Why Apple may be moving away from its annual product release cycle

Apple is reportedly shifting away from its traditional annual product release cycle, a move that could lead to more frequent and flexible launches of new devices and features. This change, observed by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman in his Power On newsletter, may help the tech giant better manage its expanding product line and complex software ecosystem.
The Cupertino-based company has long adhered to a predictable schedule, unveiling new software in June and releasing updated hardware, particularly iPhones, in September and October.However, this approach is becoming increasingly challenging as Apple's product portfolio grows.
Gurman notes that Apple's functional organisation structure, where teams work across multiple product lines, is straining under the pressure of annual updates for numerous devices and operating systems. This has resulted in delayed features and software bugs in recent releases.
To address these issues, Apple appears to be adopting a more fluid release strategy. The company is now more open about staggered rollouts, as evidenced by its approach to Apple Intelligence features announced for the iPhone 16. While heavily promoted, these AI capabilities were not available at launch, with Apple transparently communicating a phased introduction.
The shift is also apparent in hardware releases. Some products, like the Apple Watch Ultra and SE, are moving to a two-year refresh cycle. Meanwhile, iPhone SE has been on a multi-year gap release. Even, AirPods gets reiterated after a year or two. This allows Apple to accumulate more significant improvements between updates and alleviates pressure on development teams.
Looking ahead, Gurman suggests that Apple plans to spread hardware launches across both halves of 2025, aligning with major iOS 18 updates throughout the year. This strategy could help Apple maintain innovation, potentially boost revenue outside the holiday quarter, and add an element of unpredictability to its releases.
While this transition may initially concern investors accustomed to Apple's clockwork schedule, Gurman argues that it could ultimately lead to a more sustainable development process for the tech giant.