Apple's WWDC 2025: Major Design Overhaul and AI Advancements Across Platforms

What to expect at WWDC 2025: A new look, Apple Intelligence and more

Leaks suggest this year will be a biggie. In addition to the requisite Craig Federighi gags, expect a significant visual overhaul -- one of Apple's biggest ever -- and (shocker) new Apple Intelligence features. The company is reportedly set to unveil a platform-wide visual overhaul. The revamp is said to be a dramatic change, drawing inspiration from Apple's mixed reality headset. According to Front Page Tech's Jon Prosser, that may even include (nearly) round icons on the home screen and in Control Center. He also noted subtler changes, like a redesigned tab view within apps and the search box in Messages being moved to the bottom of the screen. One of Apple's core goals with the new software is to unify the design language of its operating systems. The idea is to make it less visually jarring to hop between devices. If executed well, jumping from iPhone to iPad to Mac (and so on) will feel like touring different flavors of the same OS. Apple's last big macOS makeover was with 2020's Big Sur. For the iPhone's software, you have to go all the way back to 2013. That's when iOS 7 kicked skeuomorphic design to the curb, replacing it with the flat, minimalistic look that (minus some iterative changes) the company's software still uses today. Could 2025 be the year the iPad Pro starts to feel... Pro? The high-end versions of Apple's tablet have been more than capable on a hardware level for generations (especially when they switched to M-series chips). But the software has held it back. That's presumably because the company doesn't want to cannibalize Mac sales. After all, if the iPad Pro can truly replace a laptop, then fewer people would buy both. The bad news for those wanting a full-on Mac experience: The iPad won't switch to macOS. The good news: iPadOS may get much more Mac-like. This year's update will reportedly focus on productivity, featuring improved multitasking and app window management. It's not that Apple hasn't inched the iPad's software in that direction. It incrementally did so with Stage Manager in iPadOS 16. The year before, it added the multitasking menu at the top of app windows. But for many, those tweaks fell far short of the full-on productivity overhaul they craved. Will it be enough this time? Bloomberg's Mark Gurman thinks it will "likely go far enough" for most power users. (Is that a "Hallelujah!" I hear?) Even if leaks hadn't already suggested as much, this one would be a no-brainer. After all, AI has been every tech company's obsession since ChatGPT took the world by storm over two years ago. Expect a healthy portion of the keynote to be devoted to Apple's AI advances. These will reportedly include improvements to existing features and a few new ones. Remember when Apple promised a more personalized, Apple Intelligence-infused Siri at last year's conference? The one that many of us wish would come ahead of the visual overhaul? Well, we're still waiting on that. The last official update we heard was in March, when the company told Daring Fireball, "It's going to take us longer than we thought." (Oops!) Apple expects the new Siri features to arrive "in the coming year," a clear-as-mud description if ever there was one. A report last month from The Information hinted that the upgraded Siri may not have been as far along internally as Apple's 2024 presentation suggested. The demo, where Siri used Apple Intelligence to condense minutes of multi-app planning into mere seconds, reportedly came as something of a surprise to team members working on Siri. (Never an encouraging sign.) Separate reporting this month from Bloomberg sheds a bit more light, adding that we probably won't hear much about those Siri upgrades at WWDC 2025. The publication described those updates as being months away from shipping. The company is also reportedly separating its Apple Intelligence and Siri marketing. The logic behind this is that users are so fed up with Apple's assistant that it's hurting Apple's AI push. The company's 2024 presentation was undoubtedly impressive. It showed a more context-sensitive Siri that better understands what you're doing and can take appropriate actions. It pulled info from various apps and spliced them together in striking, multi-step requests. It responded to requests like recording a specific video in a third-party app, sharing a meeting summary in an email draft to a teammate or locating missing information you remember reading somewhere. It could even control system settings or spit out support documents explaining how they work. The bottom line: If or when Apple pulls off what it promised last year, that's big news for Siri. But don't hold your breath for it to show up at WWDC 2025. According to Bloomberg, the Siri updates we do see will be much subtler. These would include adding the option to use Gemini instead of ChatGPT with the assistant. Another iOS 19 scoop points to an Apple Intelligence feature that's easy to get behind. A new AI-powered battery management mode will reportedly analyze how you use your phone and make power-saving adjustments on the fly. The feature would analyze your data to predict when to lower the power draw from apps or device features. If it works well, that could be pretty nifty. It may also be a key ingredient to a new device: the "iPhone Air." Whatever Apple calls it, the rumored ultra-slim handset is expected to join Apple's lineup this year. Without this feature, the phone's smaller battery might struggle to make it through a typical day. (According to Gurman, it would last several hours less than Apple's other iPhones.) But with the AI battery feature activated, the svelte iPhone could become more practical. Will we see this slim-jim iPhone at WWDC? Well, let's say you have as good a chance of Valve randomly showing up to announce Half Life 3 at Apple's conference. First, the svelte handset is expected to be part of the iPhone 17 lineup, which typically arrives around September. Second, Apple hasn't unveiled a new iPhone at WWDC since Steve Jobs showed off the iPhone 4 in 2010. So, in short, nope. Apple is reportedly working on a virtual health coach. Allegedly codenamed Project Mulberry, the AI feature would pair a refreshed Health app with an AI-powered coach. Bloomberg says the feature would, to some degree, give you advice you'd usually seek from a doctor. The virtual coach would collect data from your Apple devices and use AI to provide personalized health advice, chatbot-style. Apple is reportedly training the AI agent with data from company physicians. Meanwhile, outside experts would shoot educational videos. In March, Bloomberg's Gurman said the virtual coach could arrive as early as iOS 19.4, which wouldn't likely come until early to mid-2026. But a quick aside in a report this month from Gurman and Drake Bennett mentioned that it could be a point of focus at WWDC. It wouldn't be an Apple keynote without some wacky Craig Federighi hijinks. Last year, Apple's software lead strapped on a hair-shaped helmet and skydived into Apple Park. At previous events, he showed off his parkour skills, summoned an iPad like he's a Jedi and jammed out on a three-necked guitar. Say what you will about "Hair Force One." Federighi knows how to sell a sight gag. (With maybe just a teensy bit of help from Apple's visual effects artists.) Following Apple's typical schedule, you can expect the first developer betas for the new software to become available after the conference ends. (Likely the same day!) Public betas would follow early this summer. And you can expect the final versions of iOS 19, iPadOS 19, macOS 16 and so on to arrive alongside new iPhones this fall.

We're just weeks away from an iOS 19 preview -- these are the 5 rumored changes I'm looking forward to

Apple sending out a Save the Date reminder for its WWDC 2025 keynote on June 9 just drives home the realization that we're just weeks away from getting our first look at iOS 19 in the form of a preview at the annual developer conference. And this figures to be a more significant iPhone software reveal than most. By all accounts, Apple is planning a major overhaul of how its iPhone software looks with iOS 19, marking the most significant change to the interface since iOS 7. On top of that, there's Apple's ongoing push to integrate more features powered by artificial intelligence into its products, so we can expect an Apple Intelligence update to come with iOS 19 as well. Change can be unsettling, but it can also be exciting. And while we only have rumors to go by for now, these are the potential iOS 19 changes that I want to hear more about when Apple shows off this year's iOS update next month. I like to compare OS updates to re-arranging the furniture in your house. You want changes that improve the flow of the room, and not ones that have you tripping over the ottoman. Given the chatter around iOS 19, there's a risk that it could feature more of the latter kind of changes, as it sounds like Apple is really mixing things up with this update. That's not necessarily a bad thing, given that the goal is to apparently make the software running on your phone, tablet and Mac feel like a more seamless experience. As someone very immersed in the Apple ecosystem of products, I should benefit from that, even if there are a few growing pains. And from the looks of the iOS 19 concepts that have surfaced in recent months, iOS 19 is going to take some getting used to. While there's some dispute over how accurately these screens reflect what Apple plans on releasing, we could be in for a big leap from iOS 18 to iOS 19. I admit that it's hard for me to wrap my head around interface changes until they're actually on a phone screen in front of me, but so far, two potential iOS 19 interface updates stand out to me -- the relocated search bar and translucent control panels. In iOS 18, when you want to search for something in an app like Messages, Music or Settings, you'll find the search bar near the top of the screen. But Jon Prosser of Front Page Tech has posted iOS 19 mock-ups with the search bar at the bottom. The move would make sense, as it puts the search bar down where you already do most of your typing, making it easier to operate your iPhone with one hand. It would also match a move Apple made a few iOSes ago that put the search bar in Safari at the bottom of the screen. The rumor of translucent menus also comes from Prosser's mock-ups, specifically of the Camera app. The menus for the camera controls appear translucent, and that frees up more room for the view finder on the iPhone screen. The thing I like about both of these rumored changes is that they would make using the iPhone feel more natural and more convenient. Those are the kind of interface enhancements I'm hoping to see in iOS 19, not just change for change's sake. I use my iPhone to track my steps and how much I move each day -- it's really helped me take charge of my health through a mixture of gamification and stats that show my slow and steady progress over time. But, boy, is the Fitness app dumb. Here's an example. The Fitness app likes to send out reminders each day, encouraging me to meet my daily move goal. Hey, fair enough -- every bit of motivation helps. But last month, on a family vacation, I spent a day moving farther and for longer than I ever did before -- we're talking a dozen miles in a single day. The Fitness app's response? A notification the next morning urging me to do it again today. That's not particularly encouraging, nor does it seem to recognize the concept of rest days. I'd like to see the way Apple deals with health and fitness on its mobile devices get more refined. And I could get my wish in iOS 19. Reportedly, Apple is working on an AI health coaching feature for the software update that will be able to formulate more personalized recommendations on ways to bolster your health; there may also be a food-tracking component. It sounds as if the health coach feature would draw on data collected from an Apple Watch -- a bummer for me since I'm not a watcher wearer. But I'll be interested to see if this feature, should it be part of the iOS 19 update, can lead to less generic exhortations to exercise more. iOS 19 could bring about other improvements we'll file under the category of Improved Convenience. For starters, there's reports that iOS 19 will streamline the process of signing on to Wi-Fi networks by remembering details you fill in the first time you log on to a network and sharing them across your many Apple devices. That way, you don't have to go through the same rigamarole each time you join that network. Another convenience booster, this one powered by AI, would improve battery management on your iPhone. According to reports, the feature would gather up user data on iPhone usage to figure out the apps that can be deprioritized. This would save power, helping your phone last longer. Both sound like fine additions to me, and I hope that Apple doesn't stop there. If I were to fire up my Phone app right now and tap on the Recents tab, I'd see that eight of the last 10 calls to my number have been robocalls and spammers. The Send to Voicemail feature on iOS does a good job banishing some of those calls to the land of wind and ghosts, but I'd like to see Apple develop something like Google's Call Assist feature, where a digital assistant can give spammers the bum's rush, without me ever having to get involved. Stop me if you've heard this before, but iOS 19 is going to give Siri an AI makeover, so that the digital assistant on your iPhone is not only smarter, but more proactive, as it will be able to recognize what's on your phone's screen and act upon it. It's part of making Siri more aware of your context, so that its recommendations are more personalized and its behavior more proactive. Oh, wait -- you did hear that before. You heard it when we were doing this a year ago with the iOS 18 preview, as a matter of fact. Well, obviously that didn't come to pass with Apple acknowledging that whipping Siri into shape required more work than it anticipated. But apparently, iOS 19 will be the release that finally gets Siri moving toward a more AI-driven future, even if that doesn't happen at the precise moment that a full iOS 19 release is ready in the fall. I'm eager to see if Apple provides a more definitive roadmap for Siri improvements -- I think it owes iPhone users that much after its iOS 18 preview more or less suggested that these yet-to-occur changes were a done deal. And since WWDC 2025 is a developers conference, I'd like to hear more about the challenges Apple is facing with updating Siri and how it plans to overcome them. This year's WWDC keynote will mark the first anniversary of Apple's initial Apple Intelligence preview, which we learned about at WWDC 2024 prior to its rollout with the iOS 18.1 update in the fall. It's fair to say it's been a year of peaks and valleys for Apple's AI efforts, beyond even the delay with Siri improvements. The fact of the matter is that apart from a few standout examples -- I'm a fan of the email summaries feature and Visual Intelligence has been a nice addition -- the early Apple Intelligence features haven't been game-changers. I don't ever turn to the Writing Assistant tools, and after early explorations of things like Memory Movies and Image Playground, I go long stretches without ever opening those apps. Yet, I want to here about Act II for Apple Intelligence, which apparently involves Apple integrating AI into more apps on the iPhone. There's also talk that new developer tools will let app makers incorporate their own AI features. Apple is going to be hard-pressed to catch up to the more polished AI features that Google and Samsung include on their phones. But WWDC 2025 and the iOS 19 preview are going to be the chance for the company to detail how it's going to try to close that gap.

4 things we expect to see at WWDC 2025, and 2 we don't

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us? Apple WWDC This story is part of our complete Apple WWDC coverage Updated less than 47 seconds ago Apple's next developers conference will kick off on June 9th, and as expected, some notable software announcements are on the horizon. The big reveals will be iOS 19, macOS 16, iPadOS 19, watchOS 12, visionOS 3, and tvOS 19, continuing the tradition of announcing major software upgrades midway through the year. The stakes this year, however, are higher than expected. All eyes will be on Apple and what it has to say about its AI approach, after having missed the early momentum against Google's Android and some well-documented missteps with Apple Intelligence. Recommended Videos But according to Bloomberg, the company will also be more cautious with feature announcements this time around, focusing more on experiences that can be shipped on time instead of the ambitious goalposts that it set with iOS 18. Based on what credible reports have put out so far, here is what we expect to see at WWDC 2025: A fresh design language It seems aesthetic overhauls are the big focus across both sides of the ecosystem. Google introduced Material 3 Expressive at I/O 2025 a barely over a week ago, pairing bold color effects with deeper UX customization. Apple is expected to pull off something similar this year at WWDC for its OS portfolio. "The revamp -- due later this year -- will fundamentally change the look of the operating systems and make Apple's various software platforms more consistent," says a Bloomberg report. Apple is reportedly eyeing a system-wide makeover that includes changing the look of apps, icons, and windows, among other elements. The overarching inspiration is VisionOS, the software experience Apple developed for its Vision Pro XR headset. The focus will reportedly be on simplifying the navigation experience and making it easier for users to access crucial controls. The report adds that users are in for the biggest redesign ever since iOS 17 landed in 2013. We are expecting to see more rounded icons, transparent design elements, smoother animations, and more such tweaks. Whether a functional overhaul is also in the pipeline remains to be seen. iPadOS borrows Mac magic? iPadOS has long remained somewhat of a limiting factor for Apple's powerful tablets, especially those powered by the same M-series silicon as the Mac hardware. In its current avatar, it's more like a stretched version of iOS, with a few productivity apps thrown into the mix for power users. Many have been clamoring for some kind of dual-boot experience with macOS, but that likely will never happen. It seems, however, that Apple has been listening to all that feedback and will address a few of them with iPadOS 19. According to Bloomberg, the next iteration of iPadOS will make a handful of changes to the multitasking and windowing experience focused on enhancing productivity. Leaker Majin Bu further added that a macOS-like menu bar is coming to iPadOS. It will tie in with the next-gen Stage Manager experience, which jumps into action when the tablet is connected to the Magic Keyboard. The idea is to offer a more Mac-inspired computing experience, though it's unclear whether Apple will keep the experience locked to its own or MFi-certified keyboard accessories. Next-gen health perks Apple has been at the vanguard of wellness tech for a while now, but in the past few years, competition has grown hotter, and rivals like Huawei have leapfrogged Apple at health tech innovation. This year, it seems Apple is hoping to get back in the spotlight. Under the codename "Project Mulberry," Apple is reportedly planning a major overhaul of the Health app that will also introduce an AI health coach. "The service would be powered by a new AI agent that would replicate -- at least to some extent -- a real doctor," says a Bloomberg report. Now, AI-driven personalized health suggestions are not exactly a new trend. The companion apps powering smartwatches and smart rings from different brands already offer tailored suggestions based on health data and users' physical status. What Apple is doing differently is that the company is deploying its in-house team of physicians to train the AI coach. Additionally, the company is roping in doctors from different areas of expertise to create videos aimed at guiding users on health conditions and making the necessary lifestyle improvements. AI, in a more practical shape Apple's current AI stack -- shipped as part of the Apple Intelligence bundle -- has been on the lagging end of the competition. Moroever, pushing well-publicized missteps with AI summarization and dependence on ChatGPT to fill Siri's intelligence gaps haven't helped the cause either. Then we have a few unfulfilled ambitious promises, which even forced Apple to pull ads from the internet. AT WWDC, Apple is expected to show off a few AI features that are steeped in practicality. Among them is an AI-driven health management feature that will help users prolong the battery mileage of their iPhones. "The enhancement will analyze how a person uses their device and make adjustments to conserve energy," reports Bloomberg. The system will intelligently reduce the power uptake by applications to maximize the battery life. In addition to a digital coach, Apple's AI will also help users with nutrition planning, as well. In addition to an AI doctor, Apple will also use the camera feed so that the onboard AI can assist users with exercise and suggest improvements in real-time. There are plenty of AI apps out there that can gauge the nutritional value of food by just looking at it through the camera, and a few that can do the same while working out. Apple's adoption isn't really groundbreaking, but a unified integration within the Health app will certainly be more convenient (and safer, from a data privacy perspective) for users. All of it sounds pretty exciting and something that users can extract meaningful utility from. However, don't expect Apple to take the stage at WWDC 2025 and reveal... The true evolution of Siri Apple is reportedly running into some critical delays with overhauling the Siri experience. Apple failed to give Siri the same kind of evolutionary treatment as its Android rival achieved by replacing Google Assistant with Gemini. Apple's own attempt to give a generative AI and chatbot-like makeover, currently in development under the codename LLM Siri, is running into delays. Apple is working to somehow get past the limitations of a hybrid architecture where the legacy codebase of Siri co-exists with the LLM-driven stack. According to reports, the true generative AI makeover of Siri is still a year, or two, away. To make up for it, Apple is reportedly planning to partner with Google and somehow integrate Gemini within the iOS experience, somewhat like its Siri-ChatGPT bonhomie. More importantly, the company is planning to let third-party app developers tap into its in-house AI models so that the onboard virtual assistants can get work done across different apps. Google has already laid the foundation of such Gemini interplay with a system called "apps," formerly known as "extensions." Fancy new hardware Don't hold your breath for Apple to drop any hardware bombshell. This year, the theme of the developers conference will be more about damage control and fixing gaps, instead of dropping any machines, though we might get a tease of what comes next. Apple's next-gen M5 silicon is expected to land this year, powering a fresh slate of tablets and Mac hardware. However, reports suggest that they will land in the second half of the year, instead of making an appearance at WWDC 2025. In addition to the silicon leap, the big focus will be on the iPhone 17 series in the fall season. Apple will introduce its highly anticipated ultra-slim iPhone "Air" model later this year. Chatter about smart glasses has also grown, but we don't expect Apple to talk about them at its event next month.

iOS 19 & Beyond: WWDC 2025 Promises Apple's Biggest Design Change

Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2025, scheduled for June 9th, is poised to showcase a series of advancements that could redefine the way you interact with technology. This annual event is expected to unveil updates across Apple's software and hardware ecosystems, emphasizing innovation in artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and device performance. From enhanced user experiences to professional-grade tools, WWDC 2025 promises to deliver a comprehensive vision of the future. The video below from AppleDsign gives us more details For iPhone users, iOS 19 introduces a visually striking 3D-inspired interface designed to modernize the user experience. Beyond aesthetics, this update places a strong emphasis on accessibility, making sure inclusivity for a broader range of users. Features such as an advanced reader mode and an improved magnifier aim to make the iPhone more user-friendly for individuals with visual impairments. Battery life sees a significant improvement with the integration of an AI-powered battery management system. By analyzing your daily usage patterns, this feature optimizes power consumption, helping your device last longer throughout the day. Additionally, live translation capabilities integrated into AirPods Pro 2 will enable seamless communication across languages, making global interactions more accessible. For photography enthusiasts, a redesigned camera interface and enhanced stability promise smoother and more intuitive performance, making sure every shot is captured with precision. iPadOS 19 builds upon the innovations introduced in iOS 19, while tailoring its features to maximize the iPad's potential as a productivity tool. Professional-grade applications such as Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, and Xcode receive substantial updates, allowing creative professionals to work more efficiently on their iPads. These enhancements position the iPad as a viable alternative to traditional laptops for creative and technical workflows. Improved external display support further enhances the iPad's versatility, allowing for a seamless multi-screen experience. Whether you're editing videos, coding, or managing complex projects, the iPad's expanded capabilities make it a more powerful tool for both personal and professional use. With these updates, Apple continues to blur the lines between tablets and laptops, offering a device that adapts to your needs. macOS 16 introduces a cohesive design overhaul that aligns with Apple's broader aesthetic vision, featuring a sleek and glossy 3D-inspired interface. This update focuses on enhancing productivity through smarter tools and refined functionality. Spotlight search, now powered by Apple Intelligence, delivers faster and more precise results, helping you locate files, apps, and information with ease. Developers will benefit from significant updates to Xcode, allowing the creation of more efficient and sophisticated applications. These improvements aim to streamline workflows and reduce development time, making macOS 16 a valuable platform for professionals. By combining a polished design with practical enhancements, macOS 16 reinforces its role as a cornerstone of Apple's ecosystem. watchOS 12 takes personalized health and fitness tracking to the next level. Redesigned widgets provide quick access to essential metrics, such as heart rate, activity levels, and sleep patterns, while AI-driven insights offer a deeper understanding of your overall well-being. These insights help you make informed decisions about your health and fitness goals. Smarter Siri integrations enhance the Apple Watch's usability, allowing you to manage tasks and access information more intuitively while on the go. Fitness+ personalization has also been expanded, making sure that your workouts are tailored to your unique preferences and objectives. With these updates, the Apple Watch continues to evolve as a comprehensive health and fitness companion. visionOS 3 introduces significant advancements in augmented reality, focusing on improved hand and eye tracking for more intuitive interactions. These enhancements make virtual environments feel more natural and immersive, whether you're working, learning, or enjoying entertainment. Developers gain access to updated APIs, allowing the creation of dynamic and responsive AR applications that push the boundaries of what's possible. This update underscores Apple's commitment to augmented reality as a fantastic technology, offering tools that cater to both consumers and developers. By refining the AR experience, visionOS 3 sets the stage for more engaging and practical applications in various fields. WWDC 2025 is also expected to feature exciting hardware announcements. Apple's long-anticipated AR glasses may finally make their debut, offering a glimpse into the future of wearable technology. These glasses are rumored to integrate seamlessly with Apple's ecosystem, providing users with a new way to interact with digital content. The second-generation AirTag, AirTag 2, is expected to feature improved precision tracking and enhanced privacy protections, making it an even more reliable tool for locating lost items. Additionally, the new Mac Pro, powered by the M4 Ultra processor, promises unparalleled performance for professionals requiring high-end computing power. These hardware updates highlight Apple's dedication to pushing the boundaries of innovation across its product lineup. WWDC 2025 is shaping up to be a landmark event, delivering advancements that span Apple's software platforms and hardware offerings. Whether you're an iPhone user, a developer, or a professional relying on Apple's ecosystem, these updates promise to enhance your experience and expand the possibilities of technology. From AI-driven features to immersive augmented reality environments, Apple's vision for the future is clear: to create tools that are more powerful, intuitive, and accessible than ever before. Here is a selection of other guides from our extensive library of content you may find of interest on iOS 19 redesign.