Resources

Blog

Technology Advisory

iOS 26: What businesses need to know about the next big shift in outbound calling

Apple’s upcoming iOS 26 release is set to redefine outbound calling for businesses. With stricter call blocking and verification measures, the update will determine which calls actually reach the people you’re trying to connect with. And with more than 150 million iPhone users in the U.S., the impact won’t be marginal—it will touch nearly every organization that relies on the phone to reach customers, members, or clients. It’s a reminder that strategies will need to adapt.

So, what’s changing

The core of iOS 26 is Apple’s decision to tighten controls on who can reach its users. Calls from unverified numbers are at risk of being blocked or flagged as “potential spam,” regardless of the intent. While this is designed to protect consumers from scams and robocalls, the net effect will extend to legitimate businesses that haven’t aligned with new verification and compliance standards.

This isn’t simply a feature update; it introduces a new barrier to communication. Nearly 70% of B2C interactions in the U.S. still depend on the phone at some stage of the customer journey. In short, iOS 26 introduces stricter call verification that could prevent unverified calls from reaching recipients, creating a new challenge for businesses that rely on phone outreach.

The business impact

For companies, the consequences of iOS 26 go beyond dropped calls. Early projections indicate businesses could see anywhere from 5% to 30% of outbound calls fail to connect, depending on how quickly they adopt verified caller identity and compliance measures.

Here’s a closer look at how iOS 26 could affect different aspects of business operations:

  • Sales and growth: Sales teams will have a harder time reaching prospects if their numbers aren't verified.
  • Customer service: Contact centers will see resolution times spike as callbacks fail to connect.
  • Compliance pressure: Keeping up with verified calling standards can help businesses stay compliant and connected.
  • Brand reputation: Calls that are blocked or labeled as spam can affect how customers perceive your brand.
Preparing for what’s next

While iOS 26 includes technical updates, the bigger question for businesses is how to stay connected with customers. Taking proactive steps now can help ensure calls continue to reach the right people and maintain smooth customer interactions.

At AdviseCX, we partner with verified calling and compliance experts to help businesses safeguard their brand, maintain customer trust, and ensure outbound communication runs seamlessly.

Businesses that act now will be better positioned to adapt when iOS 26 completely rolls out. By aligning numbers, processes, and compliance measures ahead of time, you can minimize missed calls, service delays, and lost opportunities.

Table of contents
Heading 2
Heading 3
Heading 4
Heading 5
Heading 6
Instructions
If you intend to use this component with Finsweet's Table of Contents attributes follow these steps:
  1. Remove the current class from the content27_link item as Webflows native current state will automatically be applied.
  2. To add interactions which automatically expand and collapse sections in the table of contents select the content27_h-trigger element, add an element trigger and select Mouse click (tap)
  3. For the 1st click select the custom animation Content 28 table of contents [Expand] and for the 2nd click select the custom animation Content 28 table of contents [Collapse].
  4. In the Trigger Settings, deselect all checkboxes other than Desktop and above. This disables the interaction on tablet and below to prevent bugs when scrolling.