Apple rebrands iOS, unveils ‘Liquid Glass’ and puts AI-powered features at the centre

New Delhi: If you were hoping for a big futuristic tech announcement from Apple, Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC25) was not the stage. Instead, Apple delivered a keynote focused squarely on core product updates, a fresh design interface, and a major shift in its operating system naming convention.

No big splash, only core updates

Apart from a celebrity cameo-filled F1 commercial for its new Brad Pitt movie, Apple’s annual developer conference was “not super flashy,” sticking to the basics—core OS and feature announcements.

OS rebranding: Apple aligns with the calendar

The headline announcement: Apple is aligning all its operating systems to year-based names. “Apple confirms rebrand for OS from version number to year-based system,” reads the official reveal. From this fall, iOS 26, macOS 26, iPadOS 26, tvOS 26, watchOS 26, and visionOS 26 will roll out to users, retiring the traditional sequential numbering that dates back to 2007.

Liquid Glass: Interface overhaul

The new interface, called “Liquid Glass,” brings a glass-inspired visual style across all devices. “Apple's new interface design across all devices: Liquid Glass,” the official post said, with side-by-side images of Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch showcasing the new look.

9 key features

Apple focused on features designed for usability and cross-device experience. Here’s what’s officially announced:

1. Live Translation: “Live translation is coming to Apple calls, texts, and FaceTime.”
2. Visual Intelligence in Screenshots: New AI can “find similar products from a screenshot.”
3. Backgrounds and Polls in Messages: Add “backgrounds in Messages” and “polls in Messages.”
4. Widgets in CarPlay: “Widgets in CarPlay” bring dashboard customization.
5. Mix Emoji, Adaptive Lock Screen: More personalization options, including “Mix emoji” and “Adaptive Lock Screen.”
6. Apple Intelligence: Foundation model access for developers. “Apple Intelligence. Foundation Model access.”
7. Screen Unknown Calls and Messages: Enhanced call filtering.
8. Hold Assist: AI-powered call assistance.
9. Tapbacks in CarPlay, Visual Intelligence: Expanding feedback and discovery capabilities.

Apple’s full overview of iOS 26 is all about new design, backgrounds in Messages, games, widgets in CarPlay, hold assist, screen unknown calls and messages, Apple Intelligence, live translation, visual intelligence in screenshots, polls in Messages, adaptive lock screen, mix emoji.

macOS Tahoe: Spotlight upgrades

macOS gets a productivity overhaul with “Spotlight's upgrade,” which the company says is “going to be huge for productivity.”

Officially listed new abilities:

“Fastest way to browse Mac content”

“Launch apps on Mac or on your iPhone”

“AI integrated to rank relevance of items”

“Knows most frequent items/documents”

“Create events, start recordings, send emails”

“View clipboard history, create & run shortcuts”

Apple’s macOS Tahoe slide details: “Customize folders with symbols, emoji, and colors. Use Private Cloud Compute model. Intelligent actions in Shortcuts. Control Center customization. Live Activities. New design. Games. Phone. Shortcuts automations. Spotlight Search. Spotlight actions and quick keys. Icon tinting. Journal. Metal 4.”

AI ambitions still a 'work in progress'

Apple opened its keynote by admitting, “Apple Intelligence software announced at last year’s WWDC turned out to be lacking the smarts (which it openly admitted to kick off today's event).” Apple’s software chief, Craig Federighi, said: “This work needed more time to reach our high-quality bar.” The company did not commit to a firm date for the next Siri upgrade.

Market backdrop: Stock and competition

The timing is notable. “Apple stock is down over 17% year to date,” the post says, making it the “second-worst Mag 7 performer so far this year.” Only Tesla fared worse. Meta (+19.4%), Microsoft (+11.6%), and Nvidia (+6.5%) all outperformed Apple. The event comes as Apple remains “on the front lines of President Trump’s trade war.”

Release timeline

Apple confirmed: “Apple iOS 26 coming to all users this Fall.”

Apple used WWDC25 to double down on software, visual polish, and a developer-focused AI push. The company repositions itself with a year-based OS strategy, rolls out “Liquid Glass” design across its ecosystem, and signals to investors and users that incremental, reliable upgrades, not radical reinvention, are the plan for 2025.