It's that time of year again – Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) is almost upon us. Apple's annual jamboree always sees a flurry of announcements, and this year promises to be no different. It always paves the way for the year ahead, and will drop a rather large hint or two on what to expect from the iPhone 17.
But there's a lot more to it than Apple's smartphones. With announcements likely to span iOS, iPadOS and tvOS, we should see all manner of new features coming to Apple's full portfolio of AV devices.
We might even see a new product or two.
We've gathered all the information you need below. For what to expect, as well as the exact timings and how to watch the announcements live for yourself, read on.
When is WWDC 2025?
The event takes place from 9-13th June. Sessions will be held all week, but the keynote speech is on Monday 9th June at 1pm ET / 10am PT / 6pm BST / 3am (Tuesday) AEST.
What is rumoured to launch?
This being a conference for developers, the focus will very much be on software rather than hardware. As such, the prospect of new devices launching are pretty slim. But never say never.
Here's what's expected, as well as what we're hoping for.
New AirPods features
We could see new head gestures added to the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4, according to 9to5Mac. Currently, you can nod or shake your head to accept or decline calls, but you could soon adjust the volume of Conversation Awareness with a head gesture.
Your AirPods could soon detect when you've fallen asleep and pause playback, so you wouldn't have to rely on sleep timers. And they could activate your iPhone's camera shutter – just squeeze the earbud stem to snap.
Also rumoured is a 'studio quality' mic mode for AirPods similar to the iPhone 16's Audio Mix feature, which separates background sounds from speech using machine learning. And AirPods could pair more simply with iPads that are being shared by users – ideal for a classroom setting.
More AI
Apple's AI endeavours have so far been met with a bit of a shrug, with the likes of Samsung and Google speeding off into the distance while the Cupertino company repeatedly sputters and stalls.
It only has itself to blame. At the unveiling of Apple Intelligence, the firm promised all sorts of features, only some of which have come to pass. It was the opposite of that old mantra 'under promise and over deliver'.
This time around it's said to have new battery-saving and health tech to show, all powered and enhanced by AI. Let's hope this year sees more substance and less hype.
An OS rebrand
Rumours say Apple will align all of its various operating systems by naming them after a year. So we'll see iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26 and so on. This despite the next version of iOS set to launch in the autumn of 2025, along with the iPhone 17. So it could still prove confusing.
Apple wouldn't be the first company to take this approach. In 2020, Samsung named the most recent of its Galaxy S phones the Galaxy S20, despite its predecessor being called the S10. This was followed by the S21 in 2021, S22 in 2022 and so on, right up to the Galaxy S25.
A new look could also be on the cards. Rumours say that some – and maybe all – of Apple's operating systems will get the same glassy, transparent look as visionOS, as seen on its Vision Pro headset.
New home cinema and audio goodies?
There's always the chance Apple is planning something more substantial for us fans of home cinema and audio.
Its AirPlay 2 wireless technology could be in for an update, upping its maximum video quality from 1080p HD to 4K and adding Dolby Atmos support.
The HomePod 2 is a couple of years old now, and the HomePod Mini a geriatric four-and-a-half years old, so either could be updated. Rumours have also swirled concerning a HomePod with a screen. Apple launched the Vision Pro at WWDC 2023, so new hardware isn't completely out of the question.
Finally, the Apple TV 4K is three years old, so could be in for an update. Or could Apple even launch a budget streamer to rival the likes of the Amazon Fire TV Stick?
For more on what we want to see, check out 3 big home cinema and audio announcements we're hoping to see at Apple's WWDC event.
How to watch
You can watch the WWDC keynote on Apple's website, on its YouTube channel, or right here in the window above. It starts on Monday 9th June at 1pm ET / 10am PT / 6pm BST / 3am (Tuesday) AEST.
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