Mobile menu toggle
  1. Home
  2. /
  3. News
  4. /
  5. WWDC25 recap: iOS 26, Liquid Glass and the full keynote in 90 seconds

WWDC25 recap: iOS 26, Liquid Glass and the full keynote in 90 seconds

By

90 seconds.
Watch the Keynote in just 1.6% of the time.
Image: Apple/D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

During the WWDC25 keynote on Monday, Apple announced the next versions of every operating system with a new naming scheme and fresh look. iOS has an all-new interface with redesigned Camera, Messages and Phone apps; macOS has a brand-new Spotlight; iPadOS has supercharged multitasking.

But if you don’t have 90 minutes to spare, you can catch up in just 90 seconds.

Apple WWDC25 keynote recap: Watch the event in 90 seconds

Apple’s new Liquid Glass design stole the show during the WWDC25 keynote, with its glossy, translucent look coming to all of the company’s operating systems. Apple also changed its naming scheme to focus on years for those operating systems (this year’s versions will end with “26,” i.e. iOS 26). And Cupertino’s execs also touted the company’s ongoing AI work.

But that’s just the top-level stuff. As per usual, watching the company’s keynote felt like drinking from a firehose. Watch our WWDC25 keynote recap video to see all the highlights:

WWDC25 highlights

iOS 26

iOS 26 bento box
Here’s a snapshot of the new iOS 26 features for iPhone users.
Photo: Apple
  • The iPhone Lock Screen’s clock dynamically adjusts in height.
  • You can convert a 2D photo to 3D for your Lock Screen.
  • The new Camera app is simplified.
  • The Photos app has a tab bar at the bottom for your Library and Collections.
  • Safari has a new edge-to-edge design.
  • FaceTime adds controls on the bottom right.
  • CarPlay gets a new simple call screen, Live Activities and widgets.
  • The Phone app comes with a new unified layout, voicemail summaries, call screening and hold assist.
  • Group chats add typing indicators, custom backgrounds, polls and group Apple Cash payments.
  • You can make images using ChatGPT in Image Playground.
  • Translate text in Messages, translate FaceTime and phone calls, translate Apple Music lyrics.
  • AutoMix blends two songs like a DJ would.
  • See where you’ve been in Maps with Visited Places.
  • Wallet can now hold your car keys, Digital ID and order tracking details from your email.
  • A new Games app puts Game Center, Apple Arcade and the App Store all in one place.
  • Visual intelligence lets you look things up and add calendar events after you take a screenshot.

watchOS 26

watchOS 26 features
New features in watchOS 26.
Image: Apple
  • Workout Buddy provides you with encouragement during your workout.
  • Notification volume can adjust to the ambient volume of the room.
  • A new wrist flick gesture can dismiss notifications and the smart stack.
  • The Notes app and custom controls in Control Center come to Apple Watch.

tvOS 26

All the new features in tvOS 26.
All the new features in tvOS 26.
Screenshot: Apple

You can see profiles when you turn it on, automatically sign into apps and use your iPhone as a microphone for karaoke.

WWDC25 recap: macOS 26 Tahoe

macOS Tahoe features
New features of macOS Tahoe.
Image: Apple
  • Colored folders from Mac OS 7 come back.
  • Live Activities and the Phone app come to the Mac.
  • Spotlight can now control apps and works as a clipboard manager.
  • The Games app comes to the Mac.

visionOS 26

visionOS 26
visionOS 26 adds many new spatial and sharing features.
Image: Apple
  • Spatial widgets like Clock, Weather and Photos in your environment.
  • Spatial browsing adds 3D images and objects to Safari.
  • Personas look less creepy.
  • SharePlay lets two rich people watch TV or play games together locally.
  • Save your hand to your iPhone.
  • Draw in 3D with the Logitech Fuse.
  • Jupiter environment.

WWDC25 recap: iPadOS 26

iPadOS 26 features
iPadOS 26 is no small update.
Image: Apple
  • All-new freeform windowing system with even more windows and a menu bar.
  • Files app adds a new List view, an Open With command and more.
  • Preview comes to iPad.
  • More complex workflows for audio, video and background tasks come to iPad.

As Apple CEO Tim Cook said, “What a big day.”

Newsletters

Daily round-ups or a weekly refresher, straight from Cult of Mac to your inbox.

  • The Weekender

    The week's best Apple news, reviews and how-tos from Cult of Mac, every Saturday morning. Our readers say: "Thank you guys for always posting cool stuff" -- Vaughn Nevins. "Very informative" -- Kenly Xavier.