WWDC 2025 preview: No major AI announcements, big iOS redesign and more coming on 9 June

Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) is set to take place from June 9 to 13, 2025, with the keynote scheduled for 10am PDT (10:30 p.m. IST) on June 9. While platform-wide updates are confirmed across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and more, industry insiders suggest the event may fall short of expectations in terms of artificial intelligence (AI) advancements.

Modest AI Push

Despite growing competition from companies like OpenAI and Google, Apple is reportedly treating 2025 as a “gap year” for major AI announcements. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, some insiders view this year’s conference as a potential “letdown from an AI standpoint.”

Apple is still expected to reveal meaningful improvements to its Apple Intelligence suite, primarily through developer-focused tools. The company’s key AI move involves opening its on-device foundation models, featuring approximately 3 billion parameters, to third-party developers. These models, capable of tasks like text summarisation and autocorrect, will soon be accessible in app development, although they remain less powerful than cloud-based alternatives offered by rivals.

Apple is also exploring partnerships with external AI providers such as Google and Anthropic to integrate their models into Apple Intelligence, following its existing collaboration with OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

Software Over Hardware

Unlike previous years, no major new hardware announcements are expected at WWDC 2025. Instead, Apple will focus on significant software updates, with a major redesign of its operating systems aimed at creating a more consistent and unified user experience across devices. The upcoming iOS update may skip expected version numbers and debut as iOS 26, reflecting a broader effort to standardise naming across platforms.

The new software is expected to feature translucent menus and panels, subtle motion effects, and shimmering elements inspired by the company’s visionOS interface. These changes aim to streamline navigation and aesthetics, particularly as users move between iPhones, iPads, and Macs.

New Tools and Features in iOS 26

iOS 26 and related platform updates are expected to introduce several new features, including:

• A new battery power management mode
• An overhauled Translate app, with deeper integration into Siri and AirPods
• Select AI-powered features in Safari and Photos
• A revamped Shortcuts app and health-focused project known internally as Project Mulberry

In addition, Apple will release an enhanced software development kit (SDK) and frameworks, allowing developers to integrate tools like Writing Tools more deeply into their applications. UI testing tools and SwiftUI will also see improvements, including the addition of a built-in rich text editor.

Looking Ahead

Although the WWDC 2025 keynote may appear subdued in terms of AI breakthroughs, Apple is actively working on more ambitious projects behind the scenes. These include larger LLMs, with 7B, 33B, and even 150B parameters, a next-generation Siri with improved contextual awareness, and a web-based ChatGPT-style search assistant.

More substantial AI updates are now expected to headline WWDC 2026, positioning this year’s announcements as foundational steps toward broader AI integration across the Apple ecosystem.