Apple WWDC 2026: Siri Rebuilt on Gemini, Tim Cook Bids Farewell
Apple kicked off its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2026 on June 8 with a landmark keynote that served as CEO Tim Cook's final address in that role. Cook announced he will step down as chief executive on September 1, transitioning to executive chairman, with hardware chief John Ternus set to become the next CEO. The event unveiled sweeping AI-powered changes across Apple's software ecosystem.
Siri Rebuilt on Google Gemini
The centerpiece announcement was a completely overhauled Siri, now powered by a custom 1.2-trillion-parameter version of Google's Gemini model. The new Siri features a three-tier routing architecture: simple tasks are handled on-device using Apple's own models, moderately complex queries are routed to Apple's Private Cloud Compute infrastructure, and the most demanding reasoning tasks are processed by Google Cloud on Nvidia Blackwell B200 GPUs.
The rebuilt assistant gains a dedicated Siri app, persistent conversation history, on-screen awareness allowing it to act on content currently displayed, and deep personal context integration. Apple also unveiled a suite of new child safety features across iOS, Mac and Apple Watch.
iOS 27 and New Features
iOS 27 introduces significant design updates including changes to the Liquid Glass interface language, alongside new developer tools and capabilities across the platform. Apple also previewed a dedicated homeOS platform for its home devices. Technology analysts described the announcements as Apple's most consequential software event in years, representing a fundamental bet on AI-first computing.
Tim Cook's Legacy
Cook, who has led Apple since Steve Jobs passed in 2011, oversaw the company's growth from roughly $350 billion to its current multi-trillion-dollar market capitalization. His tenure saw the introduction of the Apple Watch, AirPods, Apple Silicon, and Apple Vision Pro. Ternus, who led the transition to Apple's own chips, is widely expected to continue this engineering-focused approach.