New York – At its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2025, Apple showcased a series of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered features that will be integrated into the entire Apple ecosystem — including iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple Watch, and AirPods — as the company ramps up efforts to stay competitive in the global AI race.
Under the theme “on the horizon,” Apple revealed a collection of tools under its new umbrella term: Apple Intelligence, emphasizing practical improvements over flashy innovation. Although the company’s long-awaited AI-enhanced Siri update is still missing in action, Apple’s keynote hinted at a cohesive AI strategy intended to make everyday tasks smarter and more seamless.
Key Announcements from WWDC 2025
🧠 Apple Intelligence Features
Apple is embedding AI across its native apps and services, including:
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AI-Powered Visual Search: Users can now identify and search for products seen in images — such as shoes in an Instagram post — with just a tap.
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Smart Workout Buddy: On Apple Watch, users will get AI-driven fitness guidance, tailored motivation, and health insights.
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Apple Maps Enhancements: Maps now remember frequent stops and offer more personalized directions.
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Third-Party Integration: Developers can access Apple’s on-device AI model, enabling AI enhancements in apps like AllTrails and Kahoot.
Tech analyst Dan Ives noted, “Apple is playing it safe and close to the vest after the missteps last year,” with this year’s updates seen as foundational rather than revolutionary.
🗣️ Live Call Translation and Messaging Improvements
A major breakthrough came in the form of AI-based live translation, available across iPhone, Mac, iPad, Apple Watch, and even while wearing AirPods. This will allow users to conduct real-time multilingual conversations on FaceTime, phone calls, and messages, putting Apple in direct competition with tools like Google Pixel Buds and Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses.
Additional communication upgrades include:
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Call Screening: AI can now answer unknown calls, retrieve caller identity and intent, and display it via text before users pick up.
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Hold Assist: Apple will automatically stay on hold in queues, sparing users from waiting with background music.
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Message Organization: Messages from unknown senders will be redirected to a separate inbox, and group chats now support interactive polls and vibrant backgrounds, aligning more closely with popular features from Meta’s WhatsApp.
💻 Mac & iPad Get Smarter and More Productive
Spotlight AI Enhancements (Mac)
Mac’s Spotlight search now goes beyond basic querying. Users can perform actions like sending emails or editing documents directly from the search bar, pushing Apple into the realm of AI agents currently dominated by Google and OpenAI.
Multitasking Boost for iPads
iPads are gaining more desktop-like functionality, including:
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Resizable windows
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Persistent window states
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Improved multi-window tiling
This could position the iPad as a true alternative to laptops, especially for creative professionals and remote workers.
🖥️ All-New iOS 26 & “Liquid Glass” Interface
In a major branding shift, Apple introduced iOS 26, aligning software version numbers with the calendar year — replacing previous conventions like iOS 17 or macOS 15. This move standardizes naming across all Apple platforms, including macOS, iPadOS, and watchOS.
Accompanying iOS 26 is a fresh visual aesthetic called Liquid Glass, inspired by the translucent UI of the Apple Vision Pro. According to Alan Dye, Apple’s VP of Human Interface Design, it represents the most significant design revamp since iOS 7 in 2013.
🤖 Siri Still Missing in Action
Despite the event’s AI focus, Apple was noticeably silent about the updated Siri it promised last year. Craig Federighi, Apple’s Senior VP of Software Engineering, stated that the company is still “working to meet our high quality bar” and will share updates in the coming year.
Industry experts viewed this as a critical omission. Dipanjan Chatterjee of Forrester commented,
“The silence surrounding Siri was deafening… no amount of cute emojis can fill the yawning void of an intuitive, interactive AI experience.”
📉 Apple’s Competitive Context
Apple’s push into AI comes during a tough year. The company is grappling with:
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Slowing iPhone sales
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Trade tensions affecting global pricing
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Perceptions of lagging behind Google, Samsung, and Microsoft in AI innovation
Yet Apple’s massive installed base of over 2 billion active devices gives it a powerful advantage — even if it arrives late to certain AI functionalities.
As PP Foresight’s Paolo Pescatore puts it,
“The subtle addition of Apple Intelligence across key services will help grow awareness and provide users with confidence to drive further engagement.”
Conclusion: An Incremental Leap with Long-Term Potential
While Apple’s WWDC 2025 keynote didn’t offer jaw-dropping innovation, it laid the groundwork for an AI-infused ecosystem that could reshape how users interact with devices. The true test of these enhancements will come this fall, when the new OS versions roll out publicly.
