There are signs that WWDC will be "smaller-scale" this year than it was in 2023 and 2024, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
At WWDC 2023, Apple unveiled the Vision Pro, along with its visionOS operating system. While the headset has faced low sales, due in part to its high $3,499 starting price, this was still a major and highly-anticipated product announcement.
Apple Intelligence debuted at WWDC 2024, in response to the surging popularity of generative AI platforms like OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini.
At WWDC 2025, however, Gurman said it is unlikely that there will be any major new hardware or software announcements of that scale.
"There are no major new devices ready to ship," he said, in his Power On newsletter today.
In addition, some Apple employees believe that WWDC 2025 may be a "letdown" from an AI standpoint, according to Gurman. He said that Apple "will do little" to show that it is catching up to leading companies in the generative AI space, including OpenAI and Google, and Apple's shortcomings could become "even more obvious."
Gurman does expect Apple to provide an update on Swift Assist at WWDC 2025, and he said that SwiftUI will get a rich text editor.
On the other hand, Gurman believes that Apple's redesigned software platforms should be exciting for many Apple fans. iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, tvOS 26, and watchOS 26 are all rumored to have a new visionOS-inspired, glass-like design with more translucent user interface elements, such as menus, buttons, and icons.
"The updated user interface will certainly be the standout announcement, even if it risks sending the message that Apple is stuck in the past," wrote Gurman.
Ultimately, where WWDC 2025 will rank in Apple fans' minds is subjective, as some might find redesigned software platforms to be even more interesting than the Vision Pro and Apple Intelligence. For others, though, Apple failing to make meaningful progress on the generative AI front might be an overshadowing disappointment.
The good news is that Apple is expected to make a bigger push into AI heading into 2026, with the company still working on a conversational ChatGPT-like version of Siri, a revamped Shortcuts app powered by Apple Intelligence, and more.
