Apple is set to hold its annual developer conference in early June and, as always, there will be a lot to talk about, including new software for the iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. Not only is it CEO Tim Cook’s last outing before he is replaced by John Ternus on 1 September, but it is another big event from Apple’s 50th anniversary year.
In a previous announcement, Apple confirmed WWDC26 (Worldwide Developer Conference) will primarily be an online event as it has been for the last few years. But as usual there while there will be a ‘special” in-person part for developers, students and the media on June 8 too.
You’ll be able to watch the WWDC26 keynote on Apple.com, the Apple Developer app, the Apple Developer website, Apple TV, and YouTube. The likely time for this is 11am PST, 2pm EDT, 6pm GMT, 7pm CEST, 11.30pm IST on 8 June (that’s 2am CST and 4am AEST on 9 June).
The key announcement
The headline-maker at WWDC26 is likely to be the new AI-infused Siri which is powered by Google Gemini. The announcement of Gemini as a partner was divisive yet understandable so expect Tim Cook and others to underline the privacy of this version of Siri. Indeed, Google might not get much of a mention at all. Expect Apple to be modest about this rather than proclaiming it is the announcement of the decade, largely because Apple Intelligence and the revamped Siri was trailed at WWDC two years ago and the new Siri has been AWOL since then.
Apple has had to eat a large amount of humble pie (see the Wall Street Journal interview from YouTube below). The assistant will be much more conversational, with context-aware, multi-step tasks possible. And, of course, the benefit is that it will be deeply integrated with your Apple apps and devices in a privacy-first approach. Plus you can plug other tools such as ChatGPT or Claude into it. It sounds like there will be a dedicated Siri app to compete with existing AI apps.
New software
As usual we’ll get new software previews for all of Apple’s operating systems, including iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, visionOS 27 and tvOS 27. I presume the naming convention will follow that of last year’s given this is only the second year the new ‘year-by-year’ nomenclature will have been used. As usual, this software will be available for developers straight away, with a public beta to follow at a later date. The final software will then launch in the fall. Expect big fixes and tweaks this time around like this rumored keyboard enhancement. The focus will be on making the Liquid Glass user interface more palatable rather than reinventing it or replacing elements. Expect various usability fixes and more benefits from the revamped Siri, of course. There will also be tweaks to iOS for the upcoming iPhone Fold / iPhone Ultra and explorers will no doubt find some of this in code, even if Apple itself doesn’t talk about it until September.
Will we get any hardware?
Possibly. It’s unusual that Apple launches any hardware at this event these days, though it has launched high-end stuff at the event, notably Vision Pro’s first reveal in 2023 or the short-lived iMac Pro in 2017. The Mac Studio wasn’t announced there but it was given a speed boost at the event in 2022. With the Mac Pro now dead, expect the Mac Studio to receive an M5 Max and M5 Ultra-level upgrade at the event.
It’s unlikely, but there’s still an Apple TV and HomePod mini refresh seemingly in the pipeline and there is a little potential for these to also launch at the event.
What does Apple say about the event?
In its announcement Apple says: “WWDC26 will spotlight incredible updates for Apple platforms, including AI advancements and exciting new software and developer tools. As part of the company’s ongoing commitment to supporting developers, WWDC will also provide unique access to Apple engineers and designers, and insight into new tools, frameworks, and features.”
Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations adds: “WWDC is one of the most exciting times for us at Apple because it’s a chance for our incredible global developer community to come together for an electrifying week that celebrates technology, innovation, and collaboration.”
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