WWDC 2025 Preview: iOS 26 (Not 19!) – Liquid Glass, Gaming Hub, and Health AI

As CodeHarper readers know, WWDC is always the talk of the tech world—and this year’s event promises one of the biggest iOS overhauls since … forever. Here’s everything we’ve pieced together about Apple’s upcoming “iOS 26” rumored release.

Table of Contents

🔄 A New Naming Era: iOS 19 Becomes iOS 26

Apple is reportedly ditching sequential version numbers in favor of calendar-year names—much like car models

What this means for us (at CodeHarper):

iOS → iOS 26
iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, visionOS → also numbered by year.
More intuitive updates—no more wondering if you’re on the latest version.

✨ Liquid Glass: The Vision Pro-Inspired Redesign

Apple is working on its biggest UI redesign since iOS 7—with translucent panels, circular icons, and “shine” effects across all OSes

What we expect:

Floating tab bars and glossy toolbars
Consistent “Solarium” visuals across iPhone, iPad, CarPlay, and more
Refreshes to Phone, Camera, Safari, Messages (backgrounds + polls)
Floating controls and intuitive touch gestures

🎮 A Gaming App Hub That Actually Makes Sense

Game Center is out. A new gaming app is in—streamlining Apple Arcade, achievement tracking, leaderboards, and editorial content on all devices

Why it matters:

One-stop central hub for mobile, Mac, and Apple TV games
Supports third-party Mac titles—not just App Store exclusives
Polished rival to Microsoft’s Xbox app experience

🩺 Virtual Health Coach + Food Tracking

Mark Gurman confirms Apple might introduce an AI health coach and food log in the Health app

Anticipated perks:

Personalized fitness and wellness tips based on Health data
Macros tracking—carbs, caffeine, habits
Integration with Apple Watch for smart, adaptive recommendations

🔋 Smarter Battery Management + Reverse Charging

Expect battery life improvements that use AI to manage charging—plus an estimated full-charge time right on the lock screen

Even more exciting: reverse wireless charging for AirPods or Apple Watch—possibly debuting on iPhone 17 Pro .

🌍 Messages: Translation, Polls & Backgrounds

AI-powered translation in real-time, built-in poll tools for group chats, and even chat backgrounds—making Messages feel more dynamic

📄 Preview App Lands on iPhone & iPad

After years on macOS only, Preview may arrive on mobile—letting you annotate PDFs and edit documents seamlessly on the go bestofai.com.

😄 Genmoji: Mix Your Emojis

Bloomberg teased a small but fun feature: Genmoji combos, like a basketball into a trash can .

🧭 Why Siri Isn’t Starry Yet

Despite previous promises, the major Siri overhaul isn’t set for WWDC—it’s likely delayed into 2026. Instead, expect marginal AI enhancements but save major Siri transformations for later indiatimes.com.

✅ WWDC 2025 Feature Snapshot

Feature	Expected?	Notes
Year-based naming	✅	iOS 26, watchOS 26, etc.
Vision Pro UI overhaul	✅	“Liquid Glass,” translucent themes
Gaming app hub	✅	Replaces Game Center
AI health coach	✅	Lifestyle & food tracking
AI battery management	✅	Reverse charging + estimations
Real-time AI Messages	✅	Polls, translations, backgrounds
Mobile Preview App	✅	PDF annotation
Genmoji combos	✅	Creative emoji fun
Major Siri updates	❌	Delayed to later

🎥 Watch This! iOS 26 Early Preview

📚 Related Reads & Deep-Dive Links

✅ CodeHarper’s Take

WWDC 2025 looks to be one of Apple’s most transformative software years ever. The “liquid glass” design, gaming app hub, AI health coach, and enhanced battery features mark a pivotal moment in form and functionality.

For CodeHarper readers: this update isn’t just visual fluff—it’s a strategic blend of UX redesign and AI utility focused on daily life. Big Siri leaps are pending, but WWDC will set the stage.

🎯 What people are talking about this on Social Media –

Twitter/X:

iOS 26 is coming and Apple’s cooking up a liquid glass redesign, AI health coach, gaming hub + more! See the full scoop from CodeHarper 📱✨ #WWDC25

Facebook:

Apple’s WWDC 2025 is around the corner—and WWDC23, sorry—you’re about to be outshined. Liquid Glass UI, AI health coach, private gaming hub… 🚀 Catch the full breakdown on CodeHarper!

LinkedIn:

WWDC 2025 is shaping up to be Apple’s boldest software pivot in years. Here’s an in-depth preview of the Liquid Glass UI, gaming hub, AI health coach, and more—by CodeHarper.

🛠 iOS 26: How It Compares with Android 15 & Previous iOS Versions

To give CodeHarper readers more perspective, here’s how the upcoming iOS 26 stacks up against iOS 17 and Android 15, which is also expected to debut later this year.

🔍 Comparison Table – iOS 26 vs iOS 17 vs Android 15

Feature	iOS 17	iOS 26 (Rumored)	Android 15 (Expected)
UI Design	Flat, modern	Liquid Glass, translucent	Material You revamp
AI Integration	Limited	Health, messages, battery	System-wide Gemini AI
Gaming Focus	Apple Arcade only	Dedicated gaming hub	Play Games expansion
Messages Translation	Manual via Translate app	Built-in AI translation	Google Translate integration
Health Features	Activity, vitals	AI Coach + Food tracking	Fitbit integration
Preview App	macOS only	iOS & iPadOS	Built-in PDF viewer
Siri Upgrades	Minor improvements	Delayed (2026)	Assistant w/ Gemini upgrade
Reverse Charging	Not available	Possibly on iPhone 17 Pro	Available on select devices

This table makes it easier for CodeHarper visitors to evaluate whether upgrading is worth it—or if Android’s catching up.

📢 Developer-Centric Changes at WWDC 2025

While the public focuses on flashy new features, developers tuning in to WWDC 2025 should expect major updates to the underlying Swift framework, Xcode 16, and potentially new APIs for Apple Intelligence integration.

For those looking to build health or AI-based apps, Apple is rumored to unveil:

A new HealthKit AI API
Extended support for MetalFX in gaming apps
Dynamic app icons powered by user context

Visit Apple’s official developer newsroom for full documentation once WWDC wraps.

💡 Tips to Prepare for iOS 26 on Your Device

If you want to make sure your iPhone is ready for iOS 26, here’s a quick checklist from CodeHarper:

✅ Back up your data to iCloud
✅ Free up 10–15 GB of storage
✅ Update apps to latest versions
✅ Check if your model will support iOS 26 (iPhone 12 or later is expected)
✅ Join Apple’s Beta Software Program if you want early access

📸 iOS 26 Features

🧠 Summary for Readers Skimming the Article

If you’re just joining us on CodeHarper, here’s a quick TL;DR of what to expect from iOS 26:

A new name that aligns with the year (iOS 26, not iOS 19)
A groundbreaking UI redesign with Vision Pro inspiration
An all-in-one Gaming Hub that makes Apple Arcade relevant again
An AI-powered Health Coach and smarter Health App
Real-time translation and enhanced group messaging in iMessage
New productivity tools like Preview for PDFs on iPhone
Smarter charging features, potentially reverse charging
But Siri? Still waiting for that major glow-up—expected in 2026