WWDC 25 was proof that Apple's AI debacle was a blessing for iPhone and iPad users

For a 2025 event, this year's Worldwide Developers Conference was a tad underwhelming. For Apple users though, it was everything they could have asked for. Last year was a rude awakening for the company, but it was exactly what it needed to get off its high horse.

False promises

At its annual software conference last year, Apple teased a myriad of AI-powered features. Those features were also touted as the main selling point of the iPhone 16. It took a long time for the company to admit that the flashiest features wouldn't be shipping anytime soon.

Not only was this an admission that it was struggling with AI but it also raised speculation that it had only promised vaporware, though the company insists that's not true.

Either way, the situation was quite embarrassing for the company, which could be why it reversed course this year and made interface makeovers the focal point of its software presentation.

Apple's failure was a victory for iPhone and iPad users

Apple had put itself on a high pedestal and often chased gimmicky features instead of rolling out the ones users wanted.

That approach appears to have blown up in its face. For years, the company got away with overpromising but after the AI debacle of last year, it's trying to make up for it by giving customers what they have always wanted.

The biggest highlight of this year is the transparent Liquid Glass design. While users are divided on whether it's a stroke of genius or a letdown, it's hard to deny that it's a step forward. We have stuck with static interfaces for far too long and while Apple's implementation may not be perfect, it has shown the industry the way forward.

Another huge change Apple announced this year is a Mac-like interface for the iPad. This comes after years of insistence that the iPad isn't exactly a computer. And while the tablet still doesn't run MacOS, with iPadOS 26, it will pretty much act like a computer, thanks to a new windowing system, drag-and-drop support, and improved file handling.

Some iOS 26 features have been available on Android handsets for years and the iPhone should have gotten them long ago. These include spam management, hold assist, real-time translation, and charging time estimate.

Ambitious AI features can wait

Apple did ship a good many of the AI features it previewed at last year's WWDC. What still hasn't arrived is an upgraded Siri. So while the AI experience on the iPhone is on par with other phones, there's nothing unique about it and that's okay.

In a bid to prove that it wasn't behind other companies, Apple promised features that weren't ready. The company seems to have learned its lesson, which explains why AI took a back seat during WWDC 2025.

If that weren't the case, Apple users might still be without the features they had been asking for over the years. If the trade-off for the first design overhaul in years, much-needed call and messaging features, and a Mac-like iPad interface is delayed AI features, most users will gladly take it.