Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC26) keynote, held at 1 a.m. Beijing time on June 9, was a historic event: it was Tim Cook's final keynote as CEO. According to IThome, Cook will become executive chairman of Apple's board on September 1, with John Ternus taking over as CEO. The event focused on three key areas: platform optimization, reliability and security, and a major leap in Apple Intelligence.
Platform Optimizations and macOS Golden Gate
Apple's senior vice president of software engineering, Craig Federighi, highlighted improvements across all platforms, including faster response times, enhanced usability, and upgraded security. The new macOS 27 is named "macOS Golden Gate." Design updates include a refined Liquid Glass interface with adjustable transparency and color, a cleaner toolbar, edge-to-edge sidebars, and redesigned app icons with layered glass effects.
Performance gains are notable: app launch speeds on iPhone and iPad are up to 30% faster, photo display up to 70% faster, AirDrop transfers up to 80% faster, and file browsing on iPad up to five times faster. A new CPU scheduler, previously exclusive to newer iPhones, now extends to iPhone 11 and later models running iOS 27. Search has been rebuilt from the ground up across iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, with a new indexing system for Spotlight, Photos, and Mail.
New Siri AI and Expanded Features
Apple Intelligence takes a huge leap forward with a completely new Siri architecture. While specific details were not fully detailed in the summary, the new Siri is integrated across apps and brings practical features to daily use. Other updates include iCloud Shared Albums now allowing Android and Windows users to join and share full-resolution photos and videos, Health app perimenopause and menopause tracking, custom equalizer for AirPods, Apple Vision Pro panoramic photos converted to spatial scenes, and an upgraded Maps flyover feature combining aerial imagery with visual intelligence.
Apple also emphasized reliability and security, with end-to-end encryption for conversations, robust Safari privacy protections, and app permission controls. New child safety features include a "Child Account" creation with system-level protections tailored to age, based on professional health research.
This WWDC26 marks a transition for Apple, as Tim Cook's leadership era concludes and John Ternus prepares to take the helm. The software updates, particularly the new Siri AI, signal Apple's continued focus on integrating artificial intelligence across its ecosystem, a trend that will likely influence the broader tech industry, including China's EV and smart-device landscape.
Based on reporting by IT之家. Edited and published in English by geisou.
