Apple, why have you forsaken users like me? I feel like you’re beginning to take me for granted.
I know that Apple is still one of the most influential tech companies on the planet, and I fully recognize that its products continue to set the bar in industrial design, brand loyalty, and ecosystem integration.
But not everything is perfect in Cupertino.
Despite Apple’s dominance, there are discernible cracks in the experience: frustrations that long-time users and analysts can’t ignore. Not to mention that Samsung recently from the Apple ecosystem with its new Galaxy S25 Ultra.
While Apple continues to lead in many areas, aspects of its ecosystem have begun to show signs of wear. Here are four specific gripes that detail missed opportunities and areas for improvement for Apple in 2025.
1. The Apple Watch Feels Stagnant
When Apple Watch launched in 2015, it was a bold leap into wearables. But nearly a decade later, the product feels stuck in place.
Battery life remains a glaring issue. Most baseline models still need nightly charging, which is a massive problem for a device that needs to be worn on the body and is marketed as a health monitor and sleep tracker.
Even in the 2024 Series 9 and SE models, Apple hasn’t pushed the battery life boundary forward. Multi-day wear — standard in devices from competitors like Garmin or even budget Fitbit models — remains out of reach.
The design language hasn’t meaningfully evolved either. While Ultra models added bulk and utility, the mainstream Apple Watch still looks and feels like a product from five years ago.
The market reflects this fatigue. According to a recent report from Counterpoint Research, global smartwatch shipments fell in 2024, with Apple losing share. The data suggests user enthusiasm is cooling — and Apple hasn’t responded with the bold rethinking it once championed.
Here’s a provocative question: What if Apple treated the Watch as a health-first platform instead of just a phone accessory?
2. Apple Intelligence Isn’t Delivering a Breakthrough
There were high expectations when Apple announced its push into generative AI, dubbed Apple Intelligence. This point isn’t only my opinion, as Apple has been under fire from the media for its sluggish ability to make Apple Intelligence resonate with mainstream consumers. Not to mention that Apple changed the management leadership overseeing this capability within the company.
Apple has not identified a standout usage model that resonates with a broad consumer base. There’s no “ChatGPT moment.” Instead, Apple’s AI ambitions feel vague and scattered. Features like auto-summarizing messages, writing assistance, or Siri enhancements are interesting but incremental.
Saying Apple Intelligence hasn’t lit the world on fire may be an understatement.
Unlike Microsoft, which integrates AI deeply into the productivity stack, or Google, which is aggressively building Gemini into its services, Apple hasn’t identified a killer use case. Nor has it clearly positioned Apple Intelligence as a system-wide differentiator.
That’s problematic.
Consumers are increasingly aware of AI but need to see tangible value. Apple’s AI story currently lacks urgency, clarity, and consumer pull. The company needs the proverbial “killer app” (or at least usage model) that gets mainstream consumers on board. Remember Lotus 1-2-3?
The bottom line is that Apple needs to make AI feel indispensable to— not just a list of background features.