151: WWDC 2025 Rumors—What Was Right and Wrong?

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Jun 20, 2025

This discussion dives into the accuracy of WWDC 2025 rumors, revealing surprising misses like Stage Manager for iPhones and the long-awaited homeOS. There’s a look at the mixed reactions to Apple's liquid design changes, balancing aesthetics with readability concerns. The hosts also reflect on app icon redesigns and how community feedback shapes these updates. Finally, they evaluate anticipated features and updates in Apple's ecosystem, spotlighting potential enhancements for multitasking and user experience.

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INSIGHT

Mixed Feelings on Liquid Glass

Apple’s new Liquid Glass design aims for a consistent cross-platform look.
The design sometimes feels modern and playful, but can also be overwhelming or hard to read.

INSIGHT

Icon Tinting Affects Recognition

Clear icons with tinting reduce users' ability to quickly recognize apps.
Maintaining distinct app icon colors is important for fast app identification.

INSIGHT

Liquid Glass Suits Simple Apps

Liquid Glass looks great on apps with simple color palettes.
It works less well and can create visual clutter in apps with many overlapping elements.

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On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we take a rumor report card-style look back at some of the biggest rumors surrounding WWDC 2025, what was predicted correctly, and what missed the mark.

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One of the more surprising claims ahead of WWDC 2025 was the idea that iOS 26 would bring Stage Manager to iPhoneswith a USB-C port. No such feature was announced. The idea may have stemmed from broader expectations about Apple bringing pro features to more devices—but this prediction turned out to be entirely off-base.

Another rumor that didn't pan out involved the long-rumored homeOS platform. A wave of trademark filings hinted Apple might introduce a new smart home operating system. Although the filings were real and still might relate to future products, nothing resembling homeOS or a new smart home hub was mentioned at WWDC 2025. It's a good reminder that trademark activity doesn't always align with event timelines.
A few reports landed somewhere in the middle. Jon Prosser's Front Page Tech videos were largely accurate—he correctly revealed many of the iOS 26 Liquid Design changes, such as the floating tab bar and a broader translucent interface. However, his claim that app icons would become circular wasn't correct.

Similarly, @MajinBuOfficial made an accurate call about iPadOS 26 adopting a Mac-like menu bar at the top of the screen—a change that did appear. But the leaker's suggestion that this menu bar would only show up when using a Magic Keyboard didn't turn out to be true. Some reports, such as 9to5Mac's predictions that the Messages app would gain pollsand a full-screen album artwork mode for music on the Lock Screen, were also correct.

Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman's reporting ahead of WWDC 2025 was comprehensive and overwhelmingly accurate. He revealed the new naming convention for ‌iOS 26‌, ‌iPadOS 26‌, and macOS 26, as well as major design changes like the Liquid Glass aesthetic. He also nailed reports on Mac-like enhancements to iPadOS, expanded Phone and Messages features, and the arrival of new stock apps like Games and Preview on ‌iOS 26‌. Even advanced capabilities like live translation of calls and texts were part of his pre-event reporting.

In hindsight, WWDC 2025 was a good year for Apple rumors, especially from reputable sources. But it was also a reminder that not every prediction—no matter how well-sourced—makes it onto Apple's keynote stage.

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