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2025-06-09T12:01:23.304Z
Apple can’t afford to give Apple Intelligence a year off
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Word is that Apple Intelligence is not going to be a major part of this year’s WWDC 2025, and we’re still waiting for features announced at last year’s conference to materialize. To the point where people suspect Apple will be taking a break from AI, at least for the immediate future.
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My colleague Tom Pritchard has argued that this is a very bad idea, and the exact opposite of what Apple should be doing. The company has a muddied, albeit short, history with AI, since it jumped on the bandwagon much later than the likes of Google and OpenAI. To the point where its attempts to catch up are reportedly only causing more problems.
But as much as Apple may want to take a break, its competitors are still pumping out new updates and features all the time. If Apple ever wants to catch up and better compete, it can’t afford to sit back and let itself fall even further behind. And WWDC 2025 is the place Apple has to confirm its commitment to AI going forward.
2025-06-09T11:29:59.825Z
Will iPadOS get the productivity upgrades it needs?
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Early rumors didn’t paint Apple’s design upgrade as quite such a big thing. In fact it was originally expected to be a way for Apple to close the gap between iPadOS and macOS, potentially cementing the tablets’ productivity prowess in the process.
Part of that update was to focus on productivity itself, alongside improved multitasking and app window management. While the specifics weren’t really elaborated on at the time, a lot of us hoped that this would at least allow users to have multiple app windows open and the ability to place them freely — rather than in the confines of Apple’s pre-set layouts.
Whether those changes could make an iPad rival the capabilities of a Macbook aren’t clear. But as someone that has resorted to working on an iPad on the go, I can say that these kinds of improvements are sorely needed. Especially if Apple wants to make sure the tablets aren’t just glorified reading and streaming devices.
2025-06-09T11:01:56.159Z
Last minute rumor could reveal if your Apple Watch gets watchOS 26 or not
(Image credit: Future)
If you’re the proud owner of an Apple Watch, and anticipating the new watchOS 26 upgrade, you may be wondering whether your wearable will even get the new software. According to a new leak, 8 Apple Watches will be getting watchOS 26 when it arrives later this year.
- Apple Watch Series 6
- Apple Watch Series 7
- Apple Watch Series 8
- Apple Watch Series 9
- Apple Watch Series 10
- Apple Watch Ultra
- Apple Watch Ultra 2
- Apple Watch SE (2nd generation)
If the list looks familiar, it’s because they’re the same 8 models that got upgraded to watchOS 11 last year. So those of you with an Apple Watch 4 or Apple Watch 5 won’t magically be able to upgrade, but Apple Watch 6 owners still get an extra year of software support.
2025-06-09T10:29:04.879Z
What Apple can learn from Google
(Image credit: Future)
My colleague John Velasco is a big fan of many of the AI-powered features on Google’s current lineup of Pixel phones — he’s right, too, as Google probably has the most polished AI suite of all the phone makers. And he sees a few Pixel 9 AI features Apple should copy for iOS 26 if the company wants to bolster Apple Intelligence.
One of John’s recommendations resonates with me, in particular: Call Screen. This is the Pixel feature that uses Google AI to essentially screen your calls, with an AI assistant asking the person on the other end of the line why they’re calling and delivering any contextual responses that you select.
The closest the iPhone has to anything like that is Live Voicemail, which arrived with iOS 17. When you get an incoming call from an unknown number, you can send it to voicemail, and the transcribed message will appear in close to real time on your iPhone’s display, just in case it turns out to be something important.
That’s not a bad alternative, but it still requires some intervention on your part to send the call to vociemail and then make sure your phone is unlocked so you can see the message transcription. A version of Google’s Call Screen would be far more immediate.
2025-06-09T10:00:19.702Z
Apple Design Award winners are confirmed for WWDC 2025
(Image credit: Apple)
WWDC is primarily a developer conference, and each year Apple uses the event to celebrate the winners of the Apple Design Awards. The awards are meant to celebrate the best apps and games available in the App Store, with a focus on “innovation and ingenuity” rather than the number of downloads.
There are 6 categories with 2 winners each (an app and a game), for a total of 12. They are:
2025-06-09T09:33:44.318Z
iOS 26 should be used to make AI easier to access
(Image credit: Future)
If you’ve ever tried to use AI features on a phone, you may be painfully aware of how difficult some of them are to find and use. To the point where you have to do a bunch of research to figure it out, making AI feel a lot like homework.
So things need to be a lot easier, and UK Phones Editor Tom Pritchard thinks that the upcoming iOS 26 design upgrade should take this into consideration — and make it a lot simpler to get to grips with AI features. Because if phone makers like Apple don’t do this, then the number of people actually using AI features is going to be a lot smaller than it could be.
2025-06-09T09:00:36.903Z
What’s happening with visionOS 26?
(Image credit: Future)
With the big new redesign reportedly taking inspiration from Apple’s mixed reality software, it makes you wonder what Apple may have in store for visionOS 26 itself.
We’re not expecting much in the way of design changes, for obvious reasons, though reports say that we will get some “minor design changes.” It’s unclear what they might be, but presumably it will be to ensure greater consistency with the rest of the Apple ecosystem.
Bloomberg also reports that the new version will be “feature-packed.” Some of the rumored features include eye-scrolling, which should be a nice upgrade from the existing eye-tracking software, and support for third party VR controllers — including Sony’s PSVR 2.
There’s also word of better accessibility and the addition of Apple Intelligence, both of which are sorely needed on Apple’s headset.
2025-06-09T08:36:41.037Z
AirPods updates
(Image credit: Shutterstock)
We’re not likely to see new AirPods at WWDC. Wireless earbuds are the kind of consumer-facing product Apple launches when it’s having a phone or tablet rollout. But the software updates getting previewed this week — specifically, iOS, iPadOS and macOS — could bring some AirPod-enhancing features.
For starters, Apple could increase the number of hands-free controls for your earbuds to join already supported features like shaking your head to accept or decline calls. Similarly, there’s talk of a Camera Control-esque feature coming to the AirPods that would trigger the camera on your phone when you squeeze the AirPods’ stem.
Other rumored AirPod additions include a sleep detection feature that would automatically pause playback if you start dozing. (The rumor’s less clear on how the AirPods would figure that out.) And there could be new pairing features that allow you to pair Apple’s earbuds with shared iPads — ideal in classroom settings.
2025-06-09T08:03:57.344Z
New hardware or not?
(Image credit: Future)
New hardware isn’t unheard of at WWDC. Just two years ago, WWDC 2023 gave us a preview of the Vision Pro headset, a bigger screen 15-inch MacBook Air and the Mac Studio. The year before, we had a MacBook Air launch.
That said, most of the chatter around this year’s WWDC is about software changes, not hardware releases. So I’d be very surprised if Apple takes the time out what figures to be a busy keynote to talk about new products.
In the event that I’m wrong, though — it happens more than I care to admit — any product that Apple does show off at WWDC 2025 is likely to be one that appeals to the developers in the audience. That’s why a Mac Pro powered by an M4 chip is probably the most likely hardware announcement, as that’s a desktop machine that’s big among people who build software. But even then, it’s a remote possibility as that machine may not ship until later in the year.
So if you’re planning on tuning into WWDC 2025 with new hardware on the brain, adjust your expectations accordingly.
2025-06-09T06:44:03.852Z
Apple Intelligence’s ‘gap year’
(Image credit: Apple)
Apple Intelligence was the story at WWDC 2024, as Apple previewed its upcoming suite of AI tools. And while many of those arrived as part of Apple Intelligence’s staggered rollout starting last October, several key updates — including a smarter, AI-powered Siri — remain missing in action.
Apple figures to discuss some Apple Intelligence updates in this year’s developer conference, but the consensus expectation is that it won’t be to the extent that we heard about AI last year. You can certainly understand the thinking — Apple took a lot of heat for treating the Siri updates as a done deal, so it’s likely wary of talking up any feature it can’t guarantee the launch of in a timely fashion.
Still, I think Apple runs some risks by not giving AI more of a role at WWDC 2025. Besides the loss of momentum, there’s the fact that Apple lags behind Google and Samsung when it comes to integrating meaningful AI features into its products. And that perception could deepen if WWDC doesn’t at least address AI in some way.
2025-06-09T06:26:30.050Z
Tim Cook checks in
If you’re wondering how Tim Cook spent his day ahead of the WWDC keynote — other than rehearsals probably — the Apple CEO checked in with an X post from the company’s Swift Student Challenge recognizing young coders.
Love starting #WWDC25 with our Swift Student Challenge winners! pic.twitter.com/DiL29bcfieJune 9, 2025
2025-06-09T06:10:19.511Z
iOS 26 Notes update
(Image credit: Ekaterina_Minaeva / Shutterstock)
Arguably, Notes is the app I rely on the most when using my iPhone. I use it to jot down notes when I’m covering events, tasks that I want to take care of during a given week and even research into upcoming vacations. And though a lot of the chances in iOS 26 are supposed to focus on a new interface, there are new features apparently coming to select apps including Notes.
9to5Mac reports that the Notes app is gaining the ability to export Notes in Markdown. That’s a particularly popular format for online writers, including a lot of the ones that work with yours truly. So maybe Markdown support isn’t at the top of your iOS 26 wish list, but it’s a big deal among the creatives that make up Apple’s core audience.
2025-06-09T05:22:15.358Z
WatchOS 26 supported models
(Image credit: Future/Tom’s Guide)
Rumors have been pretty clear about which iPads, iPhones and Macs are expected to support the latest software updates coming later this year for Apple. It’s a lot less clear with watchOS 26.
The current version — watchOS 11 — works on the Apple Watch 6 or later, as well as the Apple Watch SE (2nd generation) and any Apple Watch Ultra model. But the Apple Watch 6, which came out in 2020, may be running out of time. Our best guess is that watchOS 26 will support the Apple Watch 7 or later as well as the 2022 Apple Watch SE and every Apple Watch Ultra model.
We’ll find out if we’re right later today.
2025-06-09T04:54:04.299Z
iOS 26 Messages upgrades
(Image credit: Shutterstock)
There’s apparently two notable upgrades coming to the Messages app in iOS 26.
The first is the ability to create polls, which could come in handy for things like deciding where to get dinner. This is a feature that’s already available in WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.
The second new rumored iOS 26 Messages feature is the ability to set a background image for your conversations. This could be a lot of fun so long as it’s easy to use.
2025-06-09T03:46:08.318Z
Get ready for ‘Liquid Glass’
(Image credit: Front Page Tech / YouTube)
Hey, it’s Mark Spoonauer, and I’m in Cupertino ahead of WWDC 2025 for Apple’s big event.
Apple is about to introduce a pretty major change to the look and feel of its interface, and it looks like it’s going to be called Liquid Glass.
As reported by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Liquid Glass will “include transparency and shine effects in all of Apple’s tool bars, in-app interfaces and controls.”
This is not just about the iPhone 17 series and iPhone 17 Air but also Apple’s 20th anniversary iPhone for 2027, which will reportedly sport curved glass sides around the whole phone, super slim bezels and no notch at all.
2025-06-09T02:59:28.030Z
And the winners are
(Image credit: Apple)
Another WWDC announcement that came early this year involved the Apple Design Awards. Apple normally announces those during the week of its developer conference, and it still plans to honor the winners at the 2025 event. But the winners and finalists were unveiled in the build-up to this week’s WWDC.
All told, Apple recognizes two winners — an app and a game — in six different categories: Delight and Fun, Inclusivity, Innovation, Interaction, Social Impact, Visuals and Graphics.
Expect to hear more about the winning apps as WWDC week goes on.
2025-06-09T01:36:53.419Z
Software accessibility improvements
(Image credit: Apple)
Apple doesn’t always wait until WWDC to let you know what software improvements are coming. As part of Global Accessibility Awareness Day back in May, Apple announced software improvements coming later this year to all its different platforms, with the goal of making its devices more accessible.
Highlights include accessibility “nutrition labels” on offerings in the App Store that will detail accessibility features for each app. macOS is getting a Magnifier feature to help you read small print, similar to the tool that’s already on the iPhone and iPad. You’ll also be able to open any app on an iPhone, iPad, Mac or Vision Pro by typing with Braille Screen Input or a connected braille device.
There’s a new Accessibility Reader coming to Apple devices that simplifies text for users with low-vision, dyslexia and other conditions. And Live Captions are coming to the Apple Watch.
We’ve got a full list of these accessibility features announced last month.
2025-06-09T01:00:48.458Z
macOS 26 rumored supported devices
(Image credit: Future)
If reports about macOS 26 support are true, the release of that software update later this year will truly put a pin in the Intel-based Mac era. Among currently supported Macs, it sounds as if those with Intel chips are the ones that won’t be able to run the new software.
Here’s the list of Macs that are set to lose support with macOS 26, according to rumors.
- 2017 iMac Pro
- 2018 Mac mini
- 2018 MacBook Pro models
- 2020 MacBook Air (with Intel chips)
The most recent device on the no-no list is the 2020 MacBook Air, and even then, the lack of support only affects Intel-based versions of the laptop.
By the process of elimination then, here are the Macs that can run Sequoia that should also be running macOS Tahoe later this year:
- 2019 MacBook Pro 2019 or later
- 2019 Mac Pro or later
- 2020 iMac or later
- MacBook Air M1 or later
- Mac mini M1 or later
- Mac Studio — all models
2025-06-08T23:34:44.620Z
Tariff talk
(Image credit: AppleTrack)
It won’t come up at WWDC 2025, but this year’s conference takes place as Apple finds itself trying to mitigate the effects of tariffs being imposed — or threatened — by the Trump administration. CEO Tim Cook told analysts that Apple estimates tariffs adding $900 million to the company’s costs in the current quarter as it shifts around production. And just a few weeks ahead of WWDC, President Trump raised the prospect of imposing a 25% tariff on Apple products (including the iPhone) unless they’re manufactured in the U.S.
That could translate to higher iPhone costs come the fall when the iPhone 17 lineup debuts, though Apple will reportedly go out of its way to not ascribe any blame to tariffs.
Again, none of the above figures to be a part of Apple’s keynote on Monday. Though if Tim Cook does spend any time talking up Apple’s plans to invest $500 billion over the next four years on U.S. expansion efforts including manufacturing, you’ll know the message is intended for an audience of one.
2025-06-08T22:22:57.389Z
iOS 26: AI for better battery life
(Image credit: Future)
As part of the iOS 26 update, your iPhone could add a new charging feature that will be familiar to Android users — a better idea of how long it will take to top off your phone’s battery.
The rumored power management feature coming via this year’s iOS update will reportedly draw on AI to look at your phone usage, determining which apps can be deprioritized to reduce power draw. The end result is that your phone will adjust on the fly so that your battery life remains solid for longer.
Here’s the part that would mimic a feature found on Android phones. As part of iOS 26, a charging time indicator could come to the lock screen that will list how much time it will take to fully charge your iPhone.
2025-06-08T21:48:56.060Z
iPadOS 26 compatibility
(Image credit: Future)
From the sound of reports involving iPadOS 26, only one tablet is set to lose compatibility when the new iPad software arrives later this year. Apparently, only the 7th-generation iPad — also known as the iPad 10.2 — won’t make the grade for iOS 26 compatibility. Considering that tablet came out in 2019, that’s a pretty good track record of support.
So what iPads will support iOS 26? Here’s the current models that are expected to make the grade:
- iPad Pro (2018 or later)
- iPad Air (3rd generation or later)
- iPad mini (5th generation or later)
- iPad (8th generation and later)
2025-06-08T21:04:10.035Z
Is this the new name for macOS?
(Image credit: Getty Images)
It’s not just a question of whether Apple is going to call its new Mac software macoS 16 or macOS 26. There’s also the matter of what California city/landmark/point of interest gets used as the nickname for this year’s update.
Dating back to 2013’s OS X 10.9, Apple stopped using big cats as the nomenclature for its annual OS updates and instead turned to the California-based naming system, dubbing that release Mac OS Mavericks, after the surfing spot off the California coast. Since then, we’ve had a dozen updates culminating in last year’s macOS Sequoia release.
If you’re interested, here’s the complete list.
- Mavericks
- Yosemite
- El Capitan
- Sierra
- High Sierra
- Mojave
- Catalina
- Big Sur
- Monterey
- Ventura
- Sonoma
- Sequoia
A Mark Gurman report from earlier this month lists macOS Tahoe as the likely name for the new update. And that makes sense, in light of the Solarium code-name Apple is using for its interface overhaul. After all, Lake Tahoe on the California-Nevada border is known for its crystal blue waters, much like the glassy, reflective look Apple is rumored to be bringing to its software this year.
2025-06-08T20:30:21.055Z
iOS 26 supported devices
(Image credit: Future)
The arrival of any new iPhone software raises the question of which devices will be able to upgrade to the new version and which will be left behind. Based on early reports, it sounds like a few aging iPhone may get left off the list of iOS 26 supported devices.
Specifically, it’s expected that the iPhone XR, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max will be on the outside looking in once the full version of iOS 26 arrives this fall. That’s sort of understandable — by the time Apple’s new software is ready for download, it will have been seven years since those phones debuted.
Google and Samsung now promise seven years of software and security support for their top devices. Apple doesn’t have an official policy in place, but five years seems to be the minimum and lately, older iPhones have been retaining compatibility for around six years.
At least if you’re clinging on to an iPhone XR or one of the XS models, you’ve got a few months to decide which of the best iPhones to upgrade to — assuming you want to make the jump to iOS 26.
2025-06-08T19:33:15.779Z
On tap for the iPad
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
iPadOS updates often get overshadowed by iOS — after all, the iPad software is really just the iPhone software but fine-tuned to run on Apple’s tablets. But sometimes, Apple includes some iPad-specific changes that aren’t a part of iOS, and that appears to be the case with iPadOS 26.
In addition to interface changes, reports have Apple boosting the multitasking features available to iPad users with this update. There’s been talk of a menu bar coming to iPads similar to what macOS offers, but specifics on how multitasking will improve with iPadOS 26 remain up in the air.
There’s another potential change set for both the iPhone and iPad, though you would imagine the iPad would reap the bigger benefit — the addition of a mobile version of the Preview app. That’s a mainstay on the Mac, of course, but an iPad version would let you view, edit and annotate PDFs from your tablet. For its part, 9to5Mac says its sources have confirmed the addition of Preview to the iPad, along with more robust file management features.
2025-06-08T18:56:50.389Z
What Apple needs to do with its iOS update
(Image credit: Shutterstock/ Tom’s Guide)
We can talk about what’s rumored for iOS 26 and what we’ll see when Apple previews its new iPhone software this week. But my colleague Josh Render believes Apple has some unfinished business from iOS 18 — namely beefing up Apple Intelligence and delivering a more robust Siri.
2025-06-08T17:24:00.983Z
Games take center stage
(Image credit: Radu Bercan / Shutterstock)
Apple does have a gaming app of sorts in the form of Game Center, though it’s really more a setting for managing lists of your gaming friends and tracking high scores in different games. But gaming will take a far more front-and-center role, particularly on the new version of iOS, with Apple likely to announce a standalone gaming app at WWDC.
As described in reports on Apple’s gaming app plans, the new offering would offer similar services to the current Game Center, letting you connect to other players and log your achievements in specific games. But this rumored gaming app will supposedly let you launch games directly, and it’s also supposed to promote the Apple Arcade subscription gaming service.
You can certainly expect to see the app on iPhones, should it arrive as expected, but I can see it as part of the iPadOS and macOS updates, too. Perhaps even tvOS as Apple has used its Apple TV platform as a place to play games as well.
2025-06-08T16:35:15.924Z
A glasses sneak preview?
(Image credit: Martin Hajek/ iDrop News/ Shutterstock/ Tom’s Guide)
Apple isn’t expected to have a pair of smart glasses ready until the end of 2026, according to reports. But one thing we do know is that Apple is very keen on releasing such a product, taking what it’s learned from the Vision Pro and bringing that spatial computing experience to a more affordable piece of hardware that more people are likely to wear. By some accounts, this is what CEO Tim Cook is focused on.
So do smart glasses get any sort of mention at WWDC 2025? Probably not. The launch window is too far off, and Apple is pretty circumspect when it comes to unannounced products.
That said, if Apple is seriously about mixed reality glasses, it’s going to need developer support, and those developers will need to get cracking on apps at some point so that they’re ready by the time the Apple Glasses are ready to ship. At some point, you’d expect some sort of outreach to developers, most likely at WWDC.
It’s not unprecedented, after all. Apple showed off the Vision Pro headset at WWDC 2023 — some eight months before the hardware went on sale. You could easily see smart glasses taking a similar route to retail shelves, with a big preview at a developer event to get people thinking about software for the devices.
But again, that seems more likely for WWDC 2026 than this year. Still, keep it in the back of your mind, if you’re trying to anticipate possible surprise announcements during Monday’s keynote.
2025-06-08T16:01:46.224Z
Software update release schedule
(Image credit: Apple)
Keep in mind all the previews we’re going to see at WWDC 2025 are exactly that — previews of full releases that will be coming out later this year. But based on Apple’s recent track record of software updates, we can go into WWDC with some expectation as to how the iOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26 and iPadOS 26 updates will roll out.
This week — possibly as soon as Monday’s keynote ends — Apple will release developer betas. You used to have to be a paying member of Apple’s developer program to download these betas, but lately, just having an Apple ID will suffice. That said, the betas coming out during WWDC will be very early stage, and you’ll likely want to avoid installing them on any device you rely on as part of your daily routine.
Better to wait for the public beta program to launch. That typically takes place a few weeks after WWDC — either the end of June or the start of July. Public beta updates will appear throughout the summer.
The full releases typically show up in the fall, around the same time as Apple’s new iPhones and Apple Watches appear. Our best guess to the iPhone 17 release date is an event taking place during the second week of September — again, that’s based on Apple’s track record. Assuming the phones ship a week to 10 days later, you’d certainly imagine that iOS 26 — and all the other software updates — would arrive a few days before that.
2025-06-08T14:58:15.971Z
What’s coming with watchOS
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
Whether you call it watchOS 12 or watchOS 26, Apple’s smart watch software is going to get a preview at WWDC. And while the redesign affecting all Apple software should also be visible on the Apple Watch — particularly the glassy look that’s expected to mirror the visionOS interface — some other watchOS changes could be in store.
Specifically, it’s rumored some sort of blood-pressure monitoring feature could find its way to the Apple Watch. We’d also expect some sort of new training metric — maybe a daily energy score to match a feature found on watches and fitness trackers from Samsung, Google and Garmin.
And while Apple Intelligence figures to take a back seat at WWDC this year, some AI-powered features could debut on the Apple Watch. It’s rumored that AI-powered notification summaries could appear on the Apple Watch as part of this watchOS update.
2025-06-08T13:58:37.267Z
tvOS 26 in the spotlight
(Image credit: Apple)
tvOS is often the forgotten software update at WWDC, but I don’t think that will be the case this year. Along with the rest of Apple’s software, the operating system that powers the Apple TV set-top box is slated for a new look. (And a new name as well, with tvOS 26 taking the place of tvOS 19.
Interface changes include translucent menus, a new glossy glass look, and rounded icons in tvOS that are forecasted for other Apple software. The updated interface could also herald the arrival of a new Apple TV device, though we likely won’t find out about that until later in the year. You’d imagine that tvOS might also power the screen-equipped version of the HomePod that’s supposedly in the works from Apple as well.
2025-06-08T12:56:00.484Z
How big will the interface overhaul be?
(Image credit: ShutterStock)
In his reporting on Apple’s Solarium plans — specifically the changes coming to the iOS software — Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has called the new look potentially “the most dramatic overhaul” in Apple’s history.
It’s certainly the biggest change to the look of Apple’s phone software in a long time, as the basic elements of the iPhone software have pretty much remained in place since iOS 7. That’s a dozen years.
I’m not typically inclined to embrace change — particularly widespread change — but heading into WWDC 2025, I’m pretty sanguine about the new interface. Yes, iOS 19 (or iOS 26 if you prefer) is going to look different from what’s come before it. But from what I’ve seen of interface renders, the software is largely going to operate the same way.
With the exception of the search bar moving to the bottom of the screen, most of what you already have in the iPhone software will still be there — it’ll just look different.
At least that’s my hope ahead of the iOS preview.
2025-06-08T12:44:20.824Z
Name changes: iOS 26, iPadOS 26 and more
(Image credit: BongkarnGraphic / Shutterstock)
We thought WWDC 2025 would bring us iOS 19, watchOS 12, macOS 16 etc. We’re still getting previews of those updates, but they may arrive under different names.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman broke the news last month that Apple may move to a new naming system for its software releases. The current approach just uses the version number, but Apple is reportedly ready to move to a year-based system.
So, instead of iOS 19, the version of the iPhone software we’re going to see at WWDC will likely be iOS 26.
We’ll have to wait for an official explanation from Apple for the change, but we’re guessing this is a move to stress a uniform experience across Apple devices — much like the software overhaul that figures to be a big part of WWDC, too.
2025-06-08T12:34:34.798Z
Get ready for Solarium
(Image credit: Apple)
The big news out of WWDC figures to be an interface overhaul for all of Apple’s software, with the new look being called “Solarium” within the walls of Cuperinto.
That code-name provides something of a hint as to what features are coming via the redesign — a solarium is an enclosure with a lot of glass, allowing light to pass through. Think translucent panels and menus appearing in the next versions of iOS, macOS and more.
The new look is apparently inspired by Apple’s visionOS, and if you’ve never had a chance to try on the headsets powered by that software, be sure to read our Apple Vision Pro review, paying particular mind to the section on the software interface.
If you want a look at how Solarium might impact the look of your Apple devices, Jon Prosser of Front Page Tech has put together some sample iOS screenshots based on pre-release builds of Apple’s upcoming iPhone software. Besides the translucent menus, we’re seeing design touches like rounded icons and controls, search bars moving to the bottom of Apple’s built-in apps and more.
2025-06-08T12:24:15.057Z
Mark Gurman’s WWDC announcement forecast
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide/Shutterstock)
There are few better sources for pending Apple announcements than Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, and just ahead of WWDC’s kickoff, he posted a list of two dozen or so upgrades and updates. We’ve boiled it down to key WWDC 2025 announcements. Here they are in brief:
- A unified interface and naming convention across all of Apple’s software platforms
- Big redesigns for the Phone, Camera and Safari apps on the iPhone
- A dedicated games app on iOS
- Improved multitasking for iPadOS
- Support for eye-scrolling and third-party controllers in visionOS
- Synced Wi-Fi network logins across different Apple platforms
- AI-based translation features coming via Apple Intelligence
- Developers get access to Apple’s AI models to build AI features into their apps
- A Genmoji update that lets you mash together existing emoji
- Updated Shortcuts app with greater Apple Intelligence tie-ins
We’ll have more on these potential announcements and more throughout the hours leading up to the WWDC 2025 keynote.
2025-06-05T20:05:28.300Z
What to expect at WWDC 2025
Stay up to date on the latest WWDC 2025 rumors with this look at all the last-minute claims and predictions that we’ve heard about, courtesy of Mark Spoonauer. In addition to a round-up of potential software changes, Mark also looks at whether Apple will surprise us with any hardware news at WWDC.
WWDC 2025 Last-Minute Rumors: iOS 26, Apple Intelligence, SURPRISE Hardware?! – YouTube
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