Apple will hold its annual developer event, the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2025, from the 9th to the 13th of June (local time) in Cupertino, California. Recently, as Apple's development of innovative technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), has been sluggish, there are concerns that this year's event will have the least to showcase among all WWDCs, focusing more on software rather than new products.
WWDC is a global developer conference held annually by Apple, where new technologies and products are unveiled. In 2023, it attracted attention with the announcement of the augmented reality (AR) glasses known as 'Vision Pro,' and last year, it showcased its AI system, 'Apple Intelligence.'
This year's WWDC is expected to focus more on software and user experience (UI) transformation and the announcement of AI strategies rather than product unveilings. Apple is reportedly pursuing a UI overhaul across all its platforms, including iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. In particular, it is said to introduce a new interface codenamed 'Solarium.'
According to industry sources, the new operating system (OS) will feature changes in icon, menu, app, window, and system button styles. Apple has introduced visual changes such as translucent effects, rounder and smoother corners, and floating menus. The iOS numbering is also expected to reflect the year of release. The official name of the new iOS is reported to be 'iOS26' rather than iOS19.
This year, Apple is expected to have no new announcements regarding AI innovation, as it trails behind big tech rivals like Google and Meta. The industry predicts that major AI projects, including Siri 2.0, a core feature of Apple Intelligence, will be postponed until next year. Apple has shown a passive attitude towards AI investment compared to its competitors. It is reported that Apple is completely rebuilding Siri to enhance user experiences through personalized recommendations, automation, and real-time suggestions.
The 'AI health assistant' application project, 'Mulberry,' which was scheduled to launch earlier this year, has seen its release postponed to next year, leading to increased disappointment among users. The Mulberry project aims to develop a healthcare app integrated with Apple’s health app. Mulberry is a codename assigned internally by Apple and is one of its long-term AI projects.
Industry analysts note that last month, Google concluded its annual developer event, 'I/O 2025,' with much fanfare, which is seen as a contrast to Apple. Google declared its re-entry into the wearable market and unveiled a prototype of smart glasses based on Gemini.
Bloomberg reported, 'There are concerns internally at Apple that this WWDC could disappoint in terms of AI. It could inadvertently highlight the technological gap with competitors.' Bloomberg also noted, 'Apple plans to ramp up its AI strategy starting next year, but as the AI competition intensifies each month, a more bold and rapid strategic shift is needed.'