- No new iPhone expected, not even a hint, really
- No apologies for the bad Apple Intelligence launch
- No Holy Grail products like XR glasses or a glucose monitor
Next week Apple hosts its Worldwide Developer’s Conference (WWDC) 2025, bringing together developers and media to discuss what’s new and what’s upcoming in the world of All Things Apple. Apple makes a lot of stuff, and more importantly, Apple makes the software that runs it all. Apple’s developer conference is about software more than anything else, and hardware news will only serve to expand on Apple’s software development.
If I were a betting man, here’s my safe bet for what new products we’ll see at WWDC 2025: nothing! Apple almost never launches hardware at WWDC. The only time we get something new at WWDC is when it serves to make the developer news more interesting.
Of course, this year’s software news could be very interesting, with a major redesign possibly in the cards for every Apple OS, plus a new naming scheme that will match the update to the year: ie. iOS 26 in 2026. Do we need new hardware to go with the updated interface? No, but it could generate more excitement.
With that in mind, here’s what I do not expect to see at WWDC 2025
No hardware, no new iPhone, not even the iPhone 17 Air
If you were hoping for a sneak peak at the iPhone 17 Air, I would highly doubt that Apple will drop any hints about its rumored upcoming thin phone. Even with the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge now available, I don’t think Apple will ruin the surprise coming in September, when it launches a drastically redesigned iPhone 17 family. Showing off an iPhone 17 Air would give too much away today.
I also wouldn’t expect any new iPad models. Apple launched new iPad base models and new iPad Air tablets recently, with faster processors inside. There’s no reason to launch anything new at WWDC 2025. Even the iPad Mini got a recent refresh, so it’s doubtful we’ll see anything new.
Occasionally Apple announces a new chipset at WWDC, like the Apple M4 platform. That would be a good reason to get a new Macbook Pro, or possibly an updated iPad Pro model. We haven’t gotten hints about this, so we’re not expecting any new Macbook or iPad’s with an Apple M5, for instance.
There is one lingering rumor about an updated Apple Homepod, possibly with a built-in display. That would make sense for WWDC 2025 because a new display means new possibilities for developers to load apps. If there is any hardware announced next week, that would be my top bet.
No apologies about Apple AI, and no backing down
If you think Apple Intelligence hasn’t been going well, you’re right, but I wouldn’t expect Apple to admit as much, and it definitely won’t be apologizing for any of the missteps so far. In fact, I expect we’ll see Apple barreling forward with AI features at every level of every single OS.
We’re going to get Apple Intelligence on the Apple Watch, along with more AI on the iPhone, iPad, and MacBooks. The real question is whether Apple will keep promising the same features that never materialized – Siri’s ability to read your email and your personal info and provide you with tailored advice – or if there will be some new direction, perhaps with new partnerships to bridge the gaps in Apple’s capabilities.
I think the latter is most likely, as developers right now are keen on ways to integrate existing apps and features with AI. It makes sense for Apple to partner more closely with companies outside of OpenAI, while it continues to try to build its own AI infrastructure.
No holy grail, either on your wrist or your face
I expect Apple will talk about advances in Apple Health on the Apple Watch, but I don’t expect any dramatic new capabilities will be announced. We won’t see improvements in glucose monitoring, for instance, or new hardware that can measure metabolic rates in non-invasive ways.
Apple still has a lot of catching up to do on its watch hardware. Google’s Wear OS watches and its partners have added features like zero pulse detection plus more AI features, and battery life continues to climb on the Wear OS side. Apple has been a bit stagnant with its WatchOS progress.
I also wouldn’t expect new face wearables. No update to Apple Vision Pro, and no new Apple Vision products. It is possible that we will get improved controls for Vision Pro, and maybe even real joystick controllers, but no new platform like XR smart glasses.
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philip.berne@futurenet.com (Philip Berne)
