On June 9 at the opening presentation for WWDC, Apple will show off all its major operating systems updates coming out in the fall. It’s always one of the most important events of the year for Apple fans, but we’re expecting especially big things this year.
Apple is said to be updating all its operating systems with a major interface refresh that will dramatically change the look and feel of its devices, while bringing them all more in line with each other so it’s easier to pick up a different Apple device and feel at home. It’s such a big update that they’re changing the names of all their OSes—using the two-digit year for all of them instead of varied sequential numbers.
There will be dozens of changes, improvements, and new features in what we expect to be called iOS 26 rather than iOS 18 as Apple standardizes its OSes by year rather than version, but here are five of the biggest things we hope to see at WWDC.
A new interface that doesn’t leave pros behind
The biggest news about iOS 26 is that it will undergo the biggest user interface redesign since iOS 7. We expect big changes to the way everything looks and behaves, from icons to the lock screen. All of Apple’s other operating systems (macOS, iPadOS, watchOS, tvOS, visionOS) are going to follow the same overall design language and share elements, so that an iPhone user feels at home when they start using a Mac for the first time, for instance.
Nearly all of Apple’s own apps are expected to get changes to fit the new interface, too.
My biggest worry is that Apple will focus on new users and intuitive discovery (all good things), but that it’ll lose some options for experienced users and enthusiasts in the process. The same thing happened with macOS 13 (Ventura) when System Preferences was updated to System Settings and redesigned to be more familiar with those used to Settings on iOS. It was a noble cause, but long-time Mac users were left mystified by poor design decisions and a host of missing options.
I’m sure Apple’s new interface will look pretty, but will it lose functionality that pro users and enthusiasts have come to rely on? I sure hope not.
Something about Siri
Apple has a big Siri overhaul in the works, the so-called “LLM Siri” that takes a new, very advanced Large Language Model and uses that to create a conversational Siri aware of your own personal context and more. But that’s not expected to be ready during the iOS 26 release period—it’s more of a next-year thing.
In the meantime, we’re stuck with the same Siri using two separate old models: one for answering everyday questions and one for performing commands to control your phone or smart home. There have been rumors that we might get the Siri features promised for iOS 18 (screen awareness, personal context, and in-app actions) this fall, but Apple hasn’t committed to anything beyond vague promises.
Apple probably doesn’t want to talk about Siri at WWDC. If all it has to say or show is the same features it promoted last year but never released, that’s just more egg on its face. But Siri is bad, y’all. And it’s not okay for users that it’s just going to stay that way until late 2026 or even spring 2027.
Today’s Apple does not admit mistakes or that any product or feature is anything less than amazing, but Apple screwed up. We need some assurances that Siri is not going to continue to be bad for another year or more, whatever form that might take.
The new Siri looks cool but it isn’t much smarter than it was before.
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Easy and fast food logging
Apple is said to be going big into health with features like an AI fitness coach and perhaps even food logging. I’m not sure if I care that much about the coach, but I really want an elegant, reliable way to keep a food diary. Apps like MyFitnessPal and MyNetDiary work well, but their interfaces leave much to be desired, and they’re almost always seriously limited unless you buy a pricey subscription.
I don’t know if Apple’s food logging will be part of Fitness+, or free, or maybe part of some new service. I don’t know if it properly belongs in the Health app or the Fitness app. I just know that I want a fast, reliable way to count calories and macros with a good interface, without paying for yet another app subscription.
Keyboard and autocorrect improvements
The iOS keyboard needs some serious attention. It feels like it has stagnated over the years, and I can think of no better time than a complete OS redesign to give it an overdue makeover.
First and foremost, there’s autocorrect, which desperately needs improvement. Everyone I talk to says it was never great, but it has gotten worse somehow in the last few years. It often makes suggestions and corrections that make no sense in context, which in today’s world of AI-powered-everything seems like the lowest possible bar to clear.
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The keyboard itself needs some touch-ups, too. I’ve wanted a number row, at least as an option, for years. And the period key right next to the space bar always messes up my searches in Safari. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve searched for something like, “best.new.sushi.restaurant.near.me” because my thumb keeps tapping the period instead of the space bar.
Universal Clipboard Manager
I love Universal Clipboard. Copy something on my Mac or iPhone, and paste it on the other? It’s a feature I literally use every day.
But the limit of being able to paste only the most recent copy is restrictive. Clipboard managers like Maccy are an awesome solution for the Mac, but what we really need is a single cloud-enabled manager that just seamlessly works with Universal Clipboard across all our Apple devices. It would be such a major productivity booster, and further Apple’s efforts to make the whole ecosystem work better together—especially if Apple brings it to the Mac as well.
A fix for the App Library
The App Library is only useful in that it allows you to remove apps from your Home screens without removing them from your iPhone.
Organizationally, it’s a mess. It’s comprised of these strange folders that aren’t like other folders anywhere else on iOS, showing four icons where the fourth is actually a little multi-icon image. You can tap any of the first three to launch the app, but that fourth multi-icon image opens the folder. You can’t decide what the folders are, or what order they’re in, and the order keeps changing. The apps shown in each folder keep changing, and they’re automatically sorted based on App Store categories.
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An interface that shifts under your feet every day is impossible to use. I would hope that a rethink of the entire App Library interface is a big part of Apple’s major OS redesign. It could at least default to an alphabetical list (which pops up when you tap into the search field), but those awkward ever-changing folders have got to go.
Continuity Camera for Pros
Continuity Camera is awesome. You can wirelessly use your iPhone as a webcam and it’s almost certainly way better than any webcam you have.
But it’s limited in ways that make it unsuitable for doing real video work. Apple could turn this into a real tool for professional content creators and streamers with a few extra features. Allow for wired connections that bump the resolution up to 4K and 60fps while reducing latency. Let us choose any camera, including the telephoto and front camera, not just the regular or ultrawide. Give us control over exposure, white balance, and focus. The iPhone would become the most popular streamer/creator camera overnight.
Apple is always looking for ways to make its products work better together, and Continuity Camera is an awesome easy way for your iPhone to become a valuable addition to your Mac. But it could do so much more to really take advantage of your awesome iPhone cameras.
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