We know we’re getting a new iPhone and Apple Watch in 2025. But what else is on the horizon? And, more to the point, what should Apple do in 2025? Here’s my wishlist for what I’d like Apple to focus on in the coming year.
More meaningful updates
Incremental upgrades are one thing, but Apple hit a new low with the 2024 AirPods Max. The ‘new’ version of the over-ear headphones merely added USB-C charging and a fresh coat of paint. The kicker? This most expensive offering in the lineup retains inferior tech compared to the budget-friendly AirPods 4. At least Apple held back from calling them AirPods Max 2, but after a four-year wait, we all expected more. Less of these half-baked upgrades in 2025, please.
Not good enough, Apple.
The end of the Home button
The Home button was a stroke of genius in 2007, easing the transition for new iPhone users into the brave world of touchscreens. Today, it’s an outdated relic. With the upcoming iPhone SE, it should be gone for good, along with the ancient Lightning port. This would signal the end of two tech eras that outstayed their welcome, but I also hope it heralds the arrival of a properly great new low-end iPhone.
A powerful entry-level iPad
Speaking of budget-friendly devices, the 10th-gen iPad is the only Apple tablet left in the dark ages of no Apple Intelligence. Given Apple’s constant AI hype, that’s a weird anomaly that needs addressing. With the A17 Pro chip being the feature’s minimum requirement, the $349 iPad will surely get that upgrade in 2025 – and match the iPad mini’s performance at a much lower price. But while we’re at it, Apple, how about ditching the iPad’s reflective screen? Probably too much to ask.
The next one of these should have an A17 Pro inside.
AI that matters
Apple Intelligence hasn’t exactly set the world on fire, with features that often feel half-baked. However, Apple’s thoughtful and considered approach to AI is refreshing and commendable, especially compared to the reckless rush of other tech giants. I hope Apple sticks to this path, dialing down the hype and delivering AI tools that truly enhance everyday life, rather than features that threaten creative jobs or fall short of lofty promises.
Less price gouging
It’s idealistic to think Apple was ever solely focused on world-changing tech without a profit motive. But after the past decade or so, the scales have tipped heavily toward the bottom line. Expecting Apple to rethink its pricing strategy – which for memory upgrades and iCloud storage is extreme to the point it borders on absurdist performance art – is probably wishful thinking. I’d love to see a change, but, let’s be real, it’s unlikely to happen.
Colors: great. Expensive storage upgrades: less so.
An open app ecosystem
A few years back, the idea of an open app ecosystem for iPhones and iPads was nothing more than a pipe dream. But EU regulators are slowly pushing Apple to loosen its grip on the App Store model. Instead of resisting change and derailing third-party app stores, I’d like to see Apple consider this an opportunity in 2025. Apple should make the App Store everyone’s go-to choice through it being better, not by cynically hindering alternatives.
Go back to the Mac
Apple has been on a mission to bring mobile features to the Mac, but I’d like to see a shift in the other direction in 2025. I’ve already hinted at a Mac-style ‘install what you want’ ecosystem. But I’d also love to see a more powerful Files app inspired by Finder, icon sorting on Home Screens, and for Apple to perform a screeching U-turn on the iPadOS 18 tab bar, which turned landscape apps trending toward desktop-quality tools into blown-up iPhone apps.
The iPad tab bar. It’s… OK in portrait. Terrible in landscape.
An ‘everything’ device
Recent rumors hint at an Apple smart home device that’s a hybrid of iPad and HomePod. This isn’t surprising; Apple, despite its green image, wants to sell more hardware. I’d like it to help you do more with fewer gadgets. Modern iPhones are powerful enough to handle most daily tasks, and can be connected to displays, keyboards and mice. Only software limitations imposed by Apple ensure that set-up is suboptimal. I don’t expect a radical shift in 2025, but any change could signal a step toward a more user-friendly, environmentally conscious future.