Liquid Glass is the new design for Apple’s mobile operating system

The Big Apple Updates to iOS 2019 based on the Year Following Release: An Updated Core Setup and Some Insider Analysis of the Core Applications

As predicted, Apple has given each of its operating systems new version numbers that now align with the year after their release, rather than the version number. The new operating systems are iPadOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26 and visionOS 26. They’ll be coming out in late 2025, but still, it’s easier to remember that than iOS 19, watchOS 12, and macOS 16.

The announcement also marks a change in how Apple signifies its major updates to iOS. This year would have been a major release if the previous marketing scheme had still been in place. But now, Apple’s big iOS updates will be numbered based on the year following their introduction, a little bit like car-makers do with new car releases.

Apple revealed some of the changes to its core apps as part of its redesign. Your entire screen will be taken up by the webpages in your browser. There are two main options in the Camera app, photo and video, and you can choose from Slow-Mo and Cinematic, as well as a simpler layout that shows you both options.

The phone app will be getting a call screening feature, which will allow you to answer calls while on hold, and will allow you to sit on calls while on hold.

The Messages app is getting a number of updates. Apple will offer backgrounds, but you can also add your own photos or images generated by Image Playground. If the feature is positive, Apple Intelligence can suggest adding a poll. And group chats are getting typing indicators.

To make new emoji, Apple will let you merge two emoji with Genmoji instead of just using a text description. And Image Playground is getting a new feature that lets you make images with the help of OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

Apple is using a machine learning engine to build live translations into its apps. You can translate texts in the Messages app if you want, and hear speech in the Phone app if you want. In FaceTime, Apple will display translated live captions while you listen to your conversation partner.

Apple Music is getting lyrics translation and lyrics pronunciation. A new feature called AutoMix can transition songs from one to another like a DJ. You can pin your favorite artists and other things to the top of the app.

Apple Maps will be able to learn and offer your preferred routes, and it can send you a notification if there’s delays or traffic on that route. You will be able to check back on the places you visit if you wish to share them with your friends.

Starting this fall, in Apple Wallet, you’ll be able to create a digital ID. Boarding passes are getting a refresh and will let you access indoor maps of the airport. Apple Pay will be able to use Apple Intelligence to track your orders made outside of Apple Pay.

The Second Apple Update: An Overview and Update to iPhone, iPad, Mac, iMac, and iPad OS Software Upgrades from WWDC 2011

Apple revealed a new Games app that will let you access all of your Apple Arcade games and discover new ones from a single spot. Play Together will allow you to challenge friends, and you can check out the Library tab to see the games you have downloaded.

There’s a new Apple Intelligence feature coming to iOS 26 that lets you use the same buttons you would to take a screenshot to call upon the AI assistant. Once you get to that point, you can ask additional questions about what you’re looking at, or you can look for the same images on the internet.

This is the second major update following the introduction of the company’s Apple intelligence features. iOS 18 received some basic AI features like tools to improve writing, Genmoji for custom emoji, and integration with ChatGPT. Some of the promised enhancements to siri, like the ability to act based on what it can see on your phone, were delayed.

Apple packed a bunch of major updates into its annual Worldwide Developer Conference keynote. During the event, the company showed off the sleek design refresh coming to its operating systems, as well as a mix of new features for the iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, and more.

Apple is redesigning its design. The new Liquid Glass theme will give them more transparency to buttons, switches, sliders, text, and media controls.

The date, time, notification previews on iOS 26’s lockscreen will also adopt the new look, allowing you to get a clear view of your wallpaper behind all the text.

The Phone app is getting an upgrade, as it will have a layout that combines favorites, recents, and voicemails into one panel, while calls, contacts, and keypad are on the bottom of the app.

The new version of iPadOS 26 will make it easier to perform multitasking. New windowing capabilities will let you open windows at once and place windows around your display. Adding a new menu bar and a more precise mouse pointer will allow you to view various options and commands. It all looks a lot more Mac-like.

The next macOS software update will introduce an upgrade to Spotlight that will make your search results more relevant with personalization and filtering options to help you search for specific files, folders, apps, and messages. It also adds the ability to take actions like sending an email or creating a note.

The Power of Apple: On-Device Developer Tools for Virtual Reality in the AirPods, Airpods, and Pro 2 Continuum

The visionOS 26 will allow you to play a wider range of virtual-reality games, which will be supported by the Apple Vision Pro. The new scrolling feature lets users navigate an app by looking up or down, as well as spatial widgets which are seamless into a user’s space and reappear whenever they put on Apple Vision Pro.

A new gesture, called the Wrist Fry, is coming to watchOS 26 and will be used to dismiss notifications. The Apple Watch will have a new AI-powered “Workout Buddy,” as well, which will generate personalized advice and encouragements.

Apple previewed an update that will let users take a photo with their iPhone or iPad by tapping the stem of their AirPods. The new feature will allow users to record studio-quality vocals in noisy areas with voice isolation. The features will come to the AirPods 4, AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation, and AirPods Pro 2.

Though Apple’s keynote was a bit light on AI news, the company announced that it will let third-party app developers access the on-device large language model used by Apple Intelligence, allowing them to create tools of their own.