Apple announced major updates to its developer tools and technologies, aiming to help creators build more engaging and intelligent apps across its platforms, including iOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, and others.
The update introduces a new software design based on a material called Liquid Glass, enhancing visual appeal and usability from small interface elements to larger navigation components. The design is supported natively by SwiftUI, ensuring consistency across devices.
The Foundation Models framework allows developers to incorporate on-device AI capabilities that prioritize user privacy and offline availability. This framework supports Swift, enabling easy integration of generative AI features with minimal code.
Xcode 26 expands on these AI tools by integrating large language models such as ChatGPT directly into the coding environment. Developers can generate code, documentation, tests, and more with built-in AI assistance, and customize the models they use, including running local models on Apple silicon. New navigation, localization, and voice control enhancements further improve productivity.
App Intents now support visual intelligence, allowing apps to provide richer visual search results integrated with system features like Siri and widgets. Etsy, for example, uses this to improve product discovery via visual search.
Swift 6.2 introduces improved concurrency handling, better interoperability with other programming languages, and WebAssembly support, enabling broader development possibilities.
The Containerization framework enables running Linux containers securely on Macs with Apple silicon, simplifying cross-platform development.
Game developers benefit from updated tools like Game Porting Toolkit 3 and Metal 4, which support advanced graphics and machine learning for immersive experiences. Enhanced features such as MetalFX Frame Interpolation and Denoising enable higher frame rates and real-time ray tracing. The new Apple Games app centralizes access to games and social features like leaderboards and challenges.
Apple also provides new tools to protect children online, including parental controls, a Sensitive Content Analysis framework, and a Declared Age Range API that respects privacy while allowing age-appropriate content delivery.
Accessibility improvements include Nutrition Labels on App Store pages, detailing supported accessibility features. The App Store Connect app adds capabilities for managing TestFlight feedback and notifications.
These updates are available today for developer testing via the Apple Developer Program, with a public beta launching next month. Detailed AI features require supported Apple devices and languages, with expanded language support planned later in 2025.
For more information, visit developer.apple.com and apple.com/apple-intelligence.