WWDC 2025 is kicking off in a matter of hours – and we’ll soon be live from Apple Park to bring you all of the big news across iOS, macOS, iPadOS, watchOS and more.
Apple’s developer conference is all about software and gives us our first look at the next big updates for everything from iPhones to Macs. This year’s show is expected to be a significant one, marking the introduction of rebranded platforms like iOS 26 and macOS 26 Tahoe – or so the rumors say.
What else can we expect from WWDC 2025? We’re here to bring you all of the last-minute rumors and news, before the conference kicks off at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST today.
The WWDC livestream is below so you can watch along with us, or set a reminder for when it goes live. But in the hours before we see Tim Cook standing precariously on the Apple Park roof, it’s time to look ahead at what’s coming – and give you our expert verdict on all of the last-minute speculation…
The latest WWDC 2025 news
Apple could reveal a new ‘Liquid Glass’ software interface at WWDCThe redesign will apparently roll out across iOS 26, iPadOS 26 and moreThe show could also bring big news for AirPods, iPads and the Apple Watch
Running this liveblog
Welcome to our WWDC 2025 liveblog
(Image credit: Apple)
Good mooorning! As Tim Cook would say. I’m Mark Wilson (TechRadar’s Managing Editor, News) and I’ll be taking you through the build-up to WWDC 2025 – which feels like one of the most significant Apple software shows for years.
It’s a big one because I can’t remember Apple being on the back foot before a WWDC event as much as it is today. From its bodged Apple Intelligence rollout to the recent barrage of wrist-slaps from regulators, Apple has had a rough twelve months since WWDC 2024 – so it’s going to be fascinating to see how it responds.
I’m almost as interested in how it plans to Houdini itself from some awkward situations (next-gen Siri?) as I am in the software announcements themselves. Whatever we get, it’s going to be essential viewing for Apple fans…
Rewind: what happened at WWDC 2024?
(Image credit: Apple)
A year ago, Apple Intelligence didn’t exist. And twelve months on… well, it kind of still doesn’t, at least not to the extent that Apple promised at WWDC 2024. There’s no doubt that AI is going to be the elephant in the room at this year’s event – and Apple needs to make sure it’s a cute, Genmoji-style Dumbo rather than a shadow that hovers over the whole event.
Still, WWDC 2024 wasn’t all about Apple Intelligence. The Apple Vision Pro got a worldwide launch, iPadOS got a calculator app (gasp), AirPods Pro 2 owners got a handy Voice Isolation feature, and Apple TVs got a modest equivalent of Amazon’s X-Ray feature.
If, as has been rumored, there’s little in the way of concrete Apple Intelligence news at WWDC 2025, I’m hoping Apple serves up a bigger platter of software upgrades than the slightly meager selection of luke-warm canapés we got last year…
WWDC 2025 – our predictions
(Image credit: Future / Apple)
Here at TechRadar, we have experts in every Apple field, from AirPods to Apple Watches. So if you want a quick catchup on everything that our editors expect (and hope) to see at WWDC 2025, I’ve included some handy links below.
The overall vibe is cautious optimism – yes, Apple’s recent software upgrades have been underwhelming by its standards, but the added competition and pressure from Google (fresh from an impressive Google IO 2025) and OpenAI could force it to step up its game.
iOS 19: the 5 upgrades I’m really hoping for at WWDC 2025I’ve used iPads for 10 years – here are the iPadOS 19 features I want to see from WWDC 2025macOS 16 Tahoe is imminent – here’s what to expect from Apple’s next desktop OSwatchOS 12: 3 things I expect to see Tim Cook announce at this year’s WWDC 2025The rumored Apple TV 4K software redesign could be amazing, as long as it avoids the biggest pitfall of streaming devicesAirPods said to get some nice free upgrades at WWDC 2025, including more gesture control and sleep detection
What’s the big theme of WWDC 2025?
iOS 26 could also simplify the iPhone’s camera app as part of the ‘Liquid Glass’ redesign, according to rumors we saw back in May from the YouTube channel Front Page Tech. (Image credit: Front Page Tech)
The two words for your WWDC 2025 bingo card are ‘Liquid Glass’.
That’s according to Apple soothsayer Mark Gurman, who’s just followed up his prediction that we’ll see a switch to year-based software names (iOS 26, macOS 26 and, hilariously, visionOS 26) with some specific details about the rumored software facelift.
This new interface will apparently be the biggest visual change since iOS 7, which swapped a literal form of skeuomorphism for a then-modern ‘flat’ look. iOS 26 has apparently also been designed to set the stage for a 20th anniversary iPhone that will launch in 2027 with curved glass sides, no cutout section, and “extraordinarily slim bezels”.
For me, the rumored redesign sounds a bit like a ‘look over here’ distraction from Apple’s lack of progress on AI features. But it’s also something Apple is typically very good at pulling off without royally screwing it up – in theory, at least.
How convenient: Apple pops the AI hype bubble
(Image credit: Shutterstock)
As spotted by the ChatGPT subreddit, an interesting new paper about AI has just emerged on the eve of WWDC 2025 from Apple’s Machine Learning Research division, called “The Illusion of Thinking”.
It appears to cast doubt on the logic and puzzle-solving abilities of today’s LRMs (large reasoning models) and their ability to get close to the AGI heights promised in some quarters.
I haven’t read the full paper yet, but its raising of “crucial questions” about the “true reasoning capabilities” of some AI models does feel conveniently timed, given Apple’s struggles (so far) to deliver on the lofty Apple Intelligence promises of WWDC 2024.
Seeing how it addresses those is going to be one of the most interesting parts of WWDC.