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WWDC 2025 Preview: Apple's iOS 26 Design Overhaul, macOS Tahoe, and Much More

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The 2025 Worldwide Developers Conference is just a few days away, with the keynote event set to take place on Monday, June 9. Ahead of Apple's big software debut, we've rounded up all of the rumors that we've heard so far about iOS 26, macOS 26, and Apple's other updates.



A Note on Naming

Apple is streamlining the way that it numbers operating system updates, so all of the software will be appended with a "26" instead of the number that would normally be expected in Apple's prior versioning scheme.
  • iOS 19 -> iOS 26
  • iPadOS 19 -> iPadOS 26
  • macOS 16 -> macOS 26
  • tvOS 19 -> tvOS 26
  • watchOS 12 -> watchOS 26
  • visionOS 3 -> visionOS 26
The "26" used for each time reflects the launch season for each update, covering the period between September 2025 and September 2026. Apple is using year-ahead numbering going forward, so in September 2026, we'll get iOS 27.

iOS-19-to-26-Thumb-2.jpg

Apple could have gone with the year of launch, which would be 25, but 26 also makes sense because there are more months in 2026 where we'll be running iOS 26 and its sister updates than in 2025.

With the streamlined naming that Apple is implementing, there won't be a need to remember separate numbers for each operating system, and it'll be clear which update came out in which year.

iOS 26

iOS 26 is going to get a major design overhaul that's been described as the biggest design update since iOS 7. Inside Apple, the design project is referred to as "Solarium," which hints at what we can expect. A solarium is an all-glass room that's designed to let in sunlight, and rumors suggest that iOS 26 will adopt a more translucent, glass-inspired aesthetic that's loosely based on visionOS.

iOS-26-Mock-Rainbow-Feature.jpg

visionOS uses a semi-translucent interface to allow people to see their surroundings in AR or VR while also interacting with app menus and windows. visionOS windows blend into the background for an unobtrusive look, and on the iPhone, Apple could adopt the same translucency, allowing content to shine through.

iOS 26 is expected to get the floating on-screen windows and menus that are used in visionOS, with rounded pop-up navigation and menu bars that float above the content on the display. Apple may use shading, shadowing, and subtle lighting effects to give buttons and other interface elements a slight lift. Widgets on the Lock Screen and Home Screen will adopt the new design, but functionality won't change.

App icons could see design tweaks, and notifications, menus in apps, search bars, card-style interfaces, and other parts of the iOS user interface could have more rounded corners than we're used to. The floating navigation bars are expected to be pill-shaped, for example, and Apple is going to use pop-out menu options to allow users to expand settings with a tap. One rumor suggested Apple is going to transition to round app icons on iPhone, but Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says that the icons are going to keep the same general shape.

iOS 26 has been described as having a glossy or glass-like look, which is also how visionOS looks. Apple's WWDC 2025 teaser images feature frosted glass with soft colors, and those images might give us a look at what's coming.

WWDC-2025-Banner.jpg

Mockups that are allegedly based on real iOS 26 designs were shared earlier this year by Front Page Tech, demonstrating some of the design changes that might be in store. A mockup of the Camera app has translucent pop-out menus that better blend into the background to put the focus on the images, for example.

Alleged-iOS-19-Camera-App-Render.jpg
A render of iOS 26's alleged redesigned Camera app, from Front Page Tech​

Newer Apple apps like Apple Sports and Invites have simpler, translucent interface elements with expanding buttons, and could also serve as an example of the design language Apple is planning to unveil in iOS 26.

apple-invites-screenshots.jpg

Apple will overhaul its built-in apps with the updated design, plus the company plans to provide developers with design guidelines and assets so that third-party apps can adopt the new aesthetic too.

Navigation Simplification and Streamlining

Along with introducing new design language in iOS 26, Apple is streamlining navigation. Rumors suggest that Apple is tweaking menus, buttons, and navigation to make the operating system simpler to learn and navigate.

Some of the design and interface changes will also extend to macOS, iPadOS, tvOS, and watchOS, improving design consistency and navigation across Apple's operating systems.

Apple Intelligence Features

There are several new Apple Intelligence features that are expected in iOS 26.

AI Battery Management
An AI-powered battery management tool will analyze how you use your iPhone and make adjustments to maximize battery life. The option will be able to limit the power draw of apps and other system features based on device usage.

Battery management will be particularly useful for the iPhone 17 Air that will have a smaller battery than other iPhones, but it will be available on iPhones that are able to run iOS 26. It's not clear if Apple will announce the AI battery feature at WWDC 2025, as it could be held until the iPhone 17 Air debut later in the year.

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Article Link: WWDC 2025 Preview: Apple's iOS 26 Design Overhaul, macOS Tahoe, and Much More
 
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As for numbering/naming, is it finally time for Apple to start treating the different models of the iPhone in the same manner that it treats different models of MacBook or iPad? We don't get a MacBook Air 25 followed by a MacBook Air 26; we get a MacBook Air (13-inch, mid-2025) and then a MacBook Air (13-inch, late 2026).

It's already awkward enough, for instance, that an iPhone 15 can't run iOS 15, but was shipped with iOS 17 and can run iOS 18 and the next-released iOS. It would simplify matters immensely if Apple could train consumers to start thinking of iPhone models in the same way they think of Mac/iPad models, where a particular product line improves year-over-year but isn't renamed every time.

Although MacRumors likely has a disproportionately high percentage of iPhone users who upgrade annually, sales figures show that most consumers upgrade every 2-3 years, with older users often going 3-5 years between upgrades. So the mere presence of higher-number iPhones doesn't seem to be a major prod for most consumers to upgrade. What matters is their relationship with the cellphone carrier, or their perceived need for a particular new feature. That wouldn't change if the number dropped away, and the date became just a fact about that particular release -- as is already the case for Apple's desktop, laptop, and tablet computers.
 
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Have we „known“ this much prior to WWDC 24 or 23? I don’t remember. Considering this year there will be big changes it makes sense some of them leaked, if not more in general.
Can’t wait for this years bug hunting season, not. Hopefully it doesn’t last 12 months again.
 
Crom! said:
Cool MacOS 26 will still support intel based macbooks, well at least from 2019. So that means Apple is still compiling for intel and Opencore legacy patcher still has a future.
Click to expand...
One more year for OCLP.

But does it matter? As a technical feat OCLP is great, but it can't make up for missing features on the machines it's installed on. For instance, my 2010 MacPro has no AVX instructions, so the video software I was planning to run crashed. The 2014 Mini has no Metal 3, so the visualizer in Sonoma's Music crashed hard.

Both of those machines are running up to date Linux without crashing. I surmise that Mac programmers don't install CPU checks in their software. Any machine officially capable of running Sonoma must have a certain instruction set. When it doesn't, splat. I can't blame them, the OCLP user group is pretty small.

I have more used intel Macs running Linux than running MacOS, though the Pro dual boots Mohave. With five drives it's pretty versatile. :)
 
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I was so hoping for an M4 Mac Pro Ultra. I guess the M3 Ultra is good enough for a while. I am definitely looking forward to new integration of AI into Swift. I wonder if we will be able to access models running on external hardware.
 
No new imminently available hardware announcements: I interpret this to mean we might see the next version of the Studio Display as late as Dec 31 2025, or as soon as Jan 1 2026.
 
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Macrumors:
"Apple and Google are close to establishing a deal that will add Google Gemini to the ‌iPhone‌ as an alternative to ChatGPT, and that's a feature that we'll likely see in ‌iOS 26‌. Google Gemini would integrate with Siri like ChatGPT, with ‌Siri‌ able to hand requests over to Gemini for more in-depth AI-powered answers."

That could be misinterpreted to mean that Gemini will function on the iPhone as an AI assistant similar to how it functions on Android phones, but as ChatGPT says:

"As of mid-2025, Siri and Google Gemini differ significantly in how they function as AI assistants on mobile devices, both in capabilities and underlying technology."

In other words, Gemini on the iPhone will function only as a chatbot, as ChatGPT currently does, and won't be integrated into iOS as an AI assistant in the manner that Apple has planned for Siri/Apple Intelligence.
 
CopyChief said:
Part of me longs for the days of real leaks. The other part loves being surprised (or disappointed) on WWDC day.
Click to expand...
Totally agree. Theirs Rumors, and theirs leaks! We have been bombarded over the last month with these stories, and makes you wonder if MR are struggling, and need to through ad bombs.
Almost no point watching the Keynote, as it’s all been divulged.
Will Craig do a piece on how his ‘crack’ marketing came up with the new name, of just show of some ‘hackers’ or ‘out’ some Apple staff leaking.
Billy_Bob said:
As for numbering/naming, is it finally time for Apple to start treating the different models of the iPhone in the same manner that it treats different models of MacBook or iPad? We don't get a MacBook Air 25 followed by a MacBook Air 26; we get a MacBook Air (13-inch, mid-2025) and then a MacBook Air (13-inch, late 2026).

It's already awkward enough, for instance, that an iPhone 15 can't run iOS 15, but was shipped with iOS 17 and can run iOS 18 and the next-released iOS. It would simplify matters immensely if Apple could train consumers to start thinking of iPhone models in the same way they think of Mac/iPad models, where a particular product line improves year-over-year but isn't renamed every time.

Although MacRumors likely has a disproportionately high percentage of iPhone users who upgrade annually, sales figures show that most consumers upgrade every 2-3 years, with older users often going 3-5 years between upgrades. So the mere presence of higher-number iPhones doesn't seem to be a major prod for most consumers to upgrade. What matters is their relationship with the cellphone carrier, or their perceived need for a particular new feature. That wouldn't change if the number dropped away, and the date became just a fact about that particular release -- as is already the case for Apple's desktop, laptop, and tablet computers.
Click to expand...
No. Because where would you start?
In many ways, they already have; M1, M2 etc. no one wants a Mac released each year.
InnSuu said:
It's official, Apple corp has lost its mind. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT NUMBERS YOU USE, JUST RELEASE GOOD SOFTWARE AGAIN!
Click to expand...
With Billions in the bank, and worth over a Trillion, many would disagree.
 
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Siliconguy said:
One more year for OCLP.

But does it matter? As a technical feat OCLP is great, but it can't make up for missing features on the machines it's installed on. For instance, my 2010 MacPro has no AVX instructions, so the video software I was planning to run crashed. The 2014 Mini has no Metal 3, so the visualizer in Sonoma's Music crashed hard.

Both of those machines are running up to date Linux without crashing. I surmise that Mac programmers don't install CPU checks in their software. Any machine officially capable of running Sonoma must have a certain instruction set. When it doesn't, splat. I can't blame them, the OCLP user group is pretty small.

I have more used intel Macs running Linux than running MacOS, though the Pro dual boots Mohave. With five drives it's pretty versatile. :)
Click to expand...
It absolutely matters.

My kitchen computer is a 2009 Mac mini - a Core 2 Duo. I don't care if it can run some video editing software, it's there for light web browsing and pulling up my recipes. It's almost fast enough for what it does, but it's handy to have it running current Mac OS. I'm considering upgrading it - to a 2011 mini with a Core i5 that I have sitting around not doing anything.

I suspect there are a lot more OCLP users than you think. And it's kinda dumb for a developer to assume an instruction set just because of the OS version.

And... Not sure what you're talking about with the visualizer. Works fine on my bedroom TV mini - a 2014 running 15.5.
 
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Virinprew said:
I couldn’t care less about number 26. Bring a new UI. It has been pretty much the same idea since iOS 7 (2013).
Click to expand...
The number annoys me A LOT. I'm hoping the rumor turns out to be false.

Apple has mostly had honest version numbers over the years. Copying Micro$loth with year versions is incredibly stupid, copying them years after they got over that stupidity is even worse.

As far as the UI? I don't want something new. I want something good. The best was probably 10.2, they should go back to that.
 
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Why does macOS have a name (Tahoe, Sequoia, …) but iOS and the others don’t?

Why are some Apple products called Apple Something while others are iSomething?

Why are iPhone models numbered (16, 17, …) but iPads, Macs, and other products aren’t?

I can’t stand this inconsistency. :eek:
 
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The only updates that matter to me at all are the iPad OS updates. I bought the M4 iPad Pro last year and there was absolutely no justification for why I upgraded my M1 Pro to the M4 Pro last year. I just want them to show me that they are still advancing iPad OS this year. Last year had warmed over iOS features and Apple Intelligence garbage like Image Playground (which seems like something for children). Take the too restrictive Genmoji and cram them, make iPad OS more than an overgrown phone OS, the hardware is ready, are you? Make my iPad be what it can be on an external display because so far it is not there. I miss walking into Apple stores and feeling like iPads represented a forward thinking device. I am not asking for MacOS on my iPad, I am asking for something that still feels new and better. iPad OS does not have to be mature and boring like phones, do more. Jobs knew that it was better to cannibalize your own products than to let them become irrelevant. Prove that iPad Pro is destined to be more than a big phone.
 
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