Apple, a year after debuting its AI platform, will do little at next week’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) to show it’s catching up to leaders like OpenAI and Google, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says in his latest “Power On” newsletter.
“Apple needs a comeback. But that probably won’t be happening at this year’s WWDC,” he writes. “People within the company believe that the conference may be a letdown from an AI standpoint. Others familiar with the company’s planned announcements worry they could make Apple’s shortcomings even more obvious.
Gurman adds that there are also signs the event will be smaller-scale than the last two WWDCs (the Vision Pro was announced in 2023, and Apple Intelligence was shown in 2024). However, he adds that Apple plans to make up for that next year, at WWDC 2026, when it hopes it can try to convince consumers that it’s an AI innovator.
Gurman says the most significant AI announcement at WWDC will be the opening of Apple’s Foundation Models to third-party developers. This move will let app creators tap into the company’s on-device technology that it currently uses to handle lightweight tasks such as text summarization.
Apple will host its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) online from June 9 to 13, 2025. Developers and students will also have the opportunity to celebrate in person during a special event at Apple Park on June 9. Available for free to all developers, WWDC25 will spotlight the latest advancements in Apple software. As part of Apple’s ongoing commitment to supporting developers, the conference will provide them with unique access to Apple experts, as well as insight into new tools, frameworks, and features, says Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations.
This info from Gurman is from the free edition of “Power On”. If you like it, consider subscribing to Bloomberg.com—you’ll receive the newsletter earlier and get exclusive access to a Q&A section.
