WWDC 2026: 10 Big Things Announced At The Apple Event

It was the end of an era and, Apple would have you believe, the beginning of a smarter one. Tim Cook took the stage at WWDC 2026 for the last time as CEO, and Apple used the moment to finally deliver on a promise it made two years ago - a completely rebuilt Siri. There was no new hardware. This was a software-only event, and AI was the whole story.

Here are the ten announcements that matter most.

1. Siri AI

The headline act was impossible to miss. Siri AI will be more conversational, detailed, and engaging, and will no longer hand off queries to third-party AI providers like ChatGPT. Siri AI is itself powered by Google's Gemini model. Apple confirmed its next generation of Apple Foundation Models were custom-built in collaboration with Google and its Gemini models, a real philosophical shift for a company that has long sold on-device silicon and processing as a core advantage. Bloomberg reported the arrangement was expected to cost Apple roughly $1 billion a year. The new Siri can hold back-and-forth conversations, read what's on your screen, and dig through your own messages, emails, and photos to answer questions. A new standalone Siri app will let users revisit old conversations and results, available on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

2. iOS 27

Apple says apps will open up to 30 percent faster, photos will appear up to 70 percent faster in the Photos app after you've taken them, and AirDrop is now up to 80 percent faster. The Liquid Glass design language introduced last year has also been refined based on user feedback. It can now diffuse complex content in the background to make text more legible, and there is a new slider to fine-tune how transparent it is. App icons got upgraded with more Liquid Glass effects and better contrast. Swiping down from the middle of the screen in iOS 27 will bring up a new Siri AI interface, where responses pop up in a card and you can continue a conversation with the assistant.

3. macOS Golden Gate

Perhaps the most noticeable change with macOS 27 Golden Gate is that Intel-based Macs and MacBooks are no longer supported. Only Macs with Apple silicon chips, M1 or newer, will be able to install macOS 27. The update also marks the official end of the Intel era for Apple's desktop and laptop lineup, closing a transition that began in 2020. Beyond the compatibility cut, the update focuses on performance improvements and deeper Apple Intelligence integration across the platform.

4. Safari Gets Smarter

Apple Intelligence will now be able to smartly organise your tabs into topics in Safari, and notify you of changes to a web page. such as a product price drop, a restock, or even a change to a company's terms of service. Most strikingly, you will be able to generate custom Safari extensions simply by describing what you want, no coding required. The browser update also includes improved tab management and tighter cross-app context awareness powered by Apple Intelligence.

5. Passwords App Goes Agentic

Apple's Passwords app will use Apple Intelligence and Safari to 'agentically take action on your behalf', going to each individual website to change and fix insecure passwords. The app 'securely navigates through websites to sign in and upgrade accounts to strong passwords.' It is one of the most practical demonstrations of Apple's AI ambitions yet, and a direct answer to the growing number of credential-stuffing attacks targeting Indian users on major platforms.

6. AirPods Finally Get Custom EQ

A customisable EQ feature will be available for AirPods in iOS 27, letting users adjust lows, mids, and highs from their iPhone. It sounds minor, but it has been one of the most-requested AirPods features for years. The reaction online was swift. One of the first comments on Apple's TikTok announcing the feature was "Only took FIVE years." Better late than never.

7. Sweeping New Parental Controls

Parents and guardians will be able to set up child accounts, which will be mandatory for those under 13 and can remain in place until the age of 18. Apple says a child account 'enables safeguards across the system, tailored to the child's age.' Parents can decide who their child can contact via Phone, FaceTime, and Messages, and determine which apps and websites they can access. The system will automatically censor specific content like nudity and gore for children, and Ask to Browse will require parental consent for a child to visit certain websites. The announcement arrives as governments globally, including India, are tightening pressure on tech companies over child safety.

8. visionOS 27

Apple Vision Pro owners get a meaningful Siri AI upgrade with visionOS 27. Siri AI appears as a floating orb that you can place and move anywhere in your space. You don't need to say 'Hey Siri' to activate it, just look at the orb and start talking. Apple Vision Pro also now lets you turn your own panorama pictures into spatial scenes to use as immersive environments, and Maps gets a big upgrade to Flyover. It is a modest but tangible update for a device that has struggled to find mass-market traction.

9. watchOS 27

Apple quietly dropped six current-generation Apple Watches from supporting the watchOS 27 upgrade, including Ultra and SE models. For those who do make the cut, cycle tracking now tracks menopause and perimenopause, and watchOS 27 brings Workout Buddy enhancements alongside the full Siri AI integration. The compatibility cuts, silent and buried in fine print, are a reminder that Apple's upgrade cycle is not always the consumer-friendly story the keynote implies.

10. Tim Cook's Farewell

This was Tim Cook's last WWDC keynote as Apple's chief executive. Cook steps down as CEO on August 31 and John Ternus, Apple's head of hardware engineering, takes over on September 1. Cook moves to the role of executive chairman. "Getting the best products in the world to deliver experiences that enrich people's lives has always been our North Star. It's been the honour of a lifetime to help advance that mission with teams whose creativity, care, and conviction continue to make a lasting difference in people's lives," Cook said in his closing remarks. Ternus did not appear on stage during the keynote, which many observers found notable given the transition.

All software, iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS Golden Gate, watchOS 27, tvOS 27, and visionOS 27, launches this Fall. Developer betas are available now for users to create apps and ecosystems around them.

Published on: Tuesday, June 09, 2026, 09:43 AM IST