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Apple today revealed that iOS 26 is compatible with the iPhone 11 series and newer.

iOS 26 Feature
iOS 26 is compatible with the following iPhone models:

  • iPhone 16e
  • iPhone 16
  • iPhone 16 Plus
  • iPhone 16 Pro
  • iPhone 16 Pro Max
  • iPhone 15
  • iPhone 15 Plus
  • iPhone 15 Pro
  • iPhone 15 Pro Max
  • iPhone 14
  • iPhone 14 Plus
  • iPhone 14 Pro
  • iPhone 14 Pro Max
  • iPhone 13
  • iPhone 13 mini
  • iPhone 13 Pro
  • iPhone 13 Pro Max
  • iPhone 12
  • iPhone 12 mini
  • iPhone 12 Pro
  • iPhone 12 Pro Max
  • iPhone 11
  • iPhone 11 Pro
  • iPhone 11 Pro Max
  • iPhone SE (2nd generation and later)

Of course, iOS 26 will also be compatible with all future iPhone 17 models.

This means that iOS 18 is the final software version that supports the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR, although those devices will continue to receive important security updates from Apple for at least a few more years.

iOS 26 features an all-new Liquid Glass design and so much more.

The first iOS 26 developer beta is available starting today, and a public beta will be available next month, according to Apple.

Related Roundup: WWDC 2025

If you were hoping for the more personalized version of Siri to launch soon, Apple today said that you will have to keep waiting.

iOS 18 Siri Personal Context
During the WWDC 2025 keynote today, Apple's software engineering chief Craig Federighi said that the company will share more details about the personalized Siri features in the coming year, signaling that they are still not ready.

"As we've shared, we're continuing our work to deliver the features that make Siri even more personal," said Federighi. "This work needed more time to reach our high quality bar, and we look forward to sharing more about it in the coming year."

Federighi's commentary indicates that the personalized Siri features will not be available for testing in the first iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS 26 developer betas.

Apple first previewed the personalized Siri features during its WWDC 2024 keynote last June. The enhancements were initially expected to launch with iOS 18.4 a few months ago, but in March, Apple said they were delayed.

Whenever they launch, the Siri upgrades will include understanding of a user's personal context, on-screen awareness, and deeper per-app controls. For example, during its WWDC 2024 keynote, Apple showed an iPhone user asking Siri about their mother's flight and lunch reservation plans based on info from the Mail and Messages apps.

The promised Siri upgrades will require an iPhone that supports Apple Intelligence.

Related Roundup: WWDC 2025

Apple today announced a complete redesign of all of its major software platforms called "Liquid Glass."

liquid glass
Announced simultaneously for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, visionOS, and CarPlay, Liquid Glass forms a new universal design language for the first time. At its WWDC 2025 keynote address, Apple's software chief Craig Federighi said "Apple Silicon has become dramatically more powerful enabling software, materials and experiences we once could only dream of."

Inspired by visionOS, Liquid Glass is layered throughout the system and features rounded corners have been matched to the curved screens of the devices. It behaves just like glass in the real world and morphs when you need more options or move between views.

safari liquid glass
App icons have been totally redesigned with multiple layers of Liquid Glass, and there is a new clear look that sits alongside light mode and dark mode. Apple also showcased design changes to the Camera app, Photos, Safari, Phone, FaceTime, and more.

liquid glass music lock screen
The Lock Screen now features options for a clock that dynamically changes in size depending on how much space is available, 3D photos, and more. Animated album art can now take up the entire Lock Screen. Apple says the new Liquid Glass design language sets the stage for years to come.

Apple at WWDC today announced Foundation Models Framework, a new API allowing third-party developers to leverage the large language models at the heart of Apple Intelligence and build it into their apps.

foundation models framework
With the Foundation Models Framework, developers can integrate Apple's on-device models directly into apps, allowing them to build on Apple Intelligence.

"Last year, we took the first steps on a journey to bring users intelligence that's helpful, relevant, easy to use, and right where users need it, all while protecting their privacy. Now, the models that power Apple Intelligence are becoming more capable and efficient, and we're integrating features in even more places across each of our operating systems," said Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of Software Engineering. "We're also taking the huge step of giving developers direct access to the on-device foundation model powering Apple Intelligence, allowing them to tap into intelligence that is powerful, fast, built with privacy, and available even when users are offline. We think this will ignite a whole new wave of intelligent experiences in the apps users rely on every day. We can't wait to see what developers create."

The Foundation Models framework lets developers build AI-powered features that work offline, protect privacy, and incur no inference costs. For example, an education app can generate quizzes from user notes on-device, and an outdoors app can offer offline natural language search.

Apple says the framework is available for testing starting today through the Apple Developer Program at developer.apple.com, and a public beta will be available through the Apple Beta Software Program next month at beta.apple.com. It includes built-in features like guided generation and tool calling for easy integration of generative capabilities into existing apps.

Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) starts today with the traditional keynote kicking things off at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. MacRumors is on hand for the event and we'll be sharing details and our thoughts throughout the day.

WWDC25 Live Coverage Feature 1
We're expecting to see a number of software-related announcements led by a design revamp across Apple's platforms that will also see the numbering of all of them unified under "26" branding. We should also be hearing more about Apple's AI initiatives, although perhaps a bit more restrained compared to last year's ambitious unveilings that have yet to fully come to fruition.

Apple is providing a live video stream on its website, on YouTube, and in the company's TV and Developer apps across its platforms. We will also be updating this article with live blog coverage and issuing Twitter updates through our @MacRumorsLive account as the keynote unfolds. Highlights from the event and separate news stories regarding today's announcements will go out through our @MacRumors account.

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Live blog transcript ahead...

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Related Roundup: WWDC 2025

WWDC 2025 is officially underway, and Apple has shared more playlists that you can listen to throughout the weeklong developer conference.

wwdc25 playlists feature
In addition to the WWDC25 Hello playlist, Apple has released three more playlists on Apple Music: WWDC25 Power Up, WWDC25 Sunshine, and WWDC25 Jazz.

The artwork for each playlist further hints at iOS 26's rumored Liquid Glass design with glassy, see-through user interface elements.

Less than two hours to go until Apple's keynote.



Thanks, @emty2001!

Related Roundup: WWDC 2025

Apple's WWDC 2025 begins today, with the event kicking off at 10:00 am Pacific Time via the traditional opening keynote. We know that some MacRumors readers who can't follow the event as it's being broadcast are interested in avoiding all of the announcements and waiting until the event video is available for on-demand viewing so as to experience it without already knowing the outcome.

wwdc 2025 watch today
For those individuals, we've posted this news story, which will be updated with a direct link to the presentation once it becomes available from Apple. No other news stories or announcements will be displayed alongside this story.

Replays of Apple's recent events have been made available to view almost immediately following the conclusion of the broadcasts, and we expect similar timing for today's event.

Users waiting for the video to be posted are welcome to gather in the thread associated with this news story, and we ask that those who follow the events as they occur refrain from making any posts about Apple's announcements in this thread.

Update: The full video is available on Apple's website as a direct link to the video file with no spoilers.

WWDC 2025 is officially here, with Apple set to kick off its annual developer conference with its opening keynote at 10 a.m. Pacific Time today.

WWDC 2025 Apple Logo
Apple is set to announce its latest software updates, ranging from iOS 26 to macOS Tahoe, and there could always be a surprise or two in store.

Below, we recap five key rumors heading into WWDC 2025:

  1. iOS 26 instead of iOS 19, with a new Liquid Glass design, preinstalled Games and Preview apps, a simplified Phone app, several new features for the Messages app, and many other changes. iPadOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26, and tvOS 26 are expected to have similar design changes as iOS 26.
  2. No new hardware… probably? A new AirTag is on the horizon, but it is unclear if Apple will announce it during the WWDC 2025 keynote. And while Apple has possibly trademarked homeOS, the idea that it might unveil its long-rumored smart home hub today is merely hopeful speculation at this point.
  3. The more personalized version of Siri is reportedly still delayed, but some other Apple Intelligence enhancements are expected to be introduced today, such as Mixmoji and a revamped Shortcuts app.
  4. iPads may work more like a Mac. For example, it has been rumored that at least some iPad models running iPadOS 26 will show a macOS-like menu bar while the device is connected to a Magic Keyboard.
  5. macOS Tahoe is apparently the name of Apple's next Mac operating system, which might drop support for several Intel-based Macs.

Stay tuned for in-depth coverage of all of Apple's announcements today.

Related Roundup: WWDC 2025

Apple recently announced that it will be opening a freshly remodeled store at La Encantada in Tucson, Arizona, on Saturday, June 14.

iPhone 16 Apple Store Levels
The grand re-opening will take place at 10 a.m. local time:

We're making moves. Come with us. Apple La Encantada opens June 14, at 10:00 a.m.

Apple La Encantada first opened in 2004, and it closed in November 2024 for renovations. Apple opened a temporary store at the outdoor mall in the interim, and now the original location will be reopening with a modern design and a larger layout than before.

We have not seen any photos of the remodeled store, but expect more wood paneling and an Apple Pickup station for online orders.

A newly published Apple Machine Learning Research study has challenged the prevailing narrative around AI "reasoning" large-language models like OpenAI's o1 and Claude's thinking variants, revealing fundamental limitations that suggest these systems aren't truly reasoning at all.

ml research apple
For the study, rather than using standard math benchmarks that are prone to data contamination, Apple researchers designed controllable puzzle environments including Tower of Hanoi and River Crossing. This allowed a precise analysis of both the final answers and the internal reasoning traces across varying complexity levels, according to the researchers.

The results are striking, to say the least. All tested reasoning models – including o3-mini, DeepSeek-R1, and Claude 3.7 Sonnet – experienced complete accuracy collapse beyond certain complexity thresholds, and dropped to zero success rates despite having adequate computational resources. Counterintuitively, the models actually reduce their thinking effort as problems become more complex, suggesting fundamental scaling limitations rather than resource constraints.

Perhaps most damning, even when researchers provided complete solution algorithms, the models still failed at the same complexity points. Researchers say this indicates the limitation isn't in problem-solving strategy, but in basic logical step execution.

Models also showed puzzling inconsistencies – succeeding on problems requiring 100+ moves while failing on simpler puzzles needing only 11 moves.

The research highlights three distinct performance regimes: standard models surprisingly outperform reasoning models at low complexity, reasoning models show advantages at medium complexity, and both approaches fail completely at high complexity. The researchers' analysis of reasoning traces showed inefficient "overthinking" patterns, where models found correct solutions early but wasted computational budget exploring incorrect alternatives.

The take-home of Apple's findings is that current "reasoning" models rely on sophisticated pattern matching rather than genuine reasoning capabilities. It suggests that LLMs don't scale reasoning like humans do, overthinking easy problems and thinking less for harder ones.

The timing of the publication is notable, having emerged just days before WWDC 2025, where Apple is expected to limit its focus on AI in favor of new software designs and features, according to Bloomberg.

Just hours away from WWDC’s opening keynote, some developers have been sharing the contents of their conference swag bags on social media. The bags are given to attendees when they register for the event, and typically contain limited-edition Apple gifts.

wwdc 2025 arch
This year, developers have been registering at Apple's Infinite Loop campus, where they have been gifted a black tote bag emblazoned with the WWDC 2025 logo, along with a gun-metal black drinks flask, a purple lanyard, and collectible enamel pins.

Apple introduced the popular pin packs at WWDC 2017 and kicked off collections with the old rainbow-themed Apple logo, the "hello" Mac greeting, the Swift and Metal logos, the original Macintosh, and emojis. Attendees also received a flag pin of their home country.

Among the various pins this year are the Apple Intelligence logo, the "hello" Mac greeting, the Metal logo, California roses, and what looks like an octopus emoji. Attendees also receive a WWDC 25 badge.


MacRumors will be in attendance at the keynote, with live coverage of the event beginning shortly after 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. Stay tuned to MacRumors.com and our @MacRumorsLive account on X (Twitter). We've also put together a guide explaining all the ways you can watch Apple's WWDC 2025 Keynote live as it happens.

The next version of Chrome that Google is currently testing drops support for devices running iOS 16, meaning it will be the end of the road for the browser on iPhone X and iPhone 8 models.

Chrome Feature 22
Apple dropped support for these devices when it released iOS 17, which Chrome will require to install. Likewise, the upcoming Chrome v138.7204.13 requires iPadOS 17 to run, so the browser will drop support for the iPad 5, iPad Pro (9.7-inch), and iPad Pro 12.9-inch (1st generation).

The upcoming Chrome is currently undergoing beta testing in TestFlight, but it's not clear when Google will release it. The current version includes support for tab groups on iPad, as well as Google Password Manager syncing for iPhone and iPad, along with stability and performance improvements.

Tag: Chrome

Apple is working on an Apple Music reboot focused around AI, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The reporter made the comments during a Discord chat over the weekend.

apple music
Gurman didn't eleborate, except to say that Apple has no release ETA for the reboot, suggesting Apple won't mention it at WWDC this week. Turning to rivals like Spotify for inspiration, AI features could potentially include AI-produced playlists or an "AI DJ," but that's just speculation.

What is expected to be previewed for the Apple Music app this week is support for full screen animated art on the Lock Screen. The current Now Playing view tints the Lock Screen based on album art, but in iOS 26, album art could be even larger.

For all the other things we're expecting from iOS 26 and Apple's other software platforms, check out our comprehensive WWDC preview guide.

Apple's rumored AI-powered battery management feature may not be announced at WWDC as part of iOS 26, with Apple potentially launching the tool in tandem with the release of the iPhone 17 Air in September. That's according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who made the prediction while hosting a Discord chat over the weekend.

iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature
Gurman reported in May that Apple plans to use AI to help you better manage your iPhone's battery life. iOS 26 will have an AI-powered battery management option that will analyze how you use your device and make adjustments where possible to cut down on battery usage.

According to the report, the battery option will be included in the Apple Intelligence suite of features, with Apple drawing on battery data that it has collected from users over time. The battery mode will be able to cut the power draw of apps and other system features based on device usage, and it will also include a Lock Screen indicator that shows how long it will take an ‌iPhone‌ charge.

Gurman has previously acknowledged that the new battery management tool was designed with the super-slim iPhone 17 Air in mind, but this is the first time he has suggested the feature may not arrive until the device is released later in the fall.

Apple's new ultra-thin ‌iPhone‌ doesn't have as much space for a battery inside, and some rumors have suggested that the ‌iPhone 17 Air‌'s battery will not be up to par with the battery life of other iPhone 17 models. Apple plans to improve ‌iPhone 17 Air‌ battery life with the AI optimizations, though the feature set will be available for all iPhones that are able to run iOS 26.

Apple will highlight its AI strategy at Monday's WWDC 2025 keynote, with its much-talked-about "Liquid Glass" software redesign playing a secondary role in announcements, claims industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Should Apple Kill Siri Feature
Reports leading up to WWDC have indicated that iOS 26 will feature a major design overhaul inspired by visionOS, the operating system for Apple's Vision Pro headset. The redesign has been described as the biggest update to iOS since iOS 7, and it will be the main focus of the event.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has even suggested that Apple will use the "Liquid Glass" redesign to distract from its failure to roll out promised Apple Intelligence features – like a more personalised, context-aware Siri, which was heavily promoted at last year's developer conference and in the months thereafter, but turned out to be vaporware since it did not work as advertised in internal testing.

However, in a last-minute "key points to watch at WWDC" post on X, Kuo has argued that above all at this year's event, Apple will make pains to explain how upcoming AI features will work on devices ("though no major breakthroughs are expected") and that the company will even offer a development timeline for their launch.

According to Kuo, Apple's on-device AI focus will "likely" include "rebranding Apple Intelligence/Siri," demonstrations of AI integration at the OS level to improve user experience, the rollout of tools for third-party developers to incorporate AI into their apps (which we're already expecting), and a strengthening of privacy protections.

Lastly, Kuo says Apple will tout partnerships with other AI service providers, similar to its current deal with OpenAI to leverage ChatGPT via Siri. This is probably an allusion to Apple's reported partnership with Google to make Gemini an optional Siri extension, with ‌Siri‌ able to hand requests over to Gemini for more in-depth AI-powered answers.

Move Over Siri?

Kuo's predictions raise some intriguing questions. The argument has been put forward that the Siri brand is tarnished, and introducing a new AI chatbot powered by large language models under a new brand would signify a clean break from the past. But if Apple were to rebrand Apple Intelligence/Siri, this could be interpreted as an implicit acknowledgement that its original AI strategy has failed.

There is also the danger that Siri is already indelibly intertwined with Apple Intelligence in the public consciousness. Given the amount of marketing that has been spent on Apple Intelligence, or "AI for the rest of us," as Apple calls it, it's fair to react to Kuo's claim about a rebranding with some skepticism.

If Apple does have plans to rebrand Siri to launch the AI chatbot it has been working on – said to be on par with recent ChatGPT models – then a new name and persona for the virtual assistant could potentially revitalize its image. But Apple would have to ensure that any new product lives up to its promises, otherwise another misstep could be potentially disastrous.

Either way, we'll learn more about Apple's plans very soon.

Apple's WWDC 2025 keynote will begin on Monday, June 9 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. Apple will live stream the event on its website, on YouTube, and in the TV app. If you're not able to watch live, we'll have a live blog and coverage of the announcements here at MacRumors, plus we'll be live tweeting the event on the MacRumorsLive account.

iOS 26's shimmery new Liquid Glass design will be a precursor to the 20th-anniversary iPhone, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Beyond iPhone 13 Better Triad
In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said that the 20th-anniversary iPhone will feature curved glass edges, extraordinarily slim bezels, and a truly edge-to-edge screen with no cutout. Inside Apple, he said that the device is known as the "Glasswing," in reference to a type of butterfly that has transparent wings.

The new iOS design will pair nicely with the simplistic, all-glass 20th-anniversary iPhone, which is expected to launch in September 2027.

The new Liquid Glass design will be unveiled during Apple's WWDC 2025 keynote this Monday.

Apple's long-rumored AirTag 2 might be coming soon.

AirTag Backpack
In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman briefly mentioned that a new AirTag is "nearly ready" to launch. Last year, he said that it would be released around the middle of 2025, and the midpoint of the year is just a few weeks away.

"The new AirTag is nearly ready, having been prepared for launch over the past several months, but I'd hardly consider that notable and it doesn't make much sense to debut at WWDC," wrote Gurman, in the Q&A section of his newsletter.

Three upgrades have been rumored for the AirTag 2 so far:

No major AirTag design changes are expected.

The original AirTag was announced during an Apple Event in April 2021. In the U.S., an individual AirTag costs $29, and a set of four costs $99.

The start date for Apple's annual Back to School promotion has been leaked.

Apple 2024 Back to School Offer
In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that Apple is planning to launch the promotion in the U.S. on Tuesday, June 17 this year. He has accurately revealed the starting date of the promotion for the past three consecutive years.

The promotion will likely launch in the U.S. and Canada at first, followed by select countries in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia a few weeks later. The offer will likely be available until mid-September, with the exact end date varying by country.

Apple will once again be offering students and qualifying educational staff a complimentary gift card with the purchase of an eligible Mac or iPad, according to Gurman. Last year, the gift card values in the U.S. ranged between $100 and $150.

The free gift card is provided in addition to Apple's standard year-round educational discounts, with eligible students and educational staff already able to receive up to 10% off of a new Mac, iPad, Studio Display, Pro Display XDR, and AppleCare+ plans.

The gift card can be used towards purchases of Apple products and accessories, App Store apps, subscriptions to services like Apple Music, iCloud+ storage, and more.

The offer is typically available through Apple's online education store, and at Apple Store locations, for students attending or accepted to a higher-education institution, faculty and staff of higher-education institutions, parents purchasing on behalf of an eligible student, employees of a K-12 institution, and select other groups.