Introduction
Welcome back to another episode of TJ's Technology Tuesday — and Digital 4 Productivity is, as always, the topic. So what are we talking about today? Yesterday evening saw the WWDC, the World Wide Developer Conference, with two keynotes: the main keynote and the State of the Union.
Later this week or next week I will certainly share more detailed information on all the topics that Apple is presenting throughout the week.
What new features did Apple announce?
Here, for decision-makers, are the most important updates. If you want the absolute short version — what was actually new at Apple? — you could provocatively say: nothing. That is the short form. Not only was this by far the shortest WWDC keynote in terms of time, it was also, in my view, the thinnest in terms of content.
And in my opinion it also came with one very significant drawback: the most interesting feature — the intelligent Siri system with Google's AI, which would let me communicate intelligently by voice — will not be available in Germany or the EU. But let us look at the details. I have summarised things in my usual way, and I have put together a presentation so we can see what was actually shown — here are the highlights.
Speed and smoothness are the core themes
Overview: what was it all about? Above all, it was about being faster and smoother. That theme ran through everything, and I think it genuinely makes sense. Looking at it positively, the first two points are actually positive.
First: rather than adding thousands of new features, the focus is on making existing systems faster and smoother. Optimising the Liquid Glass interface so that it is easier to read in terms of contrast — completely the right call. And the second point, "Trust and Safety", is primarily about child protection: a great deal of discussion around social media and how to prevent children from being exposed to sexually offensive or violent content too early.
Apple has taken a significant step forward here. I genuinely think that is a good thing when you hand children smartphones. And there are a few really small detail improvements where I have to say — I just did a Windows update yesterday and almost locked myself out again. There are really quite a few detailed problems in Windows 11 right now. To be honest, I almost prefer an operating system that focuses primarily on speed and stability.
Apple Intelligence
Our daughter turns 30 this year, so the child-protection topic is no longer a critical one for us personally. But for those of you with children, the parental controls are of course highly attractive. On Apple Intelligence: the good news is that Apple Intelligence continues to be supported down to the iPhone 11. From the iPhone 12 Pro Max onwards, AI functionality is supported.
That continues. Meaning that all the devices that ran iOS 26 will also be supported with iOS 27 in the AI area — with one difference I noticed afterwards: exclusively devices with Apple Silicon. So that means the newer systems will no longer run on iPads from generations before the M1. I also have an Intel Mac — the last one before Apple Silicon — and "Golden Gate", as it is called, will no longer be supported on that either.
The App Store will launch noticeably faster
One genuinely good thing is the topic of apps launching significantly faster. Apple is promising around 30% faster app launch times on iPhone and iPad. Photos open up to 70% faster. AirDrop transfers are set to be more reliable, and support goes all the way down to the iPhone 11 — with the caveat that AI functionality starts only from the iPhone 12 Pro Max.
What is always a plus is that Apple continues to offer new OS versions across a fairly wide range of devices — we are now at iOS 27, supporting all the way down to the iPhone 11. For example, I have a 13 Mini here, and I was able to install iOS 27 on it without any issues yesterday. On my iPad Pro 12.9-inch third generation — which still has an older Apple processor rather than Apple Silicon — I can no longer install it. On the iPhone 13, Apple AI is only partially supported on the older models.
That means you can still install older operating systems on older devices, but certain features are only available on newer hardware. That is actually a good thing, because security updates continue. So even if you have an older iPad like mine — my productive one is the M4 iPad, which runs everything perfectly — a previous iPad can still run iPadOS 26 as its final version and will continue to receive security updates for a very long time to come.
But if you want the new features, you should now consider switching to Apple Silicon. And the good news is that these devices are also available as refurbished units. I genuinely like the idea of longer device lifespans. An M1 or M2 iPad — looking at the Airs — is already quite a while back.
The "Liquid Glass" effect becomes smoother
Apple does have a very long device lifespan compared to Android. You can use the systems considerably longer. Really good. On Liquid Glass: what I like is that you can now deactivate Liquid Glass with a simple slider — or set it steplessly to control exactly how strong the Liquid Glass effect should be.
I like that. It has been fine-tuned in detail so that it runs smoothly on older devices. My 13 Mini really does run smoothly with iOS — feeling a little snappier than even the iOS 26 version. Genuinely smoother. The window layout feels a little cleaner.
The whole thing is called Golden Gate in the version 27 release. And there are small detail changes — for example, shared iCloud albums are now also available on Android and Windows.
tvOS — nothing new on the radar
On tvOS and watchOS: tvOS received no information at all. For watchOS there was only a small mention that Siri will also be available there.
So much for the housekeeping theme, which — as I said — always sounds boring but is made up of many small details. For example, Spotlight search on iPhone and iPad is supposed to work better. I do not know whether you have experienced this too, but I regularly have it: I search for something I know is on the device — an app, for instance — and I always have to go to the last page of the App Library to find it.
The search is supposed to improve significantly. I am curious to see how it plays out. It always takes a while for the search index to build up, so I have not tested it here yet. And importantly: as always, you should not install beta versions on your productive devices.
That is why I have iOS 27 on my 13 Mini at the moment. For my iPad I currently only have my productive device, which can handle beta versions — but I will certainly not be installing the first betas on that. The final betas are something you can eventually install if you are not 100% dependent on the device. Experience shows that on an iPhone in particular, you might have a banking app that then no longer lets you authorise a transfer.
Productivity over creativity — Google sets up dedicated data centres for Apple
And honestly: productivity over creativity. Siri AI as announced — the collaboration with Google is confirmed. The idea is that there is Apple on-device AI, and then Google Gemini models running in dedicated data-centre areas for Apple.
So they do not run at Apple, they run at Google — but on completely separate, isolated hardware, and Apple makes it very clear that it is privacy-first. That is always Apple's philosophy. Completely new here. The downside is that it will not be available in Germany initially.
Data security and data protection
It will only be available in other countries at first. They did not present the data protection aspect in detail — when I look at my other devices, such as an Honor Magic Fold, that works brilliantly with AI. The interesting thing, of course, is that Apple focuses heavily on on-device processing, and everything that runs at Apple — even when it runs in Google data centres — is strongly privacy-oriented and optimised so that there is no uncontrolled data leakage. It understands personal context and screen content. There is a dedicated Siri app, but as I said, unfortunately it will not be coming to Germany.
The idea of features — being able to write and edit everywhere — already exists. Simplified: the AI voice control version of Siri will not be available in Germany, but the features you can use today by tapping will already be usable.
Critics say this is essentially the same presentation Apple has been showing for four years — always promising things are "coming later in 2027", and they are clearly behind on that front, I have to be honest. If you are considering buying a device specifically for the AI features, my reaction is: hmm. What is interesting, of course, is that you can already use Microsoft 365 with all its Copilot features wonderfully on an iPad. That makes a lot of sense. And yes, the existing Apple Intelligence features are already decent, but they are not game-changers. Players like Google and Honor are significantly further ahead.
Automation optimised — but no voice control in Germany
What is quite interesting is that they have also optimised automation further. In collaborative workflows, the system can extract things automatically — you know that feeling when you get a confirmation code via SMS and you can tap it at the bottom to fill it in without switching back and forth. That, simplified, is being optimised further so that you can also work with Shortcuts. But always with the caveat: voice control will not be available for us in Germany yet. On photos and images, they showed some nice features: Spatial Reframing, an Image Playground where you can create background images also with the glasses. Clean-up has been improved so you can remove objects. You can expand images — and what I find particularly nice is the Spatial Reframing feature. You can apply it to photos you have already taken, changing the perspective after the fact. A neat touch, but not life-changing. There was also a note that certain photo-editing features will only be available as part of an iCloud Plus subscription, or will have capacity limits, because if the model is really good and a huge number of people use it, the compute capacity will eventually buckle. Apple needs to protect itself somewhat — hence a daily limit for server load.
Child safety is nothing new for Apple
A major theme that was presented in considerable breadth is child safety. The idea is that after entering a date of birth — parents set up the device with the correct date of birth from the start — age-appropriate content is automatically suggested. There are very granular parental controls for content, including the need to approve when a contact is added. You can say that initially only parents can be called, then family, then friends, and as a parent you can exert a great deal of control. Children can effectively always request: "I'd like to add this contact." Parents can then check and approve. Very, very good.
Including the option for developers to integrate this into their own apps. Really well done. Naturally driven by regulation, but as a father of a daughter — who is now a little older, as I said — thinking back a few years, this is a very smart and worthwhile feature. I deliberately chose a black slide for this one.
Siri AI — NOT launching in the EU first
What is unfortunately not available is Siri AI. There was not even a timeline given — not in the things I looked at afterwards until 1 a.m. in forums, in the State of the Union, and in all the material that was delivered afterwards. There I have to say, clearly much further behind. If I look at it, there were rightful disappointments — including from my side — where I say they are significantly behind. Of course, you can install the Claude app from Anthropic on any Apple phone. You can also use Microsoft 365 in its business version in voice mode.
So the other services you use on a computer via browser can also be used very well in their apps here — including with browser control and voice control within the applications. Against that backdrop, it is definitely something you can use. When I look at the overview: all operating systems were shown in a roughly 15-minute block.
No real news from iOS 27 and macOS
iOS 27 and macOS were not shown at all. Normally they always show the systems. Because my Intel Mac is a test machine, I was not able to install the test version here yet. But what I have seen so far are no functional extensions — only small detail changes. But if it is significantly more stable, then I would rather have that than 25 new emojis and new features that nobody needs.
So barely any real new features, but overall the impression lands somewhere between "wow" and "fail". Apple Intelligence is already quite cool, but unfortunately not available in the EU in this form. The public beta is not yet available. The developer beta — which, as I said, I have already installed on one of my iPhones — is available. The public beta comes in July, and the final version arrives in autumn, typically September, alongside the new iPhones.
In summary: noticeable performance gains, AI automation, cross-platform working, and data protection — all genuinely good. When I look at the setbacks in this area: Siri is unfortunately still not usable, and without a timeline there is barely any real planning certainty for AI features. From my perspective, not a big deal for AI planning.
No in-app purchases distributed via MDM yet
But overall, of course, a further step forward — looking at it positively in terms of stability. During the week I will also take another look at whether there is a session on Mobile Device Management. One of the topics where I always have high hopes is whether it will finally be possible to distribute in-app purchases via Mobile Device Management. That is not possible yet. I will definitely look into that and give you an update.
How were my slides created?
If you have been wondering how I put those slides together so quickly — I did it with the help of Claude Design. Here is what I did: I created a design system with Claude Design, then took screenshots.
I watched the keynote on my iPad, took screenshots, and Claude added black bars at the top and bottom. Then I told Claude Code: "Here are all the photos in a subfolder — crop them to 16:9 so the bars are removed." That was 50 or 60 photos. Done — cropped accordingly. AI is absolutely brilliant for this kind of task, and Claude Code is fantastic for it. Then I said: "Please summarise all of this based on the video." There was a short edited version of the Apple website, and I also included the full transcript.
Claude then gave me a summary in my style. I added two critical videos on top of that and said: "Analyse these as well." Then: "Give me an overall summary of all of this." And then: "Present it as a presentation in my design system." I did not yet have images, so I added the folder and said: "Crop these photos for me — overwrite them — and then integrate the photos from the folder where appropriate in the presentation, applying the correct design from the current Jekel design system." I also uploaded a PDF as a reference. Claude first output it as HTML. And HTML is already perfectly fine for presenting. I could have simply presented the HTML version, but I then also had it exported as a PowerPoint file. In PowerPoint I can of course edit it fully and add animations, as I did.
Building slides is something Claude now does exceptionally well, and Copilot in Microsoft 365 is getting better at it all the time too.
Conclusion
With that, I hope I was able to give you some orientation and context once again. Yesterday I invested 5 or 6 hours going through not just the keynote itself, but all the forum posts and additional coverage. As always, the time-saving effect for decision-makers.
Your Personal IT Coach for Executives — Thorsten Jekel.
Key Takeaways
- Apple's WWDC keynote 2026 was the shortest and thinnest in years — the focus was on speed and stability rather than many new features.
- The new operating system is internally codenamed "Golden Gate": iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 launch apps around 30% faster and open photos up to 70% faster.
- The most important new feature — voice-driven Siri with Google Gemini AI — will NOT launch in Germany or the EU initially; Apple gave no timeline.
- Apple Intelligence runs as a baseline down to the iPhone 11, but AI features require at least an iPhone 12 Pro Max and Apple Silicon (M1 or newer).
- The "Liquid Glass" effect can now be reduced steplessly via a slider and runs more smoothly on older devices.
- Significant expansion of child and parental controls: age-appropriate setup via date of birth, granular parental controls and contact approval.
- Apple's AI remains "privacy first": heavy on-device processing plus Google Gemini models running in isolated, dedicated data centres.
- For decision-makers: anyone wanting to use AI productively on an iPad today is better served by Microsoft 365 Copilot or Claude (Anthropic) — Apple lags behind Google and Honor in AI voice control.
- Public beta from July 2026, final version as usual in September 2026 with the new iPhones.
- Thorsten Jekel's verdict: not a game-changer, but a sensible step towards stability and performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Apple announce at the WWDC 2026 keynote?
Apple primarily showcased performance and stability improvements: the new operating system "Golden Gate" (iOS 27, iPadOS 27) with faster app launch times, a steplessly adjustable "Liquid Glass" effect, significantly expanded child safety features, and an AI-powered Siri in collaboration with Google Gemini. Major new features were absent.
What is the new Apple operating system called in 2026?
The new generation is internally codenamed "Golden Gate". Officially, the systems launch as iOS 27, iPadOS 27, watchOS, and tvOS. The focus is on speed, stability, and detail improvements rather than many new features.
Is the new AI Siri available in Germany and the EU?
No. The intelligent, voice-driven Siri with Google Gemini AI is not launching in Germany or the EU initially — Apple has not even provided a timeline. Tap-based AI features are partially available, but AI voice control is not available for now.
Which iPhones and iPads support Apple Intelligence?
Apple Intelligence runs as a baseline down to the iPhone 11. The actual AI features are only available from the iPhone 12 Pro Max onwards and exclusively on devices with an Apple Silicon chip (M1 or newer). Older iPads with classic processors are no longer supported for the new AI features.
How much faster are iPhone and iPad with iOS 27?
According to Apple, apps launch around 30% faster on iPhone and iPad, photos open up to 70% faster, and AirDrop transfers are more reliable. Apple is clearly prioritising noticeable performance gains over a long list of new features.
What is new for child and parental safety?
Parents set up devices with the child's date of birth, which automatically suggests age-appropriate content. New contacts must be approved, parental controls are highly granular, and developers can integrate the protection framework into their own apps.
How does the "Liquid Glass" effect work in iOS 27?
The "Liquid Glass" effect in iOS 27 can be reduced steplessly or deactivated entirely via a slider. Apple has optimised it to run smoothly on older devices as well, and has improved contrast and readability throughout.
How does Apple protect my data with the new AI?
Apple continues its "privacy first" approach: many AI tasks run directly on the device (on-device). The Google Gemini models run in dedicated data centres isolated from Google's other infrastructure and exclusively for Apple, ensuring no uncontrolled data leakage.
Is it worth buying a new iPhone or iPad for the AI features?
Switching for AI alone is barely worthwhile according to Thorsten Jekel: Apple lags behind Google and Honor in AI voice control, and Siri is missing in the EU. Anyone wanting to use AI productively is better off combining the iPad with Microsoft 365 Copilot or Claude from Anthropic.
When will iOS 27 and the new Apple systems be released?
The developer beta is already available. The public beta launches in July 2026. The final versions will appear as usual in September 2026 alongside the new iPhones.
Tools & Resources Mentioned
- Microsoft 365 with Copilot – use AI productively on iPad and Mac
- AI consulting & AI tools by Thorsten Jekel
- Using the iPad productively in business
- Claude (Anthropic) – AI assistant as an app for iPhone and iPad
- Apple Newsroom – WWDC 2026 announcements
