WWDC is the year’s most exciting event for the Apple community. Of course, September is when the new iPhones come out, but WWDC is when Apple unveils the ideas that will shape the next 12 months of its ecosystem. Not only that, but we even get to try out many of these announcements right after they’re unveiled in the developer betas.
And this year seems particularly important. Following the ambitious yet chaotic rollout of Apple Intelligence in 2024, WWDC 2026 is rumored to be the event where Apple will show that it can finally deliver on all those AI promises to users.
With the WWDC 2026 keynote just around the corner, here are five things I can’t wait to see at the event next week.
A smart assistant that’s actually smart
Apple showed off its vision for a new AI-powered Siri at WWDC 2024, but that Siri never saw the light of day. Nearly two years later, Apple’s virtual assistant still struggles with context, multi-step requests, and natural conversation. These are things that other AI agents solved long ago.
That looks to finally change at WWDC. According to multiple reports, Apple has been working on a major overhaul of Siri, powered by Google Gemini’s large language models and a redesigned interface. Some rumors even suggest Apple may introduce a dedicated Siri app that works more like ChatGPT, complete with conversation history and richer text responses. Honestly, this is what Siri should have become years ago.
And there’s more. In a recent announcement about new Accessibility features for iOS 27, Apple showcased a new version of Voice Control integrated with Apple Intelligence, which is capable of understanding what’s on the screen and responding to natural voice commands which is also expected to come to Siri.
I don’t necessarily expect Apple to win the AI race in one day. I just don’t want Siri to seem like the least intelligent assistant in the room. If Apple can finally make Siri reliable, contextual, and genuinely useful across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, that alone could define this entire WWDC.
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Apple Intelligence features that are actually useful
Over the past two years, Apple has introduced numerous Apple Intelligence features, including Writing Tools, Genmoji, Summarization, and Clean Up in the Photos app. Some of them are fine, but none of these features really change the way we interact with our devices.
This year, I want Apple Intelligence to feel less like a feature and more like part of the platform. Rumors point to AI upgrades across Photos, Search, Camera, and system-wide interactions, including smarter editing tools, contextual suggestions, and deeper app controls.
For instance, a report suggests that iOS 27 will allow users to scan nutrition labels on food packaging to add and track calories and nutrients in the Health app. Visual Intelligence will also reportedly gain the ability to scan phone numbers and addresses on business cards and posters.
If true, these features will certainly be much more useful than being able to create your own emojis using AI.
A Camera app that’s actually helpful
If there’s one iPhone app I use the most, it’s the Camera. And to be honest, the current Camera app has become a mess. Important controls are hidden behind gestures, while pro-level features are limited. At the same time, casual users have a hard time finding basic features, like how to keep the flash on all the time.
Like many other people, I rely on third-party apps such as Halide to get the most out of my iPhone’s camera. Thankfully, a recent report suggests that Apple will introduce a redesigned Camera app with iOS 27 that could solve all of my problems.
According to rumors, the Camera app will be much more customizable, and users will be able to choose which controls they want to see right in front of them. I’d also love to see easier access to manual controls and a cleaner interface for switching between camera modes.
The iPhone camera system is more powerful than ever, but the software still doesn’t fully match the hardware. This WWDC could finally change that.
The iOS Camera app could soon be as good as third-party apps such as Halide.
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Liquid Glass improvements that are actually consistent
Introduced last year, Liquid Glass is the interface across all Apple platforms that adds depth and reflections to icons, buttons, controls, and other elements.
Visually, it’s one of Apple’s most beautiful interface designs in years. But in practice, the current implementation of Liquid Glass prioritizes style over usability. There are many examples of transparency issues, inconsistent animations, and readability issues that make Liquid Glass seem unfinished.
This year, I really hope Apple has taken the time to polish the Liquid Glass interface. I don’t think Apple should get rid of it or start from scratch. I just want better contrast and more consistency across apps and platforms.
Recent rumors suggest that we’ll see improvements in this area with iOS 27 and the other new operating systems set to be unveiled next week.
An iPhone update that’s actually forward-looking
I don’t really expect Apple to unveil a new iPhone at WWDC. But I do think there’s a chance Apple will start laying the groundwork for it.
Rumors about the first foldable iPhone, likely to be called the iPhone Ultra, have been intensifying in recent months as Apple is expected to announce this new iPhone in September. And for such a significant new piece of hardware, Apple also needs to have its software ready for it.
Reports suggest iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 could introduce multitasking improvements and split-screen features designed to support foldable devices. That’s the kind of subtle WWDC teaser I’d love to see.
Apple’s first folding iPhone is coming. Will Apple drop some clues about it in iOS 27?
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Maybe Apple will introduce more advanced app continuity. Maybe iPhone apps become more flexible with windowing. Maybe Split View finally comes to larger iPhones. Or maybe Apple simply hints at a future category without naming it outright.
Apple often uses WWDC to prepare developers for hardware that arrives later. And if the foldable iPhone really is coming out soon, this year’s WWDC seems like the perfect place to get things started.
WWDC 2026 could be Apple’s most important software event in years
In recent years, Apple has been falling behind in AI. WWDC 2026 looks like it will be the moment when the company finally catches up with the rest of the industry.
There probably won’t be any new hardware at the event, but we’ll see things like a smarter Siri, improved Apple Intelligence, and more refined software. There’s still plenty to look forward to for this event, and I’m really excited to see what Apple has been working on.
