Apple WWDC26 is Imminent: The Completion of AI Strategy and Farewell to Intel Mac
WWDC26 marks the culmination of Apple's AI strategy. We preview Apple's present and future, including Siri 2.0, the end of Intel Mac support, and expectations for the M6 chip.
On Monday, June 8, 2026, the tech world's gaze will once again turn to Cupertino. Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, "WWDC26," will be recorded as a decisive "turning point" in the company's history, rather than just an annual event.
What makes WWDC26 decisively different from past ones is that Apple has finally paid off its "AI (Artificial Intelligence) debt" and completed its own intelligence platform. It also represents the "final vision" shown by CEO Tim Cook, a key contributor since its founding, before his retirement.
The True Awakening of "Apple Intelligence": Siri 2.0 and the Open AI Ecosystem
This year's main theme is undoubtedly the second chapter of "Apple Intelligence." Apple's AI strategy, which has steadily evolved since its announcement two years ago, will finally transform into its "complete form" at WWDC26.
The most anticipated announcement is the new Siri, codenamed "Campos," commonly known as "Siri 2.0." It breaks away from being a mere errand-running assistant to evolve into an "AI agent" that fully understands the content on the screen (On-Screen Awareness) and autonomously completes tasks across apps. Notably, it seamlessly integrates with external LLMs like Google's Gemini via Apple's "Private Cloud Compute," enabling advanced reasoning while protecting privacy.
Furthermore, an "AI Extension System" will be introduced in iOS 27, allowing users to freely choose the system's standard AI engine from ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and others. This bold shift towards an open strategy, overturning the image of a "closed Apple," will shock many developers and users.
Complete Farewell to Intel: macOS 27 Marks the Era of "Apple Silicon Only"
For Apple, which champions the fusion of hardware and software, 2026 also marks the end of an era. "macOS 27," to be announced at WWDC26, will finally completely drop support for Intel processor-equipped Macs, becoming an OS exclusively for Apple Silicon.
This grand transition project, which began in 2020, will reach its completion after six years. The latest macOS 27 is also expected to announce the gradual phase-out (sunset) of "Rosetta 2," the translation layer that runs apps for Intel Macs. As a result, the OS code will be optimized to the extreme, realizing overwhelming processing power and power efficiency that fully utilizes the "Neural Accelerator" mounted in the M5 family.
"The farewell to Intel Mac" is not just cutting off old technology for Apple; it is an irreversible step towards a "next-generation experience" that can only be reached through vertical integration from silicon to software.
From "App chip" to "AI Silicon": The Blueprint for the Future Drawn by M5/M6
The evolution of Apple Silicon (commonly known as the App chip) also never stops. The M5 family, currently sweeping the market, is strengthening its character from a mere high-performance chip to an "AI-dedicated processor" for running on-device AI.
At WWDC26, it is rumored that part of the full picture of the next-generation "M6" architecture, adopting TSMC's 2nm process, will be revealed. In M6, the adoption of Backside Power Delivery technology will dramatically improve power efficiency, enabling MacBook series to be even thinner and longer-lasting.
Generation | Process Node | Main Focus |
M5 (Current) | 3nm (N3P) | Speeding up generative AI with Neural Accelerator |
M6 (Next Gen) | 2nm (N2) | WMCM packaging, power saving via Backside Power Delivery |
Tim Cook's Last Stage: Apple's Present and Future to be Inherited
And what is talked about most behind the scenes of WWDC26 is the whereabouts of CEO Tim Cook. With his retirement in September 2026 seen as certain, what Mr. Cook has built over the past 15 years is a solid foundation of "service revenue" and "transition to in-house chips."
How will John Ternus (currently Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering), a strong candidate for the next CEO, appear in the keynote? And what will be the "One More Thing" Mr. Cook talks about at his last WWDC? When the "spatial computing" pioneered by Vision Pro merges with AI, how will Apple change our lives? All the answers will be revealed in Cupertino in June.
Conclusion: The "Shape of Intelligence" Shown by Apple
Just as the Apple of the past invented "personal computing" with the Mac and "mobile computing" with the iPhone, WWDC26 will likely be the place that declares the birth of "intelligent computing."
Apple, having cast off the past weight of Intel and gained the wings of AI with its own silicon. Its current position is transforming beyond the framework of a single hardware manufacturer into a platform responsible for our "expansion of intelligence."
【Sources】
Apple Newsroom "Apple announces WWDC26 dates"
https://www.apple.com/jp/newsroom/2026/05/apple-announces-wwdc26-dates/
MacRumors "Apple WWDC26 What to Expect: iOS 27, Siri 2.0, and M6"
https://www.macrumors.com/roundup/wwdc26-expectations/
CNET "Tim Cook's Last Stand: How WWDC26 Defines Apple's AI Future"
https://www.cnet.com/tech/computing/apple-wwdc-2026-analysis/