Eliana Willis

Adam Breeden/ZDNETApple just announced the latest updates coming to the iPad’s operating system — iPadOS 26 — during WWDC 2025. The new iPadOS 26 supports Apple’s goal of offering users a more seamless experience across devices, making its user interface more intuitive and consistent. Also: Everything announced at Apple’s WWDC 2025 keynote: Liquid Glass, MacOS Tahoe, and moreAll of Apple’s operating systems across devices have a new version number of 26, which streamlines the different versions for consumers. Instead of each OS having a different version number, Apple is rebranding them all according to the year in which most users will have access to them. iPadOS 26 was announced today and launches to the public in September.Best iPadOS 26 features announced at WWDC 2025 More

The big story with iOS 26 and all the other operating system updates announced at WWDC this year is the new Liquid Glass appearance. Inspired by the physicality of VisionOS, app icons, settings, and other various user interface elements now have a translucent, glass-like design.Also: What is Liquid Glass? Here’s everything we know about Apple’s major UI overhaul at WWDC”Experiences are more expressive and personal, from the Lock Screen and Home Screen, to new capabilities across Phone and Messages that help users focus on the connections that matter most,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering.With the optical quality of glass and the fluidity that Apple hardware can achieve, the new software design reacts to how you tap, swipe (with some interfaces minimizing or expanding), and even hold your phone. The colors of Liquid Glass react to the various colors on your screen.To accommodate the design change, popular app icons like Messages, Phone, and Camera have received visual updates. More generally, toolbars and tabs have been redesigned into rounded menus instead of the usual drop-down lists. This promotes a less intrusive and distracting experience when navigating the software.Lastly, building on the foundation of iOS 18’s icon themes, Liquid Glass introduces a transparent icon finish. More

Apple/ZDNETIt’s Apple Watch obsessives’s favorite time of the year when the tech giant rolls out all of the newest apps and updates coming to its devices over the next few months. Apple announced several new features coming to WatchOS 26 at its annual software conference, WWDC, on Monday in Cupertino. The features touch everything from Fitness to Messages, and include a major design update across Apple’s platforms for a more unified look and naming mechanisms that reflect the year software debuts. Also: The best Apple Watch of 2025: Expert tested and reviewedThe highly anticipated event had spectators curious about the tech giant’s future in AI after several hiccups and detours in its previously announced products, like Apple Intelligence and AI-infused Siri. In addition to WatchOS updates, Apple also introduced AI feature developments, like Live Translation and on-screen Visual Intelligence, iOS, like Hold Assist for phone calls and Polls for Messages, and more. For those interested in trying out the beta software, WatchOS 26 is supported on the latest Apple Watches. Owners of these devices can download the OS, though it may have some bugs.Here are the features we’re most excited to try out on WatchOS 26.  More

Apple Last year, Apple announced a redesigned Photos app, touting it as “the biggest-ever redesign.” Over the past year, we’ve seen users complaining about the redesign and wanting to go back to iOS 17’s Photos app. Apple seems to have listened to all the feedback and fixed its Photos app with the new iOS 26 […] More

Jason Hiner/ZDNETMonday at WWDC 2025, Apple announced a major upgrade for Apple TV: TVOS 26. This upgrade introduces a significant visual overhaul and several unprecedented entertainment features. The platform offers a new layout and interface, along with smart features that weren’t available in TVOS 18.At the heart of the update is a new design language called Liquid Glass, which gives the interface a more vibrant and expressive look. Across iOS 26 devices, Liquid Glass offers floating, three-dimensional menus and windows, translucent UI elements like icons and menus allowing background visibility, and a rounded design with softer edges for a more organic interface look.Also: The best Apple TV VPNs of 2025: Expert tested and reviewedFor Apple TV, in particular, the redesign will now showcase cinematic poster art for a more immersive browsing experience. The update also streamlines profile switching and app logins, making it easier to access personalized content. Apple’s TVOS 26 is also expected to incorporate new Apple Intelligence features in the coming year. More

Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETApple just announced MacOS 26, the latest version of its operating system for the Mac and MacBook, and it’s packed with visual customization options, its new Liquid Glass design language, and some smart upgrades to the Spotlight feature that could be a serious game changer for productivity. While the full release of the new OS, nicknamed Tahoe won’t be released until September, I don’t blame you if you’re champing at the bit to test out the new features on your Mac right now in the Developer Beta. Luckily, this is easy to do. You’ll just need register as a developer and download the beta version onto your device.Also: Everything announced at Apple’s WWDC 2025 keynote: Liquid Glass, MacOS Tahoe, and more As with any beta, you’ll no doubt run into bugs, glitches, and software that isn’t fully optimized yet, so you’ll want to proceed with caution. But if you’re ready to dive in, here’s how you can access the developer beta right now. How to install the MacOS 26 developer betaWhat you need: A Mac with Apple Silicon running MacOS 15 Sequoia, and an Apple ID used in the Apple Developer Program. This means that MacOS 26 is not compatible with Intel-based Macs, and some older Macs that do support MacOS 15 Sequoia may not work, either. If you’re unsure, you’ll want to consult Apple’s official list or see our breakdown below.  More

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETApple’s Worldwide Developers Conference, or WWDC, is a momentous occasion for Apple fans. The tech giant held its keynote speech on Monday at Apple Park, but the full conference runs through June 13. It also marks one year since the company entered the AI space with the announcement of Apple Intelligence.Also: Your AirPods are getting 2 major upgrades for free thanks to iOS 26 – here’s what they areAs WWDC is a developer conference, the main focus of the keynote was software. Apple revealed it’s planning on making sweeping UI changes to all its operating systems, adding new features, new apps, and enhancing Apple Intelligence.  How to watch WWDC 2025 More

ZDNETApple just announced a list of new features for MacOS 26 “Tahoe” today at WWDC, and we’re seeing some compelling visual UI design, more cross-device compatibility, and a more open Apple Intelligence. But not all of the features are brand new; in fact, a handful of them have already been available in Windows (some, for many years). Also: Your Apple Watch is getting a major upgrade. Here are the best features in WatchOS 26One thing Apple does well is deliver a clean, sleek UI, and the new “Liquid Glass” design theme looks undeniably good. But Windows geat Apple to these four features, even though they’re new to Mac. 1. Window tiling  More