockets characteristic is getting the eye it deserves with iOS 26

Abstract

With iOS 26, Apple is lastly enhancing the order monitoring characteristic it added to Apple Pockets all the best way again with iOS 16.
When iOS 26 rolls out later this yr, Apple Pockets will be capable to use Apple Intelligence to robotically add on-line orders for monitoring within the app.
Apple must also contemplate including the power for customers to manually add monitoring numbers to the app, moderately than simply counting on Apple Intelligence.

One in all my favourite apps on the iPhone is Apple Wallet. Not a day goes by that I do not use it for fast contactless purchases, and I additionally love that I can simply retailer practice and occasion tickets in it, which helps make journey much less nerve-racking. Suffice to say, over the previous 5 or so years, Apple Pockets has change into the app I depend on probably the most on my machine — that’s after I’m not utilizing Google Wallet on my Android.

At WWDC in June, Apple introduced a number of new options coming to Apple Pockets with iOS 26, together with dwell actions and airport maps for boarding passes, extra automakers supporting Automotive Keys in Apple Pockets, and the power to retailer your US passport as a Digital ID in your Apple Pockets.

Associated

Your next hotel key could be in your Apple Wallet

Apple Pockets handed me my resort room earlier than the entrance desk may.

Nonetheless, one characteristic coming to Apple Pockets that Apple introduced at WWDC, which I consider was missed, is enhanced order monitoring. You may discover it shocking, however order monitoring has been a part of Apple Pockets since iOS 16. The issue is that only a few distributors assist the characteristic, which is why you have in all probability by no means used it along with your Apple Pockets. To deal with this, Apple is using Apple Intelligence to enhance the performance of its order monitoring characteristic in Apple Pockets, lastly making it genuinely helpful.

With iOS 26, Apple Pockets will be capable to add your on-line orders to its order monitoring web page by figuring out and summarizing order particulars from emails despatched by on-line shops or supply carriers, utilizing Apple Intelligence to take action. For instance, suppose you order one thing on-line and obtain an e mail from DHL stating that it’s on its manner, together with a monitoring quantity. In that case, Apple Pockets will robotically acknowledge this and add it to your Orders in Apple Pockets to trace, making it simpler to handle all of your on-line deliveries.

Apple is heading in the right direction, however it may possibly do extra

Apple ought to permit customers to manually enter monitoring numbers

Apple / Pocket-lint

After I first heard this information, I used to be happy to see Apple lastly taking steps to enhance its Orders characteristic on Apple Pockets, and its method makes lots of sense. Sometimes, whenever you purchase one thing on-line, you obtain an e mail from the service provider or supply provider indicating that it is on its manner, together with a monitoring quantity. It is the one factor all on-line orders have in widespread, which makes it straightforward for Apple Intelligence to gather that info and show it on the Orders web page in Apple Pockets.

Nonetheless, since this new Orders characteristic depends on Apple Intelligence, customers with older iPhones will not be capable to use it when iOS 26 launches this fall, as Apple Intelligence is simply suitable with the iPhone 15 Professional or later.

…if Apple genuinely needs to compete with third-party order monitoring apps like Parcel, letting customers manually enter monitoring numbers could be a sensible transfer…

That stated, I do assume there may be a straightforward resolution to this. What I believe could be useful is that if Apple took it a step additional and allowed customers so as to add their monitoring numbers to Apple Pockets manually. If Apple Intelligence scans supply emails and extracts that very same data, why not let customers kind in a monitoring quantity instantly on the Apple Pockets Orders web page? Maybe I am simply dreaming, but when Apple genuinely needs to compete with third-party order monitoring apps like Parcels, letting customers manually enter monitoring numbers could be a sensible transfer, and it will additionally give customers with out Apple Intelligence an opportunity to make use of the characteristic.

iOS 26 is launching this fall, so you may quickly be capable to attempt the improved Orders characteristic in Apple Pockets. To view the Orders web page proper now, open Apple Pockets, faucet the three dots within the prime proper, and select Orders. To organize for iOS 26, contemplate reorganizing your Wallet to present it a cleaner look and to simply entry your most-used playing cards.