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WWDC 2025: Apple's biggest reveals and what they mean for business | IBM

Published 1 day ago3 minute read

We’re tuning in live to Apple’s developer conference, WWDC25, to bring you the most notable news—and what it means for developers, business and beyond.

Apple is giving developers access to its Foundation Models framework. “We are doing something new: we are opening our foundation model to developers,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s Senior VP of Software, in the first minutes of WWDC.

According to Apple, the Foundation Models framework joins a suite of tools that allow developers to tap into on-device intelligence. Apple is providing developers with access to the foundational model behind Apple Intelligence, enabling them to integrate it into their own apps.

“Giving developers access to the onboard models is not only going to make it easy to embed AI into their applications, but it's going to drive feedback that Apple needs to improve the models,” IBM Distinguished Engineer Chris Hay comments. “The reality is that Apple Silicon is the best low-cost, low-power chip for AI models. I think this [will] drive a whole set of new use cases that can only be run on the device, where you don't want to go to the cloud.”

Apple just gave developers a ton to chew on. Xcode 26 now comes with ChatGPT built in, so you can write, fix and debug code without leaving your flow. There’s also a new Foundation Models framework that lets you plug into on-device AI with just a few lines of Swift. A new design system called Liquid Glass adds some visual flair, but the real news is how tightly everything now fits together. Icon Composer gives you serious control over how your app looks. And App Intents get smarter with visual search hooks. It’s not flashy, but it’s a clear move to make Apple’s dev stack faster, more unified and a lot more AI-native.

PJ Hagerty, IBM Lead AI Advocate, notes that as Apple has seen the proven value of a development environment tightly coupled with AI tools, it's no surprise they decided to take a ‘baked-in’ approach.

“The Apple Developer ecosystem has always been an interesting place to build, but now they’ve made it more streamlined so there is less of a barrier to entry on building something, even a proof-of-concept, and getting it into the hands of end-users,” he says. “It’s definitely an exciting time for app developers.”

Kaoutar El Maghraoui, a Principal Research Scientist at IBM Research, says that Apple is working hard on developer integration. On the plus side, she says, is its “seamless integration that prioritizes privacy and utility over hype.” But, she notes that it “lacks the ambition and openness of competitors offering more powerful and customizable models.”

Apple unveiled its new MacOS, MacOS Tahoe 26, which is a “stunningly powerful release,” according to Apple. This new release, which should happen later this year, gives iconic elements of macOS a redesign: they will feel more expressive and personal.

Personalization across devices will be central. Apple announced Live Activities for iPhone, which will keep users updated on their Mac. Spotlight is also getting an update: during a search, items will be listed in a relevant way to the user. Users will be able to take action from apps from Apple or apps built by developers.

Apple also announced a new software design across its platforms, crafted with a new material, Liquid Glass, which will extend on iOS 26, iPadOS 26, watchOS 26 and tvOS 26. “It is Apple’s biggest visual update in over a decade,” says El Maghraoui.

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