AI: Apple's new 'All Clear' approach across device/OS ecosystem at WWDC 2025. RTZ #746
Apple just kicked off its 42nd ‘World Wide Developer Conference’ (aka WWDC ‘Dub Dub’), with the first one back in 1983. This year, Apple’s WWDC 2025 started with a CEO Tim Cook keynote presentation that outlined its hardware and software directions for Developers going forward.
And it was an above expectations event from my perspective.
Apple is rolling out a ‘Liquid Glass’ Clear user interface (UI) across its six plus operating systems and hardware platforms. They can all be adjusted with more colorful, but glassy icons and appearances of course. Across Apple devices from laptops to iPads to iPhones to Apple Watches and more. Here’s a WSJ rundown of the noteworthy features coming to Apple devices. And the doubts around its ‘AI Reboot’.
But in the near-term it’s important to note what Apple IS doing on the AI front.
How, it is embedding small Apple AI models running locally on the devices, that are accessible via APIs to millions of Developers. This way they can ‘stitch’ together add-on and new AI capabilities from their Apps, leveraging both their users’ data privately, for AI functionality that will be hard to repeat on other platforms like Android and Windows. Some of the examples shown at WWDC are but baby steps to the bigger things to come as these efforts build momentum.
The important piece here is what Apple is doing to empower millions of Developers across its platform, as the WSJ highlights:
“The iPhone maker unveiled what it called a “Foundation Models framework,” or tools that will allow app makers to use Apple’s artificial-intelligence models on its devices and without an internet connection or cloud-computing costs.”
““This will ignite a whole new wave of intelligence” in apps, Federighi said in a video shown at the company’s Cupertino, Calif., headquarters and streamed online. He offered an example of apps that would be able to prep practice exams for tests or offer advice about hiking trails.”
“The live translation features work in phone calls, messages and FaceTime, allowing users to hold real-time conversations with someone using another language. New group-chat options include the ability to do polls, request and send Apple cash and add backgrounds to messages. The company also renamed its software and introduced a broad visual redesign of its signature operating systems.”
In that context, this is a differentiated AI strategy vs peers. In conjunction with Apple ‘Private Cloud’ capability, it offers on paper the ability to create countless AI enabled applications and services (Box 6) in the AI Tech Stack below, from a bottom up perspective. All from the device out to the cloud perspective.
That’s in sharp contrast to the industry’s Cloud down perspective. As seen by approaches from everyone from OpenAI to Google to Meta to xAI Grok and more.
Apple is also embedding AI coding capabilities from Anthropic Claude into its Swift Developer software platforms that will allow new AI capabilities when these operating systems are rolled out in the Fall.
All of their efforts across its ecosystems, are designed to drive the full range of progress across the unique global Apple ecosystems of unified hardware and software platforms. And yes, with a fair bit of AI tucked in, ‘Apple Intelligence’ style.
And they did address the elephant in the room, again as the WSJ reports:
“The company’s shares fell shortly after the Worldwide Developers Conference began, when Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering, said an upgraded Siri voice assistant wasn’t yet available. Apple needs “more time to meet our high quality bar,” he said. The stock was off 1.3% in afternoon trading.”
Again, Apple is no more late on AI than most of its peers, in terms of integrating AI into everyday applications and services used by billions across smartphones, desktops and laptops. And contrary to popular perception, Apple continues to do original work in LLM AIs, with its most recent AI Reasoning paper a good example.
There’s a lot more on the specific Apple announcements here, here and here. Will have more on all of it in upcoming posts and video podcasts.
But the high-level takeaway is as follows.
Apple with this presentation has met the low expectations of observers going in, and gave them a lot to work on across its platforms, with lots of AI innovation opportunities tucked into every nook and crannies of its hardware/software ecosystems.
And that’s a very differentiated approach on AI relative to its peers and competitors.
As I discussed in this pre-WWDC video podcast yesterday, the expectations for this WWDC by the media and investors have been at the lowest recent ebb. Much of that attributable to Apple’s ongoing delays with Apple Intelligence products and features, as well as the AI revamp of its Siri voice assistant service. “Hello Computer” style.
And Apple’s relationship with its millions of global Developers is also as a low point, as Techcrunch here highlights going into WWDC 2025:
“As WWDC 2025 approaches, Apple is in the unusual position of having to share a better story. Its AI ambitions are being challenged not only by faster-moving competitors but also by changing legal and economic realities. To succeed, Apple has to demonstrate that it can deliver on AI, for end users and the developers who power its ecosystem. Especially in a world where AI accelerates everything, Apple can’t afford to lag behind.”
The presentation orchestrated by Apple Software head Craig Federighi across Apple’s key iPhone and other devices, didn’t disappoint.
The Siri AI/Apple Intelligence issues have been particularly embarrassing for Apple with outside stakeholders. As mentioned in previous posts, that service is accessible to two billion plus users today in its pre-Gen AI version, much like similar Voice properties Amazon Alexa/Echo, and Google Assistant/Next platforms. All of them are being upgraded with the latest generative AI technologies. And to do this with user Trust around their Privacy, especially with AI capabilities.
I still maintain that Apple remains under-appreciated in their AI opportunities, and that they’re not behind vs peers as it may seem at first glance. I argued that case in this video podcast ‘debate’ with the Stocktwits Daily Rip’s Shay Boloor, as co-hosted by Katie Perry. I go through this in high-level technical detail in this YouTube video Short.
I went on to discuss this further in my video podcast discussion, with my Gen Z nephew Neal Makwana , especially in this short clip.
All of this is to say that Apple remains well positioned amongst the Mag 7 for AI in this AI Tech Wave.
Despite the media’s non-stop refrain that an ‘AI Comeback Remains Far Off’. No more than for any of its competitors. And that’s a topic I can discuss and debate in detail.
So from the perspective from this grizzled Wall Street Analyst, Apple’s position on AI is ‘Not too early, and not too late’. It’s ‘Just Right’ for now in this ‘infinite race’ game vs its peers.
A lot of its AI Best yet to come. Stay tuned.
(NOTE: The discussions here are for information purposes only, and not meant as investment advice at any time. Thanks for joining us here)
