Apple’s WWDC 2025 keynote has already come and gone, however its affect on Apple’s aesthetics, apps, and companies remains to be ringing as loud because the Marimba ringtone in your grandma’s full-ring-volume cellphone. Whereas fashionable AI options took a backseat, there was nonetheless loads of commotion on the design aspect of issues, and let me inform you… it was a little bit of a massacre. For those who had been watching alongside and questioning to your self, “How a lot Apple blood has been spilled?” I’ve you coated. Right here’s a shortlist of all the pieces Apple tried to kill at this yr’s WWDC.
Intel Macs
It might really feel like one other lifetime, however the period of Intel Macs was simply 5 quick years in the past. In as we speak’s trendy age, it’s all about Apple silicon. At WWDC, Apple formally punctuated the Intel period, confirming that its new macOS Tahoe 26 would be the final macOS to help machines with getting old Intel chips. I can’t say I’m notably unhappy about this one; Apple Silicon has been an unlimited enchancment over Intel machines, and the M1 MacBook Pro I’m typing this on proper now remains to be going sturdy regardless of being launched in 2020. Nonetheless, respect the place respect is due. I’m not going to bounce on Intel’s grave right here; that’s simply imply. So I’ll say this: Adios, Intel Macs! Your time is nearly up, however (for higher or worse) not forgotten.
Accessibility
In all probability probably the most notable change this yr was in Apple’s design ethos. Say goodbye to the familiar flat design of iOS 7, which caught round for thus a few years, and say hi there to (film announcer man voice) Liquid Glass. ICYMI, Liquid Glass is what Apple is looking the look of all of its redesigned software program, which, whereas definitely inventive, makes use of a variety of semi-opaque menus that may make issues rather less readable. I’ve not seen the redesign with my very own two eyes but, however I can see (kind of) what persons are speaking about. Due to the clear “glass” look, textual content bubbles up from beneath menus to create a extra muddled visible expertise in some instances. Possibly not very best for legibility, which may very well be a giant drawback for these of us who want distinction to see what the hell is occurring on our non-Professional iPhones.
Okay, WhatsApp is just not dying (actually, Meta simply launched an iPad app for the messaging app in any case these years), however Apple did add backgrounds and polls to the Messages app in iOS 26, which undoubtedly offers Apple’s native textual content app extra of a WhatsAppian vibe. What’s subsequent? Message timers? Truly, write that one down, Mr. Federighi. I anticipate a giant to-do about it subsequent yr.
Google Translate
The Apple Intelligence updates had been perhaps somewhat underwhelming this yr, however one which stood out is Dwell Translation in Messages and FaceTime. Whereas Google Translate had the market cornered for a few years, having real-time translation talents constructed immediately into iOS needs to be a nail within the coffin. Hopefully it really works higher than another Apple Intelligence options we had been promised: I’m you, textual content summaries and AI Siri.
Stage Supervisor
There are some casualties this WWDC that I don’t assume anybody will shed tears over, and I’d rely Stage Supervisor chief amongst them. Consider it or not, iPadOS got one of the biggest updates this yr with the addition of an honest-to-God windowing expertise. Sure, that’s proper. You may multitask in iPadOS now, and also you don’t want Stage Supervisor, Apple’s less-than-ideal resolution that rolled out again in 2019.
Equally to macOS, apps in iPadOS now open in their very own home windows and even have buttons for closing and minimizing. Not solely that, however you possibly can organize them wherever in your display. It’s been a very long time coming for iPad house owners who need to use their pill extra like a standard pc, and I feel it’s time we lastly cue the curtain-close on Stage Supervisor as soon as and for all.
Raycast
Apple’s Highlight function on macOS acquired a giant improve that expands what you are able to do past simply launching apps. Now, Highlight is smarter and extra built-in with all the pieces in your Mac, which suggests you should utilize shortcuts to do new stuff like ship a message, play music, or create a observe, for instance. That’s nice information for anybody utilizing macOS, however not nice information for the parents at Raycast, which is a third-party app launcher for Mac customers that does a variety of the identical stuff. New Highlight isn’t a 1-for-1 with Raycast simply but, but it surely’s definitely many of the approach there and can in all probability solely get extra refined with time.
Private Trainers
Sorry, private trainers, Apple thinks AI can do your job. A brand new Apple Watch function in watchOS 26 known as Exercise Buddy makes use of Apple Intelligence to supply insights in your train routine utilizing well being information collected by your smartwatch, and it even affords up motivational suggestions. It may not be as enriching to get reward from a robotic versus a triathlete, but it surely’s loads cheaper, too.
