The past few days have been eventful in the world of Apple news. The company has announced a delay in the rollout of the new Siri experience, with insights suggesting that the features revealed at last year’s WWDC are still not forthcoming. Given all the current developments at Apple, there’s a clear solution that could be beneficial: a software refresh akin to Snow Leopard.
If you’ve been part of the Mac community for over 16 years, you likely remember the significance of Mac OS X Snow Leopard. Back then, Apple wasn’t releasing new Mac OS X versions every single year. When Snow Leopard debuted, the company focused more on enhancing software stability rather than introducing flashy new features or aesthetic changes.
The reason I’m reflecting on this now is that I recently saw a clip from WWDC 2009 during the announcement of Mac OS X Snow Leopard. Bertrand Serlet, Apple’s former VP of software engineering, emphasized that the update had “zero new features.” This made me ponder how drastically Apple has evolved and how the company might benefit from revisiting its history.
Back at WWDC 2008, Apple’s Bertrand Serlet announced Mac OS X Snow Leopard with an unprecedented tagline:
0 New Features 🔥The goal was to invest in the existing software framework to enhance product quality and performance. (Session 300, Mac OS X State of the Union, 1:09:52) pic.twitter.com/oylwhWKKT4
— Albacore ☁️ (@thebookisclosed) March 13, 2025
Apple has usually shied away from admitting mistakes, but history shows that they have done so when necessary. I once covered this topic amid discussions about the FineWoven accessories. How about the time Steve Jobs called a press event just to address the iPhone 4 Antennagate controversy? Or his candid acknowledgment of MobileMe’s shortcomings during a live presentation?
I long for that version of Apple, but it’s hard to envision today’s Apple announcing a product with “zero new features” or openly acknowledging to customers that its products have vulnerabilities.
Apple needs to reassess and enhance its software
Now, shifting back to contemporary matters, a recent report from Bloomberg indicates that Robby Walker, the senior director of Siri and Intelligence at Apple, described the Siri delays in a meeting as “ugly” and “embarrassing.”
For context, Apple showcased Apple Intelligence last June during WWDC 2024, yet none of its features were ready for the initial version of iOS 18 and macOS 15. Even though some features debuted months afterward, the new Siri—heavily promoted in iPhone 16 commercials—never came to fruition. There are also numerous complaints online regarding bugs in Apple’s latest software releases.
Firstly, Apple really shouldn’t announce products before they’re ready (a lesson they should have taken from the AirPower debacle). Now that Apple has publicly acknowledged that new Siri isn’t up to par, I genuinely hope the company will prioritize fixing its software and ensure the functionalities announced last year actually work.
There’s no need to worry about annual major software updates. What would be ideal is if Apple engineers had the time needed to refine existing features before they start on new ones. The company truly needs another Snow Leopard experience. Personally, I don’t believe now is the right moment for a significant iOS redesign, as recent rumors have suggested.
What do you think? Would you be willing to forgo a year of new software features in favor of enhancing stability? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
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