Unboxed year-end wrap: How tech became more personal in 2025

For over a decade, technology competed for attention. Faster processors, bigger screens, smarter algorithms. But in 2025, the race shifted. Instead of asking what more can tech do? the question became how can it fit in?

This was the year technology became personal. With a brand-new year just around the corner, here’s a look back at how tech evolved in 2025.

A change in how we search

The change began with how we look for information. AI browsers and AI-powered search engines stopped acting like directories and started behaving like assistants. Instead of throwing links at us, they distilled meaning. Summaries replaced scavenger hunts. Context replaced clutter.

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For the first time in years, search felt effortless. Not because we asked better questions, but because technology finally learned how to answer them.

The rise of AI-powered computers

AI PCs marked another turning point. Once locked behind premium price tags and enterprise use cases, on-device AI became mainstream. Intelligence moved closer to the user. It was faster, more private, and less dependent on the cloud.

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These machines weren’t just powerful; they were practical. Long battery life, lightweight builds, and real-world performance turned these laptops into true everyday workhorses. In 2025, the smartest computers were also the most usable.

AI became more of a companion

Perhaps the most telling shift was how we used AI itself. Artificial intelligence stopped being confined to productivity and problem-solving. It became conversational, reflective, and personal.

According to OpenAI, non-work interactions accounted for over 72 per cent of AI usage in 2025. This was a significant increase from the year before. People weren’t just using AI to work faster; they were using it to think, explore, and sometimes, simply to be heard.

Wearables started looking after us

The devices we wore on our wrists or fingers evolved just as meaningfully. Fitness trackers matured into wellness partners, capable of reading trends instead of raw data. They didn’t just tell us what was happening to our bodies, but they helped us understand why.

Smart glasses followed a similar trajectory. After years of promise, they finally crossed the line from novelty to utility, changing how we captured moments.

Smartphones found their balance again

Smartphones in 2025 were defined by restraint as much as ambition. Engineers pushed boundaries on thinness and weight, while foldables shed their experimental label and went mainstream. Silicon-carbon batteries quietly solved one of our longest-standing pain points: battery anxiety.

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Software design echoed this renewed confidence. After years of minimalism, interfaces embraced depth, translucency, and warmth.

Smart home to thoughtful home

As technology grew more intuitive, consumer expectations evolved. People began prioritising products that aligned with their values: health, sustainability, and convenience.

Air fryers became a staple, redefining everyday cooking. Air conditioners adapted for a greener future, while robotic vacuum cleaners and dishwashers shifted from “nice-to-have” to everyday essentials.

Smart homes in 2025 weren’t about automation for its own sake. They were about easing mental load.

Looking forward, by looking back

Amid all this progress, something unexpected returned: compact digital cameras from the early 2000s. In an age of AI-enhanced perfection, people embraced softer images and imperfect memories. It was a reminder that not every moment needs optimization. Sometimes, nostalgia offers clarity.

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2025 will not be remembered for a single breakthrough device or headline-grabbing innovation. It will be remembered as the year technology learnt restraint. When it stopped demanding attention and started earning trust. When it moved from the centre of our lives to the background.

The real transformation of 2025 wasn’t about what technology became. It was about how seamlessly it became part of us.