Every year, the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) acts as a platform for a dazzling keynote with iOS always reigning supreme. It is the very first glimpse we have of any features and updates that will alter how we interact with the iPhone come fall. The 2025 WWDC keynote blew away any and all expectations, with the biggest and most revolutionary change impacting something surprisingly basic: the iOS naming convention itself.
Apple is just pulling another fast one where it chooses to toss the numbered chaos in exchange for a year-based simple name scheme for its operating system. Consider the transition: iOS 19 no longer exists but say Hi to iOS 26. iPadOS, watchOS, and macOS are all treading down the same path. It will be a kind of tech-world time capsule, with each version of the OS named after the year climaxes immediatelyafterits big fall debut (iOS 26 will be launched in fall 2025). The reason is so that ridiculous confusion about “wait, which version is current?” finally dies. Let us call that one confusion-wart P.W. by Cupertino for the future.
Let’s keep the versioning on the back burner here- this iOS is really Pandora’s box of hidden gems ready to be unleashed…let’s dig in.
A major redesign
Forget just about everything you thought you knew about how Apple looks and feels. A total visual revolution this year. Beyond the brand names themselves, a gorgeous unifying aesthetic is now sweeping over all Apple operating systems: responsive translucent layers borrowed from the ethereal vision of visionOS-the engine behind Apple Vision Pro. This is not a mere tweaking; this is a seismic shift. iOS 7 was the last time Apple managed to really pull off a huge visual change-all through tossings aside the skeuomorphic world in 2013. Now they are ready to reinvent themselves in one big visual splash.
Through the weekend, above faint murmurs arose a thunderous activity: the fresh Apple user interface would be forged in Liquid Glass. The rumors crystallized into a design language obsessed with the sway of light with sheer transparency.
Interface is something majorly changed. App icons and buttons get new designs, while the toolbars and tab bars are anything but translucent. Remember the “peek and pop” of old days on iPhones? Here Apple is trying for the same magic with fast pop-out popup menus granting instant access to commonly used keys.
Widgets are changing-and going through various visual permutations in the remodel. Even on the lock screen, the clock is being dynamically resized to ensure timely shrinks as alerts come in.
Apple
CarPlay has got itself a stylish makeover! Say goodbye to the full-screen, blocking-navigation call display. The redesigned interface shrinks incoming calls, keeping eyes on the road. Express yourselves on the road using quick Tapback emoji responses in Messages, and stay connected using pinned conversations. Another hot feature is widgets and Live Activities on the dashboard; your infotainment system is now going to be all about real-time information. CarPlay Ultra is also set to receive this enormous makeover.
iOS 26 may just do wonders for your iPhone experience starting with an evolved Phone app, smarter and sleeker. Imagine: a single hub for everything, from storing recent calls and voicemails to your most favored contacts. But now, for the first time ever, there’s a real game-changer: Apple Intelligence is groupon deep into analyzing and summarizing your voicemail transcripts in a brief yet concise way, sparing you precious seconds and relieving you of staying on the loop all on your own. This is the beginning of utter mobile efficiency!
Imagine a world where unknown numbers would never hold you hostage. Call Screening allows your iPhone to intercept those mystery calls and display caller ID and purpose information on your screen so that you are empowered to decide whether to engage. Say goodbye to elevator music purgatory; Hold Assist will tell you the moment a real person is on the line and liberate you from endless waiting. (Like they’re saying, Android users have been in the future for some time now!)
FaceTime has had a facelift! Gone are the days of rattling your fingers to make your moves – now, all the crucial controls await your click in the bottom-right corner. The Safari browser in town is also set for its own glitz-and-glamor makeover: a barely-there-by-design translucent address bar and the crowning secure-side “advanced fingerprinting protection,” which battles away any fingerprints to your privacy by default during all your browsing escapades.
Say goodbye to camera chaos! The good folks in Apple are putting some semblance of order into the Camera app, getting rid of years of feature overload. Imagine sailing between taking photos and videos with just a swipe. Moreover, those indispensable tabs in the Photos app are making a comeback, ensuring a smooth browsing experience.
Let’s have some fun in group chats! It won’t be long before messages are available for group chats, allowing users to set up custom backgrounds in a shared view for everyone in the conversation. Then get ready to place bets or ask for opinions through hour-based polls. Best of all, with Apple Cash payments reaching group chats, sharing a bill is just a few taps away! Now that we think about it, typing indicators are incoming; so, if someone’s typing away a perfect reply, at least you’ll be aware of it.
Apple is about to shut out spam texts using on-device detection. Now, if there is one thing I miss, that is the time spent in orchestrating the perfect scathing reply to those scam texts before finally consigning them to the digital abyss. However, with this feature comes the ability to quarantine messages from strangers and keep the main inbox clear. But hey! Your valuable two-factor authentication code won’t be lost in the mess anyway.
Wallet just got much smarter, a loud whispered in world fashion! Take out your phone, display the digital identification directly taken from your passport, and show your identity. Thinking of an upgrade for traveling? Live Activities show real-time updates for flights right there on your lock screen. Stay safe; never get lost with detailed airport maps. The feeling of a sinking heart as your luggage gets lost? Report it instantly through the app. Wallet is turning into a traveler’s best mate.
Imagine a Maps app that somehow anticipated your typical daily grind. Picture it ghosting your routes, say, for that all-hands-on-deck chaotic school run before work. Now consider it notifying you of real-time updates on thoseveryroutes, alerting you about a hold-up even before you’ve had time to don your shoes. Think Google Maps location history taken up a notch, privacy-wise. End-to-end encryption is what Apple has promised for your data: your data will be yours, and they will never see it. It is like having a fully encrypted co-pilot helping you through your day.
Sam Chapman for Engadget
Get Ready to Play: iOS 26 Unveils Dedicated “Games” App!
With the new “Games” app in iOS 26, dive right into the whimsical world of gaming! Think of this as your glamorous hub where the scintillations of Apple Arcade glisten. New titles to explore and try, instant access to your private library of games, challenging your friends to multiplayer matches, achievements you name it. All this while you enjoy smooth and fully immersive gaming. This is “Games,” and it’s coming to iOS 26 very shortly.
Apple has been quietly erecting its gaming empire, one brick at a time. Forget about Candy Crush; now we have Death Stranding on iPhones and Resident Evil terrorizing iPads. Or is this just a tech giant’s whim and not really a play for the hearts (and wallets) of gamers? Will Apple Arcade place to finally have a killer app? And really, when’s the last time you heard anyone say theymissGame Center? The stakes have never been higher, or the graphics ever more fabulous: can Apple manage to conquer the world of gaming, or will this be the end of the road?
AI features
Apple Intelligence: Redemption Arc? Maybe. iOS 26, for once, might make the use of Apple’s AI actually appealing. Translation, no app shuffle: that’s cool. Finally, an opportunity to keep those crazy urges for Google Translate at bay.
Think of a world where there would’ve been no language barrier, where, with just a click, anyone could connect with anyone else anywhere in the world. Apple is equipping exactly this kind of future with live translation. Soon, iPhone users will be able to communicate with each other and understand through real-time text conversations, phone conversations, or FaceTime chats. This can actually be one of the world’s biggest upgrades-imagine the dissolution of communication barriers afflicting millions around the globe.
Apple Music has recently ushered in some real game-changers for you! Now, with live lyrics translation and pronunciation guides, you can finally get that Babymetal verse in “Ratatata” right. Karaoke was never this cool before with the promise of those butchered foreign lyrics. But hold on to your hats: DJs rejoice, AutoMix is here! Visualize songs interchanging flawlessly through intelligent time stretching and beat matching. And for the show people: Moving album art is being introduced next so that your listening experience gets a visual boost. Apple Music is no longer merely playing music – it has become a mood.
WWDC buzz: Developers, get ready! Apple is unlocking the power of on-device Foundation Model to realize all your app dreams. Instant live translation on the go–baked right into your creations; it is about to become real.
Sam Chapman for Engadget
Here, Apple tries to beat Google by rushing technology development on visuals-welling up engineering. Imagine pointing at any object from your phone and letting ChatGPT ask it questions. A funny chair on Etsy? Bam! Details, prices-the whole nine yards. A poster for a concert? Apple’s AI will insist on placing it into your calendar. And there you are: a boost to visual intelligence.
The Shortcuts app is now getting a lot smarter with Apple Intelligence. Imagine designing custom shortcuts that have powerful new actions in writing and image generation through Image Playground. But the real star is Apple Intelligence: It will look through your inbox, components of which may include even e-mails from non-Apple Pay purchases, and extract tracking information and order summaries. Think of it as a nifty personal package-track ninja that consolidates delivery information from different couriers and puts it in one easy-to-access spot. Where the Shop app from Shopify only gave them a glimpse of the convenience, Apple is stepping entirely in the driver’s seat.
The AI magic is beyond headlines. Another treatment for Genmoji: emoji mashups are coming! And the big promise, an upgraded Siri, is still in Apple kitchens, but hopefully, you will get a taste later this year.
Intending to enhance parental controls with a smoother and simple experience, iOS 26 is to ensure this. Setting up the Child Accounts, users will effortlessly move to their own separate digital space. But there’s more to it! Also, parents can issue exceptions for their kids to download apps just a little older than themselves-about curiosity. The safety of users is further being enhanced by Apple via blurring suspiciously interesting content appearing in FaceTime calls and shared photo albums.
Apple is sweeping away barriers with accessibility improvements more than ever in this ecosystem. Imagine a world where reading is so much for you. This is what Accessibility Reader promises-a system-wide reading experience customized according to what one needs. The iPhone has a dedicated Braille Access interface for braille users. Exceedingly, the Live Listen, Background Sounds, Personal Voice, and other such assistive tools are set for a “new level of accessibility” upgrade. This is ensuring full access to the Apple universe for everyone.
Got an iPhone? iOS 26 is coming, but will your device make the cut? If you are in possession of an iPhone 11 or above or an iPhone SE second generation, you are in luck! Now when it comes to Apple Intelligence… it is about to get a serious upgrade, which means it needs the latest and greatest. Think iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, presumably the next iPhones, and selected iPads and Macs. Simply put, the future of iOS is here, and it is exclusive.
Dive into the Future: iOS 26 Arrives Today for Developers!
iOS 26 has been an unheard-of announcement from the mouth of Apple. Developers get the first taste, callback to the very old days: iOS 1. Now it is time to grab the next-gen technology by joining the Apple Developer Program and start looking into the newly unleashed thrill of the latest OS.
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But that’s not the only thing. The Public Beta is enticing you, so make sure you mark your calendar for July! The new face of Mobile is almost ready, and you are welcome to the previews.
Finale: The show runs this fall, with the official launch of iOS 26 and whatever shiny new operating systems are to be released happening just snappingly behind the iPhone show of the year in September. Start gearing up to upgrade one step further into innovation!
The WWDC 2025 has finally begun! Were you one of those folks who missed the keynote? Relive those epic and earth-shattering announcements and innovations the way they happened. Check out our liveblog for reactions in real time, or just watch the entire Keynote. Check out all the things Apple has to offer in the future, right now.
Thanks for reading Apple reveals new iOS 26 features and its Liquid Glass redesign at WWDC 2025
