Apple closed out WWDC 2025 with a quirky musical shoutout to app developers. Singer-songwriter Allen Stone turned glowing App Store reviews into a song called “6 out of 5 stars,” crooning lines like:
“Best app I’ve ever set my sorry eyes upon,” he crooned.
“This is not an app. It’s a piece of art.”
But Apple’s celebration rings hollow amid a rocky few years for developers. The company kept mum on ongoing fights over App Store commissions and the pain its developer community has faced. 
Apple’s clout battle is well-known — it’s been fending off regulators, lawsuits, and lawmakers over its App Store monopoly. Meanwhile, promised AI upgrades for developers are lagging. Last year’s AI-powered Siri, teased at WWDC 2024, got delayed in March. Apple only briefly admitted it “needed more time” during this year’s keynote.
Apple’s AI plays this year are mostly catch-up. New AI-powered translation and Visual Intelligence features lean on Google’s existing tech. Apple tried to stand out with lyrics translation in Apple Music, but Visual Intelligence tapped Google for image search results — a native Android strength.
Developers got a minor win with OpenAI’s ChatGPT added to Apple’s Image Playground app and Xcode’s coding help. No new AI partnerships landed, despite rumors around Google Gemini and Anthropic.
Apple made Shortcuts easier with AI, but that felt like a placeholder until AI Siri can really act in apps.
The App Store commission drama went unaddressed. Apple just lost a big Epic Games fight requiring it to allow developers to link to alternative payments outside the App Store in the US. But the keynote sidestepped discussing App Store’s perks, payment system upgrades, or scam crackdowns.
Apple launched a standalone Games app, focusing on consumer features like social play and Arcade access — not on developer support.
No commission cuts dropped, leaving developer frustration unresolved. Instead, Apple quietly updated its App Review Guidelines, swapping “alternative app marketplace” for “alternative distribution.” A subtle jab that only Apple’s store gets to be a marketplace.
iOS 26 defaults the App Store to the Search tab first, nudging developers to spend more on Apple Search ads.
Meanwhile, Apple’s new Liquid Glass UI overhaul looks flashy but leaves developers guessing why to revamp their apps. It hints at future platforms beyond phones but Apple stayed silent on that.
Apple’s middle-finger-to-developers tone ended the keynote with a song about fake-positive reviews. A “performative” thank you, not a real one.
Developers are still waiting for real AI tools and better revenue treatment.
Image credits: Apple
Apple’s Visual Intelligence demo
ChatGPT in Xcode at WWDC 2025
Apple’s new standalone Games app
iOS 26 defaulting to App Store Search tab
