iOS 26: What Campaigns Really Need to Know
Panic headline: iOS 26 text filters could cost campaigns millions
Our assessment: Probably not.
Our team has been digging past the headlines to figure out what iOS 26 will actually mean for political campaigns. Rolling out in mid-September, this feature will allow users to automatically filter text messages into an “unknown senders” folder. Only available on iPhone 11 and newer, the feature is currently in beta where it is defaulted to “off”, although that may change by the full release.
Since the announcement, we’ve been talking with top industry experts both on and off the record, pairing their insights with our own deep knowledge of how political texts fit into a voter’s daily message ecosystem + running our own beta tests to see how the filters behave in real life.
Don’t stress about texts
The option already exists on iPhones (although buried deep in settings) and Android has been filtering spam for years. The difference now is that it will be easier to turn on; but whether voters will actually use it is the real question. We think widespread usage of the feature is unlikely.
Why? In our testing, the filter didn’t just block spam. It pushed out texts voters wanted, like appointment reminders, verification codes, and delivery updates, making them harder to find and without a notification when they came through. Without the ability to create customized “rules” for what gets filtered and what doesn’t, the feature is more an inconvenience than anything else.
However, iOS 26 will also be updating call filtering options, and we believe this feature will be more of an issue for election and political campaigns than the changes to texting. Stay tuned for more on that topic.
At BASK, we’ve always been more than just a vendor. We’re your strategic partner; out in front, cutting through the noise, and finding the answers first so you can stay ahead where it matters most.
