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iOS 26 and Liquid Glass design revealed

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iOS 26 and Liquid Glass design revealed

iOS 26 and Liquid Glass design revealed

USA, Featured6 hours ago2 Views

At its annual Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday, June 9, Apple introduced new feature-rich operating systems sporting a sexy Liquid Glass makeover.

And, as expected, the new super-smart artificial intelligence-powered Siri was a no-show. But the feature, which debuted at last year’s WWDC, had a hinted return appearance coming later this year.

Still, Apple Intelligence had a major part to play, with AI shown to power a new live translation feature that automatically translates messages, generates translated captions on Facetime and audio translations on phone calls. Visual intelligence upgrades coming to the new operating system, dubbed iOS 26, were shown using ChatGPT to learn about on-screen objects, whether to buy or gain knowledge.

Here’s what was announced at Apple’s WWDC keynote, which included an address from CEO Tim Cook.

iOS 26 will be released for testing June 9 through the Apple Developer Program and a public beta version will be released through the Apple Beta Software Program next month, CEO Tim Cook said at the close of the keynote presentation.

The operating system will be available as an update for iPhone 11 and later “this fall,” he said.

Software boss Craig Federighi cited examples of new features such as Live Translation and Visual Intelligence as advances Apple was making with its Apple Intelligence. “Our platforms are more powerful and more useful than ever. We’re continuing to integrate Apple Intelligence across our ecosystem with so many new features that are right where you need them in the apps you use every day.

Cook added, “We continue to advance each of our platforms with more ways to harness the power of Apple Intelligence, as well as a beautiful new design, our product experiences become even more seamless and enjoyable.”

Apple stock fell more than 1% as the WWDC event played out. Shares opened Monday, June 9, at $204.39, but fell to below $202 during the event.

The company stock price hit $259 in late December 2024, near the end of a three-month period in which Apple set an all-time record for iPhone upgrades. But shares dipped to $172 in April 2025 a few weeks after the company announced it was delaying some artificial intelligence upgrades to Siri to 2026.

Apple showed off its iPad “windowing” system in iPadOS 26, which mimics a computer more than an iPhone. Users can open and arrange multiple apps at once using customizable sizing options.

The upcoming MacOS will be called Tahoe, with a new design incorporating Liquid Glass so the dock and widgets look more refined. Your display will look larger and there are more ways to customize and personalize your Mac to match your style, Federighi said. Nice touches include adding emojis to folders, for instance.

On-screen menu options you’ll see while watching Apple TV+ productions are getting a makeover in the style of Liquid Glass, while the titles of TV shows and movie options on the home page are getting a bolder look as well.

Visual Intelligence will be part of iOS 26 and let users explore their surroundings without changing apps. You use your camera “to learn about the objects and places around you,” Federighi said.

It will also let you use any app to learn more about what you are seeing. For instance, say you have a social media app up and see an instrument, you can screenshot that and ask ChatGPT “which rock songs is this instrument featured in,” and it lists songs for you, as demonstrated by the Apple design team’s Billy Sorrentino.

Also, if you see a piece of clothing or a lamp that interests you, with a screenshot an option will pop up to search for similar items in other apps such as Etsy. Visual Intelligence will also let you add an event you see in another app directly to your calendar.

Other iPhone updates include polls in Messages, while Spam Detection will slot unknown message senders into a separate queue until you approve them.

The upcoming iOS 26 will have a new unified phone layout that combines Favorites, Recents and Voicemails, so you don’t have to switch views. AI will create voicemail summaries. “This new intuitive layout makes it easier to navigate the app,” said Darin Adler, vice president of internet technologies.

A Call Screening feature will answer unknown callers in the background and once they leave a voicemail is left you can pick up or ignore the message.

Another new feature, Hold Assist will “keep your spot in line while you wait for a live agent,” Adler said. Hold Assist automatically detects hold music and lets you tap hold and you can keep using your iPhone. Hold Assist will ring back to you when to return to the call.

The new iPhone software will be called iOS 26, Federighi says. That comes after Alan Dye, Apple’s vice president of human interface design, showed how the new operating systems will have an interface featuring “Liquid Glass,” which is translucent like glass but with a fluidity. Liquid Glass “brings more clarity to navigation and controls,” he said.

Using the camera, you swipe and tap to make the menu options appear using the new Liquid Glass interface, Federighi said. When using Safari, you get a larger screen with the dynamic controls hidden until you tap.

The event begins with video showing Apple CEO Tim Cook talking with Federighi who is driving an F1 car around the top of Apple Park, a nod to the new Apple TV+ film, “F1,” starring Brad Pitt, hitting theaters June 27. “So glad they put CarPlay in this beast,” Federighi says, and blasts the song “Round and Round,” by by rock band Ratt.

You can watch the WWDC keynote beginning at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT. on Apple TV, on apple.com and on the Apple YouTube page.

Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference, held June 9-13, is the tech giant’s annual showcase of its upcoming software updates. That means new features coming to iPhones, iPads, Mac computers and other devices.

Apple CEO Tim Cook typically delivers the keynote. Software boss Craig Federighi will likely also take the stage.

During Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference keynote on June 10, 2024, the company revealed features in iOS 18 and other operating systems including iPadOS 18, Apple Intelligence and a smarter Siri virtual assistant.

No. Usually iPhones and devices such as iPads typically are debuted at Apple’s September event. Last year, the company unveiled iPhone 16 models, Apple Watch Series 10 and AirPods 4.

Apple is expected to demonstrate new operating systems for iPhone, iPad and other devices including Mac computers, Apple Watch and Apple TV. What would be iOS 19 is expected to become iOS 26 – with a numerical name change similar to how car models are based on years, several outlets including Bloomberg and MacRumors have reported, citing unnamed persons familiar with Apple’s plans.

Also, there may not be a big artificial intelligence splash. At last year’s WWDC, Apple introduced a more “personal” and smarter Siri virtual assistant, which used Apple Intelligence, but many of the planned improvements have been delayed until 2026.

However, Apple is expected to announce that third-party developers will be able to begin using the same AI foundation models the company uses for its Apple Intelligence platform, a move allowing developers to create new applications for Apple devices, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported.

Among the features Apple is expected to unfold at the event is an AI-powered iPhone battery management mode, which will monitor how you use your phone to conserve energy, Bloomberg has reported. Also possibly to be shown: a new game center app, Bloomberg reported.

iOS 26 will be the next operating system for the iPhone, according to multiple reports. Other operating systems for Apple devices include MacOS, iPadOS, WatchOS, tvOS, visionOS. The MacOs is expected to named “Tahoe,” the latest in a long line of names based on California locales, Bloomberg’s Gurman reported.

The operating systems will have a new look in addition to new naming scheme. The new interfaces will use light and transparency, Bloomberg reported, styled similarly to the visionOS used on the Vision Pro headset, unveiled at the WWDC two years ago. App icons, tool bars and tab bars are set to look different in the update.

With the “26 update,” Apple is “changing the playbook. They’re not just going (to) iOS 19,” Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives told USA TODAY. “I think this is also a much bigger OS update, because it all sets up for iPhone 17 and the true AI strategy coming to Cupertino.

Apple may not reveal a truly Apple-Intelligent Siri – allowing the digital assistant to handle tasks across various apps via voice commands – but the company will show off new Apple Intelligence-driven features through its operating systems, Ives said. He expects more information on the company’s AI plans including Gemini and ChatGPT integration with Siri and other apps.

“It’s really going to unleash developers to take Apple into this next generation,” Ives said. “They need to build iOS that you could have true AI apps deployed in the ecosystem. Remember 25% of the world is going to access an AI through an Apple device over the coming years. … They’re going to have to make sure they’re a key player in AI with the other big tech players in this Game of Thrones battle.”

Observers will want to see progress. “Patience might be the word of the day, or even the year for Apple. People are talking about this as an AI gap year for Apple,” Alex Kantrowitz, founder of Big Technology podcast and newsletter, said on CNBC on Monday, June 9. “They had the big vision announcement last year. Not a lot of progress this year as they tried to build it. It is hard to build.”

Apple WWDC keynote

Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference keynote is underway. You can watch it live on Apple.com. USA Today will be providing updates here, also.

Contributing: Jay Cannon.

Mike Snider is a reporter on USA TODAY’s Trending team. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, X and email him at mikegsnider & @mikegsnider.bsky.social & @mikesnider & msnider@usatoday.com

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