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

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 company’s 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.

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 and failed to deliver. Based on what credible reports have put out so far, here is what we expect to see at WWDC 2025:

A fresh design language

Joe Maring / Digital Trends

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?

Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends

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.

Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

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.

Joe Maring / Digital Trends

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

Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends

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 2025, 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.

Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends

In addition to a digital coach, Apple’s AI will also help users with nutrition planning, as well. Aside from 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 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.

Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends

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

Digital Trends

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.

May 25, 2025
WWDC 2025 could be the least exciting Apple event in years — and I think that’s a good thing

Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) is just under one month away. Normally, this event is a time for Apple to showcase all the software updates it’s been working on over the last year, which usually means tons of exciting new features across macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and more.

This year, though, there are likely to be far fewer significant updates. Sure, we’ll see a few changes here and there with systems like macOS 16 and iOS 19 expected to get a smattering of new features.

But this year’s round of updates is going to be far more sparse than usual, with most of Apple’s effort reportedly going into improving Apple Intelligence. That sounds disappointing — and I’ve shared my thoughts on why I want more from WWDC previously — but this new state of affairs doesn’t have to be a disaster. In fact, it could actually make macOS 16 one of the best Mac software updates in years.

Apple Intelligence “vaporware”

Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends

Apple Intelligence was the headline announcement at last year’s WWDC event, with the artificial intelligence (AI) system getting plenty of screen time as Apple unveiled its response to AI tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini.

The problem, though, is that while Apple pledged that Apple Intelligence would revolutionize how you use your devices, many of the previewed features have not materialized, with several prominent examples seemingly being punted to the long grass for the foreseeable future. While Apple’s customers wait patiently for the features they were promised, the company’s AI rivals pull further ahead.

That’s left a bitter taste in the mouth, with prominent Apple pundit John Gruber branding Apple Intelligence’s missing features “vaporware” and stating that their continued absence “should have set off blinding red flashing lights and deafening klaxon alarms” in his head.

Apple

If it is to establish itself as a serious force in AI, Apple has to put that situation right by getting the promised (but missing) features ready to go. Never mind adding new AI bells and whistles, last year’s additions need to finally make an appearance. In other words, we need to know they’re actually real, not just marketing bluster. Apple is already behind in the AI race, and introducing more new features when it can’t even get last year’s batch finished would be a terrible look.

But focusing on righting the wrongs of the last year, as difficult as it will feel for Apple, wouldn’t just be the right thing to do. Apple Intelligence is in a bad way, but fixing it up could actually result in better upgrades to macOS and iOS.

Correcting course

Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends

Fortunately, there are rumors that Apple could follow this course. The latest Power On newsletter from Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman, for example, says that WWDC will have three major themes: redesigned operating systems, enhancements to iPadOS, and improvements to Apple Intelligence.

If WWDC is restricted to those three subjects, there’s a good chance that macOS 16, iOS 19 and more will all be incremental upgrades, without the plethora of enticing new ideas that have defined recent Apple releases. With Apple’s developers channeling their efforts into a few big overhauls (the redesign, iPadOS and Apple Intelligence), there should be plenty of spare hands to squash bugs and improve performance in macOS and beyond.

And as strange as it might sound, I think that could actually be just what the doctor ordered.

Apple

Focusing an operating system update on improving what came before doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Some of the best-loved and most well-regarded updates to the Mac operating system were largely focused on bug fixes and performance improvements, such as OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard in 2009 and OS X Mountain Lion in 2012. Correcting the mistakes of the past can go a long way to earning user trust.

After all, we’ve probably all come across bugs and annoyances in macOS that we wish Apple would fix. Maybe this is the time that’ll finally happen.

This is a crunch moment for Apple Intelligence, and there’s no way that Apple could leave its announced-but-delayed features undelivered and in the lurch as other new additions were revealed to the world. Rectifying that situation won’t just help remedy Apple Intelligence — its operating systems could also feel the benefits.

May 12, 2025
Apple is right to make iPadOS more Mac-like, but I’ll never buy an iPad that runs macOS

Do you use a Mac or an iPad? Huge numbers of people use both, yet there are growing calls for Apple to merge the two devices into some kind of all-in-one super product. I’m not one of those people — in fact I think it would be a terrible idea — and I’m determined to steer clear of any hypothetical iPad that runs macOS.

Over the past few years, Apple’s best iPads have grown closer to the Mac. We’ve seen the devices get outfitted with Mac-grade chips like the M4, gain macOS-like software features such as Stage Manager, and gain increased compatibility with mice and keyboards.

This has led a lot of people to wonder whether Apple plans to one day merge iPadOS and macOS, taking parts from each operating system and building something that can work on any Apple tablet or computer.

That’s not happening yet, but according to his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman believes that iPadOS 19 will be a major overhaul that will “make the tablet’s software more like macOS.”

While this should bring a whole host of benefits, I think we should be careful not to go further and demand that Apple brings the full-fat version of macOS to the iPad. Ultimately, there are a few reasons why this could be a bad idea.

Key areas for improvement

Apple

Gurman’s report claims that Apple plans to improve iPadOS in three main areas: “productivity, multitasking and app window management.” Gurman provides few details on how this will actually play out, but the idea that Apple is concentrating on these areas will be welcome news to iPad power users who have been crying out for more capable tools.

Apple is right to be focusing its efforts here. Currently, more advanced iPad features like Stage Manager are half-hearted and frustrating. They were introduced with much fanfare but have received few upgrades and improvements over the years, leaving them feeling stunted and half-forgotten.

Really, I can’t help but think that the state of Stage Manager is emblematic of the iPad as a whole. In some ways, the iPad — particularly high-end variants like the iPad Pro — currently sits somewhere between a computer and tablet. There’s not really enough for either iPad power users or Mac users who are thinking of ditching their laptops, leaving both groups unsatisfied.

So for Apple to be pouring attention on the areas that will give these users what they want is encouraging. While I’m trying not to get too far ahead of myself here — there are precious few details in Gurman’s report, after all — it’s still good to hear.

The right call

Hey Apple, in what universe does this icon theming look even half-good? Apple

Reports like this will probably also give succor to those people who have long called for Apple to merge iPadOS and macOS into a single operating system. After all, if the two systems keep getting closer, will it one day be simpler for Apple to just blend them into one?

This is an area where I have to disagree, and I strongly feel that Apple must keep the iPad and the Mac distinct. Combining them together will only create more problems than it will solve.

One reason is that iPadOS and macOS are designed for two different ways of working: the iPad focuses on touch while the Mac is mainly operated through a keyboard and mouse or trackpad. Sure, increasing numbers of people are using an iPad with the same peripherals as a Mac, but I strongly suspect that they are the minority of Apple tablet users.

Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends

That means that although there is some overlap between iPadOS and macOS, there are enough differences to warrant having two separate operating systems.

As well as that, the risks of merging the two systems are too great. Apple would have to make too many compromises and would end up with none of the distinct strengths of either system — a concern that Apple itself has voiced on multiple occasions. In this particular case, one size fits all doesn’t work for anyone.

Like my colleague Nadeem Sarwar, I’m looking forward to seeing what these upgrades to iPadOS 19 will entail. Many of the iPad features intended for power users have a long way to go before reaching their potential, and I’m hoping that Apple’s upcoming tweaks will help them get there.

But let’s not get too carried away — Gurman says that Apple isn’t merging iPadOS and macOS right now, and I can’t see it happening any time in the near future either. At the end of the day, that really feels like it’s the right call.

April 14, 2025
WWDC may not deliver the macOS magic I’d love to see. Here’s why

Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) is just two months away, and that means I’m starting to look forward to what could be coming to the Mac at Apple’s big summer show. The problem is that every time I think about WWDC 2025, I can’t shake one feeling: that Apple Intelligence is going to dominate everything at the event.

To be fair, I don’t think Apple can do things any other way. As I’ve written about before, this year’s WWDC is make or break for Apple Intelligence. Apple has to not only make sure that its artificial intelligence (AI) platform catches up with rivals like ChatGPT and Google Gemini, but that it actually offers a service that can outdo its competitors in some ways. It needs to convince the public that Apple Intelligence is a worthy contender for their AI needs.

And if Apple gets it right, then Apple Intelligence might finally become the system it was always meant to be, with a revamped Siri that possesses incredible contextual awareness and useful additions to key Mac apps that help you in your everyday life.

But while I’m really hoping that Apple Intelligence gets the shake-up it so clearly needs, I don’t want the likes of macOS 16 and iOS 19 to miss out as a result. After all, these are the core aspects of Apple fans’ favorite devices. Without meaningful upgrades here, we’re all going to be a little worse off.

Déjà vu

Apple

The problem is that all this focus on AI means that other things could fall by the wayside. In that regard, we’ve seen this sort of thing before. When the Vision Pro headset came out, Apple’s updates to macOS, iOS and its other operating systems were noticeably modest.

At the time, there were widespread reports that Apple had shifted developers away from these systems and onto visionOS in the runup to WWDC. I suspect a similar thing could be underway this year given the importance of Apple Intelligence and the amount of work required to bring it up to speed.

That’s a shame, because I expect everyday users will value new features in the operating systems they use every day more than AI improvements. Reports suggest that Apple Intelligence hasn’t taken off in the way Apple hoped, and it’s probably still quite niche compared to the operating systems people use day in, day out. Yet while improvements to macOS and iOS might have a solid user impact, Apple has committed so heavily to AI that it can’t help but put the focus on Apple Intelligence this summer.

Magic moments

Apple

In the past, WWDC has been an opportunity for Apple to showcase the kinds of magic moments that it’s built its name upon. Universal Control in 2021 was one clear example, and I was absolutely blown away by it, as were many other onlookers. There’s also Continuity Camera, which I use constantly, or the iPhone Mirroring feature that we saw last year.

These are all everyday features that don’t make as much of a song and dance as Apple Intelligence but are still core to the Apple experience. Without “wow” moments like those, Apple’s operating system updates risk being sparse and uninspiring affairs come June 2025.

What we have heard is that macOS 16 could feature a wide-ranging redesign, with more glass-like effects and rounded buttons that take their inspiration from — you guessed it — visionOS. The last time we saw a visual overhaul for the Mac was with macOS Big Sur in 2020, so perhaps things are due a fresh lick of paint.

This could be a great way to shake things up and rejuvenate the operating system without having to cram in a boatload of new features. With a snappy new look, macOS could feel refreshed without too much changing in terms of functionality.

Yet the question remains whether this will actually be a meaningful update or simply a quick coverup to disguise the lack of updates elsewhere. With so much work needed to bring Apple Intelligence up to scratch, I’m concerned that the latter is more likely. Hopefully I’ll be proved wrong come June 2025.

April 8, 2025
WWDC 2025: everything you need to know
The Worldwide Developer Conference or WWDC is one of Apple’s most vital annual events where software updates take the center stage. At WWDC 2025, Apple is expected to showcase changes to the iOS and macOS that will substantially improve how we interact with the iPhone, iPad, and the Mac. But that are not all the announcements, as Apple will also discuss improvements to all of its interface running on different categories of devices. Besides software, we might witness some hardware announcements too.

Here’s everything you need to know about the potential announcements Apple is likely to make in June this year at WWDC 2025.

WWDC 2025: When will it happen?

WWDC typically takes place in the first half of June every year, though the dates change every year. Apple likes to kick off the event with a keynote on a Monday, and will continue the tradition this year.

Apple has already confirmed WWDC 2025 will be inaugurated with a keynote on June 9, with various developer sessions through June 13.

How and where can I watch WWDC 2025?

Apple

WWDC 2025 will be hosted online and is free to watch for all. The livestream for the keynote, as well as various subsequent sessions, can be found on the dedicated page on Apple’s website and Apple’s official YouTube channel.

However, Apple will give a select few the opportunity to attend the conference in person and interact with technical experts at the Apple Park in Cupertino. This is open to a limited number of developers, who can apply here, and winners of the Swift Student Challenge (2023 to 2025).

With WWDC being Apple’s biggest non-hardware event of the year, we expect several announcements on the future of software and user experience across its many devices. Below, we will talk about all the changes we expect to see at the conference this year.

iOS 19

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

With the iPhone being the biggest contributor to Apple’s revenue, iOS is easily the most vital product to be discussed at the annual conference. 2025 is the year of iOS 19. Although a stable release will come with the iPhone 17 series later this year, Apple will preview the next generation of iOS.

While nothing concrete is known of the update, we have seen numerous rumors about a massive shift in the iPhone’s software experience. As one of the most reliable sources behind Apple’s developments, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has claims iOS 19 will be “one of the most dramatic software overhauls” in the history of the iPhone. This year’s update is expected to bring a significant visual revamp for the first time since iOS 7 was released in 2013.

With the upcoming update, Apple is expected to enact fundamental changes in how iOS looks and operates. iOS 19 is expected to borrow largely from the Apple Vision Pro’s translucent visual elements and systematically overhaul multiple features, including the look and style of icons, menus, touch controls and buttons, menus, and even system apps. Apple aims to achieve visual consistency across multiple platforms and simplify how we interact with devices.

Apple is also expected to refine system animations with a focus on translucency. And while, iOS 19 has a supremely long list of new features, some of the features yet to be delivered from last year’s iOS 18 are also expected to hop on. This primarily includes the promised set of Apple Intellgence features that have yet to be available.

Apple Intelligence

Notification Summaries in Apple Intelligence on the iPhone 16 series Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends

Apple has gradually released several promised Apple Intelligence features with spaced out iOS 18 updates since the iPhone 16 launch back in September. With the latest iOS 18.4 launching soon, eligible devices are set to gain features such as Priority Notifications, improvements to Image Playground, and availability of Apple Intelligence on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. These add to the already available features, such as notification summaries, writing tools, Genmoji, Clean up in Photos, and Smart Replies and Summaries in the Messages and Mail apps. In addition, Apple is expected to expand Intelligence features to more languages and regions.

Some of the Apple Intelligence features showcased previously remain unreleased, and are expected to get picked up this year. The most important of them all is the more personalized Siri with awareness of your personal information as well as the actions you perform on your Apple devices.

At WWDC last year, Apple gave us a glimpse of a smarter version of its virtual assistant, Siri. It was subsequently updated to perceive requests and fetch responses to queries using ChatGPT, but a broader update was promised to arrive some time in 2025. However, recent developments suggest while Siri upgrades may be part of iOS 19, they might not ship immediately.

In addition to more natural conversations and better context, Apple also teased Siri’s ability to view what’s on your screen for additional context when answering your queries. These features might be delayed too.

Apple might build on improvements to existing Intelligence features to buy some time before the major overhaul.

The odds against a more personalized Siri

Apple

Earlier in March, Apple said these upgrades would finally arrive sometime “in the coming year,” indicating they might not even be ready to ship in time for the iPhone 17 launch. The unreasonable delay has become a topic of embarrassment for Apple and has amounted to legal trouble, with a group of users suing Apple — and seeking a class action status for their lawsuit — for misleading information about the timeline of releasing these features.

With this being a touchy subject for the average consumer, Apple might skip any boastful claims from the keynote. Though with deeper control over apps being yet another facet of the overhauled assistant, some later sessions may be dedicated to educating developers.

iPadOS 19

Prakhar Khanna / Digital Trends

Alongside iOS 19, Apple will also showcase the version of the operating system especially tuned to larger screens on the iPad. Like its mobile variant, iPadOS 19 is expected to come with radical changes to the interface, with more fluid elements.

The exact changes for iPadOS 19 have yet to be detailed, but we expect similar treatment in terms of simplified menus as iOS 19. With iPadOS also enabling a desktop-like interface through Stage Manager or by attaching an external display, we could see it adopt simplified app windows inspired by visionOS and better support for tiling multiple open windows like we saw on macOS last year.

macOS 16

Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

Like iOS 19, macOS is also slated to be part of Apple’s plan to overhaul interfaces visually to improve how we interact with Mac devices. Bloomberg’s Gurman expects this to be the biggest upgrade since Big Sur in 2020. The objective of these updates is to consolidate all of Apple’s operating system to look and function similarly.

While the name for macOS 16 won’t be officially revealed until WWDC — or through leaks a few weeks leading up to the event, trademarks filed by Apple may shed some light on the topic. Apple typically names macOS updates after landmarks in California, and two trademarks that have remained unclaimed so far are Skyline and Rincon. Apple might use either of the two to christen the next macOS edition.

As with iOS 19, Apple is expected to delve into translucent and fluid design elements for the macOS update. We expect to see more desktop-specific Apple Intelligence features, though with Apple’s general sluggishness with its AI rollout, they may not launch this year.

Lastly, even though there isn’t solid to indicate Apple bring more game studios onboard, we hope to see more titles being adopted for the ecosystem.

watchOS 12

Joe Maring / Digital Trends

Unlike upcoming versions of iOS and macOS, there have been fewer rumors foretelling any visual upgrades to the interface on the Apple Watch. Last year, Apple introduced changes in the form of a Live activities tracker and a Smart Stack for widgets that can be accessed straight from the homescreen by rotating the crown button.

With watchOS 12, the biggest anticipation is not visual but rather in terms of features. Apple may predominantly be looking to make AI-powered health insights accessible through supported Apple Watch models. One can expect these insights to be identical to the daily Readiness and Energy Scores provided by competitors such as the Galaxy Watch 7 and the Pixel Watch 3. We could also expect more personalized health routines or coaching features during physical activities.

With limited processing power on the SiP driving the Apple Watch, we can expect most of the processing happening on the iPhone while the Watch acts as a mere interface for collecting data and showing brief or momentous overviews. Similarly, it remains to be seen if the Apple Watch also gets the upgraded version of Siri.

Additionally, Apple is reportedly working to bring high blood pressure alerts to the Apple Watch Series 11 and Watch Ultra 3. Since these features will require specialized hardware, we don’t expect them to trickle down to existing models. Future generations of the Apple Watch might come with more powerful hardware and a camera to enable Visual Intelligence-like functionality, though the chances of that happening this year are very lean. We don’t expect existing Apple Watch models to receive these features either.

Beyond AI upgrades, watchOS 12 could be expected to bring new watch faces for the Apple Watch. We can’t say just yet what these would look like but can hope some AI insights seeping through the watch faces as well.

visionOS 3

Zeke Jones / Digital Trends

visionOS is Apple’s software for its premium mixed reality headset, the Apple Vision Pro. Since visionOS itself is the substrate for Apple’s upcoming ambitious design change, we may not see many visual changes.

While the original software on the headset focused largely on entertainment and immersive experiences, visionOS 2 brought a host of improvements, expanding how Apple’s premium headset can be used alongside other Apple products, such as Mac, and used as a replacement for large physical displays, and expanded applications to control the headset with eye movements.

There aren’t many rumors about what we could expect of the next iteration of software for the premium headset, Apple might add better support for VR games. It has been in talks with Sony to support PlayStation VR controllers on the Vision Pro, which means we might see some iPad-ready AAA titles, such as some Resident Evil titles but with VR support.

tvOS 19

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Among all the operating systems, Apple’s interface for the Apple TV box has received the least attention in terms of rumors. With the previous update, tvOS received updates in the form of improve dialogues, subtitles, spatial audio support, and improved access to connected devices listed in the Home app.

Though there aren’t sufficient rumors or leaks indicating what some of the new features may be, we expect Apple to inject some AI features for better content discovery. Meanwhile, more personalized stats from the Apple Watch we discussed above may also feature on the TV as part of Apple’s push to integrate fitness features into it. Furthermore, we hope for some improvements to Home controls.

HomePod with a display

Zeke Jones / Digital Trends

Apple’s smart speaker lineup hasn’t been refreshed in over two years, which suggests new models could arrive this year. For starters, Apple is said to be working on a new HomePod Mini with a far better Wi-Fi 6E protocol. This, however, may not arrive until the end of 2025.

Meanwhile, several rumors point to yet another upgrade in the HomePod family — bringing a display that attaches to the smart speaker. Smart speakers with displays have already been explored by plenty of brands, including Google, Amazon, and Meta. What Apple is expected to do differently is attach the display with a robotic arm to move the display around to face you as you move in your physical space.

While the display is said to be identical to an iPad, the said HomePod is suggested to run a distinct interface, called “homeOS.” It is also suggested to be driven by an A18 chipset to enable Apple Intelligence features.

In addition to the sophisticated hardware, Apple might launch a simpler model with a display attached to the base of a HomePod speaker, pretty much like an Amazon Echo Show. The abundance of rumors suggests Apple might launch these smart speakers at WWDC 2025.

New hardware

Apple often releases new hardware on the sidelines of WWDC, and while most of the popular categories of products have already been refreshed, some less popular ones might be refreshed at this year’s event. Before going over potential launches, let us take you through all the products Apple is unlikely to launch at WWDC.

Since the iPhone 16 launch last September, Apple has launched myriad new products. The list includes the following:
- iPad Mini with A17 Pro
- 14″ and 16″ MacBook Pro with M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips
- a redesigned Mac Mini M4
- iMac M4
- iPad Air M3
- Mac Studio with M4 Max/M3 Ultra
- 13″ and 15″ M4 MacBook Air
- a new base iPad
- iPhone 16e
That means, we shouldn’t expect Apple to release new products in these categories. While the list is nowhere short, Apple could add several more products this year, and it might start with the second generation of AirTag.

The AirTag 2 with improved range up to 90 meters (about 300 feet) and better privacy features is expected to arrive soon, and may be launched at WWDC 2025. It is rumored to be equipped with an improved Ultra Wideband chip which will contribute to better precision tracking.

In addition, Apple is expected to launch the M5 iPad Pro, a new 4K Apple TV box, and the second-generation Studio Display, though conservative assumptions suggest Apple would launch them after the iPhone 17 launch in September.
March 27, 2025
macOS 16: everything you need to know

We’re expecting the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) announcement any time now, and it’s likely to be scheduled sometime in June. Excitement is already building for this year’s installment thanks to rumors of a major design overhaul for the Mac operating system. This is everything we’ve heard so far about macOS 16.

When will macOS 16 launch?

Apple

In recent years, Apple has developed a neat little schedule for WWDC, announcements, and product releases. If the company sticks to the same patterns this year, we should expect to see a reveal for macOS 16 at WWDC in the first or second week of June. The keynote will introduce all of the biggest new features, updates, and products, making it the most exciting part of the conference for most of us.

From there, Apple will likely announce a fall release date — keeping things purposefully vague so they have some room to maneuver. As usual, the first public release will most likely happen around the time Apple launches its next iPhone and iOS version. Judging by past trends, this is likely to happen sometime in September.

While Apple may announce all planned features for macOS 16 at WWDC, that doesn’t mean they will all come with the initial release. Apple Intelligence features, for example, will probably be part of a “slow rollout” just as they have been for macOS Sequoia.

If you can’t wait until September to try out macOS 16, there will be beta versions released between now and then. A developer beta is usually launched during WWDC alongside the initial announcement, and a public beta should come a month or so after.

It’s a lot easier to join in on the beta fun now than it used to be — just head to the Apple Beta Software Program website and use your usual Apple ID to sign up. The only thing to keep in mind is potential bugs and problems — it’s normal and expected for a few things to go wrong during beta testing, so it’s best practice to install the new software on a secondary device rather than the Mac you use every day.

What will macOS 16 be called?

Apple

Apple has always treated macOS a little differently from its other operating systems, bestowing each iteration with a special name rather than referring to it by its number like we are now.

The current OS version is named Sequoia, after the giant tree native to California. Before Sequoia was Sonoma, named for the wine region in Sonoma County, California. And before that, we had Monterey, named after Monterey Bay in California. As you can see, there’s a clear trend with macOS names — but that doesn’t make it easy to guess the next one.

The only rumors we’ve heard so far are based on trademarked names that have been registered by a company some people believe to be connected to Apple. Examples include California, Grizzly, Miramar, and Redwood.

What the rumors say about macOS 16

MacRumors

Apple has been working on its next round of OS versions for a while now but it wasn’t until recently that we got our first big rumor. Revealed by the notorious Mark Gurman from Bloomberg, we now expect macOS 16 to bring some of the biggest design changes we’ve seen in years.

This big revamp will occur across all of the newest operating systems, not just macOS16. The details are pretty light for now but it’s expected that icons, apps, menus, windows, and system buttons will all see a refresh.

Rumors also suggest that the new design will be loosely based on visionOS, the operating system for the Apple Vision Pro. If this is true, it means our app icons could go circular — and as silly as it might seem, that would be huge!

Translucency is also a big thing in visionOS, with see-through menus and windows aiming to create more cohesive interactions. For the Vision Pro, translucency means being able to see more of the world around you, but for macOS 16, it would probably just mean seeing more of your wallpaper. It will be interesting to see if and how that could be implemented.

With design overhauls coming to all of the operating systems at the same time, people are expecting to see more visual consistency between the three. iOS and iPadOS usually look pretty similar anyway, but it looks like macOS might adjust to match the others more than it does now.

As for features, the main topic of conversation is Apple Intelligence and Siri. The road toward AI-powered Apple software has been a bit of a bumpy ride so far, with an extremely slow rollout, EU regulatory problems, and now even legal trouble surrounding Apple’s advertisements for yet-unreleased Siri features. The latest rumors suggest that the Siri updates we’ve been promised could be delayed until 2026 or even 2027 — so it’s unsure whether Apple will mention them at WWDC this year.

The legal suit against Apple right now claims that Apple engaged in false advertising by pushing Siri Apple Intelligence features for the iPhone 16 and then delaying them. As a result of the ads, consumers may have upgraded mainly for these new features and then never received them. If we really do need to wait until 2026 or 2027 for the features to finally come, Apple could fall into the exact same legal trap if it promises the new and improved Siri will come with the iPhone 17 and the new operating systems.

Which Macs will be compatible with macOS 16?

Whenever a new macOS comes out, a few older Mac models fall off the compatibility list. Sequoia works with all M-series Macs and the very last generation of Intel-powered Macs — which suggests macOS 16 might be limited to Apple Silicon Macs only.

This isn’t a guarantee, but it is likely that the oldest generation compatible with Sequoia will be dropped for macOS 16. We’re now five-ish years into the Apple Silicon era and it has made a huge difference to what Macs can do — so it doesn’t seem too unreasonable to drop support for Intel Macs right about now.

However, Apple could decide that it needs to drag the transition out a little longer and keep supporting Intel Macs for a few more years. It could go either way.

March 25, 2025