Apple is set to host this year's edition of the Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday, with major announcements such as brand-new interfaces for all of Apple’s operating systems, major AI-related upgrades, and reportedly a revamp to the Camera app. Apple is looking to introduce sweeping changes to its software branding.

Apple Inc.’s keynote address at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) will begin at 10 am Pacific time (around 10:30 pm IST) on Monday and will include minor tweaks to the Vision Pro headset, apart from redesigned software interfaces for the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Watch, according to a Bloomberg report.

Some features might avoid complete overhaul, with the changes in AI expected to be minor. This is significant given Apple was one of the laggards in introducing its own AI platform – launched last year – and indefinitely delaying the revamp of its voice assistant Siri. The company faces competition from heavyweights like Google and OpenAI, with the former launching more powerful models and adding additional search features to its AI last month.

Apple WWDC event 2025: Announcements expected

The Apple WWDC event 2025 will be livestreamed on the tech giant's official YouTube handle. It can be accessed here.

Year-based branding

Apple is looking to introduce sweeping changes to its software branding. This will now shift from version numbers to being named after the year the products will be launched in. For example, Apple will likely introduce iOS 26, macOS 26, iPadOS 26, visionOS 26, and tvOS 26, named for 2026.

New interface for operating systems

Expected to be one of the major announcements at the WWDC event, Apple will introduce a brand-new interface, internally code-named Solarium, for its operating systems, Bloomberg reported. The new interface will be based on visionOS, the software on the Vision Pro headset. True to its code-name, Apple's new operating system interface will use more light and transparency. The tool and tab bars will have a new look, with menu bar and window buttons on Mac also getting a makeover. App icons and buttons will also be redesigned, with pop-out menus also being part of the new revamp. The widgets on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices – which include customizable views on the home screen displaying weather, appointments, and stock tickers – will be revamped to match the new interface.

Revamping of core apps

The revamp of three core apps – the Phone, Safari, and Camera – might be one of the announcements at the event. For the Phone app, Apple will introduce a new view, bringing the recent calls, favorite contacts, and voicemails options to a single scrollable window, according to Bloomberg. However, the new view is optional, providing users with the option to revert to the default version in the app itself. Meanwhile, Camera will be redesigned to make it simpler in iOS 26 and iPadOS 26, given that Apple's new photo and video-taking options in recent years have cluttered the app. Safari will have an updated look, including a transparent address bar. Messages is also in for an upgrade, with Apple looking to modernize the app by providing the ability to create polls and set a background image.

Pre-installed apps like Preview and Games

The Preview app – found on macOS – might debut on iPadOS and iOS for the first time, providing users options for PDF management, editing, and annotation. The Games app will now include options for downloading and the Arcade platform in a single place.

AI upgrades and features

In a first, Apple will be opening up its large language models, which power Apple Intelligence. This implies that developers outside can use the technology – used for creating Writing Tools, Genmoji, and more – to build their own AI features. Apart from this, the Translate app will now be integrated across its operating systems as a feature under Apple Intelligence.

Other minor updates

Some minor upgrades will be carried out, like users being able to create their own Genmoji by combining a pair of existing standard emojis, Bloomberg reported. The Shortcuts apps will receive an update, and a battery optimization mode – which will use AI to save power in iPhones – is in the works.

(With inputs from Bloomberg)

Source: Hindustan Times