Apple opens its Worldwide Developers Conference today with a keynote presentation at 1PM ET – the company’s primary annual stage for announcing software updates across all of its platforms. The event is streaming live on YouTube and Apple’s website. This year’s presentation is expected to cover iOS 27, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS, with the headline item being a significant rebuild of Siri that Apple has been working toward for over a year.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who has closely tracked the development, the revamped Siri will launch at this conference after repeated delays. The updated assistant is expected to include a version powered by Google’s Gemini model, a dedicated standalone Siri app, and a new chat bubble interface that surfaces from the Dynamic Island on compatible iPhones.
Apple may also announce an option allowing users to designate a preferred third-party AI model – including OpenAI’s ChatGPT – as their default assistant, a move that would mark a notable shift in how Apple positions its own AI offering relative to competitors.
Beyond Siri, iOS 27 is expected to bring Google Cast support – allowing iPhones to stream to non-Apple devices using the widely supported protocol – alongside a bill-splitting feature in the Wallet and Messages apps that uses receipt photos to divide costs.
The Camera app is rumored to receive a redesign that adds a dedicated Siri mode for visual intelligence tasks. Apple Health is also expected to gain AI-powered features, and Image Playground, the generative image tool Apple introduced in 2024, is in line for a redesign.
An AI wallpaper generation feature has also been reported. On macOS, adjustments to the Liquid Glass interface design introduced last year and general performance improvements are expected, with the changes described as refinements rather than a full visual overhaul.
Apple’s AI Moment – or Another Delay
The Siri announcement carries unusual weight this year because Apple’s AI rollout has moved significantly slower than the company signaled at its 2024 WWDC, where it introduced Apple Intelligence and promised deeper Siri integration with third-party apps and on-device personal context.
Many of those features either launched late, shipped in limited form, or were quietly deferred. The gap between Apple’s stated AI roadmap and its actual delivery has become a recurring story for the company over the past eighteen months, and today’s keynote is being watched closely for whether it closes that gap or continues to reframe it.
The Gemini integration is particularly significant. Apple partnering with Google for AI capabilities – while simultaneously offering users the option to route to ChatGPT – positions Siri less as a standalone AI product and more as a switchboard for third-party models. That approach sidesteps the need for Apple to compete directly on model quality, but it also raises questions about differentiation and long-term leverage in a segment where competitors are moving quickly.
The Road Here
Apple has historically used WWDC to set the tone for its developer ecosystem and signal where its platforms are heading for the next twelve months. iOS 27 follows a version cycle in which Liquid Glass, a translucent interface design language, was the dominant visual change. Developer and user reception was mixed, with some finding the aesthetic disorienting on smaller screens – which likely explains the reported refinements arriving this year.
On the AI side, the broader context is one of accelerating competition: Google has shipped Gemini across its product line, OpenAI has expanded ChatGPT’s capabilities substantially, and Samsung has built Galaxy AI features directly into its hardware. Apple’s installed base and device integration remain significant advantages, but the company’s ability to convert them into a coherent AI experience is what today’s keynote is ultimately being asked to demonstrate.
