WWDC 2026 on June 8: Apple gives first look at iOS 27 and macOS 27

On Monday, June 8, Apple will give a first official look at the next major versions of its operating systems. On this day, the developer conference WWDC will kick off, as the company announced on Monday. Traditionally, the conference begins with a keynote and the subsequent "Platforms State of the Union," the special developer keynote. Among other things, the operating system updates iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 are expected.

Until June 12, app developers can then find out online about details on the expected new Core AI framework, get in touch with designers and developers from Apple, or participate in workshops. The agentic coding for developers, which is already integrated into Xcode, is also likely to play an important role.

The date had already been expected – following the rhythm of previous years. Apple reveals little about further content. This year's logo, a brightly glowing circle alluding to Apple's circular headquarters in California, and the equally glowing lettering WWDC26 invite speculation. However, experience teaches that the visual language is so abstract that even in retrospect, conclusions cannot necessarily be drawn.

Major AI push expected

It is considered quite likely that after the initial introduction of Apple Intelligence in 2024, Apple is planning comprehensive new AI functions based on Google Gemini after two years. Apple itself has already mentioned in the press release that there will be AI news. Given the cooperation with Google and the integration of the LLM Gemini, it is expected at the latest by WWDC that context-sensitive Siri as a real chatbot will take shape. It was actually supposed to come in iOS 18. Furthermore, according to rumors, a major focus this year will be on bug fixes and software optimizations.

As in previous years, selected developers and students have the opportunity to attend a special event at Apple Park in person on June 8; the number of participants is limited. The application deadline for the lottery runs until March 30, and selected participants will be notified on April 2.

50 Swift Challenge winners receive invitation

In addition to the content, Apple is also looking at its developer talent: on March 27, participants of this year's Swift Student Challenge will be informed about their status. The winners can apply for a place at the on-site event at Apple Park. 50 particularly distinguished winners will also be invited to a three-day stay in Cupertino.

The conference is accessible via the Apple Developer App, the website, and the Apple YouTube channel.

(mki)