WWDC25 has concluded and man, it was jam-packed with announcements!
In this post, I am going to go more surface level with an overall take into the announcements that Apple brought to us today. Look for some articles coming soon about the updates to iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS, visionOS, Apple Intelligence, and more with an in-depth take.
First of all, leading up to the event, there were several teasers hinting at redesigns of their software. The WWDC animation and graphics all portrayed a glassy, translucent look that subtly foreshadowed what was to come. And, the slogan for this year’s event was “Sleek Peek,” which could mean a glimpse at something visually refined, or even a shift in the way Apple presents its interface across their platforms. At the time, it felt like just marketing flair, but in hindsight, it was a clever clue pointing toward a broader theme of polish, unity, and modern design that carried through the entire keynote. Something smaller that I noticed before the event was an interesting tweet by Tim Cook (Apple’s CEO). Maybe I am reading too much into this, but in the image there are 2 people in the photo and 6 birds, leaning towards iOS 26?! Here it is:
For those unfamiliar, it was rumored that Apple would change the naming of their software systems across the board for a more unified naming scheme. They decided to name them all 26 because that is when the software will be mostly be used in. Think about a car model year, oftentimes a car that is the next year’s model year is released the current year to get a head start and align with how consumers will actually be using it. Apple seems to be taking a similar approach. Even though we’re still in 2025, the updates rolling out this fall will define most users’ experiences in 2026, so shifting the naming to match that timeline makes sense. Now, instead of iOS 18, macOS 15, or visionOS 2, we’ve got iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26 (Tahoe), and so on. Everything finally feels consistent across the board.
To discuss how Apple started the event, Apple is known for showing very memorable intros to each of their events. Last year, the Apple team and Craig Federighi (VP Software Engineering) were shown skydiving to start the event. This year, it was Craig again, but show driving an F1 car around the rooftop of the Apple park (the round roof shape makes it perfect for a racetrack, haha). The main reason behind this was to promote Apple TV’s F1 movie coming out this summer, but it also caught the audience’s attention and was something of humor, as Tim Cook was seen in the pit crew directing Craig through headphones.
Alright, to get to the announcements. this year’s WWDC25 keynote was packed from start to finish with updates across Apple’s entire ecosystem. This recap will be more surface-level, so as I said, be on the lookout for more in-depth posts about each respective operating system.
One of the most noticeable changes this year was the introduction of a new design language across all platforms, and Apple is calling it Liquid Glass. This isn’t just seen across a couple apps, it is a recurring visual theme that ran through iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe, and even visionOS. It brings a sleek, layered look with more translucency, depth, and softness across the system. Think about blurred backgrounds, floating UI elements, and a kind of glassy, modern aesthetic that still feels very Apple. This is the first official redesign of Apple’s design language since iOS 7, and Apple reference that software release several times in the Keynote. Check out how Apple explains Liquid Glass:
Personally, I like this new direction in design language, with it being a nice UI refresh, yet being still distinctly Apple. It is still recognizable to the user so it still feels like your Apple device. Each element feels more intentional, with more depth and transparent look that even refracts light with the angle of your device. I like how Apple is constantly making changes to its overall user experience, making their systems feel fresh, yet still familiar to the customer.
Beyond the visual upgrades, the theme of the keynote was really about unifying the Apple experience through consistent version names, shared design language, and deeper intelligence with Apple Intelligence (which I’ll be covering soon). While there are tons of new features worth digging into, what stood out most to me was just how cohesive everything felt this year. Whether you’re on your iPhone, Mac, Vision Pro, or even your Apple Watch, there’s this sense that everything is finally part of one tightly integrated ecosystem.
Overall, WWDC25 felt polished and focused. This wasn’t a “one more thing” kind of keynote—it was a foundation-setting event. Apple clearly has a long-term vision here, and this year’s announcements are the first real step into that future. There’s a lot more to unpack in the coming days, and I’ll be diving deeper into each platform update and Apple Intelligence in their own posts very soon.
Thanks for reading this wrap up. Be on the lookout for more to come
The Apple Enthusiast 