Apple’s 2025 roadmap

What does Apple have in store for 2025? While Apple is famously secretive, we have some clues. Some based on precedent and some based on supply chain rumors. Read on for more details.

For sure

Every fall Apple releases updated iPhone and updated software for all of their OSes. We have no reason to believe that Apple is going to do anything differently this year.

• iOS 18.4 with the new AI Siri (April(?) 2025) Apple has been trickling in AI features to supported devices for the past several months. iOS 18.3 is probably coming in January with not much except some bug fixes and performance improvements. But we are expecting iOS 18.4 around March or April which should finally bring the long-awaited Siri improvements. Rather than having most Siri responses built and cataloged by humans, this is an entirely new Siri based on AI, similar to ChatGPT, but with the personal data on your iPhone. This could be huge. Or we’ll be hugely disappointed. But I’m glad to see that Apple is finally taking the complaints of Siri seriously. Supposedly she’ll soon be able to answer requests like “Where did Jonathan say he wanted to meet for dinner tomorrow?” or “When is my mom’s flight landing?” or “Summarize my action items from this call recording and put them in Reminders.” or “Create a playlist in Apple Music with songs about San Francisco from the 60s and 70s” or “find that picture of Heather wearing a tie-die shirt."
• iOS 19 and macOS 16 (September 2025) In 2025, Apple’s OSes are rumored to be more about refinement and optimization. 2024’s updates were all about new features, and Apple often follows a tick-tock release where they have a year of moving forward with huge changes followed by a year of a few changes but more focus on refining what is already there. One area I expect to see more features is around the new AI-enhanced Siri, due sometime this spring.
• iPhone 17 and 17 Pro (September 2025) Gone are the days where every iPhone was revolutionary. This product is mature, so each year for several years now the changes have been small but welcome. Along with better performance from the A19 Bionic chip, we have several rumored incoming features: A smaller Dynamic Island, ProMotion on the standard model, a 24-megapixel front-facing camera, and a 48-megapixel camera on the Pro telephoto lens. Rumors are that since the iPhone 16 Plus didn’t sell well, it’s being replaced with an iPhone 17 Air or Slim (details further down).
• Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 (September 2025) Each fall Apple updates their watches, though last year they didn’t release a new Ultra, so it’s possible that they are switching to an every-other-year release plan, alternating between the standard and Ultra models. If so, we will see an Ultra 3 this year and a Series 11 next year. We may or may not get an Apple Watch SE.

Probably

These products are highly anticipated but not yet confirmed. Mostly based on supply chain rumors and past patterns.

• M4 MacBook Air (spring 2025): The MacBook Air is expected to get a significant performance boost with an upgrade to the M4 chip. Building on the efficiency and power of the M3, the M4 has faster processing, improved graphics, and better AI capability. This probably won’t tempt an existing M-series MacBook user, but if you are still running an Intel Mac it may really be worth considering an upgrade.
• iPhone SE 4 (Spring 2025): Apple is expected to refresh the iPhone SE, stuffing an iPhone 16 processor into the body of an iPhone 14. If this is true, this means that it will be a good iPhone with double the battery life of the prior SE generation, which was the primary reason I never recommended the iPhone SE 3. It won’t have the bells and whistles of the flagship models (multiple cameras, Action Button, Dynamic Island, Camera Control button) and the bezels will be a little larger, but if you just need an inexpensive iPhone that will last almost as long as the current standard models, this will likely be a great option.
• iPhone Air: A new addition to the lineup, the iPhone Air may be thinner, lighter, and still offer a huge display. This device could attract users seeking portability and fashion without compromising on features. We probably won’t know much about this until late summer.
• M5 processor (MacBook Pro, Mac Studio, Mac Pro, iPad Pro?): The M5 processor is likely to debut in 2025, marking a new generation of computing power for Apple devices. I hope to see WiFi 7 capability and AV1 encoding.
• iPad Air: The current iPad Air has an M2 chip. We may see an update with the M3 or even M4 chip in 2025.
• HomePod Mini 2: Apple’s HomePod Mini may get its first update in years. Obvious possible upgrades include a faster processor (maybe with AI support), WiFi 6E, and improved microphone and speaker quality.
• Apple TV: Apple TV usually gets an update every year or two. Instead of shutting down processor assembly lines for older iPhone models, Apple shifts production to the less-demanding Apple TV. I’m excited about a new Apple TV update because it likely means WiFi 6E and AV1 video decoding, which can give it a stronger, faster connection and more efficient bandwidth usage. It may not be in this update, but I'm sure in the next few years, we'll see 8K, AI, and WiFi 7 support.
• AirTag 2: The second-generation AirTag is expected to get the improved wideband support available in iPhone 15 and later, allowing double the range.

Maybe

These are speculative products based on leaks, patents, and industry whispers:

• Apple Command Center: There are rumors that Apple is introducing an entirely new product like a HomePod with a screen. While we don’t know much about it, our assumptions are that it will be a small shared household computer similar to the Amazon Echo Show. Of course, I’m sure Apple will have a unique twist.
• AirPods Pro 3: The current model is fantastic and has gotten so many software updates since it came out in 2022. What could a third-generation model bring us? Hopefully even better noise cancellation. But specific rumors include body temperature and heart rate monitoring.
• Apple Vision Pro 2: Since Apple Vision Pro came out earlier this year it has wowed users while straining their necks and wallets. Specific rumors about the second-gen spatial computer include an upgrade from M2 to M5 which would probably double the speed and add AV1 video support to reduce video file size. There is also talk that Apple is trying to reduce the two biggest pain points: the weight and the cost.

Beyond 2025

Where does the future go for Apple? My assumption is foldables and more spatial computing.

Foldable display technology is improving rapidly. The Android devices with foldable displays are becoming pretty impressive. It’s unclear whether Apple will go the route of a tiny iPhone that unfolds into a full iPhone screen or a standard-looking iPhone that unfolds into what looks like an iPad Mini. But supply chain rumors are that we may see the first foldable from Apple in 2026.

Apple has poured millions of dollars into spatial computing and they show no signs of stopping. While the Apple Vision Pro hasn’t performed as well as many of Apple’s products, I really think that this was meant to be a public beta. I predict we’ll see reduced costs and better usability in the near future. Whether it’s through dropping features that aren’t as valued, by offloading the processing to an external device like an iPhone, or by refinements in technology that drop production costs.