In iOS 26, Apple updated the Battery section of the Settings app to provide a much more in-depth look at how your iPhone usage impacts battery life and how much battery apps are draining, plus there are new battery management tools.


At the top of the Battery interface, there's a readout of your current battery and the time that you last charged. If your ‌iPhone‌ is currently charging, it will let you know how much time is remaining until a full charge.

Battery usage is no longer split by 24 hours and 10 days, with Apple providing just a weekly view of average battery use along with a comparison of how much battery you're currently using compared to your typical average.

The new comparison feature will let you know if you're using more, the same, or less battery life than you do on most days. It shows which apps used more battery and by how much, which makes it easier to tell what's draining your battery.

App battery usage includes specific details, such as letting you know if an app ran in the background longer, was on your screen longer, or sent more notifications than normal.

You can tap back through the previous 7 days to see how much battery you used on a given day, with a breakdown for active use and screen idle use. It also shows when you charged and for how long.


There's still a Battery Health section where you can see charge cycles and maximum capacity and a Charge Limit section where you can limit charging to 80 percent. Apple also added a new Power Mode option where you can toggle on Low Power Mode or the new Adaptive Power Mode. Adaptive Power Mode detects when ‌iPhone‌ usage is higher than normal and makes small performance adjustments like lowering display brightness to extend battery life.


These new battery features are available in ‌iOS 26‌ and iPadOS 26, but Apple hasn't changed the Mac battery readouts. ‌iOS 26‌ is limited to developers right now, though a public beta is coming next month. ‌iOS 26‌ will launch to the public in September.
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While the new software updates that Apple showed off today are only available to developers at the current time, Apple does plan to release public betas.


In the fine print for most of its software announcements, Apple says that public betas for iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe, watchOS 26, and tvOS 26 will be coming "next month," aka July. Apple has been releasing public betas during July for quite some time now, as the timeline allows for a few rounds of developer beta testing for feature refinements before a wider beta rollout.

So when in July will we get the public beta? Here are Apple's past release dates:

• iOS 18 - July 15


• iOS 17 - July 12


• iOS 16 - July 11


• iOS 15 - June 30


• iOS 14 - July 9

Apple tends to aim for around the middle of the month, so we could get the public betas the week of June 14, but the week before is a possibility too. The public beta usually follows the second or third developer beta, depending on timing and what needs to be fixed and refined.

Apple will provide public betas of iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS, HomePod Software 26, and the AirPods firmware. Apple doesn't typically provide beta firmware updates for public beta testers, but the company's beta website says it will be an option. Apple doesn't plan to offer a visionOS public beta, and that update will remain limited to developers.

After the developer beta and the public beta testing period, the new software updates will see a public launch in the fall.
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At today's WWDC 2025 keynote event, Apple unveiled a new design that will inform the next decade of iOS, iPadOS, and macOS development, so needless to say, it was a busy day. Apple also unveiled a ton of new features for the iPhone, an overhauled Spotlight interface for the Mac, and a ton of updates that make the iPad more like a Mac than ever before.


Apple's event lasted for an hour and a half, but we've recapped all of the announcements in a 10 minute video, just in case you don't want to sit through the entire spiel. We've also rounded up all of our coverage below, so you can dive deeper into any of the new features.

iOS 26

• Apple Announces iOS 26 With 'Liquid Glass' Design, Live Translation, Overhauled Phone App, and More


• Apple Announces All-New 'Liquid Glass' Software Redesign


• iOS 26 is Compatible With the iPhone 11 and Newer


• Apple Announces Live Translation for Messages, FaceTime, and Phone Apps


• Apple Music Gaining Ability to Pin Your Favorite Playlists, Albums, and Artists in iOS 26


• iOS 26: Visual Intelligence Now Searches On-Screen Content


• ChatGPT Integration Coming to Apple's Image Playground


• Apple Announces New Features in Messages App on iOS 26


• Apple's New 'Games' App Brings Game Center, Library, and Arcade Together


• Four New Features Coming to Apple Reminders and Notes


• iOS 26 Adds All-New 'Clear Look' Option Alongside Light and Dark Mode


• iOS 26 Gets New 'Adaptive Power' Option to Extend Battery Life


• iOS 26 Lets You Know How Long It'll Take Your Battery to Charge


• iOS 26 Adds New 'Emoji Game' for Apple News+ Subscribers


• Here's How iOS 26 Enhances Boarding Passes on Your iPhone


• Here Are the New iOS 26 Background Sounds


• iOS 26: All the Little Changes


• iOS 26 Features Battery Settings Overhaul


• New iOS 26 Setting Fixes Annoying Auto Audio Switching Issue


• iOS 26 Tweaks Back Gesture to Make Navigation Easier on Bigger iPhones

iPadOS 26

• Apple Says iPadOS 26 is Compatible With These iPad Models


• Windowing, Menu Bar, and Pointer Come to iPadOS


• iPadOS 26 and macOS Tahoe Include Phone App With Call Screening, Hold Assist and More


• iPadOS 26 Gains Revamped Files App


• The iPad Just Got a Lot More Like a Mac Thanks to These 20+ New Features

CarPlay

• Apple Announces CarPlay Updates With Widgets, Live Activities, and More


• iOS 26 Upgrades CarPlay in Five Ways


• Apple Says These 13 Vehicle Brands Will Soon Offer iPhone Car Keys

macOS Tahoe

• Apple Unveils macOS Tahoe With Liquid Glass Design, Phone App, Live Translation, and More


• Apple Supercharges Spotlight in macOS Tahoe With Quick Keys and More


• Journal App Finally Coming to Mac and iPad


• Apple Says macOS Tahoe is Compatible With These Macs


• Intel Macs Won't Get Updates After macOS Tahoe


• macOS Tahoe Transforms Launchpad Into App Library

watchOS 26

• Apple Announces watchOS 26 With Liquid Glass Design, Workout Buddy, and Smart Stack Intelligence


• Apple Says watchOS 26 is Compatible With These Apple Watch Models


• Apple Unveils AI-Powered 'Workout Buddy' for Apple Watch at WWDC


• watchOS 26 Brings the Notes App to Apple Watch


• watchOS 26 Features New Gesture to Dismiss Notifications


• Apple Watch Workout App Gets Corner Buttons, Music Integration in watchOS 26

visionOS 26

• visionOS 26 Announced With Spatial Widgets, Shared Experiences, Enhanced Personas, and More

tvOS 26

• tvOS 26 Adds These New Features to Your Apple TV


• tvOS 26 Liquid Glass Redesign Excludes Older Apple TV Models


• tvOS 26 is Compatible With These Apple TV Models


• tvOS 26 Turns Your iPhone Into a Karaoke Mic for Apple Music Sing

AirPods

• All the New AirPods Features Coming in iOS 26


• Apple Releases New Beta Firmware for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4

Other Announcements

• WWDC 2025: Apple Says Personalized Siri Features Are Still Not Ready


• Apple Seeds First Developer Betas of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe and More


• Apple Announces Foundation Models Framework for Developers to Leverage AI


• iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe Public Betas Launching in July

iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26 Tahoe, and Apple's other updates are available in an early beta phase for developers. Apple plans to introduce a public beta in July, and a public launch will follow in September.

For more on what's new, stay tuned to MacRumors, because we're going to have a ton more coverage in the coming weeks and months, including hands-on videos, guides, and in-depth looks at new features throughout the beta testing process.
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With iOS 26, Apple added a bunch of new options for the Background Sounds feature. If you're unfamiliar with it, it is an Accessibility option that allows your iPhone to play soothing background noise, like white noise or rain.


Prior to ‌iOS 26‌, there were eight Background Sounds options, but now there are a total of sixteen. Here's what's new:

• Babble


• Steam


• Airplane


• Boat


• Bus


• Train


• Rain on Roof


• Quiet Night

These join the original eight, which include Balanced Noise, Bright Noise, Dark Noise, Ocean, Rain, Stream, Night, and Fire.

Background Sounds can be toggled on in the Settings app under Accessibility > Audio and Visual > Background Sounds. Once you've opted in and selected a sound, you can toggle Background Sounds on and off through the Hearing Accessibility shortcut in the Control Center.

‌iOS 26‌ is only available for developers right now, but Apple plans to release a public beta in July. The software will launch in September alongside new iPhones.
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There are a long list of new features in iOS 26, some of which Apple highlighted at today's keynote event, and some of which were quietly added. We've rounded up some of the smaller changes but still useful changes that have been introduced in the update.

• Home bar - The Home bar that's meant to remind you that you can swipe up to get to the Home Screen has been removed from apps, for the most part. When you open an app, it shows briefly, but then it disappears.


• Satellite Weather - In iOS 26, you can get Weather updates over a satellite connection when you don't have a cellular or Wi-Fi signal available. This doesn't appear to be live in the beta yet, but it seems to be coming.


• Alarms - You can customize the snooze length for your alarms.


• Camera - If your camera lens is dirty, your iPhone can detect it and suggest that you clean it.


• Dictation - When you're dictating something using the Dictation feature, you can now spell a word or a name if needed.


• Messages - You can now select partial text in a text message bubble, rather than having to select the whole thing.


• Group Texts - There are typing indicators in group chats, plus there's an add a contact button if there's someone in the group text that you don't know.


• Messages Filtering - If you have the Screen Unknown Senders option turned on, there are new filtering options. You can allow Time Sensitive alerts, Personal messages from businesses or organizations, Transactions like order receipts, or Promotions. There are toggles for each category.


• Blocked Contacts - You can see a list of people that you've blocked in the Privacy and Security section of the Settings app.


• AutoFill Payments - You can now see and manage your AutoFill cards in the Wallet app. There are options for adding a new payment, or changing details like expiration date for an existing payment method.


• Reminders - There's a Reminders Control Center button.


• Notes - You can export a note into a Markdown file.


• Apple Music - Apple Music has an option to create playlist folders.


• Files - In the Files app, when you select Browse, you'll now see a list of folders with an option to tap it to expand nested folders. Before, you had to tap into the folder entirely to see what was in it.


• Late Night Mode - Under Sounds and Haptics in Settings, Apple added a "Late Night Mode."


• Microphone Selection - In Sounds and Haptics, you can select a microphone if you have a Bluetooth mic connected.


• Battery - Your iPhone will tell you if you're using more battery than normal at any given point in the day, and it flags apps that are using more power. You can also see time to charge in the Battery section of the Settings app and on the Lock Screen.


• Stage Manager - This is technically iPadOS 26, but older iPads can now use Stage Manager.


• Turn Off Transparency - Hate the new glass look? There is an option to turn it off in Accessibility settings with the Reduce Transparency option.


• Background Sounds - There are many more Background Sounds options like airplane, rain on roof, quiet night, fire, and more.

As of right now, only developers have access to an early version of iOS 26, but Apple is planning to provide a public beta in July. iOS 26 will see a public launch in September alongside new iPhones.

Found something new that we didn't include here? Let us know in the comments below.
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Apple today introduced new beta firmware for the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4, with an 8A5279d version number. The firmware is only available to developers at the current time, and a device running iOS 26, iPadOS 26, or macOS 26 is required to install the update.


The new firmware adds several features that Apple is debuting alongside ‌iOS 26‌, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe.

The ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 and ‌AirPods 4‌ support improved audio quality for phone calls and video calls, plus studio-quality audio recording for interviews, podcasts, and videos. There's also an option to use the AirPods as a camera remote with the Camera app to take photos or start a video recording.

With the latest updates, Apple added a firmware update installation option that's available from the AirPods settings interface when the AirPods are connected to an iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
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macOS Tahoe does away with the Launchpad feature that's designed to show you all of the apps on your Mac, instead replacing it with a new "Applications" interface that's similar to the App Library on the iPhone and iPad.


The Applications interface organizes apps by category, like Utilities, Productivity and Finance, Social, Creativity, Information and Reading, Entertainment, and Other. There's also a Suggested section at the top of the interface.

The Launchpad replacement appears to be part of Apple's big Spotlight overhaul, and it can also be used to access Actions, Files, and Clipboard, with quick access keyboard shortcuts. Apple calls these "Browse Modes."

• Command + 1 opens up Applications.


• Command + 2 opens Files.


• Command + 3 opens Actions.


• Command + 4 opens Clipboard.

Actions are what you can do from the new version of Spotlight, and there are options ranging from sending a message to starting a timer. Clipboard brings up your clipboard history, including images you've copied and things you've pasted.

By default, the Applications interface shows your apps in a tiled view organized by category, but there are other options. You can choose a list view that's either organized by category or by app name, or you can use the alphabetical option in a tiled view.

macOS Tahoe and the revamped Applications interface that replaces Launchpad is only available to developers right now. Apple plans to make a public beta available in July, with a launch to follow in September.
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Apple News+ subscribers who upgrade to iOS 26 can now access an all-new game, which Apple calls "Emoji Game." The idea is to solve puzzles by completing words and phrases with emoji characters.


Apple will show some words and blank spots with a selection of emoji and emoji combos below, and the idea is to drag an emoji into the blank spot to fill in the word.

If the word is disappear, for example, you would drag a pear to the blank spot in the word. Pear could also be used to finish off "fruitful."

The game will be limited to ‌Apple News‌+ subscribers. ‌Apple News‌+ is priced at $12.99 per month, but the whole family can use the service. Apple has been aiming to increase the number of games that are available, and the app also features Crossword, Quartiles, and Sudoku.

Developers with an ‌Apple News‌+ subscription can play Emoji Game now, and it will be available to the public when ‌iOS 26‌ is released in September.
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macOS Tahoe is the final software update that Intel-based Macs will get, as Apple works to phase them out following its transition to Apple silicon.


During its Platforms State of the Union event, Apple said that Intel Macs won't get macOS 27, coming next year, though there could still be updates that add security fixes.

Support for Intel Macs is being phased out because Apple wants to put all of its focus and innovation on Apple silicon machines.

Apple started its transition to Apple silicon with the 2020 launch of the M1 Mac machines, and two years ago, the company completed the transition to Apple silicon.
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iOS 26 adds a new feature that lets you know how long it'll take your battery to charge when it's plugged in or on a wireless charger, with the new option allowing you to better optimize your charging practices.


You'll be able to determine how fast a charger is charging your device based on the estimated time to a full charge. If you're charging from a slow connection or a Qi-based charger limited to 5W, the setting will let you know that you're connected to a slow charger.

You can see the time remaining until a full charge in the Battery section of the Settings app. Apple doesn't appear to have added a new widget for the feature as of yet, but it could come in the future. You will see the estimated time remaining for charging on your Lock Screen.

An estimate of the time it takes a device to charge used to be available on the Mac, but Apple removed it long ago.

The iPhone battery charging estimates are available to developers in ‌iOS 26‌ right now, with Apple set to roll out the new update to everyone this fall.
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Apple's upcoming iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe updates add several new features for the AirPods, which will be available through an AirPods firmware update.

Studio Quality Recording

The AirPods 4 and the AirPods Pro 2 can be used to record studio-quality audio for interviews, podcasts, songs, videos, and more. Apple says that the feature can be used to record high-quality vocals while on the go.

You can record higher-quality audio when making videos or using your devices to do things like record a podcast.

Improved Audio Quality

The studio-quality recording feature brings more natural vocal texture and clarity to iPhone calls, FaceTime calls, and all CallKit-enabled apps like Zoom.

Both studio-quality audio recording and improved call quality are available across ‌iPhone‌, iPad, and Mac, and support the Camera app, Voice Memos, Messages dictation, third-party camera apps, and video conferencing apps.

Camera Remote

The AirPods can be used as a camera remote with the Camera app and third-party camera apps on ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌. Just press and hold on the AirPods stem to take a photo or start a video recording.

When the recording is finished, a press and hold gesture will stop the recording. Apple says that users who like to capture themselves singing and dancing for social networks like TikTok will be able to easily perform in sync with a soundtrack while simultaneously recording video.

Update Interface

With the latest software updates, Apple is finally adding a way to manually update the firmware on your AirPods. When your AirPods are connected, you can go to the Settings app to get to a new software update interface.

Pause Audio for Sleep

If you're listening to music, a podcast, or a book while you're in bed and you're wearing AirPods, the AirPods will pause your audio when you fall asleep.

Automatic Switching with CarPlay

When you're listening to audio on your AirPods and get in the car, the music you're listening to will shift to CarPlay.

Keep Audio in Headphones

When you use AirPods, you can opt to keep audio in your headphones when other playback devices like cars and speakers connect to the ‌iPhone‌.

Release Info

The new features are available to developers today with a beta firmware update for the AirPods, and will see a public launch this fall.
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With iOS 26, Apple added a new feature called Adaptive Power that joins Low Power Mode as a power management option.


Available in the iPhone's battery settings, Adaptive Power is designed to make small performance adjustments that will improve battery life.

Apple says that some of these options include lowering display brightness or allowing some activities to "take a little longer." The feature is also designed to turn on Low Power Mode automatically when your battery hits 20 percent, depending on what you're doing.

This appears to be the battery saving feature that was rumored ahead of the debut of ‌iOS 26‌, and it will specifically help extend battery life on the iPhone 17 Air models.

It is an opt-in feature that can be turned on all the time, allowing your ‌iPhone‌ to continually manage power usage to optimize for battery life.
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With iPadOS 26 and macOS Tahoe, Apple is expanding the Phone app to the Mac and the iPad for the first time. It might not make a lot of sense for these platforms to have a Phone app, but you can actually make phone calls from your ‌iPad‌ and Mac using Apple's Wi-Fi calling features.


The Phone app on ‌iPad‌ and Mac features all of your incoming phone calls, voicemails, contacts, and FaceTime calls, and it has all the new features that Apple announced for the iPhone's Phone app, too.

Here's what's new in the Phone app across all of your devices:

• Call Screening - Calls from unknown callers are automatically answered, and they're asked to share a name and reason for calling. Then you can decide whether or not you want to pick up the call.


• Live Translation - Live Translation automatically provides translations when you're talking to someone that speaks another language. They'll hear an AI translation of you, and you'll hear an AI translation of them.


• Hold Assist - If you need to wait on hold when you place a call, Hold Assist keeps your place in line and you don't have to stay on the phone. It'll call you when an agent is detected.

The Phone features on Mac and ‌iPad‌ work through Continuity, which is what Apple calls its device interoperability feature set. The Phone app is available in iPadOS 26 and macOS Tahoe, updates that developers can download today. Public betas are coming in July, and a launch will follow in September.
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Apple today provided developers with the first betas of the new iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26 Tahoe, watchOS 26, tvOS 26, and visionOS 26 betas for testing purposes.


Registered developers can download the new beta software through the Settings app on each device.

Apple's software updates include many of the new features that were shown off at today's keynote event, with Apple rolling out a new Liquid Glass design aesthetic across all of its operating systems. You might also notice that Apple has changed the way that it numbers its updates, bringing more cohesion to the lineup.

There are a slew of new features to go through, so stay tuned to MacRumors in the coming weeks for hands-on footage, guides, how tos, and an in-depth look at everything you'll want to know about the new updates.

While today's betas are designed solely for developers to give them time to learn the new features and adjust their apps, Apple will provide public beta testers with a chance to try the software in July. ‌iOS 26‌, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, tvOS 26, watchOS 26, and visionOS 26 are set to launch to the public in September.
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The 2025 Worldwide Developers Conference is just a few days away, with the keynote event set to take place on Monday, June 9. Ahead of Apple's big software debut, we've rounded up all of the rumors that we've heard so far about iOS 26, macOS 26, and Apple's other updates.

A Note on Naming

Apple is streamlining the way that it numbers operating system updates, so all of the software will be appended with a "26" instead of the number that would normally be expected in Apple's prior versioning scheme.

• iOS 19 -> ‌iOS 26‌


• iPadOS 19 -> iPadOS 26


• macOS 16 -> macOS 26


• tvOS 19 -> tvOS 26


• watchOS 12 -> watchOS 26


• visionOS 3 -> visionOS 26

The "26" used for each time reflects the launch season for each update, covering the period between September 2025 and September 2026. Apple is using year-ahead numbering going forward, so in September 2026, we'll get iOS 27.


Apple could have gone with the year of launch, which would be 25, but 26 also makes sense because there are more months in 2026 where we'll be running ‌iOS 26‌ and its sister updates than in 2025.

With the streamlined naming that Apple is implementing, there won't be a need to remember separate numbers for each operating system, and it'll be clear which update came out in which year.

iOS 26

‌iOS 26‌ is going to get a major design overhaul that's been described as the biggest design update since iOS 7. Inside Apple, the design project is referred to as "Solarium," which hints at what we can expect. A solarium is an all-glass room that's designed to let in sunlight, and rumors suggest that ‌iOS 26‌ will adopt a more translucent, glass-inspired aesthetic that's loosely based on visionOS.


visionOS uses a semi-translucent interface to allow people to see their surroundings in AR or VR while also interacting with app menus and windows. visionOS windows blend into the background for an unobtrusive look, and on the iPhone, Apple could adopt the same translucency, allowing content to shine through.

‌iOS 26‌ is expected to get the floating on-screen windows and menus that are used in visionOS, with rounded pop-up navigation and menu bars that float above the content on the display. Apple may use shading, shadowing, and subtle lighting effects to give buttons and other interface elements a slight lift. Widgets on the Lock Screen and Home Screen will adopt the new design, but functionality won't change.

App icons could see design tweaks, and notifications, menus in apps, search bars, card-style interfaces, and other parts of the iOS user interface could have more rounded corners than we're used to. The floating navigation bars are expected to be pill-shaped, for example, and Apple is going to use pop-out menu options to allow users to expand settings with a tap. One rumor suggested Apple is going to transition to round app icons on ‌iPhone‌, but Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says that the icons are going to keep the same general shape.

‌iOS 26‌ has been described as having a glossy or glass-like look, which is also how visionOS looks. Apple's WWDC 2025 teaser images feature frosted glass with soft colors, and those images might give us a look at what's coming.


Mockups that are allegedly based on real ‌iOS 26‌ designs were shared earlier this year by Front Page Tech, demonstrating some of the design changes that might be in store. A mockup of the Camera app has translucent pop-out menus that better blend into the background to put the focus on the images, for example.


Newer Apple apps like Apple Sports and Invites have simpler, translucent interface elements with expanding buttons, and could also serve as an example of the design language Apple is planning to unveil in ‌iOS 26‌.


Apple will overhaul its built-in apps with the updated design, plus the company plans to provide developers with design guidelines and assets so that third-party apps can adopt the new aesthetic too.

Navigation Simplification and Streamlining

Along with introducing new design language in ‌iOS 26‌, Apple is streamlining navigation. Rumors suggest that Apple is tweaking menus, buttons, and navigation to make the operating system simpler to learn and navigate.

Some of the design and interface changes will also extend to macOS, iPadOS, tvOS, and watchOS, improving design consistency and navigation across Apple's operating systems.

Apple Intelligence Features

There are several new Apple Intelligence features that are expected in ‌iOS 26‌.

AI Battery Management

An AI-powered battery management tool will analyze how you use your ‌iPhone‌ and make adjustments to maximize battery life. The option will be able to limit the power draw of apps and other system features based on device usage.

Battery management will be particularly useful for the iPhone 17 Air that will have a smaller battery than other iPhones, but it will be available on iPhones that are able to run ‌iOS 26‌. It's not clear if Apple will announce the AI battery feature at ‌WWDC 2025‌, as it could be held until the ‌iPhone 17 Air‌ debut later in the year.

Shortcuts App

Apple plans to update the Shortcuts app with ‌Apple Intelligence‌, allowing users to create actions that use ‌Apple Intelligence‌ models. With this functionality, which Apple might call "Generative Shortcuts," Shortcuts will be easier to use. Even casual users will be able to create useful shortcuts using natural language and help from AI.

Google Gemini

Apple and Google are close to establishing a deal that will add Google Gemini to the ‌iPhone‌ as an alternative to ChatGPT, and that's a feature that we'll likely see in ‌iOS 26‌. Google Gemini would integrate with Siri like ChatGPT, with ‌Siri‌ able to hand requests over to Gemini for more in-depth AI-powered answers. Apple may not announce Gemini integration until it's ready, so this may not be a feature we see previewed at WWDC.

‌Siri‌

Apple still hasn't launched the Apple Intelligence-powered personalized Siri features that debuted at WWDC 2024. Those updates are expected to come at some point in ‌iOS 26‌, but we're not quite sure when. ‌Siri‌ may not be ready for the launch version of ‌iOS 26‌, and we're not expecting Apple to mention these ‌Siri‌ features again until the functionality is ready.

Here's what's coming, eventually:

• Personal Context - ‌Siri‌ will be able to keep track of everything on your device, like emails, messages, files, and more, helping you complete tasks and find things.


• Onscreen awareness - ‌Siri‌ will know what's on your screen and will be able to complete actions involving whatever you're looking at.


• Deeper App Integration - ‌Siri‌ will be able to do more in and across apps, performing actions and tasks that are not possible with the personal assistant right now. This will be a feature available for Apple's apps and third-party apps.

New Apps and App Features

Apple is planning to introduce a new Games app, plus some existing apps are getting new functionality.

Games

Apple has a new pre-installed gaming app planned, and it'll replace Game Center and add more functionality than ever before. It's going to house the games section of the App Store, so you'll be able to find and launch games from one convenient gaming-centric spot, but the ‌App Store‌'s games section isn't going away.

Tabs in the Games app include Home, Arcade, Play Together, Library, and Search. The app will offer game suggestions from Apple's editorial team, and it has tools for playing with friends and family. It will also house achievements and leaderboards, replacing Game Center.

Preview

The Mac Preview app is coming to iOS and iPadOS, and like Games, it'll be pre-installed. It has the same functionality as the Mac version of the app, and it will let users view, edit, and annotate PDF documents. It's already possible to annotate PDFs using Markup tools in apps like Mail, but having a dedicated app will make the options easier to find.

Phone App

The ‌iOS 26‌ Phone app will gain a unified view that shows favorite contacts, recent calls, and voicemails all in one window. The design will be opt-in, and Apple will provide a setting to use the existing design with separate tabs.

Apple is expected to bring new AI-based live translation features to the Phone app, for automatically translating conversations between people who speak two different languages.

Safari

To match the new systemwide iOS design, Safari is set to feature a more transparent, glass-looking address bar.

Camera

The Camera app's navigation will be redone to make it simpler to get to different settings and options. Apple will use pop-out menus that will make tweaking photo settings more intuitive.

Messages

The Messages app could gain support for polls in group chats and automatic translate. There's already an option to long press on a message to translate it to another language, but in ‌iOS 26‌, messages that aren't in your specified language could be translated automatically.


Apple also plans to implement customizable backgrounds, allowing users to choose a background image for each conversation. Backgrounds will sync between devices and will be shared with other people that you're texting with. Users will be able to generate backgrounds for the Messages app using text-based descriptions, a feature that appears to use Image Playground. Generated backgrounds will be able to use ‌Image Playground‌ styles, including Animation, Illustration, and Sketch.

Genmoji is getting an update that will allow users to combine two existing emoji into a new emoji, a feature that Apple will call "Mixmoji." With Mixmoji, you will be able to combine two emoji such as cake and balloons into a new emoji that features a cake and a balloon for a celebration.

Music

The Apple Music app is expected to gain support for full screen animated art on the Lock Screen. The current Now Playing view tints the Lock Screen based on album art, but in ‌iOS 26‌, album art could be even larger.

Notes

The Notes app could support exporting in Markdown.

CarPlay Updates

CarPlay could get interface changes to match the design changes that are being introduced with ‌iOS 26‌.

Apple also plans to bring new Accessibility features to ‌CarPlay‌. ‌CarPlay‌ will gain a Large Text option and new Sound Recognition capabilities. Sound Recognition will recognize crying babies, sending a notification if a crying baby is detected inside the vehicle.

New AirPods Features

With an AirPods firmware update, ‌iOS 26‌ will allow the AirPods to translate in-person conversations from one language to another. If an English speaker with AirPods is conversing with someone who is speaking Spanish, the ‌iPhone‌ will detect the audio, translate the speech, and relay it back in English to the AirPods wearer.


Apple also plans to add other new AirPods features:

• New head gestures - Apple could add new head gestures, such as a gesture for adjusting the volume of Conversation Awareness. Last year, Apple added a nod and a head shake to answer or decline calls.


• Auto-pause for sleep - The AirPods could pause audio when the wearer falls asleep, presumably using sleep data gleaned from the Apple Watch, as the AirPods have no sleep detection functionality.


• Camera trigger - Apple is planning to add trigger functionality to the AirPods, capturing an image on a linked ‌iPhone‌ with a press on the AirPods stem. It's possible this might work with a timer so the ‌iPhone‌ user isn't touching an ear when the photo is taken.


• Microphone enhancement - AirPods could get a "studio quality" microphone mode that's similar to the Audio Mix feature on ‌iPhone‌ that lets users choose from sound recording options like studio and cinematic.


• Better pairing - Apple is apparently working on a feature that would improve how AirPods pair with shared iPads for use in the classroom.

Connectivity Changes

Apple is adding a feature that will synchronize captive Wi-Fi portal login information across devices, so you'll only need to enter login details for a captive Wi-Fi network once, and it'll be available on all of your Apple products. Captive networks are common in hotels, airports, coffee shops, and other locations with shared or paid internet options.

Apple might also make it easier for ‌iPhone‌ users to transfer an eSIM to an Android smartphone.

Stage Manager

There's a possibility that Apple will add a Stage Manager feature for ‌iPhone‌ models that have a USB-C port, with the feature activating when an ‌iPhone‌ is connected to an external display over USB-C.

‌Stage Manager‌ would allow multiple apps to be opened at once, offering a more Mac-like experience when an ‌iPhone‌ is used with a display.

Accessibility Features

Apple previewed new Accessibility features coming to ‌iOS 26‌ earlier this year, and there are some interesting new additions.

• Music Haptics - Music Haptics will get customization options so haptics can be enabled for an entire song or just vocals, plus there will be options to adjust the intensity of taps, textures, and vibrations.


• App Store Labels - ‌App Store‌ product pages will get Accessibility Nutrition Labels that highlight accessibility features in apps.


• Accessibility Reader - Accessibility Reader is a systemwide reading mode that will make text easier to read thanks to customization features for adjusting font, color, spacing, and more.


• CarPlay - ‌CarPlay‌ is getting support for Large Text and Sound Recognition that will alert drivers to the sound of a crying baby, horns, and sirens.


• Background Sounds - Background Sounds will be customizable with new EQ settings, timers, and automation actions in Shortcuts.


• Personal Voice - Personal Voice will let users preserve their voice faster and more easily. It will use on-device machine learning to create a smoother, more natural-sounding voice in under a minute.


• Tracking - Head tracking and eye tracking are getting updates, plus Apple is adding support for Brain Computer Interface devices.

Developer Features

Apple is planning to provide developers with tools to access Apple's large language models, so custom AI features can be integrated into apps.

Compatibility

‌iOS 26‌ will not be available on the ‌iPhone‌ XR, ‌iPhone‌ XS, or the ‌iPhone‌ XS Max, but it will run on all other iPhones that support iOS 18.

• iPhone 16e


• iPhone 16


• ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus


• iPhone 16 Pro


• ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max


• iPhone 15


• ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus


• ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro


• ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max


• ‌iPhone‌ 14


• ‌iPhone‌ 14 Plus


• ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro


• ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro Max


• ‌iPhone‌ 13


• ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini


• ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro


• ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max


• ‌iPhone‌ 12


• iPhone 12 mini


• ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro


• iPhone 12 Pro Max


• ‌iPhone‌ 11


• ‌iPhone‌ 11 Pro


• iPhone 11 Pro Max


• ‌iPhone‌ SE (2nd generation or later)

While these iPhones will support ‌iOS 26‌, advanced features may be limited to newer iPhones with faster processors. ‌Apple Intelligence‌ in ‌iOS 18‌, for example, only runs on the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro and the ‌iPhone 16‌ models.

iPadOS 26

iPadOS 26 is going to get the same design updates that are coming to the ‌iPhone‌, so it will have the same glass-like, translucent look.


Apple is also rumored to be working on adding new features that will make the iPad experience more like using a Mac, introducing improved productivity, new multitasking features, and expanded window management options.

iPadOS 26 may have a Mac-like menu bar when connected to a Magic Keyboard, plus Apple is adding a new reed calligraphy pen option for Apple Pencil users that need to write Arabic script.

macOS 26 Tahoe

macOS is the only operating system that gets a special California landmark name along with its number. This year, Apple is going to go with "Tahoe," for macOS 26 Tahoe.


Tahoe will join the other California landmark names that Apple has used, including Mavericks, Yosemite, El Capitan, Sierra, High Sierra, Mojave, Catalina, Big Sur, Monterey, Ventura, Sonoma, and Sequoia.

Design

A lot of the rumors we've heard this year have focused on the design updates coming in ‌iOS 26‌, but some of those same design changes will also debut in macOS 26. The changes won't be as dramatic, but Apple is aiming for a more cohesive look across its operating systems.

macOS 26 could get the same glass-like design update, with more translucency, rounded menu elements, rounded app icons, and more depth through a play on light and shadow. The Mac design updates will focus on the menu bar and window buttons, with widgets also set to adopt the new look.

Apple Intelligence and Other Features

Many of the ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features rumored for ‌iOS 26‌ will also come to macOS Tahoe. We'll get the same revamped Shortcuts app and perhaps Gemini integration, and eventually, all of the personalized ‌Siri‌ features that Apple previewed at WWDC 2024 will come to iOS and macOS alike.

The Mac is also going to get the new gaming app that Apple has in the works, and support for cross-device captive Wi-Fi network sharing. Xcode could also get a revamp, with Apple set to add support for third-party AI assistants like Claude and ChatGPT.

Specific to the Mac, there's a new Magnifier accessibility feature that will let Mac users use their iPhones for zooming in on small text and anything else that's hard to read. It'll work using the Continuity Camera features that link the ‌iPhone‌ and the Mac.

Macs are also going to get support for Vehicle Motion Cues, a feature that uses small dots at the edge of the display to match the feeling of movement with what the eyes are seeing, with the aim of cutting down on motion sickness.

Compatibility

macOS Tahoe could drop support for the 2018 MacBook Pro, 2019 iMac, 2017 ‌iMac‌ Pro, 2018 Mac mini, and the Intel-based 2020 MacBook Air. It's expected to be compatible with these Macs:

• ‌MacBook Pro‌ (2019 and later)


• ‌iMac‌ (2020 and later)


• Mac Pro (2019 and later)


• ‌Mac mini‌ (M1 and later)


• Mac Studio (all models)


• ‌MacBook Air‌ (‌M1‌ and later)

watchOS 26

With watchOS 26, Apple plans to bring some of the same design updates that are coming to ‌iOS 26‌ to the Apple Watch.


Floating menus, rounder buttons, and simplified navigation have been rumored, too. watchOS already uses round app icons and buttons, so it will fit right in. Apple could adopt the Solarium look for things like the app drawer, notifications, and Control Center.

Apple's aim is a more consistent design across all of its software platforms.

New Watch Faces

If watchOS is getting a design update to match ‌iOS 26‌, Apple will likely add new watch faces that are designed with the new style.

Apple Intelligence

The Apple Watch doesn't have the processing power to run ‌Apple Intelligence‌ on-device, but it is rumored to be getting some "powered by ‌Apple Intelligence‌" features that could rely on its link to the ‌iPhone‌.

Right now, features like ChatGPT ‌Siri‌ integration and Writing Tools don't extend to the Apple Watch, but these are options that Apple could add. The Apple Watch also doesn't support notification summaries or content summaries in general.

It's possible Apple will bring the AI-powered battery management feature rumored for the ‌iPhone‌ to the Apple Watch too.

Third-Party Control Center Shortcuts

watchOS 26 could introduce support for third-party shortcuts in Control Center, allowing third-party app settings to be accessed right alongside built-in options for doing things like toggling on Wi-Fi, turning on Airplane Mode, activating Do Not Disturb, and pinging the ‌iPhone‌.

The Apple Watch Control Center could also get a new layout customization option that would be accessible through the Apple Watch app, with Apple allowing users to add new shortcuts and remove those that aren't necessary.

AirPods Sleep Detection

The Apple Watch could integrate with the AirPods to pause content that's playing when the wearer falls asleep. It's a rumored feature for ‌iOS 26‌, but the AirPods have no sleep detection functionality, so the option would need to use Apple Watch data.

Compatibility

watchOS 26 will run on all Apple Watch models that support watchOS 11.

visionOS 26

The design that Apple used for visionOS is inspiring a new look for iOS and macOS, but Apple also plans to make some tweaks to the way that visionOS looks, too. The changes are likely to be small in scale, and we don't have a lot of detail, but at least some visual updates are coming.

Eye-Scrolling

Apple is going to add a new eye-scrolling option to the Vision Pro, which will use the built-in eye tracking features. The Vision Pro already supports navigating through the OS by looking at something on the display and then using a hand gesture to "tap" it, so eye-based scrolling is a natural extension of that functionality.

Apple will add eye scrolling to the built-in Apple apps, and it will provide an API that will let developers integrate the capability into third-party apps as well.

VR Controllers

The Vision Pro will gain support for third-party VR hand controllers like the hand controllers designed by Sony for the PlayStation VR console. VR controllers are better attuned to VR games than standard game controllers because they support gestures and magic wand functionality.

Apple Intelligence

Apple is planning to add new ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features to iOS, and it's possible anything that's added will also expand to visionOS. The AI battery management feature rumored for ‌iOS 26‌ would make sense for the Vision Pro.

At some point, Apple will introduce the ‌Apple Intelligence‌ personalized ‌Siri‌ features that were shown off at WWDC 2024, and those capabilities will almost certainly expand to the Vision Pro.

Games App

The new cross-platform Games app that Apple has in the works should be available on the Vision Pro as well as the ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, Mac, and Apple TV. The Games app will include all the content from the games section of the ‌App Store‌, along with Apple Arcade content and Game Center features like achievements and leaderboards.

Accessibility

In May, Apple announced upcoming Accessibility features that will be added to visionOS 26. visionOS is going to get new vision accessibility options for users who are blind or have low vision. Zoom will let users magnify anything that's in view using the main Vision Pro camera, while Live Recognition in VoiceOver will use on-device machine learning to describe surroundings, find objects, and read documents.

Apple is developing a new API that will allow approved apps to use the main camera for providing live, person-to-person assistance for visual interpretation, a feature that will be useful for apps like Be My Eyes.

For users with severe mobility disabilities, visionOS is gaining a new protocol that will support Switch Control for Brain Computer Interfaces, a technology that lets users control their devices with brain signals.

tvOS 26

The visionOS-style design update that's coming to iOS, iPadOS, and macOS will also extend to tvOS. tvOS 26 could adopt some of the same translucency for menus, app icons, buttons, and other parts of the interface, plus it could get the same floating look and more dramatically rounded edges for buttons and windows that are typical of visionOS.


Apple wants the experience of using its various platforms to feel more cohesive, which is why everything is getting some of the same design changes.

Screensavers

It's typical for Apple to introduce new screensavers with tvOS updates, so we can perhaps expect to see new aerial screensaver options, as well as screensavers that match the updated aesthetic. Last year, Apple came out with Snoopy screensavers, so we could get more of those too, or another partnership.

Games App

Apple's cross-platform Games app that will serve as a one-stop spot for discovering and launching games on the ‌Apple TV‌.

The Games app will essentially feature the entire games section of the tvOS ‌App Store‌. It's also expected to have features like achievements, leaderboards, and recommendations from Apple editors. There might also be new tools for communicating with other players.

Wi-Fi Syncing

If you're in the unusual situation of needing to connect your ‌Apple TV‌ to a captive network at a college or similar location, you'll be glad to hear that the captive Wi-Fi syncing option rumored for the ‌iPhone‌ will work across all platforms.

With this feature, you'll only need to log into a captive network on one of your Apple devices, and the login information will sync to everything else signed into your Apple Account.

Compatibility

tvOS 26 will run on the ‌Apple TV‌ HD from 2015 and later ‌Apple TV‌ models.

• ‌Apple TV‌ HD (2015)


• ‌Apple TV‌ 4K (1st generation, 2017)


• ‌Apple TV‌ 4K (2nd generation, 2021)


• ‌Apple TV‌ 4K (3rd generation, 2022)

HomePod Software

We don't have details about what's coming to the HomePod and HomePod mini in updated software, but Apple typically launches new software for its HomePods alongside other software updates. We do know that the forthcoming ‌HomePod‌ software is expected to run on all ‌HomePod‌ models, including the original ‌HomePod‌.

HomeOS

For several years now, we've been seeing hints of a platform called "homeOS," which could be a new platform that's designed to run on upcoming Apple devices like the smart home hub.


Apple appears to have recently trademarked homeOS in several countries around the world, so it's possible we'll see some hint of it at WWDC. It's more likely that Apple is preparing for some kind of product launch that will come later in the year.

homeOS is distinct from the software that runs on the ‌HomePod‌.

No Hardware Announcements

Apple sometimes debuts new hardware at its developer events, but this year, there have been no rumors of products that are ready to come out around the June timeframe.


We are not expecting any hardware-related announcements, with the focus set to be on Apple's updated software naming scheme and the design refresh that's rolling out across most of its updates.

How to Watch the WWDC 2025 Keynote

The ‌WWDC 2025‌ keynote will take place on Monday, June 9 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. Apple will live stream the event on its website, on YouTube, and in the TV app. We have a full list of when WWDC will take place in your timezone in our How to Watch WWDC 2025 guide.


If you're not able to watch live, we'll have a live blog and coverage of the announcements here at MacRumors, plus we'll be live tweeting the event on the MacRumorsLive account.

Software Release Info

Apple will make the new versions of ‌iOS 26‌, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, tvOS 26, watchOS 26, and visionOS 26 available to developers for testing purposes just after the June 9 keynote event. Testing will continue for several months, with Apple likely planning to provide a public beta option starting in July. All of the updates will launch in the fall alongside new ‌iPhone‌ models.
This article, "WWDC 2025 Preview: Apple's iOS 26 Design Overhaul, macOS Tahoe, and Much More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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The iOS 26 Messages app is set to gain support for customized backgrounds for conversations, and it appears that AI will be an option for generating different looks.


According to Nicolás Alvarez, ‌iOS 26‌ code suggests that users will be able to generate backgrounds for the Messages app using text-based descriptions. The feature appears to use Image Playground, and there will be ‌Image Playground‌ style options that include Animation, Illustration, and Sketch.

The Messages backgrounds will be customizable on a per-conversation basis, so iPhone, iPad, and Mac users will be able to set a different background for each of their message threads. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously said that the backgrounds will sync between all participants in a Messages conversation. So if you set a specific background for an iMessage chat with a friend, the friend will see the same background.

Other messaging apps like WhatsApp support custom background options, so Apple is playing catch-up with the new Messages app background feature.

The Messages app is also set to gain support for polls, automatic translation for incoming messages in other languages, and the option to create Genmoji by combining two existing standard emoji. Apple plans to call the ‌Genmoji‌ mixing feature "Mixmoji." With this feature, you will be able to combine two emoji such as cake and balloons into a new emoji that features a cake and a balloon for a celebration.

Apple has other AI features in the works, such as an Apple Intelligence-powered version of the Shortcuts app. Apple could call the new Shortcuts option "Generative Shortcuts," and it appears it will use natural language to help users create powerful multi-step shortcut actions.

‌iOS 26‌ and the new Messages features will be shown off at WWDC 2025, which is set to begin on Monday, June 9 with a 10:00 a.m. keynote event.
This article, "iOS 26 Getting Custom AI-Generated Message Backgrounds, Generative Shortcuts and 'Mixmoji'" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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U.S. President Donald Trump plans to extend the looming TikTok ban for yet another 75 days, reports The Wall Street Journal. It will mark the third extension since Trump took office in January.


The second extension that Trump gave TikTok is set to expire on June 19, and there appears to be no progress made toward a deal with China, so TikTok needs a third reprieve to continue operating in the United States.

TikTok was banned in the U.S. after the Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act went into law on January 19, but Trump has ordered the U.S. Department of Justice not to enforce the law at the current time.

Since January, Trump has been working to wrest TikTok's operations from Chinese control by establishing U.S. ownership. Trump's team has considered offers from Oracle, Perplexity, and Amazon, along with individuals like Jimmy Donaldson (known as MrBeast), Shark Tank host Kevin O'Leary, Employer.com founder Jesse Tinsley, and billionaire Frank McCourt.

Trump needs to work with China to get the TikTok deal approved, and China is not cooperating due to ongoing trade tensions created by Trump's tariffs on Chinese goods.

TikTok continues to be available for download as of now. It's not yet clear when the app might see a U.S. takeover, but with continued extensions, it is not in danger of being removed from the App Store.
This article, "TikTok Getting Yet Another Ban Delay as Trump Fails to Reach Deal With China" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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