After having experienced a tormented year 2024, the year 2025 promises to be particularly rich for Apple, with many new products expected in all product segments. Between hardware innovations and artificial intelligence, the Cupertino company is preparing a pivotal year which should redefine its ecosystem.
A first half marked by renewal
Improved classics
The first half of 2025 will see the arrival of several highly anticipated products. The iPhone SE 4 will finally adopt a modern design inspired by the iPhone 14, ditching the historic Home button for an edge-to-edge screen. This fourth generation will integrate the A18 chip and Apple’s in-house 5G modem as well as many new features for the SE range such as an OLED screen or Face ID. The iPhone SE 2025 is arguably the most important product of the year for Apple. Both by the volume that will be produced and sold, but also because it is the first iPhone which will be equipped with an Apple 5G modem and it constitutes a real upheaval of the cheapest iPhone range. Cupertino has no interest in missing out, because the company could attract many new customers with this smartphone affordable.
The AirTag 2 will also appear with notable improvements: a new generation Ultra Wideband chip for more precise tracking, a more powerful speaker and better battery life. Apple has even planned a special integration with the Vision Pro.
On the tablet side, the 11th generation iPad could receive a major update with 8 GB of RAM and support for Apple Intelligence. The 13 and 15-inch MacBook Air will upgrade to the M4 chip, promising record battery life and a 12 MP Center Stage compatible webcam. A question mark still remains around the Mac Studio and Pro which remained in the M2 generation and whose transition to M4 is not at all certain.
Home automation, the new workhorse
Apple is preparing to shake up the home automation market with a new flagship product: a connected screen resembling a 6-inch square iPad. Featuring a camera, rechargeable battery and built-in speakers, it will be available in black and silver but it is not yet known whether it will be released in 2025 or later. This intelligent home hub will mark a strategic repositioning of the HomePod range, almost abandoned for several years.
The classic HomePod will obviously continue to exist, with perhaps a very important new Mini to have access to Siri in every room of the house. The same goes for the Apple TV which was renewed in 2022 and which should soon receive a new refresh. All these changes are primarily driven by the arrival of Apple Intelligence which, unusually, was not at all anticipated by Apple. This is now the company’s new major project for the coming years, and all products will be designed with an approach primarily focused on generative AI.
The second semester is already full
Artificial intelligence at the heart of strategy
Morgan Stanley places Apple as its best choice for 2025, notably thanks to the expected impact of Apple Intelligence. This AI-driven initiative is expected to boost iPhone sales, with forecasts of 258 million units shipped in 2026, an increase of 12%. These are obviously just predictions and a lot can happen between now and then, but it gives an indication of the issues and expectations for Apple.
The simple fact that Apple Intelligence is integrated into all products, including the cheapest, shows the importance given to this technology. A lot of internal resources seem to have been mobilized to enable rapid development in order to make up for an obvious gap, in particular towards Android and Gemini. In this sense, iOS 19 and macOS 16 will be very interesting to observe with new features probably still linked to generative AI.
After the definitive abandonment of the Apple Car project and the obvious slowdown in the development of the Vision Pro, Apple now seems to be focusing on artificial intelligence. AI will be everywhere, on all devices.
Of course, Apple will add some to the iPhone 17, including the highly anticipated iPhone 17 Air, but also to the first Macs with the M5 chip, the AirPods Pro 3 or even the Apple Watch 11. We can also bet on the Apple Watch SE 3 and Apple Watch Ultra 3.
iPhone 17
For the 2025 lineup, Apple is expected to introduce the iPhone 17 Air, an ultra-thin model with a 6.6-inch screen, a titanium-aluminum frame and a 48-megapixel single-lens camera, emphasizing design rather than high-end components. Positioned between the standard iPhone 17 and the 17 Pro in terms of price, it will include Apple’s custom 5G modem and ProMotion technology, but will not support 5G mmWave. The iPhone 17 Pro models could benefit from design changes, like a partially aluminum back, an aluminum camera bump, and 48-megapixel lenses with features like variable aperture. All models should include a 24-megapixel front camera, a reinforced Ceramic Shield, an always-on display and the new A19 series of chips which will probably be entitled to some specific new AI features.
AirPods Pro 3
Finally, the AirPods Pro 3, also expected in 2025, should offer a new design for the headphones and the case, with improvements in audio quality, active noise reduction (ANC) and better integration with the Vision Pro headphones. Apple is working on a faster H3 chip, which could improve ANC, spatial audio and the Siri assistant, while testing health features like body temperature measurement and heart rate tracking. Changes such as a hidden capacitive button and a discreet LED indicator, introduced with the AirPods 4, could also be adopted.
And you, what do you expect from Apple in 2025?
