Apple previews AI features, foldable iPhone at WWDC 2026

Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference has always been the company’s annual flex, a chance to show developers (and the world) where the ecosystem is headed. WWDC 2026, running June 8 through 12, carries more weight than usual. It marks Tim Cook’s final keynote as CEO, a major Siri overhaul, and the first real software signals that a foldable iPhone is coming.

The keynote kicks off June 8 at 10 a.m. PT under the theme “All Systems Glow,” which is Apple’s not-so-subtle way of saying this is the AI year.

Siri gets a brain transplant

The centerpiece of this year’s conference is a fundamentally redesigned Siri. The new Siri is expected to incorporate full chatbot capabilities and significantly deeper app integration. Part of this upgrade is reportedly powered by Google’s Gemini AI models.

The redesign isn’t cosmetic. Apple is positioning Siri as the primary interface layer for its entire ecosystem, meaning the assistant should be able to chain together actions across apps, handle complex multi-step requests, and hold context in conversations.

iOS 27 and the foldable future

No new devices will be announced at WWDC 2026. That’s standard, since the conference is a software event. But iOS 27 is expected to introduce foldable-friendly UI changes, including Split View-style multitasking features designed for screens that bend.

The rumored foldable device, whispered about under the name “iPhone Ultra,” won’t debut at WWDC. But by baking foldable support into the operating system now, Apple is telling developers to start building for it.

The Cook era ends, the Ternus era begins

Tim Cook will transition from CEO to executive chairman on September 1, 2026. John Ternus, currently Apple’s Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, will step into the CEO role.

Cook has led Apple since Steve Jobs’ passing in 2011, overseeing the company’s transformation from a product company into an ecosystem and services juggernaut. His move to executive chairman suggests he’s not disappearing entirely, but the day-to-day vision will shift to Ternus.

What this means for investors

Google providing Gemini models to power Siri creates a fascinating dependency. If Apple’s AI experience is partially built on Google’s infrastructure, it raises questions about long-term strategic independence. Decentralized AI compute networks have been pitching exactly this problem, arguing that no company should depend on a competitor for core AI capabilities.

The leadership transition adds uncertainty that markets generally don’t love. Cook is a known quantity with a proven track record. Ternus is respected internally but untested as a public-facing CEO. How he handles his first major product cycle, likely the foldable iPhone launch, will set the tone for Apple’s next decade.