WWDC 2025 live: Watch all the latest Apple developments live with us
WWDC 2025 is hours away and developments are circulating for photographers and all Apple fans – watch along LIVE with us and get expert commentary
Apple's famous developer conference – WWDC – is today and we're watching it closely because it has massive historical importance for all Apple users and, by extension, all creatives. It was at WWDC that Apple first introduced massive products such as the 15-inch MacBook Pro beloved of photographers, Vision OS, and even the iPhone 3G (notable for the App Store).
You can watch along with us here below, but before the video goes live at 10 AM Pacific time (1 PM ET / 6 PM UK time), scroll down for a bit of pre-event rumor news and discussion as to what we might actually see when the event begins and what we've heard through the grapevine.
WWDC Highlights for photographers
- New AirPods remote shutter feature expected
- New 'Liquid Glass' look for all iPhone and iPad (iOS) expected
- New iPad and Apple Watch changes?
I've been using Apple products for years – indeed the first Apple Mac I used was the Macintosh Classic which existed before some readers these days were born – and I've been working with and writing about Apple tech for years too.
In recent years, the WWDC has gone back to its roots, concentrating more on the software than the hardware, and Apple's software – not least AI – has been under a lot of scrutiny this year, so we're expecting to see a lot of attention on Apple's operating systems.
That is rumored to include changing their names to all end in 26 (the year they'll mostly serve their non-beta period out in), and a coherent "Liquid Glass" style across the systems. Whether this will be alongside AI features or to serve as a pretty distraction from Apple's failings there will be an interesting thing to watch for.
For photographers, we're expecting to see the AirPods turned into a remote release (though more bonkers rumors have suggested cameras in the AirPods). We're also expecting to see the microphones in Apple's popular headphones given extra AI powers.
Apples value fell $75 billion after WWDC!
Wall Street doesn't seem terribly excited by what it saw based on the 1.7% drop in Apple's stock price – amounting to $75 billion in value!
Okay, that sounds pretty dramatic but, there is an argument that, by putting glass-like design ahead of too much AI, Apple has not put a much larger chunk of its value at risk. We've seen in recent months Google, Meta, Microsoft and others trying to out-AI OpenAI (the home of ChatGPT), while Apple are content to carry on in a very Apple way, while mentioning that ChatGPT will be accessible through Apple systems.
Some market analysts have, reportedly, called Apple's approach "timid", but these are the kind of people over-excited by raging bulls that gain in value then collapse. Several Apple-watchers have pointed out that, in practice, Apple shares often drop on major events because share dealers thrive on announcements and Apple prefer slow-and-steady and don't even announce phone sales any more, just profits.
WWDC Highlights
With a good few hours gone, we can see how the world is reacting to WWDC, and whether it agrees with me, or not, about what matters most (remember, not everyone is quite as excited by photography & video making as I am, but most will be quite interested in Apple!)
So, obviously Liquid Glass – a big new look – is having quite an impact, but so is the fact that the Photos app has been re-arranged. Yes, it seems the wider world does care about photos and finding them again after taking them – good!
Live translation is, predictably, exciting (if it comes to pass) but something that was less exciting for me – the new AI 'Workout Buddy' is also attracting attention (the voice was programmed based on the voice of enthusiastic personal trainers – this is the kind of thing I do not personally want in my life!)
The iPad being more like a Mac is also vey attention grabbing for the wider world.
Apple's own video introducing Liquid Glass is pretty succinct, and makes it look nice (though personally I'm more of a dark mode fan).
OK, that's it for the big speech...
Craig rounds off with tips for developers and how they can use tools to design icons to go with the new look, and use the new AI features in Xcode (the developer tool).
Tim Cook takes over with the rainbow behind him, letting us know that the public beta will be available next month (registered developers can get the new OS right now).
And off with a song... still played by a human at a piano for now!
OK, listening to the list of new features – background tasks, proper file management – I'm starting to realise just how far behind the iPad was as a 'proper' computer (but I really, really want one now).
There it is – AirPods can be used to start and stop video recording and for sound in iPad at least,
iPad time... Multitasking & Windows
Craig is telling us that Apple has "pushed the limits" of how powerful the device can be, but, finally, admits that Multitasking needs attention...
A 'New windowing system' – OK, so it doesn't look exactly like macOS because Apple are desperate to make sure the iPad is not the same as Mac, but there is a new "grab handle" and a proper pointer rather than a massive dot.
It does all look a lot more like macOS... it's even got a menu bar at the top of the screen.
Do I actually want an iPad now? Yes, yes, I do (and I have a horrible feeling the Pro will start to make more sense to me now). Plus the nont-at-all-cheap keyboard & trackpad accessory.
Well played, Apple!
Vision Pro
Vision Pro seem to be steering into Pro tools – admitting the price is pretty high – and are also bringing support for Sony VR controllers for games.
Exciting for creatives is the ability edit 360 with depth and dimension, and a partnership with Insta360 and GoPro.
The beginning of the 'spatial web' we're told (but no mention of a cheaper pair of goggles).
OK, AI extensions are coming to the Spotlight Actions tool (which I never really use, but probably should). You can add AI prompts, and use Chat GPT as well as Apple Intelligence.
You can also create your own personal multi-letter shortcuts. Sounds like a recipe for disaster to me, but could be handy...
Craig confirms the name Tahoe for MacOS 26, while sounding more than a little bit sarcastic about the marketing team and their salary. Brave management technique.
As expected, Liquid Glass is here and it's super consistent with the easily personalised iPhone. OK< but what about life as a photographer? Come on....
OK, 'Continuity' - working across devices - is getting a boost. So you can see your Uber Eats delivery progress. And the Phone app from iPhone is coming to Mac. OK. So this is now a giant phone?
iPhone Karaoke is coming to tvOS 26 – you can use thew iPhone as a mic. Wonder if that means we're going to get those headphone features we were wondering about in the AirPods.
Oh, back to Craig and the tight pants...
Camera for intelligence...
...do you actually use Visual Intelligence? Now you might want to on your iPhone – screenshots now have a link to search so they'll search across your most used apps (probably Google, but they show Etsy) for you.
Feels like playing catch up to Google here – there is also a 'Ask' button to ask Chat GPT.
And developers will be able to use the camera for this tool. Again. We'll see.
AI live translation...
Well, I have been excited about Apple AI features before, but apparently we're getting live translation – which could be a boon for creatives working abroad. Looked good in the demo (but then Apple's demos looked good last time. I'll believe it when I try it and not before!
Photos as background in your Apple Messages. Looks a nice feature (wonder if you can share the photo with everyone in the chat, or if it's just for you?)
Car play gets the new look too...
...and widgets which it didn't have before. Developers will be able to add the same widgets.
Oh, and to make my modern electric car feel a little out of date, there is now now Car Play Ultra, which adds radio and other controls. Probably not a lot of camera use while you're driving yet though...
Camera Time – streamlined interface
iOS 26 the camera is getting a streamlined interface, with just Camera and Video visible straight away. That's actually going to help me occasionally (and possibly annoy me on other occasions).
Unified Version Numbers ✅
Another prediction we can now safely tick off as Craig Federighi – now out of his F1 car and in his usual tight pants – has cleared up.
iPhone in hand, he's showing us how the "Time now fluidly adapts" (the font the clock is in gets bigger when there are fewer icons in the way in an animation).
To be fair, the AI seems to be doing more to more to make personal photos look good – making personal photos look 3D as you tilt the phone. That did look pretty impressive in Craig's hand to be fair!
It's started... and it was "Liquid Glass"
Told you so! A big win for all the leaks, the Liquid Glass revised operating system is 'inspired' by Vision OS. I wonder if Apple are hoping that this will send us all rushing to buy more $3500 ski goggles?
Presidential debate? I'll bet no one says anything!
You might recall that, not terribly long ago, Apple CEO Tim Cook had the dubious honor of a personal namecheck in one of President Trump's social media posts about tariffs – a political sea change which is causing a lot of uncertainty in the tech world.
No business wants to be the target of policy changes, so being specifically mentioned must have been awkward for Tim Cook. It'd be very interesting – especially in light of the recent Musk v Trump public war of words – to look for any evidence that Apple may be at risk next. Certainly Musk's businesses seem to be more exposed than they were a few weeks back.
My bet? There is little to no chance that Apple will do anything to risk putting itself in the government's firing line.
macOS 16 sorry, 26 will be called "Tahoe"
That's what I'm seeing everywhere online anyway, even though no one agrees that it's definite. It will, apparently, still support some of the Intel-powered Macs like the wheezing MacBook Pro 2019 which I'm using to write these words as well as pretty much everything after that – including all the M-series chips.
That said, one rumor on macrumors that "it is said that macOS 26 will also drop support for the MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, Two Thunderbolt 3 ports)" but even the source doesn't believe it.
Other than picking up a 'Vision OS' inspired transparent interface, there is discussion of more Apple Intelligence (I'll believe any of those features when I see them in real life and not before now, Apple!), a new gaming app, and an interesting new use of the iPhone's camera: apprently you'll be able to connect your iPhone's camera to help zoom in on things (like text), specifically using it as a magnifier.
AirPods 2 discounted – hardware annoucement coming?
In the USA at least, there is a big discount on the AirPods 2 today on Amazon.com. Does that tell us there is any truth in the rumored extra features for photographers (and does it tell us whether they'll be available for older versions of the headphones?)
Developers adding AI into iPhone apps – what does that mean for photography?
One of Ming-Chi Kuo's big predictions is that Apple will be "Providing tools for third-party developers to incorporate AI into their apps"
That could mean quite a lot, but with the right OS level security it could certainly make for some useful photo editing features, rather than just the search features built into Apple's Photos app.
Ding Dong, the Siri is dead?
How about this for a shock announcement? The elimination of Siri. Macrumors seems to think that the Siri brand is now permeantly damaged after a bad year for Apple Intelligence, and concludes this is the only solution.
Now, sure, that might pose retrospective problems for re-runs of sitcom The Big Bang Theory, but MacRumors suggested that the name for the voice assistant might disappear as Apple Intelligence takes over. Perhaps they have a point.
TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has tweeted to the effect that "No major breakthroughs in Apple's AI technology are expected. Still, with the market's limited expectations, Apple can meet them by clearly explaining how AI features will work on devices and outlining a development timeline."
He notes, too, that Apple's releases in the AI space over the last year might have reduced enthusiasm, but still suggests that "Apple’s AI strategy takes center stage, with updates like UI changes and OS improvements playing a secondary role."
Want to know what Liquid Glass is going to look like? Well if there is one fairly safe way of guessing, it's looking at Apple's own tweets (X-es?)
#WWDC25 is next week! Can’t wait to show you what we’ve been working on. See you June 9 at 10am PT. pic.twitter.com/qhrzevDbMHJune 2, 2025
ANd someone who is very much not an ex of Apple is Greg Joswiak, the company's SVP Marketing, who has tweeted this animation showing an animated effect which very much chimes with the graphics we've already seen and, let's be fair, easily looks like it could be adapted into a pattern of touchable buttons and icons in an operating system (or four)!
