Apple is about to dramatically change the look of the iPhone’s software in a major live event.
The company is hosting its annual Worldwide Developers Conference, or WWDC, during which it shows off the latest updates to its software.
This year, it is expected to focus on a new visual redesign for its operating systems, as well as sweeping new name changes. The company is expected to start naming its releases by year, so that the new iPhone operating system will be known as iOS 26, for instance.
This year’s event comes amid intense questions over Apple’s policy on issues such as the App Store, which has led to frustration from developers and scrutiny from regulators. It also follows last year’s event focused on AI, which promised significant changes, many of which have since been delayed.
The event begins on Monday, 9 June at 10am local pacific time, or 6pm in the UK. It will be shown live on Apple’s website and its YouTube.
Key Points
- Apple not expected to discuss AI
- Not much Vision Pro expected, either
- ... instead, it will focus on new design
- When and how to watch live
WatchOS gets activity focused update
18:59 , Andrew GriffinWatchOS also has an update of its own. Like many recent updates to the Apple Watch’s operating system, it’s largely focused on fitness and activity.
The headline feature is “Workout Buddy”, an Apple Intelligence-powered tool that uses your exercise data to give you pep talks and similar. It will give you props for running, tell you facts such as “that was the 100th mile this year”.
The Workout app has also been redesigned to make it easier to play music while exercising.
It also gets many of the features from the iOS update – such as the Messages app, which has the same backgrounds and live translation.
Services get updates of their own
18:34 , Andrew GriffinApple’s services – particularly Music, Maps and Wallet – are getting updates of their own.
Music also gets translation, like the messaging apps (see below). You can see the lyrics in your own language, and see pronunciation. There’s also a new feature that automatically mixes songs into each other and a redesign for the library page.
Maps has new tools too. They include having your iPhone detect when you’re at places and have them stored in a “visited places” section so you can go back to them later.
And Wallet is improved too. Boarding passes are smarter (you can track your bags from the boarding pass, and share your flight status with other people) and Apple Pay has better order tracking and can use store points.
Communication apps get host of new updates
18:29 , Andrew GriffinPhones, Messages and FaceTime are all getting big and separate updates. Most of them make the apps a little more sophisticated: hiding unknown calls, for instance, or giving you a view of your messages in which you can hide unknown messages.
Others add whole new features. They include translation, which has been added to all of the apps – when you’re in a FaceTime call, for instance, you can get subtitles that show the person’s speech in your language.
Apple renames its operating systems
18:14 , Andrew GriffinAll of the operating systems will now be known by their name. The new iOS isn’t iOS 19, for instance, it’s iOS 26.
Apple renames its operating systems
18:13 , Andrew GriffinAll of the operating systems will now be known by their name. The new iOS isn’t iOS 19, for instance, it’s iOS 26.
Apple introduces total new look for its operating system
18:12 , Andrew GriffinThe big change is something that only comes “once a decade”, Federighi says. And here it is: the totally new look for Apple’s operating systems.
Alan Dye, Apple’s design head, says that it is the “broadest design update ever”.
And for the first time it will be unified across platforms. It’s inspired by VisionOS, will be different on the different platforms, but the new look is coming to everything.
And here’s how it looks:
As expected, it is based around the idea of “Liquid Glass”. (Alan Dye keeps talking about it as a “material”.) There’s lots of transparency and roundness.
Dye ends by saying that this sets the stage for the “next generation” of products. (So this glass look might be on its way to the next iPhone, for instance.)
Apple Intelligence first up
18:07 , Andrew GriffinSoftware boss Craig Federighi takes the stage. He starts by talking about Apple Intelligence – which was introduced last year, and has been controversial since.
He points to all the features that have been rolled out since last year’s WWDC, such as notification summaries and Genmoji.
And he also points to the new Siri, and the fact that more work was required to get it ready. There’ll be more on that in the “coming year”, he says.
The main new feature is that Apple will be allowing developers to use Apple’s on-device AI, so that apps will be able to access its models. That way, AI features will be available efficiently, privately and even without a internet connection.
Apple starts with F1 and thanking developers
18:05 , Andrew GriffinThe fun video at the start shows software Craig Federighi driving an F1 car around Apple Park, which comes ahead of the F1 film later this month. Tim Cook talks about the importance of Apple TV+ and developers.
Protestor shouts during keynote introduction
18:01 , Andrew GriffinApple’s software boss Craig Federighi was introducing the keynote, talking about the importance of developers and community, when someone from the audience started yelling and trying to interrupt.
It wasn’t clear what he was talking about and he was quickly escorted by a number of security guards.
And with that the video begins!
Tim Cook takes the stage
17:58 , Andrew GriffinTim Cook has taken the stage to introduce the keynote video.
He confirms the event will include information about “Apple Intelligence and all our platforms”.
The video itself will begin in three minutes or so.
Everything Apple is expected to announce today
17:42 , Andrew GriffinHere’s everything we think we’re going to get today. The brief version is:
In: big new redesign, new names for operating systems.
Out: talking about AI, new hardware.
Apple is about to rebrand all of its software. Here’s what to expect
Apple Park ready for product launch
17:41 , Andrew GriffinWe’re 20 minutes or so away from the start of what could be one of Apple’s most decisive keynotes ever. Apple Park is sunny and ready to see what the company has to offer. Will its big redesign freshen up the iPhone? And will it be enough to quieten the questions about AI and regulation?
Sun rises on WWDC
15:37 , Andrew GriffinIt’s morning in California, where in a couple of hours Apple will begin its WWDC week. It’s a big one.
Apple will be hoping the focus of that bigness is its sweeping redesign of iOS and all of its other platforms, which are said to bring a “Liquid Glass” aesthetic that will borrow from the Vision Pro and bring a new transparent, shiny, clean look.
But there are other reasons it’s a big year, and they’re not all quite so positive. Last year, Apple launched its suite of AI features, but many of them didn’t arrive; it’s still facing questions from regulators over its control of the iPhone; it’s been fighting with developers over the App Store.
The event, which begins at 10am local pacific time or 6pm in the UK (see below for details) will be an opportunity or Apple to try and either address or move on from some of those more difficult questions and back onto its more sure footing of new features and designs.
When and where to watch live
Sunday 8 June 2025 11:39 , Andrew GriffinApple will kick off its WWDC event on Monday at 10am local pacific time, or 6pm in the UK. It usually lasts for just under two hours.
You can watch it on Apple’s website, on the Apple TV app (and on the Apple TV device), or on YouTube. The latter is best, in my view, because it’s slightly more customisable and you can set a reminder to go off when the event begins. You can find it below.
New look for iPhone – and everything else
Sunday 8 June 2025 11:08 , Andrew GriffinThe big news – or at least the news that Apple will want people to focus on – sounds like it is going to be the redesign. (That means not too much AI or AR (see below).)
Rumours suggest that it will bring a transparent, shiny design of the kind already found on the Vision Pro. The invitations to this year event seem to confirm that, with their own glassy look.
#WWDC25 is next week! Can’t wait to show you what we’ve been working on.
— Greg Joswiak (@gregjoz) June 2, 2025
See you June 9 at 10am PT. pic.twitter.com/qhrzevDbMH
It seems that change is coming to all of Apple’s platforms: not just the iPhone, but also the Mac, TV, and others. It’s not clear how dramatic it will be, or what exact form it will take, but we’ll find out in a day or so.
Not much Vision Pro expected, either
Sunday 8 June 2025 10:44 , Andrew GriffinLast year might have been the AI event (see below), but the year before in 2023 was the Vision Pro event, when Apple finally introduced its long-rumoured headset to the world. It didn’t actually arrive until later that year, but WWDC saw the unveiling of a project that had been only talked about for years before that.
Just like Apple Intelligence, it brought excitement at launch. And just like Apple Intelligence, that excitement has receded a little, into questions over what Apple has planned, and whether that plan will work.
Apple will show off new VisionOS features this year. Rumours suggest there will be a new way of scrolling with your eyes and other changes. And it will probably mention some new content, given that videos and other similar experiences have become the central marketing tool of the augmented reality headset.
But don’t expect loads. The headset has gone a little quiet in the years since it was released – and there’s nothing to suggest that Apple is turning the volume back up.
Not much AI expected at this event
Sunday 8 June 2025 10:41 , Andrew GriffinLast year, in 2024, Apple focused heavily on its AI features, which it revealed under the branding of Apple Intelligence. Some of them – image playgrounds, the summaries of notifications – have since arrived. But many of the most exciting ones haven’t.
Most notable is the new Siri, which Apple showed off heavily during last year’s event, with promises that it would be able to understand your personal context and use it to do powerful new things. Users could ask “when is my mum’s flight arriving”, for instance, and the phone would pick through emails and online information to answer it or even take actions on your behalf.
Then, in March, it said those features weren't ready, and didn’t give any indication of when they would be. That not only led to disappointment about not being able to use them, but questions over what had gone wrong. Longtime positive Apple commentator John Gruber said there was “something rotten in the state of Cupertino”.
It all means that Apple will be in a difficult position with respect to AI at this year’s event. Will it want to take back the narrative with more new features, or updates on the existing ones? Or will it stay quiet for fear of a repeat, or allowing more discussion of how it has been delayed?
Rumours suggest it will go for the latter. While there might be some AI-branded features, the company is not expected to lean heavily into the technology this year. Instead, expect the company to look at its redesign and other new features.
Hello and welcome...
Sunday 8 June 2025 10:32 , Andrew Griffin... to The Independent’s live coverage of this year’s WWDC event, where Apple is expected to show off wide-ranging changes to its operating systems.
