[Digital Today reporter Jinju Hong] Apple's next Mac operating system, macOS 27, to be unveiled at WWDC 2026 may be an update that focuses on improving performance and stability rather than competing to add flashy new features, a forecast said. It is also expected to put weight on addressing software polish and user interface (UI) issues that long-time Mac users have pointed out.

On June 5 local time, IT outlet 9to5Mac reported that Apple is likely to focus in macOS 27 on bug fixes, performance improvements and user experience upgrades rather than adding new features.

The industry is comparing the update with Snow Leopard, one of Apple's operating systems known for emphasising polish. Mac OS X Snow Leopard, released in 2009, focused on stability and speed improvements of existing features rather than new ones and is still highly regarded among Mac users.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman also mentioned software quality improvements and foundational performance upgrades as key goals for the next-generation operating systems Apple is preparing alongside iOS 27 in November last year. He said in his recent WWDC outlook that macOS 27 appears to be being developed in a direction reminiscent of Snow Leopard.

The shift is also linked to recent complaints from Mac users. The current version, macOS Tahoe, introduced a new design language called Liquid Glass, but some users have said it falls short in readability and overall polish.

In particular, Liquid Glass' high transparency and shadow effects can make on-screen elements look more striking, but have also drawn criticism for reducing information legibility and causing fatigue during long use. As a result, macOS 27 is likely to keep the Liquid Glass design while making adjustments to improve readability and usability.

Gurman explained that the current macOS Tahoe is not a version that fully implements Liquid Glass as Apple initially envisioned. It was released without enough refinement due to development schedule constraints, and Apple has since carried out additional improvement work, he said.

In the new version, transparency and shadow handling are expected to be adjusted, and the design is expected to be improved to make text and interface elements easier to read. It is expected to be closer to raising detail-level polish than to a sweeping redesign that overturns the existing design philosophy.

For this reason, macOS 27's success is likely to depend less on the number of new features and more on the level of quality improvements users feel in real-world use. If performance gains, fewer bugs and UI improvements are delivered sufficiently, it could ease some complaints about the Mac operating system that have continued in recent years.

The industry is watching the possibility that Apple will choose a strategy of strengthening the basics of its operating system even as competition over artificial intelligence (AI) features intensifies. If macOS 27, to be unveiled at WWDC 2026, puts stability and a return to polish at the forefront rather than adding flashy features, it could be judged as one of the most welcome changes for long-time Mac users.