WWDC 2025 LIVE: iOS 26, Apple Intelligence and all the last-minute rumors
iOS 26, macOS Tahoe, Apple Intelligence updates and more at WWDC
Apple's WWDC 2025 could bring the biggest visual changes to Apple's software in years, a whole new naming scheme and possibly new hardware.
The new 'Soalrium' interface is said to be inspired by the visionOS that powers Apple's Vision Pro headset, and it figures to impact everything from the iPhone and iPad to Apple Watches. It sounds as if Apple wants a more unified software experience across its devices.
Reports also claim that Apple is moving to a new naming convention — the updates will now be listed by year. In other words, get ready for iOS 26 instead of iOS 19.
You'd also expect lots of announcements about AI, given the way Apple Intelligence dominated last year's WWDC. But a number of reports suggest a more modest approach to Apple Intelligence this year, as Apple works behind the scenes to recover from early stumbles and to make Siri better.
We'll find out how many of these rumors come to pass when WWDC 2025 gets started on Monday at 1 p.m. ET/ 10 a.m. PT/ 6 p.m. BST. We'll be following all the announcements right here.
For now, you can follow this live blog for the latest WWDC news and rumors as we wait for Apple to show off this year's software previews.
How to watch WWDC 2025
We've got a full guide on how to watch the WWDC 2025 keynote, but in a nutshell, Apple offers a live stream of the keynote at the WWDC website, If you have an Apple device, you can also watch from the TV app.
The easiest way to watch WWDC 2025 is via the live stream on YouTube, which we've embedded here.
WWDC 2025 likely announcements
- Previews of new versions of iOS, macOS, iPadOS, watchOS, tvOS and visionOS
- A new naming scheme for Apple software based on the year following the update's fall release
- An interface overhaul code-named Solarium that draws on visionOS Pro for inspiration
- An update on Apple Intelligence including possible new features
- Potentially, a new Mac Pro
- New AirPod features courtesy of Apple's software updates
What’s coming with watchOS
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.
tvOS 26 in the spotlight
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.
How big will the interface overhaul be?
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.
Name changes: iOS 26, iPadOS 26 and more
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.
Get ready for Solarium
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.
Mark Gurman’s WWDC announcement forecast
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.
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.
