Summary of Key Points
The highlights of this year’s WWDC include the newly enhanced Siri (powered by Google’s Gemini model) and a possible farewell speech from Steve Jobs. However, what truly deserves attention are Apple’s efforts to address its weaknesses and the pressures it faces to adapt: the need to fix bugs and design flaws from last year, the opening up of its AI ecosystem to third parties for the first time, and the challenges it faces due to the impact of AI on both hardware and software. Apple is also transitioning from a closed-off “king” to one that must open up, dealing with regulatory demands, competition in the AI space, and revenue generation pressures.
1. Systems: Last Year’s Over-the-top Design Criticized; This Year, Focus on Practical Bug Fixes
Last year, iOS 26’s Liquid Glass design was visually stunning but fraught with issues: its semi-transparency made text hard to read, the system was unstable, the keyboard’s autocorrect feature was poor, and maps were filled with ads. Users’ top priorities were not new features, but rather fixing bugs, removing map ads, and getting rid of Liquid Glass. This year, Apple has shifted its focus to stability, with iOS 27 aiming to improve these issues. macOS 27 has also reworked the readability of Liquid Glass, while other systems (such as iPadOS and watchOS) are focusing on integrating AI (e.g., in Mail and Notes with generative AI) and fixing bugs. Some even consider this year’s version to be a transitional one, with true excitement for the upcoming iOS 28 with foldable screens—indicating that last year’s major updates were a failure, and this year is about cleaning up the mess.
2. AI: Apple Gives You Control over Siri’s “Brain” (You Can Choose Between ChatGPT/Claude)
Previously, Apple’s ecosystem was highly centralized, with default browsers and maps all being its own. But this year’s WWDC changed this by allowing users to set third-party AI services (like ChatGPT or Claude) as the default for certain functions (e.g., writing emails or generating images). Through Siri’s new extension mechanism, you can use different AI services without switching apps—just hold down the side button and select the one you need. Why the change? Partly due to the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), which requires users to have a choice of default services; partly because AI models evolve rapidly—what’s strong today may not be in half a year. Opening up to third parties provides flexibility for Apple. This is good for users, but it also means acknowledging that “the best intelligence might not come from within Apple.”
3. Hardware: Held Back by AI and Software
Although WWDC is primarily about software, the hardware aspects offer interesting insights:
- HomePad: The hardware (7-inch screen + A18 chip) was ready long ago but delayed release due to Siri’s unresolved issues—a hardware product held back by its own voice assistant, quite ironic.
- Mac Series: The M5 versions of the Mac Studio and Mac mini are set to be released, but the global demand for AI servers has led to a shortage of DRAM, forcing Apple to remove higher-memory options and possibly delaying their release until autumn. Even in its core hardware business, Apple must accommodate AI’s demands.
- Future Hardware Preparation: iOS 27 is being adapted for foldable iPhones, and macOS 27 is preparing for touchscreen Macs—Apple is laying the groundwork with software updates so developers can prepare their apps in advance, with actual hardware to follow next year.
4. Apple Has Changed: From a “Closed-off King” to One Forced to Compromise
In the past, Apple had the final say; its ecosystem was highly protected from third parties. Now, it’s opening up app installation, introducing third-party app stores, and allowing access to third-party AI. Each of these changes is driven by regulatory requirements or market forces. Additionally, issues like map ads (to generate revenue) and hardware constraints due to AI highlight Apple’s vulnerability. The Apple of today is not as dominant, closed-off, or confident as it used to be.
The “big stories” at WWDC may center around Siri and Jobs’ speech, but those who truly understand Apple will notice the smaller, less public details: these issues reflect the company’s current reality. The answers will be revealed on June 9th in the early hours.