WWDC 2025: What to Expect from Apple’s Annual Developer Conference

Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2025 is set to kick off at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET on Monday, and expectations are high following last year’s strong focus on AI. This year, the company faces considerable pressure to expand upon its AI advancements while also unveiling significant software updates and new technologies.

As in previous years, the conference will highlight the next iterations of Apple’s operating systems. Among the most anticipated is iOS, rumored to undergo its most dramatic design overhaul since iOS 7. However, with speculation about a potential renaming to iOS 26, this year’s WWDC promises to be more than just a version update.

Here’s a breakdown of what to expect from the WWDC 2025 keynote:

iOS Redesign: A Nod to visionOS?

The iOS interface is reportedly poised for a significant transformation, potentially drawing inspiration from visionOS, the operating system powering Apple’s Vision Pro headset. This could mean a shift towards a transparent interface and circular app icons, a departure from the traditional square format.

According to Bloomberg, this redesign might extend across Apple’s entire ecosystem, including CarPlay, to create a more cohesive user experience across devices. Bloomberg

Operating System Naming Convention Changes

Apple is reportedly considering a change to its OS naming system, potentially moving away from version numbers (like iOS 19) to a year-based system. This could result in the next versions being named iOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26, tvOS 26, and visionOS 26, aligning the branding across all Apple products. Bloomberg.

AI Updates: A Measured Approach

While last year’s WWDC heavily emphasized “Apple Intelligence,” this year may see a more restrained approach to AI announcements. The company has faced criticism for announcing AI features that were not yet ready for release, leading to accusations of promoting vaporware.

Despite launching AI tools like Image Playground and Genmoji, the promised AI-powered Siri upgrade has been delayed. To bolster its AI capabilities, Apple has partnered with companies like OpenAI and may announce support for additional AI chatbots at WWDC. The pressure is on for Apple to demonstrate concrete AI progress, especially with Jony Ive now collaborating with Sam Altman on AI hardware. TechCrunch

Rumors also suggest AI enhancements for the Health app, including a health chatbot and personalized health suggestions. The Messages app may also receive AI-driven features like translation and AI-generated poll suggestions. 9to5Mac

Additional AI updates could include AI-powered battery management and an AI-enhanced Shortcuts app.

Dedicated Gaming App

Apple is reportedly developing a dedicated gaming app to replace the current Game Center. This app could integrate Apple Arcade, leaderboards, game recommendations, and social features for challenging friends. Integration with iMessage and FaceTime for remote gaming is also a possibility. Bloomberg 9to5Mac

Updates to macOS, watchOS, and tvOS

Alongside iOS, Apple’s other operating systems are expected to receive updates. macOS might gain the new gaming app and benefit from new AirPods features. It is speculated that the new name for macOS will be macOS Tahoe. There is also speculation that Apple TV might get visual overhauls, a new user interface and gaming app.

AirPods: Enhanced Features

AirPods could gain a live-translate language feature, enabling real-time translation during conversations. Additional rumored features include head gestures for call and message responses, auto-pausing music upon sleep detection, camera control via touch, a studio-quality mic mode, and improved pairing for shared AirPods. Bloomberg 9to5Mac

Hardware: Unlikely Announcements

According to reports, hardware announcements are unlikely at WWDC 2025 due to the absence of ready-to-release devices. Although a surprise Mac Pro announcement remains a possibility, most sources suggest it is improbable. Apple may reveal support for spatial controllers for the Vision Pro. MacRumors