Apple announces Siri AI and more at Tim Cook's last Worldwide Developers Conference
Siri AI will be available for developers to test starting Monday.
It was an Apple conference packed with lots of new software and one big farewell.
At its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on Monday, Apple announced a menagerie of new technologies, including Siri AI, updated Apple Intelligence, new parental controls and more.
This is the last WWDC for Tim Cook as CEO, as he is stepping down in September to be succeeded by John Ternus, the former SVP of Hardware Engineering.
"It's been the honor of a lifetime," Cook said at the conclusion of the WWDC presentation.
Siri AI
The biggest software announcement at WWDC came in the form of Siri AI -- a new app that will answer questions, provide writing tools and be able to search devices for information and photos, per Apple.
“We’re excited to introduce Siri AI, a dramatically more capable and conversational assistant designed to help users find information and get things done throughout the day,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s current SVP of Software Engineering.
Siri AI will be available for developer testing starting today, and as a beta version to public users later this year, according to Apple.
Apple Intelligence
Apple also announced an updated version of its Apple Intelligence software that will power Siri AI.
Alongside fueling Siri AI, Apple Intelligence will allow users to edit their photos with AI, automatically organize tabs in Safari, monitor websites for updates and change any weak or compromised passwords, per Apple.
Apple Intelligence will also allow Apple users to create custom Safari extensions by simply describing what they want -- and photorealistic images in the Image Playground app, according to the WWDC presentation.
New Parental Controls
The tech giant also announced new child account functionalities Monday that will allow parents to maintain stricter control of their children's devices.
Parents will be able to block apps and websites more easily and automatically intervene if inappropriate or violent content is shared on adolescent Apple accounts, according to the company.
"Today, we’re introducing major updates to help families thoughtfully establish age-based protections and develop healthy digital habits,” said Sumbul Desai, M.D., Apple’s VP of Health and Fitness.
Child accounts will be automatically installed for children under 13 and available for children up to 18, per Apple.
iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27 and visionOS 27
All new Apple operating systems are coming later this fall, centered around the updates of Siri AI and Apple Intelligence.
New operating systems will allow apps to launch 30% faster, load photos 70% faster and AirDrop 80% faster, according to Apple.
Android and Windows devices will now also be able to join iCloud photo albums, and liquid glass displays will be able to shift from clear to fully tinted based on users' preferences, Apple said.
WatchOS 27 will introduce Workout Buddy, a technology that is said to motivate users to work out based on their fitness history, based on data tracking pace, distance and workout duration.
Apple Watch users will also be able to tap their index finger and thumb together once to select a widget in the Smart Stack of the watch to see relevant information, per Apple.
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