A Liquid Glass slider!

This year’s WWDC keynote was all about AI. But with all the attention on Apple Intelligence and Siri AI, the company breezed by – or neglected to mention – a bunch of cool, smaller features across its new updates. I’ve rounded up a bunch of them right here.
The new operating systems are available in developer beta today ahead of public betas beginning in July. They’ll launch for everyone this fall. And keep an eye on The Verge in the coming days and weeks ahead; as everyone starts to really dig into what’s new, we might find even more great features to look forward to.

iOS 27 introduces a Liquid Glass opacity slider, allowing users to tweak transparency like never before—though it begs the question: are we really still arguing about glass on our screens in 2026? Apps launch up faster than you can say “Apple Intelligence,” but at what cost? The focus on AI might have overshadowed other gems, such as the subtle yet delightful enhancements in Siri’s voice modulation that finally let her sound less like a robot and more like your quirky neighbor. Meanwhile, iPadOS 27 gets a long-overdue split-screen multitasking overhaul, proving that sometimes, the simplest improvements make the biggest impact—though one wonders if Apple could have squeezed in a holographic cursor while they were at it.

MacOS 27 brings back the classic menu bar from macOS Big Sur, because apparently, we needed to revisit the past. The new “Focus Modes” for Mac are nifty but feel like an afterthought compared to iPhone’s deep sleep modes—almost as if Apple was juggling AI and forgot to tie its shoelaces. Then there’s watchOS 27, which finally allows third-party apps to use haptic feedback in innovative ways; perfect for those who need a gentle reminder that their wristwatch can double as a mini masseuse. Lastly, tvOS 27 introduces gesture-based navigation—so you can wave your hand like a conductor and skip through content, unless you’re prone to accidental channel jumps during family movie night.

In conclusion, while the AI buzz at WWDC was certainly captivating, Apple’s smaller features for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS in 2026 are worth savoring. From Liquid Glass sliders to revamped Focus Modes, these updates hint at a future where our devices feel both intelligent and intuitively designed—though one can’t help but wonder if Apple missed the mark on some of its more ambitious gestures. So, dust off your iPhone, strap on that smartwatch, and get ready to splash through the new world of Apple features!