For the first time since 2013’s iOS 7 release, Apple is completely redesigning iOS. Yesterday at the Apple Park HQ in Cupertino, California, the tech giant’s eagerly-awaited WWDC 2025 saw Apple unveil its latest software overhaul: iOS 26 — a jump from iOS 18, marking a shift in Apple’s nomenclature as reported by EnterpriseAM last month. “Delightful and elegant,” as described in Apple’s latest press release, the iPhone maker’s “Liquid Glass” software design is set to make its way to the entire ecosystem, including iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, watchOS 26, and tvOS 26.

More than just shiny new buttons. Aesthetically speaking, the upcoming iOS 26 — slated for public release in September, and beta release in July — promises a silky smooth UI experience with translucent app icons that seamlessly adapt to light, full-screen Safari browsing, and completely redesigned minimal camera and photos apps.

So, what does the new iOS offer beyond aesthetics? Surprisingly, not that much. One feature in particular has been met with mass approval — call screening. To vet out spam calls, Apple’s upcoming feature will allow you to avoid spam callers by having a “a synthetic voice” ask the caller for basic information, like who they are and what they want, saving you the trouble of having to deal with the guilt of hanging up on your fourth telemarketer of the day. The WWDC 25 keynote also unveiled an entirely new multitasking system for iPad OS, bringing the handheld flagship one step closer to Apple’s own MacOS.

But the real question is, where’s the AI-backed Siri? The WWDC 25 keynote comes hot on the heels of Google’s I/O 2025 event, in which the search monopolizer unveiled its controversial AI Mode. Whether or not Google’s high ambitions managed to land, there was still a considerable amount of pressure put on Apple to live up to Google’s innovations — and their own AI promises from last year. Apple did introduce a few new features “powered by Apple Intelligence,” namely call screening and live translation during calls, but when it came to Siri, it was crickets all around…

Apple’s failure to give consumers and stakeholders updates on its AI-backed Siri may have cost them quite a lot… USD 75 bn to be exact. According to Business Insider, Apple stock unexpectedly fell more than 2.5% six minutes into the keynote, dropping from just under USD 206 to under USD 201 — the equivalent of USD 75 bn in market value. The drop immediately followed Apple Software Chief Craig Federighi’s vague announcement that Apple is “[looking] forward to sharing more about [Siri] in the coming year." As of publication, the stock price is hovering around USD 201.5.

Now that iOS 26 is out of the way, when can you expect the new iPhones? Apple’s long-standing tradition of iPhone announcements in September is expected to be upheld this year — before following a split release schedule beginning 2026 — with the redesigned iPhone 17 lineup seeing the light this fall.

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