Adapted by:
Javier Lacort
Senior WriterI write long-form content at Xataka about the intersection between technology, business and society. I also host the daily Spanish podcast Loop infinito (Infinite Loop), where we analyze Apple news and put it into perspective.
Alba Mora
WriterAn established tech journalist, I entered the world of consumer tech by chance in 2018. In my writing and translating career, I've also covered a diverse range of topics, including entertainment, travel, science, and the economy.
For decades, WWDC has been a triumphant showcase for Apple–a moment of glory where the company displayed its innovations to developers, the media, partners, and fans. CEO Tim Cook took the stage with the confidence of someone who knew he would impress. Meanwhile, Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior VP of software engineering, charmed the audience with his charisma and signature hairstyle during seamless demos. The audience responded with almost religious fervor.
However, that era seems to be over.
On Monday at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT, Apple will hold the WWDC 2025 keynote. It’ll be the most challenging in Apple’s recent history, primarily because the company’s credibility has been damaged.
A year ago, Apple promised a revolution with Apple Intelligence and a revamped Siri. The company showcased stunning videos demonstrating AI that understood personal context, anticipated needs, and executed tasks across different apps. It seemed like the future, and Apple was set to put it in the palm of our hands. However, that hasn’t materialized.
Months later, the most expected features were quietly postponed and then indefinitely delayed. Apple made the announcement with the typical discretion of someone who prefers to avoid highlighting a failure. The new Siri that was supposed to change everything turned out to be a mirage. Meanwhile, competitors such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini continue to advance, leaving Apple’s AI efforts looking insignificant by comparison.
The challenges Apple is facing extend beyond just artificial intelligence. The audience it caters to has changed significantly. Developers, who have historically been among its most forgiving supporters (aside from its fans), are now losing their patience.
Epic Games has been at the forefront of a five-year conflict that exposed the App Store’s rent-seeking practices. The European Union has enforced changes that Apple resisted until the very end. The once-accepted 30% commissions are now viewed not as the standard cost of operating in a tech paradise, but as an abusive toll.
What was once blind devotion has transformed into informed skepticism. While some of the former evangelists remain, many have shifted to being critical observers who applaud successes but are also quick to highlight mistakes. The iPhone remains an excellent product, but it no longer feels like a mystical revelation. It’s simply a premium product within a saturated market, produced by a company that overpromised just a year ago.
This year’s WWDC won’t serve as another showcase of power but rather as a test of credibility–a scenario Apple isn’t accustomed to managing. The company can’t afford another demonstration of unrealistic concepts. It can’t promise what it can’t deliver. Reliance on past successes won’t grant the company endless support. Apple must prove, step by step, that it can still innovate without misleading its audience.
The decline of the “Apple culture” doesn’t spell the end for Apple, but rather forces it to mature. The company that once positioned itself as a technological rebel must learn to operate as a responsible giant. Its most discerning users no longer seek blind faith. They’re looking for tangible results. Paradoxically, this shift might be the best thing that has happened to the company in a long time.
Image | Apple
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