With WWDC 2025 now firmly in the rear-view mirror, we've had a bit more time to digest all of Apple's announcements, dig deeper into the developer sessions and betas, and hear from Apple executives about this year's updates.
The Liquid Glass redesign is present pretty much across Apple's operating systems, but there are a lot more changes in store for the platforms as iPadOS has gotten more Mac-like, iOS has gotten new customizability options and features, and macOS Tahoe introduces some welcome changes, so read on below for all the details!
Apple Explains Why iPads Don't Just Run macOS
iPadOS 26 goes a long way toward satisfying power-users' requests for an operating system that matches the capabilities of the hardware, delivering a new windowing system, a menu bar, new apps, and more, so the question is naturally being asked about why Apple doesn't simply allow the iPad to run macOS at this point.
In an interview this week, Apple software engineering chief Craig Federighi said that iPadOS 26's new Mac-like features strike a good balance between productivity and simplicity. He added that macOS is not optimized for touch-screens, although rumors suggest that might change one day.
Apple Watch Ultra 3 Finally Coming After Two-Year Hiatus
Apple will finally deliver the Apple Watch Ultra 3 sometime this year, according to analyst Jeff Pu of GF Securities Hong Kong.
The analyst expects both the Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 to arrive this year (likely alongside the new iPhone 17 lineup, if previous launches are anything to go by), according to his latest product roadmap shared with investors.
It's been a long wait for Ultra fans. Apple skipped updating the rugged smartwatch entirely in 2024, choosing instead to simply add a black titanium color option to the existing Apple Watch Ultra 2. That means it will have been nearly two years when September rolls around since we've seen any meaningful changes to the Ultra lineup.
Apple's Terminal App Gets Colorful Redesign in macOS Tahoe
Apple's Terminal app is getting a visual refresh in macOS Tahoe, and it's the first notable design update since the command-line tool debuted.
The updated Terminal will support 24-bit color and Powerline fonts, according to Apple's Platforms State of the Union presentation at WWDC 2025. The app will also adopt the new Liquid Glass aesthetic with redesigned themes that align with macOS 26's broader visual overhaul.
iOS 26: Five Changes Coming to Your iPhone Lock Screen
With iOS 26, Apple has made some additions to the iPhone Lock Screen that aim to make it more customizable than ever.
Of course, things can always change before the software makes its way to the general iPhone-owning public, but as of the current developer beta there are some nice enhancements including an optional dynamically resizing time, a Spatial Scenes feature to turn your 2D photos into 3D wallpapers, animated album art while playing music, and more.
CarPlay on iOS 26: Here's Everything New
Apple last week announced iOS 26, and the upcoming software update includes many new features and changes for CarPlay.
The Liquid Glass redesign that spans Apple's new operating systems extends to CarPlay, while Messages on CarPlay gains support for pinned conversations and the ability to react with Tapbacks from the car's display. A new compact view means incoming phone calls will no longer take over the entire screen and hide other important information such as turn-by-directions, while widgets and Live Activities will expand the functionality available through CarPlay.
Google Says iOS 26 Copies Three Android Features
In the latest installment of its #BestPhonesForever series of ads promoting its Pixel phones, Google has poked fun at Apple for introducing several new phone features in iOS 26 that have existed on Pixel phones for years.
Live Translation, Call Screening, and Hold Assist were all featured in Apple's WWDC keynote, but nearly identical features are nothing new for Pixel users.
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