Apple's Software Quality Scores Decline in Annual Report
The annual Six Colors report card assessed Apple's 2025 performance, assigning its OS quality a 2.7 out of 5 and first-party apps a 3.1, both down from the previous year. Observers cite instability and reliability issues, with specific criticism aimed at the buggy software for the Vision Pro, which is reportedly hampering adoption despite praise for its hardware.
- The decline in software quality is a long-term trend, with developers and journalists raising concerns about a "gradual degradation" for over a decade, citing a focus on marketing over engineering and the relentless pace of annual releases. - Recent operating system releases have been plagued by specific, widely reported bugs: macOS Sequoia created significant issues with VPN and security software, while iOS 18 users have reported problems with screen sensitivity, overheating, and connectivity. - Even wearables have been affected, with watchOS 11 users citing unreliability in core features like Stand ring tracking and HomeKit integration, prompting an early 11.0.1 update to address battery drain and unresponsive touch screens. - The 2025 Six Colors report card, which surveyed 56 Apple-focused professionals, saw scores drop in 11 of 14 categories. The Mac's score was significantly impacted by the controversial "Liquid Glass" redesign in the upcoming macOS 26 Tahoe, which prominent commentators have called "the worst user interface update in the history of the Mac." - The buggy software for the Vision Pro has led to waning developer interest. A survey found 35% of developers have no plans to build for the platform, and as of September, only 1,770 apps were in its App Store, with the number of new monthly additions declining. - Apple's "Apple Intelligence" initiative has also faced significant quality issues. Software chief Craig Federighi admitted that the revamped Siri "didn't converge in the way, quality-wise, that we needed it to," leading to delays and an executive shakeup that put former Vision Pro head Mike Rockwell in charge of the AI division. - While hardware reliability continues to score highly in the annual report, the growing gap between hardware capability and software stability has become a key point of frustration, undermining the "it just works" promise.
