Apple has unveiled a series of updates and new technologies aimed at enhancing the tools available to developers working on its platforms. The company announced improvements across iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, watchOS 26, and tvOS 26.1, emphasizing a design that maintains familiarity while focusing more on content.
A significant addition is the Foundation Models framework, which allows developers to leverage on-device intelligence for creating apps that are both intelligent and privacy-focused. Susan Prescott, Apple's vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations, highlighted the importance of these tools in enabling developers to build "richer, more intuitive apps."
The updated Xcode 26 integrates large language models like ChatGPT into the coding process. This integration aims to assist developers in writing code and documentation efficiently without needing an account setup for initial use.
Design-wise, Apple introduced Liquid Glass material in its software design for more expressive app interfaces. Developers can utilize SwiftUI to adopt this new design language seamlessly across different Apple platforms.
Additionally, Apple has launched the Icon Composer app for designing app icons with advanced features such as blurring and translucency adjustments. The App Intents feature now supports visual intelligence for better integration with system experiences like Siri and Spotlight.
Paul Mayne from Automattic noted how the Foundation Model framework has transformed their Day One journaling app by integrating intelligence with user privacy.
For game developers, Metal 4 provides enhanced graphics capabilities exclusive to Apple silicon devices. It includes features like MetalFX FrameInterpolation for improved frame rates and real-time ray tracing support through MetalFX Denoising.
Etsy's CTO Rafe Colburn expressed enthusiasm about using visual intelligence in their iOS app to enhance product discovery experiences for users.
Swift 6.2 introduces enhancements in performance and interoperability with languages such as C++, Java, and JavaScript. It also simplifies concurrency handling within single-threaded code development.
Apple continues to focus on accessibility with new Nutrition Labels for App Store product pages that inform users about supported accessibility features before downloading an app or game.
These updates are available immediately through the Apple Developer Program, with a public beta expected next month via the Apple Beta Software Program.