Apple on a cost-cutting course: WWDC 2025 without major surprises

Expectations for Apple's developer conference, WWDC 2025, are muted. Especially in the area of artificial intelligence, it looks as if Apple will be unable to keep up with the competition. While companies like Google are going on the offensive with major advances and many new features, Apple, according to recent reports, will be more conservative.

Almost a year has passed since Apple Intelligence was unveiled at WWDC 2024. Not much has happened since then. Progress has been limited, and enthusiasm in the developer community has waned. WWDC 2025 would have offered the opportunity to change that. But it doesn't look like Apple will seize the opportunity. According to a recent report, this year's keynote will be rather weak in terms of content—especially in the area of AI. This is a risky move for Apple, as the competition continues to pull ahead.

Low expectations for Apple Intelligence

According to Bloomberg's "Power On" newsletter , which cites sources within Apple, WWDC 2025 is expected to be a rather disappointing event in terms of AI. While Google unveiled a slew of new AI technologies at its I/O conference , Apple's presence seems more restrained in comparison. This could reinforce the impression that Apple can no longer keep up with the latest AI innovations. The size of WWDC 2025 will also be somewhat reduced. Compared to 2023 and 2024, the event will be smaller. Initial indications already suggest that Apple intends to focus on WWDC 2026 and then once again boast innovations. This year's edition therefore appears to be more of an interim step—without any major highlights.

The one big innovation: opening up to third-party providers

The most important change Apple is likely to introduce concerns its in-house Foundation Models. These will be made available to third-party developers for the first time. This means that developers of external apps will be able to use the same AI functions that Apple uses internally for Apple Intelligence – for example, to create text or images directly on the device. However, there are limitations. Apple's locally running language models are relatively small. With around three billion parameters, they don't achieve the performance of cloud-based models. For certain tasks, this is sufficient – especially for simple, fast applications where data protection and speed on the device are paramount. But compared to Google's Gemini or OpenAI's GPT models, Apple's technology lags behind.

Further AI functions are manageable

In addition to opening up the models, only two further AI functions have been announced so far:

First, a new power mode is expected to manage iPhone battery life more intelligently. This is likely a feature that uses machine learning to recognize how you use your device and optimize power consumption accordingly.
Second, an update is planned for the Translate app. It will work in conjunction with Siri and the AirPods in the future. This should be particularly useful for real-time translations—for example, during conversations or while traveling. Here, too, Apple is staying within its familiar ecosystem without offering major new features.

Looking ahead: WWDC 2026 in focus

There are indications that Apple intends to focus more heavily on innovation in 2026. For 2025, it seems to be deliberately shifting gears. Whether this is a wise move remains to be seen. In a field that's evolving as rapidly as artificial intelligence, a year without real progress is a high risk. While Google, OpenAI, Microsoft, and others are moving ahead at full speed, Apple risks falling behind.

WWDC 2025: Apple plays on security

If you were hoping Apple would surprise you with impressive AI innovations at WWDC 2025, you'll likely be disappointed. The event will be smaller, and the announcements in the Apple Intelligence area will be manageable. Opening up the Foundation Models to third-party developers is a step in the right direction, but not a breakthrough. The new Power Mode and the Translate update are useful additions, but not real highlights. For a company like Apple, which has always seen itself as an innovation leader, this is an unusually cautious appearance. Perhaps this is the price for preferring stable and controlled development – but the pressure from competition is growing. (Image: Shutterstock / NRSPro)