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With WWDC 2026 kicking off on June 8, we’ll soon learn about all the latest updates coming to macOS 27. According to rumors, the Mac-based operating system should receive iterative updates rather than substantial ones. That doesn’t mean there isn’t anything to look forward to, however.
The biggest thing happening for operating systems like iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 is an upgrade for Apple Intelligence and Siri. Apple launched its AI back in 2024, but it’s lagged behind competitors. Ironically enough, Apple Intelligence should now be more useful since Google Gemini will power it.
The other big thing is the end of support for Intel-based Macs. We knew this was coming since last year, but it’s now happening. Other than that, we expect fixes for Liquid Glass so it works better on Macs, built-in app updates, and perhaps a glimpse (or full reveal) of the first touch-screen MacBook.
Here are some of the macOS announcements we expect to see at WWDC 2026.
End of the Intel era
Apple already announced that macOS 26 would be the last macOS for Intel Macs, so this one doesn’t come as a big surprise. Still, if you’re rocking an older Intel Mac, you won’t be able to run the new operating system. That said, you won’t be completely left adrift.
Apple has confirmed that macOS 26 will continue receiving critical security updates for about the next three years. If you’re not ready to upgrade yet, this is certainly good news. Just keep in mind that while you are getting security updates, you won’t get the fancy new features coming to macOS 27.
Here are the Intel-based Macs that can run macOS 26 but won’t support macOS 27:
- MacBook Pro 13-inch (2020)
- MacBook Pro 16-inch (2019)
- iMac 27-inch (2020)
- Mac Pro (2019)
A smarter Siri (for real this time)
Powered by Google Gemini, the new AI-infused Siri will reportedly be a proper AI chatbot. That means it should include features such as contextual awareness, conversational capabilities, improved natural-language support, and more. Expect Google’s multimodal capabilities and agentic AI to come to Siri as well. In short, Siri should behave much more like ChatGPT or Claude.
Apple will reportedly let you integrate third-party models (such as Claude or ChatGPT) into Siri via a new “Extensions” marketplace in the App Store. You might be able to choose distinct voices for these third-party AI responses so you know which one is answering.
Agentic AI is the latest buzz term, and Siri may have deeper system-level context to execute multi-step tasks across apps. For example, you can ask it to find a PDF invoice in one of your emails and add its contents to your Numbers budget spreadsheet. This would make Siri a true assistant.
Liquid Glass fixes
Liquid Glass was the major design overhaul introduced last year, but some users weren’t exactly happy with it, as it drew criticism for its lack of contrast, harsh transparency, and poor sidebar readability.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, macOS 27 will have a visual tune-up to address these complaints. If true, we could see the sleek, polished look that Apple’s design team originally intended. There are also reports of a Mac-adapted version of the iPhone’s Dynamic Island coming to the menu bar.
Built-in app upgrades
A feature that’s also expected for iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 will bring three AI-powered tools to Photos. This includes Extend, Enhance, and Reframe. The first two are self-explanatory, while Reframe is designed to change the perspective in spatial photos seen in 3D.
For fans of the Safari browser, a new AI feature is rumored to automatically categorize and organize browser tabs into clean, contextual groups. If you frequently have dozens of tabs open, this should be a major win.
Since macOS 27 isn’t a huge overhaul from last year, the team has reportedly focused on fixing bugs and improving performance. As with OS X Snow Leopard, a chunk of code is being optimized for raw efficiency, stability, and better battery life. The latter would be especially interesting given that MacBooks with M-series chips already have epic battery life.
Preparing for touchscreen Macs
WWDC usually focuses on software, but we have seen hardware announcements, such as the M2 MacBook Air at WWDC 2022. Rumors suggest that Apple is working on the first touchscreen MacBook, so it’s possible it could debut at WWDC 2026 — or at least be teased.
To take advantage of a touchscreen, macOS 27 will reportedly have a dynamic user interface that adjusts on the fly. For instance, if you click on an item with the mouse cursor, the UI remains compact. If you tap the screen, menus and controls will automatically expand to be touch-friendly. It should also incorporate iPad-style gestures like fast scrolling and pinch-to-zoom.
Of all the rumors we’ve heard, this one is arguably the most exciting and would bring something substantially new to Macs. I’m curious to see if these touch features will be exclusive to the rumored MacBook Ultra.
macOS 27: Outlook
If rumors are correct, then we shouldn’t see a massive overhaul of macOS 27. That said, an improved Siri could actually be a game-changer if it’s as helpful as intended. The same is true if MacBooks with touchscreens get announced.
Nothing is set in stone, so let’s look forward to WWDC giving us some concrete answers. June 8 is almost here, so it won’t be long. We’ll be live on the ground covering the event as it happens, so keep it locked here for the latest!
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