At WWDC 25 today, Apple revealed major updates across its entire ecosystem, introducing new versions of iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and visionOS. While the announcements included everything from refreshed interfaces to expanded AI tools, the biggest story might be just how much Apple is leaning into design and intelligence to redefine the user experience.
iOS 26 brings a new look to the iPhone with a design style Apple calls Liquid Glass. The update gives app icons, widgets, and controls a fresh, translucent appearance that responds to surroundings. It also introduces Apple Intelligence, a new systemwide AI feature that handles tasks like live translation, smart responses, and on-screen content recognition. The Phone and Messages apps now include Call Screening and Hold Assist, and a new Apple Games app centralizes gaming updates and achievements.
iPadOS 26 is the update I’m most excited about. It finally introduces a true windowing system for multitasking. Users can freely resize and reposition windows, group them into stages, and work more like they would on a desktop. The new menu bar and Exposé view give users fast access to open apps, while a revamped Files app offers customizable folders, new sorting options, and default app assignments. There’s also a Preview app for editing PDFs and images with Apple Pencil.
macOS Tahoe 26 continues the design evolution with Liquid Glass visuals and new personalization options for folders and icons. Spotlight gets a major upgrade, letting users run actions directly from search, like sending an email or starting a note. The Phone app comes to Mac with iPhone continuity features, and Live Activities can now show up right in the Mac’s menu bar.
watchOS 26 introduces Workout Buddy, a new fitness feature powered by Apple Intelligence. It delivers personalized motivation during exercise sessions using your workout history, heart rate, and activity data. The system design gets the Liquid Glass treatment too, with updated visuals in Smart Stack, Control Center, and notifications. New features like wrist flick gestures and Live Translation in Messages aim to make the watch feel more responsive and personal.
Apple Vision Pro users also have updates to look forward to. visionOS 26 includes support for spatial widgets, enhanced Personas with more lifelike visuals, and shared spatial experiences with nearby users. Look to Scroll lets users navigate with their eyes, and support for PlayStation VR2 Sense controllers opens up more immersive gameplay options.
All of these updates are part of Apple’s broader push toward making devices smarter, more personal, and more visually dynamic. Apple Intelligence is baked into every platform and runs on device to preserve user privacy. That includes tools for writing, image generation, translation, and proactive suggestions based on context.
Developer betas of these updates should be available soon through Apple’s Developer Program, with public betas expected in July. Final versions are set to arrive this fall, though Apple Intelligence features will require newer hardware like iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 16, and M1-based Macs or later.
