WWDC26: Apple introduces Siri AI, next-gen Apple Intelligence and parental control upgrades

At the latest Worldwide Developers Conference—and Tim Cook’s last WWDC—Apple has unveiled what it describes as the next generation of Apple Intelligence alongside Siri AI, the long-awaited upgrade to its personal assistant. Cupertino also announced a significant expansion of parental controls, on top of the usual software improvements across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro and Apple TV.

Siri AI

Leading Apple’s announcements is Siri AI, an entirely new version of Siri that is powered by the next generation of Apple Intelligence.

According to Apple, Siri AI can understand a user’s personal context and search across Messages, Mail, Photos and other apps to help find information and complete tasks. The assistant can also perform more actions across apps, answer questions about content displayed on-screen, and pull real-time information from the web when needed.

A dedicated Siri app is also being introduced, allowing users to continue previous conversations or start new ones from a central location. Conversation history is synchronised across devices via iCloud while maintaining Apple’s privacy-focused approach. Beyond Siri, Apple Intelligence is also being integrated deeper into the operating system, bringing new AI-powered features to Photos, Safari, Messages, Mail, Image Playground and more.

Siri AI will be available across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple Vision Pro.

New and improved child safety and parental controls

Apple is also introducing a major update to its parental control tools, with a stronger focus on helping families create safer digital experiences for children.

When setting up a child account, parents can now immediately enable age-appropriate protections across Apple’s ecosystem. Through Setup Assistant, parents can decide which apps are available to their children and maintain control over future app additions.

Communication Safety is also receiving new capabilities. Parents can require approval for new contacts and enable automatic interventions when explicit or violent content is detected. Screen Time meanwhile is becoming more comprehensive as well, with parents able to set daily usage limits across categories such as entertainment, games and social media apps instead of configuring limits on an app-by-app basis.

Apple says the system can also recommend daily screen time allowances based on guidance from clinical and child development experts. The redesigned Screen Time dashboard also provides an overview of average device usage and the apps children use most frequently.

To support parents further, Apple has launched a dedicated online resource centre featuring guides, educational content and answers to common questions.

Choose your Liquid Glass

Apple’s divisive Liquid Glass design is also receiving some new refinements.

Users can now adjust the appearance of Liquid Glass through a new slider in Settings, allowing interfaces to range from highly transparent to fully tinted depending on personal preference.

App icons have also been updated with sharper visuals, while macOS is bringing back several design elements long favoured by Mac users, including coloured sidebar icons, edge-to-edge sidebars and a more uniform toolbar layout.

AirPods upgrades

AirPods users will finally gain access to custom EQ controls for more personalised audio. Meanwhile, AirPods Pro 3 users can sync heart rate data through their iPhone while using compatible gym equipment via expanded Apple GymKit integration.

Faster performance across iPhone, iPad and Mac

As expected, Apple also showcased their upcoming lineup of OS software, all suffixed 27 of course. They’re promising notable performance gains across its software platforms, such as:

Apps on iPhone and iPad can launch up to 30% faster
Newly captured photos load up to 70% faster
AirDrop transfers are up to 80% faster
Switching between Wi-Fi and mobile networks is smoother
External drive transfers on iPad are up to five times faster

Apple has also rebuilt search functionality in Spotlight, Photos and Mail to improve stability and responsiveness. Mail receives a new ranking system designed to surface more relevant results through Top Hits.

Developers can begin testing the new software releases today through Apple’s Developer Program. A public beta will be available next month through the Apple Beta Software Program, while the final versions of iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, visionOS 27 and tvOS 27 will be released as free updates later this fall.

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