Archive chapter
What changed across Apple in 2025: ecosystem turning points, hardware launches, software releases and the support boundaries that moved with them.
Historical context
Curated, source-backed moments that explain how products, software and technologies changed direction together. These records add context without duplicating the canonical product or OS facts below.
Apple previewed Liquid Glass as a common visual material across iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, watchOS 26, and tvOS 26, making cross-platform visual consistency an explicit software-system goal.
Related software
Software history
Verified public releases in 2025, including major-version milestones, maintenance updates and products that lost major-version support.
iPhone OS / iOS
17 public releases in this major line · 16 point updates
Liquid Glass makes interactions across iOS more delightful, refracts and reflects content in real time, and brings even more focus to what you’re viewing on your screen
Visual Intelligence
Streamlined design makes it even easier to access the Photo and Video capture modes, with other modes still just a swipe away
Separate tabs for Library and Collections offers easier navigation, and you can access Search in every view
New unified layout option brings together your Favorites, Recents, and Voicemails
Screening for unknown senders helps you to stay in control of who can reach you, and puts screened messages in a new area of your conversation list so they’re out of your way
A new design with Liquid Glass helps make each interaction area of the Dashboard distinct, and provides a new tab bar design for easy navigation in apps
Visited Places gives you the option to allow your iPhone to detect the places you visit, like a restaurant or shop, so you can easily find them again in the Maps library and share them easily
Lyrics Translation and Pronunciation help you understand the meaning behind your favorite songs and makes it easy to sing along, even if you don’t know the language
Updated boarding passes give you more access to timely and relevant information about your flights and airports, as well as quick access to airline app features
Major-version support ended
iPadOS
16 public releases in this major line · 15 point updates
Liquid Glass makes interactions across iPadOS more delightful, refracts and reflects content in real time, and brings even more focus to what you’re viewing on your screen
Powerful new windowing system allows you to fluidly resize apps and place windows exactly where you want
Updated list view with resizable columns and collapsible folders displays even more of your files and their details
Audio input picker in Control Center makes it easy to choose the right microphone for each app, including on the web
Preview is a dedicated app to view and edit PDFs that offers full support for Apple Pencil and powerful features like AutoFill, a document scanner, image editing, and various options for export
Live Translation
Separate tabs for Library and Collections offers easier navigation, and you can access Search in every view
Screening for unknown senders helps you to stay in control of who can reach you, and puts screened messages in a new area of your conversation list so they’re out of your way
Communication Requests give kids the ability to send requests to their parents when there are new phone numbers they want to be able to communicate with
Accessibility Nutrition Labels in App Store product pages tell you if accessibility features like VoiceOver, Voice Control, and Captions are available within apps and games before you download them
Major-version support ended
Mac OS X / OS X / macOS
16 public releases in this major line · 15 point updates
Tahoe introduced Apple’s Liquid Glass visual language across the Mac interface.
The Phone app arrived on Mac alongside expanded Continuity and Live Activities integration.
Spotlight added richer browsing and the ability to perform actions directly from search.
Apple Intelligence capabilities expanded across system experiences and developer-facing workflows on supported Macs.
Major-version support ended
Apple TV Software / tvOS
8 public releases in this major line · 7 point updates
Liquid Glass introduces a more expressive experience across tvOS as it refracts and reflects content in real time, and brings even more focus to what you’re watching.
Cinematic poster art displays more movies and shows at a glance.
Apple Music Sing adds support for iPhone as a handheld mic, amplifying your voice through TV speakers.
Contact Posters make starting a FaceTime call easier and more personal by displaying customized photos and names onscreen.
Incoming call notifications for phone and FaceTime audio calls help you answer them on connected HomePod speakers, or your iPhone.
Profiles can now be displayed when Apple TV wakes from sleep so you can quickly access your movies, shows and music.
Landscapes of India offer breathtaking new screen savers.
Any AirPlay-enabled speaker can now be set as the default output for Apple TV.
visionOS
10 public releases in this major line · 9 point updates
Widgets seamlessly integrate into your space, allowing customization of frame thickness, color, and depth
Spatial scenes let you view your 2D photos with lifelike depth in Photos, Safari, and Spatial Gallery
Spatial browsing hides distractions, reveals spatial scenes as you scroll, and automatically summarizes articles on compatible webpages
All-new Persona feel more natural and familiar, with enhanced hair, eyelashes, complexion and movement
Share Apple Vision Pro experiences with people in the same room, like watching the latest movie or collaborating with colleagues on a digital whiteboard
Image Creation
Wide field-of-view, 180° and 360° video from action cameras like Insta360, GoPro and Canon can be played back natively on Apple Vision Pro using the new Apple Projected Media Profile
Team device sharing gives you the ability to easily and securely share devices between team members of their organization
Live Recognition in VoiceOver uses on-device machine learning to describe surroundings, find objects, read documents, and more
Freeform adds the ability to see 3D objects inside a portal on the board for more seamless viewing
watchOS
10 public releases in this major line · 9 point updates
A new design delivers a more expressive and seamless experience while maintaining the instant familiarity of watchOS and bringing more focus to your content
Hypertension notifications can alert you if consistent signs of chronic high blood pressure are observed over 30 day periods (Available on Apple Watch Series 9 and later, Apple Watch Ultra 2 and later)
Sleep score provides a nightly score and classification of your sleep, based on sleep duration, bedtime consistency, and sleep interruptions to help you better understand the quality of your sleep and how to make it more restorative
Personalized fitness experience with Apple Intelligence incorporates your workout data and fitness history for generative audible motivational insights during your workout session
Smart Stack has an improved prediction algorithm that deploys a Smart Stack hint when there is a suggestion that is immediately useful - for example, if you are in a remote location, you’ll see a hint to start recording Backtrack
Live Translation in Messages uses Apple Intelligence and automatically translates incoming texts, including group messages, and sends a response in your preferred language — it’ll be translated when it’s delivered (Available on Apple Watch Series 9 and later and Apple Watch Ultra 2 and later when paired with an Apple Intelligence–enabled iPhone)
Exactograph is a modern re-imagination of a traditional regulator watch which separates out hours, minutes and seconds for more precise time keeping
New layout of the Workout app makes it easier to use your favorite features - tap the icons in the four corners for quick access to metrics and views, experiences like Custom Workout and Pacer, media, Workout Buddy, and alerts
Public release history
110 public point updates are recorded for this year. Expand a platform to inspect the version-by-version release dates.
Hardware releases
Filters below affect the hardware list only. Product relationships and generation deltas still come from the canonical lineage catalog.
18 catalogued products
iPhone · e
A18, Apple Intelligence, and Apple’s first C1 modem establish a new entry branch.
Apple introduced its first Apple-designed cellular modem in iPhone 16e.
The entry/value position moved away from the long-lived Home-button SE chassis.
iPad · Base
The base iPad moves to A16 and doubles starting storage while retaining the 10th-generation physical platform.
A16 chip with 5-core CPU, 4-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine.
128GB becomes the starting storage tier, with a new 512GB option.
The 10.86-inch Liquid Retina display, landscape front camera, Touch ID top button, and USB-C-centered industrial design continue.
iPad · Air
Brings 3nm Apple M3 silicon with hardware-accelerated ray tracing and a dedicated new Magic Keyboard to the 11-inch iPad Air.
8-core CPU (4 performance and 4 efficiency cores), 10-core GPU with hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh shading, Dynamic Caching, and an enhanced 16-core Neural Engine; delivers substantial performance and efficiency gains for gaming and on-device Apple Intelligence tasks.
Redesigned keyboard accessory bringing a 14-key dedicated function row, floating cantilever magnetic design, and integrated multi-touch trackpad at an accessible price.
Accelerates local generative intelligence models, photo editing, and complex creative workflows.
11-inch Liquid Retina display (LED-backlit IPS, 2360-by-1640 resolution at 264 ppi, 500 nits brightness, P3 wide color, True Tone, fully laminated with anti-reflective coating).
Landscape-oriented 12MP Ultra Wide front camera with Center Stage.
Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil (USB-C) support, including squeeze gesture, barrel roll, haptic feedback, and 12 mm hover preview.
Top-button Touch ID biometric sensor.
Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and global eSIM-only cellular architecture.
6.1 mm aluminum unibody enclosure weighing 462 g.
USB-C port supporting 10 Gbps transfer speeds (USB 3.1 Gen 2).
Starting price preserved at $599 (US) for 128GB ($549 for education).
iPad · Air
Upgrades the expansive 13-inch iPad Air canvas with 3nm Apple M3 silicon, hardware ray tracing, and a dedicated new Magic Keyboard.
8-core CPU (4 performance and 4 efficiency cores), 10-core GPU with hardware-accelerated ray tracing, mesh shading, Dynamic Caching, and 16-core Neural Engine for high-efficiency AI workflows.
Redesigned keyboard accessory tailored for the 13-inch Air form factor with a 14-key function row and integrated trackpad.
13-inch Liquid Retina display (LED-backlit IPS, 2732-by-2048 resolution at 264 ppi, 600 nits brightness, P3 wide color, True Tone, fully laminated, anti-reflective coating).
Landscape stereo speakers with 2x bass response.
Landscape 12MP Ultra Wide front camera with Center Stage.
Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil (USB-C) support with hover.
Top-button Touch ID biometric sensor.
6.1 mm thin aluminum unibody enclosure (weighing 617 g).
Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and eSIM-only cellular architecture.
Baseline pricing preserved at $799 (US) for 128GB ($749 for education).
Mac · Mac Studio
Mac Studio jumps to M4 Max and the new M3 Ultra, bringing Thunderbolt 5 and up to 512GB unified memory for the highest-end desktop workflows.
M4 Max and M3 Ultra configuration choices.
Thunderbolt 5 connectivity.
Up to 512GB unified memory on M3 Ultra.
Maximum SSD capacity rises to 16TB.
Mac · MacBook Air
M4 MacBook Air adds a 12MP Center Stage camera, broader external-display support and Sky Blue while keeping the thin fanless Air design.
M4 chip in both 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air.
12MP Center Stage camera.
Sky Blue finish.
External display support expands to two external displays in addition to the built-in display.
16GB unified memory is standard.
AirPods · Pro
Integrated workout heart rate sensing, Live Translation, a multiport acoustic architecture, and world-leading Active Noise Cancellation elevate AirPods Pro into a dual audio-health platform.
Precision internal airflow channels optimize bass response, expand soundstage width, and deliver crystal-clear vocal details across frequencies.
Built-in optical biometric sensor measures heart rate and tracks over 50 workout types in the iPhone Fitness app directly from the ear.
Facilitates natural face-to-face conversations across languages by translating spoken dialogue directly through the earbuds in real time.
Hybrid silicone ear tips infused with acoustic foam provide superior passive noise isolation and enhanced stability during vigorous activities like HIIT and running.
Cancels up to 2x more noise than AirPods Pro 2 (and 4x more than the original AirPods Pro) via ultra-low-noise microphones and advanced computational audio.
Enhanced digital signal processing reproduces ambient sounds and the user's own voice with lifelike acoustic naturalness.
Increased by 33 percent to up to 8 hours of continuous audio playback with ANC enabled (up to 36 hours total with the charging case).
Optimized physical housing improves in-ear comfort and retention for a wider demographic of ear anatomies.
Features built-in Find My speaker, Precision Finding, lanyard loop, and IP54 dust/water resistance.
Seamless integration of scientifically validated Hearing Test, OTC Hearing Aid feature, and Hearing Protection.
Apple Watch · SE
Always-On display, fast charging, 5G cellular, S10 SiP, and wrist temperature sensing expand the entry-level SE tier while maintaining an accessible $249 starting price.
Brings Always-On screen capability to the SE tier for the first time, allowing glanceable time and notifications without waking the display.
First SE model with fast charging, charging up to 2x faster than SE 2 (charges to 80 percent in approximately 45 minutes; 15 minutes adds 8 hours of battery life).
Integrates high-speed 5G cellular connectivity for faster data transfers and enhanced cellular power efficiency.
Upgrades directly from the S8 SiP (used in SE 2) to the S10, enabling on-device Siri with Health data access, double tap and wrist flick gestures, and Voice Isolation for phone calls.
Integrates dual-temperature sensors for retrospective ovulation estimates and richer overnight baseline data in the Vitals app.
Enables playing podcasts, music, and audiobooks directly through the watch's built-in speaker.
Leverages accelerometer data to track nightly Breathing Disturbances and alert users to consistent signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea.
(minor): Custom proprietary formulation offering 4x greater resistance to cracks compared to SE 2.
Two-generation architectural jump from S8 SiP directly to S10 SiP with hardware neural processing.
(minor): Available in 40mm and 44mm aluminum cases in Midnight and Starlight finishes.
Retains the compact 40mm and 44mm aluminum case dimensions established by earlier SE generations.
Preserves the accessible $249 (US) entry price.
Deliberately omits electrical heart sensors (no ECG app), blood oxygen sensor, water depth gauge, and hypertension notifications, maintaining distinct tiering below Series 11.
Apple Watch · Series
Hypertension notifications, comprehensive sleep score, 5G cellular connectivity, 24-hour battery life, and 2x more scratch-resistant ceramic-coated Ion-X glass advance the mainstream watch into proactive cardiovascular monitoring.
Passive background analysis of photoplethysmography (PPG) pulse wave data from the optical heart sensor over rolling 30-day windows to detect consistent signs of chronic high blood pressure.
Integrates a power-efficient 5G modem into the Series chassis, featuring dual-antenna simultaneous engagement and broader band support for improved signal strength and faster download speeds.
Increases the official baseline battery rating from the legacy 18-hour specification to 24 hours of normal use, facilitating seamless 24/7 wear and overnight sleep tracking.
Aluminum models feature an Ion-X display treated with an Apple-designed ceramic coating applied via physical vapor deposition (PVD), delivering 2x greater scratch resistance.
Multi-factor sleep quality score and classification system evaluating duration, bedtime consistency, nighttime awakenings, and sleep staging based on American Academy of Sleep Medicine criteria.
Polished titanium cases manufactured utilizing an advanced 3D printing process that reduces raw material consumption by 50 percent compared to conventional machining.
(minor): One-handed outward wrist turn-and-return gesture to quickly dismiss notifications, silence incoming calls, stop timers, or dismiss alarms.
(minor): Space Gray returns to the aluminum palette alongside Jet Black, Rose Gold, and Silver.
Shifted the decade-long standard 18-hour battery baseline to 24 hours for daily and nightly wear.
(minor): Redesigned antenna system engages two internal antennas simultaneously in weak signal areas to boost reception.
Retains the 9.7mm ultra-thin case design, rounded corners, and wide-angle OLED display architecture established by Series 10.
Titanium editions retain high-hardness sapphire crystal front faces.
15 minutes of fast charging provides up to 8 hours of battery life.
Apple Watch · Ultra
Built-in two-way satellite communications (Emergency SOS, Messages, Find My), the largest display ever in an Apple Watch with LTPO3 wide-angle OLED, 42-hour battery life, 5G cellular, and hypertension notifications define the third-generation Ultra.
Re-engineered satellite radio and dual-strength antenna connect directly to low Earth orbit satellites (~800 miles above Earth traveling at 15,000 mph); provides Emergency SOS via satellite, Find My location sharing via satellite, and two-way SMS/MMS/iMessage messaging via satellite when entirely outside cellular and Wi-Fi coverage.
First 5G cellular integration in the Ultra branch, delivering higher download throughput and reduced cellular power draw.
Passive background analysis of optical heart sensor photoplethysmography (PPG) data over 30-day monitoring intervals to detect consistent signs of chronic high blood pressure.
Comprehensive sleep tracking metric analyzing sleep duration, bedtime consistency, awakenings, and sleep stages.
(minor): One-handed outward wrist turn-and-return gesture to quickly dismiss notifications, alarms, or timers.
Expands screen area to the largest ever on an Apple Watch, incorporating LTPO3 wide-angle OLED architecture for superior off-axis brightness and 1Hz always-on refresh.
Normal everyday battery life increased from 36 hours (Ultra 2) to 42 hours; Low Power Mode battery extended to 72 hours; continuous outdoor GPS/heart-rate workout tracking in Low Power Mode extended to 20 hours.
(minor): 15 minutes of charging provides up to 12 hours of battery life.
Retains the rugged 49mm titanium case, raised protective bezel, flat sapphire crystal, and orange Action button.
Retains 100-meter water resistance, EN13319 recreational dive computer certification (depth gauge to 40 meters), dual-frequency GPS (L1 and L5), dual speakers, and an 86-decibel emergency siren.
Available in Natural Titanium and Black Titanium finishes.
iPhone · Standard
ProMotion, a larger 6.3-inch display, 48MP Dual Fusion cameras, and Center Stage front camera raise the standard tier.
Adaptive refresh up to 120Hz moved to the standard model.
A new square-sensor front camera enabled wider framing and automatic orientation flexibility.
iPhone · Pro
A vapor-chamber aluminum unibody and three 48MP cameras reset the Pro thermal and camera architecture.
The Pro chassis shifted from titanium framing to a thermally focused aluminum unibody architecture.
All three rear cameras moved to 48MP Fusion architecture with expanded optical-quality zoom.
iPhone · Pro Max
The largest Pro shares the new unibody/vapor-chamber platform and expanded 48MP camera system.
The Pro Max moved to the same thermally optimized unibody design as the smaller Pro.
iPhone · Air
A 5.6mm titanium body creates an ultra-thin iPhone branch around portability and efficiency.
A new ultra-thin branch prioritized a dramatically slimmer enclosure.
The thin design relied on a highly integrated Apple-designed wireless and compute stack.
Apple Vision · Pro
Upgrades Apple Vision Pro with Apple M5 silicon, 120Hz micro-OLED rendering, and a counterbalanced Dual Knit Band that addresses first-generation ergonomic fatigue.
Built on third-generation 3nm technology, M5 brings a 10-core CPU (4 super cores and 6 efficiency cores), a next-generation 10-core GPU with hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh shading, Neural Accelerators, and an upgraded 16-core Neural Engine. Unified memory bandwidth increases from 100GB/s to 153GB/s.
Display subsystem expands beyond the original 100Hz limit to support 120Hz (in addition to 90Hz, 96Hz, and 100Hz), reducing motion blur in real-world passthrough and Mac Virtual Display workflows.
M5's enhanced rendering pipeline renders 10 percent more effective pixels on the custom micro-OLED panels than the M2 predecessor, yielding crisper text legibility and sharper visual fidelity.
Hardware-accelerated capture pipeline capable of recording up to 3 minutes of 4K unfoveated video of the user's view while simultaneously supporting 4K AirPlay mirroring.
Replaces the Solo Knit Band as the standard in-box headband; engineered as a single-piece 3D knit with upper and lower straps, embedding flexible ribs and tungsten counterweights into the lower strap to offset visor front-heaviness, paired with an intuitive dual-function Fit Dial.
Bundled in-box power adapter upgraded from 30W to 40W Dynamic (60W peak) to handle sustained computing loads and faster battery replenishment.
Formal platform integration with dedicated hardware spatial controllers, specifically the Logitech Muse precision spatial stylus ($129.95) and PlayStation VR2 Sense controllers ($249.95), complementing controller-free eye/hand interactions for enterprise spatial CAD and high-fidelity gaming.
Official battery run time improved from up to 2.0 hours to up to 2.5 hours of general use, and from up to 2.5 hours to up to 3.0 hours of video playback.
Total head-worn weight with Light Seal and counterbalanced Dual Knit Band measures 750–800 grams (26.4–28.2 oz), compared to 600–650 grams on the original uncounterbalanced band configuration; separate battery remains 353 grams.
Retained original $3,499 (256GB), $3,699 (512GB), and $3,899 (1TB) pricing through launch, with base starting price subsequently adjusted to $3,699 on June 25, 2026.
Ultra-low-latency H2-to-H2 wireless audio expanded from AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C) to include AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods 4.
Superseded by the Apple M5 processor.
Replaced by the Dual Knit Band as the standard bundled head strap (the Dual Knit Band is also sold separately for $99 with backward compatibility for the first-generation model).
Dedicated sensor silicon retained with identical 12-millisecond photon-to-photon latency and 256GB/s memory bandwidth, continuously processing input from 12 cameras, 5 sensors, and 6 microphones.
Unchanged iris biometric authentication and full sensor array (LiDAR Scanner, TrueDepth camera, 4 eye-tracking cameras, 6 tracking cameras, 4 IMUs, flicker/ambient light sensors).
Retained curved external OLED display showing rendered eyes and visual cues indicating the user's level of immersion.
Front curved laminated glass and aluminum alloy chassis remain physically identical, preserving compatibility with existing Light Seals, Light Seal Cushions, and ZEISS Optical Inserts.
iPad · Pro
Introduces Apple M5 silicon with GPU-integrated Neural Accelerators, Apple-designed N1 Wi-Fi 7 networking, and the custom C1X 5G modem.
Next-generation Apple silicon processor built with a next-generation GPU featuring dedicated Neural Accelerators in every GPU core, delivering up to 3.5x AI performance compared to iPad Pro with M4 and up to 5.6x faster than iPad Pro with M1.
Apple's first proprietary wireless networking chip, bringing Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) support with multi-link operation (MLO), ultra-low latency, and enhanced inter-device communication within the Apple ecosystem.
Apple-designed 5G cellular modem on cellular configurations, delivering up to 50 percent faster cellular data speeds with significantly greater power efficiency.
High-throughput storage controller boosting sequential and random I/O speeds for large AI model loading, 8K video streaming, and rapid project rendering.
Optimized for advanced multi-window workflows and hardware-accelerated local intelligence agents.
11-inch Ultra Retina XDR display with Tandem OLED technology (1000 nits full-screen SDR/HDR, 1600 nits peak HDR, 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio, 10Hz-120Hz ProMotion).
Optional nano-texture display glass on 1TB and 2TB storage configurations.
Ultra-thin 5.3 mm aluminum unibody enclosure with copper thermal architecture.
Landscape 12MP TrueDepth front camera system with Face ID and Center Stage.
12MP Wide rear camera with LiDAR Scanner and adaptive True Tone document flash.
Apple Pencil Pro and aluminum Magic Keyboard accessory compatibility.
Thunderbolt / USB 4 port supporting 40 Gbps data transfers.
Available in Silver and Space Black finishes.
iPad · Pro
Combines the 5.1 mm ultra-thin 13-inch Tandem OLED canvas with Apple M5 silicon, per-core Neural Accelerators, N1 Wi-Fi 7, and the custom C1X 5G modem.
Next-generation silicon architecture incorporating an advanced GPU with dedicated Neural Accelerators inside each GPU core, providing up to 3.5x AI performance over M4 and up to 5.6x faster processing than M1 for heavy AI workloads.
Apple-designed wireless communications chip delivering Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) support with faster peak throughput, multi-link operation, and lower latency.
First-party Apple 5G cellular modem delivering up to 50 percent faster cellular data speeds while consuming substantially less battery power on the go.
Faster internal storage pipeline optimized for complex multi-stream video editing, 3D spatial rendering, and large localized AI datasets.
Advanced pro workflows, enhanced external display staging, and hardware-accelerated local intelligence.
13-inch Ultra Retina XDR display with Tandem OLED technology (2752-by-2064 resolution at 264 ppi, 1000 nits full-screen SDR/HDR, 1600 nits peak HDR, 10Hz-120Hz ProMotion).
Industry-leading 5.1 mm ultra-thin aluminum unibody enclosure weighing 579 g (Wi-Fi) / 582 g (Cellular).
Optional nano-texture display glass on 1TB and 2TB capacities.
Landscape-oriented 12MP TrueDepth front camera with Face ID and Center Stage.
Rear 12MP camera with LiDAR Scanner and adaptive True Tone document flash.
Apple Pencil Pro and aluminum Magic Keyboard accessory support.
Thunderbolt / USB 4 port supporting up to 40 Gbps transfer speeds.
Space Black and Silver aluminum finishes.
Mac · MacBook Pro
The base 14-inch MacBook Pro moves to M5, emphasizing per-core Neural Accelerators and faster on-device AI while retaining the M4-generation chassis.
M5 chip with a Neural Accelerator in each GPU core.
Faster SSD and up to 24 hours claimed battery life.
14-inch Liquid Retina XDR enclosure, 12MP Center Stage camera, and existing port architecture.