Apple at WWDC 2025: Playing It Safe with AI, Betting on Design and Games

As Apple gears up for WWDC 2025, anticipation is high – but expectations for groundbreaking innovation are noticeably muted. Unlike the AI buzz from competitors, Cupertino is reportedly taking a more cautious approach.

Instead of flashy AI demos, this year’s spotlight will be on stability, design refinement, and some practical, if familiar, enhancements.

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is scaling back its AI announcements this year, likely in response to delays and criticism around last year’s Apple Intelligence rollout. While AI won’t be the headliner, it’s still in the mix – just toned down. Developers will gain access to Apple’s on-device Foundation Models, boasting support for up to 3 billion parameters. Core features include text summarization and improved auto-correct, aimed more at enhancing existing experiences than redefining them.

iOS 26: a notable refresh awaits, though not a revolution. The OS will bring a new battery-saving mode, a reimagined Translate app with deeper Siri and AirPods integration, and most visibly, a visionOS-inspired UI revamp. Apple is marketing it as one of the most significant visual overhauls ever – a claim they’ve made more than once, to mixed reception. Still, for fans of visionOS aesthetics, this could be a welcome update.

macOS 26: staying on brand with California landmarks, will be named macOS Tahoe. Users can expect a similarly refreshed interface that echoes the iOS changes, streamlining Apple’s ecosystem further. Though visual, it’s another incremental update.

While Apple’s long-anticipated LLM-powered Siri and upgraded Shortcuts app are still not ready for public preview, smaller but useful AI-driven upgrades are expected in Safari and Photos.

One surprise is Apple’s new centralized gaming hub, aimed at replacing Game Center. This cross-platform app will unify gaming across iOS, macOS, iPadOS, and tvOS, with features like leaderboards and built-in player communication. It’s not revolutionary, but it could tidy up Apple’s fragmented gaming services – and maybe even nudge them closer to competing in a more serious gaming space.

The overall takeaway? Apple is prioritizing polish over novelty. After a year of AI overpromises and under-deliveries, this more grounded approach may be just what users – and critics – need.