This article emphasizes that the future of iOS development lies in 'AI engineering', and the changes announced at WWDC26 signal that it is time for developers to break away from traditional app development methods and build AI-based experiences. In particular, it emphasizes the need to seize new opportunities by explaining the discontinuation of SiriKit, the increasing importance of App Intents, and the changing way of using apps centered on the home screen.
1. WWDC26 announces huge changes in the development ecosystem π€―
At WWDC in 2026, Apple announced major changes to the iOS development ecosystem. Many people only focused on the brilliant transformation of the new Siri and the introduction of the Gemini model, but the point is that there was a more important change in the developer's perspective.
These changes are SiriKit discontinuation and App Intents becoming mandatory. Now the only way Siri can communicate with apps is through App Intents. This means that apps that don't support App Intents will be almost invisible to the new Siri. This means that the app you worked so hard to create may seem like it doesn't exist at the system level. The author emphasized that this change is not optional, but rather changes the very meaning of development for Apple platforms.
"Apple discontinued SiriKit and made App Intents the only way for Siri to talk to apps. Think about this for a moment."
"This means that apps that don't expose App Intents are now invisible by default to the new Siri. Your beautiful app, with all its screens and features, may be as good as non-existent from a system perspective."
2. The end of the home screen era: The emergence of new app entry points πͺFor nearly 18 years, iOS apps have worked by letting users tap icons to open apps, navigate the UI, and perform tasks. The home screen was the 'front door' of the app, and the app icon was the gateway through which users entered the app.
But now this is changing! β¨ The new app entry point is no longer an icon. Siri, Spotlight, and even a camera that points at real-world objects have a variety of ways for the system to access apps on your behalf.
"The new entry point is no longer your icon. It's Siri. It's Spotlight. It's a camera pointing at something in the real world. The system is now accessing your app on behalf of the user."
The new Siri lives in Dynamic Island and can understand the context of multiple apps, handle complex multi-step tasks, and even act based on what's currently visible on the screen. Users will no longer open an app for a specific task, but just ask Siri, and Siri will find and utilize an app that can perform that request.
Amid these changes, it is time to consider whether our app will be an app that Siri can actually use, or whether it will be an 'invisible' app.
3. Stop developing 'normal apps' and build 'AI experiences'! π‘
The author argues that a change in mindset is now necessary. In the past, we built screens, navigation, and a UI that users tapped to complete tasks, but now we need to build 'capabilities' that the system can understand and coordinate.
"The old approach was to create screens, create navigation, and create a UI that users tap to complete tasks."
"In a new way, we create the capacity for systems to understand and coordinate."An app is no longer simply a collection of screens, but a collection of intelligent actions and entities that Siri can discover, reason about, and act on. Your content contributes to Spotlight's semantic index, and your actions will be available in natural language without having to define a specific syntax.
We need to stop thinking of apps as "something the user opens"** and start thinking of them as "something the system can use". This is a completely different way to design software, and it's a very exciting change. We are no longer simply creating apps, but building intelligence within the apps.
4. What is Apple-style AI engineering? π
The term 'AI engineering' may sound unfamiliar, but it refers to the study of building software based on models, rather than simply building software based on code. Instead of writing all the rules manually, you give the model context, let it make inferences, and connect its output to actual actions. You need to think about prompts, context windows, tool calls, latency, and how to 'ground' your model so it doesn't generate erroneous information.
The technologies introduced by Apple at WWDC26 can be seen as opening a new horizon for AI engineering.* Significant improvements to the Foundation Models framework have made on-device AI more powerful, enabling image input, leveraging server models as needed, and even building custom skills. Sensitive data can now be processed on-device, completely privately without requesting the cloud. π‘οΈ
- App Intents now feed app content directly into the system's understanding of the world.
- The new View Annotations API allows Siri to interactively manipulate what's on the screen.
- Core AI lets you bring your own models and run them natively on Apple Silicon.
- It is now possible to perform local Search Augmentation Generation (RAG) without even building your own vector database, which would have been a complex infrastructure project.
The authors describe this as "AI engineering embedded in the Apple ecosystem." It's about enhancing the user experience in a way that's personal, on-device, and native. These abilities are extremely rare and will likely become incredibly valuable in the future. π
5. Now is your chance! How to win with AI native experiences π
The author predicts that most developers will ignore these changes and continue to create 'screen and button-centric' apps in the traditional way. App Intents will either be considered optional or put off as a task to be added later.
But I emphasize that this is where new opportunities are created! π
"Most developers will ignore all this. They will just keep building screen and button apps the way they've always done it. They'll treat App Intents as an optional chore they'll add 'later'."
"This is why opportunities arise."Developers who master Siri-integrated, AI-native experiences early will be the winners of the next wave. The author likens this period to being similar to the early iPhone developers in 2008. At that time, everyone was thinking about the web, but a few people who jumped into developing iPhone apps achieved great success.
The important skill here is not simply "knowing AI" in the general sense. Anyone can call the API. The real skill is knowing how to weave intelligence into the Apple ecosystem in a native, private, and enjoyable way.
6. Example of AI experience created by the author π£οΈπ°
The author introduces that he is actually developing a product with the belief in these changes. It is 'Voice-centric on-device AI spending tracker', and the key is to allow users to record their expenses with their voice and have the system understand them, without having to manually tap through complex forms.
The app was designed from the ground up with App Intents and Siri integration at its core, processes intelligent understanding through on-device AI, and operates without cloud or privacy infringement. After WWDC26, it is said to be developing further by integrating newly announced APIs (upgraded Foundation Models framework, enhanced App Intents function). This app is no longer just an app you open to record your spending, but is becoming an intelligent experience that stays with you wherever you are.
7. Mindset shift: Become an AI experience engineer! π§
Lastly, the author asks us a question.
Instead of asking "What screens does my app need?", start asking "Can my app do something that the system can understand and act on?"We emphasize that future iOS developers will not simply be UI creators, but AI experience engineers. Someone who natively and personally builds intelligence into the Apple ecosystem in ways that typical AI tools can't replicate.
We need to stop developing apps and start developing AI experiences. This is the wave of the future, and the author is confident that those who understand and act first on this wave will be the winners. It's time for all of us to prepare for the future and take on new challenges! πͺβ¨