It’s that time of year again: Apple is getting ready to take to the main stage at WWDC to give a sneak peek at its software updates for the next year.
WWDC, or the Worldwide Developer’s Conference is typically where we see all the updates that’ll be coming to iOS, macOS, tvOS and all the other disparate Apple operating systems for the next year or so. Just like any other year, the bulk of the show will be focused on iOS 27, but after the divisive changes, like Liquid Glass, that came to iOS 26 last year, it’s entirely possible that Apple is going to play it safe this time around, and just polish some of the rough edges.
There’s always the possibility that Apple will have some kind of hardware at the show, too, but it’s rare. Typically, Apple will either hold its hardware launches for bespoke events, or just release hardware with little fanfare, relying on word-of-mouth to spread the hype.
No matter what Apple has at WWDC 2026 though, I’ll be updating this article as it happens, so you don’t have to miss a thing.
Where to Watch WWDC 2026
If you want to watch the WWDC keynote for yourself, you can stream it on Apple’s event page, YouTube, or the Apple TV app. The stream should start right at 1:00pm ET / 10:00am PT.
WWDC 2026 Live Blog
All times are in Eastern Standard Time (EST)
1:12PM: iOS 27 will be available on all the same phones as iOS 26! That’s huge, and it means less people will be forced to upgrade for the latest features. These are my favorite iOS releases, when it’s more about under-the-hood tweaks.
1:12PM: It also seems like Apple was able to find a way to make its apps more responsive, launching up to 30% faster on the next version of iOS. The company is also updating its CPU scheduler, which should help phones multitask a bit better. But whenever Apple talks about performance, I have to test it.
1:10PM: Apple is also updating app icons again, to add even more Liquid Glass to them. Honestly, it looks almost 3D, which is cool, but I’ll have to wait to see how they look on an actual iPhone to decide whether or not I like it.
1:06PM: It seems like they know that Liquid Glass was divisive, and Apple is refining it. Apple is adding a slider, which will adjust transparency of the feature. I know there are times where Liquid Glass can make things harder to read, hopefully this helps!
1:05PM: The next version of macOS is Golden Gate. Less nature, and more big bridge.
1:04PM: Tim handed off the stream to Craig Federighi, the SVP of Software, who’s talking about trust and safety, at the same time he’s talking about Apple Intelligence. Out of Google and Apple, Apple has always had the better security, but there’s a part of ‘trust and safety’ being mentioned in the same sentence as AI that is at least a little funny.
1:01PM: That answers that. Tim Cook is kicking off WWDC 2026, like he usually does.
1:00PM: And. Here. We. Go.
12:49PM: And now we have the obligatory pop music with fancy graphics, that’s how you know WWDC is about to begin. At least whoever picks this music has a decent taste. That’s more than can be said for a lot of tech companies.
12:38PM: AI is definitely going to play some kind of role in whatever software Apple is showing off today, but I can’t help but wonder if Apple is going to be the tech company that can actually read the room on the subject. The technology is built into several of Apple’s systems for sure, but I’d love it if the company at least downplayed it a little. Because yeah, I get it, AI is super cool or whatever, but I’m honestly a little tired of hearing it mentioned with every other word.
12:27PM: It seems like for the last five years, rumors about a foldable iPhone spin up around WWDC. I’m not sure it’s ever happening, but if the rumors are right (via PhoneArena), we’d get a strong clue here. Foldables need strong software support, and while I don’t think Apple would show the foldable on this stage, I could see it hinting at a foldable iPhone coming in September or something. I love foldables, but I just don’t know if a foldable (and even more expensive) iPhone is something we still need in 2026 or 2027.
12:09PM: WWDC 2026 starts in less than an hour. This is going to be the first WWDC since Tim Cook stepped down as CEO. Will he be on stage? Or will he hand off the banner to his replacement John Ternus. The actual transition won’t be happening until September 1, but that could be a good way to introduce him to Apple fans and developers.
Developing…
Jackie Thomas is the Hardware and Buying Guides Editor at IGN and the PC components queen. You can follow her @Jackiecobra
