WWDC 2025 Announcements
As Apple does every June, today Apple unveiled the upcoming software for this fall. While WWDC (World Wide Developers Conference) is an event for software developers, today’s keynote is a bit more geared to the general public so that people can see what to expect.
All software was released in beta form to developers today, and will be released to the general public this fall, probably in September, but sometimes macOS gets staggered into October.
The one word to describe the big changes this year is unified. For the first time, Apple is updating all of their software to a new design language at the same time. The last time Apple revamped the visuals of their OS was iOS 7 in 2013, but the Mac didn’t follow until macOS Big Sur in 2020. The new design is called “Liquid Glass” because it really kind of looks like liquid glass or drops of water that float on top of your content.
The other unifying aspect is the version numbering system. In the past, Apple numbered all software sequentially. It was confusing to many because the software for iPhone was 18, Mac was 15, and Apple Watch was 11. Instead, Apple is taking a tip from car manufacturers and naming software by year. And just like car manufacturers, they are naming the software for the upcoming year, not the year in which it was released. Which makes sense because for most of the time that iOS 26 will be out, the year will be 2026.
So what exactly was announced today as far as features go? Below you’ll find a list of features. This isn’t exhaustive, and there might be some minor errors or inaccuracies because this was all just announced today, and I’ve been busy trying to absorb it all. And some features may actually be available on more platforms, but they get shown off on one specific platform because Apple feels it is where it makes the most sense.
If you’re more of a visual person, you can either watch the full 90-minute video or you can watch the short two-minute version.
iOS 26
Image Playground gets the ability to create images using ChatGPT.
Genmoji gets updated with the ability to add existing emjoi
Live Translations allows you to text, call, and FaceTime with people in another language. Calls work no matter what kind of phone the other person uses. Third-party apps can take advantage of this feature as well.
Apple Wallet can find package tracking info from emails. Boarding passes now include flight status live activities, which can be shared with others, as well as AirTag tracking and airport maps.
Messages gets a lot of upgrades, including the ability to set background messages, typing indicators in group messages, Apple Cash requests to groups, polling, the ability to select partial text in a message, and new features for screening unknown senders.
Phone app gets a new (optional) unified layout with the most-used features on one screen. It also gets call screening where Siri will ask for information before allowing your iPhone to ring from an unknown caller, and Hold Assist will allow your iPhone to listen to hold music for you and ring you when an agent picks up.
Photos app gets some tabs back to more easily navigate. 2D images can be viewed with an AI-generated 3D effect.
Music app gets pins for albums, playlists, and artists, and there is a new “AutoMix” that blends from track to track like a DJ.
CarPlay gets widgets, Live Activities, and message tapbacks.
Camera app gets a simplified layout, focusing on standard Photos and Videos. You will now get a warning if your lens is dirty.
Lock Screen gets lots of small updates, including a 3D effect for photos and more dynamic time options
Visual Intelligence is now integrated into screenshots, so you can take a screenshot and ask a question about it.
Battery features include a new dynamic battery saver that will adjust features depending on your usage. The Lock Screen also estimates the time until your phone is charged, and your iPhone will alert you if there are apps that are using an abnormal amount of energy.
Audio/video features include the ability to select different audio inputs for different apps, studio-quality audio on AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2, auto-pause when you fall asleep, new background sounds, and the ability to start and stop recording by squeezing the stem of AirPods Pro 2.
Maps can track places you have visited in the background for reference later. It can alert you when there is heavy traffic on a regular route.
Games app is a new addition, putting all of your games, scores, achievements, and friends in one unified app.
Focus gets the ability to silence a specific SIM.
Preview app comes to iPhone and iPad, allowing you to fill PDFs and do some basic manipulation of PDFs and images.
Files app gets a complete revamp, with the ability to customize folders with color and emoji.
iPadOS 26
Most of the iOS features above are coming to iPad, as well as the following:
Multitasking has been completely revamped to work more like Mac, whether on an iPad Mini or on an external display. It includes window resizing, Exposé, window tiling, and more.
Stage Manager is now available on older iPads.
Menu bar on iPad, similar to Mac.
Folders can be dragged from the Files app to the Dock for easier access.
Background tasks can be completed while you use another app, such as rendering a video.
Phone app allows you to more easily make phone calls from iPad.
Journal app makes it to iPad for the first time.
macOS Tahoe 26
Many of the features above are coming to Mac, such as the new Messages app, Games app, and the ability to customize folders with colors and emoji. But here are some additional new features:
Spotlight gets a complete overhaul, so now it’s not just for search but for actions, allowing power users to use their keyboard to quickly send messages, create reminders, and interact with apps in many ways, even third-party apps.
Clipboard gets history, accessible through Spotlight.
Live Activities on your iPhone now appear on your Mac menu bar.
Control Center can be customized with third-party controls.
Phone app allows you to make phone calls more easily from Mac.
Journal app comes to Mac for the first time.
Metal 4 upgrades video game graphics.
watchOS 26
Workout Buddy helps keep you motivated during a workout, using AI and your health data.
Workouts app is completely redesigned, and can choose music for you or make suggestions.
Smart Stacks gets an upgrade, bringing the right data and tools to you at the right time.
Notification volume can adjust automatically depending on ambient noise.
Notes app finally makes an appearance on Apple Watch.
Live Listen allows your iPhone to dictate to the screen of your Apple Watch, so you can, for example, talk to someone on the phone and see what they are saying on your wrist.
A flick of the wrist away from you declines a phone call or gets rid of a message.
Control Center can be customized with third-party controls.
tvOS 26
Karaoke gets an upgrade. You and your friends can use your iPhones as mics.
Profile can be prompted for each time your Apple TV wakes up.
Streamlined sign-in is possible (with app support) linking your streaming accounts to an Apple ID.
Incoming phone and Facetime alerts appear on-screen.
visionOS 26
Widgets can be placed around your space.
Personas get a dramatic upgrade to be more realistic.
Safari can use AI to add depth to images, and 3D content can be placed directly into web pages.
PlayStation VR2 Sense controller support.
Sharing of Vision Pro, with each person storing their biometric data on their own iPhone.
Shared experiences allow two people to do things such as watch a movie together, each on their own Vision Pro.
Native panoramic playback support of content from GoPro, Insta360, and Canon.
iPhone unlock while wearing Vision Pro.
Incoming calls can be answered on Vision Pro.
My first impression is that this is a really great upgrade with a lot of features that people have been asking for for a long time. And having all of the software behave in a similar fashion means that moving between devices will be easier. I’ve already installed this on my own devices, so I can begin learning the new features, and for the first few hours at least, it’s been working great. I do hope that Apple can do all of this while keeping the quality of the software where we expect it to be. We’ll find out for sure this fall when the final software is released.
