Technology

Apple's WWDC keynote is over for another year, but it left us with plenty to pick over.

Such as? Well, the headline reveal was a new Liquid Glass-inspired design theme that represents the biggest visual change Apple's made to its software for a decade.

That was far from the only announcement from Apple Park, though. From iOS to visionOS to watchOS to tvOS, all of Apple's various platforms received upgrades and new features. Some were big, some were small, but if you use an Apple device they'll all be worth knowing about.

You can check out our full WWDC 2025 live blog for all of the news, but for a quick rundown of the highlights, read on.

1. Liquid Glass is the biggest Apple design revamp in years @techradar

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By far the biggest reveal at WWDC 2025 was the debut of Apple's new software design, based around a new digital material called 'Liquid Glass'.

The untitled design centers on translucency and fluidity and brings with it more rounded elements, new app styles and a new clear theme. What's more, the visual style will be unified across all of Apple's software platforms, with everything from iOS, iPadOS and watchOS to macOS and tvOS getting the refresh.

It's a much-needed update to Apple's design language and inarguably the biggest the company has made to its software platforms since iOS 7 arrived in 2013. We can't wait to get it installed.

• Read more: Apple reveals major visual redesign for iOS 26, macOS 26, and more at WWDC 2025

2. Apple's software platforms finally have consistent names @techradar

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You can file this one under 'changes that don't really matter but that we love anyway': Apple has finally done away with the naming anarchy that reigned across its software platforms, renaming them all in a consistent manner.

So, bid farewell to iOS 19, iPadOS 19, tvOS 19, watchOS 12 and macOS 16 – because none of them will ever exist. Instead, meet iOS 26, iPadOS 26, tvOS 26, watchOS 26 and macOS 26 Tahoe.

See, Apple – that wasn't so hard, was it?

3. Design-aside, iOS 26 looks like a minor update @techradar

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While the arrival of the Liquid Glass design language and the new name may be the headline changes coming to iOS 26, the next version of Apple's mobile OS will also bring with it a host of other small tweaks.

These range from Live Translation in the Phone and Messages apps to functionality upgrades in the Camera and Wallet apps. There’s a new dedicated Gaming app, too, which unites third-party games with those of Apple Arcade and brings features that let you compete with friends.

Apple Intelligence has also been better baked into iOS, with iOS 26’s Maps app smartly remembering the routes users usually take and serving up delay information where helpful.

Visual Intelligence has also broken out of the Camera Control toggle and can now be used, in a similar fashion to Google Lens, to scan screenshots and extract information from them.

In short, iOS 26 looks slicker and behaves smarter, and it will likely launch in all its glory on the iPhone 17. But if you’re brave and want to try a beta version of the software right now, check out our guide on how to download the iOS 26 developer beta.

• Read more: iOS 26 is official – here are the 5 biggest new features coming to your iPhone

4. But it's game over for some older iPhones

With iOS 26 comes a whole new design and a suite of features, but it also means consigning older iPhones to the smartphone bone orchard. That’s because iOS 26 will only be available on iPhone 11 models or newer.

Older iPhones will instead be limited to iOS 18, which isn’t exactly terrible; it’s a very capable version of Apple’s mobile operating system. However, it does mean the likes of the iPhone X have entered their end-of-life phase.

So, if you own an older iPhone and were considering getting a replacement battery for it, do make sure you can run iOS 26 or you could be prolonging the life of a device that won’t be supported by Apple for much longer.

• Read more: iOS 26 compatibility – does your iPhone support it? Here's the full list of supported devices

5. iPadOS finally got some real love @techradar

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After years of waiting, we finally have an iPadOS update that feels not only worthwhile but monumental.

iPadOS 26 is, as Craig Federighi said, the "biggest iPadOS release ever". With true windowed multitasking, a better Files app, and Preview coming to all current iPad models, plus improved Apple Intelligence for compatible iPads, Apple's tablet platform is once again a force to be reckoned with in terms of hardware and software.

• Read more: 'Our biggest iPadOS release ever' – iPadOS 26 has landed, here are the 10 biggest upgrades

6. macOS 26 is… Tahoe @techradar

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As expected, we also got a glimpse of the upcoming version of macOS, the operating system for Macs and MacBooks.

Now renamed to macOS 26 Tahoe, its most exciting addition is arguably the expansion of Apple’s excellent Continuity feature, which allows you to seamlessly control your iPhone through your Mac.

With macOS 26 Tahoe, you’ll be able to use the Phone app on your Mac to make and receive calls, as well as access previous numbers, favorite contacts and much more.

It’ll mean you don’t have to pull your iPhone out of your pocket while working on your Mac, and it brings Apple’s vision of a unified ecosystem of products ever closer.

With big changes also coming to the Spotlight tool, Live Translation abilities and better Mac gaming abilities, Tahoe looks like an update worth waiting for.

• Read more: macOS Tahoe 26 announced at WWDC 2025 with a new look and new numbering scheme: these are the best features for your new Mac or MacBook

7. Apple Intelligence got some useful upgrades @techradar

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Apple Intelligence might not have grabbed all the headlines at WWDC 2025, but Apple still announced some useful AI upgrades coming to iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch.

For instance, Live Translation hopes to remove language barriers for good, allowing you to easily communicate via FaceTime, phone calls, and messages in different languages.

Apple also announced screen-sharing functionality for Visual Intelligence, so you can ask questions related to content on your screen, similar to Google Lens. It’s a nice improvement to one of the best Apple Intelligence features currently available.

For the first time ever, the world's most popular smartwatch just got AI functionality in the form of Workout Buddy, which will bring AI-powered motivation to your exercise by analyzing your workout data.

Shortcuts is also getting Apple Intelligence capabilities, which should completely transform the experience of one of Apple’s most beloved apps.

Finally, there are plenty of other small updates across iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, including generative AI backgrounds in messages, integration with reminders, and allowing third-party developers to access Apple Intelligence models.

All in all, WWDC might not go down as the event where we finally see Apple’s AI dream realized, but the company has done a decent job at improving and adding to the first wave of Apple Intelligence that launched last year.

• Read more: Every Apple Intelligence upgrade coming to your Apple devices in iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, and watchOS 26

8. But Siri was nowhere to be seen

Poor old Siri. Apple's smart(ish) assistant was barely mentioned at WWDC, beyond an acknowledgement that its AI upgrade isn't here and that "we look forward to sharing more about it in the coming year".

In the coming year?! Seriously?! How long can it take to bring one bit of software up to speed with the rest of Apple's AI developments? Longer than Apple initially thought, clearly.

Still, if we're disappointed by that (non) development, then presumably Apple is even more upset, given the speed with which the competition at Google, OpenAI, Samsung and Microsoft is moving.

9. watchOS 26 does get an AI upgrade, though @techradar

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Finally, Apple Intelligence arrives on your wrist, in ways both small and big.

Workout Buddy is the big new flashy AI feature, but it's Hints, which uses context info to recommend actions depending on your location & activities, which is the real clever feature.

Live translation for messages, a new Wrist Flick gesture, smarter Smart Stack and the watchOS Notes app round out the major changes for the newly named watchOS 26.

• Read more: watchOS 26: these are the 6 big updates coming to your Apple Watch soon – including an AI Workout Buddy and a Notes app

10. Apple CarPlay got some welcome polish @techradar

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Apple CarPlay Ultra may still only be for Aston Martin owners, but good old standard CarPlay just got some welcome upgrades thanks to iOS 26.

Naturally, there’s the new ‘Liquid Glass’ design language that’ll spruce up the old 2D icons, plus a handy navigation bar to the left or right of the screen for quickly jumping into your favorite apps.

Perhaps the most useful upgrade is a new, small pop-up overlay for phone calls that’ll get out of the way of your navigation. There’s also widgets (also seen on CarPlay Ultra) that’ll let you juggle info from multiple apps, while Call Screening will help you decide whether or not to take a call.

All in all, the refreshed CarPlay should make it much easier to keep your eyes on the road, which is always a win in our book.

• Read more: Apple CarPlay just got 4 big free upgrades with iOS 26 – here's what you need to know

11. tvOS' Liquid Glass refresh is for more than style alone

Apple’s tvOS 26 updates for its Apple TV boxes are, unsurprisingly, led by the addition of a Liquid Glass design that mirrors the transparent visual enhancements coming to its other devices.

In this case, however, that’s sort of a big deal – because transparent on-screen controls mean you can continue watching a show with the image remaining unobstructed.

Other updates are more minor, with the iPhone now able to serve as microphone for the Apple Music Sing Karaoke feature on Apple TV, an ability to switch between custom display profiles upon wake, and a more personalized FaceTime experience.

• Read more: The 5 new Apple TV 4K features coming in tvOS 26 you need to know about

12. visionOS' updates reminded us that the Vision Pro exists @techradar

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Apple hasn’t forgotten about its mixed reality headset just yet, with this new suite of software updates for its visionOS platform.

For starters, Apple Vision Pro users can look forward to spatial updates galore with visionOS 26: apps, webpages and content are all set to become more immersive thanks to improved 3D objects and 3D image support.

Personas will also get a visual overhaul, with better-defined features and a generally less ghostly aura, plus gamers will soon be able to use their PSVR 2 controllers with Apple’s headset. Oh, and you’ll soon be able to decorate your home with virtual widgets.

It might take more than that to persuade people to splash the cash on a Vision Pro, but for existing owners these upgrades will be welcome.

• Read more: Apple announces Vision Pro overhaul with visionOS 26 – here are the 6 biggest updates headed to Apple’s VR headset

13. Apple Music got some neat new features @techradar

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Apple Music got a surprisingly large number of updates at WWDC 2025, with Lyrics Translation, Lyrics Pronunciation, AutoMix (for creating beat-perfect playlists and sets) all arriving, plus Music Pins to put your most-loved artists and albums right to the top of your Music home screen.

But possibly the most important update is that Apple's Liquid Glass design language – which will appear on Apple Music as with all of the rest of Apple's software – will level up what you see on your device while a song is playing.

That's because it'll provide more glass-like depth – and elements within a track's artwork will move with a more three-dimensional quality, in and out of focus, as it were.

Plus, with tvOS 26, karaoke sessions can reach new levels of fun via Apple Music’s free perk, Apple Music Sing. How? Users will be able to transform their iPhone into a handheld mic for Apple TV and have their voice amplified as they belt out their very best go at TayTay's Eyes Open.

Combined with Lyrics Translation (for perfect lyrics even if you’re not fluent in a song’s language), it sounds like music to our ears…

• Read more: Apple Music got 3 huge new upgrades at WWDC 2025

14. AirPods weren't quite forgotten

(Image credit: Future)

AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 models are getting two key upgrades when iOS 26 comes: studio-quality mic recordings, and camera control.

Small they may be, but both seem useful.The upgraded voice recording quality promises “Voice Isolation” to better pick your voice out from your surroundings, using advanced audio processing, and promises to work in calls, video and recordings.

Camera control, meanwhile, means you can press and hold your AirPods’ stem to take a photo or start a recording, doing the same again to stop it.

These aren’t the addition of hi-res audio or other things we hoped for from AirPods, and they’re only coming to AirPods Pro 2, AirPods 4 with ANC, and AirPods 4 (not AirPods Max or any older AirPods), but they’re nice to have.

• Read more: AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 will get two useful free upgrades in iOS 26

15. Craig Federighi is not afraid to send himself up

(Image credit: Apple)

WWDC usually starts with a mini-movie that's best described as 'vaguely comedic', but this year's was arguably one of the least cringeworthy.

The film featured Craig Federighi, Apple's SVP Software Engineering, tearing around a race track as a promo for the Brad Pitt-starring F1: The Movie, which will hit theaters later this month.

F1 looks pretty exciting in its own right, but the real star in the WWDC promo was Federighi – or rather his hair.

Yes, the man who styles himself as Hair Force One ensured his carefully coiffured locks got prime billing here, removing his helmet to reveal, well, a scene that I can't imagine Steve Jobs ever having approved.

But honestly, it was pretty good fun, and a nice reminder that Apple always benefits from taking itself a little less seriously.

@techradar

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The moon is also part of what's called a major lunar standstill, and the next one won't be for another 18.6 years.

Apple just announced a handful of new features for the Apple TV 4K at WWDC 2025. These will appear in the forthcoming tvOS 26 update, which will become available to viewers later this year after first being released to the developer community.

I watched the live WWDC presentation both in my professional capacity but also as an Apple TV 4K owner, and a big reason I tuned in was to see what changes would be coming to Apple’s box, which TechRadar recommends as the best streaming device for most people.

By the end of Apple’s presentation, however, I was mostly underwhelmed. The new Liquid Glass visual enhancements are cool, and they will make the Apple TV box, which sometimes seems like an overlooked stepchild in the Apple product portfolio, seem more like a core member of the family.

The other changes, however, seem like mostly minor updates. That is, unless you’re a big user of the Sing feature on the Apple TV 4K’s Apple Music app, which lets you use it for karaoke, now complete with an iPhone microphone.

The one new feature that caught my attention during the presentation was Display Profiles. This feature is one that’s already been available on the Apple TV 4K, and it lets you switch between custom Apple Music and Apple TV libraries for different users in the same household.

Display Profiles: what’s new

The tvOS 26 display profile selection screen (Image credit: Apple)

What’s new for Display Profiles in tvOS 26 is an option to display all viewer profiles when the Apple TV box wakes from sleep. Instead of the last logged-in profile, you will see a list of profiles you can switch between. This will show the viewer a customized library and list of content recommendations when using the Apple TV, Apple Music and other Apple-centric apps.

Although Apple’s announcement was light on specifics, a screen grab (see the image at the top of this article) from the presentation reveals a custom 'content cloud' for a specific Apple TV user. Not only is this screen visually pleasing, but the layout indicates it could be used to easily jump back into shows, movies, games, and apps, with the relative size of the icon possibly indicating how recently you’d engaged with that content.

These announced enhancements for Display Profiles aren’t exactly groundbreaking, but they do show that Apple is making an effort to keep up with a key competitor: smart TVs.

Who needs a streaming box?

The smart platforms on TVs from brands like LG and Samsung have taken major steps in recent years. Once a visually cluttered, ad-stuffed wasteland, they are leveraging AI and other technologies to better customize not just the interface, but picture and sound settings, for specific viewers in multi-viewer households.

A great example of this is LG’s webOS 25 smart TV platform found in the LG G5 and LG C5 OLED TVs. This can be set up to automatically change viewer profiles using voice recognition – no need to wade through menus to make that adjustment. And once your profile is activated, you’ll see a custom home screen with your preferred selection of apps, along with content recommendations made specifically for you based on your viewing history.

Having a refined, AI-enhanced smart TV platform is one tactic LG and Samsung are using to stay ahead of their upstart TCL and Hisense competition, both of which rely on the comparatively generic Google TV platform in the US. By making the smart TV interface and features genuinely useful, they're adding considerable value to their TVs, which are typically priced quite a bit higher, while in some cases providing mostly similar performance.

Where does the Apple TV 4K fit into all of this? I still have an Apple TV 4K, and as an iPhone user, I appreciate the tight feature integration between the two devices when it comes to content and control. But with smart TV interfaces steadily improving, I find myself using my Apple streaming box less and less over time.

Looking down the road, Apple needs to do much more than copy the smart features found on the best TVs to keep its streaming box relevant. But the forthcoming enhancements to Display Profiles look like a step in the right direction, and it's also the type of feature that Apple, with its extensive software resources, could easily push to make the Apple TV 4K stand out from the crowd.

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• The phishing page mimics Cloudflare perfectly, right down to Ray IDs and security padlocks
• Clicking “Verify you are human” starts a process that silently infects your machine with malware

A sophisticated yet deceptively simple phishing technique is currently circulating, using fake Cloudflare CAPTCHA pages to infect users with malware.

New research from SlashNext claims the technique, known as ClickFix, preys on familiar internet behavior, tricking users into executing commands that install malicious software.

ClickFix works by presenting a counterfeit version of Cloudflare’s Turnstile CAPTCHA page. Everything from the visual layout to technical elements like the Ray ID identifier is convincingly replicated.

Hinges on a prompt that users will ordinarily not scrutinize

The phishing site may be hosted on a domain that closely resembles a legitimate one, or on a real website that has been compromised.

When users land on the page, they are prompted to tick a box labelled “Verify you are human.” This step appears routine and raises no suspicion - but what follows is the core of the scam: users are guided through a set of instructions - pressing Win+R, then Ctrl+V, and finally Enter.

These steps seem harmless, but they execute a PowerShell command that has already been silently copied into the user’s clipboard.

Once executed, the command can retrieve malware such as Stealc, Lumma, or even remote access trojans like NetSupport Manager.

"ClickFix is a social engineering attack that tricks users into running malicious commands on their own devices – all under the guise of a routine security check,” said security researcher Daniel Kelley.

What makes ClickFix especially insidious is how it turns standard security expectations into weapons. The padlock icon, familiar CAPTCHA format, and a legitimate-looking URL all serve to lull users into compliance.

This exploits what researchers refer to as “verification fatigue”, a user’s tendency to click through security prompts without proper scrutiny.

The trick doesn’t rely on exploiting software vulnerabilities, but rather on abusing trust and habitual behavior.

The phishing page is delivered as a single HTML file, but contains embedded scripts and obfuscated code designed to perform clipboard injections.

Because it leverages legitimate Windows utilities and doesn’t download executables, it can evade many traditional detection tools.

Standard defenses, like antivirus software or endpoint protection, are typically geared toward catching suspicious downloads or binaries. But in this case, users are tricked into launching the threat themselves.

This highlights the need for advanced malware protection with zero-hour defense, capable of detecting clipboard injections and fake CAPTCHA screens in real time.

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I am going to talk about Terminator 2: Judgment Day in a post about AI, but not for the reason you would assume, so bear with me. I want to talk about John Connor's be-mulleted best friend, Tim.

There's a moment at the arcade during which the T-1000 is searching for Connor, and Tim bravely tries to deflect it away from him. The T-1000 elbows Tim out of the frame effortlessly in order to pursue its prey.

This is a picture wrap for Tim. He doesn't appear again. He has been glued to John Connor up until that point, but now he's shoved not only out of sight, but out of the movie.

That was Siri's role at WWDC 2025, but without the courage.

Apple opened with a big section on Apple Intelligence, but we were reminded that the AI-powered Siri has yet to meet Apple's high standards, and that "we look forward to sharing more about it in the coming year".

Oof, shove, goodbye Siri, there's only room for one irritating pre-teen in this action flick.

Bear in mind with the quote above that AI Siri was announced at WWDC 2024, so we've been waiting a year for it, and now it's coming at some vague point within the next year.

The upgraded Siri's failure to launch is often said to be part of Apple generally not keeping up with the pace of AI development – but while it's true that I've turned off a lot of Apple Intelligence features myself because I think they're sorely underbaked, Siri has a long history of lagging behind the competition.

14 years of missed potential

It's funny to think that Siri was borderline the first of its kind. I say borderline, because Siri was an existing product that Apple bought in, so logically the tech already existed – but integrating it into the phone in the way Apple did in the iPhone 4S was new and interesting.

I was working on a dedicated iPhone magazine at the time, and Siri was obviously a huge deal: a new way of interacting with your phone, and – we assumed at the time – a new platform that would be developed constantly.

This was not, alas, the case. Siri would stumble forward with new features occasionally, but remained largely a voice-activated remote control for timers and maybe sending a message.

When Alexa and Google Assistant became the biggest tech platforms in the world for a time, we expected Siri to accelerate to keep up with them. It did not.

When Apple launched the original HomePod with Siri on it to compete with the Echo, Siri was far less capable than Alexa, and would frequently get wrong even basic music requests, despite a huge part of the launch being that it had been upgraded to be especially great at music.

Oh yes… and the HomePod was announced at WWDC 2017, but was delayed by nearly a year.

I regularly couldn't get Siri to play the versions of songs in my own damn music library. (Image credit: Future)

Apple has often added features and tinkered with Siri over the years, but it hasn't fixed the fundamental problem that it's never really seemed capable of handling anything outside of those basic remote-control requests.

I use Siri almost every day, to set cooking timers. Often to turn smart lights on and off. Sometimes to activate Apple Watch workouts if my hands are full. I send a message a few times a year, though I rarely trust its transcription.

None of these are meaningful progressions from what it could do 14 years ago. Every time I've encouraged it to explore new areas of usefulness with me, it has immediately tripped and fallen on its face, like a scene in a comedy about rich people who go on a hike for the first time.

Next year's WWDC will mark 15 years of Siri, and it's a big 'if' as to whether we'll have seen the new version by then. If we haven't – or even if we have, but it's only been as successful an update as previous versions – it really might be Old Yeller time.

Google Gemini is too impressive on Android phones for Siri to keep walking into walls. ChatGPT is working with Apple's own Jony Ive on a new AI-first device. Siri can't be carried forever; and yet, its failure to turn up for the huge WWDC event is just another in a long line of disappointments. Surely this has to end, one way or the other, soon.

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At WWDC 2025 Apple has announced its next-generation of software including visionOS 26 – with Apple skipping ahead to version 26 for all of its software to unify its numbering system.

For Apple Vision Pro users this new software will bring with a bevy of excellent upgrades to your mixed reality experience, including plenty of new spatial tools to make photos, apps, and webpages more immersive than ever.

Apple’s also adding a much-needed gaming feature.

To help you get up to speed here are the 6 most important Apple Vision Pro updates you need to know from visionOS 26.

1. New capture device support

(Image credit: Apple)

With visionOS 26 the Apple Vision pro can now support 180-degree, 360-degree, and wide field-of-view videos and photos captured with Insta360, GoPro, and Canon devices. In other words, it's now a much better companion for the best 360 cameras.

This will allow you to better immerse yourself in the action cam content you’ve captured on vacation so you can relive the adventure you went on when you’re back home.

2. PlayStation controller support

(Image credit: Apple)

Following months of teases from leakers, Apple has finally announced that you can use PlayStation VR 2 Sense controllers with the Vision Pro – with Apple explaining they will allow developers to “deliver even more engaging gameplay experiences.”

Perhaps this means we’ll finally see more VR games finally get visionOS ports.

Interestingly, Sony doesn’t sell its PSVR 2 controllers separately from the headset – at least not at the time of writing. That may change following this reveal, but for now you’ll need to spend $399.99 / £399.99 / AU$649.00 on the full PSVR 2 setup to get controllers to take advantage of this update.

3. Immersive spatial scenes

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

Thanks to a new generative AI algorithm, visionOS 26 is set to make spatial photos even more realistic – according to Apple. The AI will create new perspectives from your shots so you can lean into the immersive snaps you’ve captured with your iPhone 16.

It’s also improving the API for developers so they can enhance the Spatial scenes in their apps – such as improvements for Zillow’s Immersive app which will allow users to better digitally explore homes and apartments using their Vision pro headset.

4. Spatial everything

(Image credit: Apple)

Beyond improved spatial photos, Apple is bringing several other spatial upgrades to Vision Pro through visionOS 26.

Customizable widgets are on their way. You’ll be able to adjust their frame, color, and depth, plus Apple says they will integrate into your space, and reappear every time you put on your headset.

So far it has confirmed the Clock, Weather, Music, and Photos apps will support widgets on visionOS. So you can decorate your space with a beautiful spatial panorama, or hang a distinctive digital clock up to keep track of the time you’ve spent immersed.

Beyond widgets, Apple says visionOS 26 will introduce new options for Safari. Developers can now embed 3D objects and spatial scenes directly into web pages, and Apple says you’ll be able to cut out distractions as you use Safari to help you focus.

5. Shared spatial spaces

(Image credit: Apple)

If you and other Apple Vision Pro users are in the same space you’ll now be able to share the same spatial content and see it as if it were a real object in the room with you all.

This means you can all sit on the couch and enjoy the same 3D blockbuster, or collaborate with your coworkers on a project. You can also add remote participants via FaceTime.

6. Improved Personas

(Image credit: Apple)

Okay, enough spatial updates.

With visionOS 26, Apple is also set to make Personas look and feel more natural, and the difference is striking.

Personas look a lot less ghostly and have better hair, more well defined features, and generally look more like you rather than some kinda scary uncanny-valley dweller.

Smaller updates

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

A few smaller updates are on their way too, and I’ve recapped the most interesting ones here as a bonus seventh entry on this list.

Apple Intelligence will now support French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish, along with non-US English in Australia, Canada, India, Singapore, and the UK.

'Look to scroll' will allow you to use just your eyes to navigate apps, and you can better organize them with new folders tools.

Plus, Face ID-enabled iPhones with iOS 26 will be able to unlock even if you’re wearing a Vision Pro.

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Apple put last year’s wonderkid, Apple Intelligence, firmly in the corner today and focused instead on iOS 26, watchOS 26, tvOS 26, macOS 26, and iPadOS 26 (all Apple’s new operating systems now have a new name, reflecting the year they will be most active in) at this year’s WWDC 2025.

In fact, the whole keynote built steadily to the real star of the show, the iPad. The new windowing system on the new iPadOS 26 looks like it finally makes it capable of switching between multiple running apps with ease, and also adds a menu bar, which is context sensitive to whichever app is in the foreground.

This essentially makes the humble iPad less of a large iPhone and more like an extremely lightweight and portable Mac. It won't run Mac software, of course, but it will finally work like one, especially when plugged into a keyboard and trackpad.

iPadOS 26 even gets its own version of the Preview app from macOS to look at PDFs with, and a new Files app that is more powerful and Finder-like.

The iPad upgrade got by far the most animated reaction from Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice President of Software Engineering.

Federighi enthused about the new iPadOS 26 with a passion I haven’t seen since he introduced Apple Intelligence to us last year, calling it “the biggest iPadOS release ever.”

And there was no new hardware from Apple either! I was hoping for at least an upgrade to HomePod, but everything this year was about the various Apple OSs.

@techradar

♬ original sound - TechRadar Where was the AI?

Where was Apple Intelligence in the keynote? It had a little recap right at the start, which focused on what Apple Intelligence features Apple had actually released over the course of the last year, you know, Genmoji, Writing Tools, Notification Summaries, etc, and then it just faded into the background.

Sure, Apple Intelligence was mentioned frequently throughout Apple’s keynote, powering some of the most innovative features on display, like Visual Intelligence now being available every time you take a screenshot, or the ability to suggest when a poll might be a good idea in a group chat, or even letting you create your own original chat backgrounds.

But Apple Intelligence, which last year was the new kid on the block, has now become just another part of the furniture of Apple’s operating systems.

There was no talk about a fully AI-powered Siri, or really any groundbreaking new Apple Intelligence features, although there were quite a few minor ones like Live Translation and new AI-powered Shortcuts.

(Image credit: Apple)Standing in the shadows

But perhaps the background is where Apple Intelligence really belongs? It’s fair to say that the world has gone crazy for AI, thanks to OpenAI and Google steaming ahead with ChatGPT and Gemini. It’s almost impossible for companies not to get swept up in the unlimited possibilities that AI offers.

And yet, are people actually asking for AI features in Macs, iPads, and iPhones? From all of the Apple Intelligence features that Apple has released over the last year, I don’t really use any of them regularly, if at all.

I played around with Genmoji for a day, then got bored. Notification summaries' attempts at summarizing very short text messages were so annoying, I’d rather just read the actual message, which in most cases were just a few words longer.

I do use AI every day, but I prefer to use it inside the fully-featured apps from Google and OpenAI, which work fine on my iPhone and contain advanced voice modes for natural human-like language interaction. This, for me, is where AI really shines, and not when it comes to trying to rewrite, or even read, my emails for me.

Apple did reveal one key detail at this year's WWDC 2025 that I think could change the game for Apple Intelligence. With iOS 26, Apple is making its Foundation AI Models Framework available to developers for the first time.

Now, while this doesn’t sound like big news right now, it’s going to mean that app developers are going to be able to integrate on-device AI into their apps going forward. The possibilities here are endless, and frankly, I think developers will do a better job than Apple has of coming up with creative ways to use AI.

At a time when investors must be starting to wobble as Apple seems to have dropped the ball on AI, by opening up its AI to developers ,Apple might have just secured its future.

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• Apple has just announced a new iOS 26 software update for iPhones
• One of the big changes is a redesign of Apple's Camera app
• New streamlined Photo and Videos modes to make it easier to use

The iPhone's Camera app has been treated to a generous helping of new features over the past few years, from Photographic Styles to Apple ProRaw. But one thing Apple has failed to do is organize all of these features in a way that makes any real intuitive sense – until now, thanks to iOS 26.

Now, instead of having a confusing row of eight features above the shutter button, which I often find myself accidentally scrolling though, Apple is cutting that initial menu down to two things – Photo and Video.

Apple says it's done this because they are, naturally, the two most commonly used Camera modes, and that spring clean has been a long time coming. Once you're in one of those two modes, you just swipe left or right to reveal the related modes within them.

For example, in video mode, swiping brings up both Slo-Mo and Cinematic mode – that's handy, because 'Cinematic' could be interpreted as a video or stills mode, but actually refers to Apple's computational bokeh during video.

(Image credit: Apple)

Perhaps even better, swiping up reveals a 'Liquid Glass' style menu (above) that's much clearer than the current confusing mess of arcane icons. Now, you get names alongside those modes, such as Styles (for Photographic Styles) and Aspect for the aspect ratio. It all looks like a small, but very welcome improvement.

Lastly, Apple has also tied up the video frame-rates and resolution menu. On iOS 18, those sit in the top-right corner of the app, and you don't get a drop-down menu to see the options to cycle though. But in iOS 26, a new frosted glass pane shows you all of the frame-rate options for each resolution.

It's an improvement, but where is the Pro mode?

(Image credit: Apple)

This iOS 26 refresh for the Camera app means that some features are a little more out of sight than before, but that's fine by me. It's been feeling increasingly cluttered and messy, with Apple slowly adding features to an interface that wasn't designed to house so many options.

But there's still one thing missing for me. I've been hoping that iPhones might get a Pro photo mode for a few years now, but there's unfortunately still no sign of one in iOS 26. Apple has shown signs of moving in that direction with video, but only with separate apps like Final Cut Pro for iPad.

To be fair, Apple has added a lot of pro-friendly photo features to iOS, many of which are hidden in its Settings menu. I've rounded up a lot of those tweaks in my guide to how to set up your iPhone 16 to take great photos in 2025.

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But one other simple solution to hiding the Camera app's clutter would be to have one more toggle that flips it between 'point-and-shoot' and 'Pro' modes. The iOS 26 redesign looks like a solid point-and-shoot experience, but a Pro mode (perhaps mapped to the Action button) could quickly turn it into something like a Fujifilm X100VI by bringing up extra controls such as manual focus or focus peaking.

That would be my ideal Camera app setup, effectively making the iPhone two cameras in one. But it's possible that Apple is concerned about 'Sherlocking' some of the best camera apps like ProCamera, Halide or Camera Obscura, which could be seen as a faux pas considering that many of these have starred in its annual App Store Awards.

(Sherlocking is the Apple community's word for when a popular app is killed by Apple offering the same functionality built into its software, named for a tool called Sherlock that was eclipsed by the Mac's Spotlight feature.)

Still, even though Apple hasn't a Pro mode to its Camera app this time, its iOS 26 makeover is still a welcome makeover that should make taking photos on iPhones that are compatible with the new OS a more fun (and less stressful) experience.

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I might spend most of my time writing about Apple – I was following along with the WWDC show today, in fact – but my first computing experiences were of a decidedly Windows flavor. In fact, I’ve used Windows since Windows 95, but the first edition that I truly fell in love with was Windows 7.

But it wasn’t any of the new features or functionality that captured my attention at the time – it was the design. Windows 7 took Microsoft’s operating system from a staid, grey platform that could give itself boredom into one that was modern, sleek and classy, all in a single OS update.

The key element in this was Aero, Windows 7’s glass-like transparency effect. With this in place, colors subtly refracted through windows and title bars, and it all shimmered and shone in real time as you dragged your apps around your screen. For my design-obsessed young brain, it was a graphical marvel.

It was, to borrow a phrase from Steve Jobs, so good you wanted to lick it.

Naturally, I was devastated when Microsoft did away with this design, and I still don’t think the company has been able to match it in the decade and a half since.

Yet watching Apple unveil its new Liquid Glass design language during the company’s WWDC keynote today, I felt a sudden jolt of nostalgia. Here was a glassy, translucent interface that used light and colour to create gorgeous effects on your desktop. It was everything I loved from those halcyon Windows 7 days, back with new twists for a new era.

Who would have thought that Apple would bring back a Microsoft design with such aplomb?

More than just fashion

(Image credit: Apple)

Of course, Liquid Glass is likely to provide plenty of fuel for those critics who allege that all Apple does is copy other people’s work. Yet not only does Liquid Glass show what a braindead take this is, it also highlights exactly the kind of thinking that goes into all of Apple’s designs – and showcase a key difference between its mindset and that of Microsoft.

Because as much as I absolutely adored Windows 7’s look and feel, Aero was essentially a cosmetic coat of paint. It was about looking great – and sure, it sumptuously smashed it in that department – but it didn’t go much beyond that.

Liquid Glass, on the other hand, is about form and function. It’s not just a pretty face (although it is that too in spades) but offers much more on closer inspection.

For instance, Apple made a point of showing the responsiveness of its new interface. Swipe up or down and your iPhone’s floating menu panels automatically adjust their size. Resizing something will prompt it to flex with your mouse or finger. It’s all designed to impact the way you use your device, not just how you look at it.

(Image credit: Apple)

This hits a core principle that has driven Apple since the days of Steve Jobs: “design is how it works.” Many people think that “design” just means making something pretty, and that’s all there is to it. But design should never exist just to serve itself – it must serve the user, and that means you have to create something that works amazingly well. Design is what makes that happen.

Steve Jobs summed it up when he launched the original iMac. In response to Microsoft’s Bill Gates claiming Apple had merely put a new lick of paint on its old devices, Jobs shot back: “The thing that our competitors are missing is that they think it’s about fashion, and they think it’s about surface appearance. They say, ‘We’ll slap a little color on this piece of junk computer, and we’ll have one too’.”

In other words, you can’t put lipstick on a pig. Dress up an awful device and you still have an awful device underneath. Something must work brilliantly and look great in order to be designed well.

This idea is what makes me so excited about Liquid Glass. Not only is it a revival of the elegant transparency effects of Windows 7’s Aero, but it actually adds extra functionality. It gives you new ways to use your Mac or your iPhone, and it looks stunning while doing it.

Design is how it works. Liquid Glass just proved it.

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• Report claims small drives face 4x the failure risk compared to their high-capacity counterparts
• Unsafe eject practices raise data loss risk by a staggering 75%, according to researchers
• Frequent transfers and careless use leave tiny drives vulnerable to serious file system damage

New research has revealed a concerning trend in external storage reliability: small-capacity external hard drives are reportedly significantly more prone to failure than their high-capacity counterparts.

Based on data gathered from over three million storage devices in the first quarter of 2025, the report from the EaseUS Data Recovery Lab claims disks under 64GB are approximately four times more likely to suffer data loss compared to drives exceeding 4TB.

The reasons behind this disparity lie in both usage patterns and hardware limitations. Smaller drives are often used for quick file transfers or as temporary backups, making them subject to frequent plugging and unplugging.

Usage habits heighten vulnerability

“Frequent plugging and unplugging, high temperature and high humidity, and sudden power failure during data transmission may lead to file system errors, partition table damage, and data loss,” the report explains.

Users who neglect safe eject practices further compound the issue. The data indicates that logical errors from unsafe removal exceed the average risk by 75%.

From a hardware standpoint, cost-cutting measures in smaller drives can result in lower-quality components.

“Some manufacturers compromise in manufacturing processes and materials to cut costs, such as using low-quality controller chips,” EaseUS warns.

These weaknesses naturally translate into higher failure rates, particularly under prolonged or intensive use.

The file system is another contributing factor. While high-capacity drives often use more robust systems like GPT, NTFS, or exFAT, which are better suited to managing large volumes of data, small-capacity disks still frequently rely on FAT32.

"When storing a large number of small files, the partition table needs to be updated frequently, and the risk of metadata overwriting is high,” the report notes.

Interestingly, SSDs show similar trends, though the failure rate gap is less dramatic. External SSDs under 256GB are about twice as likely to fail as those over 4TB.

This is attributed to similar factors: frequent use, fewer flash chips, and less advanced controllers.

“Small-capacity SSDs have fewer chips. Once they are damaged, the risk of data loss is higher,” the findings state.

Although SSDs are generally more resilient and lack moving components, the report cautions against rough usage and advises careful management.

Users are encouraged to stick to safe handling practices and consider purchasing high-capacity storage from reputable brands to lower their risk.

Using a high-quality portable SSD or external HDD will reduce the chance of data loss, but no solution is perfect. Therefore, having access to the best data recovery software is a wise precaution, especially when dealing with logical errors or accidental deletions.

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