There was palpable pleasure round Apple’s Worldwide Developer Convention (WWDC) final yr. The corporate was about to unveil its AI capabilities, with the tech world anticipating the corporate to unveil an AI platform able to competing with Google and OpenAI. The demos Apple confirmed off on the time had been compelling, however the follow-through has been underwhelming, leaving each builders and customers wanting extra.
Apple’s broader struggles with AI have grow to be clearer over the previous yr. Its ambitions round customized intelligence have confronted delays, and its rollout of latest instruments has been inconsistent. The imaginative and prescient that Apple bought in 2024 — a seamless mix of on-device AI, revamped Siri interactions, and highly effective new developer capabilities — has but to materialize in full.
Apple Intelligence options noticed a staggered rollout that got here with a number of hiccups. The customized model of Siri that was showcased final yr has been delayed, which issues as a result of Apple framed the brand new Siri as a cornerstone of its AI technique — a context-aware assistant that would perceive consumer habits throughout apps. With out it, the corporate’s AI worth proposition appears to be like surprisingly skinny.
This additionally meant that builders couldn’t take full benefit of the brand new AI-powered Siri, and customers couldn’t depend on the assistant to carry out in-app actions as promised. For builders, that’s a misplaced alternative to construct extra interactive, clever app experiences. For customers, it’s one other promise unfulfilled. And for Apple, it raises issues about how aggressive its AI stack actually is in comparison with its more and more highly effective rivals like OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft.
With WWDC 2025 now simply across the nook, expectations for consumer-facing Apple Intelligence options are extra cautious than final yr. Most builders and analysts are actually hoping for incremental enhancements: smoother integration of AI into native apps, and instruments that empower builders to really use the AI that Apple is constructing. (Nobody is anticipating a lot on the Siri entrance.)
One among Apple’s finest alternatives lies in enabling AI-assisted app improvement. The rise of instruments like Cursor, Replit, and Bolt.new has made code technology a complete lot simpler, serving to builders, and even non-developers, convey merchandise to life quicker.
AI-powered apps have discovered the online an efficient distribution platform. ChatGPT, as an illustration, gained huge traction on the internet earlier than launching native apps for iOS and Android. On the identical time, instruments like WordPress, Hostinger, Canva, and Figma now let non-technical customers create easy apps utilizing pure language prompts. Apple must modernize right here, too.
Ideally, new AI tooling ought to permit extra builders to create apps and put up them on the App Retailer. That will enrich the iOS app ecosystem and open up new income alternatives for Apple, which is much more important now that a few of its App Retailer earnings is below menace.
Apple has made some bulletins, however many have but to materialize. Swift Help, a coding assistant for Xcode, was proven off final yr however hasn’t seen extensive launch. Apple can be reportedly engaged on an Anthropic-powered AI coding device and plans to open entry to its personal AI fashions for builders. The objective is to decrease the barrier for constructing iOS apps, each for professionals and newcomers.
Nonetheless, there are two issues to think about: the online’s dominance as an utility distribution platform and new rules that bar Apple from charging charges within the U.S. for funds exterior the app.
The second half is a very massive deal. In April, Decide Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers requested Apple to take away restrictions round linking to exterior fee strategies for digital purchases in apps for the U.S. App Retailer. Extra importantly, the ruling additionally barred Apple from charging any charges for these sorts of funds. On Wednesday, a U.S. courtroom rejected Apple’s attraction to place a keep on the ruling.
This implies builders will encourage clients to buy subscriptions and add-ons exterior the App Retailer, additionally probably at a reduced fee in contrast with their App Retailer costs.
This ruling might additionally spur different regulators to place related strain on Apple and cull App Retailer charges for third-party funds. Earlier this week, Apple reported that it generated $1.3 trillion in billings and gross sales in 2024, with 90% of that worth technology occurring with out paying Apple a fee. However even some share of the remaining $130 billion means many billions in income for the corporate.
Amid all this, Apple must reassert the worth of its ecosystem. It’s not clear if Apple will lower its commissions, however it is going to be fascinating to see what sort of App Retailer options the corporate launches to make native iOS apps a extra profitable avenue for builders.
As WWDC 2025 approaches, Apple is within the uncommon place of getting to share a greater story. Its AI ambitions are being challenged not solely by faster-moving opponents but in addition by altering authorized and financial realities. To succeed, Apple has to exhibit that it could ship on AI, for finish customers and the builders who energy its ecosystem. Particularly in a world the place AI accelerates every little thing, Apple can’t afford to lag behind.
