Apple’s long-awaited next-generation operating system, iOS 19, is poised to make an appearance at this summer’s Worldwide Developer’s Conference (WWDC) 2025. Instead of the AI upgrade, many were looking for, new reports indicate that Apple might not be bringing anything new to the table when it comes to AI features in the update.
What Apple is likely to do is extend the impact of Apple Intelligence, its suite of AI offerings, to a greater number of applications within iOS universe.
Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, in his recent newsletter, opines that Apple is less likely to unveil brand new AI features at WWDC 2025. Rather, the organisation will focus on its current Apple intelligence capabilities to a wider variety of apps. This approach holds within Apple’s cautious strategy for AI development, emphasising finesse over speed of growth.
Apple’s intelligence was introduced initially at WWDC 2024 and released with iOS 18 in September. Among its significant features, such as AI-enabled writing features, more intelligent Siri interactions, and improved photo editing, some of which have already been made it to iPhone users through incremental releases like iOS 18.1, However, many of its showpiece capabilities, such as enhanced Siri able to scan content through screen of contextual and personalised answers, are still on the shelf.
Delays to the Siri uplift update occurred with internal doubts attached. The much rhetoric update would be released with iOS 18.4 in April 2025. In light of a new report, its roll-out has been delayed indefinitely. There was no specific timeline given for the release by Apple, but now inside sources claim it has hit considerable hurdles in its development.
In a reported statement to Daring Fireball, Apple’s representative Jacqueline Roy confirmed the delays, explaining, “It’s going to take us longer than we thought to deliver on these features, and we anticipate rolling them out in the coming year.”
Increasing the uncertainty, Apple Senior Vice President of Software Engineering Craig Federighi and other senior executives have reportedly expressed concerns regarding the status quo of Apple Intelligence.
Internal testing has uncovered that some features fail to function as designed, and there have been debates over whether some of them will have to be rewritten from scratch. If true, this could mean Apple Intelligence’s most ambitious features may not see the light of day until at least 2026.
Despite the delays, Apple is still serious about AI expansion. Although iOS 19 is not likely to bring revolutionary innovations, it will probably bring Apple Intelligence to more native and third-party applications. As the market waits for Apple’s next step, WWDC 2025 will give us more insight into the company’s AI plan and its vision for the long-term integration of artificial intelligence into everyday iPhone experiences.