WWDC 26: What to Expect and How to Follow All of Apple’s Announcements Today

Today marks the start of a week of major importance for the Cupertino-based company. The annual Apple developers conference kicks off, known as WWDC, a gathering that this year takes on a historical significance that goes beyond mere software news.

The opening keynote could indeed be the last led by the charismatic CEO Tim Cook, before the handoff to John Ternus scheduled for next September.

Expect moments of strong institutional involvement and words of recognition from the long-time leader who has guided the company for more than a decade.

Beyond the corporate aspect, public attention is strongly focused on the concrete responses the company will be able to provide in the field of artificial intelligence, after a two-year period marked by big announcements and subsequent delays.

Apple WWDC 26: Everything You Need to Know

What is WWDC?

The Worldwide Developers Conference is the annual event that Apple dedicates entirely to its global community of developers and application creators.

Although the event runs for five days, from today through Friday, June 12, the moment of greatest interest for the general public and observers concentrates entirely in the early hours of the opening day.

It is precisely during the opening keynote that company executives unveil the main new features related to the operating systems that will drive devices in the coming months.

The event represents the moment when the company lays out its development path, showing the evolutions of the software that power iPhone, iPad, Mac and other devices in the ecosystem.

This year the spotlight is almost exclusively on the development of AI features and the maturation of Siri into a smarter assistant.

Where is the WWDC held and how to follow the event

This year’s edition is hosted, as usual, at Apple Park in Cupertino, California. To watch the presentation, you do not need a physical credential or to be on site, as the entire conference is streamed via a global live stream. The keynote starts at 7:00 PM Italian time.

The live stream is available on Apple’s official YouTube page, where users can enable a notification to receive a timely reminder.

Alternatively, the stream is available on the company’s official website and within the Apple TV app on compatible devices.

For the Chinese market there is also a dedicated broadcast on the official Bilibili channel.

Those who cannot follow the event in real time will be able to access the full recording shortly after its conclusion, alongside the in-depth coverage that will appear on these pages.

What to Expect from WWDC 26?

Siri will get the biggest update ever

The central theme of this edition will be the relaunch of the Siri voice assistant, a move users have waited for two years. During Apple’s 2024 developers conference, Apple announced a suite of AI-powered features, promising a profound evolution of Siri thanks to contextual screen awareness.

That technology was supposed to allow the assistant to understand what happens on the display of Apple products and to extract information directly from various apps without manual intervention. That promise, originally tied to the launch of the iPhone 16 series, has nevertheless suffered repeated delays.

During last year’s keynote, Craig Federighi publicly admitted that the project needed more time to meet the high-quality standards required.

Today the new version of the assistant finally seems ready for official debut, supported by a new infrastructure Google Gemini

Credible reports describe substantial changes in Siri’s look and functions. The current multicolor glow around the screen will give way to a dark-toned interface, consistent with the visual language chosen for the event’s visuals, able to emerge smoothly from the Dynamic Island.

Among the most notable innovations is the creation of a true dedicated Siri app, with a structure similar to text chats where users can type commands and consult the history of past conversations.

Apple also intends to open the system to third-party virtual assistants, allowing users the freedom to choose their preferred tool for their requests.

The new capabilities include performing structured, multi-step tasks via a single voice command and direct camera integration to implement visual recognition of objects and information present in images.

New Updates for Everyone

In addition to the revamp of the voice assistant, the presentation will focus on details of upcoming system updates, starting with iOS 27. This update will also introduce the ability to create shortcuts in the Shortcuts app using natural language and a new feature to generate passes within Apple Wallet.

Visual changes will affect the design of the Weather app and the Camera, along with significant improvements to the auto-correct system.

The evolution of software across all enterprise platforms, including iPadOS 27, macOS 27 and watchOS 27, will focus primarily on performance improvements, bug fixes and strengthened security.

The improvements could deliver longer battery life on supported devices, while the Liquid Glass interface will receive minor tweaks aimed at improving the contrast and readability of transparent elements.

Will new devices be announced?

On the hardware side, there are no major announcements planned. The most anticipated models, such as the iPhone Ultra, will not appear before the usual autumn event in September, which will see the debut of the iPhone 18 Pro lineup.

Even the Vision Pro headset projects seem momentarily frozen, with a shift of investments toward the development of smart glasses with or without displays, planned for 2027.

Considering that the laptops and tablets in the Air line were updated last March with the introduction of the MacBook Neo chip, the only plausible hardware novelties for today could involve a new version of Apple TV 4K with an updated remote and a new HomePod mini.

Both devices would integrate a more powerful processor, positioning them as tools ready to support the newly unveiled voice assistant features.