Apple’s New AI Plan May Change iPhones in Big Way

Apple’s 2025 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) may not have delivered headline-grabbing product launches, but analysts suggest the company remains firmly in the AI race, despite subdued expectations.

Developers and tech followers had anticipated bold reveals at the Cupertino giant’s annual event. However, this year’s keynote leaned more toward incremental updates than disruptive innovation. An Indian developer who attended the event described it as more practical and measured than previous years.

One notable observation was the absence of a comprehensive AI strategy rollout. Although Apple introduced "Apple Intelligence," the initiative failed to match the scale of AI offerings already unveiled by Microsoft and Google. Apple’s announcement focused primarily on design updates and integration rather than launching standalone AI tools.

Akshat Srivastava, a winner of Apple’s 2024 Swift Student Challenge, emphasized the new Liquid Glam design system across Apple’s software ecosystem. While he acknowledged its significance, Srivastava suggested it lacked the boldness typically expected at WWDC.

"Apple tends to introduce innovations later but executes them with greater polish. Right now, the company appears cautious with AI integration due to concerns over reliability and user trust," Srivastava noted.

This perspective aligns with remarks from Apple executives defending the company’s AI rollout. Marketing head Greg Joswiak told The Wall Street Journal that Apple focuses on building quality products before expanding aggressively.

IDC’s Associate Vice President for India & ANZ Devices Research, Navendar Singh, stated that Apple’s relatively low-key AI announcements will not hurt iPhone sales in India. He forecasted shipments to reach 14.5–15 million units in 2025, up from 12.5 million last year. This growth could cement Apple’s position among the top five smartphone brands in India.

"The absence of flashy AI features hasn’t deterred customers. Apple’s strength lies in its ability to simplify technology and deliver it seamlessly to the user. That continues to drive demand," Singh said.

Analysts noted that Apple’s AI focus is consistent with its broader ecosystem strategy. Rather than prioritizing foundational AI model development like Google or Meta, Apple aims to weave AI functions directly into its OS and hardware.

Gartner Senior Director Analyst Ranjit Atwal said the company’s strategy emphasizes device-based AI processing to preserve user privacy and security. However, this approach may raise upgrade concerns among existing iPhone users, as many of the Apple Intelligence features will not be backward-compatible.

"A considerable portion of the demos remain in beta and unavailable for immediate use. The real test will come once these features are fully deployed," Atwal explained.