Apple will let users learn more about what’s on their iPhone screens via Visual Intelligence [File]
| Photo Credit: REUTERS

Apple unveiled upgrades to operating systems across its devices on Monday, including overhauled visual elements, a fresh naming system for software updates and new features in its Apple Intelligence suite.

At its annual Worldwide Developers Conference, the company also said it would open up the underlying technology it uses for Apple Intelligence to developers.

These are some of the key announcements from the event:

Liquid Glass

Apple is rolling out a new “Liquid Glass” design language across its software, bringing sleek translucence and a glass-like shine to app interfaces.

Inspired by visionOS on the Vision Pro augmented reality device, the design adapts to light and dark modes and reacts dynamically to movement using real-time rendering.

The new design will be implemented in buttons, sliders, media controls and larger elements such as tab bars and sidebars, along with matching redesigned toolbars and navigation.

Apple is releasing updated Application Programming Interfaces so that developers can begin adapting their apps ahead of the new design rollout later this year.

Apple iOS 26

This year’s major iOS release would have originally been called iOS 19, following the usual sequence after iOS 18.

However, Apple is now changing its naming convention: future iOS versions will be numbered based on the year following their release—similar to how car manufacturers name new models.

Several parts of the operating systems are getting a major visual overhaul as part of the redesign.

The Phone app now includes call screening, allowing it to answer calls or wait on hold for you. The Messages app is also getting updates that include customisable chat backgrounds.

Apple also said it would add generative AI to its Xcode coding tools that can help developers write code, test it and resolve errors. The company said it would add other coding models such as ChatGPT to Xcode.

Apple Intelligence

New additions to the operating system include Live Translation, which uses on-device AI models to translate conversations in real time, in text messages, phone calls or FaceTime.

Apple Pay is also getting Apple Intelligence integration, enabling it to track orders even for purchases made outside Apple Pay.

Meanwhile, Image Playground is getting a boost with a new feature that allows users to generate images with the help of OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

Apple will now allow developers to tap into its on-device foundational model for their own apps. Through the new Foundation Models framework, developers can build intelligent, privacy-focused experiences that work offline too.

Visual Intelligence

Apple will also let users learn more about what’s on their iPhone screens via Visual Intelligence.

Users can search across Google, Etsy and other supported apps to find visually similar images or products. If the tool detects that you’re viewing an event, iOS 26 will suggest adding it to your calendar.

This feature will be accessible using the same button combination used to take a screenshot on an iPhone.