Apple’s announcements during the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2025 were muted on the AI front, focusing more on user-friendly and ChatGPT-enabled features. While the bulk of the software updates appeared incremental in nature, analysts told businessline the slowdown on AI is likely deliberate to focus on user privacy, in line with the “privacy-first” image preferred by Apple.
Apple debuted a ‘Liquid Glass’ interface design made of translucent materials for better user experience, new Apple Intelligence features like Live Translation and visual enhancements such as Image Playground and Genmoji with access to ChatGPT. Apple also announced Chat GPT’s image-and document-understanding capabilities in Writing Tools and Siri.
Varun Mishra, Senior Analyst at Counterpoint Research, said Apple is taking a more foundational and privacy-focused approach to AI, rather than rushing “headline-grabbing features.”
“While competitors are rapidly pushing generative AI tools, Apple’s long-term strategy seems rooted in tight ecosystem integration and user privacy. Features like on-device call screening in iOS 26, and greater developer access to Apple Intelligence, signal that Apple is prioritising stability, usability, and trust, an approach that could build long-term value even if it lacks short-term flash,” he said, adding that the lack of a major Siri update stressed a measured pace by the company.
Stocks fall
While analysts praised these measures, investors appeared to be left unimpressed as Apple’s shares fell by 1.5 per cent following the event announcements. The dip was reportedly due to Apple’s lack of innovation in the AI space – where competitors like Google and Microsoft are doubling down.
However, Sanchit Vir Gogia, CEO and chief analyst at the Greyhound Research, argued that Apple’s AI rollout was never designed to boost share prices overnight but to reinforce user trust over quarters.
“Apple’s AI stance may frustrate markets seeking moonshots but earns trust where it matters most: with enterprise leaders in healthcare, public services, and financial services. The company’s ecosystem model allows it to integrate AI incrementally, without the turbulence seen in cloud-first generative platforms,” said Gogia, pointing out that as per Greyhound CIO Pulse 2025, around 49 per cent of CIOs said they’d prefer delayed rollout over a misstep.
As for the integration of ChatGPT, Gogia said the OpenAI model helped fill creative gaps while Apple Intelligence optimised for on-device efficiency.
Apple lagging in innovation
Meanwhile, to Ashutosh Sharma, VP and Research Director at Forrester, Apple is behind its fellow high-tech firms in its ability to do AI well.
“If we give them a benefit of doubt, Apple may believe AI isn’t ready for prime time customer usage. They have a history of not releasing something that isn’t polished enough to represent their brand. However, it appears to be more of an excuse because they’re willing to bring other AI models and solutions on their platform. The most logical explanation is that they are behind their fellow high tech firms in their ability to do AI well. Apple has not been able to deliver on the promise of Apple Intelligence that they themselves made in the last WWDC,” said Sharma.
In line with this, he argued that Apple may be leveraging ChatGPT as it is ahead of Apple Intelligence. Sharma viewed this as a setback for privacy conscious customers who are waiting on Apple to deliver on AI using their data within the Apple ecosystem.
Call screening to help Indian market
Apple also announced “Call Screening,” a feature that screens calls from unknown numbers and asks them the intention for the call. Mishra praised the native call screening in iOS 26 particularly addressed a long-standing pain point for iPhone users in markets like India.
“Unlike third-party solutions, this feature benefits from deep integration with hardware and on-device data processing, offering both seamless functionality and enhanced privacy. It also marks a broader shift in Apple’s AI narrative, from flashy demos to real-world utility,” said Mishra.