Updated June 6
• iOS 26 should arrive at WWDC 2025, and here are all the new features to expect
• Apple Design Award 2025 winners have been announced, and they're all set to be honored at WWDC next week
• The Apple Intelligence updates to look forward to, even if WWDC doesn't announce anything big on the AI front
• We were worried about the new look of iOS, until we realized something important.
• 'macOS Tahoe' tipped for a reveal at WWDC 2025
WWDC 2025 is almost here with less than a week before the 5-day event gets underway. There's a lot of excitement for those in the developer community who create apps and software for Apple's entire product line — like its iPhones, Macs, and everything in between. The annual developers conference get-together usually has enough announcements and previews to interest people who've never written a line of code.
This year's event kicks off on June 9 and runs through June 13, where we could be getting a completely fresh coat of paint for much of Apple's software, with the company looking to make using its phones, tablets and computers with a more unified experience.
Remember Apple Intelligence? That was the big star of last year's WWDC, and we're expecting a stronger comeback for 2025, as Apple looks to regain some momentum for its suite of AI tools after a rocky start. New hardware could appear, too, though that's a remote possibility this time around.
It all begins with the main event June 9 keynote, which will set the stage for the software Apple plans to roll out later on this year. That's where Apple will lay out its software roadmap for the rest of the year. Mark your calendars: it starts at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT / 6 p.m. BST, and yes, you'll be able to catch the WWDC 2025 live stream on YouTube. I know a lot of you will be glued to that screen.
But hey, you don't have to wait until then to anticipate what's to come out of WWDC 2025. I've been covering Apple for a quarter-century now—and believe me, I've sat through more than my fair share of these developer conferences — and I've got some thoughts.
Here's a look at the WWDC 2025 rumors that have me excited and why this year's event figures to be so important for Apple.
WWDC 2025 expected announcements
- Previews of new versions of iOS, macOS, iPadOS, watchOS, tvOS and visionOS software
- New unified version numbers for Apple's software (i.e., iOS 26, macOS 26, etc.)
- 'Solarium' interface overhaul for Apple's software
- New Apple Intelligence features
- A new multi-platform gaming app
- Potentially, a new Mac Pro
'Solarium' brings a new interface
WWDC usually means previews of upcoming software releases, and this year should be no exception. However, instead of focusing on new features, Apple seems likely to make the interface the big news this time around. And not just the interface of one operating system — all of Apple's software is reportedly due for an overhaul.
That reporting comes from Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, who wrote back in March that Apple was planning to unify the look of its iPhone, iPad and Mac operating systems. The new look is set to come from visionOS, the software that powers the Apple Vision Pro headset, which should mean rounded icons and translucent menus. Apps, windows and system buttons are also set for the new look, which is code-named Solarium based on Gurman's reporting.
While iOS, iPadOS and macOS were the initial platforms set to get an interface revamp, it appears now that all of Apple's software will be ringing in the changes at WWDC 2025. Gurman now reports that watchOS and tvOS are due for an overhaul, too.
It's hard to overstate what a big deal the Solarium update figures to be, particularly for the iPhone and iOS. Apple's iPhone software has seen changes over the years, but the last significant redesign took place a dozen years ago when iOS 7 marked an end to skeumorphism.
That's when design elements take on the aspect of the real-world object that inspired them, like the yellow-lined paper that used to be a part of the Notes app on your iPhone. It could be argued that a new look for the iPhone software is way overdue.
That said, redesigns rarely meet with universal acclaim right away, as people can find new interfaces jarring (as I explore here). I'm very interested to see not only the new look Apple is set to show off at WWDC, but how people react to it.
iOS 26: New names for software
You may have noticed I didn't include version numbers when talking about the new editions of iOS and other Apple software updates. That's because Apple may be changing those names, according to another Gurman report.
Currently, Apple software uses version numbers to distinguish one release from another. Your iPhone is running iOS 18, your Mac runs macOS 15, and your Apple Watch is currently on watchOS 11.
But the new Gurman report suggests that Apple will switch over to years starting at WWDC, picking the upcoming year as the version number. So instead of iOS 19, we'll be getting a preview of iOS 26, along with macOS 26, watchOS 26 and so on.
The motivation behind the name changes is the same one apparently driving the interface overhaul — Apple wants consistently across its different platforms. Now, instead of having to remember that this year's iPhone software is the 19th version Apple's released while the new Apple Watch software is only up to a 12th version, you need only cite the year following the release date.
Other iOS changes
I'm a phones guy at heart, so I've got a special interest in what's cooking for iOS 19... er... iOS 26. And while the interface redesign figures to take up much of the focus with this new version of the iPhone software, there are hints of new features coming to Apple's phones that I'm interested to see in action.
One report suggests the iOS 26 update is getting a feature that simplifies signing on to Wi-Fi networks by sharing login details across different Apple devices. Apple is also said to be adding an AI-powered feature for improving battery life and predicting charging times. Both would be welcome improvements, if minor ones.
The iPhone might also gain a new desktop mode, which would let you plug a model with a USB-C port — so, an iPhone 15 or later — into an external display to give you extra screen real estate. Similarly, iPadOS 26 — which is essentially iOS with a few more iPad-specific features, has been tipped to get a Mac-like menu bar at the top of its screen and updated Stage Manager feature for better multitasking.
A new Apple gaming app
We could be in for a new app at WWDC 2025 that will work on multiple platforms — and it's all to do with gaming. According to yet another Bloomberg report, the new gaming app will house many of the features currently found in Game Center like leaderboards and friends, while also letting you launch games from within the app itself and elevating the Apple Arcade gaming service.
Details are pretty thin at the moment, but it sounds as if this isn't just an iPhone app — there are likely to be versions of the gaming offering for iPads, Macs and Apple TV as well.
Apple Intelligence
So far we haven't said much about Apple Intelligence, which seems odd given how much Apple has focused on bringing AI features to its various products. But don't mistake that for Apple slowing down those efforts.
Apple is still going to be pushing AI, even if the focus this year may be fine-tuning what's already there instead of introducing a lot of new capabilities.
For example, there are still features Apple promised at last year's WWDC that the company needs to deliver on. That would be the redesign of Siri, the personal assistant found on iPhones, iPads and Macs.
While there have been some changes as part of the Apple Intelligence launch — there's a new animation when you summon the assistant, you can type questions and queries and Siri's gotten better with follow-up questions and interruptions — the biggest improvements are still MIA.
Based on what Apple told us last year, Siri is supposed to be able to see the contents of your screen and take action based on those contents — creating an entry in your calendar when you get an email about an appointment for example. And it's supposed to be more contextually aware, enabling the assistant to provide more personalized and proactive suggestions.
A few months ago, Apple admitted it was having trouble getting these features to work consistently, though. Instead, they'll be part of the new software coming out later this year, though the timeline for when those specific Siri features will be ready is still up in the air.
As for new features, there are rumors of some additions to the Apple Intelligence toolkit. I've already mentioned AI-fueled battery management, and Apple is reportedly developing an AI-based health coaching tool that can collect all the fitness and health data stored on your Apple devices to formulate advice on improving your health.
Since WWDC 2025 is a developer conference, expect some developer-related AI news, too. Specifically, Apple will reportedly offer a developer tool that will make it easier to incorporate Apple Intelligence features into apps.
Hardware surprises
It's not unheard of for Apple to include hardware announcements during WWDC. For example, two years ago, Apple previewed the Vision Pro while also introducing new Macs.
Any hardware that shows up at WWDC 2025 will likely be aimed at the developers in attendance at the show. For that reason, if there is a new Mac, it would likely be a Mac Pro, possibly equipped with an M4 chip. Alongside a desktop reveal, Apple is tipped to reveal its next macOS software, reportedly called 'Tahoe,' at WWDC 2025 as well.
If Apple's software revelations at WWDC 2025 enable new hardware features, it's possible the company could show off the relevant devices. For example, there's been talk for a while about a touch-screen equipped version of Apple's HomePod arriving at some point in 2025, though Apple would likely need to work through its Siri issues if it's going to show off that device.
Similarly, we've heard rumors about AirPods with integrated cameras to support gesture-controls, though that's unlikely to appear before 2026.
If you want a real longshot for a WWDC 2025 appearance, multiple reports claim that Apple is working on a pair of smart glasses as a Vision Pro follow-up. That device is also tipped to arrive in 2026. But as Apple showed two years ago with its spatial computing headset, new hardware that requires new software sometimes gets trotted out at WWDC to whet the appetites of developers — and the rest of us onlookers.
AirPods upgrades
Even though it's unlikely there will be new AirPods introduced at WWDC 2025, Apple could be making existing ones much better based on the leaks. Through iOS 26 and macOS 26, there could be five big upgrades coming to the AirPods.
The first being new head gestures that could be extended to dismissing notifications, which would complement the existing one that Apple introduced last year that lets wearers accept or decline calls.
For those that use AirPods to listen to music or podcasts while falling asleep, a new feature could bring an auto-pause function that could trigger when you finally doze off.
Taking photos could be a squeeze away, too, as the rumors hint at the ability to capture a photo by squeezing on the stem of the AirPods.
The Audio Mix feature in the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max could be making its way to the AirPods as well, brining studio quality microphone enhancements, giving creators the option to use AirPods for audio recording with video.
And finally, the reports hint at a better pairing process for AirPods when they're paired with an iPad. Specifically targeted for education, this would allow multiple students to share a device.
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