Apple unveils universal design overhaul at WWDC 2025

Apple today announced the most comprehensive software design update in the company's history, introducing what it calls "Liquid Glass" - a translucent material that brings unprecedented visual consistency across all Apple platforms. The announcement was made on June 9, 2025, during the company's Worldwide Developers Conference keynote - marking exactly five months since Apple Intelligence first launched to consumers.

According to Alan Dye, Apple's vice president of Human Interface Design, "This is our broadest software design update ever. Meticulously crafted by rethinking the fundamental elements that make up our software, the new design features an entirely new material called Liquid Glass." The announcement represents the first universal design language to span iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, watchOS 26, and tvOS 26.

Technical innovation drives visual coherence

Liquid Glass combines the optical qualities of glass with a fluidity that only Apple can achieve, transforming depending on content or context while bringing greater focus to user content. The material uses real-time rendering and dynamically reacts to movement with specular highlights, creating a lively experience that makes using Apple devices more delightful.

Born out of close collaboration between design and engineering teams, Liquid Glass behaves like glass in the real world - its color is informed by surrounding content and intelligently adapts between light and dark environments. The implementation extends from buttons and sliders to tab bars and system experiences including the Lock Screen and Control Center.

Controls, toolbars, and navigation within apps have been redesigned to fit perfectly concentric with the rounded corners of modern hardware and app windows, establishing greater harmony between hardware, software, and content. The new design approach eliminates the rectangular display constraints that previously defined Apple's interface elements.

Foundation Models framework unlocks developer potential

Apple simultaneously announced the Foundation Models framework, granting developers direct access to the on-device large language model powering Apple Intelligence. According to Susan Prescott, Apple's vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations, "With access to the on-device Apple Intelligence foundation model and new intelligence features in Xcode 26, we're empowering developers to build richer, more intuitive apps for users everywhere."

The framework has native support for Swift, allowing developers to access the Apple Intelligence model with as few as three lines of code. Guided generation, tool calling, and more are built into the framework, making it easier than ever to implement generative capabilities directly into existing applications.

Paul Mayne, head of Day One at Automattic, stated: "The Foundation Model framework has helped us rethink what's possible with journaling. Now we can bring intelligence and privacy together in ways that deeply respect our users." The framework enables AI inference without cloud API costs, operating entirely on-device when users are offline.

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Marketing implications reshape user engagement

The universal design language fundamentally alters how brands can approach user experience across Apple's ecosystem. The consistent visual framework enables marketers to create campaigns that seamlessly transition between iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV without requiring platform-specific design adaptations.

The enhanced Home Screen experience allows for greater personalization options while maintaining user familiarity. App icons now support light and dark appearances, colorful tints, and a new clear aesthetic that could influence how brands approach iconography and visual identity across digital touchpoints.

The integration of Liquid Glass into advertising and promotional materials within Apple's ecosystem creates opportunities for more sophisticated visual storytelling. Sidebars and toolbars that refract content behind them while reflecting wallpaper and surrounding elements ensure users maintain contextual awareness. This design philosophy extends to how promotional content appears within applications.

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Version numbering reflects strategic consistency

Apple abandoned its traditional versioning scheme in favor of year-based numbering across all platforms. Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of Software Engineering, announced at WWDC that the company will release iOS 26, watchOS 26, tvOS 26, macOS 26, visionOS 26 and iPadOS 26 to reflect the majority of the year when these software updates will be available to customers.

The numbering change eliminates confusion created by different platforms using disparate version numbers. Previously, users encountered iOS 18, macOS Sequoia 15, watchOS 11, and visionOS 2 simultaneously - creating cognitive overhead for consumers managing multiple Apple devices.

Implementation spans entire ecosystem

For developers using SwiftUI, UIKit, and AppKit, an updated set of APIs make it easy to adopt the new design using Liquid Glass materials and updated controls. The all-new Icon Composer app helps developers and designers create layered icons that look stunning in light, dark, tinted, and all-clear looks, visualizing how light interacts with Liquid Glass.

Xcode 26 comes with intelligence features including built-in support for ChatGPT, allowing developers to connect large language models directly into their coding experience to write code, tests, and documentation. Developers can start using ChatGPT in Xcode without needing to create an account, while subscribers can connect their accounts to access more requests.

The visual intelligence capabilities expand beyond traditional applications. Etsy leverages visual intelligence to enhance user experience in its iOS app by facilitating faster and more intuitive discovery of goods and products. According to Etsy CTO Rafe Colburn, "The ability to meet shoppers right on their iPhone with visual intelligence is a meaningful unlock, making it easier than ever for buyers to quickly discover exactly what they're looking for."

Timeline

All features are available for testing starting today through the Apple Developer Program at developer.apple.com, with a public beta available through the Apple Beta Software Program next month. The public release is scheduled for fall 2025, coinciding with Apple's traditional September hardware announcements.

Apple Intelligence features require supported devices, which include all iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPad mini (A17 Pro), and iPad and Mac models with M1 and later. Devices must have Apple Intelligence enabled and Siri and device language set to the same supported language: English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Japanese, Korean, or Chinese (simplified).

Apple Intelligence will expand to eight additional languages by the end of 2025: Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (traditional), and Vietnamese.

Key developments:

• June 9, 2025: Apple announces Liquid Glass design language and Foundation Models framework at WWDC 2025
• Today: Developer beta releases for iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, watchOS 26, tvOS 26, and visionOS 26
• July 2025: Public beta programs launch
• Fall 2025: Consumer releases scheduled alongside new hardware announcements
• End of 2025: Apple Intelligence language expansion to eight additional markets