Apple’s annual iOS release at all times sends CRM teams scrambling. Sometimes (see: iOS 15 and 18), email marketing feels the most important impact. This time, it’s SMS.
The standout change in iOS 26 (note: Apple seems to have modified the numbering system to point the 12 months the update will take broad effect) is the introduction of an “Unknown Sender” filter for SMS messages. Early indications suggest it can function like Apple Mail’s Promo tab, which pushed email messages from unrecognized senders out of the first inbox view.
That’s a major issue for brands still leaning on broad, non-personalized SMS campaigns. According to my agency’s research, most consumers (even loyal ones) don’t save brand numbers as contacts, meaning many messages risk being filtered.
What to expect (and when)
The official iOS 26 launch is anticipated this month, with adoption more likely to ramp through the autumn. Based on past rollouts and the numbering change I discussed above, it can be the dominant Apple OS well into 2026.
The unknowns: how aggressively Apple filters, whether users adjust settings, and what number of selling messages get diverted. But one thing is certain: the update will reshape SMS performance, especially for brands without strong subscriber relationships and/or a proactive plan to get out in front of the update.
Recommendations to mitigate impact
The best way forward is something good CRM marketers are already very aware of: more strategic (read: personalized) messaging strategies. The more relevant and time-optimized messages you may deliver, the higher likelihood you might have of maintaining delivery into the first messaging view, whether by getting added as a contact or getting marked as known, which Apple is including as an option inside brand SMS messages:
To construct the form of relationship with users that may prompt them to take this motion, marketers must keep in mind that SMS messaging must differ barely from email messaging. Since users are way more more likely to get notifications (often with sound included) for brand spanking new messages on SMS than email, SMS messages are perceived as more intrusive and must be approached with more caution.
The more frequent the messages, the more you’re giving users potential opportunities to opt out, which is the alternative of getting them so as to add your brand as a known number (or, higher yet, as a contact). In our experience managing dozens and dozens of SMS campaigns, messages that stay short and sweet, offer value, stay authentic (note: don’t force “friendly”), and arrive at intuitive, event-based times get the most effective engagement rates over time.
When crafting a value-focused SMS messaging strategy, keep in mind that your goal is to face out (with a positive association) from the lineup of SMS texts a user receives. Examples of texts that may achieve this include:
- Offering a coupon throughout the welcome series.
- Following up on orders with confirmation (and/or shipping confirmation with tracking numbers) is a superb opportunity to prompt people so as to add the brand as a contact to remain updated on shipping status.
- Notifications that products users have browsed are back in stock.
- Notifications that products users have browsed and/or added to their carts are actually on sale or have had a price reduction.
Beyond that, I like to recommend:
- Remembering to encourage users to “add to contacts,” especially post-purchase or post-delivery. The small step of the prompt could make the difference between being seen and being sidelined. It could make an excellent larger difference should you test messaging that explains the advantages of SMS subscriptions – recent product releases, newly discounted products, subscriber-only sales, etc.
- Testing and monitoring. Watch KPIs closely as rollout progresses, and refine your approach based on what the info shows.
The bottom line
As iOS 18 did for email marketers, iOS 26 aggressively reminds marketers that SMS marketing approaches must evolve to interact users on a more personal level. It’s an enormous change to a channel that hasn’t weathered many currently—and, as with every big change, it presents a possibility for probably the most adaptable brands to realize on their rivals.
In short, brands that move quickly to personalize content and reinforce user-brand relationships, with testing structures to discover and double down on what’s handiest, can turn Apple’s latest update right into a likelihood to gobble up market share. Your SMS engagement rates may dip, but in case your competitors’ absolutely plummet, you stand to realize in the larger picture.
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