For years, I’ve happily occupied the camp of people who preferred Android over Apple. Some colleagues would probably go a step further and describe me as openly skeptical of Apple’s every move. While that might be an exaggeration, I’ve never been shy about criticizing the company when I felt it deserved it.
That is precisely why the events of WWDC 2026 caught me off guard.
Somewhere between the AI announcements, software showcases, and demonstrations of new productivity tools, I found myself doing something I rarely do. I was defending Apple.
Even writing those words feels strange.
WWDC 2026 Delivered One of the Strongest AI Showcases Yet
Artificial intelligence presentations have become a regular part of major tech events, but many of them tend to follow the same predictable formula. Companies promise revolutionary experiences, show carefully controlled demos, and leave audiences wondering when the technology will actually become useful.
Apple’s approach felt different.
Rather than overwhelming users with futuristic promises, the company focused on practical features designed to solve everyday problems. The standout example was Spatial Reframe, a tool that uses Apple’s AI powered image technology to intelligently adjust photos and create more immersive compositions.
Not everyone was convinced. Some critics questioned whether the feature was necessary, while others viewed it as another example of AI being applied where it is not needed.
I see it differently.
If a tool can rescue a vacation photo that was framed poorly or improve a family picture that cannot be retaken, then it serves a genuine purpose. Technology does not always need to be revolutionary. Sometimes it just needs to be useful.
That practicality was a recurring theme throughout Apple’s presentation and it helped the company stand out in a crowded AI landscape.
Privacy and Safety Continue to Set Apple Apart
Another reason Apple is earning more of my respect is its ongoing commitment to privacy and online safety.
Technology companies often speak about protecting users, but balancing privacy, parental controls, and personal freedom is far more complicated than marketing slogans suggest.
Apple appears to understand that challenge better than most.
Its latest initiatives continue to focus on giving families more control while still respecting individual privacy. The company is attempting to walk a difficult line between protecting younger users and preserving personal choice, and it is doing so with a level of detail that many competitors have struggled to match.
That commitment also extends to how Apple approaches AI. At a time when concerns about data collection remain high, the company’s emphasis on privacy first experiences helps distinguish it from rivals that have occasionally faced criticism over how user information is handled.
The Long Game on Spatial Computing Is Starting to Make Sense
I’ve also become increasingly impressed by Apple’s persistence in spatial computing.
When the Vision Pro first launched, it was easy to focus on its shortcomings. The headset was expensive, niche, and far from perfect. Yet unlike many experimental products that quietly disappear after launch, Apple has continued investing in the platform and integrating its ideas across the wider ecosystem.
The influence is becoming easier to spot.
Elements of Apple’s design philosophy now appear across its software experiences. Features such as Spatial Reframe demonstrate how the company’s investment in three dimensional computing can create benefits for users who may never own a headset.
That broader strategy is beginning to look far more coherent than it did a year ago.
Meanwhile, reports surrounding future products, including smart glasses and a foldable iPhone, only add to the sense that Apple is preparing for its next major hardware chapter.
As someone who has long been fascinated by both categories, those products immediately capture my attention.
Am I Ready to Leave Android Behind?
Not quite.
My daily life is deeply connected to non-Apple devices and services. Switching ecosystems is rarely as simple as changing phones, especially when years of purchases, habits, and connected products are involved.
Android still offers plenty of advantages that keep me firmly attached to the platform.
Yet for the first time in a long while, I find myself looking at Apple’s roadmap with genuine curiosity rather than skepticism.
That may be the biggest surprise of all.
Apple has not suddenly become perfect, nor has it solved every challenge facing the tech industry. What it has done is demonstrate a clearer vision for how AI, privacy, and spatial computing can work together in ways that feel practical rather than performative.
For someone who has spent years questioning Apple’s decisions, that progress is impossible to ignore.
Maybe I was never truly an Apple hater after all. Maybe I just wanted the company to give me a reason to believe.
WWDC 2026 might have been the strongest argument yet.
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