What is Apple announcing at WWDC 2026?

WWDC 2026 keynote on Monday June 8 at 10am PT (8pm Tallinn) is expected to unveil a fully revamped Siri 2.0 powered by Google's Gemini AI models under a reported $1 billion/year deal, iOS 27 codenamed Snow Leopard with a focus on quality and performance, macOS 27 also Snow Leopard-themed (Apple Silicon only), Apple Intelligence upgrades, and updates to watchOS, visionOS, tvOS, and iPadOS. It is also Tim Cook's final keynote as CEO.

Why is iOS 27 called Snow Leopard internally?

The 2009 macOS Snow Leopard release was famously a 'no new features' upgrade focused entirely on performance, stability, and reliability after the feature-heavy Leopard release. iOS 27 reportedly takes the same approach: fewer flashy features, more under-the-hood work to fix the bugs and inconsistencies that piled up during the Apple Intelligence push of iOS 18 and iOS 26. Expect a leaner, faster, more battery-friendly iPhone experience.

Is Gemini really powering Siri now?

Reports from Bloomberg and other outlets in early June 2026 say yes — Apple struck a roughly $1 billion per year deal with Google to use Gemini models as the backbone of Siri's new conversational mode. Apple still controls the on-device personal context and privacy layer, but the open-ended reasoning gets routed to Gemini, similar to how ChatGPT is offered today as an opt-in fallback. Apple is also reportedly keeping ChatGPT as an alternative selectable provider.

When can I install iOS 27?

Developer beta should be available immediately after the WWDC 2026 keynote on June 8. Public beta typically arrives in July. The full public release usually ships in mid-to-late September alongside the new iPhone lineup. Supported iPhones are expected to be iPhone 12 and later, with the deepest new Siri features limited to A17 Pro and Apple Silicon-class chips (iPhone 15 Pro and newer).

Quick Answer

WWDC 2026 Live: Siri 2.0, iOS 27 Snow Leopard, Tim Cook

Published: June 8, 2026

WWDC 2026 Live: Siri 2.0, iOS 27 Snow Leopard, Tim Cook’s Last Keynote

Apple’s WWDC 2026 keynote starts today, Monday June 8, 2026 at 10am PT (1pm ET / 8pm Tallinn). It is the most consequential WWDC in years: a Gemini-powered Siri, iOS 27 in “Snow Leopard” stability mode, and Tim Cook’s final keynote as CEO. Here is everything to expect and watch for as it goes live.

Last verified: June 8, 2026 — keynote day

How to watch

Platform	Link
Apple Events page	apple.com/apple-events
YouTube	Apple’s official channel (live stream)
Apple TV app	Apple Events
Developer app	iOS / iPadOS / Mac
Time	10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm UK / 8pm Tallinn

The keynote typically runs 90–120 minutes. The State of the Union (for developers) follows around 1pm PT.

What’s confirmed or near-certain

1. Gemini-powered Siri

Reports in early June say Apple has signed a roughly $1 billion/year deal with Google to integrate Gemini models into Siri. The new Siri will have:

A chat mode with full conversational memory
Personal context awareness (your calendar, messages, files) — kept on-device
Cross-app actions (“send Sarah the photos from the trip and add to Notes”)
Gemini fallback for open-ended reasoning, with ChatGPT also available as a selectable alternative

This is Apple’s biggest Siri reboot since 2011.

2. iOS 27 Snow Leopard

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman confirmed the internal codename: Snow Leopard. Like the 2009 macOS release of the same name, iOS 27 is reportedly:

Lighter on flashy new features
Heavy on performance, battery, and stability
A repair year after the Apple Intelligence rush of iOS 18 and iOS 26

Expect smoother animations, better RAM management on older iPhones, and a wave of small “polish” features.

3. macOS 27 — Apple Silicon only

macOS 27 is also expected to ditch the last Intel Macs. Mac Pro 2019 and older Intel Macs are likely out. The lineup will be:

M1 / M1 Pro / Max / Ultra
M2 / M3 / M4 / M5 family
Future M5 Max + M5 Ultra in the late-2026 Mac Pro

If you own an Intel Mac, today’s keynote tells you whether you’re getting one more year of security updates or none.

4. Tim Cook’s final keynote

Cook has reportedly told the board he’ll step down as CEO by the end of 2026. Today’s keynote is his last as CEO — successor announcement expected later in the year. Watch for Cook’s framing of Apple’s AI strategy as his closing statement.

Other things likely to appear

iPadOS 27 — expected to lean further into Stage Manager and external display flows
watchOS 13 — new health metrics tied to Apple Intelligence
visionOS 4 — Vision Pro 2 hardware tease, lighter form factor rumors
tvOS 27 — Apple Intelligence in the Apple TV experience
Hardware teases — possibly a Mac Pro M5 Ultra or new Apple Vision lineup
Apple Intelligence upgrades — new on-device model, better image gen, deeper integration

What to look for in the keynote (the meta watch)

Signal	What it means
Live demo of new Siri	Apple is confident it actually works
Vague Siri demo with “coming this year”	Same problem as iOS 18 launch — risk of slip
Gemini logo on stage	Public confirmation of the Google deal
Cook personal segment	Confirms CEO transition timeline
Big developer monetization changes	Response to EU DMA pressure
MCP or open agent protocol mentions	Apple opens Siri to third-party AI

Why this WWDC matters more than usual

Apple is publicly behind in AI. Siri 1.0 was a 2011 product. Apple Intelligence in iOS 18 launched half-broken. WWDC 2026 is the make-or-break reset.
The Gemini deal changes the model. Apple is no longer trying to build a frontier model itself for consumer Siri. It is the distribution platform for someone else’s model.
Cook’s exit. This sets the tone for the next CEO and Apple’s relationship to AI.
iPhone 17 launch sets up. Whatever ships in iOS 27 today is the headline iPhone 17 feature in September.

What to do today

Watch live at 10am PT / 8pm Tallinn
Install iOS 27 developer beta if you have a spare iPhone (Apple Developer Program required)
Wait on the public beta in July unless you’re a dev
Set a calendar reminder for the State of the Union at 1pm PT for the deeper developer story

The keynote starts in hours. The biggest Apple AI bet since 2011 is about to land.