WWDC key takeways: EDU

It’s that time of the year again – not just the end of the school year – but Apple’s annual World-Wide Developer’s Conference 2025! During the keynote, Apple discussed new versions of iPadOS and macOS, among other operating systems driving their hardware platforms.

In this blog, Jamf highlights some of the new features and their impact on education. Particularly, how they’re poised to benefit teacher and learner outcomes when the updates are released later this fall (just in time for back to school!)

What’s new

Schoolwork 3.1

New review options (e.g., letter grades, emoji feedback, completion status and satisfactory scale) supports institutions that use alternative methods to provide feedback to students, including customizing assessment reviews to match specific topics and subjects, or those that have their own rubrics.

Additionally, PDF export of question analytics provides educators with deeper learning insights, empowering them to personalize learning. Moreover, better formative assessment data is a key need for school’s developing data-driven learning approaches from apps using ClassKit.

New, standardized design

Apple’s design, dubbed “liquid glass” eschews the flat app-look for a glossy, customizable OS design that stretches across the Apple ecosystem to synergize the look and feel of the visual experience.

The end result? A more consistent user experience across different platforms and device types support learners as they move between devices. Regardless of whether using Macs in a lab or a class set of iPads, familiarization helps students spend more time achieving by reducing the barrier of entry of learning a different system.

MDM migration without device wipe

Apple School Manager (ASM) now supports seamless migration of organization-owned devices from one MDM to another – without needing to erase or manually re-enroll devices.

Why does this matter to school IT?

The ability to migrate from one MDM provider to another has always existed, but this permits IT to centrally assign managed devices running iOS/iPad/macOS 26 to a new MDM solution, right from ASM’s console.

Additionally, the change can be scheduled, kicking off the migration automatically if no action is taken by the specified deadline, to successfully complete the transition. This means that schools that made IT decisions based on their needs at the time can now look further to their curriculum needs and effortlessly migrate to the MDM that best suits those needs as they change.

Some real-world use cases are:

• Switching between MDM providers without disrupting student devices.
• Consolidating multiple solutions across schools or a district into a single platform.
• Migrating from on-premises to a cloud-based platform.
• Acquiring new schools or repurposing devices from other locations.

Identity and access

Not to be left out, IT in Edu is able to restrict the type of Apple account that can be used on a managed device. For example, requiring that only Managed Apple Accounts be used enables collaboration features provided in Apple applications. From a security perspective, restricting personal accounts prevents students from bypassing device controls, upholding secure access and enforcing endpoint compliance.

What about shared labs environments? With Authenticated Guest Mode on Macs, students sign-in with school credentials as they normally would, however, session data is wiped upon logout. This benefits security in several ways, such as:

• faster switching between accounts when used between lessons
• shared devices for students, teaching or temporary staff

Imagine being able to tap on your iPhone or Apple Watch to authenticate to your Mac. iOS 26 brings such functionality in Tap to Login, a passwordless workflow which ensures security by requiring the student to tap their iPhone or Apple Watch (or using an NFC reader). A boon for shared computing environments, this secure login boosts security and efficiency by:

• eliminating the need for users to enter a password
• ensures faster transitions between sessions
• reduces login friction from students accessing a single Mac

Return to Service now preserves apps

Devices like iPads and Vision Pro can now securely erase user data but keep managed apps pre-installed — drastically reducing turnaround time for student use. This makes shared device setup easier by ensuring that managed apps needed for learning and teaching remain available for student and educator use right away.

App and update management

Declarative app management

Having students on different versions easily disrupts lessons and puts the focus on IT – not the subject. Allowing specific app versions to be pinned helps ensure students and staff have consistent access to the tools they need during critical school periods, such as standardized testing. Additionally, it streamlines the troubleshooting process when help is required from a non-IT specialist.

Apple Intelligence feature restrictions

As AI is still being explored across many schools, having granular control over the ability to customize generative AI features (e.g., Genmoji, Mail Smart Replies, ChatGPT integration in Siri), is imperative as institutions determine appropriate uses to meet learning and teaching needs, as well as complying with school-based policies.

Visual Intelligence

iOS and iPadOS introduce the ability for students to link with content in novel ways, going beyond translating, summarizing or reading text aloud. Through the information and on-screen content, as well as the camera, the ability to identify objects and interact with them visually targets several of the fundamental learning styles, powered by Apple Intelligence.

Live translation

Sitting at the intersection of learning and collaboration – where students learning new languages want to practice with friends, double-check their comprehension or for schools with additional language parents and carers – this new feature supports a better face-to-face experience. One that helps foster greater communication in real-time through phone calls, messages and FaceTime, by securely leveraging Apple Intelligence on-device.

Conclusion

Apple’s latest updates reaffirm its commitment to empowering educators and IT alike. From streamlined MDM transitions to personalized learning insights and improved accessibility, these tools elevate both teaching and learning experiences. As schools prepare for the next academic year, IT professionals and teachers can confidently rely on Apple’s evolving ecosystem to meet modern classroom demands and deliver student success securely, efficiently and equitably.