Apple WWDC 2025 Liquid glass design

WWDC 2025 Live: Apple Unveils Major Software Updates with Liquid Glass Design and New AI Features

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Apple unveils major iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and Vision Pro updates at WWDC 2025, introducing Liquid Glass design and enhanced AI features.

At WWDC 2025, Apple revealed significant updates to iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26, and Vision Pro. The standout “Liquid Glass” design enhances user experience with sleek visuals across devices. Apple Intelligence brings live translation, call screening, and improved AI-driven tools, though competitors like Google and Microsoft still lead in innovation. iPad gains advanced multitasking, while Vision Pro introduces new gaming and entertainment features. Despite major design changes, Apple’s AI strategy continues to play catch-up in the fast-evolving tech landscape.

Pre-Keynote Anticipation

Leading up to today’s keynote, speculation was high about the next iterations of Apple’s major platforms: iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and visionOS. Interestingly, Apple appears to be adopting a unified, year-based naming convention for its operating systems — hence iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and watchOS 26, rather than previous incremental versions like iOS 19 or watchOS 12.

For those wanting to catch the event live, Apple provided several streaming options, and live blogs—including ours—offered text and image-based coverage starting an hour before the official keynote at 1 PM ET (10 AM PT).

Major Announcements

Liquid Glass Design

One of the most visually striking announcements was the introduction of the “Liquid Glass” design. This new interface brings a semi-transparent, reflective look to iPhones and other devices, aiming to make software feel more responsive to Apple’s hardware design.

Apple Intelligence Updates

Apple Intelligence, first teased last year, received several practical updates:

  • Live translation for phone calls and messages, including voice replication in the translated language.
  • Call screening features where unknown callers are asked to identify themselves before users decide to answer.
  • Visual Intelligence now allows users to search for content within screenshots—such as finding similar jackets online or creating calendar events from concert posters.

iOS 26

Embed from Getty Images

iOS 26 features a redesigned lock and home screen with Liquid Glass customization. Notifications now adapt to avoid obstructing the subject in lock screen photos.

Safari, Camera, and CarPlay apps also incorporate the new visual style. The Camera app offers quicker access to video and photo options, while CarPlay gains new widgets for displaying useful information such as weather.

The Phone app introduces a new display combining recent calls and voicemail summaries. Additionally, users can now detect when they’re on hold and receive an alert when the call resumes.

Messages get a new look with customizable chat backgrounds and polling capabilities, enhanced with Apple Intelligence suggestions.

iPadOS 26 and macOS 26

iPadOS 26

iPadOS 26 brings major productivity improvements:

  • Users can now resize app windows and reposition them freely across the screen.
  • A hidden menu bar at the top of the screen offers quick access to files and essential features.
  • Background tasks can continue running even when switching apps, finally positioning the iPad as a more capable laptop replacement.

macOS 26

MacOS 26, dubbed macOS Tahoe, aligns its visual style with the rest of Apple’s lineup and includes:

  • Enhanced Spotlight search.
  • Access to Apple’s new Games app, serving as a hub for saving favorite games, entering multiplayer matches, and competing in challenges.

Vision Pro and watchOS 26

Vision Pro

Vision Pro received a suite of new entertainment and gaming features:

  • Access to new widgets providing quick information such as time and weather.
  • Persistent placement of apps in virtual space even after device restarts.
  • New third-party app integrations from companies like Logitech and Adobe.
  • PlayStation VR2 Sense Controllers can now synchronize with Vision Pro for immersive gaming.
  • Vision OS games like Pickle Pro take advantage of full motion tracking.

watchOS 26

For watchOS 26, Apple introduced:

  • An AI-powered Workout Buddy that delivers motivational voice prompts during exercises.
  • The ability to silence incoming calls and alarms with a flick of the wrist.

Analysis: Catching Up on AI

While Apple’s new updates demonstrate progress in AI integration, industry analysts note that the company is still trailing behind Google and Microsoft. The live translation and visual intelligence features, though useful, were first seen in Android devices from competitors like Samsung.

Wall Street and Apple’s customer base are watching closely, hoping for more groundbreaking announcements—potentially with the next iPhone launch this fall.

Final Analytics

WWDC 2025 showcased some of the most significant design and software changes Apple has introduced in years. The Liquid Glass design offers a fresh aesthetic, and productivity enhancements across iPadOS and macOS move Apple closer to seamless cross-device experiences.

However, Apple’s AI capabilities remain more iterative than revolutionary. To truly regain leadership in the AI space, Apple may need to unveil more ambitious features with its upcoming hardware updates.

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