WWDC25: A Glassy Future, But Where’s the AI?
Apple gave us its boldest UI refresh in years — but the AI story still feels… thin.
WWDC25 was a strange one.
While the rest of the tech world is throwing every AI trick they can onto the stage, Apple played it cool — maybe too cool.
No next-gen Siri. No surprise hardware. Instead, the company doubled down on design: a sweeping new aesthetic called Liquid Glass that now spans nearly the entire Apple ecosystem.
Beautiful? Definitely. But if you were hoping for an AI leap forward… well, you’ll have to keep waiting.
Liquid Glass Everywhere
Liquid Glass is Apple’s biggest UI refresh since iOS 7 — and it’s everywhere.
Inspired by visionOS, this new design language brings dynamic, glass-like effects to icons, widgets, and system cards in iOS 26 and beyond. The elements shimmer and refract light as you tilt your device, making the display feel more alive and tactile.
In fact, Apple’s designers reportedly prototyped the look with real glass components during development — a nice touch that reflects Apple’s obsession with physicality in digital design.
The Camera app got a minimalist revamp as well. UI elements now stay out of the way while you frame your shot, with controls revealed through simple gestures.
But the bigger play is ecosystem-wide: for the first time, this aesthetic spans iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS. Apple is clearly aiming for a seamless, unified visual experience — the kind of design coherence that will feel especially valuable as users move across devices.
Apple Intelligence: Useful, But Underwhelming
So… about AI.
Apple did announce some Apple Intelligence updates — though nothing that’ll make competitors sweat just yet.
New features include:
Live call translation & message translation
Screen-wide visual intelligence (smart actions triggered from screenshots)
Smarter package tracking, integrated into Wallet
Basic call waiting detection
Helpful? Yes. Transformative? Not really. Especially when compared to the full-on AI call assistants shipping on phones in China.
And remember that personalized Siri Apple demoed last year? It’s delayed until late 2026 — a fact that’s already triggered lawsuits from iPhone 16 buyers.
macOS 26: Spotlight Steps Up
Dubbed macOS 26 Tahoe, the Mac’s update focuses on evolving Spotlight into a true productivity hub.
Spotlight now supports natural language commands, deeper app menu search, and in-line task execution (send an email, create a note, play music — no need to open apps).
It will also learn contextually to suggest messaging actions, pointing to Apple’s long-term vision of a “super search” layer across the Mac.
iPadOS 26: Finally Gets Pro Features
With iPadOS 26, Apple is finally delivering on the iPad’s long-touted productivity promise.
Key upgrades:
True windowed multitasking with resizable app windows
Mac-style window controls and menu bars
Proper mouse pointer when using Magic Keyboard
Support for studio-quality audio recording via AirPods Pro — making iPad a more viable tool for creators
iPadOS 26 will support all M-series iPads and newer iPad models — an important upgrade across the lineup.
visionOS 26: Shared Virtual Spaces Arrive
visionOS 26 makes the Vision Pro more collaborative:
Users can now share virtual spaces with others — syncing screens, widgets, and media in a shared VR environment.
The once-awkward persona avatars are now out of beta, with more realistic face rendering and user-customizable details.
Apple also announced native playback for 180°, 360°, and wide-angle content from action cams (GoPro, Insta360), and support for PS VR2 controllers — giving Vision Pro a gaming boost.
A Platform Play for Apple’s Future
This year’s WWDC lacked the AI fireworks many expected — but Liquid Glass is more than a design refresh. It signals Apple’s intent to unify its ecosystem in preparation for the next era of devices.
Years ago, Jony Ive and Steve Jobs imagined the iPhone as “a single piece of glass in your hand.”
With Liquid Glass now shipping across platforms — and rumors of a “Glasswing” prototype iPhone quietly in the wings — Apple may be setting the stage for a major hardware moment on the iPhone’s 20th anniversary.
Stay tuned.