142: John Gruber Talks Apple Intelligence Controversy and the Future of Apple

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Apr 18, 2025

John Gruber, the sharp-minded writer and podcaster behind Daring Fireball, dives into the ongoing Apple Intelligence controversy and the company's trajectory. He discusses the aftermath of his critical article on Apple’s delayed features, the leadership shuffle impacting Siri's development, and the implications of class-action lawsuits. Gruber also highlights insights on Apple's Vision Pro headset, its initial public image, and upcoming strategies for AI features set to debut at WWDC. Tune in for a deep examination of trust, innovation, and the future of tech!

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INSIGHT

Apple Intelligence Criticism Resonates

John Gruber's critical piece on Apple Intelligence garnered almost no pushback, reflecting a widely shared realization about delayed features.
The missing demos and unfulfilled promises signaled a lack of readiness, damaging Apple's credibility.

INSIGHT

Apple's Serious AI Reassessment

Apple is not in denial about delays in key Siri and AI features, indicating a serious internal reassessment.
The company aims to rebuild and fix a decade-long disappointment in its AI projects.

ADVICE

Advocate Transparency for AI Features

Apple should provide more candid demos of Apple Intelligence, even if imperfect, to reset customer expectations.
Transparency and open communication can help regain user trust after delays and unmet promises.

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Daring Fireball's John Gruber joins us on this week's episode of The MacRumors Show to discuss Apple Intelligence and the future of the company.

We talk through the reaction to John's influential “Something Is Rotten in the State of Cupertino" piece on Daring Fireball, which pointed out that Apple's credibility has been "damaged" by the delay in releasing key ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features such as personalized Siri. Subsequent reportsrevealed that Vision Pro chief Mike Rockwell has taken over the Siri team at Apple, which until recently was led by artificial intelligence chief John Giannandrea. Software chief Craig Federighi is also believed to have taken on more responsibility to turn ‌Apple Intelligence‌ around.

The company has altered its marketing strategy away from the "Hello, ‌Apple Intelligence‌" tagline and the features are finally expected to launch sometime within the next year. With this recent context, we get John's thoughts on how the situation has evolved since he wrote his article, including on the proposed class-action lawsuits against Apple over false advertising. We also look at how Apple may present its suite of AI features at WWDC later this year.

Moreover, we reflect on the Vision Pro almost two years after its announcement, and John explains why he believes that the headset avoided the mismanagement that has mired apple Intelligence. We also talk through rumors about the second-generation Vision Pro headset that is expected to launch between fall 2025 and spring 2026 as a minor spec bump, simply upgrading from the M2 to the M5 chip. We also explore the highly anticipated lower-cost Vision headset, dubbed “Vision Air," and how this could be positioned when it launches.

We look at the state of Apple's smart home proposition and the HomePod amid rumors that the company's first smart home hub product has been delayed to 2026. The device is believed to be finished and was originally scheduled to launch in March 2025, but due to its reliance on ‌Apple Intelligence‌ its release has reportedly been shelved until next year.

Finally, we discuss the long-rumored foldable iPhone, pondering on what Apple is likely to do differently when it launches the device next year. See more of John's work over on Daring Fireball and on his podcast, “The Talk Show."

(00:00) - Breaking Down John's Article on Apple Intelligence/Siri Fiasco
(20:56) - Apple Vision Pro 2 Expectations
(37:18) - The Purpose of Apple's Smart Home Hub
(50:44) - Apple Foldable Rumors