WWDC 2026 Live: Siri Updates, iOS 27, Tim Cook and More From Today’s Event – CNET

June 8, 2026 9:10 a.m. PT

We can be fairly confident about what will be announced: new versions of iOS, iPadOS, MacOS and WatchOS coming later this year, likely with beta versions that developers can download right after the show ends. Apple historically releases betas of its future software to the public in July.

Apple is expected to share updates on other projects, like integrating Google’s Gemini AI models into its Siri assistant and other upgrades to Apple Intelligence.

Google just showed off its Android XR smart glasses powered by Gemini AI at its developer conference, Google I/O, last month. One version of the smart specs will be on sale later this year. Rumors point to Apple having a handful of new products in the pipeline because it needs a more powerful, more useful version of Siri. We know that Apple will use Google’s foundation models for Gemini AI on Siri, and expect to see the results at WWDC.

But why is this new version of Siri so important? CNET Principal Writer Scott Stein says that this new Siri is the missing piece for Apple.

“I don’t particularly love being enveloped in AI, or the resource drain both environmentally and economically that AI is causing right now. But a next generation of assistive wearable devices that Apple seems ready to build needs a different level of AI,” Scott writes in a commentary about Siri and future Apple products.

He points out in the story that while Apple could lean on its hardware to power a more potent version of Apple Intelligence, the company would still be missing a key innovation.

During Tim Cook’s tenure as CEO, Apple has launched the Apple Watch, AirPods, Apple Silicon, Apple Music, the Apple TV streaming service and its AI, Apple Intelligence. While companies like OpenAI, Google and Microsoft seem to be on another level with their AI efforts, Apple has said it’s being purposely deliberate about what AI tools it rolls out.

For the last few years, just ahead of WWDC, the Apple Park visitor center and welcome center have added new apparel. And WWDC 2026 looks to be no different.

Apple isn’t a sentimental company; it often under-celebrates its history in favor of keeping its focus on what’s next. But you can’t help but wonder if the company will take a moment to say “goodbye” to Cook at WWDC, while saying “hello” to an AI-powered overhaul of Siri.

Read more: WWDC Will Be Tim Cook’s Swan Song. I Expect Something Siri-ous

The iPhone is only as good as its software. WWDC is historically where we get a preview of the next version of iOS coming to our Apple phones in the fall. The new software, likely called iOS 27, will be introduced to us in a matter of hours. And while AI will no doubt be a part of it, CNET Writer Nelson Aguilar would rather Apple forego adding more AI and instead use iOS 27 as a chance to fix everyday annoyances that persist on the iPhone.

“I want to find buried settings without going on an archaeological dig. I want clipboard history so that one accidental copy doesn’t erase the thing I needed. And I want notification controls that don’t make me choose between missing something important and letting every app annoy me,” Nelson writes.

Read more: I Don’t Care About iOS 27’s AI Tricks, Give Me These 3 Useful iPhone Features Instead

Last month, Google unveiled its new mobile AI capabilities, Gemini Intelligence, which can handle menial tasks such as filling out forms and scheduling appointments. And yes, the name Gemini Intelligence sounds a lot like Apple Intelligence (which itself is just a play on artificial intelligence). The two companies will share more than just similar-sounding names for their AI suites, as Apple is also integrating Gemini foundation models into its smarter Siri. 

It’s clear Apple has been hesitant to release the long-promised upgraded Siri until it’s in the right place. That delay has understandably led to some frustrations among consumers, as evidenced by a $250 million lawsuit. But it also makes sense, given general trepidation about AI being dumped onto practically every new device. 

Apple appears less concerned about being lauded for its AI efforts than ensuring those AI features are fully capable. So tapping into Google’s well-established AI expertise is likely a smart move, though one that surely requires swallowing some pride. Ultimately, it should give iPhone owners the best possible Siri experience.

With Siri expected to dominate the WWDC 2026 keynote, any WatchOS 27 updates are likely to take a back seat. And that might not be a big loss, considering what the Apple Watch could be building toward. While competitors like Google, Oura and Whoop are using AI coaches and dashboards to deliver insights after the fact, Apple is in a unique position to make real-time coaching a reality.

The pieces are already in place for Apple with years of biometric data, a privacy-first approach to health, a coaching platform through Fitness Plus and the first glimpse of AI-powered guidance with Workout Buddy — a feature trained on real Fitness Plus coaches that delivers data-driven motivation in your ear during workouts.

Actual guidance, in the moment when it matters most, backed by data to support it, could be the competitive edge that puts Apple ahead of the game in the personal health race. 

It’s unlikely Apple will unveil this type of coach at this year’s developer conference, but we’ll be watching closely for the breadcrumbs. Read my full WatchOS 27 and AI health coach breakdown for more.

The next iteration of Mac software, likely called MacOS 27, is expected to be shown off at WWDC. While there are rumors that the new OS will get a revamped Siri and have MacOS 26’s Liquid Display aesthetic pulled back a bit, for people still using Intel-powered Macs and MacBooks, MacOS 27 won’t support their machines.

Or as CNET Senior Editor Matt Elliott put it in his rumor story ahead of WWDC, “Basically, if you have a prepandemic Mac, it’s not making the leap to MacOS 27 and will need to stay on MacOS 26 Tahoe.”

Does this mean you need to buy a new computer? No.

“It’s not all bad news if you’d like to squeeze out another year or two of your Intel Mac,” Matt notes. “Apple will continue to issue security updates to Intel-based Macs for three more years.”

Read Matt’s full MacOS 27 preview for more on what to expect at WWDC for Macs.

Apple hasn’t said a word about the long-rumored foldable iPhone, and it’s unlikely we’ll hear anything about it at WWDC 2026, given the focus on software. But some of the OS updates we see on Monday could hint at what’s to come. How might Apple modify iOS to work seamlessly across a larger, tablet-like screen — and across two different screens?

Companies like Samsung, which have been in the book-style foldable space for years, have nailed features like split-screen functionality for up to three apps (with significant help from Google and its Android team). Meanwhile, newcomers like Motorola’s Razr Fold only support up to two apps simultaneously, with no flexible resizing option. Apple will likely want to nail all those minute details before shipping a fresh iPhone design. But there’s hope: The iPad’s split-screen feature supports up to four active windows.

Apple tends to prioritize perfection over speed when it comes to new releases. But perhaps we’ll see little nuggets of features that work well across, say, both the iPhone and the iPad. That could offer a glimpse into how this rumored hybrid device might work.

Apple’s WWDC 2026 keynote will be held at Apple Park, the company’s headquarters in Cupertino, California. Those of us not attending in person can watch the event from home on Apple’s website, the Apple TV app or the company’s YouTube channel. 

The WWDC 2026 keynote will kick off at 10 a.m. PT on June 8, and we expect current CEO Tim Cook to host the event for the last time. After that, there’s a Platforms State of the Union for software developers at 1 p.m. PT, followed by the conference breaking into various developer-focused talks and presentations.

WatchOS 27 is expected to bring more accurate heart rate tracking, new watch faces and modest battery improvements to the Apple Watch. But even the most efficient software update won’t close the gap that’s costing Apple ground in the health tracking race.

The Apple Watch is one of the most accurate smartwatches on the market — as proven by our 30-mile heart rate test. A growing number of people are choosing Oura Rings and Whoop bands, which can be worn for days or weeks, respectively. When it comes to recovery metrics and long-term health trends, both of which Oura and Whoop excel at, wearing it consistently matters just as much as accuracy.

If Apple wants to build a holistic health platform and AI coach, it’s going to need to figure out how to consistently get that data, especially overnight, when most recovery data is collected. 

The Apple Watch owns the day-to-day, notifications and workouts, but if it wants the full picture and long-term assessments, it might need a screenless companion like a ring or band to handle the night. Read my full analysis on why Apple needs a full AI health coach on the Apple Watch for more

Ahead of WWDC 2026, the CNET Group kicked off the Big Guessing Game contest across its websites — CNET, Lifehacker, Mashable, PCMag and ZDNet. Over three rounds, readers get to predict what Apple might release in 2026. Each answer counts as an entry into a drawing to win the latest Apple Watch expected this fall. 

The first round of the Big Guessing Game has wrapped, and it was all about Apple software and WWDC. Among the handful of questions readers answered, one stood out for its nearly unanimous result.

“Whether Apple’s incoming CEO, John Ternus, will speak at the event is still unknown,” writes CNET senior editor, Dashia Milden, in her story sharing our readers’ responses. “The vast majority of CNET readers (96%) believe Ternus will speak during Monday’s keynote, while 4% think he won’t.”

Apple debuted the Vision Pro, a $3,499 VR headset, in 2024. It’s an odd device in the company’s lineup, being both incredibly cutting-edge and having a very niche appeal. Rumors about future versions are mixed, suggesting Apple will likely pursue AR smart glasses, competing with those from Meta and Google, rather than another headset.

But the company still sells the Vision Pro, and for the folks who own one, there’s a lot Apple can do to improve it. One of those Vision Pro wearers is CNET’s Principal Writer Scott Stein, who thinks VisionOS 27 might be the key to unleashing the headset’s full potential and solving some of its current limitations.

“While AirPods connect with it, and Macs can extend monitors or even stream Mac apps to the headset, iPhones, iPads and Watches are strangely left out, except for casting iPhone/iPad screens via AirPlay,” Scott writes in his VisionOS 27 preview story.

He also thinks that the device with the smallest screen in the company’s lineup might be the most important one for VisionOS 27 to support.

“The Apple Watch is maybe the most egregious piece left out: It’s literally a wristworn control panel with motion tracking, and it could be a brilliant interface with the Vision Pro if Apple let it,” he exclaims.

Read Scott’s full VisionOS 27 story for all the things he thinks Apple should do.

Ever since Tim Cook announced in April that he’d be stepping down as CEO, the countdown to his planned exit in September began, ahead of the expected iPhone 18 launch. What became Cook’s last year coincided with Apple’s 50th anniversary (which, in hindsight, doesn’t seem like a coincidence), complete with celebrations like a private concert with Paul McCartney.

Given those revelries, we can expect some send-offs at WWDC lauding Cook’s 15 years steering the ship. Apple’s mid-year developer show is always about looking ahead to the next big software updates, but we’d expect some looks back at Cook’s legacy. It’s easy to forget the uncertainty surrounding Cook’s ascension, which coincided with Apple co-founder Steve Jobs’ passing, but the logistics master leaves the company a multi-trillion-dollar success, with a limited but steady embrace of AI in its software and new products like the iPhone Fold on the horizon. 

With that legacy of stability, we don’t expect much to change at Cook’s last WWDC: more software focused on incremental, continued refinement of the company’s operating systems. For the modest Cook, one last wave as the Apple juggernaut steams ahead seems fitting.