Apple is set to significantly reshape its software landscape at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2025. The event will reportedly introduce macOS “Tahoe,” a broad OS rebranding to a year-based system like iOS 26, and a new gaming app. However, a year after launching “Apple Intelligence,” the company will likely present incremental AI updates, not major breakthroughs to rival leaders like OpenAI and Google.
This strategy, as outlined by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, suggests Apple is carefully managing its AI narrative. For users, WWDC 2025 will deliver a refreshed OS experience and a dedicated gaming hub. Yet, anticipation for deeply integrated, next-gen AI features will likely persist. Mark Gurman of Bloomberg noted Apple is prioritizing what it “knows for sure will launch in the fall.”
The shift to names like iOS 26 and macOS 26 aims to unify software branding and simplify understanding. This overhaul accompanies an anticipated significant macOS redesign, with macOS Tahoe featuring a new user interface. No major new hardware announcements are expected.
OS Overhaul and a New Gaming Hub
Apple’s WWDC 2025 will usher in significant visual and structural OS updates. The move to a year-based naming convention—iOS 26, iPadOS 26, tvOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26, and visionOS 26—is a strategic effort for a unified identity. Gurman says he was “told that the company has homed in on Lake Tahoe as its next moniker, making it macOS Tahoe” for the Mac operating system.
Apple must carefully manage marketing. The ‘iOS 26’ style is said to be clean, but the company needs to ensure it doesn’t inadvertently accelerate perceived obsolescence for perfectly capable older hardware.
A refreshed user interface will be a key highlight. Apple is also set to preinstall a new gaming application across its operating systems. This app will replace the less prominent Game Center, providing a central hub for launching games, discovering titles, viewing leaderboards, and connecting with players. The macOS 26 version might integrate games sold outside the Mac App Store.
This could be a nod to developer concerns about App Store commissions amid regulatory scrutiny. Additionally, developers can expect an update on Swift Assist and a built-in rich text editor for SwiftUI.
AI: Evolution, Not Revolution
A year after its “Apple Intelligence” debut, Apple “will do little at WWDC to show it’s catching up to leaders like OpenAI and Google,” says Gurman. Indeed, some within Apple reportedly believe “the conference may be a letdown from an AI standpoint.”
The primary AI announcement is expected to be opening Apple’s Foundation Models to third-party developers. These on-device models, with around 3 billion parameters, are for tasks like text summarization, enabling custom app features.
Other anticipated AI updates include a new AI-powered battery management mode and an enhanced Translate app with deeper Siri and AirPods integration. Some existing Safari and Photos features may also be rebranded as “AI-powered.”
However, more ambitious AI projects—like a significantly more capable Siri with “Personal Context” and advanced AI photo editing—are reportedly still developing. Apple’s voice assistant challenges are known; we previously detailed how early efforts to merge generative AI with Siri’s old framework were described by one source as “wreck”.
In March, an Apple spokesperson acknowledged that delivering these features would take longer than anticipated and that Apple expects to roll them out in the coming year. But Apple seems also to be playing the long game with AI, prioritizing user trust and on-device processing, which inherently means a more measured pace than cloud-first competitors; for some this frames Apple’s approach as a deliberate choice.
However, the company is aware of the rapidly advancing competition. Gurman suggests Apple aims for WWDC 2026 to “try to convince consumers that it’s an AI innovator.”
Strategic Investments and Lingering Questions
Apple’s measured pace on AI announcements belies significant ongoing work. The company is making substantial long-term investments in custom silicon for future AI experiences. This includes Project Baltra for AI server chips and new Mac processor generations.
While Apple uses Mac chips for some AI processing, these weren’t expressly designed for such tasks and may not be as efficient as dedicated AI silicon. This hardware strategy is important for Apple’s goal of balancing on-device processing with cloud capabilities, a commitment to user privacy previously highlighted by Craig Federighi, who stated that they are “investing in both on-device intelligence and cloud-based AI to deliver better user experiences while maintaining our commitment to privacy.”
However, the path to AI leadership is multifaceted. The direct impact of Apple Intelligence on hardware sales has been debated; analyst Ming-Chi Kuo previously stated there is no evidence that Apple Intelligence has boosted iPhone replacement demand.
Meanwhile, the broader tech landscape sees influential figures like Jony Ive, formerly of Apple, now driving AI hardware innovation at competing firm OpenAI. Apple’s global AI strategy also navigates complex geopolitical currents, especially regarding its operations and partnerships in key markets like China.
While WWDC 2025 will surely introduce notable updates to Apple’s operating systems and a renewed focus on gaming, the narrative surrounding its AI capabilities will likely continue to be one of careful evolution.
