WWDC 2026: News on Siri, iOS 27, Tim Cook and More (Live)

June 8, 2026 2:11 p.m. PT

Aas we expected, we’re getting new versions of iOS, iPadOS, MacOS and WatchOS coming later this year, with developer beta versions that developers can download now and public betas planned for next month. Apple historically releases betas of its future software to the public in July.

Apple had a lot of news about Siri — in fact, mentioning it over 100 times in the course of the around 90-minute presentation. Presenters introduced a lot of its new capabilities now that it’s integrated Google’s Gemini AI models into Siri and brought other upgrades to Apple Intelligence.

WWDC 2026 finished an hour ago, and our CNET ground staff has run off to presentations and behind-closed-door meetings. But the reality of that event is settling in — and it sure was a blitz of AI and Siri features for around 90 minutes, with few mentions at all of Apple’s software updates. 

In a show that’s typically rife with detailed descriptions of features coming to the software behind each product category, with clearly denoted sections for each. Not so today, as Siri, Apple Intelligence and other AI features were the clear focus. Given how their features were described to work across Apple’s lineup, it’s clear the company sees its empowered assistant as a glue between them. But it’s also the end of an era in which Apple kept its operating systems in the spotlight at its midyear software show. Here’s an illustrative list of mentions during the show.

• “iOS” mentions: 9
• “MacOS” mentions: 9
• “iPadOS” mentions: 4
• “WatchOS” mentions: 2
• “TVOS” mentions: 1
• “Siri” mentions: 102

After a healthy heaping of technical talk from Craig Federighi, the WWDC 2026 keynote was handed back off to CEO Tim Cook to close out the stream. Cook reiterated the biggest announcements of the event — mentioning Siri AI, iPhone child accounts and new AI developer tools — before giving us a wave.

That’s the last time Cook will ever wave goodbye to us at WWDC, since he’s stepping down in September. Notably, the event stream didn’t feature any appearance from Apple Senior Vice President of Engineering John Ternus, who is slated to take over the CEO position later this year, but is currently in charge of the company’s hardware efforts.

Apple’s WWDC keynote revealed a smarter Siri that can finally handle the kind of AI-powered tasks Android users have had for years. And the Apple Watch stands to benefit more than any other device in the lineup.

Having spent time with Google’s Gemini on a smartwatch, I’ve seen what capable AI on a tiny screen actually looks like. Where Siri would dump you into a list of links when I asked, “What ingredients do I need to make buttermilk?” Gemini finds the answer, summarizes it and reads it back to you. 

On a watch, that means no scrolling, no squinting at an awkwardly resized website, or no looking down at all if you’re able to hear the response. If Apple delivers on what it showed today, the Apple Watch just got a lot more useful for those quick, eyes-free moments it was meant for.

According to Apple’s Craig Federighi, some Apple Intelligence features, such as image generation, will have daily usage limits. You can get increased access with “most iCloud Plus subscription plans.” A subscription also provides Apple Intelligence support for compatible home cameras.

Apple closed out WWDC with rapper Erick the Architect rattling off an impressively long list of apps, including Goodreads, Depop, Photoshop, Dropbox, CashApp, HubSpot, Letterboxd, Delta, JetBlue, Kayak, Uber, LinkedIn and plenty more. I never in my life thought that I would hear a rapper name-drop Asana in a song.

Along with all of the additional AI features coming to your iPhone, Apple is introducing some impressive AI-enabled image editing. 

Some features aren’t anything we haven’t seen before in this age of AI, such as the ability to clean up a photo by removing objects. Others, however, are more impressive. The Extend feature will allow you to zoom out of a photo’s frame, and Apple Intelligence will generate additional image data to add more to your scene. 

Apple Intelligence models will allow you to adjust general framing, but the showstopper feature is Spatial Reframing. Combining its image and AI models, you’ll see something truly special if it works as intended. The demo showed an image of two children in the foreground, and when Spacial Reframing was enabled, it allowed the subjects to be reframed in a hyperrealistic, 3D way, repositioning them against a different part of the background with just a swipe of the finger.

If the feature works anywhere near as well as the demo, Apple may have a killer photo-editing feature that will allow you to create the perfect photo, unlike what you’re able to do today.

Apple’s expansion of Siri progresses to what’s on screen with Visual Intelligence, which has different functions depending on which Apple product you’re using.

On iPhones, Visual Intelligence acts a lot like Google Lens, adding context and info for whatever your camera is pointed at. Take a look at food, and it’ll share nutritional value, or a restaurant bill to show how to split it. On Macs, Visual Intelligence recognizes what’s on screen and offers suggestions. On the Vision Pro, it recognizes what you’re literally looking at in a more immersive way.

You can tap the new version of Siri to write emails, messages and more on your behalf. You can describe what you need to the assistant, and it will generate drafts of work assignments or create texts to a friend while reflecting how you typically communicate. You can also select words you’ve written and ask the new Siri for feedback.

Any time I open up my iPhone’s Safari browser, I’m jumpscared by dozens of disorganized tabs I haven’t bothered to clean up. Safari’s latest integration with Apple Intelligence may finally solve that problem for me. The agentic AI will automatically sort any tabs you have open into topic groups, allowing you to jump between your different searches with ease. Any future tabs will get automatically sorted into existing groupings as well.

Other Apple Intelligence promises are even loftier. A new “describe an extension” feature will let you explain a website extension you want to use in plain text, with Apple Intelligence supposedly coding it to your specifications to use in the Safari browser. The browser will also identify any passwords you have that may have been compromised in a hack — and let you rectify the issue with stronger, AI-generated passwords with a single click.

Those are some eye-popping claims, but if Apple Intelligence really can seamlessly bring these features to the forefront of the Safari experience, then it’s possible the tech giant is getting back in the AI race in a big way.

The newest version of Siri is finally here. Named Siri AI, it takes advantage of the best of Apple Intelligence, which uses Google’s Gemini models. 

Apple touts Siri AI as a significantly better assistant, which can tap into more information, take in more context, and go deep into the operating system and its features. The company gave the example of looking for concert tickets: Siri could tell you how to buy them online, let you know they’ll be sold through a lottery system and set a reminder when it’s time to get in line. 

Apple has lagged in the AI space, and this new version doesn’t just let it catch up, but will help it create new products in the future.

Siri sounds smarter in almost every way, understanding more context, and you can even fine-tune how it sounds. 

Read more: Siri AI is the Apple Voice Assistant Revamp We’ve All Been Waiting For

As someone who owns a Vision Pro, I’ve honestly never felt compelled to talk to Siri while wearing it. Apple’s new Siri AI could make that interaction feel a little more natural.

Apple says you’ll be able to place a visualization of Siri AI anywhere in your space, then look at it and start speaking without saying, “Hey, Siri.” The assistant is also getting Visual Intelligence, allowing it to answer questions about whatever you’re looking at through the headset.

In one demo, a user looked at a backpack and asked whether it would work as a carry-on for an upcoming flight. Siri AI recognized the bag, pulled in details about the trip and said it should fit. They then asked whether a pair of hiking boots would fit inside, and Siri AI answered that too.

Being able to look at an object and immediately ask a question about it feels like a sensible use of the Vision Pro’s cameras and spatial interface. Not sure how much I’ll use it, but I can definitely see myself messing around with it.

The flashy AI-powered features might be the biggest focus of the new slate of Siri announcements, but they’re not what caught my eye. I think it’s a much bigger deal that you can now adjust Siri’s speaking pace when responding to inquiries — if you’ve got places to be, you can adjust a slider to make the bot spit out an answer even faster than before.

More crucially, though, you’ll be able to slow Siri’s responses down. This makes Siri’s sentences a tad easier to parse, and it’s a step in the right direction toward a more accessibility-centered experience. Another new feature allows you to make Siri more expressive in the way it delivers responses. And you can still change the bot’s accent to your liking.

Apple said it’s expanding its child safety features this year with new tools for parents. Apple is adding the ability for parents to approve new websites their child visits, expanding on the controls they already have over the apps their kids download.

Apple already blurs inappropriate content that a child receives or attempts to send, and this year it will block gore and violent content. When it comes to parental control over screen time, Apple is introducing daily time allowance recommendations for entertainment, games and social media, providing a starting point for parents across all three areas. These new features apply to parents with parental controls and children with child accounts.

Craig Federighi is spending some time explaining what is happening behind the scenes with Apple Intelligence and, more importantly, why it should make Apple’s AI features feel more useful.

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Apple says its upgraded AI models were developed through its collaboration with Google and use the technology behind its AI, Gemini. Depending on the request, the work can happen directly on your device or through Apple’s Private Cloud Compute servers.

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The company is also introducing a new “system orchestrator,” which essentially helps Apple Intelligence connect the dots between your apps, personal files, whatever is on your screen and information from the web.

Federighi is also emphasizing privacy. Apple says information sent to the cloud is used only to complete your request and is not stored or made accessible to the company.

The tech giant’s new iPhone update is framed as a way for parents to “guide their children’s digital journey.” It’s an unobtrusive way to prevent kids from seeing nudity, violence or other inappropriate content online. It’s also the culmination of a wider industry trend spurred by increasing regulatory oversight.

Legislation like the Kids Online Safety Act continues to advance through the US government. If KOSA passes, it will limit how minors are able to interact with social media sites. We’re increasingly moving into an era of online age verification — which some critics warn will impact the right to free speech.

Apple’s new feature is a less intrusive way to prevent minors from accessing certain inappropriate content. It remains to be seen whether the child accounts actually work, but at least you don’t need to upload your ID to a third-party online.

Read more: Stop Children From Taking and Sharing Nudes, UK Prime Minister Tells Tech Companies

Apple’s upcoming iOS 27 will keep the iPhone 11 as the baseline for this year’s big software update, giving older iPhones access to some of the latest and greatest for the operating system. 

Usually, when new operating system versions are released, older devices are left by the wayside. This time around, iOS 27 has the same compatibility as iOS 26, giving older compatible iPhones one more year before they’re on the chopping block. 

Despite the “summer of love” advertising that kicked off the latest MacOS announcement, it seems like Golden Gate is all about making the operating system design cleaner. The Liquid Glass design is sticking around, but there’s a new slider that lets you tint the opacity of different apps and search bars. Toolbars for different apps are becoming more uniformly sized, and the corners of open windows will be rounded out.

Are these design changes really that big of a deal? If you asked the fans on the ground, you’d probably get a resounding “yes.” CNET Editor at Large Bridget Carey reports that the announcement of rounded window corners for MacOS generated a big round of applause. Seems like people are certainly hyped up for a smoothed-out UI.

Apple software chief Craig Federighi introduced MacOS Golden Gate with an appropriately San Francisco-themed sequence and some trippy hippy-inspired visuals.

What those watching from home didn’t see was a personal message from current Apple CEO Tim Cook, who kicked off Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday with a live speech for in-person attendees that received a minutes-long standing ovation.

We’re live with a quick look at One Infinite Loop, Apple’s HQ — and here’s the man of the hour, Tim Cook. At least for us on the livestream, this is our first look at the outgoing CEO.

CNET Editor at Large Bridget Carey reports that media seating has been moved to the lawn. Don’t worry, readers, your intrepid CNET staff will have grounded takes today. 

We’re minutes from WWDC 2026, and our intrepid staff on the ground in Cupertino are settled in their seats. We’ll find out what Apple has in store when the show kicks off at 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET, 6 p.m. BST).

CNET Editor at Large Bridget Carey got her hands on Apple’s latest event swag, and there are tons of fun goodies to be had on the ground. Commemorative pins feature a pirate skull design, some kind of dog cow and a rainbow-colored 50 to celebrate the tech giant’s big anniversary.

The cutest inclusion is definitely the Lil Finder Guy pin, though. Apple’s latest Mac mascot, modeled after the Finder app icon, has appeared in its social media marketing over the past several months. Lil Finder Guy has been especially popular with TikTok users — it totally makes sense that there’s some Apple merch featuring the new character.

Apple usually unveils its major OSes at WWDC. While I haven’t written about the iPad ahead of this year’s show, I’m actually quietly curious about what Apple does.

The MacBook Neo stole the show this spring and made a lot of people declare their love for laptops over tablets. For me, it’s just me wanting Apple to finally put MacOS on iPads once and for all. That won’t happen, but I wonder if Apple would split the difference. 

iPadOS got more Mac-like last year than it ever had before, and it’s clearly possible for any recent Apple iPhone or M-series chip to run MacOS, as the Neo proved. There’s a legitimate reason I want Mac apps and even MacOS on an iPad: My browser experiences would be far better, and I’d finally have one device that handles all the travel and work needs.

Something new is bound to be announced for iPadOS… let’s hope it continues the Mac journey a bit more.

Google just showed off its Android XR smart glasses powered by Gemini AI at its developer conference, Google I/O, last month. One version of the smart specs will be on sale later this year. Rumors point to Apple having a handful of new products in the pipeline because it needs a more powerful, more useful version of Siri. We know that Apple will use Google’s foundation models for Gemini AI on Siri, and expect to see the results at WWDC.

But why is this new version of Siri so important? CNET Principal Writer Scott Stein says that this new Siri is the missing piece for Apple.

“I don’t particularly love being enveloped in AI, or the resource drain both environmentally and economically that AI is causing right now. But a next generation of assistive wearable devices that Apple seems ready to build needs a different level of AI,” Scott writes in a commentary about Siri and future Apple products.

He points out in the story that while Apple could lean on its hardware to power a more potent version of Apple Intelligence, the company would still be missing a key innovation.

During Tim Cook’s tenure as CEO, Apple has launched the Apple Watch, AirPods, Apple Silicon, Apple Music, the Apple TV streaming service and its AI, Apple Intelligence. While companies like OpenAI, Google and Microsoft seem to be on another level with their AI efforts, Apple has said it’s being purposely deliberate about what AI tools it rolls out.

For the last few years, just ahead of WWDC, the Apple Park visitor center and welcome center have added new apparel. And WWDC 2026 looks to be no different.

Apple isn’t a sentimental company; it often under-celebrates its history in favor of keeping its focus on what’s next. But you can’t help but wonder if the company will take a moment to say “goodbye” to Cook at WWDC, while saying “hello” to an AI-powered overhaul of Siri.

Read more: WWDC Will Be Tim Cook’s Swan Song. I Expect Something Siri-ous

The iPhone is only as good as its software. WWDC is historically where we get a preview of the next version of iOS coming to our Apple phones in the fall. The new software, likely called iOS 27, will be introduced to us in a matter of hours. And while AI will no doubt be a part of it, CNET Writer Nelson Aguilar would rather Apple forego adding more AI and instead use iOS 27 as a chance to fix everyday annoyances that persist on the iPhone.

“I want to find buried settings without going on an archaeological dig. I want clipboard history so that one accidental copy doesn’t erase the thing I needed. And I want notification controls that don’t make me choose between missing something important and letting every app annoy me,” Nelson writes.

Read more: I Don’t Care About iOS 27’s AI Tricks, Give Me These 3 Useful iPhone Features Instead

Last month, Google unveiled its new mobile AI capabilities, Gemini Intelligence, which can handle menial tasks such as filling out forms and scheduling appointments. And yes, the name Gemini Intelligence sounds a lot like Apple Intelligence (which itself is just a play on artificial intelligence). The two companies will share more than just similar-sounding names for their AI suites, as Apple is also integrating Gemini foundation models into its smarter Siri. 

It’s clear Apple has been hesitant to release the long-promised upgraded Siri until it’s in the right place. That delay has understandably led to some frustrations among consumers, as evidenced by a $250 million lawsuit. But it also makes sense, given general trepidation about AI being dumped onto practically every new device. 

Apple appears less concerned about being lauded for its AI efforts than ensuring those AI features are fully capable. So tapping into Google’s well-established AI expertise is likely a smart move, though one that surely requires swallowing some pride. Ultimately, it should give iPhone owners the best possible Siri experience.

With Siri expected to dominate the WWDC 2026 keynote, any WatchOS 27 updates are likely to take a back seat. And that might not be a big loss, considering what the Apple Watch could be building toward. While competitors like Google, Oura and Whoop are using AI coaches and dashboards to deliver insights after the fact, Apple is in a unique position to make real-time coaching a reality.

The pieces are already in place for Apple with years of biometric data, a privacy-first approach to health, a coaching platform through Fitness Plus and the first glimpse of AI-powered guidance with Workout Buddy — a feature trained on real Fitness Plus coaches that delivers data-driven motivation in your ear during workouts.

Actual guidance, in the moment when it matters most, backed by data to support it, could be the competitive edge that puts Apple ahead of the game in the personal health race. 

It’s unlikely Apple will unveil this type of coach at this year’s developer conference, but we’ll be watching closely for the breadcrumbs. Read my full WatchOS 27 and AI health coach breakdown for more.

The next iteration of Mac software, likely called MacOS 27, is expected to be shown off at WWDC. While there are rumors that the new OS will get a revamped Siri and have MacOS 26’s Liquid Display aesthetic pulled back a bit, for people still using Intel-powered Macs and MacBooks, MacOS 27 won’t support their machines.

Or as CNET Senior Editor Matt Elliott put it in his rumor story ahead of WWDC, “Basically, if you have a prepandemic Mac, it’s not making the leap to MacOS 27 and will need to stay on MacOS 26 Tahoe.”

Does this mean you need to buy a new computer? No.

“It’s not all bad news if you’d like to squeeze out another year or two of your Intel Mac,” Matt notes. “Apple will continue to issue security updates to Intel-based Macs for three more years.”

Read Matt’s full MacOS 27 preview for more on what to expect at WWDC for Macs.

Apple hasn’t said a word about the long-rumored foldable iPhone, and it’s unlikely we’ll hear anything about it at WWDC 2026, given the focus on software. But some of the OS updates we see on Monday could hint at what’s to come. How might Apple modify iOS to work seamlessly across a larger, tablet-like screen — and across two different screens?

Companies like Samsung, which have been in the book-style foldable space for years, have nailed features like split-screen functionality for up to three apps (with significant help from Google and its Android team). Meanwhile, newcomers like Motorola’s Razr Fold only support up to two apps simultaneously, with no flexible resizing option. Apple will likely want to nail all those minute details before shipping a fresh iPhone design. But there’s hope: The iPad’s split-screen feature supports up to four active windows.

Apple tends to prioritize perfection over speed when it comes to new releases. But perhaps we’ll see little nuggets of features that work well across, say, both the iPhone and the iPad. That could offer a glimpse into how this rumored hybrid device might work.

Apple’s WWDC 2026 keynote will be held at Apple Park, the company’s headquarters in Cupertino, California. Those of us not attending in person can watch the event from home on Apple’s website, the Apple TV app or the company’s YouTube channel. 

The WWDC 2026 keynote will kick off at 10 a.m. PT on June 8, and we expect current CEO Tim Cook to host the event for the last time. After that, there’s a Platforms State of the Union for software developers at 1 p.m. PT, followed by the conference breaking into various developer-focused talks and presentations.

WatchOS 27 is expected to bring more accurate heart rate tracking, new watch faces and modest battery improvements to the Apple Watch. But even the most efficient software update won’t close the gap that’s costing Apple ground in the health tracking race.

The Apple Watch is one of the most accurate smartwatches on the market — as proven by our 30-mile heart rate test. A growing number of people are choosing Oura Rings and Whoop bands, which can be worn for days or weeks, respectively. When it comes to recovery metrics and long-term health trends, both of which Oura and Whoop excel at, wearing it consistently matters just as much as accuracy.

If Apple wants to build a holistic health platform and AI coach, it’s going to need to figure out how to consistently get that data, especially overnight, when most recovery data is collected. 

The Apple Watch owns the day-to-day, notifications and workouts, but if it wants the full picture and long-term assessments, it might need a screenless companion like a ring or band to handle the night. Read my full analysis on why Apple needs a full AI health coach on the Apple Watch for more

Ahead of WWDC 2026, the CNET Group kicked off the Big Guessing Game contest across its websites — CNET, Lifehacker, Mashable, PCMag and ZDNet. Over three rounds, readers get to predict what Apple might release in 2026. Each answer counts as an entry into a drawing to win the latest Apple Watch expected this fall. 

The first round of the Big Guessing Game has wrapped, and it was all about Apple software and WWDC. Among the handful of questions readers answered, one stood out for its nearly unanimous result.

“Whether Apple’s incoming CEO, John Ternus, will speak at the event is still unknown,” writes CNET senior editor, Dashia Milden, in her story sharing our readers’ responses. “The vast majority of CNET readers (96%) believe Ternus will speak during Monday’s keynote, while 4% think he won’t.”

Apple debuted the Vision Pro, a $3,499 VR headset, in 2024. It’s an odd device in the company’s lineup, being both incredibly cutting-edge and having a very niche appeal. Rumors about future versions are mixed, suggesting Apple will likely pursue AR smart glasses, competing with those from Meta and Google, rather than another headset.

But the company still sells the Vision Pro, and for the folks who own one, there’s a lot Apple can do to improve it. One of those Vision Pro wearers is CNET’s Principal Writer Scott Stein, who thinks VisionOS 27 might be the key to unleashing the headset’s full potential and solving some of its current limitations.

“While AirPods connect with it, and Macs can extend monitors or even stream Mac apps to the headset, iPhones, iPads and Watches are strangely left out, except for casting iPhone/iPad screens via AirPlay,” Scott writes in his VisionOS 27 preview story.

He also thinks that the device with the smallest screen in the company’s lineup might be the most important one for VisionOS 27 to support.

“The Apple Watch is maybe the most egregious piece left out: It’s literally a wristworn control panel with motion tracking, and it could be a brilliant interface with the Vision Pro if Apple let it,” he exclaims.

Read Scott’s full VisionOS 27 story for all the things he thinks Apple should do.

Ever since Tim Cook announced in April that he’d be stepping down as CEO, the countdown to his planned exit in September began, ahead of the expected iPhone 18 launch. What became Cook’s last year coincided with Apple’s 50th anniversary (which, in hindsight, doesn’t seem like a coincidence), complete with celebrations like a private concert with Paul McCartney.

Given those revelries, we can expect some send-offs at WWDC lauding Cook’s 15 years steering the ship. Apple’s mid-year developer show is always about looking ahead to the next big software updates, but we’d expect some looks back at Cook’s legacy. It’s easy to forget the uncertainty surrounding Cook’s ascension, which coincided with Apple co-founder Steve Jobs’ passing, but the logistics master leaves the company a multi-trillion-dollar success, with a limited but steady embrace of AI in its software and new products like the iPhone Fold on the horizon. 

With that legacy of stability, we don’t expect much to change at Cook’s last WWDC: more software focused on incremental, continued refinement of the company’s operating systems. For the modest Cook, one last wave as the Apple juggernaut steams ahead seems fitting.