Apple WWDC on 8 June – here’s what to expect
Apple’s annual developer conference is expected to revolve around artificial intelligence. New hardware would be a surprise. Here’s a roundup of the rumours.
Apple’s annual Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) runs from 8 to 12 June 2026. You can watch the opening keynote on Monday, 8 June, at 7 p.m. Central European Time (CET) on Apple’s website or on YouTube. According to current reports, this year’s focus is the new Siri – which, after numerous delays, is finally set to arrive with iOS 27 this autumn.
New Siri, powered by Google’s Gemini
Apple has added the subdomain genai.apple.com to its DNS servers, leaving no doubt that WWDC 2026 will bring news on the artificial intelligence (AI) front. The most significant update is likely to be the new Siri. First announced two years ago, technical issues meant Apple missed its promised spring 2025 launch date. Last year’s WWDC also passed without any news on the voice assistant.
Now Siri is finally set to enter the era of modern chatbots. It appears Apple hasn’t managed to develop a competitive large language model (LLM) of its own, so the assistant is getting Google’s brains instead. The two companies announced a multi-year partnership back in January.
Siri is now supposed to understand requests better, remember previous conversations and have the capacity to execute multiple commands at once. Its key differentiator is reportedly access to personal context – such as the contents of text messages – and the ability to complete tasks in apps independently. At the initial unveiling in 2024, Apple announced that this data – some of which is sensitive – would be processed either directly on the device or on dedicated servers, where it would then be deleted.
Source: Screenshot apple.com
To make the new Siri recognisable as such, rumour has it that it will feature a redesigned interface. A hint at this can apparently be found in the artwork on the event’s website, which shows a bird – the programming language Swift’s logo – with subtle accents in pink, blue, dark violet and orange. The colours recall the animation that runs around the edge of the display when you activate the current Siri, but in a more muted, darker palette.
iOS 27: lots of AI, new Camera app
The new Siri will be the headline feature of iOS 27. As a fully fledged chatbot, it will reportedly get its own app for ongoing conversations, working similarly to the apps from Anthropic and OpenAI. According to leaks published by Bloomberg, the home screen will show previous chats that you can pick up at any time. The conversation interface looks similar to iMessage and includes a text field, a button for voice input and the option to upload attachments such as photos.
Source: 731 via Bloomberg
Alternatively, you can access the voice assistant via a new search overlay, triggered by swiping down from the top-centre the screen. This gesture was previously used to access notifications – now you do so by swiping down from the top left. You can still launch apps, compose messages or search through documents from the search overlay. Depending on the request, tasks can also be handed off to third-party AI models such as Gemini, Claude or ChatGPT.
Source: 731 via Bloomberg
The Camera app is also undergoing a comprehensive redesign. The interface is becoming more modular; the quick-access bar at the top, which used to be fixed, can now be reconfigured via a new widget menu. This means options like background blur, exposure time or Night mode can be brought to the front. This should make the app more interesting for keen photographers, who’ve often had to resort to third-party apps until now.
At the same time, Apple is integrating AI features more directly into the Camera app. Siri is now a dedicated capture mode alongside Photo and Video, and can directly analyse subjects or pass them on to external services like Gemini or ChatGPT – giving users information or visual suggestions without leaving the app. The integration is meant to lower the barrier to everyday visual AI and lay the groundwork for upcoming device categories like smart glasses and AirPods with an integrated camera. Apple is reportedly also testing photo editing via voice input, though that feature is likely to come later.
Source: 731 via Bloomberg
Beyond the new AI features, iOS 27 is also supposed to fix various bugs and clean up legacy code – and become more efficient as a result. The Liquid Glass design is also expected to be refined. Under the hood, the operating system will likely also include support for the upcoming iPhone Fold. Apple is almost certainly not going to talk about that at WWDC, though.
iPadOS 27: improved multitasking
Apple’s tablets will get the same new AI features as the iPhone, with more powerful chips likely able to handle more on-device. The updated Liquid Glass design will also be rolled out across the system. Other than that, Apple is expected to refine the iPad’s multitasking system.
macOS 27: touch controls for the Mac?
Apple is reportedly planning a MacBook with a touchscreen, meaning macOS would need to support touch controls alongside the new Siri. According to leaks, the new operating system’s interface adapts to the type of input: tap a menu item with your finger and large, touch-optimised controls appear. Click it with a mouse, and it stays as a regular menu. It’s rather unlikely that Apple will announce these changes before the corresponding hardware is released, though.
Source: Samuel Buchmann
From version 27, macOS will no longer support Intel chips. It can only be installed on devices with an M1 chip or later. The current macOS 26 Tahoe will continue to receive security updates for two more years.
MacOS 27 will be the last version to fully support the Rosetta 2 translation layer. This means x86 apps will only run reliably on Macs with M-series chips until autumn 2027. After that, Apple will scale back Rosetta 2 support, even though the emulator will remain available for certain apps, such as older games that require an Intel-based library. Developers are expected to have ported their software to the new architecture by then. When you launch an x86 app today, you’ll already see a notice about the upcoming change.
watchOS 27: improved heart rate tracking
The Apple Watch is in line for a fairly modest update – one that refines core features rather than reinventing the platform. Reports suggest Apple is primarily planning improved heart rate tracking, which should make workout data more accurate and close the gap on dedicated fitness trackers. The Ultra 3 is also expected to get expanded satellite features, including support for locations and photos in the Messages app.
Source: Apple
There are also new watch faces, including a simplified version of the Modular Ultra face, which allows for more complications and was previously exclusive to the Watch Ultra. The watch should also expand on AI features – think smarter notifications and workout coaching. Leakers don’t expect the full new Siri to reach the current watch generation; that would likely require more powerful chips.
My fingerprint often changes so drastically that my MacBook doesn't recognise it anymore. The reason? If I'm not clinging to a monitor or camera, I'm probably clinging to a rockface by the tips of my fingers.
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