2025

THE YEAR THAT SHAPED THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE AI REVOLUTION

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As the curtain falls on 2025, Apple's story reads like a blockbuster sequel, full of dazzling reveals, nail-biting plot twists, and a cliffhanger that leaves fans hungry for more. From the shimmering unveilings at WWDC in June to the September frenzy of iPhone 17 launches and October's M5-powered surprises, Apple once again blended its beauty with its brains.

A SLOW START

Unlike the fanfare of prior years, Apple kicked off 2025 with a subdued tone. No splashy events in January or February, just a series of targeted press releases that kept the product pipeline humming without stealing the spotlight from bigger reveals later. This low-key approach allowed Cupertino to focus inward on Al fine-tuning and supply chain tweaks amid global tariff jitters, signaling a strategic pivot toward efficiency over extravagance. Analysts praised the restraint as "mature stewardship," though some fans missed the ritual of keynote hype.

The first ripple came in late February with the iPhone 16e ($599), a stealth successor to the iPhone SE 3 that bridged the gap between budget buyers and premium aspirations. Sporting an A18 chip with baseline Apple Intelligence features like on-device image generation and clever text editing, it ditched the dated home button for an all-screen design with a crisp 6.1-inch OLED panel. The single-lens rear camera, upgraded to 48MP with computational zoom, delivered surprisingly punchy photos, while Face ID and 5G rounded out the essentials. At just 7.8mm thick, it echoed the iPhone 16's titanium vibe in aluminum, earning kudos for "democratizing Al without the bloat."