Apple has unveiled new artificial intelligence frameworks and updates to Xcode 27 for app developers, extending its software tools across its platforms.
The update adds new application programming interfaces for integrating AI models, broader support for coding agents in Xcode, and changes to Apple's design and development frameworks. Apple also outlined new tools for game and spatial computing developers, alongside performance updates to its software build environment.
Susan Prescott, Vice President of Worldwide Developer Relations at Apple, said the aim is to give developers more ways to build software across the company's ecosystem.
"Developers are at the heart of the Apple ecosystem, and our goal is to provide them with the best possible tools and technologies to build the future," Prescott said.
"With new intelligence frameworks and agentic coding in Xcode 27, developers have the tools they need to focus on what they do best: bringing their incredible ideas to life."
AI tools
Among the main changes is an expanded Foundation Models framework, which Apple said now serves as a single native Swift API for on-device models with image input, server models and custom skills. Developers can also use external models, including Claude and Gemini, or other services that adopt Apple's new language model protocol.
Apple said the next generation of Apple Foundation Models was built in collaboration with Google and its Gemini models. Developers enrolled in the App Store Small Business Program with fewer than 2 million total first-time App Store downloads will also be able to use the next generation of Apple Foundation Models running on Private Cloud Compute at no cloud API cost.
Apple also introduced a new framework called Core AI, intended to let developers run custom models on device. It is designed for the unified memory architecture and Neural Engine in Apple silicon and can be used to deploy large language models locally.
Updates to the App Intents framework are intended to connect apps more directly to Siri AI functions, including personal context understanding, app actions and onscreen awareness. Apple said this should make app content and functions easier to discover across the system.
Xcode changes
Xcode 27 includes deeper support for what Apple calls agentic coding. Developers will be able to work with models and agents from Anthropic, Google and OpenAI within their development workflow, Apple said.
According to Apple, those tools will support interactive planning, multi-turn question-and-answer exchanges, and a canvas that can render Markdown while showing code changes and previews. Coding agents will also be able to write and run tests, use Playgrounds, inspect visual changes with previews, and interact with the simulator through a new Device Hub.
Plug-ins will allow developers to extend Xcode with custom skills, connect tools through the Model Context Protocol, and link to agents compatible with the Agent Client Protocol. GitHub and Figma are the first to offer installation links with Xcode, Apple said.
Xcode 27 itself will run only on Apple silicon, is 30 per cent smaller, and has a simpler setup process, according to Apple. The company also said Xcode Cloud is now up to twice as fast and adds support for apps using Metal, as well as visionOS builds.
Design and Swift
Apple also described updates to its user interface design language, known as Liquid Glass. The latest version improves legibility, customisation and consistency across its platforms, Apple said, while a new transparency slider in Settings lets users adjust the appearance.
SwiftUI is receiving performance-related changes that Apple said will improve responsiveness without requiring developers to rewrite code. The update also adds reorderable containers and a Spatial Preview framework for viewing 3D models from Mac apps in a spatial format when streamed to Apple Vision Pro.
Swift 6.4 includes what Apple described as workflow-focused refinements, including targeted warning suppression, simplified availability attributes such as "anyAppleOS", and improved compiler diagnostics.
Games focus
For games, Apple said Managed Background Assets will reduce install sizes by downloading language-specific asset packs based on a player's preferred language. A new Steam Asset Converter is intended to help adapt PC games for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS and visionOS.
Game Porting Toolkit 4 adds open-source skills for use with agents, which Apple said will help developers apply Apple-specific Metal practices when bringing games to Mac. Apple also introduced official Unity plug-ins for StoreKit and Background Assets, giving developers native access to in-app purchases and asset management within Unity workflows.
Reality Composer Pro 3 is also being updated with Live Previews and support for Mac Virtual Display. Apple said this will allow developers building spatial software to see edits as they are made.
Developer betas for iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, tvOS 27, visionOS 27 and Xcode 27 are now available through Apple's developer programme. Apple said its Apple Intelligence features are available only in supported regions.