WWDC 2025 Last-Minute Rumors: iOS 26, Apple Intelligence And More

Tom's Guide

Apple's WWDC 2025 keynote kicks off on June 9, and Tom's Guide will be there to cover all the big announcements. Here's what you need to know about a major new redesign codenamed Solarium, plus all the new features for iOS 26, macOS 26 and iPadOS 26. We got the scoop on the new watchOS and visionOS, too. We could even see a new Mac Pro and other hardware.

Transcript

00:00Hey guys, if you clicked on this video, I'm guessing it's because you know that WWDC 2025

00:04is right around the corner, June 9th to be exact, and you're curious about what Apple is cooking up.

00:09While it's safe to expect the usual lineup of software updates, there's a lot of buzz about

00:13how serious Apple is taking AI and how it plans to refine or catch up on the Apple

00:18intelligence experience. I mean, we are still waiting on the new Siri. I'll be breaking down

00:22the biggest rumored announcements for WWDC 2025, so let's jump right into it.

00:27Now, normally, I'd probably kick off a video like this talking about rumors of iOS features,

00:32but there's something bigger than iOS, bigger than all of Apple's individual software platforms,

00:36that could be coming. Allegedly, Apple has been working on a dramatic overhaul to its software

00:41approach, codenamed Project Solarium. It seems to be centered around unifying iOS, iPadOS, and macOS,

00:48making everything about the Apple ecosystem more cohesive. If the rumors are true, we expect

00:52redesigns to all of these operating systems. Think icons, menus, apps, windows, and system buttons

00:58that will look and act more standard no matter what device you're using. Apparently, this could involve

01:03taking cues from the Apple Vision Pro's Vision OS interface while also putting a heavy emphasis on

01:07artificial intelligence, or should I say Apple intelligence. But either way, it's hard to overstate

01:12what a big deal Solarium could be. The iPhone software has seen plenty of changes, but the last truly

01:17significant redesign took place over a dozen years ago with iOS 7. Back to your regular programming,

01:23the newest version of the iOS software for iPhone is always the crown jewel of WWDC. If Apple was

01:29sticking to the status quo, I'd be calling this software iOS 19. But Bloomberg's Mark Gurman recently

01:34reported that Apple may switch to year-based names. That means the iPhone software update we're expecting

01:39this year will be called iOS 26, as in 2026. This would also apply to the iPad, watch, and other

01:47operating systems that I'll get to a bit later in this video. Apple is pretty good about keeping

01:52the new iOS specifics under wraps, but one thing that I'm betting heavily on is an update to the

01:56long-awaited Siri, one that offers a more conversational, context-aware experience and

02:01the ability to voice control your apps. Apple has been promising this update for ages, and there's no

02:06ETA in sight, so it's really time to put up or shut up when it comes to Siri. Then there's talks of a

02:12new gaming app that will house many of the features currently found in Game Center, like leaderboards

02:16and friends, while letting you launch games from within the app itself and giving people a stronger

02:20case to subscribe to Apple Arcade. Also in the rumor mill, even deeper personalization. We're

02:26talking lock screens that adapt dynamically based on your location, activity, or even mood. There's

02:31also speculation that Apple might finally open up more default app controls, but that's TBD.

02:37If iPadOS 19 or iPadOS 26 delivers on the leaks, this might finally be the year that your iPad feels

02:43like a real laptop alternative. We're expecting refinements to Stage Manager that make window

02:48resizing and multitasking less of a headache. Rumors also suggest more robust support for

02:53external displays and even hover mode improvements for Apple Pencil users. Some developers are

02:59whispering about Final Cut Pro getting new features specifically for iPadOS, suggesting Apple

03:04is doubling down on Pro workflows for its tablets. Pair that with the possibility of new AI tools for

03:10writing, design, and brainstorming, and your iPad might turn into more of a creativity

03:14hub than ever before. Now let's talk about macOS 15. No official name yet like how macOS 14 is called

03:20Sonoma, but here's what's floating in the rumor mill. Expect AI integration at the system level. We're

03:25talking smart spotlight searches, auto-categorization in Finder, and predictive text everywhere from mail to

03:31pages. Safari may get AI-powered reading mode that summarizes pages on demand. Think like ChatGPT in your browser,

03:38but built right in. We're also expecting smarter window management and deeper continuity between

03:43iPhone, iPad, and Mac, going back to the whole Solarium thing. One possibility is that you'll be

03:48able to use your iPad as a full extension of your Mac without needing a separate app. Moving on to other

03:54corners of Apple's device ecosystem, the Apple Watch could be getting a major upgrade to health tracking

03:59with watchOS 12 or watchOS 26. You get the point. Anyway, rumors point to new AI-powered coaching in the

04:06fitness app. Not just tracking your workouts, but actually suggesting optimal recovery times or workouts based on your

04:11sleep, stress levels, or other health indicators. Oh, and we're also hearing about expanded widgets and more

04:17customizable complications. Those will hopefully come with Apple intelligence features curated to the watch

04:23experience, whether that's with smart summaries or a better Siri on your wrist. Honestly, it would be a big miss for

04:29Apple to not extend AI to one of its best-selling devices. Now, let's jump from best-selling devices

04:35to, well, Apple Vision Pro. No doubt that Apple's $3,500 headset is still niche, but maybe Vision OS 3

04:42could be what finally nudges Vision Pro towards the mainstream? We really haven't heard that much

04:47about what could be new for Vision Pro. There's one interesting rumor about PlayStation VR 2 controller

04:52support, but otherwise, I think people are way more interested in whether there's a new XR hardware in the

04:57works. Some links also suggest Apple is developing lighter, lower-cost Vision Pro hardware. Will it launch

05:02this year? Probably not. But WWDC might give us our first official tease. The only way to know is to

05:08follow along with our live blog of the event, which I'll link down in the description. Besides an Apple

05:12Vision Pro hardware teaser, the big questions about WWDC every year is whether we'll see hardware. Apple has

05:18gone back and forth. Last year, no hardware. The year before that, we got three Macs. So it's hard to say

05:23whether we'll see anything physical during the keynote. That said, there is some chatter about

05:28a refreshed Mac Pro with M4 Ultra chips, and maybe even a new Apple Silicon-powered external display.

05:34Some more out-there predictions include updated AirPods Pro 3 or AirPods Max 2, or even the long-fabled

05:40Apple Home display, combining HomePod and iPad into a single smart home hub. A lot of people have seemed

05:47interested in a HomePod like this, but I'm curious to know if I'm reading that right. Let me know what you

05:51think in the comments. So, will we get a true AI-first iPhone? Will iPadOS finally kill the laptop? And

05:58can the Apple Watch become an even smarter smartwatch? Whatever happens, WWDC 2025 is shaping

06:03up to be a major moment for Apple, not just for what it announces, but for how it repositions its

06:08software around AI, and if Apple can demonstrate that it's finally catching up to the competition.

06:12I'll be watching the keynote live and bringing it all down, so if you're curious about what's hype

06:16versus what's real, make sure to subscribe and drop your predictions in the comments below. Otherwise, I'll see you on June 9th.

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