Apple WWDC 2025: What Developers Should Know (and What We’re Still Wrapping Our Heads Around)

What Developers Should Know (and What We’re Still Wrapping Our Heads Around)

Apple’s 2025 WWDC delivered big changes, and depending on your vantage point, they’re either exciting, overwhelming, or a little bit of both.

Let’s start with one of the more practical (and surprisingly polarizing) shifts: Apple is moving to a unified OS versioning system. macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS are all now version 26. While it’s 2025, this fall’s general availability lands us at 26… somehow that math checks out. More importantly, it simplifies cross-platform thinking, even if we’ll all trip over “N+1” comparisons for a while.

Foundation Models Framework: Apple’s New AI Playground

One of the most impactful announcements for developers is the introduction of a Foundation Models framework. Apple’s letting developers tap into the same LLMs used across system apps, with support for tool calling and streamed responses. You’ll be able to build rich AI interactions into your apps, offering single-shot results or real-time, generative capabilities.

It’s a significant technical leap, even if Apple predictably left cross-platform developers to fend for themselves on Android. The experience will be Apple-native for now, but the bar is high for what’s possible within that ecosystem. Expect this to drive a new wave of innovation (and some platform parity headaches along the way).

Liquid Glass UI: A Visual Refresh Across the Ecosystem

For the first time since iOS 7, Apple is rolling out a major UI redesign across all devices, called Liquid Glass. Supported in SwiftUI, UIKit, and AppKit, it brings layered transparency and background refraction into core design elements. The result is modern and fluid, but it raises immediate questions around visual clarity and accessibility. We’re eager to see how developers and users respond as apps begin to adopt the new system.

Not ready to commit?

Xcode 26 still allows compilation with the current UI. But don’t get too comfortable. Legacy UI support is likely on borrowed time.

To support this shift, Apple’s also releasing Icon Composer, a new tool for building Liquid Glass-style icons. It provides designers with new flexibility to create layered, dynamic visuals that align with the refreshed design language.

Caveats and Realities

Of course, even with all this momentum, developers will have to contend with versioning thresholds. If your app supports older iOS builds, it might be a while before you can take full advantage of these changes. And AI-powered features, such as the Foundation Models framework, won’t easily translate for teams working across both iOS and Android.

iPadOS Windowing: A Big Swing at Desktop Replacement

Apple also introduced a new windowing system in iPadOS, effectively bringing “macOS-lite” to the iPad. This move brings us closer to the long-teased dream of a laptop replacement, featuring floating windows and desktop-style multitasking. That said, Apple smartly made the experience optional. The traditional iPad interface remains the default, preserving the simplicity many users prefer, especially on smaller screens.

It’s a strategic middle ground, and it may help Apple bring skeptics along more gently. Personally? Until Xcode runs natively on iPad, mine will stay in the “streaming and mobile games” camp.

Final Thoughts

There’s no question this WWDC sets the stage for big changes, especially for teams invested in building deeply native Apple experiences. The Foundation Models framework is particularly promising for those exploring generative AI integrations, while Liquid Glass offers a fresh canvas for interface design.

As always, we’ll be watching the beta cycles closely to see what gets polished and what still needs attention by fall.

Let us know if there’s something from WWDC that you’re excited (or skeptical) about.