New Siri AI, updates to Apple Intelligence and App Store tools for developers. What did Apple present at WWDC26?

The Worldwide Developers Conference kicked off with the announcement of a number of updates and new features for iOS, iPadOS, macOS and all Apple ecosystem products. 

Most of what was presented will be available to users later this year.

AIN reports on the new features Apple unveiled at WWDC 2026.

Apple introduced Siri AI, a new version of its AI assistant

Apple introduced Siri AI — a completely redesigned version of its digital assistant powered by the next generation of the Apple Intelligence artificial intelligence system.

The new Siri can understand a user’s personal context, has on‑screen awareness, expanded multimodal capabilities and deep integration across the company’s operating systems.

Siri AI is built around interacting with the user’s context. That enables it to hold natural conversations and search for information across many apps at once: Messages, Mail, and the Photos library.

For example, you can ask the assistant to find a hotel confirmation number in an old email or pull a restaurant recommendation from a chat.

Updated Siri appearance / Apple

Thanks to on‑screen awareness, Siri understands what’s happening on the display. For instance, after receiving a text about a party, a user can work with Siri to pick a recipe to make and automatically save it to “Notes”.

Siri makes notes and saves them to Notes on its own / Apple

On iPhone, users can invoke Siri AI via the side button, the phrase Hey Siri, or by swiping down from the Dynamic Island for an expanded response. On iPad and Mac, the assistant is integrated into Spotlight and the contextual menu.

Siri in the contextual menu / Apple

On Apple Vision Pro the assistant received a three‑dimensional visualization that can be placed anywhere in the room, and it can be summoned with a glance and the start of speech.

3D visualization of Siri / Apple

The company also has created a separate namesake Siri app. It uses iCloud to privately sync the entire conversation history, allowing you to start a text or voice chat on a Mac and continue it on an iPhone or Apple Watch.

Appearance of the Siri app / Apple

Additionally, Siri capabilities are now integrated directly into the Camera app on iPhone via a special “Siri mode.”

Users can photograph an object in front of them to split a bill with friends via Apple Cash or get nutritional information about the food on a plate.

Integration of Siri into the Camera app / Apple

The Visual Intelligence technology also becomes available on other devices in the ecosystem for the first time:

• On iPad. The feature is built into the screenshot creation tool.
• On Mac. It’s invoked with a key combination, allowing you to select any area of the screen and ask Siri questions about it in text.
• On Apple Vision Pro. It lets you ask about objects around you or the contents of open app windows simply by looking at them.

Developer testing of the features starts today, June 8, through the Apple Developer Program as part of the first betas of the new operating systems: iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27 and visionOS 27.

A public beta for users will be released later this year.

At the same time, in the European Union Mac, Apple Watch and Apple Vision Pro users will get access to Siri AI immediately (when selecting a supported language).

However, on iPhone and iPad (in iOS and iPadOS) the feature will not be available at launch due to legal disagreements. Apple says it is seeking a compromise that preserves security.

Image generation and AI task automation. Apple updated Apple Intelligence

Apple also unveiled the next generation of its artificial intelligence system, Apple Intelligence.

The updated AI architecture is integrated across the company’s operating systems and will bring new editing tools to Photos, intelligent tab organization in Safari, realistic image generation in Image Playground and the ability to automatically create complex commands from a voice or text description. 

The Photos app received updated image processing models. Any photo altered or generated using Apple Intelligence will now be automatically marked with a hidden digital SynthID watermark — for identifying AI usage.

Among the new editing tools:

Spatial Reframing. This feature is based on spatial models from Apple Vision Pro. It lets a user press and drag an object in a photo to change the perspective of the shot as if the camera physically shifted while taking the photo.

Extend. A tool for painting out the edges of an image. It allows you to straighten a tilted horizon or change the aspect ratio of a photo without cropping important details.

Clean Up. The object-removal tool received updated algorithms for more precise and realistic background filling in complex shots.

Apple Intelligence also transforms browsing, system security settings and automation workflows.

For example, the Passwords app can now automatically fix weak or compromised user passwords. The AI agent will autonomously visit the relevant site, log in and replace a compromised password with a strong one.

Update to the Passwords app, which will now improve passwords on its own / Apple

Safari automatically groups large numbers of open tabs by topic (for example, gathering all sites for planning a trip into one group).

Grouping tabs in Safari / Apple

The new Notify Me feature lets you ask Safari to monitor a specific webpage for updates (for example, when an item comes back in stock or a price drops) and send a push notification if something changes.

Notifications for changes on a chosen tab in Safari / Apple

The Home app will also be updated. It now consolidates multiple related sensor alerts into a single activity status.

Cameras that support HomeKit Secure Video will gain text descriptions of video clips (for example, the system might display the banner “Petro arrived home with a bag of groceries”), as well as text search across the recorded archive.

Home app updates / Apple

Accessibility tools were updated for people with disabilities:

• VoiceOver provides more detailed descriptions of surroundings and images (works via the Action button on iPhone);
• in Voice Control you can now interact with the interface by describing buttons in your own words instead of using color markers or numbers;
• Accessibility Reader can now create short summaries and translations of texts on demand.

Developer testing of Apple Intelligence, like the rest of the updates, also begins on June 8, and an open public beta will be released next month. The official release will take place in fall 2026 as part of iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27 and visionOS 27.

AI is supported on iPhone 16 and newer models, iPhone 15 Pro/Max, iPad mini (A17 Pro), iPad and Macs with M1 or newer chips, MacBook Neo (A18 Pro) laptops, Apple Vision Pro headset, and Apple Watch Series 10 / Ultra 2 (or newer watches) when connected to a compatible iPhone.

Due to high server load for some features, including image generation, daily usage limits have been set. Expanded access to limits will be provided as part of most iCloud+ subscription plans.

Apple expands App Store capabilities. What’s new

Apple announced expansions to the App Store platform. They will give developers new tools for marketing, user acquisition and app monetization. 

This year developers will be able to upload Creative Assets — images and videos for product page headers and search results. The company says this is meant to better showcase seasonal offers or new content.

To optimize work in App Store Connect, a number of tools will appear:

• Asset Library. A single library to manage all promo materials, screenshots and videos. Developers will be able to reuse files without duplicate uploads.
• Submit marketing materials for App Review separately from releasing technical app updates.
• Personalized Collections & App Notes. AI recommendations based on user interests and editorial notes explaining why an app is worth downloading. The feature launches in English in the U.S. first.
• Featuring Nominations. A tool in the Apple Games app where game creators can pitch promotions or discount plans to the App Store editorial team for featuring.

Additionally, with an update to the StoreKit 2 framework Apple is introducing new monetization types for In‑App purchases. Volume purchasing will be available through Apple Business and Apple School Manager.

This will allow enterprise and education customers to buy subscriptions in bulk and distribute seats through existing device management IT systems. This option will be available in fall 2026.

In winter the company will launch group subscriptions. Any user or organization will be able to purchase a package of seats with a single payment and send invites to others through built‑in Apple tools. Each group member will join with their own account.

Apple is also simplifying the moderation process: developers can now combine multiple in‑app purchases and related items into a single unified submission for App Review.

Possibly the biggest news for the Mac ecosystem is that apps and games in the Mac App Store will no longer be required to include mandatory support for Intel processors.

Developers can build and release binaries exclusively for Apple silicon chips without spending resources on supporting multiple separate builds.

New child safety features in iOS 27 and macOS 27

Apple outlined a new suite of parental control tools developed based on recommendations from health and online safety experts. 

The updates, which will arrive in the fall releases of the operating systems, are intended to simplify content management and help form healthy digital habits.

Creating a child account will be the first step to activating age restrictions in the App Store and Safari. Such an account is mandatory for children under 13 and can remain active until they turn 18.

Parents also receive tools to moderate their child’s contact list in Messages, FaceTime and Phone — any addition of a new friend will require approval.

The Communication Safety feature, which automatically blurs images of nudity and is enabled by default for users under 18, has been updated.

The system will recognize and block the display of graphic scenes and violent content in sent photos and videos.

The Screen Time app received a new interface that lets parents see average device usage and a list of the child’s top apps at a glance.

Parents can block network access with a single tap during family meals or walks, or conversely — quickly extend an app’s usage time if a child needs to finish something.

Updated Screen Time interface / Apple 

Other parental control tools highlighted by the company include:

• Screen Time Passcode Notifications. Notifications to parents if a Screen Time passcode was entered on the child’s device.
• Apple Watch For Your Kids. A setup feature for smartwatches for children who don’t have their own iPhone.

All new features will become available after the Screen Time update ships as part of the upcoming iOS 27, iPadOS 27 and macOS 27 releases.

Will there be no new features in the European Union?

All of the company’s new features require updating the system to the new versions. We’re talking about iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27 and visionOS 27.

However Apple announced that due to the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) the new Siri AI will not appear in the EU at the same time as the new operating systems’ release.

According to the company, European regulators rejected all of Apple’s proposed technical compromises that would have allowed safe operation of third‑party voice assistants.

Siri AI uses local processing and a Private Cloud Compute architecture to protect personal data.

However, Apple says the current interpretation of the DMA by European regulators requires the company to provide any third‑party virtual assistants and AI systems with similarly direct access to users’ sensitive data.

As the U.S. developer explains, the European Commission insists that under the DMA third‑party AIs must be granted:

• near‑unrestricted access to the file system and device contents;
• the ability to act autonomously without continuous visual supervision and confirmation from the user;
• the capability to read and send messages, make purchases and perform actions in any third‑party apps on their own.

Apple emphasized that such requirements could be dangerous because modern AI systems can be hacked without the device owner’s knowledge.

Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering, said that due to difficulties in dialogue with European regulators the company has no timing or chronological plan for launching Siri AI on iOS and iPadOS within the European Union.

Meanwhile, remember that the company plans to announce iOS 27 in September 2026. 

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