Apple's WWDC 2025 conference focused on unifying its ecosystem across various devices. The conference reorganized the system, aiming for visual and logical consistency across iPhones, iPads, Macs, Vision Pros, Apple TVs, and Apple Watches. This article summarizes the key updates announced at the event.
System Name Changes
Apple is moving away from sequential numbering for its operating systems. Instead, they will be named after the year of release. Therefore, iOS 19, macOS 15, and watchOS 12 will become iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26, tvOS 26, and visionOS 26.
macOS "Tahoe" and Liquid Glass Design
macOS 26 will also be known as macOS Tahoe, retaining the California-themed naming tradition. The interface design emphasizes transparency and clarity, reminiscent of a lake. Apple has dubbed this design language Liquid Glass. This aims to create a transparent, three-dimensional glass feel in the operating interface, including the home screen, app icons, control center, and tool lists.
Recommended Accessory: G5 Crate's Qi2 3-in-1 Charger
The presenter shared a personal recommendation for the G5 Crate Qi2 3-in-1 magnetic folding wireless charger. This charger aims to declutter spaces with multiple Apple device chargers.
Features of the G5 Crate Charger
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Charges iPhones, Apple Watches, and AirPods simultaneously.
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Supports Qi2 certification with up to 15W charging for iPhones.
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Features magnetic alignment for easy placement.
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The charger is foldable for travel and has a weighted base.
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Note: Apple Watch charging speed is 2.5W, due to Apple's locked fast charging agreement.
iOS 26 Updates
Beyond the visual refresh, iOS 26 introduces several functional updates.
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Phone App Redesign: The UI is revised, integrating call records, contacts, and voice messages into a single, movable page, resembling social media interfaces.
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Safari Enhancements: Safari's web page interaction is more transparent and less obtrusive, adopting a suspension-like design.
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Camera App Adjustments: The camera app has been reorganized to streamline access to photo and video modes, with detailed options accessible through scrolling.
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Messages App Features: The Messages app now supports voting within chat rooms, allowing participants to add options. Background synchronization allows users to set a shared background across conversations, similar to LINE.
iPadOS Enhancements
iPadOS receives a significant overhaul focusing on multi-tasking and file management.
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Multi-Touch System Rewrite: The multi-touch system is completely rewritten, moving beyond the stage manager. It is closer to the multi-view operation of macOS. Users can freely drag and drop windows.
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File Sorting System Upgrade: The file sorting system displays more information about files, including size. Users can select default programs and pin folders to the dock.
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Audio Creator Improvements: Audio creators can now select external microphones as input devices and continue exporting videos in Final Cut Pro in the background.
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Preview App Arrival: The Preview app, a popular PDF tool on macOS, is now available on iPad.
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These features are exclusive to Air and Pro models, including those with the A16 and A17 chips.
macOS Updates
macOS Tahoe brings visual consistency with the Liquid Glass design.
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Phone App Integration: Users can now make phone calls directly from their Macs without mirroring their iPhones.
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Spotlight and Shortcuts Improvements: Spotlight can now search across platforms and has an add-on function for shortcuts. Shortcuts can now use AI-automated processes.
watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS Updates
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watchOS 26: Adds a Workout Body feature and allows third-party widgets in the control center.
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tvOS: Minor interface changes and allows the iPhone to be used as a microphone for karaoke.
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visionOS: Supports the PSVR controller for gaming and simplifies multi-person sharing mode. Synchronized viewing of 3D movies is now possible when multiple Vision Pro headsets are used.
Apple Intelligence
Apple Intelligence features improvements like instant translation for calls and messages, Gmoji (custom emoji creation), and upgraded Visual Intelligence, enabling the iPhone to understand screen content and integrate with ChatGPT. Apple is opening its AI model to third-party developers, allowing for local operation of AI functions without a network connection.
Disappointments
Two key disappointments were noted:
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No Hardware Updates: The conference focused solely on software, with no new Mac computers, iPads, or "One More Thing" announcements.
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Siri 2.0 Delay: The next-generation Siri, with language model integration, remains unreleased and may not arrive until next year.
Update Timeline
The developer beta is available immediately, with the public beta expected in July. The official version will be released after the iPhone launch in September.