The 5 Best Apple Products Of 2025

With 2025 coming to a close, it's time to look back at everything Apple released over the past twelve months. Unlike in other recent years, the company didn't bombard is with new hardware, but 2025 was still full of exciting surprises for fans.

In June, the company previewed iOS 26 and the other major updates for all of its software. Jumping from iOS 19 to iOS 26 brought consistency to the ever-growing lineup of products and its independent software, in addition to a new way to make Apple products feel more connected, especially the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, with the arrival of the Liquid Glass user interface.

With the first iPhone Fold expected to be released next year alongside an all-new MacBook Pro with Face ID, touch screen, and even 5G capabilities, it only makes sense for Apple to blur the lines between what an iPhone, an iPad, and a Mac can do. That said, while we wait for Apple's next year of releases, we decided to look back on the products the company unveiled in 2025, and which ones we consider to be the best.

As rumors began to spread about the iPhone 17, I must confess I wasn't particularly excited about this specific model. After all, while Apple would bring all-new designs to the Pro and Air lineup, the base model was shaping up to look virtually identical to the iPhone 16. Admittedly, the base model was the best iPhone that Apple released in 2024, but then what would be the point of upgrading?

However, when the iPhone 17 finally arrived, it was a hit. First and foremost, Apple kept the same its price tag while increasing the base storage to 256GB — double the amount of the previous generation. Better battery life, a more efficient processor, and fun new colors were also responsible for making this iPhone appealing such an appealing choice for upgraders.

More than that, Apple significantly improved the cameras on the iPhone 17, as the selfie lens got the upgrade it deserved, while also adding two 48MP sensors to the main cameras. Combining all of that with a more resistant iPhone with Ceramic Shield 2 and Apple's own Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, the iPhone 17 is arguably the best non-Pro iPhone the company has ever made. Plus, rumors suggest this iPhone won't be replaced until early 2027, which means those who buy it now shouldn't be tempted by a new base model any time soon.

Truth be told, it's not every year that the Pro model is the best iPhone that Apple releases. For the past three years, the base model iPhone has been superior to the Pro, at least in terms of value, but this year is different. Apple really stepped up its game with the iPhone 17 Pro Max. While its design and color choices can be controversial, the company finally gave its high-end models the premium treatment they deserved.

The new A19 Pro chip is faster and more efficient than ever, and when users need to push it to its limits, a newly-added vapor chamber is capable of effectively cooling down the device. In real world usage, it means that the display almost never dims, as would happen with previous generations, and the battery also lasts longer on a charge.

The selfie camera upgrade on the iPhone 17 Pro Max is noteworthy as well, and having the three 48MP lenses on the back with improved optical zoom also makes recording videos and taking photos an even better experience. Other improvements include Ceramic Shield 2, a proprietary Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, and up to 2TB of storage, making this iPhone even better for content creators. That said, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is a solid option to keep for years to come, or at least until the company unveils its rumored iPhone 20.

Three years later, Apple has completely revamped the Apple Watch SE. On its third-generation, this smartwatch is by far the best option for Apple users in 2025. Even though the Apple Watch Series 11 or Apple Watch Ultra 3 can be compelling upgrades for anyone with an older Apple Watch or buying one for the first time, the truth is that the third-gen SE model has everything most users will need -– and with a better price tag than the other models.

Apple updated the Apple Watch SE 3 with an always-on display, better sensors for sleep apnea notifications and temperature monitoring, a faster S10 chip with new gestures and faster on-device Siri, and 5G capabilities. Thanks to the new processor, Apple added an improved Low Power Mode that allows for up to 32 hours of battery life, along with fast-charging capabilities that can take the battery from 0 to 80% in just 45 minutes.

The company also doubled the storage capacity to 64GB, added a 4-core Neural Engine, and a few other tweaks, such as a speaker capable of media playback and a microphone with voice isolation. Apple says this smartwatch is also four times more crack-resistant than the previous generation. That said, Apple made this wearable more like its more expensive siblings while still offering it at a compelling price point of $249.

Also three years after the release of the second-generation AirPods Pro, Apple unveiled AirPods Pro 3. Even though the new earbuds feature the same H2 chip as the previous generation, the company re-engineered these earbuds to improve audio quality and Active Noise Cancellation. With new foam tips, Apple was able to make ANC twice as effective as the previous generation, and up to four times better than the first generation.

While AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods Pro 2 share several features, including personalized Spatial Audio, Conversation Awareness, Live Translation, and touch controls, Apple added a heart rate monitor during workouts, which works alongside the heart rate sensor on the Apple Watch. With that, users now have three channels of data when working out, or two very precise sources even without the smartwatch.

Apple was also able to do all of that while improving the listening time on one charge from six hours to eight hours. While the overall listening time dropped from 30 hours to 24 hours, the company made the experience of wearing these earbuds better, with more impressive sound quality, improved dust, sweat, and water resistance, and a new U2 chip for easily find the charging case and the earbuds if you lose them. With that in mind, Apple was able to make the best wireless earbuds even better for their third generation.

Since the M1 chip debuted in 2020, the MacBook Air has been the most obvious choice for a vast majority of Apple fans in search of a new laptop. It has a great price point, incredible battery life, and a fast processor. With the M4 generation, that's still the case. The new chip improves graphical performance, AI tasks, and offers up to 32GB of unified memory versus 24GB on the previous model.

Apple says battery life is unchanged, offering up to 18 hours on a single charge, even though the laptop is more powerful than ever. Among the tweaks that make this laptop a great choice is the new 12MP Center Stage front-facing camera with support for Desk View, which is an update from the 1080p FaceTime HD camera of the previous generation. What's especially interesting about this is that Apple initially took years to update the FaceTime camera on the MacBook Air, but now the camera has seen two significant updates in the past two years.

Combining all of that with a new Sky Blue color, this MacBook is probably the best option for most users on a budget. After all, the next significant MacBook improvement is likely going to be the M6 Pro and M6 Max MacBook Pro, but that laptop will is expected to cost at least twice as much as the M4 MacBook Air. Additionally, the next redesign is not expected until 2026 or later.