WWDC 2025: Apple may add new features to Music, Messages, Notes with iOS 26

Apple may also reveal a redesigned CarPlay experience, aligning its appearance more closely with the upcoming iOS 26 design language

Apple is set to kick off its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2025 on June 9, with a strong focus on platform updates across its ecosystem. While most attention will be on visual enhancements and refined user interface (UI) elements coming to the next-generation operating systems for iPhones, iPads, Macs, and more, several updates are also expected across Apple’s native apps—such as Messages, Music, and Notes. Apple may also reveal a redesigned CarPlay experience.

 

The company is also expected to introduce a change in the naming convention for its operating systems. For instance, the next iOS release may be called iOS 26 instead of iOS 19, aligning version numbers across platforms for better consistency.

WWDC 2025: Changes expected in native iOS apps

According to a report by 9To5Mac, Apple is preparing a number of enhancements for its core apps as part of the iOS 26 update. Here's what to expect:

 

Messages

 

The Messages app is likely to get new features powered by artificial intelligence:

 

Automatic translation of both incoming and outgoing messages.

Polls integration, allowing users to create polls directly within a chat. Apple is reportedly testing Apple Intelligence integration for this feature—potentially enabling automatic poll suggestions based on the context of the conversation. 

  Music  

Apple is expected to bring animated album artwork to the lock screen. This feature, currently limited to the Apple Music app, would animate full screen visuals while a track is playing.

 

Notes

 

Apple Notes may gain the ability to export notes in Markdown, a popular lightweight markup language used for formatting plain text. This would bring the app closer in capability to third-party note-taking alternatives that already support Markdown.

WWDC 2025: Updated Apple CarPlay

Apple is also said to be planning a UI overhaul for CarPlay, aligning its appearance more closely with the upcoming iOS 26 design language. While details remain limited, the update is expected to focus on visual consistency and improved usability. 

  Overall, WWDC 2025 is shaping up to deliver a comprehensive redesign across Apple’s platforms. Apple is reportedly aiming for a unified visual language, with shared design elements such as translucent menus, dynamic motion effects, and visionOS-inspired UI components. This would help create a more seamless experience when switching between iPhone, iPad, and Mac.