Can’t you believe that we’re at the end of another year? To celebrate the new year, let’s take a look back at the top five things that Apple announced for 2025, many of which I think deserve some recognition.
5 – iPhone Air
The iPhone Air was introduced alongside both the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro, and it is not only the thinnest iPhone that Apple ever designed, but it is also the most remarkable feat of engineering I’ve ever seen since the iPhone X. It may be the most forward-thinking iPhone that will set the standards for future smartphones. Starting with the design, the iPhone Air features a camera plateau, which houses most of the components to leave the rest of the space for a high-density battery. The iPhone Air also has the most Apple Silicon chips in any iPhone as it features the A19 Pro, the N1 networking chip, and the second-generation C1X cellular modem, which allows for maximum optimizations in both performance and efficiency, especially when doing everyday tasks while connecting to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or even a cellular network. Despite its cutting-edge technology, the iPhone Air falls short of many features such as the single rear camera and the single speaker. And starting at $999, you’d be getting less for your money because of those drawbacks. However, I actually got to hold the iPhone Air in my hands, and I was impressed with how it felt in my hands. It was one of those “you’ve got to see it to believe it” products to fully appreciate the design. With that said, the iPhone Air still deserves to be in the top five.
4 – M4 MacBook Air
Introduced in March 2025, the MacBook Air was updated with the more modern M4 chip. Offered in both 13-inch and 15-inch sizes, the MacBook Air also brought in the new Sky Blue color that replaced the Space Gray (which saw like 50 shades of gray?). All kidding aside, the M4 chip brought several nice features that I did not expect. Most notably, you can finally connect to two external monitors while having the lid open. This was a huge improvement over the M3 models where you would have to close the lid if you wanted to use two external monitors. The M4 MacBook Air also has the same 12MP Center Stage camera that made its way to the latest iMac and MacBook Pro models for an enhanced video conferencing experience and Desk View. It still starts just at $999, but we’ve been seeing huge discounts for as low as $749, which makes MacBook Air the best valued laptop we’ve ever seen in years, and the M4 MacBook Air has certainly destroyed the PC laptop market with its unrivaled optimizations found in Apple Silicon.
3 – iPad (A16)
Introduced in March 2025, the entry-level 11th-generation iPad was updated with the A16 chip. However, besides the A16 chip, Apple adds a lot more features that make this iPad a better deal. First, having the A16 chip means more memory at 6GB (vs. 4GB on the previous 10th-generation iPad), which means it can finally run Final Cut Pro. This is a first for a base iPad. Even better, this iPad now starts with double the storage at 128GB for the same starting price of $349. With all of these spec bumps, this iPad is sure to be hard to beat with many more software updates to come.
2 – iPadOS 26
For years, the iPad’s operating system has been criticized for lagging behind even when the iPad’s hardware is ahead of its time, especially for the iPad Air and Pro with their M-series chips. However, that all changed with iPadOS 26, which brings many of the features that iPad users have been waiting for. The biggest feature that was introduced in the latest version of iPadOS has to be the enhanced windowed apps mode and the menu bar, both of which are heavily inspired by macOS’ guided user interface. In later versions of iPadOS 26, Apple continues to enhance the multitasking capabilities by reimagining Slide Over and Split View. Best of all, since this windowed apps feature was designed from the ground up, this feature, along with Stage Manager, make their way to the lower-end iPad and iPad mini. So even the latest A16 iPad will get all of the latest features that iPadOS 26 offers, making that iPad an even more capable alternative to a budget PC laptop.
1 – iPhone 17
Saving the best for last, the base iPhone 17 has got to take the top spot as the #1 Product of the Year for 2025, and the reason is simple: Apple made the base iPhone 17 so good that Android competitors can’t say anything negative about it. In fact, the iPhone 17 introduces Always On Display and ProMotion technology for the first time on a non-Pro iPhone. Also, the iPhone 17 features the improved Center Stage selfie camera that’s also found on the iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro. Even better, the iPhone 17 now starts with double the storage at 256GB for the same starting price as before ($799). This makes the iPhone 17 the best-valued iPhone we’ve seen in years.
Conclusion
Honorable mentions would go to the Apple Watch SE 3, which adopted the Always On display, fast charging, and more modern specs. Even though Apple had some rough patches in 2025, it’s safe to say that 2025 was more than a solid year for Apple, and I’m sure we have a lot of exciting new products from Apple to look forward to in 2026, particularly Apple’s first foldable phone. We hope you have a happy new year, and cheers to 2026!
