Technologies

Biggest Apple Announcements From WWDC 2025: Liquid Glass, iOS 26, New Camera App Look and Much More

Apple’s annual developers conference brought us a new Liquid Glass design, updated operating systems for all the Apple devices, new options for text messages and AI visual search.

Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) acts as its annual showcase for everything new the company plans to include in its software for the next year, providing developers lead time (and incentive) to integrate imminent features and capabilities for iPhones, iPads, Macbooks, Apple Vision Pro, Apple Watch and Apple TV in their upcoming releases.

Today’s event brought us a Liquid Glass redesign across operating systems, unified version numbers for the OSes (all ending in 26, e.g., iOS 26), except MacOS Tahoe 26, which still incorporates a tourist destination. Plus, the new Gaming app — which is mostly a hub but with some group features — which we’ve been waiting for.

Apple prepped buzz for the event by releasing new retro merchandise for the nostalgic among us.

The event began with a buzz video of Craig Federighi, senior VP of software engineering, racing in an F1 car to promote the F1 movie produced by Apple for its Apple TV Plus streaming service.

If you’re more the «moment-by-moment» type, you can check out our archived live blog. Or just skip to the memes inspired by the closing song. Or just go straight to the part where you complain it bored you.

Public betas of the new operating systems will be available in July, and the first developer beta for iOS 26 is available right now.

Liquid Glass redesign stole the show

Apple’s «gorgeous new design,» for all its platforms the first overhaul since iOS 7, made possible by better displays and more powerful components.

Apple’s vision for its next operating systems’ interfaces is almost literally that: It’s inspired by VisionOS. The new design system is called Liquid Glass, and brings a return to more pervasive translucency for the OS elements — the same aesthetic that informs the software for its Vision Pro VR/AR headset. That means more lens-like appearance, with specular highlights and dynamic movement as you change viewing angle. Navigation behavior changes as well.

iOS 26: The new operating system (and naming) is official

Liquid Glass will probably make the most impact on Apple’s most popular device. But in addition, there’s a new unified layout for communications, integrating Phone and FaceTime. Call Screening will wait until someone begins to talk and tell you who it is before ringing through, while Hold Assist will keep the call connected in the background and ring you when someone answers. Across the apps, there are lots of interface elements floating and more features just a tap away.

The long-rumored «new destination» for gaming, Apple introduced the Games app. There’s a hug for Arcade, and it shows events and your entire game library in a single place. There’s Play Together for managing co-op and group challenges. Developers can use that for turning single-player games into group challenges.

And it works with a controller. Heck yeah.

Messages gets a customizable background that’s shared across a chat, group chats can host polls, and you can request or receive Apple Cash in group chats. You’ll be able to filter messages out from recent and unknown senders out of notifications. Emoji generation gets smarter by letting you combine and modify Genmoji to more accurately reflect what you want to convey. New ChatGPT styles include things like oil painting, or the ability to ask for a specific style that’s not a preset.

Live Translation is now live in the communications apps with this version of the OS, and will work when you call someone who’s not on an iPhone.

In addition to the new look, which includes things like dynamic scaling of widgets based on the photo on the lock screen, can automatically make the photo 2.5D and animated artwork for what’s playing. There’s lyrics, live lyric transliteration, mixing via the new AutoMix feature and music pins in your library.

The camera makes it more streamlined to access the basic photo and video modes, plus all the options have been made a quick gesture away. Library and Collections tabs are back in Photos. Apple opens Visual Intelligence to not only screenshot search, but can use it across apps or call up ChatGPT.

Maps can learn your preferred routes and take them into account, gives you travel time estimates and remembers where you’ve been for a visited-location history.

Apple Wallet will offer passport info for digital IDs (for everything but flying). Pay will offer in-person redemption of Rewards and use of Installments.

iPadOS 26 gets more Mac-like every year

Though probably not the most popular updates people care about, iPadOS 26 did get a lot more architectural changes aside from more Liquid Glass prettiness and the Live Translation, communication and AI features from other devices.

The substantive changes include a new windowing system to improve multitasking. There’s a grab handle to resize full-screen apps to windows, using the flick gesture to tile — it works with a trackpad as well as touch. It looks very similar to MacOS.

Expose brings up thumbnails of open windows so you can select the one you want. There’s also a persistent menu bar at the top of the screen, like a desktop OS. Heck yeah. And it doesn’t require a specific high-performing iPad; it works with Stage Manager and on multiple displays. Of course, some people are wondering (dreading?) what it will be like to use on an iPad Mini.

Files finally grows up, like a detailed list view with the ability to resize columns, the ability to drag a folder to the Dock and more.

Preview comes to the iPad, and the OS adds support for selecting a mic and providing a noise-isolation option across apps. There are also more tools for creators, such as local capture via video conferencing apps, with mic options for better sound.

Background tasks — yes! — will show up as live activities, so you don’t have to put it down and walk away for a render.

MacOS Tahoe… 26

This year’s location name is Tahoe, and the update includes the same communications appearance updates as iOS 26. MacOS Tahoe incorporates the Liquid Glass design, too. You can add a new set of controls to the control center, change colors or add emoji to folders.

Continuity gets Live Activities, like on the iPhone, and the Phone app comes to the Mac with shared history and the other new AI features.

Shortcuts now have intelligent actions, like summarizing text or comparing things. Spotlight adds some of the annoying features of Windows search, like mixing results across types you don’t want. Quick Keys are two-letter shortcuts for apps and actions, along with suggestions. It keeps a clipboard history, which should make a lot of folks happy.

The Games app on Tahoe has the same features as the app on iPhone, plus an in-game overlay. Updates to Apple’s Metal graphics framework, Metal 4, add frame interpolation, denoising and more for potentially better game performance and quality. Upcoming games include Crimson Desert and Inzoi.

Workout Buddy makes its debut in WatchOS

The Apple Watch OS incorporates AI in a new Workout Buddy, which keeps your fitness history and offers vocal coaching (ugh, pep talks) with a summary of your workout stats at the end. Workout has a new layout and custom workouts.

Smart Stack uses more data to prioritize and predict which features you’ll want soon. It’s smarter about notifications, basing the volume on the ambient noise in your environment, and adds a Wrist Flick gesture for things like dismissing notifications.

The new design also permeates Apple TV Plus and TVOS. Apple also announced some new upcoming originals and new seasons of existing shows like Slow Horses and Foundation.

TVOS will let you jump back into shows more quickly and get into karaoke with your iPhone as the mic.

VisionOS 26 adds more for business

This operating system already had the look, but Apple’s taken VisionOS 26 deeper and more into-the-real-world. Widgets can be personalized and persistently overlaid. The OS will remember window placement. Photos can also create spatial views of photos and automatically convert images in articles, for instance. Personas will potentially look more accurate.

Collaborative Pro usage got a co-op game callout, but it’s for business. If you’re using a shared team device, you can save your settings on your iPhone. There’s also a new Eyes Only mode for privacy. Logitech Muse 3D stylus and PSVR hand controllers are two of the interesting new accessories for it.

You’ll be able to edit Premiere Pro video and playback native 360-degree playback for popular action cams.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Friday, Feb. 20

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Feb. 20.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s Mini Crossword expects you to know a little bit about everything — from old political parties to architecture to video games. Read on for all the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Political party that competed with Democrats during the 1830s-’50s
Answer: WHIGS

6A clue: Four Seasons, e.g.
Answer: HOTEL

7A clue: Dinosaur in the Mario games
Answer: YOSHI

8A clue: Blizzard or hurricane
Answer: STORM

9A clue: We all look up to it
Answer: SKY

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: «Oh yeah, ___ that?»
Answer: WHYS

2D clue: Says «who»?
Answer: HOOTS

3D clue: «No worries»
Answer: ITSOK

4D clue: Postmodern architect Frank
Answer: GEHRY

5D clue: Narrow
Answer: SLIM

Technologies

PlayStation 6 Rumors: Potential 2029 Release, Specs, Pricing and More

While the PS6’s release is still years away, here’s what we know so far about the next-gen console from Sony.

The PlayStation 5 will turn six years old this year. For a game console, that means it’s coming into its twilight years. So, it’s understandable that gamers are starting to wonder what’s next. There’s is nothing official so far from Sony on when the PlayStation 6 might arrive, though.

Still, reports and rumors are circulating about Sony’s next-gen game console. While Sony has a sizable market lead over Microsoft’s Xbox, it now has different competition coming from the new powered-up Nintendo Switch 2 and the upcoming Steam Machine home console from Valve. Both devices offer different challenges for Sony in terms of portability, library of games and pricing.

Here’s what we know about the PS6 so far.

When will the PS6 come out?

Sony, for obvious reasons, hasn’t provided a window for when the PS6 will come out. Speculation puts the console’s release in 2027, which would be seven years after the release of the PS5, and consoles have generally been on a seven-year cycle.

Sony could push the release to 2028, according to a report from David Gibson, senior analyst at MST Financial. He believes the new PlayStation will likely be delayed as the company is expanding the lifecycle of the PS5, according to VideoGame Chronicles. However, a new report from Bloomberg says the release date could be pushed back to 2029, thanks to the current RAM shortage.

Will the PS6 be a handheld?

It does appear that Sony might be developing both a console and a handheld. Rumors were circulating that Sony was creating a handheld on par with the Nintendo Switch to complement the console.

The speculation is that this handheld will be able to play new PS6 games, as well as PS5 and PS4 games. While this seems unlikely from a handheld, it’s possible the device would have enough power to run PS5 games and, in turn, PS4 titles, while PS6 games would be playable at a lower visual quality.

The YouTube channel Moore’s Law Is Dead reported in December that this PS6 handheld is already being tested by developers but that its lower-power mode reportedly doesn’t play PS5 games well, as it lowers the frames of the game when in use.

Sony’s strategy for this generation could be about keeping players in the PlayStation ecosystem at home and on the go, so they won’t be tempted by competitor handhelds such as the Xbox ROG Ally or Steam Deck.

How much will the PS6 cost?

Figuring out the potential pricing for this upcoming generation of consoles is tricky. There are so many unknown factors that complicate the answer.

Current tariffs, for example, have caused Sony, like Microsoft and Nintendo, to raise console prices, making it hard to predict what will happen in the coming years. The tariffs could go away, but if they continue, Sony may have to move its console production to another country that has a minimal tariff or hope that the countries that manufacture its hardware — Vietnam and China — strike a deal with the US.

Another issue is the RAM shortage and the resulting skyrocketing prices. Brought on by the demands of data centers across the globe being built out to handle the growth in AI usage, memory prices have already jumped. Those increases are leading to more expensive desktops, laptops and, really, anything that uses RAM, like tablets, phones and gaming devices.

The sweet spot for any console release would be $500, but that seems more like a pipe dream at this point. What could be used as a marker for hardware prices is Valve’s upcoming Steam Machine later this year, which is speculated to stay in the $600 to $700 range.

As for the handheld portion, the pricing could be more aggressive than the offering of the current handheld market. A video from August, from the YouTube channel Moore’s Law Is Dead, says the pricing for the PS6 portable could be in the range of $400 to $500. This could mean that to get the full PS6 experience, gamers will have to drop at least $1,000.

What are the PS6 specs?

Like other gaming hardware makers, Sony is working closely with AMD for its components. Back in October, the lead architect for the PS5, Mark Cerny, hosted a video with Jack Huynh, SVP and GM of AMD’s computing and graphics group. The video was uploaded to the PlayStation YouTube channel.

While the talk between the two didn’t confirm what technology will power the PS6, they hinted a bit about what’s next with a collaboration between the two companies, called Project Amethyst.

Huynh introduced Radiance Cores, which are AMD’s new technology for ray tracing and path tracing. Another technology, introduced to handle the GPU demands of AMD’s Fidelity Super Resolution and PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution upscaling, is Neural Arrays. And AMD’s Universal Compression can help relieve bottlenecks with the GPU memory bandwidth limitations.

While there are few verifiable details about the chips powering the PS6, Sony will work with AMD to create customized hardware for its PS6, just like Nintendo did with the Switch 2 and Microsoft is doing with the next Xbox.

The PS6 is likely to have at least 16GB of RAM and a 1TB solid-state drive for storage. It will also likely have the latest standards for wireless technology, such as Wi-Fi 7, and the newest media interface, HDMI 2.2.

Sony will also develop some other PlayStation-focused features in the same fashion as the adaptive triggers on the DualSense PS5 controller and more functionality with cloud gaming for PS Plus subscribers.

Many questions are still left to be answered about the PS6, with the ultimate question on whether the 10th generation of game consoles will, in fact, be the last.

Technologies

Google Rolls Out Latest AI Model, Gemini 3.1 Pro

Starting Thursday, Gemini 3.1 Pro can be accessed via the AI app, NotebookLM and more.

Google took the wraps off its latest AI model, Gemini 3.1 Pro, on Thursday, calling it a «step forward in core reasoning.» The software giant says its latest model is smarter and more capable for complex problem-solving.

Google shared a series of bookmarks and examples of the latest model’s capabilities, and is rolling out Gemini 3.1 to a series of products for consumers, enterprise and developers.

The overall AI model landscape seems to change weekly. Google’s release comes just a few days after Anthropic dropped the latest version of Claude, Sonnet 4.6, which can operate a computer at a human baseline level.

Benchmarks of Gemini 3.1

Google shared some details about AI model benchmarks for Gemini 3.1 Pro.

The announcement blog post highlights that the Gemini 3.1 Pro benchmark for the ARC-AGI-2 test for solving abstract reasoning puzzles sits at 77.1%. This is noticeably higher than Gemini 3 Pro’s 31.1% score for the same test.

The ARC-AGI-2 benchmark is one of multiple improvements coming from Gemini 3.1 Pro, Google says.

3.1 Pro enhancements

With better benchmarks nearly across the board, Google highlighted some of the ways that translate in general use:

Code-based animations: The latest Gemini model can easily create animated SVG images that are scalable without quality loss and ready to be added to websites with a text prompt.

Creative coding: Gemini 3.1 Pro generated an entire website based on a character from Emily Brontë’s novel Wuthering Heights, if she were a landscape photographer showing off her portfolio.

Interactive design: 3.1 Pro was used to create a 3D interactive starling murmuration that allows the flock to be controlled in an assortment of ways, all while a soundscape is generated that changes with the movement of the birds.

Availability

As of Thursday, Gemini 3.1 Pro is rolling out in the Gemini app for those with the AI Pro or Ultra plans. NotebookLM users subscribed to one of those plans will also be able to take advantage of the new model.

Both developers and enterprises can also access the new model via the Gemini API through a range of products, including AI Studio, Gemini Enterprise, Antigravity and Android Studio.