Apple’s WWDC 2025 keynote arrived with high anticipation – and perhaps even higher stakes. In the weeks leading up to the event, buzz swirled about how Apple might “come out swinging” in the era of generative AI and surprise us with new hardware or bold initiatives. After all, competitors like Google and Microsoft had spent their spring conferences flaunting AI breakthroughs and ambitious roadmaps.
Many expected Apple to answer in kind, whether through a revitalized Siri, a peek at cutting-edge hardware, or a classic “one more thing” reveal to steal the show. But when the dust settled on the June 9 keynote, the mood was decidedly deflated. WWDC 2025 turned out to be one of Apple’s most subdued keynotes in years, leaving even loyal fans and developers feeling underwhelmed.
Instead of jaw-dropping surprises, Apple delivered a polished yet incremental set of updates. The collective reaction in the tech community was a mix of disappointment and puzzlement: Where was the ambition, the game-changer, the spark?
Even Wall Street picked up on the downbeat vibe. Analysts noted that Apple’s announcements were largely incremental updates, lacking any killer feature to drive excitement. Hopes that Apple would finally leap into the AI race or unveil a blockbuster device fizzled. Instead, the event’s tone was cautious and transitional, and Apple’s famous reality distortion field seemed to falter. In short, the vibe at WWDC 2025 began with excitement and ended with a shrug, as both developers and analysts were left wanting more.
Going into WWDC 2025, the rumor mill and Apple watchers had built up a hefty wish list. Here are some of the key announcements many hoped for or speculated about – and how reality contrasted with those expectations.
Apple had wowed in past WWDCs by debuting powerful new chips and Mac hardware (like the M2 Ultra and Mac Pro in 2023). This year, some enthusiasts wondered if an M3 or M4 Ultra chip might appear in a refreshed MacBook Pro, Mac Studio, or even a long-overdue new iMac Pro. New Macs weren’t entirely ruled out pre-event, but were considered a long shot.
Outcome: No new Mac hardware was announced at WWDC 2025 – not even the minor AirTag refresh that rumor sites had floated. The keynote stuck strictly to software, leaving any Mac updates for another day.
After 2023’s show-stealing introduction of the $3,499 Vision Pro headset, whispers persisted about a possible follow-up. Ideas ranged from a “Vision Pro Lite” (a cheaper, consumer-friendly AR/VR headset) to Apple’s mythical AR glasses. Given that the first Vision Pro was only just shipping in limited numbers in 2024, a sequel was very speculative.
Outcome: No new AR hardware made an appearance. While Apple did talk about visionOS software, there was zero hint of a Vision Pro 2 or any new device, underscoring that the first-gen headset remains a niche, enterprise-focused product for now. The absence of AR surprises was notable for those hoping Apple would keep momentum in the spatial computing space.
Perhaps the most eagerly expected development was a major Artificial Intelligence upgrade to Siri and Apple’s services. In 2024, Apple had previewed a more “personalized” Siri with on-device AI, only to delay it and even pull related ads when the tech wasn’t ready. By 2025, with ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and Microsoft’s Copilots redefining user expectations, many assumed Apple would finally unveil its answer: a “smarter Siri” that can hold conversations, generate content, and truly compete with modern AI assistants. Rumors suggested Apple was working on it, but signs pointed to delays.
Outcome: This was the biggest letdown. Siri’s hoped-for AI transformation did not materialize at WWDC 2025. Apple mentioned Siri only in passing, offering no timeline for the advanced capabilities that had been demoed a year prior. The promised Siri 2.0 remains in the wings, reportedly postponed to 2026.
Apple keynotes are legendary for eleventh-hour surprises. Some watchers dared to dream that Tim Cook might channel Steve Jobs and finish the WWDC keynote with an unexpected reveal. Speculation on this front included wildcards like a foldable iPhone concept or a teaser of the ultra-thin “iPhone 17 Air” that leaks have hinted at. Others thought maybe a new HomePod or an Apple TV refresh could sneak in.
Outcome: No “one more thing” arrived. There was zero hardware teaser to elicit gasps. Apple played it safe and close to the vest, saving all hardware announcements for future events. Long-shot dreams of a foldable or any new gadget stayed just that – dreams.
In short, WWDC 2025 largely delivered what conservative prognosticators expected – software updates across the board – and almost none of the bolder rumored announcements. The mismatch between the sky-high hopes (AI magic, new devices) and the relatively grounded reality (UI redesigns, incremental features) set the stage for widespread disappointment.
So what did Apple announce at WWDC 2025? In place of blockbuster gadgets or AI revelations, Apple served up a broad slate of software updates: from iPhones to Macs to Apple Watch and even the nascent Vision Pro platform. Many of these updates were significant in their own right – including a dramatic redesign of the entire Apple OS ecosystem – but they were mostly evolutionary improvements rather than revolutionary leaps. Here’s a rundown of the main announcements and how impactful they really are.
Apple surprised everyone by jumping its mobile OS numbering to iOS 26 (ditching the expected “iOS 19” name) to align with the year. The flagship feature is a sweeping new design language called Liquid Glass, which overhauls the look and feel of iPhone software for the first time in a decade. Translucent, fluid UI elements now melt around your app icons and content, creating a layered, glassy effect that draws inspiration from the Vision Pro’s interface.
By Apple’s own account, this is the biggest facelift for iOS since 2013 – the most radical visual refresh since Jony Ive’s flat design in iOS 7. It spans across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and even tvOS for a unified aesthetic. The new look is undeniably slick and “sleek”, earning some oohs and aahs from the audience. For longtime users, seeing their iPhone interface in a fresh coat of gloss is exciting. However, it’s ultimately a cosmetic change. A fresh UI can make devices feel new, but it’s not the kind of innovation that leaves jaws on the floor, especially when the competition is touting AI breakthroughs.
Alongside Liquid Glass, iOS 26 brings a grab bag of useful but incremental features. There’s a “much-improved” Phone app with a revamped Favorites section (finally making voicemail and contacts easier to access). The Messages app gets niceties like the ability to create live polls in group chats, split bills via Apple Cash, and see real-time typing indicators as everyone reacts in a conversation. These are welcome tweaks that make everyday tasks smoother.
One genuinely novel addition is Live Translation integrated system-wide. This feature, powered by on-device Apple Intelligence models, can automatically translate messages as you type and even live-translate FaceTime or phone calls in real time. A demo showed two people speaking different languages on a call, with the system providing translated captions and even spoken translation on the fly, all privately on-device.
It’s an impressive bit of AI-powered convenience (something Google and others have offered in parts, but new to Apple’s tightly-controlled ecosystem).
Another AI-powered perk is Visual Intelligence: now you can take a screenshot of, say, a jacket you saw on social media and use a new Visual Lookup to identify it and find where to buy it. It’s like an AI shopping assistant built into your photos. And for creativity, Genmoji and Image Playground let users generate whimsical emoji mashups or stylized images; notably, Apple even integrated OpenAI’s ChatGPT to enable an “Any Style” image generation mode, a rare instance of Apple leveraging a third-party AI service (with privacy safeguards).
All these features showcase Apple’s cautious approach to AI – enhancing apps in practical ways without any sci-fi leaps. They make iOS 26 a richer experience, but none feel like “killer” must-haves that fundamentally change how you use your iPhone.
For years, power users have begged for the iPad to shed its iPhone-like limits and behave more like a real computer. In 2025, Apple finally delivered on that wish in a big way. The iPad now features true, free-form multitasking with resizable app windows that can overlap, just like on macOS. No longer are users stuck with the old rigid Split View or Slide Over – you can drag windows anywhere on screen, use an external monitor with multiple windows, and generally treat an iPad Pro like the touchscreen laptop Apple never gave us.
Apple even added a desktop-style menu bar at the top of the iPad screen (hidden until you swipe down to reveal it), so apps can have menubar options just as they do on the Mac. This is a huge shift in Apple’s philosophy, effectively acknowledging that an iPad with a keyboard can be a laptop replacement.
Additionally, iPadOS finally gained a bunch of “pro” apps and features: a proper Files app that behaves more like Finder (with column view and tags), a native Preview app for PDFs and images (so you can annotate and sign documents without hacks), and even a built-in Phone app so cellular iPads or those paired to an iPhone can handle calls with a full interface.
In essence, the iPad took massive strides toward parity with the Mac this year, arguably the most consequential changes announced at WWDC 2025 for everyday productivity. This drew real applause from developers who have long been contorting their iPad apps to do desktop-like things. Windowing and desktop menus on iPad may not be flashy to consumers, but for Apple’s ecosystem it’s a game-changer that was years overdue. If there was a “star” of this WWDC, it might well be iPadOS.
On the Mac side, Apple introduced macOS 26, codenamed “Tahoe,” continuing the unified naming by year. MacOS gets the same Liquid Glass visual overhaul – translucent menus, glassy sidebars, refreshed icons – bringing a fresh coat of gloss to the desktop. Beyond looks, the biggest functional change touted was a “supercharged” Spotlight search. Craig Federighi called it the biggest update to Spotlight ever, effectively turning it into a command launcher for everything.
Now you can run quick actions right from Spotlight (set a timer, Shazam a song, compose an email) and even see all your apps and shortcuts integrated into search results. It blurs the line between searching and doing, aiming to boost productivity for power users. MacOS Tahoe also rolls in quality improvements like better Wi-Fi and Bluetooth management and new battery usage controls.
Importantly, Tahoe is the end of the line for several Intel-based Macs – Apple is finally dropping support for some old Intel Macs, doubling down on Apple Silicon exclusives. After this release, macOS features like the new Game Mode likely assume Apple chips.
Speaking of games, Apple announced a new “Games” hub app for both iOS and macOS to unify Apple Arcade and App Store titles in one place. And intriguingly, rumor has it Apple worked in some integration with Google’s Gemini AI for certain macOS features like smarter autocorrect or dictation, though the keynote glossed over such details.
Overall, macOS Tahoe comes across as a solid update for Mac users, but mostly refinements and redesign rather than brand-new experiences. It’s worth noting Apple did not introduce any new Mac hardware to showcase Tahoe – likely because no M3/M4 Macs were ready to ship alongside it. The Mac platform got plenty of attention in software, but without a shiny new laptop or desktop reveal, it didn’t generate much buzz outside the developer community.
Apple’s smaller platforms saw their usual round of updates too. watchOS 26 (a.k.a. watchOS 12 if using the old numbering) adds some health and fitness improvements tailored for the high-end Apple Watch Ultra. There’s talk of new rucking workout tracking (for hikers with weighted packs) and better outdoor metrics, as well as hints at future blood pressure monitoring down the road.
In the AI realm, Apple debuted a cute “Workout Buddy” voice assistant on Apple Watch that cheers you on during exercise with lines like “You’re crushing it!” – an AI coach of sorts, though fairly basic. The HomePod’s software (tvOS/HomePod OS) got an update to be more “intelligent” for Apple TV queries and smarter Siri on HomePod, likely letting users ask for content in natural language (“play some 90s comedies on Netflix”).
And visionOS, the operating system for Apple’s Vision Pro headset, saw version 2.0 with improvements to hand gesture recognition and new environment experiences – but importantly, no expansion to additional devices. Apple seemingly is positioning Vision Pro more toward enterprise solutions now, given its limited audience; Tim Cook and team even sprinkled the word “enterprise” into the Vision Pro discussion, subtly suggesting that businesses (not everyday consumers) might be the target for this pricey device going forward.
In summary, Apple ensured that every product line got some love at WWDC25 – from iPhone down to Apple TV – reinforcing its ecosystem’s cohesion. All devices will share the Liquid Glass look and see iterative improvements appropriate to their use cases. This consistency is classic Apple: a tight integration of hardware and software.
Were these announcements significant? In aggregate, yes – they represent Apple’s biggest software refresh in years. The entire Apple ecosystem is getting a visual and functional polish that will be very noticeable to users this fall. Some updates (like iPad’s new multitasking or the iOS design overhaul) have been called the most impactful changes in those areas in a decade. Apple also laid important groundwork for the future by opening up its on-device AI foundation model to developers, via a new API, so third-party apps can leverage Apple’s neural engine for language tasks.
That could quietly spark a wave of AI-powered apps on iPhones without Apple having to shout about AI. However, the reason the WWDC 2025 announcements felt underwhelming is that nearly all of these changes are iterative or catch-up features, not bold new directions. Apple is polishing and playing to its strengths – integration, privacy, user experience – but not breaking much new ground.
The company is still catching up in areas like generative AI assistants, and it deliberately sidestepped any grand proclamations about Siri’s future this year. To outside observers, it felt like Apple delivered “incremental improvements” and “no ‘killer’ feature in sight,” confirming 2025 as a “transitional” year. There’s nothing wrong with incremental – many of these updates will be appreciated by users – but it’s not what makes headlines or history. And that is what left the WWDC audience and Apple’s fanbase feeling a bit meh: the lack of a single, galvanizing highlight to talk about.
Perhaps the biggest symbol of WWDC 2025’s letdown was what didn’t happen: there was no classic “One More Thing” moment. For a company that has built so much of its mythos around surprise reveals, this felt glaring. The keynote ended with a wrap-up of software features and a sign-off – no hardware teaser, no show-stopping reveal, nothing to send the crowd into a frenzy.
Longtime Apple watchers know that “One more thing…” is more than a catchphrase; it’s a promise that Apple still has excitement up its sleeve. Steve Jobs used it to unveil breakthroughs like the MacBook Air, and even Tim Cook has occasionally resurrected it (as he did to introduce the Vision Pro headset at WWDC 2023). In 2025, that magic moment simply never came.
The lack of any surprise hardware or service at the end was noted by many. WWDC 2025 stuck to its scripted agenda of software updates and then called it a day. In the past, even when expectations were low, Apple often managed to send folks home buzzing with an unexpected announcement – be it an iPod, an Apple Music deal, or a sneak peek at future tech. This year, people were left checking their watches (or hunger levels) and wondering if something had been accidentally omitted.
Why does this matter? Because it highlights a feeling that Apple’s keynote lacked a climax or a “wow” moment to anchor the narrative. The major redesign across OSes was the closest thing to a headline-grabber, but even Apple seemed to recognize that a UI update alone isn’t a showstopper for a developer conference. The omission of any new hardware is particularly striking given WWDC’s recent history.
In 2022 and 2023, Apple used the conference to launch new Macs (like the M2 MacBook Air and the Apple Silicon Mac Pro) and, of course, the debut of an entirely new platform with Vision Pro. By contrast, 2025 had no new devices whatsoever – a true software-only WWDC for the first time in recent memory. Apple essentially told us: “See you in the fall for the cool gadgets.” That’s practical from a product cycle standpoint, but it also meant WWDC lacked the razzle-dazzle that even Apple’s own experts said was needed to distract from a “bumpy” past year.
This is not to say Apple had to show off something crazy – certainly they shouldn’t unveil products before they’re ready just for a cheap thrill. But the absence of a “one more thing” underscores that Apple had no ace up its sleeve this time. The company is between big hits: the Vision Pro is still a niche, iPhone and Mac updates are incremental, and the next breakthrough (foldables? AR glasses? AI-driven services?) is not yet cooked. In the context of WWDC, it meant an ending that fell flat.
The audience was expecting at least a hint of Apple’s next big thing, and instead got a polite goodbye. For a brand that trades on excitement and inspiration, that’s a tough pill. The tradition of the surprise was broken, and with it, a bit of Apple’s mystique dimmed this year.
The question on everyone’s mind after this underwhelming WWDC is: why did Apple play it so safe, and what’s next? There are a few likely reasons for Apple’s conservative approach in 2025, and understanding them gives insight into where the company might go from here.
First, Apple appears to be pacing itself in the AI race due to both practical and philosophical reasons. Internally, Apple simply may not have a ready answer to GPT-4/Gemini-level AI yet – its AI research is ongoing and, by some accounts, behind schedule. CEO Tim Cook often preaches that Apple aims to be “not first, but best,” and that seems to apply to their AI strategy. Rather than rushing out a Siri that could backfire with mistakes or a lack of differentiation, Apple is taking baby steps.
There’s also a strong privacy and regulatory angle: Apple is undoubtably wary of the pitfalls of generative AI – from misinformation, to offensive outputs, to privacy risks with cloud data. The company’s solution is to do AI on-device as much as possible, which is technically harder and slower to develop. Craig Federighi’s team is essentially trying to build a privacy-preserving AI assistant that can run on an iPhone. That challenge might be why we heard Federighi almost apologetically reassure viewers that the promised Siri improvements are still coming “in the coming year.”
Apple is acknowledging it needs more time to get AI right. In the meantime, the company even published a research paper just before WWDC highlighting how today’s best AI models fail at complex reasoning tasks – a not-so-subtle justification for Apple’s cautious approach. In essence, Apple is telling the world (and regulators): “We see the limits of current AI and we won’t release something unreliable or creepy. We’re taking the long view.”
This caution is admirable from a responsibility standpoint, but it has left Apple looking slow-footed in the court of public opinion and investor sentiment. The upside is that when Apple does finally launch Siri 2.0 or a similar AI product, it could be more refined and distinctive (e.g. heavily leveraging on-device processing for privacy). The downside is, until then, Apple must endure the narrative that it’s lagging behind Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI in the hottest tech trend of the decade.
Secondly, on the hardware front, Apple’s quiet WWDC likely reflects the state of its product pipeline and external challenges. The ambitious Vision Pro announcement in 2023 was a big swing; since then, Apple’s hardware teams have been focused on actually getting that device to market (which slipped to early 2024) and developing follow-ups, which are likely years out.
It’s possible Apple had hoped to show something hardware-related at WWDC 2025 – for instance, a new MacBook Pro with an M3/M4 chip – but global supply chain issues (like chip fabrication delays at TSMC’s cutting-edge nodes) might have pushed those plans to fall. Apple usually prefers to announce Macs when they’re ready to ship, and if M3 wasn’t in mass production in time, WWDC would have been premature. Similarly, rumor has it Apple is working on foldable device prototypes and an ultra-thin “iPhone Air”, but those are likely slated for 2026 or 2027 releases.
There’s also the matter of the iPhone 17 lineup coming this fall (2025). Leaks suggest a significant design shift – possibly that super slim “Air” model – and Apple may have deliberately avoided stealing any thunder from the iPhone by teasing it early. It’s a calculated trade-off: keep WWDC purely about software to maintain focus and avoid overshadowing the regular product cadence.
Additionally, Apple is undoubtedly mindful of the regulatory environment. With the EU’s Digital Markets Act and other regulations looming, Apple will soon have to allow sideloading and third-party app stores on iOS (likely by the end of 2025). That’s a huge change for the developer ecosystem. Apple hinted at App Store policy battles during WWDC, acknowledging “ongoing App Store controversies” and the need for balance between regulation and innovation.
It wouldn’t be surprising if Apple’s cautious stance is partly to avoid drawing regulatory ire – this is not the time, for instance, to announce aggressive new App Store monetization schemes or an AI that scrapes user data. They’re flying under the radar, shoring up the fundamentals, while preparing to navigate a more hostile regulatory landscape. In short, 2025 might be Apple’s “calm before the storm” – a year of refining and regrouping.
So what does the future hold? In the near term (the next 6–12 months), Apple will likely try to reignite excitement through its fall hardware launches. The iPhone 17 series, due in September 2025, is rumored to feature at least one standout model – possibly the iPhone 17 Air, an ultra-thin device that could be Apple’s thinnest and lightest flagship ever. Such a design-centric wow product could recapture some of the “razzle-dazzle” that WWDC lacked, giving consumers a tangible reason to upgrade (even if AI alone wasn’t enough).
Apple’s also expected to refresh the Apple Watch (an Ultra 3 and Series 11 with new health sensors could appear) and perhaps launch that overdue Apple TV update with a faster chip to fully support the new AI-heavy features of tvOS. We might also see an M3 or M4-based iPad Pro or Mac in an October 2025 event – devices that didn’t show at WWDC.
Essentially, Apple can compartmentalize: WWDC was software-focused (and low-key), but the holiday product cycle can still bring fireworks. The company historically prefers to unveil new categories in their own spotlight as well. So if Apple is brewing, say, a mixed-reality “Vision Pro Lite” headset or AR glasses, those might come at a dedicated event in 2026, not shoehorned into a WWDC keynote.
Likewise, any huge AI reveal (imagine a “SiriGPT” or an AI developer platform) could even warrant its own announcement when ready, rather than being rushed to stage prematurely. In essence, Apple is playing the long game. They are likely saving the big guns for when they can truly impress.
Looking a bit further out, Apple’s strategy seems to be about slow-burn innovation with a big payoff. They did it before: the Apple Silicon transition was years in the making and, when it finally hit, it leapfrogged the industry. We could see a similar pattern with AI – perhaps in 2026, Apple will introduce a radically improved Siri powered by a custom “Apple GPT” model that runs largely on-device, differentiating it from cloud-bound competitors. By then, the second-gen Vision Pro might be ready, possibly at a lower price or sleeker form, to bring spatial computing to more people. Apple could also surprise in new domains like automotive (the long-rumored Apple Car project) or health (advanced health services or wearables).
For now, it seems that Apple is fortifying its ecosystem (through design unification and cross-device features) to set the stage for the next wave of hardware innovations around 2025–2027. If that theory holds, Apple could be intentionally holding back its “wow” factors until those products are ready, rather than tossing out half-baked surprises now.
Of course, there’s always the risk that by the time Apple decides to leap, the world will have moved on. Silicon Valley is littered with cautionary tales of giants that were too slow to adapt. But Apple has defied those doomsday predictions before. The company’s nearly $3 trillion market cap isn’t by accident – it’s from decades of disciplined execution and well-timed big bets. Right now, Apple’s bet is that it can afford a “quiet” year to focus and refine, and that its users and developers will stick with it through this breather. The onus is on Apple to prove that bet right by delivering something truly exciting next time.
The consensus on WWDC 2025 is clear: it was a disappointment by Apple’s own lofty standards. The event delivered competent updates and some long-requested features, but it lacked the ambition and showmanship that people have come to expect from Apple. In a year when AI is redefining tech and rivals are charging ahead, Apple’s conservative showing felt out of step.
However, a disappointing WWDC is not the end of the story – far from it. Apple has had quiet years before and roared back with groundbreaking innovations. It’s worth recalling that after a relatively incremental 2016–2018 period, Apple stunned the industry with Apple Silicon in 2020. One lackluster keynote doesn’t doom Apple’s future, just as one flashy keynote doesn’t guarantee success. The company still has enormous resources, a vast loyal user base, and an ecosystem that is the envy of its competitors.
That said, Apple truly does need to reignite the spark – and soon. The cautious optimism many of us have is tempered by the knowledge that tech moves fast. Apple can’t rest on its laurels too long. The competition in AI, AR, and other frontiers is fierce, and perceptions matter. Apple risks looking (and feeling) left behind if it doesn’t start surprising us again. The company’s very brand is built on innovation and excitement – think iPhone in 2007, or the Mac’s “Think Different” spirit.
It’s time to see that boldness again. Whether it’s through finally unleashing Siri 2.0, delivering a game-changing new device (be it foldable iPhone, AR glasses, or something totally unexpected), or radically re-imagining an existing product, Apple needs a “wow” moment to remind the world that it hasn’t lost its daring soul. As a personal observation, Apple’s ethos under Tim Cook has been one of refined evolution, but the company still benefits immensely when it channels a bit of the old Steve Jobs-style risk-taking and showmanship.
There are reasons to be cautiously optimistic. We know Apple has several irons in the fire – projects that could become tomorrow’s headline-grabbers. The remainder of 2025 and 2026 will bring opportunities: the iPhone 17 and 18 cycles, next-gen Apple Silicon advancements (3nm and beyond), expanded AR experiences, and perhaps a foray into new categories like automotive or health devices.
The groundwork laid at this WWDC – things like the unified OS design and the on-device AI foundation – could pay dividends when Apple layers bigger ideas on top. In other words, Apple might be quietly setting the stage for its next act. Apple is playing a long game, and history suggests they often win those.
WWDC 2025 may go down as a rare dull note in Apple’s recent history – a conference that was competent yet uninspired. The onus is now on Apple to prove the doubters wrong. The company must use the coming months to fire up its innovation engine and deliver the kind of products and features that make us fall in love with technology all over again. Apple has done it before, and betting against them has made fools of many.
As a lifelong Apple observer and enthusiast, I remain hopeful that “one more thing” was just delayed, not cancelled. The spark isn’t gone – it’s just waiting for the right moment to reignite. And when Apple does light that fire, all the underwhelming keynotes will be forgiven in a heartbeat. The stage is yours in 2026, Apple – show us something amazing.
