Apple's surprisingly great new OS update
ca06cd80-e7e8-4a6f-b2b9-79c3f4370750 / 18-06-2025 / Tech
WWDC 2025 unveiled iOS 26, Live Translate and more. See what's new for iPhones, iPads, Macs and Apple Watches — and which devices are supported.
Apple just wrapped its 2025 World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC), and it’s quietly made every part of the Apple experience better. This year’s announcements focused on refining, unifying and modernising how we interact with our Apple devices.
And the results are frankly, showstopping.
Here’s your full breakdown of what’s coming.
One Number, All Platforms: Everything’s on 26
For the first time ever, every major Apple platform is aligned under one version: 26. That means iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26 "Tahoe", watchOS 26, tvOS 26 and visionOS 26 are all singing from the same software hymn sheet.
It’s neat, logical and long overdue.
Liquid Glass and Full of Class
Design-wise, Apple introduced a fresh aesthetic across all platforms called Liquid Glass. It features soft transparency, rounded edges and gentle motion that feels more alive. It’s a low-key upgrade that brings visual harmony across devices and adds another layer of glass to the Apple design.
If the previous design was clinical and crisp, this one feels warmer and has more understated polish without the pomp.
iPadOS 26: Now With Proper Multitasking
iPad users, rejoice: iPadOS 26 finally delivers true windowed multitasking. You can now freely move, resize and stack app windows like you would on your desktop. This is something productivity fans have been begging for for a while and it’s great to see that Apple heavyweights took this into account.
The Files app gets a redesign too, making file navigation smoother. And for those who use keyboards with their iPads, the experience now feels way more intuitive, complete with improved shortcuts and navigation tweaks that make the iPad feel more like a Mac (in the best way).
macOS 26 “Tahoe”: Utility And Elegance?
macOS 26, affectionately called “Tahoe” also adopts the new Liquid Glass visuals while adding practical upgrades that actually improve daily use.
Highlights include, smarter battery management, with insights into power-hungry apps, improved Wi-Fi diagnostics for stronger, more stable connections and smoother continuity features between Mac and iPhone.
watchOS 26: Your Watch Is Thinking Ahead
With watchOS 26, the Apple Watch gets a little more proactive. The headline feature, Hints, offers timely suggestions based on your daily habits — like nudging you to drink water, suggesting a walk after lunch, or getting your go-to playlist ready before your morning trek to work.
Health tracking also gets a boost with more accurate, AI-backed insights. The watch isn’t just counting steps anymore, it reads your rhythm, helps you spot commonalties in your habits and keeps tabs on your wellness in smarter ways.
tvOS 26: More Personal, More Fun
tvOS 26 brings two anticipated features: user profiles and karaoke. Finally, each person in your household can enjoy tailored recommendations, instead of everyone’s preferences getting mashed into one weird mix of fitness, romcoms and cartoons.
And now Apple Music Sing is built into Apple TV. And yes, older Apple TV models are still supported.
AI Goes Quietly Smart with Live Translate
Apple may not have shouted about AI from the rooftops like some of its competitors, but that doesn’t mean it was missing. Instead, it delivered quiet, practical intelligence.
A major standout is Live Translate. A feature built into FaceTime and Messages that allows real-time translation during conversations — both text and during video call. If you’re talking to someone in another language, Live Translate detects the language and displays immediate translated captions on the fly.
Other Clever Additions We Love:
- Visual Lookup for screenshots (great for decoding memes, recognising landmarks, or scanning receipts)
- AI-powered call screening, which transcribes unknown calls and lets you decide whether to answer
Siri’s Big Makeover? Not Yet.
The Siri update has been promised for a while now but, disappointingly, no major Siri upgrade was mentioned at this year’s WWDC.
However Apple has confirmed that a fully reimagined Siri is in the works for 2026. Apple’s Tim Cook says the aim is to create a less robotic Siri with more natural conversation style and greater understanding of context.
But for now, it’s still the same old Siri – until 2026 anyway.
iOS 26: Who Gets It?
Good news: If you’re using an iPhone 11 or newer, you’re eligible for iOS 26. That’s six years of software support on phones dating back to 2019.
When Can You Try It?
The developer beta is currently available and public betas roll out starting next month. So if you’re curious or just want a chance to test the waters, now’s your chance. But if you prefer the full official version, with bugs exterminated, expect it around October 2025.
Fair warning though, if you're planning to install the beta version, maybe don't do it on your main device unless you're into buggy banking apps and random reboots.
Final Thoughts:
WWDC 2025 didn’t reinvent the wheel but it has refined it. This was a developer conference focused on making things feel more connected, more intuitive and a lot more polished. The unified versioning, smarter features and subtle design upgrades point to a company playing the long game.
Apple isn’t trying to wow us with flashy gimmicks. It’s making every day tech feel more seamless and sometimes, that can be the biggest flex of all.
