Cold calling is no stranger to new hurdles - reps are constantly having to adapt to overcome them. And there's another one to consider, as big tech companies throw spanners in the works...
With the release of iOS 26, Apple introduces Live Voicemail and enhanced call screening features designed to give users more control over which calls they take - and which they avoid.
For everyday users, it’s a win. For sales teams who rely on cold calling to drive pipeline, it’s a new hurdle that can’t be ignored.
Here’s what’s changing, what it means for outbound calling, and some tips from our very own Sales Manager and sales team coach, Isa Sher, on how to stay effective and connect meaningfully in a new, more filtered landscape.
At first glance, Apple’s iOS 26 call screening features might feel like another nail in the coffin for cold calling.
If you aren’t already aware, here’s a quick breakdown of what the new update includes:
On the surface, these features look like a blocker for sales reps. Calls from unsaved numbers? Straight to voicemail. A real-time transcript? That’s a lot of pressure to land your message fast.
But here’s the thing: this is only a threat to bad cold calls.
Isa Sher, Sales Manager at Cognism, said:
“I completely understand why this might feel intimidating for sales reps at first. But in my view, good reps really have nothing to worry about. Some people are quick to assume this could spell the end of cold calling, but actually, I think it’s the opposite.”
“The fundamentals of great outbound don’t change. We all know that personalisation and value-led selling are key. Cold calling is no different.”
“Calls get answered when the rep has done their homework, genuinely understands the persona they’re speaking to, and leads with a strong, relevant value proposition.”
“It’s the generic, batch and blast approach that gets ignored, and that’s exactly what iOS call screening will filter out. But most of those calls already get dismissed anyway.”
“If you can really nail your value proposition and your sales pitch, this could actually increase your chances of getting through because people are more likely to be curious about what you have to say.”
“In the end, I think this will make good reps even better and naturally weed out the poor ones.”
“It’s a bit like the subject line of a cold email. If it’s thoughtful, relevant and intriguing, you’ve earned the right to the next step.”
Another important thing to keep in mind is that there may be a different experience depending on where in the world you’re prospecting into.
Alexander Shorthouse, Enterprise Sales Leader at Cognism, said:
“It’s worth noting that this update is likely to have a greater impact in the US than in Europe for several reasons:”
So, how should sales reps adapt their approach in response to the update?
Here’s a breakdown of the key strategies Isa and the Cognism sales team are focused on:
With Live Voicemail transcribing in real time, your opening line is crucial. Lead with the why.
Not your name, not your company - but why this message matters to the person you’re calling.
Relevance beats rapport. Curiosity beats credentials.
The good news here is that you actually have a better chance of your prospect seeing your message than before.
You’re no longer speaking into the void, hoping someone listens to the whole voicemail before they click delete. You’re speaking into a live transcript being scanned by someone who can decide if your message is relevant to them or not.
As long as you’re calling someone whom you genuinely believe you could help with a message that conveys that, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about.
In a world where cold calls are increasingly screened or sent straight to voicemail, your number needs context before you dial.
That’s where email and LinkedIn come in - not as separate channels, but as pre-call multipliers.
By reaching out via email or LinkedIn before you pick up the phone, you create a layer of familiarity.
You’re no longer an unknown number interrupting their day. You’re the person who:
This kind of multi-channel touch gives your call a mental anchor - something that says, “Oh right, I know who this is.”
That alone increases the chances they’ll pick up, or at the very least, listen to your voicemail with a different lens.
Bonus:
If they don’t pick up, you can reference that in the voicemail transcript.
How your call appears on someone’s screen is almost as important as what you say when they answer.
If your number shows up as “Unknown,” “Spam Risk,” or worse - doesn’t show at all - you’re starting at a major disadvantage.
Most prospects won’t even let the phone ring through, let alone listen to a voicemail or pick up mid-call.
That’s why it’s critical to audit your outbound infrastructure to ensure your calls are being delivered in a trustworthy way.
These are industry standards introduced to combat robocalls and number spoofing.
If your platform doesn’t comply, your calls are more likely to be flagged by carriers and blocked, or worse, mislabelled as spam.
Work with your IT or ops team to ensure the dialer you’re using is up to date and compliant.
It’s not just a legal checkbox - it’s directly tied to how many calls are actually delivered.
Yes, numbers have reputations - and carriers track them. If you’ve been using the same number across hundreds of generic, repetitive dials, it might be flagged, even if you’re not doing anything malicious.
Many outbound platforms now include number health tracking, or you can use third-party tools to monitor how your numbers are being classified across different carriers.
Rotating numbers, maintaining list quality, and reducing volume on a single number can help preserve your caller reputation over time.
Some modern dialers and call providers now offer branded caller ID, which displays your company name - or even your logo - on the recipient’s screen instead of just a phone number.
This is a game-changer for credibility. Think about the difference between:
That split-second of recognition can be the difference between someone picking up and someone ignoring you completely.
It also reinforces legitimacy when combined with pre-call outreach. If they’ve seen your company name in their inbox or LinkedIn messages, seeing it again on their screen reinforces consistency and trust.
If your outreach feels random to the prospect, it’s likely to be ignored, screened, or dismissed.
But when your call is clearly tied to something happening in their world - something timely and specific - it immediately feels more intentional, and more worth their time.
Start by mapping your outreach strategy to key buyer signals - the moments that indicate a company might be primed for change, or that a buyer is open to a new conversation.
Some of the most effective signals include:
When a new decision-maker enters a role, especially in leadership or RevOps/marketing/sales positions, it often signals new priorities, new tech evaluations, or pain points inherited from the previous team.
These individuals are more likely to be open to fresh conversations as they look to make an impact.
Fresh capital usually leads to growth - which often means scaling teams, building pipeline, and reviewing the tech stack.
A well-timed call aligned to these expansion goals can feel proactive rather than pushy.
If the company is hiring aggressively - especially across sales, marketing, or RevOps - it could signal bandwidth issues, new tools being considered, or onboarding challenges.
All great angles for relevant outreach!
Whether they’ve recently implemented Salesforce, switched CRMs, or added new integrations, tech changes often come with disruption and opportunity.
Sales managers often default to coaching based on activity metrics:
And while those numbers still matter, they won’t give you the full picture anymore.
Because in a world where fewer cold calls are answered, what matters most is what you say when you get the chance.
Reps need to understand that the voicemail transcript is now a real-time micro-pitch.
Sales managers should regularly review voicemail content with their reps, asking:
These reviews help reps sharpen their hooks and move away from vague, forgettable messages like “just checking in” or “wondering if you had five minutes.”
Callback rate is a powerful - and often underused - quality indicator.
If a rep leaves 50 voicemails a week and gets zero callbacks, it’s not just about connect rate. It’s a messaging problem.
Start tracking:
Then use this data to coach. Reps should test different hooks, intros, and value props - and learn from what works.
Small changes in messaging can have a big impact.
Gone are the days of winging it on cold calls. Your openers need to land fast, and they need to be specific.
Build a culture where messaging is treated as a shared asset - something to be iterated on and improved together.
Run regular call labs or “opener clinics” where the team:
When reps feel ownership over the message - and not just the metric - they’re far more likely to improve and adapt.
If a rep’s connect rate drops from 5% to 3%, but their meeting conversion from connects doubles because their messaging is tighter and more relevant, that’s a win.
But you’ll only catch that if you’re measuring more than just dials and pickups.
Coach your team to see success as a full-funnel progression:
When your coaching focuses on messaging mastery, not just motion, reps start to own their craft - and that’s where the breakthroughs happen.
Apple’s iOS 26 update isn’t the end of cold calling. It’s a forced evolution.
Bad calls will get filtered. Good calls will stand out.
Sales leaders and reps who embrace this shift - by tightening their messaging, leaning into personalisation, and using the full channel mix - will find themselves at a competitive advantage.
This update is Apple’s way of saying: “Don’t waste people’s time.”
The best reps never did.