Apple’s developer convention, WWDC 2025, kicks off Monday at 10 a.m. PT. At its final two WWDC occasions, Apple launched itself into new territories, leaping into each AR/VR and generative AI. There’s stress on the corporate to match, if not prime, what it is achieved previously. CNET has editors and writers attending in particular person to report on stay WWDC 2025 developments as they break.There was the Vision Pro in 2023, after which Apple Intelligence in 2024. What huge announcement is coming in 2025? With each the Vision Pro and Apple Intelligence having confronted gradual and closely criticized begins, the large message at this yr’s WWDC would not appear clear in any respect. Apple may concentrate on working system redesigns and gradual enhancements throughout the board.WWDC is normally a showcase for Apple’s future-forward concepts. It’s additionally the place the corporate discusses its developer instruments, as you’d anticipate. And it is the place previews of all the brand new OS variations are revealed, giving an early take a look at what’s coming to the iPhone, iPad, Mac and different Apple units.It’s potential Apple will reveal a brand new residence machine — a display-enabled HomePod — or perhaps a new Apple Pencil with a calligraphy mode. But the most important rumors to this point counsel a brand new cross-OS redesign and renaming that may very well be Apple’s approach of deflecting some consideration away from not having huge new AI options to point out off. Watch this: WWDC 25: Expect Big Changes to iOS, however Not Much on a Smarter Siri
05:17 OS by yr: Will or not it’s iOS 26?Recent studies from Bloomberg’s often-correct Mark Gurman say Apple goes to ditch the present numbered OS conference it is used for years and as a substitute go along with one other strategy to naming: labeling all annual OSes by yr quantity. Instead of iOS 19, we’ll have iOS 26. And iPadOS 26, and MacOS 26, and WatchOS 26, TVOS 26, VisionOS 26. Samsung made an identical transfer in 2020, leaping from the Galaxy S10 in 2019 to the Galaxy S20 in 2020.Apple’s numbering has felt fairly disjointed because the numbers have gone ever-higher throughout a number of machine classes. A yearly quantity would not less than assist folks know in the event that they’re on the present model. Glass as the brand new lookThe WWDC invitations, that includes a hazy clear ring, trace at a reported redesign of all the corporate’s software program to a brand new “glass” look. Bloomberg’s Gurman reported on a big incoming cross-OS design shift, calling it a dramatic redesign and one of many largest Apple’s achieved in years. The design might mirror the Vision Pro’s VisionOS really feel, which has a number of frosted glass panes, layers of transparency and round app icons. Front Page Tech’s Jon Prosser confirmed a preview of the anticipated design based mostly on info from his sources, and it positively appears VisionOS-esque.Beyond a coat of paint, will the OSes begin to really feel extra related in operate too? I’m notably interested by how iPadOS and MacOS begin to shut in on one another much more. Apple’s iPad has slowly inched towards appearing like a pc, with options like Stage Manager for multitasking, and it is felt inevitable that the pill line would finally present a comparable expertise to the MacE-book. The Apple Watch already tracks sleep and loads of well being metrics, however it would not but use AI to create detailed insights. CNETWatchOS ought to get Apple Intelligence, and the Health app could also be a part of itOne of the units that is missed out on Apple Intelligence to this point has been the Apple Watch, and that needs to be altering quickly. Apple is predicted to place extra AI on the following Watch OS, which might assist with message summaries, translation and perhaps even composing messages. It might additionally carry overdue well being and health upgrades. Reports say Apple may very well be engaged on including generative AI insights to its Health app information and even utilizing AI as a medical service, with a launch goal of 2026. Health might presumably get a paid subscription tier, much like Fitness and what a lot of Apple’s present providers are including. This may very well be like what Google is doing with Wear OS, which has lengthy used Fitbit Premium as a well being subscription (a broader Gemini rollout is on the way in which too). I like AI teaching and insights on a watch, however I do not like subscriptions. We’ll see what occurs, and if Apple will get into any of those future plans at this WWDC.Battery life boostsAnother current report (once more, Gurman) says AI will assist Apple enhance battery life on its units. How many units? The iPhone, however hopefully the Apple Watch, too — these are the merchandise within the lineup that I discover I have to cost greater than I’d like. For me, not less than, iPads and Macs are largely high quality on battery life as is, however I’ll by no means refuse longer battery life for something.Apple has made gradual boosts to its battery options over time, however perhaps there shall be extra intelligently utilized energy modes this time. The Backbone Pro is one in every of a number of recreation controllers for iOS that exist already. Will Apple make a smoother interface for gaming on its units? Lori Grunin/CNETGame information?Apple could also be pushing the significance of video games once more, simply because the Nintendo Switch 2 debuts. Bloomberg studies that the corporate might launch a brand new app to behave as a hub for video games and recreation providers together with Apple Arcade, changing into an overdue overhaul of Game Center.Numerous recreation controller equipment, like Backbone, have already got app hubs that operate as recreation launchers, however Apple has by no means achieved a lot to assist manage video games on its units in a approach that feels extra like what you discover on a console. A brand new app looks like a very good match for these kinds of controllers, too.Apple simply acquired its first recreation studio: RAC7, the builders of hit Apple Arcade recreation Sneaky Sasquatch.Apple might even have VR gaming information, if older studies come true: PlayStation VR 2 controllers have been anticipated to work with Vision Pro headsets, in a push to increase gaming on Apple’s VR/AR headset. Maybe that’ll be a part of a push to get extra builders onboard, as Apple may very well be readying a inexpensive model of the Vision Pro within the subsequent yr. Right now the headset cannot compete with Meta’s extra inexpensive Quest headsets within the gaming division. The Vision Pro nonetheless would not have onboard AI that acknowledges your environment through digital camera, however that may very well be altering quickly. Numi Prasarn/Viva Tung/CNETAI: Live translation, and perhaps Vision digital camera developmentsApple opened up digital camera entry to enterprise builders final yr, and now it is time for AI instruments to emerge for everybody else — instruments that might assist describe what you are seeing, or enable you to keep in mind issues too. Apple has already added assistive help for some camera-enabled features on the Vision Pro and different merchandise, suggesting extra to return.Though Apple’s WWDC keynote presentation is not anticipated to incorporate many bulletins of AI strides, the corporate nonetheless must compete with Google, Open AI, Perplexity and plenty of others who’re making such strides. Reports say stay translation will come to some AirPods fashions, which might mirror what Google and Meta have been doing on glasses and earbuds and on telephones.The largest VisionOS transfer I’d anticipate to see is a few introduction of camera-aware AI. Apple Intelligence debuted on Apple’s VR/AR spatial laptop headset earlier this yr, however not one of the AI can reap the benefits of the system’s cameras to “see” what you are seeing. At least not but. Google’s use of Gemini to entry the cameras on upcoming headsets and glasses, and Meta’s help of digital camera entry for Quest builders (and its increasing AI instruments on Ray-Bans), counsel Apple wants to maneuver this fashion now to start paving a approach for camera-aware AI to work on future headsets and finally glasses. Apple PencilWe might see both a brand-new Apple Pencil or up to date options that make the present machine really feel new, based on a report from Bloomberg. Expect to see a brand new a digital reed calligraphy pen function unveiled. It’s unclear whether or not this new software program shall be for each the unique Apple Pencil and the Apple Pencil 2, or if we’ll really see a brand-new model of the stylus.A brand new HomePod-slash-iPad?There may very well be a brand new product rising at WWDC: a take a look at a long-expected screen-enabled HomePod which may be a part of an even bigger push into smarter sensible residence tech. Reports counsel it will be one thing like a HomePod now — speaker-enabled, with an array of mics — however with a touchscreen. Would or not it’s a display screen large enough to behave as a photograph body, or one thing extra like a management panel? Where would this factor stay, precisely? And what would it not price? Originally, studies of this machine even recommended a robotic arm that may enable the display screen to observe your face, however these plans appear to be off the desk for now.Of all of the wild-card product concepts Apple might announce at this present, this appears the probably.WWDC/Gurman potpourriThere are, after all, a variety of different rumors from Gurman. Here are some that caught our consideration:Messages app: iOS might get the power so as to add backgrounds to chats and group chats.iPadOS: Apple might reveal an iPadOS model of the Preview app.iPadOS: MacOS-like multitasking may come to the iPad.iPhone Camera app: The interface might get an overhaul targeted on making it easier to make use of.We’ll know extra soonWWDC is going on June 9, with the keynote video presentation streaming at 10 a.m. Pacific. We’ll be there at Apple Park, too, protecting it in particular person. We’ll know extra about how all this software program may very well be hinting at new merchandise, and get a check-in on the place precisely Apple is with its AI methods. And perhaps we’ll get a little bit of product information, too — you by no means know.