[Written By External Partner]
In June, Apple will host its most important event in the annual calendar. The World Wide Developer Conference has long been the point where Tim Cook and his team set out a blueprint for Apple’s near and long-term future, revealing new products and directions of travel for the world’s biggest consumer tech company. Yet, the 2025 conference (main keynote on Monday, June 9th) has some extra importance this time around, not least due to the fact hindsight has not been kind to the 2023 and 2024 events.
What do we mean by hindsight not being kind? In 2023, Apple centered WWDC around the Vision Pro. We will discuss the issues with the Vision Pro later, but it’s sufficient to say that sales have been so poor that production of the device is rumored to have been halted. In 2024, of course, we got the reveal of Apple Intelligence, which was Apple’s big entry into the AI race. The problem, unfortunately, is that it was clear Apple was playing catch up to the likes of Google and Meta, and that became apparent with the slow and uninspiring rollout of AI to Apple devices.
Apple predicted to be downbeat at WWDC
As such, the web is littered with articles right now espousing theories that Apple will “learn from its mistakes” by not revealing ideas and products that are simply not ready. There are reasons to be optimistic – Apple is reportedly making a significant push into AI healthcare through its Health app and related devices, such as the Apple Watch – but you should not expect a grand reveal, certainly not anything like the Vision Pro.
Speaking of the Vision Pro, it’s worth weighing up what went wrong and what, if anything, Apple can do to improve its outlook, as it is certainly not giving up. We know, of course, that Vision Pro had several drawbacks from the outset, not least a $3,000 price tag. Yet, it is arguable that the biggest misstep was a lack of definable purpose – what was it supposed to be for? Work? Play? Socializing? Apple will say it was all of those things, with the idea of spatial computing differentiating Vision Pro from cheaper alternatives like the gaming-focused Meta Quest headset.
However, this all-rounder approach didn’t work because it lacked a unique selling point. If Apple, say, focused on entertainment first, you could start building a narrative. We do see some examples of how that could work. For instance, the MLB app is now compatible with Vision Pro, allowing users to immerse themselves in the game. We’ve also seen Reddit threads discussing the use of Vision Pro for poker, which will enable you to track stats and other information as you play. VR/AR really does seem well-suited to online casino entertainment, so that may be a direction for the future.
Nonetheless, there are but a handful of concepts that remain relatively niche, and it’s arguably not enough to convince someone to shell out $3K to experience them. Apple certainly hasn’t given up, as mentioned, but the device feels like it needs a rebrand, making a compelling argument that it does something that other products cannot do. Perhaps it lies in gaming and entertainment, or maybe it’s exercise and well-being, but it’s clearly a case of going back to the drawing board before we get the next iteration of the Vision Pro.
Apple needs to get it right on AI
As for AI, there is a universal consensus that Apple got caught napping. OpenAI changed the world almost overnight with the release of ChatGPT. Google, which had spent more on AI research than any other company, had the products in testing to catch up quickly, whereas Apple – by and large – did not. WWDC 2024 made significant promises with “Apple Intelligence,” but we now know that it failed to deliver.
We do certainly expect some movement on AI in June, as Apple simply can’t ignore it. Yet, the consensus is that Apple will focus on “improving” Apple Intelligence, or at least fulfilling last year’s promises, rather than trumpeting that it will revolutionize your iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks overnight.
Ultimately, this feels like a significant event for Apple, perhaps a pivotal one. iPhone sales are declining worldwide, and the company has to navigate a world of uncertain supply chains in light of Donald Trump’s tariff policies. Cook and his team know how to put on a show, but Apple ‘fans’ are a little more skeptical this time around due to the disappointments of the last two years.
