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.
Front Page Tech, the YouTube channel behind some of the most widely discussed iOS 19 leaks, has posted a new video showing off even more renders of the upcoming OS redesign. The last renders they posted a couple of weeks ago prompted Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman to take to X and cast doubt on their accuracy — a post that he has now reposted in response to the newest video.
iOS 19 images floating around aren't representative of what we'll see at WWDC. They look to be based on either very old builds or vague descriptions, missing key features. Expect more from Apple in June. Regardless, mockups – real or not – are always exciting for Apple watchers.
FPT’s new video starts with host John Prosser recapping the situation — he claims that they were the first people to report on the big iOS 19 redesign in January, with Gurman’s first comments coming a full 52 days later.
He also appears to be less than impressed with Gurman calling out his leaks as “fake” — though it’s worth pointing out that Gurman’s X post didn’t actually use the word “fake.” Instead, he said the renders seemed to be based on “very old builds” and weren’t “representative” of what we’ll see at WWDC 2025.
Perhaps Prosser’s use of language in this new video is part of the reason Gurman chose to repost his initial comment rather than write something new. While you can question intent in any situation, it is true that the phrasing Gurman used was objectively more polite and professional than Prosser makes out in the video. He even goes out of his way to defend the act of creating mockups in general, saying they’re “always exciting for Apple watchers.”
Either way, it’s worth looking at Prosser’s new renders even if Gurman isn’t a fan — we can’t rely entirely on one person for all of our Apple leaks.
The biggest visual change people are expecting from this redesign is circlular app icons. This is mostly because the new design has been likened to visionOS, which also has circular icons. In this latest video Prosser confirms that he too expects the icons to change — but he hasn’t actually seen any fully circular examples.
Instead, he has seen squircles — icons with much rounder corners than we have now but aren’t full circles. He says he doesn’t know if these are the final design but they are the only thing he has seen personally.
As for the “glass” or “transparent” look people have been talking about, Prosser says he has seen some elements, such as the flashlight icon, shimmering as the user moves the device.
Other small changes include an updated TabView at the bottom of Apple’s native apps and slightly reshaped toggles in the Settings app. Interestingly, Prosser’s personal conclusion from what he has seen is that though things look a bit different, it’s not actually much of an overhaul. This is a surprising take to hear since all of the reports around iOS 19 have focused on just how different it will look.
Since all the visuals in the video are recreated renders, we have no way of knowing exactly what Prosser has seen, and his sources are naturally also confidential.
At this point, while WWDC is still months away, there’s not much we can do other than decide who we want to believe the most. Prosser says the builds he’s seen are up to date, Gurman implies with his repost that they are not. Choose your side, I guess!
Gurman is definitely right about one thing, however: it really is exciting to see these mockups — especially when they trigger an all-out war between Apple leakers.
It’s that time of year when Apple announces the dates for its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) and sends the tech world into a frenzy of speculation over what goodies it has lined up for its expectant fans. With the week-long event kicking off on June 9, there’s not long to go now.
Usually, the announcement of WWDC triggers a wave of excitement for Apple’s upcoming operating systems, such as iOS 19 and macOS 16, and perhaps some hot new hardware that Apple has been keeping under wraps.
And normally, I’d be looking ahead to what I’d like to see in macOS 16 (and trust me, I’m still thinking about that). But I haven’t been doing that nearly as much as I usually do over the past few weeks.
The reason is simple. This year, there’s only one thing that Apple absolutely needs to focus on at WWDC 2025: Apple Intelligence. The company’s artificial intelligence (AI) system needs to be front and center on June 9, and there are plenty of reasons why.
Apple’s AI struggles
Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends
It’s been a rough year since Apple Intelligence was unveiled at WWDC 2024. Right now, the AI platform has fairly basic capabilities, like rewriting text or creating simple images, and these powers have been available from rivals for years. It’s lacking more advanced features, which now seem to be facing lengthy delays. And it’s also faced a slew of bad press for its notoriously faulty notification summaries. That’s enough to make any tech company shudder.
As Apple commentator John Gruber has pointed out, much of the Apple Intelligence features showcased at WWDC 2024 were essentially an extended tech demo, although we didn’t realise it at the time. A fistful of the most exciting tools and upgrades announced simply weren’t even close to being ready, and they still aren’t ready now.
That’s left Apple Intelligence feeling like a pretty empty shell right now. Sure, it works, and there are lots of ways you can put it to use. But the most interesting and compelling features are nowhere to be seen.
In the tech world — where developments move at the speed of light — this has the potential to be a disaster. Apple’s rivals aren’t standing still, after all. Everything from ChatGPT to Google Gemini to Microsoft Copilot are rapidly advancing and putting Apple to shame. Every day that Apple Intelligence features are delayed just further widens the gap.
Apple’s most important show in years
Apple
That means that WWDC 2025 could be the most important Apple event in recent memory. There’s a weight of expectation on the company that I haven’t seen it face before, with enormous pressure on it to deliver and silence the naysayers.
There are signs that Apple is treating this year’s WWDC as an event of vital importance. Look at its product lineup and you’ll see that it has cleared the decks in recent months.
With almost every iPhone, iPad, and Mac being updated within the last twelve months, most Apple devices are now running on the latest architecture. Crucially, that means that Apple doesn’t need to unveil them at WWDC, freeing up valuable time to make the case for Apple Intelligence. Given how much catching up it needs to do, Apple will want all the time it can get.
But there’s something else we’ve got to consider here: not only does Apple have to catch up with its competitors, but it has to actually surpass them. Such is the negative press surrounding Apple Intelligence that catching up is no longer good enough.
Apple
Consider Apple’s resources for a moment here. It’s one of the most profitable companies in history and has enormous funds at its disposal. It also has the unique advantage of controlling both its hardware and software, which should give its AI a massive edge, allowing it to tap into the inner workings of its products in ways that no other AI can.
That means expectations are high. People want to be wowed and they want to know that Apple can be the best, not just “good enough.” WWDC is the time to do that, given that its main audience consists of the developers and enthusiasts who will be most keen to take advantage of Apple Intelligence.
The bad news is that it seems likely that some of the very same features that would demonstrate Apple’s edge have apparently been punted into the long grass. According to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, the most advanced Siri features might not arrive until 2026 or even 2027, placing them well after this year’s WWDC. That means Apple has to somehow impress the world in other ways.
What I want to see
Apple
I’ve been thinking about the ways that Apple needs to tune up Apple Intelligence, and the problem is that most of the key improvements have already been reported to be delayed, at least according to leaks and rumors. That limits Apple’s options, barring some well-kept secret that could blow us all away.
Regardless, there are still a few new features that Apple could add that would at least make Apple Intelligence more competitive with its rivals. They shouldn’t be too advanced for Apple to unveil in a few weeks’ time, either.
For one thing, I feel that Apple needs to offer more robust image generation tools. Right now, the Image Playground is living up to its name: it’s a fun little toy, but not much more than that. It’s very basic and can’t hope to compete with more advanced tools like Midjourney or Stable Diffusion. Even just giving users more options – such as image styles or sizes – would be a good start.
Apple
I’d also like to see Apple Intelligence deployed to create more custom content. Think about Apple Music playlists, for instance: using AI to craft a custom playlist on the spot to suit whatever it is you’re doing would be one way to level up Apple’s AI. Apple Music can currently use machine learning to craft playlists made for you, but you can’t bring up Siri and tell it exactly what you want, then have Apple Music get to work.
Some of these ideas would tap into Apple’s own services in a way that rivals can’t. And really, that’s exactly the sort of thing Apple should be pushing in Apple Intelligence. The company needs to give people a reason to use its own AI rather than one of the many alternatives, and perhaps this is one way to do it.
There are other things I want to see, like an Apple-made large language model (LLM) that can compete with ChatGPT, but features like that are much further out. There’s no way they’ll be announced at this year’s WWDC.
Whatever Apple unveils at WWDC 2025, it needs to be something special if it wants to change the narrative and establish Apple Intelligence as a class-leading AI platform. With just two months to go, there’s not long until we discover Apple’s plan of action.
We’re expecting iPadOS 19, the next software version for iPad, to land during Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) this year. From what we’ve heard, it looks like it could be a significant update. Here’s what we know so far about iPadOS 19 — we’ll find out if these rumors are true in June.
When will iPadOS 19 be revealed?
Apple announced that this year’s WWDC will run from June 9 to 13. That means iPadOS 19, codenamed “Luck,” will likely be announced during the keynote event, held on June 9. The start time for this is yet to be confirmed, but last year it was at 10 a.m. PDT, so we can likely expect something similar this year.
Alongside iPadOS 19, we should also see iOS 19, watchOS 12, and macOS 16 — and there may even be some hardware announcements.
What do the rumors say?
We don’t know as much about iPadOS 19 as we do iOS 19, but there are a few things we could expect.
According to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman, this is expected to be the most significant redesign for iPad/iPhone since iOS 7. iPadOS 19 “will fundamentally change the look of the operating systems and make Apple’s various software platforms more consistent.” That means unifying OS look and style across multiple platforms for a simpler user experience. We’re expecting icons, buttons, menus, and system apps to receive a visual overhaul, with enhanced customization.
This redesign may be inspired by VisionOS, in particular, the Camera app, which users have suggested needs to be simplified.
Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends / Digital Trends
Gurman also says that Siri will become “more conversational,” like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, employing more advanced large language models (LLMs) so users can have lengthy back-and-forth conversations. “LLM Siri,” as it has been dubbed, is expected in a later iPadOS 19.4 update around spring 2026.
According to Apple Insider, many of the updates introduced in iOS 19 will most likely make their way over to iPadOS. We’re expecting a major focus on and expansion of Apple Intelligence features, and we could also see significant changes to Stage Manager. Apple Journal may finally make the jump from iPhone to iPad, though take this rumor with a pinch of salt, as nothing is yet confirmed.
Which devices will support iPadOS 19?
A report from French website iPhoneSoft.fr (via MacRumors), which cites a source within Apple, suggests that iPadOS 19 will drop support for the 2019 iPad 7. All other iPad models capable of running iPadOS 18 will reportedly be compatible with the latest iPad operating system, though some features will be unavailable on older models.
The full list of devices compatible with iPadOS 19 includes:
One of the great things about modern smart devices is that they’re gifts that keep on giving, thanks to their frequent software updates. Whether it’s a phone, a watch, or even a TV, chances are the device you’re using today isn’t quite the same one you bought three or four years ago.
That’s just as true with the Apple Watch. When Apple releases its watchOS 12 update later this year, many Apple Watch owners will find themselves with an even more powerful wearable than they first bought.
It won’t be long before Apple takes the wraps off watchOS 12 to tell us what we can expect, but in the meantime, here’s what we’ve heard so far.
When will we see watchOS 12?
Joe Maring / Digital Trends
For years, you’ve almost been able to mark your calendar for when Apple unveils its new operating systems, and we don’t expect this year to be any different.
Apple shows off its entire lineup of operating system updates during its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). That’s nearly always held during the second week of June, with a keynote presentation on the first Monday. So, it wasn’t a big surprise when Apple recently announced that this year’s WWDC keynote will be on June 9, 2025.
Apple hasn’t officially announced a time for the keynote, but if past years are any indication, we can expect it to kick off at 10:00 a.m. PT (1:00 p.m. ET), where Apple is expected to unveil watchOS 12 alongside iOS 19, iPadOS 19, macOS 16, and more.
The first developer beta of watchOS 12 will likely be released the same day, followed by a public beta sometime in July. The final release of watchOS 12 will come in September, alongside the new Apple Watch models that Apple typically releases in the fall.
What the rumors say about watchOS 12
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
So far, the rumor mill has been pretty quiet about what we can expect in terms of new software features in watchOS 12 — at least for those things that will apply to existing Apple Watch models.
Instead, sources are focused on what the Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 will bring to the table. These 2025 wearables will ship with watchOS 12 out of the box, so it will need to support whatever Apple has in store for those models.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who usually has some pretty reliable insights, has suggested this could be the year that high blood pressure monitoring comes to the Apple Watch. Apple has been trying to crack this nut for years, and while previous reports suggested it was having trouble getting clinically accurate readings, recent information indicates that it will likely give up on precision and simply market this as a hypertension detector, similar to the sleep apnea detection feature that Apple introduced in watchOS 11. This would alert users when abnormally high blood pressure was detected rather than providing continuous measurements or specific systolic and diastolic readings.
Jesse Hollington / Digital Trends
With sleep apnea detection, Apple surprised us by also bringing it to the older Apple Watch Series 9 in watchOS 11. However, that isn’t likely to happen with blood pressure monitoring, as this feature is believed to require a new hardware sensor. By comparison, sleep apnea detection used a new AI algorithm to analyze data from the existing sensors, and therefore only needed a processor that was powerful enough to handle the computations.
Along similar lines, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is expected to get 5G and satellite connectivity as part of watchOS 12. However, hardware requirements will almost certainly make it exclusive to that model.
AI-driven health features
Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends
Beyond that, most of the reports around watchOS 12 are primarily educated speculation at this point. Apple’s AI ambitions for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac suggest that it may plan to bring some more advanced Apple Intelligence capabilities to the Apple Watch, but nobody is quite sure what form those would take.
It’s highly unlikely we’ll see standalone AI features in watchOS 12, as existing watches lack the horsepower needed to run Apple Intelligence. However, Apple has reportedly been looking for new ways to leverage the iPhone to analyze health and fitness data. In this regard, it’s been lagging behind rivals like Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 7 and Google’s Pixel Watch 3, both of which provide AI-driven health insights that can deliver things like Readiness Scores and Energy Scores that let you know how your body is doing at a glance.
These summarized health insights are something that’s been sorely missing from Apple’s Health initiatives. The Apple Watch can track a lot of data and provide you with all the metrics around it, but it’s up to you to figure out what it means. There’s plenty to read in the iPhone Health app to help you understand your health data, but the analysis is up to you.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Gurman has previously revealed that Apple is working on an AI health coaching service code-named “Quartz” that may address this need. He hasn’t said anything about when this is coming but says it’s expected to focus on preventative health care rather than what sources call “post-sick health care.” In other words, Apple hopes to build algorithms that will keep you from getting sick in the first place.
By applying AI algorithms to this data, the health coach could offer users personalized insights into their activity levels, sleep patterns, and other health metrics.
Apple’s coaching service would utilize AI models to analyze data collected from an Apple Watch. This data, which is already available in the Health app in raw form, would be used to create personalized coaching programs tailored to each individual user’s needs, offering insights into activity levels, sleep patterns, and more. These programs could include exercise regimens and recommended diets and would likely adapt as a person’s health needs change.
There are indications that Apple wants to have this ready for watchOS 12 (and iOS 19). However, some sources have hinted that it could become a new subscription service, either as a standalone “Apple Health+” plan, as part of Apple Fitness+, or rolled into an Apple One bundle. However, Apple has likely not yet settled on a pricing model or even a name. The holistic nature could lead Apple toward something like “Apple Wellness” instead.
What about Siri improvements?
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
One thing we aren’t likely to see are any significant improvements to Apple’s beleaguered voice assistant. After all, Apple recently announced that the more personal Siri it had promised for the iPhone in iOS 18 will take longer than expected — possibly into early 2026 — and it hasn’t even made any such promises for the Apple Watch.
Apple made some Siri improvements in watchOS 10, moving to on-device processing on the Apple Watch Series 9 and later models, thanks to their more powerful chips. This also allowed users to call up and log health data via Siri — a feature that was previously unavailable due to Apple’s reluctance to process such sensitive data in the cloud.
Siri could previously report data from apps on the watch, such as sleep information, but couldn’t delve into deeper health data that was otherwise only available in the iPhone’s Health app. If the rumors of Apple’s AI-driven health features are true, it’s likely that Siri will also provide a way to call up things like sleep and wellness scores and possibly even put them into a broader context. The groundwork for that was already laid in watchOS 10, so it’s just a matter of Apple giving Siri more data to work with.
Design and watch faces
Jesse Hollington / Digital Trends
While recent reports have suggested iOS 19 may get a fresh coat of paint, we’ve heard nothing that indicates such dramatic changes for watchOS 12. Unlike iOS, which has looked the same for over a decade, Apple did a big redesign in watchOS 10, so it’s unlikely to feel the need to change things again so soon.
However, each watchOS update adds new watch faces, and there’s no reason to believe that watchOS 12 will be an exception. We have absolutely no idea what to expect here just yet — and to be fair, they’re a surprise every year — but it’s a safe bet that this year’s release will add two or three new entries.
The wishlist: what folks are clamoring for
Titanium Apple Watch Series 10, Milanese Loop bandAndy Boxall / Digital Trends
Sadly, we’ve heard nothing to make us hope Apple will bring one of the most-requested customization features to watchOS 12 this year. Customizable or third-party watch face support is likely to remain as limited as ever. In watchOS 7, Apple introduced the ability for developers to provide preconfigured versions of standard watch faces with specific complications for users to install, but that’s about as sophisticated as it’s gotten.
There’s a long list of other Apple Watch features that some folks have been requesting for years that have seemingly fallen on deaf ears in the halls of Apple Park. For example, watchOS still lacks a native Apple Notes app. Full note-taking is obviously impractical, but the ability to more quickly dictate and view short notes would be quite useful. Some third-party apps fill this gap, but Apple Notes is popular enough on the iPhone to leave folks lamenting its inaccessibility from the Apple Watch.
Joe Maring / Digital Trends
We also often hear requests for enhanced health and fitness metrics. Apple does make minor improvements to these year-over-year, but if it does indeed embrace AI-driven health analysis, this could be the year that finally happens in a way that satisfies what many are craving: a more effective presentation and analysis of health data in a way that makes it much easier for everyday folks to understand and absorb.
Apple provides a lot of data, but it doesn’t do a good job of distilling it down to the key points. Last year’s Vitals app in watchOS 11 was a step in that direction, and many hope Apple will take that to the next level in watchOS 12 by making it more apparent to users what these numbers mean — and what they should do about them.
Third-party apps fill this void right now, and Apple’s HealthKit framework makes everything collected by the Apple Watch open to nearly any iPhone or Watch app you install and authorize. However, many prefer to keep their health data in the more private and secure Apple ecosystem.
Which devices will get watchOS 12?
Apple Watch Series 3 (left) and the Apple Watch Series 10Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
We won’t know for sure which Apple Watch models will be supported by watchOS 12 until Apple unveils it in June, but we can make some educated guesses based on past releases.
It’s uncommon for Apple to drop support for older Apple Watch models with new watchOS releases. The Apple Watch Series 3, released in 2017 with watchOS 4, was supported until watchOS 9 was released in 2022. That put the Series 3 somewhat past its expiry date, as many folks reported problems running the newest software on that aging wearable.
The Apple Watch Series 4, which came with watchOS 5, made it to watchOS 10 before being dropped in last year’s watchOS 11 release. However, that also eliminated the Apple Watch Series 5 and the first-generation Apple Watch SE since all three models used essentially the same processor.
Since the Apple Watch Series 6 through Series 8 also share the same underlying chip (the S6, S7, and S8 are all just repackaged versions of the same T8301 silicon), it’s very likely that watchOS 12 will continue to support the same Apple Watch models as watchOS 11.
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.
