The Worldwide Developers Conference, also known as WWDC, will take place online again this year, running from June 8 to June 12. We’ve put together an overview of expectations: what announcements can we expect from Apple?
Traditionally, WWDC is all about software and tools for developers. New technologies and software updates are also expected this year. We can say with some certainty that Apple will announce iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27 and tvOS 27 during WWDC. The emphasis is on Apple Intelligence and the stability of the software. In addition, a completely new version of Siri is expected. There is also the possibility of new hardware products being announced.
WWDC 2026
Apple has announced that its annual Worldwide Developers Conference will kick off at Apple Park with a select group of developers, journalists and students. The rest of the days will take place virtually. From June 8 to June 12, all developers have the opportunity to participate in various sessions, presentations and workshops for free via the Apple Developer app and on the Apple Developer website. The online event starts on June 8 at 7:00 PM Dutch time with a press presentation announcing the software updates for their most important products.
Software updates 27
During WWDC, Apple always announces new software updates for their products, and this year will be no different. For example, iOS 27 for iPhone, iPadOS 27 for iPad, macOS 27 for Mac, watchOS 27 for Apple Watch, tvOS 27 for Apple TV and visionOS 27 are expected. The HomePod will also undoubtedly receive an update and new functions may be added to the AirPods.
Quality over quantity
With iOS 26, Apple brought the striking Liquid Glass design and a flood of new interface tweaks. This led to more dynamics, but also to critical voices from users: bugs, unreadable parts and battery problems were frequently reported. In the last update, Apple has tinkered with the design several times and rolled back certain parts. A good example is the alarm clock interface and adjustments for the lock screen.
With iOS 27, Apple has opted for a pause. Development teams clean up old code, address persistent bugs, and optimize animations, connectivity, and battery consumption. The main goal? Ensuring that the entire system – from older to new iPhones – performs noticeably faster, smoother and more reliably.
Snow Leopard as inspiration
The comparison with Mac OS Just like then, Apple’s focus was not on many new features, but on strengthening the software foundation for future innovations. This approach ensures stability for users and prepares iOS for important future developments, such as the expected iPhone Fold and other new hardware projects.
Siri gets major upgrade to AI chatbot
Apple is working on a significant update to Siri in iOS 27, developing the voice assistant into a full-fledged AI chatbot, similar to ChatGPT. There are rumors that these changes will be revealed at WWDC 2026, as part of the annual software updates for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
The updated Siri promises to be a lot smarter and more user-friendly, with its own application and deeper integration into the operating system. This means you can not only issue voice commands, but also chat and automate complex tasks – perfect for everyday use on your iPhone.
Apple Intelligence is being further expanded
With software updates for iOS 27, macOS 27 and other platforms, Apple is introducing a range of new Apple Intelligence features that make your daily tasks smarter and more intuitive. Think advanced photo editing tools like Expand, Enhance, and Perspective Adjustment in the Photos app, enhanced Siri capabilities with deeper context understanding, and system-wide AI tools for text summarization, image generation, and privacy-aware processing locally on your device.
Support new software updates
Exactly which devices can install the new software updates remains to be seen until Apple officially announces this. It is expected that some Apple devices that currently have Software Update 26 installed will not be able to receive the new updates, but this is not 100% certain yet. By looking at history we can find the below prediction doing:
- iOS 27 â–¸ From iPhone SE 3rd generation, iPhone 12 or newer
- iPadOS 27â–¸ From iPad Air 4 generation, iPad 9th generation, iPad mini (A17 Pro), iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation and all 11-inch iPad Pro models
- macOS 27 â–¸ MacBook Air with M1 chip or later, MacBook Pro with M1 chip or later, Mac mini with M1 chip or later, iMac with M1 chip or later, and MacBook Neo
- watchOS 27 â–¸ From Apple Watch series 6
- tvOS 27 â–¸ From Apple TV 4K 1st generation or newer
Maybe not hardware
Although the WWDC is mainly focused on software updates, we can still expect new Apple products for the professional user. In the past, a new Mac has sometimes been unveiled during WWDC; however, currently there are no rumors pointing to new hardware at the event. It seems like Apple is busy with all its software updates.
Other announcements
- There is speculation about the possible introduction of its own ‘homeOS’
This article was compiled based on rumors, Apple has not officially announced anything yet. There is a chance that Apple will not announce some products, features or changes.