Several players involved in the World Cup have been spotted wearing unreleased Beats over-ear headphones over the past couple of weeks, and U.S. men's national soccer team star Antonee Robinson is the latest to be spotted with them. Robinson was captured in a photo on his Instagram account wearing a two-tone version that appears to feature a white headband and housings but with royal blue ear cups.
Previous versions of the headphones seen in photos of Yamine Lamal have featured only a single color, and it's unclear which color options are going to be available to the public, whether ear cups will be swappable to customize your own set, or if Robinson's set is a custom version produced only for him or a limited number of influencers.
The unreleased headphones first appeared in a U.S. Federal Communications Commission database last month, and it's clear Beats is undertaking a influencer seeding campaign throughout the World Cup to generate anticipation ahead of a public release, but the timing of availability remains unknown. It's also unclear whether these will be a new version of the existing Beats Studio Pro over-ear headphones or if they will be positioned as a new product.
Apple will end software support for 16 devices this fall across four product lines, with the Apple Watch seeing the most sweeping cull in the product's history.
The full extent of this year's software drops became clear with the announcements of macOS 27 Golden Gate, iPadOS 27, tvOS 27, and watchOS 27 at WWDC this week. The one bright spot is that iOS 27 features identical device support to iOS 26, with no iPhone models removed from the compatibility list, and the same goes for the HomePod.
The Apple Watch sees the sharpest cuts. watchOS 27 drops the Series 6, Series 7, Series 8, Apple Watch Ultra (first generation), and Apple Watch SE (second generation) in a single wave, requiring an S9 or S10 chip. watchOS 26 had supported the same lineup as watchOS 11 before it, including the Series 6 and later, the SE (2nd generation) and later, and all Apple Watch Ultra models. Wiping out three launch generations at once is the biggest loss of latest-generation support for Apple Watch to date.
The iPad lineup also sees an unusually aggressive set of cuts. iPadOS 27 raises the floor to the A14 Bionic chip or the M1 chip, dropping five models that still run iPadOS 26: The iPad Air (3rd generation), the iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation), the iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation), the iPad (8th generation), and the iPad mini (5th generation). By comparison, iPadOS 26 cut only a single device from the iPadOS 18 list (the 7th generation iPad).
macOS Golden Gate brings the era of Intel Macs to a close. The four remaining Intel machines supported by macOS Tahoe don't make the cut this year: The MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019), MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports), iMac (2020), and Mac Pro (2019). Apple said last year that macOS Tahoe would be the final release for pre-Apple silicon Macs, and macOS 27 makes that official.
Apple TV sees two models dropped with tvOS 27: The Apple TV HD from 2015 and the Apple TV 4K (1st generation) from 2017. Only the 2nd and 3rd generation Apple TV 4K models will receive the update. The full list of devices losing support for the latest software this fall is as follows:
watchOS 27
Apple Watch Series 6 (2020)
Apple Watch Series 7 (2021)
Apple Watch Series 8 (2022)
Apple Watch Ultra (1st generation, 2022)
Apple Watch SE (2nd generation, 2022)
iPadOS 27
iPad Air (3rd generation, 2019)
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation, 2018)
iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation, 2018)
iPad (8th generation, 2020)
iPad mini (5th generation, 2019)
macOS 27 Golden Gate
MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019)
MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
iMac (2020)
Mac Pro (2019)
tvOS 27
Apple TV HD (2015)
Apple TV 4K (1st generation, 2017)
Owners of affected devices aren't entirely without options in the near term; Apple typically continues issuing security patches for the previous OS version for at least a year after it's superseded. For the latest features, though, newer hardware is the only path forward. Apple's new operating systems are expected to be released in September following a period of beta testing.
Multiple AirPods models hit record low prices this week, including the AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods Max 2. We're tracking these great discounts alongside an ultra rare discount on a new Switch 2 on Woot, plus a Summer sale at Sonos.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Nintendo Switch 2
What's the deal? Take $15 off Switch 2 with code NEW15
Woot has a rare deal on a brand new Nintendo Switch 2 console with the code NEW15, which can be used at checkout for customers making their first purchase on Woot. With this code you can take $15 off the base Switch 2 system, which isn't a lot, but given that these systems are rarely on sale (and are about to get a $50 price increase in September), this is a fairly notable sale.
AirPods deals were in abundance this week, with the AirPods Pro 3 on sale at a new all-time low price on Amazon. You can still get this model for $179.00, down from $249.00.
Amazon this week has a record low price on the AirPods Max 2, now available for $499.00, down from $549.00. This sale is available in all five colors of the headphones.
Sonos this week kicked off a new summer sale, with big discounts aimed at dads and anyone else shopping ahead of Father's Day. This sale includes deals on Sonos smart speakers, sound bars, subwoofers, and more.
If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.
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WWDC 2026 has come to a close, and it brought a number of announcements with the headliner being the new Siri AI functionality available both in a standalone app and integrated throughout most of Apple's next-generation operating systems.
iOS 27 brings a host of other improvements with an emphasis on performance, while macOS 27, known as macOS Golden Gate, delivers some Liquid Glass design refinements and more, so read on below for all of the details!
Top Stories
Everything Apple Announced at WWDC 2026 in 10 Minutes
Apple held its WWDC 2026 keynote on Monday, introducing iOS 27, macOS 27, iPadOS 27, watchOS 27, visionOS 27, and tvOS 27. It took Apple around an hour and 15 minutes to walk through the major new features in the updates, but we have a quicker 10-minute recap for those who want the highlights.
Our recap also includes links to all of our keynote-day article coverage, so it's a great place to catch up on all of the big announcements. And if you want a full summary of the keynote as it happened but don't want to watch the video, check out our live blog transcript.
Hands-On With iOS 27's Siri AI
The overarching theme of the WWDC 2026 keynote was the new Siri AI, which is integrated throughout most of Apple's operating systems and comes with a dedicated app.
Much like Mac OS X Snow Leopard in 2009, Apple said it focused on improving macOS's performance and dozens of underlying technologies this year.
Apple says macOS Golden Gate offers quicker AirDrop transfers, faster network file browsing, improved syncing in the Messages app, better Spotlight search suggestions, and other changes that make your Mac feel "more responsive than ever."
"With improvements at the very core of the system and enhancements to apps and experiences you rely on every day, macOS feels better than ever," said Apple.
Apple Says iOS 27 Adds These 12 New Features to Your iPhone
iOS 27's key new feature is a more intelligent and personal version of Siri, but the changes go well beyond that. In a press release this week, Apple outlined additional enhancements coming across Apple Maps, Find My, Apple Wallet, Apple Music, and more.
While iOS 27 is supported on all of the same iPhone models that work with iOS 26, the iPad lineup saw a significant cut in supported models this year. Each member of the iPad family saw the oldest model currently supporting iPadOS 26 dropped for iPadOS 27, meaning your iPad will need a minimum of an A14 or M1 chip in order to upgrade.
iPhone 17's 8GB Limit Costs It These Two Siri AI Features in iOS 27
In its Siri AI announcement during WWDC 2026, Apple introduced a more powerful on-device AI model which in addition to standard Siri AI functionality also powers two exclusive features: more expressive Siri voices and a major accuracy gain for systemwide dictation.
Both require 12GB of unified memory. Among current iPhone models, that limits the more powerful AI model to the iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max, alongside iPad models with the M4 chip or later, Macs with M3 or later, and Apple Vision Pro with M5.
That's right, the standard iPhone 17 misses out. Having only 8GB to its name – the minimum Apple Intelligence has required since launch – the base flagship model falls short of the new threshold.
MacRumors Newsletter
Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.
Safari is one of the apps that Apple focused on in iOS 27, and it includes multiple new Apple Intelligence features. From automatically organizing tab groups to custom extensions, Safari is getting useful new capabilities.
Automatic Tab Organization
Safari uses Apple Intelligence to organize your open tabs into relevant topics, grouping like concepts together to make it easier to browse your open tabs.
If you're searching for a new couch while also planning a weekend trip, websites that you open for each topic are grouped together. Automatic sorting can be enabled by tapping on the icon with three lines in the upper right of the display while in tab view and turning on the Automatically Create Topics setting.
This same Safari menu also lets you see all of the groups and filter by topic so you can open just the tabs related to a specific topic while avoiding the other tabs.
There is a new "Resume Browsing" section of the Start Page that lets you continue browsing topics you recently closed or topics you have open on other devices.
You can also group pages you've saved to Bookmarks and Reading List by topic.
Custom Extensions
You can use AI to create Safari Extensions in iOS 27 with Apple's new Create an Extension option.
In the Safari settings accessible from the left of the URL bar, tapping into Create an Extension brings you to an interface where you can type in whatever you want an extension to do. Apple also includes suggestions in categories that include Boost Productivity, Improve Focus, Get Creative, and Develop and Design. Some of Apple's extension suggestions:
Create a citation for the current webpage and copy it to my clipboard
Create a 3-minute focus timer for the page
Set the minimum font size to 14pt
Turn the page into pirate speak
Style websites like 90s websites with bold colors and type
Every time I open a new tab, draw me a different flower
Highlight and show the dimensions of webpage elements when I tap on them
Enter the design mode for a website so that I can edit the contents
Notify Me
Safari can monitor a website for changes and alert you when new information is detected. Apple says it's useful for monitoring when concert tickets go on sale or watching for a product to be restocked.
To use it, navigate to a website, then tap on the settings icon to the left of the URL bar, and choose the Notify Me option. You can type in what you want Safari to watch for and set a frequency and a time.
At most, Safari will check websites once per day at a set time, with weekly and monthly checks also available.
Passwords
The Passwords app can use Safari to automatically change flagged weak and compromised passwords, turning them into strong passwords.
The feature uses Apple Intelligence to automatically navigate to eligible websites, sign in, and update your password with a tap.
Ask to Browse
Apple added new parental controls in iOS 27, including an "Ask to Browse" feature that requires children to get parental approval before visiting a new website.
Performance Improvements
Apple says Safari's power efficiency has improved, so it will drain less battery. Web apps and start page content load faster, JavaScript handling is faster, and animations and graphics are smoother.
Compatibility
Safari features like automatic tab grouping, custom extensions, and custom notifications require Apple Intelligence. Apple Intelligence is available on the iPhone 15 Pro and later.
Availability
iOS 27 is in beta, and it is set to launch in fall 2026 alongside new iPhone models.
Apple is phasing out support for Rosetta 2, which is a feature that allows Intel-based apps to run on Apple silicon Macs. Rosetta is going to stop working for most apps in macOS 28, and when that happens, apps that use it will stop working.
Apple began warning customers and companies about the upcoming sunsetting of Rosetta with macOS Tahoe, and the warnings go even further in macOS Golden Gate.
If you have apps that still use Rosetta, you'll get a warning every time you restart your Mac or open an Intel app. macOS Golden Gate also adds a new list where you can check which apps are going to stop working in the future.
You can get to the list by going to Settings > General > About > Intel-Based apps and clicking on the "Details" option.
The interface lists all of the apps that are going to stop working, giving Mac users plenty of time to contact app developers or find alternative apps.
macOS Golden Gate does not install Rosetta automatically, so if you still have these outdated Intel apps, there will be a short installation when you try to open one for the first time after upgrading to Golden Gate. Authentication plugins and other pre-login utilities that require Rosetta fail to load in macOS Golden Gate because of the limitation.
Apple designed Rosetta to help users and developers transition from Intel to Apple silicon, but Apple phased out the last Intel-based Mac years ago. Apple only sells Apple silicon Macs, and it is slowly ending support for Intel-based models.
macOS Tahoe was the final version of macOS available for Intel Macs, and macOS Golden Gate requires a Mac with an Apple silicon chip.
Apple's employees who participated in the company's annual Close Your Rings Challenge have begun to receive a limited-edition Apple Watch band and a special enamel pin marking the 10th anniversary of the internal challenge.
This year's band is a black Sport Loop with special lugs and an end piece that are colored similarly to the Apple Watch's Move, Exercise, and Stand rings.
Given that these bands are limited to Apple's employees, rather than being sold directly to customers, they are relatively rare. You can keep track of hundreds of Apple Watch bands released since 2015 through the Bandbreite app on the iPhone.
Time is running out on the Apple Card sign-up promo that began last month. For three more days, you can effectively receive AirPods Pro 3 for free when you sign up for a new Apple Card, but there are some strings attached.
If you sign up for and are approved for an Apple Card for the first time, and use it to purchase AirPods Pro 3 by June 15, you can earn up to $250 in bonus cash back over a 10-month period if you meet minimum transaction requirements.
Specifically, from July 1, 2026 through April 30, 2027, you can earn a bonus $25 cash back each month when you use your new Apple Card to make a minimum of 10 purchases of any amount ($0.01 or higher) that post to your account each month. The initial purchase of the AirPods Pro 3 does not count towards this requirement.
AirPods Pro 3 are regularly priced at $249 in the U.S. — but are currently on sale on Amazon for an all-time low price of $179 — so this promotion effectively allows you to earn back the cost of the wireless earbuds over 10 months.
If you already have an Apple Card, you are not eligible for this promotion.
Apple's website outlines full terms and conditions for this promotion, so be sure to look over the fine print at the bottom of the page.
Apple's credit card launched in 2019, and it remains available in the U.S. only. The card can be managed in the Apple Wallet app on an iPhone, has no annual fee, and offers up to 3% cash back (known as Daily Cash) on purchases paid out daily.
Daily Cash amounts: 1% on purchases with the physical Apple Card, 2% on purchases with the digital Apple Card via Apple Pay, and 3% on purchases from Apple itself and select partners such as Nike, Walgreens, Ace Hardware, and Uber.
macOS 27 Golden Gate is in beta ahead of a fall release, and we thought we'd go over what's new for those who don't want to risk beta software on their Mac. macOS Golden Gate adds Siri AI, Liquid Glass updates, and multiple new Apple Intelligence features.
Siri on the Mac lives in Spotlight. Command + Space brings up a new Search or Ask interface for searching for files on the Mac or asking Siri a question. Siri is able to access data on the Mac, and it can answer the same general questions any chatbot can answer. The combination of personal context and world knowledge lets Siri do some things that are unavailable to other AI services like ChatGPT or Claude.
Siri answers appear in Spotlight with an option to ask follow-up questions, but there's also a standalone Siri app where you can find all of your past Siri interactions. Siri is also integrated into the system for features like Write with Siri. Siri can compose emails and messages for you in your own writing style, check your grammar, or just give you general feedback on what you've written.
Apple brought Visual Intelligence to the Mac, and it's available through the screenshot interface. When activated, you can select an area of your display that has something you want to know more about, and Siri can answer questions you have. In apps like Safari, you can select text or images, then ask Siri about your selection. Many of the same Visual Intelligence features that are on iPhone have carried over to the Mac, so Siri can identify plants and animals or even tell you the nutritional value of food in an image, which is a new feature this year.
Apple Intelligence makes many of the built-in Mac apps better. Safari can group similar tabs together by subject, Passwords can automatically change weak passwords for you, Photos has new AI editing tools for changing framing and perspective, and Image Playground can generate photorealistic images.
Shortcuts uses AI to build shortcuts for you based on natural language requests, Calendar supports natural language event input, Mail search is better than before with quick action suggestions, and the Messages app also supports AI suggestions for actions you might want to take, like inserting a photo to send to a friend.
Apple updated Liquid Glass in macOS Golden Gate. There's a slider for adjusting overall system opacity, refraction and contrast have been improved, sidebars are unified with less wasted space, and Apple has removed many of the unnecessary icons from menu bars.
If you have a Mac that can run Golden Gate, you're going to get Siri AI and the Apple Intelligence features. Apple Intelligence works on all Apple silicon Macs, and Golden Gate doesn't run on devices with an Intel chip.
EU users can't use Siri AI on the iPhone and the iPad because Apple isn't making it available yet, but Siri AI is available on macOS in the European Union.
The upcoming iOS 27 and macOS 27 Golden Gate updates expand drawing tools to more of Apple's built-in apps across the iPhone and Mac.
In the Messages app on iOS 27, there is a new "Drawing" option in the app drawer, which can be opened by tapping the plus sign in the bottom-left corner.
On older iOS versions, the Messages app once had a very basic drawing tool that was accessible by tapping a button on the keyboard in landscape orientation, but now Apple's complete set of Markup tools are available in the app.
On the Mac, macOS 27 adds the Markup tools to the Notes and Freeform apps.
iOS 27 and macOS 27 are currently available in developer beta. The updates are expected to be released to the general public in September.
Apple this week confirmed that Notion is migrating its user interface to SwiftUI, citing the app's desire for greater performance and UI consistency than its existing web-based stack can deliver.
Notion is a productivity app that combines notes, documents, databases, and project management tools in one place. Users can create pages containing text, tables, kanban boards, calendars, and more, and organize them in a flexible hierarchy.
The announcement was made during Apple's SwiftUI segment during its Platforms State of the Union, where Notion was used as a flagship example of an app moving away from cross-platform and web technologies to native Apple frameworks. The callout was clearly deliberate; Notion is one of the most widely used productivity apps on the Mac, and has long been criticized for the sluggishness that comes with its Electron-based architecture.
This is not Notion's first step toward native. Notion had already been gradually moving its iOS and Android apps away from web-based rendering in 2025, with most of the mobile experience now running natively except for the editor. The WWDC mention suggests that effort is now extending more substantially, with SwiftUI as the target framework.
Apple also noted that agentic coding tools are making migrations like this more practical, saying "porting code to Swift has never been easier," pointing to AI-assisted development workflows lowering the barrier for teams considering a move away from cross-platform stacks.
The SwiftUI session also covered a broad set of framework improvements. Apple is unifying SwiftUI, AppKit, and UIKit around a common foundation, so improvements made for Apple's own apps automatically benefit third-party developers. Nested stack layouts now resize up to twice as fast, state objects initialize lazily, and AsyncImage gains automatic HTTP caching.
SwiftUI also gains reorderable containers for drag-to-reorder in any container type, swipe actions inside any container, and full-fidelity text selection on iOS. On macOS, Text now supports custom renderers, text vibrancy, and vertical text.
Toolbar control is more granular, with a new visibilityPriority modifier, an overflow menu for deprioritized actions, and a topBarPinnedTrailing placement to anchor items to the trailing edge. A new document infrastructure adds first-class URL access for reading and writing to disk, and the ability to write only changed file portions on save.
Apple's annual WWDC developers conference is drawing to a close, but there is still a lot to look forward to in the second half of the year.
Apple is expected to release at least 15 more products later this year. Now that the more intelligent and personal version of Siri has finally arrived in beta, a full two years after Apple first previewed it at WWDC 2024, we should begin to see some new devices that were reportedly postponed until the new Siri was ready.
Beyond the usual annual updates to iPhones and Apple Watches in September, Apple's all-new smart home hub is expected to debut later this year. We are also expecting a foldable iPhone Ultra and long-awaited updates to the Apple TV, HomePod, and HomePod mini. And a redesigned MacBook Ultra with an OLED display is expected by early 2027.
Here is what to expect from Apple later this year, according to rumors.
Apple Watch Series 12: A faster S11 chip or newer, plus design changes such as Touch ID and/or more health sensors (disputed).
Apple Watch Ultra 4: A faster S11 chip or newer, plus design changes such as Touch ID and/or more health sensors (disputed). There may also be additional satellite features for the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and newer, such as Apple Maps via satellite and the ability to send and receive photos with Messages via satellite.
iPads
iPad 12: A16 chip → A18 chip or A19 chip with Apple Intelligence support.
Apple TV:A17 Pro chip with support for the more personalized Siri, and Apple's N1 chip with Wi-Fi 7 support. A built-in FaceTime camera has been rumored for a future Apple TV, but it is unclear if that will arrive with the next model.
HomePod mini:S9 chip or newer with support for the more personalized Siri, Apple's N1 chip with Wi-Fi 7 support, improved sound quality, a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, and potentially new color options like red.
Home Hub: An all-new smart home hub featuring the more personalized version of Siri, a 6-inch to 7-inch square display, an A18 chip for Apple Intelligence, FaceTime, and more. Place it on a table or mount it on a wall.
Apple introduced new content in its Fitness+ subscription service this week, including a new menopause-focused workout program.
Fitness+ gains "Strong Through Menopause," a progressive three-week program featuring weekly Yoga and Strength workouts designed to help users navigating perimenopause and menopause build strength, improve balance and mobility, and reduce stress. A new episode of Time to Walk also features actor Busy Philipps, who shares stories from her life including her own experience with perimenopause.
iOS 27 also brings several broader updates to the Health and Fitness apps. Users can now sort by completed Fitness+ workouts, route maps in the Fitness app are said to be more accurate following workouts, and step count is now synced between the Health and Fitness apps.
iOS 27 enables landscape mode in more of Apple's built-in iPhone apps, including Apple Music, Podcasts, Fitness, Health, Reminders, Home, Shortcuts, Apple Watch, Find My, Weather, Voice Memos, Apple TV Remote, and others.
In the Apple Music and Podcasts apps, landscape support is limited to the audio player for now.
Many of the apps feature a left-aligned sidebar in landscape mode. In the Messages app, which already supported landscape orientation on iOS 26 and earlier, you can now collapse the sidebar to show only names and profile pictures.
Landscape mode was already available on iOS 26 or earlier in Apple Maps, Calendar, Files, Notes, Mail, and some other Apple apps too, but iOS 27 expands support to many more apps. This change could be laying the groundwork for the "iPhone Ultra," as landscape-friendly apps would be well suited for the rumored foldable device.
iOS 27 also adds landscape support for Live Activities in the Dynamic Island.
To use landscape mode in a supported app, simply turn your iPhone sideways. Portrait Orientation Lock must be turned off in Control Center.
Landscape apps used to be more common on iOS many years ago. In fact, the Home Screen grid supported landscape orientation on the iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7 Plus, and iPhone 8 Plus, but that functionality ended with the iPhone X.
iOS 27 is currently in beta and is expected to be released in September, which is also when Apple reportedly plans to unveil the "iPhone Ultra."
Apple appears to have modified the audio of this week's WWDC 2026 keynote video whenever "Siri" was mentioned, apparently in an effort to prevent viewers' nearby devices from waking inadvertently during the presentation.
The technique was spotted by observers on X, who shared spectrogram screenshots showing clear gaps in those specific frequency ranges coinciding precisely with instances of the Siri name throughout the video. Apple appears to have cut out the 3kHz, 4kHz, 5kHz, and 6kHz frequency bands.
fun fact: tijdens de keynote hakt Apple een stukje 3k, 4k, 5k en 6kHz eruit wanneer ze "Siri" zeggen, zodat niet iedereens HomePods terug beginnen te praten 🗣️🚫 pic.twitter.com/x13WbNPztr
— luuk de leest (@luuk58) June 8, 2026
The approach is designed to defeat wake-word detection, which relies on recognizing the acoustic profile of phrases like "Siri" and Hey Siri." By surgically removing the frequencies that carry key phonetic energy in the word "Siri," Apple can reduce the likelihood that HomePods, iPhones, iPads, and Macs in a viewer's home will trigger while the keynote plays back.
The technique does not appear to have been fully effective, however, as multiple viewers reported their devices activating anyway during the stream.
In 2017, Amazon was found to use a similar approach in its Alexa TV commercials, notching out frequencies to avoid triggering Echo smart speakers in viewers' homes.
Apple software chief Craig Federighi used the WWDC 2026 keynote to draw a pointed contrast between Apple's approach to artificial intelligence and the broader industry, suggesting that some competitors are developing AI without meaningful consideration for the people using it.
During Monday's WWDC 2026 keynote, Federighi said:
AI is incredibly powerful technology. Still, some appear to be racing forward, seemingly pursuing AI for the sake of AI, without clear regard to the people, all of us, that it's ultimately meant to serve.
The remarks appeared to be aimed squarely at rivals including OpenAI, Google, and Meta, all of which have aggressively shipped AI products and services over the past two years. Federighi argued that Apple's conservative approach is more useful because it draws on personal context.
The comments arrived alongside Apple's unveiling of Siri AI, a ground-up rebuild of its digital assistant powered by the next generation of Apple Intelligence. Federighi described the effort as "a big leap forward," with "an innovative architecture that unlocks a new Siri across platforms."
The implicit dig at competitors carries some irony given Apple's own recent history with AI. The company spent the better part of two years struggling to deliver a meaningfully improved Siri, and earlier this year parted ways with John Giannandrea, its former head of AI and machine learning, following a prolonged restructuring of its AI teams.
Federighi pushed back against the idea that the new Siri is simply another "bolted-on chatbot," saying the company sees it as "an integral but conversational tool that you use in the moment." Privacy, he said, is "non-negotiable," with data used only to execute a user's request.
Apple's software updates previewed during WWDC 2026 this week have followed a distinct pattern: introduce a handful of key new features, while maintaining a focus on refining the underlying platform architecture. watchOS 27 is no different in this respect, with the majority of changes being performance improvements under the hood.
That said, one of the most obvious user-facing changes is a new dynamic app grid that surfaces and rearranges five apps based on your current context and general usage, with Siri as the centerpiece. Pressing the Digital Crown on your Apple Watch immediately invokes the grid, which appears whether you use the app grid or list view. If the dynamic grid doesn't surface the app you're looking for, a turn of the Digital Crown reveals your preferred view.
The change straddles the line between redesigned navigation and the efficiency-minded development that defines the rest of watchOS 27, since the grid aims to get you to the app you want, just faster. It's probably the most obvious change you'll actually see, but there are several others that happen out of sight. Apple says they include:
Better battery efficiency
Improved Wi-Fi connectivity
More efficient water detection
More accurate step tracking
Faster media playback
Faster app extension launches
As with the rest of Apple's software previews this week, though, you'll need reasonably recent hardware to see any of these enhancements.
watchOS 27 requires an iPhone 11 or later or iPhone SE (2nd generation or later) with iOS 27. The new software also requires one of the following Apple Watch models: Apple Watch SE 3, Apple Watch Series 9, 10, 11, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 or 3. In other words, watchOS 27 drops support for the Apple Watch Series 6, Series 7, and Series 8, along with the original Ultra and SE 2. Apple will release the new software in the fall.
Audible last month launched a connected subscription that lets members stream nearly 700 premium podcast titles directly within Apple Podcasts, available across 135 countries.
The integration gives Audible members ad-free access to an expansive catalog of Audible Originals spanning true crime, investigative journalism, celebrity-led audio dramas, and personal growth categories.
Titles available at launch include award-winning series like Dr. Death, American Scandal, Business Wars, Dying for Sex, and Hysterical, Reinvent Your Life with Mel Robbins, The Prophecy, and The Big Lie. Marshall Lewy, Head of Audible Content for North America, said:
By bringing Audible's distinctive catalog to Apple Podcasts, we're allowing members to find their favorite Originals where many of them already listen to their podcasts. And by making select shows and episodes available widely, we have the opportunity to introduce new listeners to the extraordinary audio storytelling Audible offers right inside the Apple Podcasts app.
Existing Audible members can access the integration by opening Apple Podcasts, where their subscription should connect automatically, or by searching for any Audible premium show and linking their account at no additional cost.
New subscribers can sign up directly through Apple Podcasts by searching for an Audible show such as Dr. Death and subscribing via the Audible app. Membership also unlocks standard Audible benefits including one audiobook per month and an unlimited listening library.
The full Audible channel on Apple Podcasts is available now in over 135 countries. Audible says the integration is expected to roll out to members in Australia, Japan, and Canada this month.
