Zac Hall

When Apple released the radically new iPhone X in 2017, it marked the beginning of a years long march into a new era of iPhone design. A year later, iPhone XR replaced the legacy iPhone 8, bringing a corner to corner display, Face ID, and the gesture based experience that largely retired big bezels and the Home button.

Eight years later, iPhone Air stands as the closest thing Apple has delivered to another iPhone X moment. The leap is narrower in scope, but no less intentional. Where iPhone X reset expectations across the entire lineup, iPhone Air represents a deliberate divergence. Its ultra thin design favors a futuristic feel over feature maximalism, carving out a distinct place alongside Apple’s more traditional models.

iPhone Air is also expected to remain on the market longer than iPhone X did. Apple replaced iPhone X with iPhone XS in less than a year. iPhone Air, on the other hand, has a looser relationship with time.

Five years ago, an Apple Music Radio show tailored to my taste amplified music discovery for me. Discovering new episodes of that show, however, proved difficult.

That changed three years later when Apple Podcasts integrated Apple Music Radio shows. While keeping up with new episodes was much easier, listening through the Podcasts app lacked key Apple Music integration.

Now in iOS 26.2, Apple has closed the feature gap in an unexpected but effective way.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Series 11 feature advanced, power-efficient LTPO3 displays that enhance certain watch faces and apps. This technology enables a 1Hz display refresh rate, allowing the display to update each second rather than each minute when in Always-On mode. watchOS 26 fittingly enhances 26 watch faces to support the 1Hz refresh rate.

Apple has released the first iOS 26.3 developer beta for iPhone. One change we already expect is a joint collaboration between Apple and Google that should make switching between iOS and Android easier.

Apple has officially released iOS 26.2 for iPhone. The latest version includes Liquid Glass design tweaks, new customization options for CarPlay, and much more. Today’s release is available for all users, including developer and public beta testers.

Apple has defeated the total ban on charging a commission on web-based purchases that originate from links inside iOS apps. However, a fair rate will need to be established or agreed upon before Apple can resume charging a commission on linked-out purchases.

OpenAI has officially announced its GPT-5.2 upgrade to ChatGPT. This is the so-called “code red” reaction to Google Gemini that OpenAI calls its “most capable model series yet for professional knowledge work.”

App age verification isn’t just a theoretical concept being debated in Congress. A number of laws have already passed that require platforms to verify age for users in select states.

For example, the Twitter/X alternative Bluesky went offline for me in August rather than comply with an age verification law where I live. This week, I can use the app again — as long as I share a bit of personal information with a third-party service I’ve never heard of.

This is likely a preview of what to expect for more apps in more places going forward.

Disney characters are coming to OpenAI’s Sora video generation app — this time, with permission. OpenAI and Disney just announced a “landmark agreement” that will see some Sora content appear on Disney+.

Apple CEO Tim Cook was spotted in Washington DC today where he met with lawmakers to push back against proposed App Store age policy that Apple says doesn’t protect user privacy.

Jeff Williams wasted no time finding his next thing after retiring from Apple. The former Apple chief operating officer has been nominated to Disney’s board.

Johny Srouji isn’t leaving Apple, according to Johny Srouji. According to a leaked memo obtained by Bloomberg, Apple’s chip boss has recommitted to staying at the company.

Apple has announced that its Fitness+ digital workout service will expand to more than two dozen additional markets next week. The move more than doubles the footprint for Apple Fitness+, and generative AI is helping to make it possible.

Earlier this week, it was reported that OpenAI was in a bit of a tizzy over the current state of Google’s Gemini generative AI model. A so-called “code red” declaration was made, which will reportedly result in the next upgrade to ChatGPT arriving sooner than expected.

Apple has released the release candidate of iOS 26.2 for iPhone. The RC version is available as an over-the-air update starting today.

Strava just shared its 12th Annual Year in Sport Trend Report, and Apple Watch takes the gold medal in an important category.

Apple’s latest accessibility-focused short film is actually a really enjoyable music video for the song “I’m Not Remarkable” by Kittyy & The Class.

It’s also an excellent way to showcase Apple’s extensive range of accessibility features integrated into iPhone, iPad, Mac, and other devices. These features can significantly enhance the college experience for all students.

It’s officially time for Apple Music subscribers to recap their year in music. The 2025 Apple Music Replay is now available in Apple Music, providing a personalized look back at your year in music listening habits.

Apple has announced that John Giannandrea, the company’s Machine Learning and AI Strategy boss, is retiring from the company. The move may not come as a surprise for anyone closely following Apple and its AI missteps over the last few years.

We mentioned last week that in iOS 26.1, Apple changed how the Clock app icon’s seconds hand moves in low power mode. Instead of continuously moving, the seconds hand ticks with each second like a quartz clock.

Analog faces on new Apple Watches have a similar behavior, using a sweeping seconds hand in active mode and a ticking seconds hand in always on mode. If you’re like me and prefer the quartz-like movement, there’s a workaround that can help.