Apple’s WWDC 2026 presentation commenced yesterday at Apple Park, ushering in a week filled with announcements concerning Siri AI, iOS 27, Apple Intelligence, and more, accompanied by developer events and demonstrations as Apple aims to regain momentum with users and developers who have expressed dissatisfaction with their offerings in the intensely competitive AI arena. This event also signifies CEO Tim Cook’s final WWDC at the company, having disclosed that he is passing the reins to Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering John Ternus on September 1.

Did they accomplish their goals? Stay updated on this page, and through our ongoing coverage, to discover!

TL;DR — Apple used WWDC 2026 to catch up

This is not consumer news editor Sarah Perez’s first experience at WWDC, and considering that context, she offers insights into much of what was presented.

Over the preceding two years, Apple has been striving to keep pace in AI as complaints about its core software gradually accumulated: a design revamp users disliked, a search feature that hardly functioned, a file-sharing capability that frequently faltered, and a Health app that neglected to address half its user demographic. Apple refrained from mentioning any of this on Monday. However, the layout of its WWDC keynote conveyed these sentiments, prioritizing fixes over features, and positioning an improved Siri as one item on an extensive array of enhancements rather than the focal point.

Apple unveils Siri AI

As anticipated, Apple advocated for a better experience with its longstanding Siri assistant, acknowledging the heightened expectations users have in the AI era. Amplifying its capabilities with Google Gemini’s backing, Apple asserts that the latest Siri enhancements will render it more competent, conversational, and in tune with visual intelligence, also being available as a standalone app in addition to integration with current applications. A comprehensive overview of all the new Siri AI updates can be found here.

Before introducing the enhancements and features, Apple emphasized its commitment to a privacy-first approach in AI. “We hold that privacy in AI is non-negotiable,” stated Apple Senior Vice President Craig Federighi during the stream, asserting that “data is solely employed to fulfill your request, and external experts are welcome to validate this promise at any given time.”

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Hints of a possible foldable iPhone

While Apple didn’t announce any substantial unveilings during WWDC, researcher @M1Astra sifted through components in the iOS 27 developer beta and discovered references to terms like “foldState,” “angleDegrees,” and other indicators that suggest the varying configurations a foldable device may exhibit. Moreover, the past few years have seen a plethora of rumors regarding a foldable iPhone. Keep an eye on Apple’s annual iPhone event in September to see if an official unveiling occurs, unless Ternus opts for a new direction in the post-Cook era.

The next evolution of Apple Intelligence

In conjunction with its new Siri AI revamp, the tech giant unveiled a multitude of new Apple Intelligence enhancements across its applications, including tab management for Safari, one-tap password updates, cross-application context awareness, and more. Furthermore, Messages will feature AI-driven response suggestions, while the Phone app can now extract context from other applications like Mail and Messages during calls.

Apple indicated that it partnered with Google and the Gemini family of models to create the next generation of Apple Foundation Models that underpin its integrated Apple Intelligence functionalities.

Liquid Glass introduces opt-in rollbacks

If you’re among those who aren’t particularly fond of last year’s Liquid Glass design alterations, you’re not alone. While Apple isn’t reverting to a completely new style, you’ll have the option to dial back some aspects or emphasize them if you appreciate the changes. Additionally, in response to app icon critiques inspired by Spotify’s disco ball update, Apple presented a new, layered approach to Liquid Glass within its applications.

Additional changes coming to iOS 27

As is customary each year, several minor adjustments and enhancements that accompany the forthcoming iOS update did not receive much attention during Apple’s presentation, but that does not render them unimportant. Ivan Mehta compiled numerous of them here, including:

• Full-screen homepage widgets.
• Distinct volume controls for alarms, timers, alerts, and so forth.
• Design updates for the weather app, focusing on notable upcoming events.

Image Playground receives another opportunity

The AI image-generating application, Image Playground, hasn’t precisely captivated audiences, which depending on your perspective on AI might be a positive development. However, Apple made a fresh appeal for users to begin creating images, highlighting its potential integrations across various device functionalities, while excluding any training based on images produced through the app. Moreover, improved performance updates accompanying Apple Intelligence enhancements could elevate it from the “subpar” category for TechCrunch senior writer Amanda Silberling.

iOS 27 extends support back to the iPhone 11

Claiming that its forthcoming update will be accessible to more users than any prior iOS release, Apple announced that all devices from the iPhone 11 onwards will be compatible with their upcoming software upgrade. This update comes with a host of performance enhancements touted across multiple OS releases this year, with Apple asserting that new photos will appear 70% faster, AirDrop transfers will be 80% quicker, and CPU schedulers will be optimized to enhance multitasking.

Introducing new parental controls for iPhones

Apple dedicated a considerable portion of the WWDC event to showcasing a range of tools for parents seeking greater oversight over their children’s devices. Parents can determine who their children can call on their phones and what applications and websites they may access, with Apple providing suggestions on how these restrictions can evolve over time. By default, the “Ask to Browse” feature limits access, and “Ask to Buy” for App Store and in-app purchases will be enabled as a default for devices set up for children under 13. More details on parental controls can be found here.

Search receives a revamp

Tired of searching for just about anything on your iPhone? Search received a dedicated segment during WWDC to highlight a range of enhancements, which you can learn more about here.

“We’ve all encountered that moment when you search for something you’re certain is there, but it simply won’t show up,” remarked Stacey Ford, Vice President of OS Program Management. “Thus, on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, we’ve reconstructed the core of search that powers Spotlight, Photos, and Mail.

To compete with popular AI photo-editing applications, Apple is integrating new AI functionalities into its Photos app. The newly introduced spatial “Reframe” feature allows users to employ AI to modify an image’s perspective as if they had adjusted the camera position in the original scene. The new “Extend” tool enhances images to modify the aspect ratio or enlarge the scene. The app’s popular “Cleanup” tool is also being upgraded, enabling users to eliminate distractions with enhanced quality and more realistic fills using generative AI.

Apple challenges AI dictation applications

Apple is introducing a new, system-wide dictation feature integrated into the iOS 27 keyboard, capable of correcting spellings, punctuation, and capitalization. This update arrives as AI dictation apps such as Wispr Flow and Willow rise in popularity. These applications eliminate filler words like “ums” and “ahs” and format the transcribed text based on context.

Subscription bundles will be available in the App Store

For the first time, developers can collaborate to provide access to different subscriptions at a reduced bundle price. While this is a common practice among streaming services seeking subscriber growth, it marks a first for productivity or photography applications in the App Store.

The App Store will implement personalized recommendations

If a bundled offer isn’t enticing enough, your interests and behaviors will drive a new discovery method for developers: personalized recommendations that will be displayed across several App Store sections. These recommendations will feature “App Notes” that explain their relevance among other applications.

Shortcuts incorporates natural language creation

Apple utilizes AI to enhance its visual-scripting tool, Shortcuts, making it more user-friendly in iOS 27. The revamped experience will enable users to type a prompt and simply articulate their objectives. This AI upgrade renders the Shortcuts app more accessible and broadens the capabilities for non-technical users.

Health app introduces perimenopause insights

Apple’s Health app is enhancing its cycle-tracking feature by adding support for perimenopause and menopause. This update embraces a highly relevant topic, presenting Apple with a new product opportunity in a rapidly growing market, as digital health tools aimed at this demographic have drawn significant investment recently.

Tim Cook bids farewell

At the conclusion of the keynote, Tim Cook delivered a farewell message reflecting on his tenure as CEO:

Throughout the years, you have aided individuals in connecting, creating, learning, and experiencing the world in remarkable new ways. With the extraordinary capabilities we unveil today, and many more still to come, I genuinely believe the best is yet to come at Apple. Delivering the finest products in the world to provide experiences that enhance people’s lives has always guided us. It has been a privilege of a lifetime to contribute to that mission alongside teams whose ingenuity, care, and conviction continue to make a lasting impact on people’s lives.

Catch up on all of WWDC 2026’s announcements here

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Missed WWDC? You can always catch up on the complete archive of the event via the stream above or on Apple’s YouTube channel right here.