Apple used what is expected to be chief executive officer Tim Cook’s final Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) keynote to unveil its most ambitious artificial intelligence overhaul yet, introducing a rebuilt Siri, faster system performance, smarter apps, and expanded privacy features as the company prepares for a new era under incoming CEO John Ternus.
The annual developers conference comes ahead of Apple’s scheduled leadership transition on 1 September, when Cook is expected to step down as CEO after nearly 15 years at the helm and assume the role of executive chairman. Ternus, currently Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, will take over as chief executive.
The centerpiece of WWDC 2026 was Siri AI, a redesigned assistant powered by Apple Intelligence that understands personal context, analyzes on-screen content, searches the web, and performs actions across apps through natural conversations.
Users can ask Siri to locate photos, draft emails, summarize messages, create reminders, organize schedules, or retrieve information without manually navigating between applications. Apple also introduced a dedicated Siri app that allows users to revisit previous conversations synchronized privately through iCloud.
Apple said the next generation of Apple Intelligence is built on new Foundation Models developed in collaboration with Google’s Gemini technologies while remaining optimized for on-device processing and Apple’s Private Cloud Compute infrastructure. The company emphasized that user information is processed without being stored or accessed by Apple, reinforcing what executives described as a privacy-first approach to artificial intelligence.
Beyond AI, Apple announced significant performance improvements across iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. Third-party applications will launch up to 30 percent faster, newly captured photos will appear in libraries up to 70 percent faster, AirDrop transfers will improve by up to 80 percent, and file transfers from iPad to external storage devices will be up to five times faster.
Apple also confirmed that iOS 27 will continue supporting the iPhone 11 lineup, extending one of the industry’s longest software support cycles.
The company refined its cross-platform Liquid Glass interface with improved readability, customizable transparency settings, redesigned icons, and a more consistent experience across devices. Apple also introduced macOS Golden Gate as the latest version of its desktop operating system.
Artificial intelligence capabilities are expanding throughout Apple’s ecosystem. Safari can now automatically organize tabs into topics and monitor webpages for updates, while Messages, Mail and Calendar gain contextual suggestions and natural-language event creation.
The Photos app receives AI-powered editing tools, including enhanced object removal, image expansion, and a new spatial reframing feature that intelligently adjusts image composition after a photo has been taken. Image Playground has also been upgraded to generate photorealistic images and edit existing photos using simple text prompts.
Apple also introduced expanded child safety features, including enhanced parental controls for app downloads, web browsing, contacts, and screen time, alongside recommendations developed with child development experts to help families manage children’s digital habits.
Developers received new tools through enhanced Foundation Models APIs, image input support, Core AI Framework, and expanded coding assistants in Xcode with support for Gemini and third-party development platforms.
Developer betas are available immediately, with public betas arriving next month and consumer releases scheduled for the fall. Siri AI will initially launch in English before expanding to additional languages, although it will not immediately be available on iPhone and iPad in the European Union or China because of regulatory requirements.