WWDC 2025 Proved That Apple Learned a Valuable Lesson

At its WWDC 2024 keynote last year, Apple previewed a more personalized version of Siri that has since been delayed until next year. Subsequently, Apple was hit with class action lawsuits that accuse the company of false advertising, and well-known Apple commentator John Gruber strongly criticized the company over the situation.

WWDC 2025 Apple Logo
Apple also missed its promised 2024 timeframe for launching next-generation CarPlay, which it first announced all the way back at WWDC 2022. The company finally announced the launch of CarPlay Ultra last month, with the software system rolling out in high-end Aston Martin vehicles in the U.S. and Canada to start.

It appears that Apple learned a valuable lesson.

During its WWDC 2025 keynote, there was a noticeable lack of new software features that Apple promised as coming later this year. The company did say that Apple Intelligence will be gaining support for additional languages later this year, but most of those languages had already been announced months ago. Over the past several years, on the other hand, there were typically quite a few "later this year" labels on Apple's software pages.

Still, not every new feature announced at WWDC 2025 is available in the first betas of Apple's latest software releases. The lack of "later this year" phrasing suggests that those features will be ready by time iOS 26 and the other updates are released in September, however, as opposed to subsequent versions like iOS 26.1 or iOS 26.2.

Overall, it is clear that Apple is being more cautious, as was expected. In a report last month about Apple's artificial intelligence shortcomings, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Drake Bennett cited sources who said that Apple planned to mostly stop announcing new features more than a few months before they are ready to launch. Based on the WWDC 2025 keynote, that does appear to be the company's approach for now.

Popular Stories

Aston Martin CarPlay Ultra Screen

Apple's CarPlay Ultra to Expand to These Vehicle Brands Later This Year

Sunday February 1, 2026 10:08 am PST by
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly nine months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon. In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. In his Powe...
Apple Logo Black

Apple's Next Launch is 'Imminent'

Sunday February 1, 2026 12:31 pm PST by
The calendar has turned to February, and a new report indicates that Apple's next product launch is "imminent," in the form of new MacBook Pro models. "All signs point to an imminent launch of next-generation MacBook Pros that retain the current form factor but deliver faster chips," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said on Sunday. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

New MacBook Pros Reportedly Launching Alongside macOS 26.3

Sunday February 1, 2026 5:42 am PST by
Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips alongside macOS 26.3, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "Apple's faster MacBook Pros are planned for the macOS 26.3 release cycle," wrote Gurman, in his Power On newsletter today. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated for the macOS 26.3 software cycle, which runs from...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
We are still waiting for the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate to come out, so the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week or two away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
14 inch MacBook Pro Keyboard

Apple Changes How You Order a Mac

Saturday January 31, 2026 10:51 am PST by
Apple recently updated its online store with a new ordering process for Macs, including the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro. There used to be a handful of standard configurations available for each Mac, but now you must configure a Mac entirely from scratch on a feature-by-feature basis. In other words, ordering a new Mac now works much like ordering an...

Top Rated Comments

delsoul Avatar
9 months ago
It seems they learned one lesson but failed to learn another. People want REAL upgrades, not just some cool colors here, some shiny graphics there. Many of these ‘features’ they release, majority of folks I dare say don’t even use them. There’s not a single thing released by Apple in recent times, software wise, that’s made me feel like wow I really have to have that. This also goes for Android, I’m really believing tech is out of actual fresh ideas and trying to buy themselves time to try and come up with something.
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Nik Avatar
9 months ago
Under-promise. Over-deliver. That's how it should be.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
poematik13 Avatar
9 months ago
The company is washed. They're just way too big now and not able to think clearly and cohesively on executing a singular vision. The "big reveal" is literally just a windows aero skin on the UI. Seriously? lol

The corporate structure is now 30-40 teams, each with a budget and headcount bigger than most startups, all fighting and competing against eachother internally for promotions.

You can tell by how robotic and soulless all the hosts were that all the employees care about is the stock price and their TC. Nobody cares anymore about being revolutionary or disruptive or making an iMac/iPod/iPhone-tier product- that era is over.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
KENESS Avatar
9 months ago
I don't know if it is just me, but I'm really feeling update overload these days. Every couple of months, there's a "big" new feature coming in a point release. It's just kind of overwhelming and makes my brain "check out" and my general reaction when there's a new point release is... Ugh. Again.

I'm not complaining about lack of innovation or complaining that Apple has lost it's way or that Apple's quality control is going downhill or any of the other annoying mantras that infect the forums, I don't have an issue with any of those things.

I just feel like every time I turn around there is a significant upgrade and significant (or semi-significant) new feature.

I kind of just wish they'd release all their new features each year in the x.0 release, and then all subsequent releases for the year would be just bug fixes and refinements. And that's it. Not ready for the x.0 release? Then wait until next year!

The x.0 release should DEFINE the feature set of that release. The point updates should be fixes.

Just my opinion.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AlexStudios Avatar
9 months ago

It seems they learned one lesson but failed to learn another. People want REAL upgrades, not just some cool colors here, some shiny graphics there. Many of these ‘features’ they release, majority of folks I dare say don’t even use them. There’s not a single thing released by Apple in recent times, software wise, that’s made me feel like wow I really have to have that. This also goes for Android, I’m really believing tech is out of actual fresh ideas and trying to buy themselves time to try and come up with something.
Truth be told, the tech industry is running out of features they're able to add on an already packed device.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
hurley999jb Avatar
9 months ago
Seems like a heartfelt apology from Tim would have gone a long way! All he would have had to do was note that they missed the mark, and would do better in the future.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)