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Traditionally, IT and digital teams have been kept centralized and separated from the rest of the business, acting as gatekeepers for new solutions, products and initiatives. While IT is undoubtedly a business-critical function, this centralized model can hamper innovation. With our research finding that nearly 20% of employees see a lack of innovation as a barrier to high performance across the organization, it’s clear that this unnecessary bottleneck is preventing businesses from reaching their full digital potential.

To harness the power of enterprise technology, businesses should consider a new approach, one that empowers employees across departments to become technology changemakers. These “citizen developers” – individuals who sit outside of IT – must be encouraged to identify and implement digital solutions tailored to specific challenges in their roles. This can help businesses foster a culture of innovation, agility, and continuous improvement, whilst easing pressures on stretched IT teams along the way.

IT should not be innovation gatekeepers

For decades, businesses recruited heavily into IT functions as their digital infrastructure needs became vastly more complex, typically funneling all technology related change through a single department. Historically this offered the obvious benefits of centralizing control and compliance, but it may be less helpful to the way organizations have now evolved.

Employees across all departments are facing different challenges to those they faced a decade ago – the advent of hybrid working, the transition to AI tools, globally dispersed teams and clients – means they require tailored solutions to help them each work efficiently and effectively. If people need to wait for IT to determine each new product or initiative introduced across the business, great ideas and new ways of working can go ignored and ultimately missed. This in turn can dissuade individuals from suggesting new ways of working if they feel they aren’t being valued or listened to by the digital experts.

Democratizing technology for all

We speak with many forward-thinking organizations that are increasingly recognising the need to democratize how and where new technologies are implemented across their teams. But the citizen developer model does of course come with challenges to mitigate. One risk in the model is that developers will focus on what is beneficial to their specific areas, and may not appreciate the up and downstream implications of making specific requests for change.

To square this circle, governance needs to remain front and center when implementing any new solution across the company. This can end up resulting in greater collaboration across teams, as citizen developers would work with the governance team to engender a greater understanding of the business, ultimately changing the culture of the company and ensuring that everyone is moving in the same direction.

It might seem a scary prospect to some, allowing staff without technical backgrounds to take charge of their own digital needs, but it can be done in a safe and effective way with the right guidelines in place. Low-code and no-code platforms are great examples of how technology can be put into the hands of employees outside of IT, allowing them to develop and deploy solutions quickly, without requiring advanced programming skills.

By empowering the workforce to become citizen developers and equipping them with accessible, user-friendly digital tools, they can take ownership of solving their own business challenges.

Removing barriers to innovation

It’s one thing if employees are crying out for digital democratization, but this sometimes isn’t the case. Some know the problems they face and the solutions they would like to see, but the gripe stops there. They continue with outdated and friction-heavy processes and don’t think to bother IT or conceive their own digital workaround – perhaps due to the extra time it takes in an already busy working day. This is where change management comes in.

We typically find that a major challenge to enabling broader tech-driven innovation is overcoming resistance to change. Certain employees may hesitate to adopt new tools or step outside their traditional roles to engage with technology.

Organizations must actively work to evolve the mindset of the workforce, encouraging them to embrace digital literacy, continuous learning, and adaptability. Providing ongoing support, celebrating small wins, and highlighting success stories can help non-technical employees feel more confident in their ability to leverage technology effectively in their roles.

Another factor to consider is the potential risk of shadow IT, where employees use unauthorized software to meet their needs. While this highlights the demand for better tech accessibility, it also illustrates the importance of making user-friendly, company-approved tools available to everyone that needs it, to help encourage compliance without hampering innovation.

The future of digital innovation depends on collaboration

The future of work is not about replacing traditional IT roles – far from it – rather it’s about enhancing them to be more collaborative with the wider organization. IT teams will always play a critical role in digital governance, security and large-scale digital transformation. But their role will increasingly shift towards empowering other departments to innovate in ways tailored to their respective functions, so that every individual can operate to their full potential without waiting on IT to come to their rescue.

Enterprise technology is no longer confined to IT departments, nor should it be. But leaders must remember that embedding technology into the culture of a business requires having a shared vision in place that all tech implementations can ladder back up towards.

With this one clear objective across the business, employees are empowered to suggest solutions that align with the business’s overarching objectives, meaning organizations can unleash one of their greatest assets – employee experience and knowledge – in so many ways previously unavailable to them.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

• UK SMBs are worried about rising costs, survey finds
• Cash flow challenges and global economic issues are also a concern
• Having more insight and control can be key, Intuit QuickBooks says

Small businesses are becoming increasingly worried that rising costs will lead to unwelcome pressure as they look to grow and prosper.

New research from accounting software giant Intuit QuickBooks claims over half (57%) of UK SMBs are predicting rising costs in coming months.

Of these, nearly two-thirds (64%) said they are concerned about the effect these increases will have on their business, with nearly half (47%) reporting cash flow challenges.

SMB worries

The data, contained in Intuit QuickBooks’ latest Quarterly Small Business Insights Survey, looks to highlight a number of challenges facing SMBs in the face of mounting financial and business pressure.

Just under half (42%) said they source from overseas, meaning they are more exposed to global cost pressures, and just over half (51%) say poor financial or resource management is holding their business back.

To help deal with the pressures, Intuit QuickBooks perhaps unsurprisingly recommends urgent adoption of smarter financial management processes. The findings highlight a stark need for better financial planning, and financial guidance to help businesses navigate ongoing headwinds.

“SMBs may not be able to control global markets, but they can control their finances and be better prepared for changes," noted Pauline Green, Head of International Compliance at Intuit.

"In the face of rising costs, supply chain pressures, and economic uncertainty, robust financial planning procedures play a vital role in helping businesses stay on the front foot.”

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• Astell & Kern Luna cost £2,699 / $2,700 (about AU$5,612)
• Newly developed micro planar magnetic driver
• Titanium housings and copper/silver cable

Astell & Kern's new Luna in-ear monitors are the kind of audio product that makes me sad, because they're likely to sound incredible – and like many of the best wired earbuds for audiophiles, they're way beyond my budget.

The new, moon-inspired Luna are the third set of earbuds in Astell & Kern's own IEM series, and they're the firm's most luxurious listens yet. Where the previous flagship AK Zero 2 uses a "quad-brid" setup featuring four different kinds of driver, there's just one driver here: a planar magnetic one.

(Image credit: Astell & Kern)Astell & Kern Luna IEMs: key features and pricing

Each of the titanium buds here contains a specially developed 13mm Katabiki micro planar magnetic driver, which Astell & Kern created in collaboration with Madoo. It's a unipolar magnetic circuit featuring a single magnet and a dual ring-shaped yoke, which Astell & Kern says delivers "superlative control".

The idea with planar magnetic drivers is that they use a larger, flat, ultra-thin diaphragm compared to regular dynamic drivers. They're capable of deeper bass response and amazing detail compared to dynamic drivers, but they're hard to produce.

The housing for the planar diaphragm is CNC-machined aluminum for rigidity, and the ultra-thin diaphragm is made from lightweight film and a printed aluminum pattern for significantly reduced weight.

According to Astell & Kern, they deliver outstanding speed, exceptional audio resolution and a very natural and detailed audio experience with a frequency response from 20Hz to 30kHz.

Each pair of Luna IEMs is hand-made in Japan and comes with an attractive alcantara case. The cables are silver-coated OCC and copper OCC, blending high purity silver with copper plating and terminating in an aluminum-finished 2-pin 4mm connector. Seven sets of ear tips are provided, of different sizes and materials.

The Luna IEMs are on sale now with a price tag of £2,699 / $2,700 / €3,049 (about AU$5,612).

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The UK government’s recent £121 million commitment to advancing the quantum technology sector is an exciting milestone for both innovation and economic growth. As part of its "Plan for Change," the investment aims to strengthen the UK's position in quantum research and technology, offering a glimpse into the future of fraud detection, healthcare diagnostics, and beyond.

However, while the potential of quantum technology to transform industries around the world is undeniable, this potential leap forward comes with caveats. We must ensure that our pursuit of innovation does not outpace our ability to secure sensitive data today and in the years to come.

As quantum computing moves closer to practical application, it presents not only unprecedented technological opportunities, but also cybersecurity risks as the encryption mechanisms that have always safeguarded sensitive information are vulnerable. The challenge now lies in building networks that aren’t just faster and more agile, but also resilient against the future threats posed by quantum computer enabled attacks.

Quantum’s double-edged sword

Quantum computing has the potential to offer enormous benefits, from enabling breakthroughs in fields such as artificial intelligence, healthcare, and logistics to providing faster, more efficient solutions to problems that are beyond today's capabilities.

But with these advancements comes the risk of quantum-enabled cyberattacks. Quantum computers, once fully realized, will be capable of breaking today’s standard encryption algorithms, exposing data that is currently viewed as secure. This creates a challenge for governments and enterprises handling sensitive information to future-proof their networks before quantum computing threats are upon us.

A growing concern in the cybersecurity community is the threat referred to as “Harvest Now, Decrypt Later” attacks. In this scenario, critical encrypted data is intercepted today and stored by malicious actors, with the intent of decrypting it in the future using quantum capabilities to break the encryption. This is particularly concerning for sensitive information such as electronic health records, intellectual property, patents or national security information, which could be exposed once quantum computers are sufficiently advanced.

The Key technologies for protection

To address these risks, there are two emerging solutions: Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) and Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC). QKD uses quantum mechanics to securely exchange encryption keys. This technology takes advantage of the fundamental principles of quantum physics, making it impossible for hackers to intercept or tamper with the key exchange process without being detected. This is why combining encryption technologies available today with QKD delivers what is mathematically proven to be unconditional security of critical data.

Meanwhile, PQC focuses on developing a new generation of cryptographic algorithms designed to protect data and systems against quantum computer attacks. Combining these techniques with existing encryption methods is crucial towards safeguarding critical data against future quantum computing threats. It’s clear that quantum readiness requires both innovation and caution and that the industry must move swiftly to integrate quantum-safe technologies into the fabric of global networks.

Futureproofing starts with collaboration, not complacency

Securing today’s networks in the quantum era is no small task. Governments, network providers, and tech innovators are taking steps to continue creating robust security frameworks, ensuring that the global IT infrastructure can withstand quantum-powered attacks. Transitioning to a quantum-safe future requires industry-wide collaboration and proactively taking steps to get there.

The UK’s investment in quantum technologies goes hand-in-hand with a forward-thinking approach to cybersecurity. It's important for the public and private sectors to work together to develop national and international frameworks that prioritize both innovation and security. As the industry continues to develop and deploy quantum technologies, safeguarding our digital ecosystem should be at the forefront of our efforts.

While QKD and PQC offer promising solutions, integrating these technologies into existing infrastructure will take time. Protecting sensitive in-flight data today continuous to be top of mind, especially as quantum computing continues to advance

Inaction could leave networks vulnerable, compromising the confidentiality of sensitive data, damaging trust, and undermining the tremendous potential of quantum innovations. Collaboration among governments, enterprises and the tech community is key to building the right security measures for the future.

As we navigate this new quantum era, it’s time to future-proof the digital landscape. We must act decisively and thoughtfully to ensure we’re prepared for the threats it brings. The question is no longer if quantum will change our world, but how we will adapt to ensure critical data remains secure.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

OpenAI’s Head of Model and Behavior Policy, Joanne Jang, has penned a blog post on X about human-AI relationships, offering some well-considered ideas about the subject and how OpenAI approaches the issues surrounding it. Essentially, as AI models get better at imitating life and engaging in conversation, people are starting to treat AI chatbots like they are also people. It makes sense that OpenAI would want to make it clear that they are aware of it and are incorporating the facts into their plans.

But the thoughtful, nuanced approach, including designing models that feel helpful and kind, but not sentient, misses something crucial. No matter how clear-eyed and careful Jang tries to be, people having emotional connections with AI, an occasional outlier event, or a future hypothetical, it's happening now, and it seems to be happening quite a lot.

OpenAI may have been caught off guard, as CEO Sam Altman has commented on being surprised by how much people anthropomorphize AI and how deeply users claim to connect with the models. He’s even acknowledged the emotional pull and its potential risks. That's why Jang's post exists.

She makes it clear that OpenAI is building models to serve people and that they are prioritizing the emotional side of that equation. They’re researching how and why people form emotional attachments to AI and what it means for shaping future models. She makes a point of distinguishing between ontological consciousness, as in actual consciousness that humans have, and perceived consciousness, whether it seems conscious to users. Perceived consciousness is what matters for now, since that’s what affects people interacting with the AI. The company is trying to thread a behavioral needle that makes the AI seem warm and helpful without pretending it has feelings or a soul.

Nonetheless, the clinically compassionate language couldn't disguise an obvious missing element. It felt like watching someone put down a Caution: Wet Floor sign and bragging about plans for waterproof buildings a week after a flood left the floor knee deep in water.

The elegant framing and cautious optimism of the blog post and its focus on responsible model creation based on research and long-term cultural conditioning sidestep the messy reality of how people are developing deep connections to AI chatbots, including ChatGPT. A lot of people aren't just talking to ChatGPT like it's software, but like it's a person. Some are even claiming to have fallen in love with an AI companion, or using it to replace human connections entirely.

AI intimacy

There are Reddit threads, Medium essays, and viral videos of people whispering sweet nothings to their favorite chatbot. It can be funny or sad or even enraging, but what it's not is theoretical. Lawsuits over whether AI chatbots contributed to suicides are ongoing, and more than one person has reported relying on AI to the point where it's become harder to form real relationships.

OpenAI does note that constant, judgment-free attention from a model can feel like companionship. And they admit that shaping the tone and personality of a chatbot can impact how emotionally alive it feels, with rising stakes for users sucked into these relationships. But the tone of the piece is too detached and academic to acknowledge the potential scale of the problem.

Because with the AI intimacy toothpaste already out of the tube, this is a question of real-world behavior and how the companies behind the AI shaping that behavior respond right now, not just in the future. Ideally, they'd have systems in place already for dependency detection. If someone is spending hours a day with ChatGPT, talking like it’s their partner, the system should be able to gently flag that behavior and suggest a break.

And the romantic connections need some hard boundaries. Not banning it, that would be silly and probably counterproductive. But strict rules that any AI engaged in romantic roleplaying has to remind people they are talking to a bot, one that isn't actually alive or aware. Humans are masters of projection, and a model doesn’t have to be flirty for the user to fall in love with it, of course, but any hints of conversation trending in that direction should trigger those protocols, and they should be extra strict when it comes to kids.

The same goes for AI models as a whole. Occasional reminders from ChatGPT saying, "Hey, I'm not a real person," might feel awkward, but they're arguably necessary in some cases and a good prophylactic in general. It's not the fault of users that people anthropomorphize everything. Googly eyes on Roombas and endowing our vehicles with names and personalities is not seen as more than slightly quirky. It's not surprising that a tool as responsive and verbal as ChatGPT might start to feel like a friend, a therapist, or even a partner. The point is that companies like OpenAI have a responsibility to anticipate this and design for it, and should have from the start.

You might argue that adding all these guardrails ruins the fun. That people should be allowed to use AI however they want, and that artificial companionship can be a balm for loneliness. And that's true in moderate doses. But playgrounds have fences and roller coasters have seat belts for a reason. AI capable of mimicking and provoking emotions without safety checks is just neglectful.

I'm glad OpenAI is thinking about this, I just wish they had done so sooner, or had more urgency about it now. AI product design should reflect the reality that people are already in relationships with AI, and those relationships need more than thoughtful essays to stay healthy.

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• Google Gemini’s app has a new Scheduled Actions feature to assign recurring tasks.
• Gemini will complete the tasks automatically at the chosen times, similar to ChatGPT's Tasks feature.
• The upgrade is only available to paying Gemini Pro, Ultra, and eligible Workspace users.

Google Gemini is getting a little more organized with a new feature for its mobile app called Scheduled Actions. As the name suggests, Scheduled Actions lets users assign recurring tasks to the chatbot that it will complete automatically without real-time supervision.

Google first showcased the feature at this year’s I/O, pitched as a way to give Gemini some initiative. The idea is for Gemini to become more proactive in helping users rather than needing people to ask questions or make requests first. Depending on the request, Gemini can regularly let you know about news updates, summaries of your latest emails, or just remind you to walk around a little bit at whatever times you choose. As long as you’re specific about the timing, Gemini will oblige and follow through with your requests.

You can just ask Gemini to perform a recurring task, basically just rephrasing a standard prompt. Ask Gemini for new book recommendations every Friday evening, and that's what you'll get each week. There’s a limit, though. You can only set up ten scheduled actions at once. Once scheduled, all of your upcoming tasks are viewable in the Scheduled Actions tab under settings. You can edit, pause, or cancel them from there.

Or at least you can if you pay. The feature is available on Gemini's paid plans, so you have to subscribe to AI Pro for $20 per month or AI Ultra at $250 per month. Some Google Workspace business and education plans will also have access. That means free-tier users won't be able to use Scheduled Actions right now, but there is a lot of precedent for these kinds of features trickling down to general release at a pretty fast pace. There's no official timeline for doing so right now, but if you already pay, maybe you can ask Gemini to let you know when it does.

Gemini schedules ChatGPT fight

Google has always portrayed Gemini's future as more than another chatbot, promising it would become an agent that anticipates and completes requests. Of course, it does seem to also be about matching ChatGPT and its own Tasks feature, but there are some ways Gemini stands out. ChatGPT Tasks leans heavily on working within ChatGPT and its related apps, but that's not nearly as universally used as the Google ecosystem. Gemini and its Scheduled Tasks build on integrations with Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Docs, and everywhere else that a lot of people have already set up a digital home.

The broader significance of both ChatGPT and Gemini pursuing this kind of feature is the shift to proactive AI. That your AI might start helping you before you know you need help is something the companies behind AI models are very enamored with, even if it's not the dream of everyone to have an AI system so intimately acquainted with their lives. If you're worried about privacy, giving an AI the keys to your inbox and calendar and telling it to get creative is not the sales pitch Google might believe.

Still, reliable, predictable task completion without constant oversight is appealing. That said, scheduled actions are only as good as the infrastructure behind them. If Google servers glitch, a missed prompt is possible and may be catastrophic if you've given it important duties. At I/O, Google showed off an upcoming “Agent Mode” designed to handle multi-step tasks like booking travel or coordinating apartment tours. Scheduled Actions sets the foundation for that plan, but Google should make sure there are no cracks in that foundation.

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I feel strangely numb. For years now – and I mean years – I have been advocating for Apple Music to have some kind of auto DJ feature that can beat-match your songs in a playlist. This was my most recent excuse to harp on about it.

I first heard of this kind of feature in DJ apps a long, long time ago (I think Algoriddim's Djay was the first one I was aware of, but things go foggy back then), and I heard about the potential for machine-learning algorithms (you know, the things we now universally call 'AI' for marketing reasons) to make them work super-seamlessly.

At this time, Apple was getting heavily into machine learning, promising to use it to suggest things on your Lock screen and manage your battery usage. So I made the case that this would be a really cool feature to have in Apple Music – much better than a boring old crossfade between tracks on your playlist.

Now, at the time, Apple didn't even offer a crossfade… it only added that in iOS 17 two years ago, and last year we got a 'smart crossfade' in iOS 18. But in iOS 26 (Apple has switched to naming by year, rather than the version), I finally have my breakthrough.

(Image credit: Brett Jordan / Unsplash)

As one of several new features of Apple Music in iOS 26, Apple has announced 'AutoMix', which is exactly what I always wanted. Apple says, "AutoMix uses intelligence to transition from one song to the next like a DJ, using time stretching and beat matching to seamlessly move from one song to the next."

I've always curated my playlists to flow reasonably nicely from one song to the next, trying to keep both variety and cohesion. What I've always wanted is the phone to take that to the next level (because I am no DJ), and now it's like a long-stuck splinter has been removed. I'm finally getting what I want; I don't know how to feel.

Oh, wait, yes, I do: frustrated that AirPods still somehow don't have a higher-quality Bluetooth connection.

@techradar

♬ original sound - TechRadar Feeling Bluetooth

The only scab I have picked at as consistently as the AI DJ – excuse me, AutoMix – is the fact that AirPods only support AAC-quality Bluetooth audio, even though it is the year of our Hi-Res Audio Lord 2025. Here I am complaining about it back in 2022, and that's only when I first started talking about it on TechRadar.

Apple Music supports beautiful lossless audio, but AirPods still don't support anything beyond essentially the minimum of sound quality (okay, SBC is literally the minimum, but this is truly one step up).

Actually, that's not quite true – the AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C are capable of higher-res audio when used with the Apple Vision Pro, so that's nice for those few thousand people. The new AirPods Max with USB-C also support wired Hi-Res Audio, but so does anything with a 3.5mm jack, so I'm talking wireless here.

Fun fact: I bought my first Apple product in 2006, and it was a MacBook Pro that supported aptX! I don't expect Apple to support aptX, of course – that system is owned by Qualcomm, and I'm not a maniac – but the world has moved on in terms of what wireless audio codecs are available to us.

AirPods Pro 2 are Apple most advanced earbuds, but they're still limited to the AAC audio quality that iTunes offered back in the early 2000s… (Image credit: Future)

Take, for example, Bluetooth LE Audio and the LC3 codec that powers it. This is a new wireless music encoder that's adaptive, so when you have a strong connection to your phone, it can offer really high-resolution music streaming – but if you're far away or there's a lot of interference, it can lower the quality and still maintain consistent audio. And it can do this potentially using lower energy than older codecs, so it could extend battery life.

It's available as part of the spec for Bluetooth 5.2, which is supported by many models of the best AirPods, as well as the best iPhones, for years.

Apple has chosen not to support it, and it's driving me to distraction at this point. It seems like there must be a good reason, though Apple hasn't revealed it. It appears that the company experimented with using it on the AirPods Max all the way back in 2022, but it hasn't gone anywhere since then.

Given how talented the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Max are at music reproduction anyway, maybe Apple just feels that it's unnecessary, but given that there's an open standard Apple can use, and the tech to run it is built into Apple's products already, maybe we could be the judges of that with an option to turn higher-res Bluetooth on or off?

Either way, with another WWDC event gone without mention of it, I expect that means at least another year without it – unless Apple surprises us at the expected launch of AirPods Pro 3 later this year.

I'll live – I'm currently using a Fiio BTR17 and Sennheiser HD600 for my hi-res thrills, and having a lovely time, thank you very much. It's just not a very pocketable solution.

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WWDC 2025 has just wrapped up, and it was one of the best keynotes in recent memory. While there were sweeping changes across Apple's entire range, from the already-lauded iPadOS update to iOS 26, as TechRadar's resident wearables expert, it's my beat to cover watchOS 26.

And it's been a pretty big year for Apple's smallest device.

There have been major changes to the Watch's user interface, as it will get the same slick Liquid Glass overhaul as all Apple's other devices, and there are flashy new Apple Intelligence features such as the AI Workout Buddy and Live Translation. There's even a much-clamoured-for on-wrist Notes app.

However, the feature I'm interested in is Hints, a small change to Apple's widget stack that I think has the most potential to bring all of the Apple Watch's disparate features together into a lifestyle companion, unified under the Apple Intelligence banner.

@techradar

♬ original sound - TechRadar Hinting at Greatness

Apple's new Hints feature works by taking contextual information about your surroundings and your previous behavior, and recommending actions based on its predictions. These recommendations take the form of a small visual prompt like the one above, so you can ignore it easily if you choose to do so.

The two examples Apple gave were quite clever: if you arrive at the same pilates studio at the same time every week, Apple will look at your location, the time and date, your previous behavior, and understand you're about to start a pilates workout on your watch. A hot key to start your workout will appear as a visual prompt.

The other example Apple used was during a hike. In this scenario, the Apple Watch detected you were off the beaten track, away from roads and near popular hiking destinations, and recommended you start a BackTrack to avoid getting lost again via a visual prompt.

What this could mean for the future of Apple Watch

This could be, if expanded, a wonderful way to use the predictive power of Apple Intelligence to create a unified personal assistant. This could be more valuable than the Workout Buddy, and more significant than a UI redesign.

Reminding you to start BackTrack could save you hours of wandering in the wilderness, and potentially save lives. If emergency services are contacted through Fall Detection, a prompt could serve up an on-wrist medical record for first responders, or link to your phone to show the Health app through your lock screen. A hotlink option to call your partner if you're halfway through your journey home, but stuck in traffic or delayed for another reason.

The power of Apple Intelligence is going to be improving your life in small, everyday ways, and this watchOS 26 feature reinforces that fact. The feature is so unobtrusive on your Apple Watch's home screen when activated, meaning it's out the way but there when you need it. Like a butler discreetly signalling to you from the corner of a cocktail party.

There are plenty of impressive-sounding security protocols in place around Apple Intelligence, which reinforces my positive feelings about it. I've generally, up until now, been quite negative about the predictive power of AI and its security implications. But for the first time, I'm starting to see the opportunities of an invisible personal assistant.

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Apple's WWDC keynote is over for another year, but it left us with plenty to pick over.

Such as? Well, the headline reveal was a new Liquid Glass-inspired design theme that represents the biggest visual change Apple's made to its software for a decade.

That was far from the only announcement from Apple Park, though. From iOS to visionOS to watchOS to tvOS, all of Apple's various platforms received upgrades and new features. Some were big, some were small, but if you use an Apple device they'll all be worth knowing about.

You can check out our full WWDC 2025 live blog for all of the news, but for a quick rundown of the highlights, read on.

1. Liquid Glass is the biggest Apple design revamp in years @techradar

♬ original sound - TechRadar

By far the biggest reveal at WWDC 2025 was the debut of Apple's new software design, based around a new digital material called 'Liquid Glass'.

The untitled design centers on translucency and fluidity and brings with it more rounded elements, new app styles and a new clear theme. What's more, the visual style will be unified across all of Apple's software platforms, with everything from iOS, iPadOS and watchOS to macOS and tvOS getting the refresh.

It's a much-needed update to Apple's design language and inarguably the biggest the company has made to its software platforms since iOS 7 arrived in 2013. We can't wait to get it installed.

• Read more: Apple reveals major visual redesign for iOS 26, macOS 26, and more at WWDC 2025

2. Apple's software platforms finally have consistent names @techradar

♬ original sound - TechRadar

You can file this one under 'changes that don't really matter but that we love anyway': Apple has finally done away with the naming anarchy that reigned across its software platforms, renaming them all in a consistent manner.

So, bid farewell to iOS 19, iPadOS 19, tvOS 19, watchOS 12 and macOS 16 – because none of them will ever exist. Instead, meet iOS 26, iPadOS 26, tvOS 26, watchOS 26 and macOS 26 Tahoe.

See, Apple – that wasn't so hard, was it?

3. Design-aside, iOS 26 looks like a minor update @techradar

♬ original sound - TechRadar

While the arrival of the Liquid Glass design language and the new name may be the headline changes coming to iOS 26, the next version of Apple's mobile OS will also bring with it a host of other small tweaks.

These range from Live Translation in the Phone and Messages apps to functionality upgrades in the Camera and Wallet apps. There’s a new dedicated Gaming app, too, which unites third-party games with those of Apple Arcade and brings features that let you compete with friends.

Apple Intelligence has also been better baked into iOS, with iOS 26’s Maps app smartly remembering the routes users usually take and serving up delay information where helpful.

Visual Intelligence has also broken out of the Camera Control toggle and can now be used, in a similar fashion to Google Lens, to scan screenshots and extract information from them.

In short, iOS 26 looks slicker and behaves smarter, and it will likely launch in all its glory on the iPhone 17. But if you’re brave and want to try a beta version of the software right now, check out our guide on how to download the iOS 26 developer beta.

• Read more: iOS 26 is official – here are the 5 biggest new features coming to your iPhone

4. But it's game over for some older iPhones

With iOS 26 comes a whole new design and a suite of features, but it also means consigning older iPhones to the smartphone bone orchard. That’s because iOS 26 will only be available on iPhone 11 models or newer.

Older iPhones will instead be limited to iOS 18, which isn’t exactly terrible; it’s a very capable version of Apple’s mobile operating system. However, it does mean the likes of the iPhone X have entered their end-of-life phase.

So, if you own an older iPhone and were considering getting a replacement battery for it, do make sure you can run iOS 26 or you could be prolonging the life of a device that won’t be supported by Apple for much longer.

• Read more: iOS 26 compatibility – does your iPhone support it? Here's the full list of supported devices

5. iPadOS finally got some real love @techradar

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After years of waiting, we finally have an iPadOS update that feels not only worthwhile but monumental.

iPadOS 26 is, as Craig Federighi said, the "biggest iPadOS release ever". With true windowed multitasking, a better Files app, and Preview coming to all current iPad models, plus improved Apple Intelligence for compatible iPads, Apple's tablet platform is once again a force to be reckoned with in terms of hardware and software.

• Read more: 'Our biggest iPadOS release ever' – iPadOS 26 has landed, here are the 10 biggest upgrades

6. macOS 26 is… Tahoe @techradar

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As expected, we also got a glimpse of the upcoming version of macOS, the operating system for Macs and MacBooks.

Now renamed to macOS 26 Tahoe, its most exciting addition is arguably the expansion of Apple’s excellent Continuity feature, which allows you to seamlessly control your iPhone through your Mac.

With macOS 26 Tahoe, you’ll be able to use the Phone app on your Mac to make and receive calls, as well as access previous numbers, favorite contacts and much more.

It’ll mean you don’t have to pull your iPhone out of your pocket while working on your Mac, and it brings Apple’s vision of a unified ecosystem of products ever closer.

With big changes also coming to the Spotlight tool, Live Translation abilities and better Mac gaming abilities, Tahoe looks like an update worth waiting for.

• Read more: macOS Tahoe 26 announced at WWDC 2025 with a new look and new numbering scheme: these are the best features for your new Mac or MacBook

7. Apple Intelligence got some useful upgrades @techradar

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Apple Intelligence might not have grabbed all the headlines at WWDC 2025, but Apple still announced some useful AI upgrades coming to iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch.

For instance, Live Translation hopes to remove language barriers for good, allowing you to easily communicate via FaceTime, phone calls, and messages in different languages.

Apple also announced screen-sharing functionality for Visual Intelligence, so you can ask questions related to content on your screen, similar to Google Lens. It’s a nice improvement to one of the best Apple Intelligence features currently available.

For the first time ever, the world's most popular smartwatch just got AI functionality in the form of Workout Buddy, which will bring AI-powered motivation to your exercise by analyzing your workout data.

Shortcuts is also getting Apple Intelligence capabilities, which should completely transform the experience of one of Apple’s most beloved apps.

Finally, there are plenty of other small updates across iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, including generative AI backgrounds in messages, integration with reminders, and allowing third-party developers to access Apple Intelligence models.

All in all, WWDC might not go down as the event where we finally see Apple’s AI dream realized, but the company has done a decent job at improving and adding to the first wave of Apple Intelligence that launched last year.

• Read more: Every Apple Intelligence upgrade coming to your Apple devices in iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, and watchOS 26

8. But Siri was nowhere to be seen

Poor old Siri. Apple's smart(ish) assistant was barely mentioned at WWDC, beyond an acknowledgement that its AI upgrade isn't here and that "we look forward to sharing more about it in the coming year".

In the coming year?! Seriously?! How long can it take to bring one bit of software up to speed with the rest of Apple's AI developments? Longer than Apple initially thought, clearly.

Still, if we're disappointed by that (non) development, then presumably Apple is even more upset, given the speed with which the competition at Google, OpenAI, Samsung and Microsoft is moving.

9. watchOS 26 does get an AI upgrade, though @techradar

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Finally, Apple Intelligence arrives on your wrist, in ways both small and big.

Workout Buddy is the big new flashy AI feature, but it's Hints, which uses context info to recommend actions depending on your location & activities, which is the real clever feature.

Live translation for messages, a new Wrist Flick gesture, smarter Smart Stack and the watchOS Notes app round out the major changes for the newly named watchOS 26.

• Read more: watchOS 26: these are the 6 big updates coming to your Apple Watch soon – including an AI Workout Buddy and a Notes app

10. Apple CarPlay got some welcome polish @techradar

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Apple CarPlay Ultra may still only be for Aston Martin owners, but good old standard CarPlay just got some welcome upgrades thanks to iOS 26.

Naturally, there’s the new ‘Liquid Glass’ design language that’ll spruce up the old 2D icons, plus a handy navigation bar to the left or right of the screen for quickly jumping into your favorite apps.

Perhaps the most useful upgrade is a new, small pop-up overlay for phone calls that’ll get out of the way of your navigation. There’s also widgets (also seen on CarPlay Ultra) that’ll let you juggle info from multiple apps, while Call Screening will help you decide whether or not to take a call.

All in all, the refreshed CarPlay should make it much easier to keep your eyes on the road, which is always a win in our book.

• Read more: Apple CarPlay just got 4 big free upgrades with iOS 26 – here's what you need to know

11. tvOS' Liquid Glass refresh is for more than style alone

Apple’s tvOS 26 updates for its Apple TV boxes are, unsurprisingly, led by the addition of a Liquid Glass design that mirrors the transparent visual enhancements coming to its other devices.

In this case, however, that’s sort of a big deal – because transparent on-screen controls mean you can continue watching a show with the image remaining unobstructed.

Other updates are more minor, with the iPhone now able to serve as microphone for the Apple Music Sing Karaoke feature on Apple TV, an ability to switch between custom display profiles upon wake, and a more personalized FaceTime experience.

• Read more: The 5 new Apple TV 4K features coming in tvOS 26 you need to know about

12. visionOS' updates reminded us that the Vision Pro exists @techradar

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Apple hasn’t forgotten about its mixed reality headset just yet, with this new suite of software updates for its visionOS platform.

For starters, Apple Vision Pro users can look forward to spatial updates galore with visionOS 26: apps, webpages and content are all set to become more immersive thanks to improved 3D objects and 3D image support.

Personas will also get a visual overhaul, with better-defined features and a generally less ghostly aura, plus gamers will soon be able to use their PSVR 2 controllers with Apple’s headset. Oh, and you’ll soon be able to decorate your home with virtual widgets.

It might take more than that to persuade people to splash the cash on a Vision Pro, but for existing owners these upgrades will be welcome.

• Read more: Apple announces Vision Pro overhaul with visionOS 26 – here are the 6 biggest updates headed to Apple’s VR headset

13. Apple Music got some neat new features @techradar

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Apple Music got a surprisingly large number of updates at WWDC 2025, with Lyrics Translation, Lyrics Pronunciation, AutoMix (for creating beat-perfect playlists and sets) all arriving, plus Music Pins to put your most-loved artists and albums right to the top of your Music home screen.

But possibly the most important update is that Apple's Liquid Glass design language – which will appear on Apple Music as with all of the rest of Apple's software – will level up what you see on your device while a song is playing.

That's because it'll provide more glass-like depth – and elements within a track's artwork will move with a more three-dimensional quality, in and out of focus, as it were.

Plus, with tvOS 26, karaoke sessions can reach new levels of fun via Apple Music’s free perk, Apple Music Sing. How? Users will be able to transform their iPhone into a handheld mic for Apple TV and have their voice amplified as they belt out their very best go at TayTay's Eyes Open.

Combined with Lyrics Translation (for perfect lyrics even if you’re not fluent in a song’s language), it sounds like music to our ears…

• Read more: Apple Music got 3 huge new upgrades at WWDC 2025

14. AirPods weren't quite forgotten

(Image credit: Future)

AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 models are getting two key upgrades when iOS 26 comes: studio-quality mic recordings, and camera control.

Small they may be, but both seem useful.The upgraded voice recording quality promises “Voice Isolation” to better pick your voice out from your surroundings, using advanced audio processing, and promises to work in calls, video and recordings.

Camera control, meanwhile, means you can press and hold your AirPods’ stem to take a photo or start a recording, doing the same again to stop it.

These aren’t the addition of hi-res audio or other things we hoped for from AirPods, and they’re only coming to AirPods Pro 2, AirPods 4 with ANC, and AirPods 4 (not AirPods Max or any older AirPods), but they’re nice to have.

• Read more: AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 will get two useful free upgrades in iOS 26

15. Craig Federighi is not afraid to send himself up

(Image credit: Apple)

WWDC usually starts with a mini-movie that's best described as 'vaguely comedic', but this year's was arguably one of the least cringeworthy.

The film featured Craig Federighi, Apple's SVP Software Engineering, tearing around a race track as a promo for the Brad Pitt-starring F1: The Movie, which will hit theaters later this month.

F1 looks pretty exciting in its own right, but the real star in the WWDC promo was Federighi – or rather his hair.

Yes, the man who styles himself as Hair Force One ensured his carefully coiffured locks got prime billing here, removing his helmet to reveal, well, a scene that I can't imagine Steve Jobs ever having approved.

But honestly, it was pretty good fun, and a nice reminder that Apple always benefits from taking itself a little less seriously.

@techradar

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Apple just announced a handful of new features for the Apple TV 4K at WWDC 2025. These will appear in the forthcoming tvOS 26 update, which will become available to viewers later this year after first being released to the developer community.

I watched the live WWDC presentation both in my professional capacity but also as an Apple TV 4K owner, and a big reason I tuned in was to see what changes would be coming to Apple’s box, which TechRadar recommends as the best streaming device for most people.

By the end of Apple’s presentation, however, I was mostly underwhelmed. The new Liquid Glass visual enhancements are cool, and they will make the Apple TV box, which sometimes seems like an overlooked stepchild in the Apple product portfolio, seem more like a core member of the family.

The other changes, however, seem like mostly minor updates. That is, unless you’re a big user of the Sing feature on the Apple TV 4K’s Apple Music app, which lets you use it for karaoke, now complete with an iPhone microphone.

The one new feature that caught my attention during the presentation was Display Profiles. This feature is one that’s already been available on the Apple TV 4K, and it lets you switch between custom Apple Music and Apple TV libraries for different users in the same household.

Display Profiles: what’s new

The tvOS 26 display profile selection screen (Image credit: Apple)

What’s new for Display Profiles in tvOS 26 is an option to display all viewer profiles when the Apple TV box wakes from sleep. Instead of the last logged-in profile, you will see a list of profiles you can switch between. This will show the viewer a customized library and list of content recommendations when using the Apple TV, Apple Music and other Apple-centric apps.

Although Apple’s announcement was light on specifics, a screen grab (see the image at the top of this article) from the presentation reveals a custom 'content cloud' for a specific Apple TV user. Not only is this screen visually pleasing, but the layout indicates it could be used to easily jump back into shows, movies, games, and apps, with the relative size of the icon possibly indicating how recently you’d engaged with that content.

These announced enhancements for Display Profiles aren’t exactly groundbreaking, but they do show that Apple is making an effort to keep up with a key competitor: smart TVs.

Who needs a streaming box?

The smart platforms on TVs from brands like LG and Samsung have taken major steps in recent years. Once a visually cluttered, ad-stuffed wasteland, they are leveraging AI and other technologies to better customize not just the interface, but picture and sound settings, for specific viewers in multi-viewer households.

A great example of this is LG’s webOS 25 smart TV platform found in the LG G5 and LG C5 OLED TVs. This can be set up to automatically change viewer profiles using voice recognition – no need to wade through menus to make that adjustment. And once your profile is activated, you’ll see a custom home screen with your preferred selection of apps, along with content recommendations made specifically for you based on your viewing history.

Having a refined, AI-enhanced smart TV platform is one tactic LG and Samsung are using to stay ahead of their upstart TCL and Hisense competition, both of which rely on the comparatively generic Google TV platform in the US. By making the smart TV interface and features genuinely useful, they're adding considerable value to their TVs, which are typically priced quite a bit higher, while in some cases providing mostly similar performance.

Where does the Apple TV 4K fit into all of this? I still have an Apple TV 4K, and as an iPhone user, I appreciate the tight feature integration between the two devices when it comes to content and control. But with smart TV interfaces steadily improving, I find myself using my Apple streaming box less and less over time.

Looking down the road, Apple needs to do much more than copy the smart features found on the best TVs to keep its streaming box relevant. But the forthcoming enhancements to Display Profiles look like a step in the right direction, and it's also the type of feature that Apple, with its extensive software resources, could easily push to make the Apple TV 4K stand out from the crowd.

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• ClickFix uses fake CAPTCHA screens to trick users into launching malware via simple keyboard commands
• The phishing page mimics Cloudflare perfectly, right down to Ray IDs and security padlocks
• Clicking “Verify you are human” starts a process that silently infects your machine with malware

A sophisticated yet deceptively simple phishing technique is currently circulating, using fake Cloudflare CAPTCHA pages to infect users with malware.

New research from SlashNext claims the technique, known as ClickFix, preys on familiar internet behavior, tricking users into executing commands that install malicious software.

ClickFix works by presenting a counterfeit version of Cloudflare’s Turnstile CAPTCHA page. Everything from the visual layout to technical elements like the Ray ID identifier is convincingly replicated.

Hinges on a prompt that users will ordinarily not scrutinize

The phishing site may be hosted on a domain that closely resembles a legitimate one, or on a real website that has been compromised.

When users land on the page, they are prompted to tick a box labelled “Verify you are human.” This step appears routine and raises no suspicion - but what follows is the core of the scam: users are guided through a set of instructions - pressing Win+R, then Ctrl+V, and finally Enter.

These steps seem harmless, but they execute a PowerShell command that has already been silently copied into the user’s clipboard.

Once executed, the command can retrieve malware such as Stealc, Lumma, or even remote access trojans like NetSupport Manager.

"ClickFix is a social engineering attack that tricks users into running malicious commands on their own devices – all under the guise of a routine security check,” said security researcher Daniel Kelley.

What makes ClickFix especially insidious is how it turns standard security expectations into weapons. The padlock icon, familiar CAPTCHA format, and a legitimate-looking URL all serve to lull users into compliance.

This exploits what researchers refer to as “verification fatigue”, a user’s tendency to click through security prompts without proper scrutiny.

The trick doesn’t rely on exploiting software vulnerabilities, but rather on abusing trust and habitual behavior.

The phishing page is delivered as a single HTML file, but contains embedded scripts and obfuscated code designed to perform clipboard injections.

Because it leverages legitimate Windows utilities and doesn’t download executables, it can evade many traditional detection tools.

Standard defenses, like antivirus software or endpoint protection, are typically geared toward catching suspicious downloads or binaries. But in this case, users are tricked into launching the threat themselves.

This highlights the need for advanced malware protection with zero-hour defense, capable of detecting clipboard injections and fake CAPTCHA screens in real time.

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I am going to talk about Terminator 2: Judgment Day in a post about AI, but not for the reason you would assume, so bear with me. I want to talk about John Connor's be-mulleted best friend, Tim.

There's a moment at the arcade during which the T-1000 is searching for Connor, and Tim bravely tries to deflect it away from him. The T-1000 elbows Tim out of the frame effortlessly in order to pursue its prey.

This is a picture wrap for Tim. He doesn't appear again. He has been glued to John Connor up until that point, but now he's shoved not only out of sight, but out of the movie.

That was Siri's role at WWDC 2025, but without the courage.

Apple opened with a big section on Apple Intelligence, but we were reminded that the AI-powered Siri has yet to meet Apple's high standards, and that "we look forward to sharing more about it in the coming year".

Oof, shove, goodbye Siri, there's only room for one irritating pre-teen in this action flick.

Bear in mind with the quote above that AI Siri was announced at WWDC 2024, so we've been waiting a year for it, and now it's coming at some vague point within the next year.

The upgraded Siri's failure to launch is often said to be part of Apple generally not keeping up with the pace of AI development – but while it's true that I've turned off a lot of Apple Intelligence features myself because I think they're sorely underbaked, Siri has a long history of lagging behind the competition.

14 years of missed potential

It's funny to think that Siri was borderline the first of its kind. I say borderline, because Siri was an existing product that Apple bought in, so logically the tech already existed – but integrating it into the phone in the way Apple did in the iPhone 4S was new and interesting.

I was working on a dedicated iPhone magazine at the time, and Siri was obviously a huge deal: a new way of interacting with your phone, and – we assumed at the time – a new platform that would be developed constantly.

This was not, alas, the case. Siri would stumble forward with new features occasionally, but remained largely a voice-activated remote control for timers and maybe sending a message.

When Alexa and Google Assistant became the biggest tech platforms in the world for a time, we expected Siri to accelerate to keep up with them. It did not.

When Apple launched the original HomePod with Siri on it to compete with the Echo, Siri was far less capable than Alexa, and would frequently get wrong even basic music requests, despite a huge part of the launch being that it had been upgraded to be especially great at music.

Oh yes… and the HomePod was announced at WWDC 2017, but was delayed by nearly a year.

I regularly couldn't get Siri to play the versions of songs in my own damn music library. (Image credit: Future)

Apple has often added features and tinkered with Siri over the years, but it hasn't fixed the fundamental problem that it's never really seemed capable of handling anything outside of those basic remote-control requests.

I use Siri almost every day, to set cooking timers. Often to turn smart lights on and off. Sometimes to activate Apple Watch workouts if my hands are full. I send a message a few times a year, though I rarely trust its transcription.

None of these are meaningful progressions from what it could do 14 years ago. Every time I've encouraged it to explore new areas of usefulness with me, it has immediately tripped and fallen on its face, like a scene in a comedy about rich people who go on a hike for the first time.

Next year's WWDC will mark 15 years of Siri, and it's a big 'if' as to whether we'll have seen the new version by then. If we haven't – or even if we have, but it's only been as successful an update as previous versions – it really might be Old Yeller time.

Google Gemini is too impressive on Android phones for Siri to keep walking into walls. ChatGPT is working with Apple's own Jony Ive on a new AI-first device. Siri can't be carried forever; and yet, its failure to turn up for the huge WWDC event is just another in a long line of disappointments. Surely this has to end, one way or the other, soon.

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At WWDC 2025 Apple has announced its next-generation of software including visionOS 26 – with Apple skipping ahead to version 26 for all of its software to unify its numbering system.

For Apple Vision Pro users this new software will bring with a bevy of excellent upgrades to your mixed reality experience, including plenty of new spatial tools to make photos, apps, and webpages more immersive than ever.

Apple’s also adding a much-needed gaming feature.

To help you get up to speed here are the 6 most important Apple Vision Pro updates you need to know from visionOS 26.

1. New capture device support

(Image credit: Apple)

With visionOS 26 the Apple Vision pro can now support 180-degree, 360-degree, and wide field-of-view videos and photos captured with Insta360, GoPro, and Canon devices. In other words, it's now a much better companion for the best 360 cameras.

This will allow you to better immerse yourself in the action cam content you’ve captured on vacation so you can relive the adventure you went on when you’re back home.

2. PlayStation controller support

(Image credit: Apple)

Following months of teases from leakers, Apple has finally announced that you can use PlayStation VR 2 Sense controllers with the Vision Pro – with Apple explaining they will allow developers to “deliver even more engaging gameplay experiences.”

Perhaps this means we’ll finally see more VR games finally get visionOS ports.

Interestingly, Sony doesn’t sell its PSVR 2 controllers separately from the headset – at least not at the time of writing. That may change following this reveal, but for now you’ll need to spend $399.99 / £399.99 / AU$649.00 on the full PSVR 2 setup to get controllers to take advantage of this update.

3. Immersive spatial scenes

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

Thanks to a new generative AI algorithm, visionOS 26 is set to make spatial photos even more realistic – according to Apple. The AI will create new perspectives from your shots so you can lean into the immersive snaps you’ve captured with your iPhone 16.

It’s also improving the API for developers so they can enhance the Spatial scenes in their apps – such as improvements for Zillow’s Immersive app which will allow users to better digitally explore homes and apartments using their Vision pro headset.

4. Spatial everything

(Image credit: Apple)

Beyond improved spatial photos, Apple is bringing several other spatial upgrades to Vision Pro through visionOS 26.

Customizable widgets are on their way. You’ll be able to adjust their frame, color, and depth, plus Apple says they will integrate into your space, and reappear every time you put on your headset.

So far it has confirmed the Clock, Weather, Music, and Photos apps will support widgets on visionOS. So you can decorate your space with a beautiful spatial panorama, or hang a distinctive digital clock up to keep track of the time you’ve spent immersed.

Beyond widgets, Apple says visionOS 26 will introduce new options for Safari. Developers can now embed 3D objects and spatial scenes directly into web pages, and Apple says you’ll be able to cut out distractions as you use Safari to help you focus.

5. Shared spatial spaces

(Image credit: Apple)

If you and other Apple Vision Pro users are in the same space you’ll now be able to share the same spatial content and see it as if it were a real object in the room with you all.

This means you can all sit on the couch and enjoy the same 3D blockbuster, or collaborate with your coworkers on a project. You can also add remote participants via FaceTime.

6. Improved Personas

(Image credit: Apple)

Okay, enough spatial updates.

With visionOS 26, Apple is also set to make Personas look and feel more natural, and the difference is striking.

Personas look a lot less ghostly and have better hair, more well defined features, and generally look more like you rather than some kinda scary uncanny-valley dweller.

Smaller updates

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

A few smaller updates are on their way too, and I’ve recapped the most interesting ones here as a bonus seventh entry on this list.

Apple Intelligence will now support French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish, along with non-US English in Australia, Canada, India, Singapore, and the UK.

'Look to scroll' will allow you to use just your eyes to navigate apps, and you can better organize them with new folders tools.

Plus, Face ID-enabled iPhones with iOS 26 will be able to unlock even if you’re wearing a Vision Pro.

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Apple put last year’s wonderkid, Apple Intelligence, firmly in the corner today and focused instead on iOS 26, watchOS 26, tvOS 26, macOS 26, and iPadOS 26 (all Apple’s new operating systems now have a new name, reflecting the year they will be most active in) at this year’s WWDC 2025.

In fact, the whole keynote built steadily to the real star of the show, the iPad. The new windowing system on the new iPadOS 26 looks like it finally makes it capable of switching between multiple running apps with ease, and also adds a menu bar, which is context sensitive to whichever app is in the foreground.

This essentially makes the humble iPad less of a large iPhone and more like an extremely lightweight and portable Mac. It won't run Mac software, of course, but it will finally work like one, especially when plugged into a keyboard and trackpad.

iPadOS 26 even gets its own version of the Preview app from macOS to look at PDFs with, and a new Files app that is more powerful and Finder-like.

The iPad upgrade got by far the most animated reaction from Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice President of Software Engineering.

Federighi enthused about the new iPadOS 26 with a passion I haven’t seen since he introduced Apple Intelligence to us last year, calling it “the biggest iPadOS release ever.”

And there was no new hardware from Apple either! I was hoping for at least an upgrade to HomePod, but everything this year was about the various Apple OSs.

@techradar

♬ original sound - TechRadar Where was the AI?

Where was Apple Intelligence in the keynote? It had a little recap right at the start, which focused on what Apple Intelligence features Apple had actually released over the course of the last year, you know, Genmoji, Writing Tools, Notification Summaries, etc, and then it just faded into the background.

Sure, Apple Intelligence was mentioned frequently throughout Apple’s keynote, powering some of the most innovative features on display, like Visual Intelligence now being available every time you take a screenshot, or the ability to suggest when a poll might be a good idea in a group chat, or even letting you create your own original chat backgrounds.

But Apple Intelligence, which last year was the new kid on the block, has now become just another part of the furniture of Apple’s operating systems.

There was no talk about a fully AI-powered Siri, or really any groundbreaking new Apple Intelligence features, although there were quite a few minor ones like Live Translation and new AI-powered Shortcuts.

(Image credit: Apple)Standing in the shadows

But perhaps the background is where Apple Intelligence really belongs? It’s fair to say that the world has gone crazy for AI, thanks to OpenAI and Google steaming ahead with ChatGPT and Gemini. It’s almost impossible for companies not to get swept up in the unlimited possibilities that AI offers.

And yet, are people actually asking for AI features in Macs, iPads, and iPhones? From all of the Apple Intelligence features that Apple has released over the last year, I don’t really use any of them regularly, if at all.

I played around with Genmoji for a day, then got bored. Notification summaries' attempts at summarizing very short text messages were so annoying, I’d rather just read the actual message, which in most cases were just a few words longer.

I do use AI every day, but I prefer to use it inside the fully-featured apps from Google and OpenAI, which work fine on my iPhone and contain advanced voice modes for natural human-like language interaction. This, for me, is where AI really shines, and not when it comes to trying to rewrite, or even read, my emails for me.

Apple did reveal one key detail at this year's WWDC 2025 that I think could change the game for Apple Intelligence. With iOS 26, Apple is making its Foundation AI Models Framework available to developers for the first time.

Now, while this doesn’t sound like big news right now, it’s going to mean that app developers are going to be able to integrate on-device AI into their apps going forward. The possibilities here are endless, and frankly, I think developers will do a better job than Apple has of coming up with creative ways to use AI.

At a time when investors must be starting to wobble as Apple seems to have dropped the ball on AI, by opening up its AI to developers ,Apple might have just secured its future.

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• Apple has just announced a new iOS 26 software update for iPhones
• One of the big changes is a redesign of Apple's Camera app
• New streamlined Photo and Videos modes to make it easier to use

The iPhone's Camera app has been treated to a generous helping of new features over the past few years, from Photographic Styles to Apple ProRaw. But one thing Apple has failed to do is organize all of these features in a way that makes any real intuitive sense – until now, thanks to iOS 26.

Now, instead of having a confusing row of eight features above the shutter button, which I often find myself accidentally scrolling though, Apple is cutting that initial menu down to two things – Photo and Video.

Apple says it's done this because they are, naturally, the two most commonly used Camera modes, and that spring clean has been a long time coming. Once you're in one of those two modes, you just swipe left or right to reveal the related modes within them.

For example, in video mode, swiping brings up both Slo-Mo and Cinematic mode – that's handy, because 'Cinematic' could be interpreted as a video or stills mode, but actually refers to Apple's computational bokeh during video.

(Image credit: Apple)

Perhaps even better, swiping up reveals a 'Liquid Glass' style menu (above) that's much clearer than the current confusing mess of arcane icons. Now, you get names alongside those modes, such as Styles (for Photographic Styles) and Aspect for the aspect ratio. It all looks like a small, but very welcome improvement.

Lastly, Apple has also tied up the video frame-rates and resolution menu. On iOS 18, those sit in the top-right corner of the app, and you don't get a drop-down menu to see the options to cycle though. But in iOS 26, a new frosted glass pane shows you all of the frame-rate options for each resolution.

It's an improvement, but where is the Pro mode?

(Image credit: Apple)

This iOS 26 refresh for the Camera app means that some features are a little more out of sight than before, but that's fine by me. It's been feeling increasingly cluttered and messy, with Apple slowly adding features to an interface that wasn't designed to house so many options.

But there's still one thing missing for me. I've been hoping that iPhones might get a Pro photo mode for a few years now, but there's unfortunately still no sign of one in iOS 26. Apple has shown signs of moving in that direction with video, but only with separate apps like Final Cut Pro for iPad.

To be fair, Apple has added a lot of pro-friendly photo features to iOS, many of which are hidden in its Settings menu. I've rounded up a lot of those tweaks in my guide to how to set up your iPhone 16 to take great photos in 2025.

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But one other simple solution to hiding the Camera app's clutter would be to have one more toggle that flips it between 'point-and-shoot' and 'Pro' modes. The iOS 26 redesign looks like a solid point-and-shoot experience, but a Pro mode (perhaps mapped to the Action button) could quickly turn it into something like a Fujifilm X100VI by bringing up extra controls such as manual focus or focus peaking.

That would be my ideal Camera app setup, effectively making the iPhone two cameras in one. But it's possible that Apple is concerned about 'Sherlocking' some of the best camera apps like ProCamera, Halide or Camera Obscura, which could be seen as a faux pas considering that many of these have starred in its annual App Store Awards.

(Sherlocking is the Apple community's word for when a popular app is killed by Apple offering the same functionality built into its software, named for a tool called Sherlock that was eclipsed by the Mac's Spotlight feature.)

Still, even though Apple hasn't a Pro mode to its Camera app this time, its iOS 26 makeover is still a welcome makeover that should make taking photos on iPhones that are compatible with the new OS a more fun (and less stressful) experience.

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I might spend most of my time writing about Apple – I was following along with the WWDC show today, in fact – but my first computing experiences were of a decidedly Windows flavor. In fact, I’ve used Windows since Windows 95, but the first edition that I truly fell in love with was Windows 7.

But it wasn’t any of the new features or functionality that captured my attention at the time – it was the design. Windows 7 took Microsoft’s operating system from a staid, grey platform that could give itself boredom into one that was modern, sleek and classy, all in a single OS update.

The key element in this was Aero, Windows 7’s glass-like transparency effect. With this in place, colors subtly refracted through windows and title bars, and it all shimmered and shone in real time as you dragged your apps around your screen. For my design-obsessed young brain, it was a graphical marvel.

It was, to borrow a phrase from Steve Jobs, so good you wanted to lick it.

Naturally, I was devastated when Microsoft did away with this design, and I still don’t think the company has been able to match it in the decade and a half since.

Yet watching Apple unveil its new Liquid Glass design language during the company’s WWDC keynote today, I felt a sudden jolt of nostalgia. Here was a glassy, translucent interface that used light and colour to create gorgeous effects on your desktop. It was everything I loved from those halcyon Windows 7 days, back with new twists for a new era.

Who would have thought that Apple would bring back a Microsoft design with such aplomb?

More than just fashion

(Image credit: Apple)

Of course, Liquid Glass is likely to provide plenty of fuel for those critics who allege that all Apple does is copy other people’s work. Yet not only does Liquid Glass show what a braindead take this is, it also highlights exactly the kind of thinking that goes into all of Apple’s designs – and showcase a key difference between its mindset and that of Microsoft.

Because as much as I absolutely adored Windows 7’s look and feel, Aero was essentially a cosmetic coat of paint. It was about looking great – and sure, it sumptuously smashed it in that department – but it didn’t go much beyond that.

Liquid Glass, on the other hand, is about form and function. It’s not just a pretty face (although it is that too in spades) but offers much more on closer inspection.

For instance, Apple made a point of showing the responsiveness of its new interface. Swipe up or down and your iPhone’s floating menu panels automatically adjust their size. Resizing something will prompt it to flex with your mouse or finger. It’s all designed to impact the way you use your device, not just how you look at it.

(Image credit: Apple)

This hits a core principle that has driven Apple since the days of Steve Jobs: “design is how it works.” Many people think that “design” just means making something pretty, and that’s all there is to it. But design should never exist just to serve itself – it must serve the user, and that means you have to create something that works amazingly well. Design is what makes that happen.

Steve Jobs summed it up when he launched the original iMac. In response to Microsoft’s Bill Gates claiming Apple had merely put a new lick of paint on its old devices, Jobs shot back: “The thing that our competitors are missing is that they think it’s about fashion, and they think it’s about surface appearance. They say, ‘We’ll slap a little color on this piece of junk computer, and we’ll have one too’.”

In other words, you can’t put lipstick on a pig. Dress up an awful device and you still have an awful device underneath. Something must work brilliantly and look great in order to be designed well.

This idea is what makes me so excited about Liquid Glass. Not only is it a revival of the elegant transparency effects of Windows 7’s Aero, but it actually adds extra functionality. It gives you new ways to use your Mac or your iPhone, and it looks stunning while doing it.

Design is how it works. Liquid Glass just proved it.

Read more from WWDC 2025...

• macOS Tahoe 26 announced at WWDC 2025 with a new look and new numbering scheme
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• Report claims small drives face 4x the failure risk compared to their high-capacity counterparts
• Unsafe eject practices raise data loss risk by a staggering 75%, according to researchers
• Frequent transfers and careless use leave tiny drives vulnerable to serious file system damage

New research has revealed a concerning trend in external storage reliability: small-capacity external hard drives are reportedly significantly more prone to failure than their high-capacity counterparts.

Based on data gathered from over three million storage devices in the first quarter of 2025, the report from the EaseUS Data Recovery Lab claims disks under 64GB are approximately four times more likely to suffer data loss compared to drives exceeding 4TB.

The reasons behind this disparity lie in both usage patterns and hardware limitations. Smaller drives are often used for quick file transfers or as temporary backups, making them subject to frequent plugging and unplugging.

Usage habits heighten vulnerability

“Frequent plugging and unplugging, high temperature and high humidity, and sudden power failure during data transmission may lead to file system errors, partition table damage, and data loss,” the report explains.

Users who neglect safe eject practices further compound the issue. The data indicates that logical errors from unsafe removal exceed the average risk by 75%.

From a hardware standpoint, cost-cutting measures in smaller drives can result in lower-quality components.

“Some manufacturers compromise in manufacturing processes and materials to cut costs, such as using low-quality controller chips,” EaseUS warns.

These weaknesses naturally translate into higher failure rates, particularly under prolonged or intensive use.

The file system is another contributing factor. While high-capacity drives often use more robust systems like GPT, NTFS, or exFAT, which are better suited to managing large volumes of data, small-capacity disks still frequently rely on FAT32.

"When storing a large number of small files, the partition table needs to be updated frequently, and the risk of metadata overwriting is high,” the report notes.

Interestingly, SSDs show similar trends, though the failure rate gap is less dramatic. External SSDs under 256GB are about twice as likely to fail as those over 4TB.

This is attributed to similar factors: frequent use, fewer flash chips, and less advanced controllers.

“Small-capacity SSDs have fewer chips. Once they are damaged, the risk of data loss is higher,” the findings state.

Although SSDs are generally more resilient and lack moving components, the report cautions against rough usage and advises careful management.

Users are encouraged to stick to safe handling practices and consider purchasing high-capacity storage from reputable brands to lower their risk.

Using a high-quality portable SSD or external HDD will reduce the chance of data loss, but no solution is perfect. Therefore, having access to the best data recovery software is a wise precaution, especially when dealing with logical errors or accidental deletions.

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• Apple has revealed iPadOS 26
• The new software update brings a new look, new apps, and vastly improved multitasking capabilities to iPad
• Apple is calling it the "biggest iPadOS release ever"

Apple has revealed iPadOS 26, one of the most expansive iPadOS updates of all time.

New features include a totally overhauled design, new windowing tools for multitasking, the addition of the Preview app, Genmoji, and Image Playground, and a revamped Files app.

In an official press release, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering Craig Federighi said: “iPadOS 26 is our biggest iPadOS release ever, with powerful features that take the experience to the next level and transform what users can do on iPad”

With this year’s WWDC – which we’re still covering via our WWDC 2025 live blog – Apple has taken a step towards giving the iPad the software power it needs to make the most of its fantastic hardware. We expect iPadOS 26 to release in September 2025 based on the release pattern of previous versions.

As an iPad user myself, I’m glad to see Apple pushing the tablet’s capabilities. Without further ado, here are the new iPadOS features we’re most excited for.

A new name

(Image credit: Apple)

The rumors were true – Apple has officially revealed that the successor to iPadOS 18 will be called iPadOS 26, instead of iPadOS 19.

If you’re wondering what happened to the seven version numbers between iPadOS 18 and iPadOS 26, Apple has decided to change the naming convention of all of its operating systems to reflect their year, rather than their version number.

However, Apple seems to be going the route of high fashion and automotive naming conventions by naming each version after the following year – iPadOS 26 is still expected to fully release in September 2025.

A new look

(Image credit: Apple / Future)

iPadOS 26 is getting a full-on visual overhaul, which is perhaps the most immediately exciting change coming to iPad.

Alongside iOS 26 and macOS 26, iPadOS 26 brings a new visionOS-inspired look to the iPad’s UI and software experience, constructed with a digital material called Liquid Glass.

Expect translucent textures, rounded corners, and bubbly icons both on the homescreen and within first-party apps, as well as a new ‘clear’ theme to sit alongside light mode, dark mode, and the color tint options.

Windows and multitasking

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

iPadOS 26 brings better, more flexible window management that improves on the limited windowed view offer by Stage Manager.

This is a heavy hitter of a new feature that also pushes the iPad further into Mac territory – proper window management.

iPadOS 26 offers the ability to resize and rearrange windowed apps to any size or position on screen. When you close and reopen an app, it appears in the same position and at the same size you last opened it.

For years, iPad users have been left wanting when it comes to window management – the addition of Stage Manager in 2022 added a kind of multitasking to iPad, but it’s never really felt as smooth as a Mac desktop or something like Samsung DeX. That could be about to change.

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The new windowing system also includes the new Exposé view, reminiscent of macOS’ mission control, and the mouse pointer has been updated to be, well, an actual pointier.

The WWDC keynote confirmed that this new window system, with support for up to six simultaneous windows, will come to all currently available iPads.

Menu bar

(Image credit: Apple)

iPadOS 26 also adds a menu bar to the new windowed mode, accessible by bringing the mouse to the top of the screen.

The new menu bar is reminiscent – but not identical – to the menu bar on macOS, with specific options based on the currently opened app.

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(Image credit: Apple)

Preview – Apple’s dedicated PDF app – comes to iPad with iPadOS 26, making it much easier to read, edit, and export PDFs.

The app’s features include the ability to open PDFs from the Files app, create empty pages and use Apple Pencil to draw or write, and use Apple’s AutoFill system to fill in forms and documents.

As an iPad user I’ve often been frustrated by the tablet’s limited options for working with PDFs – I’m glad to see Apple implementing Preview.

Apple Games

(Image credit: Apple)

iPadOS 26 brings a dedicated gaming app to the iPad. The new Apple Games app is a spiritual successor to the Game Center app that was removed from iPadOS and iOS in 2016, and brings together all of your games in one place.

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Apple Games also replaces Game Center’s more recent function as the gaming-focused aspect of a user’s Apple ID. The new Game Overlay enables users to call friends or invite them to games, check out updates, and access settings.

The new app is also coming to iPhone via iOS 26.

Apple Intelligence updates

(Image credit: Apple)

iPadOS brings a number of Apple Intelligence features and improvements to Apple’s tablet platform.

Genmoji and Image Playground make their way to iPad for the first time, offering users the ability to create custom-made emoji and images.

Siri has also got an upgrade, remaining aware of the context of prior requests and benefiting from a large database of Apple product knowledge.

Furthermore, Live Translation comes to FaceTime and Messages on iPad and iPhone, making communication across language barriers easier.

Background tasks

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

iPads are the most powerful tablets you can buy, and with iPadOS 26 users can now access that power with tasks in the background.

For example, you’ll now be able to export a video with Final Cut for iPad while using other apps. The export progress will appear as a live activity.

This is another feature that adds flexibility to the astounding hardware power of M-series equipped iPads, and opens doors for more professional creative workflows.

Journal

(Image credit: Apple)

The Journal app, previously exclusive to iPhone, makes its way to iPad with iPadOS 26. Journal pretty much does what it says on the tin – it’s a place to write about and store memories, photos, and events.

Journal on iPad supports Apple Pencil, which ostensibly means there’ll be space to write and draw in each entry.

Better audio recording

(Image credit: Apple)

The iPad's audio recording powers have expanded with iPadOS 26. As well as the ability to choose different microphone inputs for different apps, the iPad's Voice Memos app now supports Voice Isolation, which blocks out background noise.

Additionally, users with compatible AirPods models (AirPods 4, AirPods 4 with ANC, AirPods Pro 2) can benefit from what Apple calls 'studio quality audio recording'.

Other app updates

(Image credit: Apple)

As for other iPadOS 26 app updates, the Files App has recieved some key improvements. List view now shows more detail and a preview of each document, while folders can be added to the dock.

The Messages app gets themed backgrounds, polls, and a refreshed UI, while Notes and Calculator get advanced 3D graphing in both the Calculator itself and Math Notes.

Also, the pen toolkit accessible in apps like Notes gets a new reed pen, designed for calligraphy.

Let us know which of these iPad features you’re looking forward to most in the comments below. There’s plenty more to explore from this year’s WWDC – be sure to check out our WWDC 2025 live blog for a blow-by-blow rundown off all the updates and announcements.

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For 15 years, I've waited to see the iPad reach its potential. For 15 years, I've hoped that Apple's best-selling tablet would become more than just a "big iPhone". And now, it seems like my prayers have been answered.

Every year, in June, I wait patiently to see the next iteration of iPadOS. You see, I've always loved the iPad, ever since I saved up to purchase the big chonky tablet in 2010. But every year the tablet's software is merely an afterthought at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference. Every year until now.

For the first time ever, Apple gave iPad the spotlight at WWDC, and now it looks like the upcoming iPadOS 26 will finally give the incredible hardware found in the best iPads a platform to shine.

Now it's the iPad's time to shine

During my time in college, as a young student working at my local Apple Store, I opted for an iPad over a Mac to help me get through my studies.

At the time, over five years ago now, the iPad Pro was a powerful device with an operating system that was completely holding it back.

Not only was everything clunky and mobile-based, but there was a lack of proper file management and an inability to quickly manage windows.

Over the years, some of my iPadOS qualms have been squashed, but to this day, my iPad Pro M2, which is more powerful than the Mac I'm writing this article from, has been underclocked by Apple's obsession with making iPadOS the same as iOS.

At WWDC 2025, that all changed thanks to what Apple calls "An entirely new powerful and intuitive windowing system."

Windows on iPad

(Image credit: Apple)

In iPadOS 26 (yes, Apple decided to rename iPadOS 19), users can now easily switch between app windows and organize them like never before.

In Apple's demonstration during the keynote, six apps stacked on top of each other, similar to a Mac, showcased the new ability that completely transforms the capabilities of an iPad.

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Even better, Apple has made the new window management tool work seamlessly with Stage Manager so you can connect your iPad to an external display and reap the benefits of the new OS without being limited to mirroring what's on your tablet's display.

A menu bar, finally

(Image credit: Apple)

If this new iPad window management was the only announcement at WWDC, it would've been enough to tempt me to switch back to an iPad as my primary computing device. Amazingly, there's even more, including the arrival of a menu bar on iPad for the first time ever.

Yep, the iPad now functions more like a Mac than an iPhone, and I'm genuinely over the moon. Now iPad users will be able to quickly access functional tools by simply dragging down from the top of their iPad's display. Great job, Apple.

And even more Mac-like powers

(Image credit: Apple)

Window management, a menu bar, and... Proper file management combined with Preview.

Apple seriously decided to completely reestablish the iPad as a machine for getting things done, and finally, the high price tag of the iPad Pro seems justified.

Time and time again, I've written about the iPad's crux being its software, but Apple seems to have listened to the millions of tablet users clamoring for efficiency and decided to give the iPad every bit of attention it deserves.

In iPadOS 26, compatible devices will now have access to Preview, one of the Mac's best features which allows you to quickly access (you guessed it) a preview of your files.

Preview will be housed in a new Files app that looks more like Finder on Mac than ever before, emphasizing this next chapter in the iPad's story.

The iPad just won WWDC

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

WWDC has now been and gone, and while I come to terms with all the major announcements from the event, I can't help but smile at the fact that for the first time ever, it feels like Apple listened to its loyal, patient iPad users.

WWDC 2025 will go down as a major landmark event in the history of the iPad; it's the event where Apple made a decision to push the iPad to new heights.

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Now, after all these years, we finally have an answer to Apple's iconic "What's a computer?" ad. Back then, the Cupertino-based company wanted you to say "An iPad", but deep down, we all knew it really wasn't. Now, however, an iPad is definitely a computer, and I can't contain my excitement.

Apple has just revealed macOS Tahoe 26 at WWDC 2025 and as well as taking the wraps off the next incarnation of its desktop OS – known as Tahoe – the company gave us the scoop on hardware compatibility.

In other words, we now know which Macs will be good to run macOS Tahoe, and which Apple laptops and computers will be left out in the cold, stuck on the current version which is macOS Sequioa.

And as you might expect, continuing the trend set last year, more of Apple’s Macs with Intel CPUs are going to be barred from entry with macOS Tahoe.

So, which Macs will be compatible with macOS 26? Here’s the full list for the various models of Apple’s computers:

• MacBook Air M1 or later
• MacBook Pro 16-inch 2019 or later
• MacBook Pro 2020 or later
• MacBook Pro 13-inch 2020 with four Thunderbolt 3 ports
• iMac 2020 or later
• Mac mini 2020 or later
• Mac Pro 2019 or later
• Mac Studio 2022 and later

(Image credit: Future)Newer hardware that’s out of luck

As you might realize, this leaves some relatively new Mac hardware languishing in the land of macOS 15, never being able to make the leap to macOS 26.

Most notably, that includes a laptop from 2020 – the MacBook Air with an Intel CPU, as only the MacBook Air with M1 from that year is supported by macOS Tahoe.

While that’s the worst offender in terms of being prematurely shuffled off the support coil, those who own a MacBook Pro from 2018 are also left in the lurch, as are Mac mini 2018 owners for that matter.

All of those are still pretty recent machines – you could argue the iMac Pro 2017 is, as well – and none of them will be able to upgrade to macOS 26. Boo, hiss and so forth…

That doesn’t mean these Macs are suddenly rendered unusable, though. Even though Tahoe isn’t an option for them, Apple will continue to provide security updates for macOS 15 Sequoia going forward. So, it’ll remain a perfectly good operating system for as long as that happens (which should be a couple of years of updates, typically).

You just won’t get the new features that macOS 26 delivers (and you can read more about them here).

If your Mac is compatible and you want to try out macOS Tahoe 26 right now, then we show you how to download the macOS 26 Tahoe developer beta.

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