Apple WWDC 2025: What to expect, including 'radical' iOS overhaul

Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference is 关键字3nearly here, and that means you can expect big updates from the tech giant. In 2023, the company pulled back the curtain on the Vision Pro. A year later, Apple Intelligence made its debut. Now, all eyes are on what’s next.

So far, WWDC 2025 rumors point to one clear headline: major iOS updates.

Specifically, iOS is reportedly getting its most significant redesign in years — a bold new look that feels like a calculated answer to Google’s Android 16 revamp. (The tagline for the event is "Sleek peek," if that tells you anything about the focus.) Just don’t expect fireworks on the hardware front. If you're hoping for new devices, this WWDC might not be your year.

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Here’s a breakdown of all the news and updates to expect from Apple WWDC 2025.

WWDC 2025: Who, what, where, when, and why?

This year's WWDC is scheduled for June 9 to 13, with the keynote scheduled for June 9 at 10 a.m. PT. The company promises to reveal "the latest Apple software and technologies." We expect Apple CEO Tim Cook to be leading the keynote presentation, and you can watch the event live. Mashable will also be reporting on the keynote as it happens, so stay tuned.

Introducing iOS 19, or is it iOS 26?

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, unification is Apple’s north star this year. That doesn’t just mean a redesigned iOS — it means a new naming convention, too. Instead of iOS 19, the next iteration is expected to arrive as iOS 26, aligning version numbers with the year they'll be updated. Think iOS 27 in 2026, iOS 28 in 2027, and so on.

Gurman speculates that Apple may be shifting toward more frequent software updates rather than anchoring everything around a single fall release. Naming the OS after the upcoming year, he adds, is "much more forward-looking" than sticking with 19.

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It's a radical shift for Cook and company, but telling, since there's not much else in Apple's kitchen to reveal.

What about MacOS?

The rebrand won’t stop with the iPhone. On June 9, Apple is expected to unveil matching updates across its ecosystem: watchOS 26, macOS 26, iPadOS 26, visionOS 26, and tvOS 26.

Apple released its new M4 MacBook Air models earlier this year, and so we're hoping for some interesting updates to macOS. Details are hard to come by at this point, but we're crossing our fingers for some exciting macOS 26 updates next week.

Apple Intelligence updates

It’s been nearly a year since Apple Intelligence was revealed. It was the company’s somewhat reactive response to the generative AI surge led by OpenAI and Google. Some features, like Priority Notifications, have proven modestly useful. But overall, Apple is definitely playing catch-up in the AI race, not setting the pace. Rumor has it that Apple's AI technology (and a long-awaited Siri makeover) still isn't ready for primetime.

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Don’t expect WWDC to change that. According to Gurman, AI won’t be the headliner this year. "Apple needs a comeback," he writes, but cautions against expecting it at this event. Instead, the focus will be on design tweaks and core system updates, a back-to-basics approach that makes this year’s conference feel smaller in scale than previous editions.

The one AI-related development worth watching is Apple’s reportedly opening up of its Foundation Models to third-party developers. This will allow developers to create custom app features. In addition, Gurman says that several other apps on iOS, like Safari and Photos, will quietly get rebranded as "AI-powered."

In short, while we expect Apple to announce new Apple Intelligence and AI features, we don't expect massive updates like we've seen from OpenAI or Google lately.

All quiet on the hardware front

Right now, Apple looks like a company in a recalibration phase. Major bets — like a foldable iPhone or a cheaper Vision Pro —remain deep in development. The "next big thing" still feels a ways off. So, while there could be a big hardware unveiling at WWDC, a fall unveiling seems far more likely.

As of this writing, WWDC is just one week away. Keep checking Mashable, as we'll be bringing you all the latest WWDC 2025 rumors, news, and official updates as we get them.

Topics Apple iOS WWDC