Jeff is the head of video content production for 9to5. He joined 9to5Mac in 2016, producing videos, walkthroughs, how-tos, written tutorials, and reviews. He takes pride in explaining things simply, clearly, and concisely. Jeff’s videos have been watched hundreds of millions of times by people seeking to learn more about today’s tech. Subscribe to 9to5Mac on YouTube to catch Jeff’s latest videos.
iOS Decoded is Jeff’s flagship video series that breaks down what’s new in iOS betas, including behind-the-scenes deep dives into undiscovered features and exclusive details on the iOS roadmap.
Jeff also produces a weekly podcast, alongside co-host Fernando Silva, entitled 9to5Mac Overtime. A video-first podcast, 9to5Mac Overtime airs weekly on our YouTube channel, but can also be enjoyed in audio form via Apple Podcasts, or your podcast app of choice.
Jeff and Fernando discuss the iOS 27 Public Beta, some of their favorite new iOS 27 new features, and whether or not people should consider installing it on their main device. The pair also talks about ChatGPT vs Siri AI, OpenAI vs Apple, the end of carrier-financed unlocked iPhones, and nine upcoming new emoji.
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Jeff and Fernando discuss the new Siri experience on Apple Watch, new Siri features on iOS 27, our Apple Watch feature wish list, enhancements to Messages on iPhone, and the state of social media in 2026.
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Fernando and Jeff discuss CarPlay on iOS 27, experience with the Rivian R1S on a road trip, why you might consider buying an iPhone 17 Pro right now instead of waiting for the iPhone 18 Pro, Apple Wallet and Amex Membership Rewards points, Apple’s dramatic hardware price increases, and the idea of getting more out of older technology.
Sponsored by Bitwarden: Check out Bitwarden Password Manager, featuring an Apple Watch authenticator integration, secure autofill on Safari and iOS apps, and enterprise-grade security tools that help you manage credentials with confidence.
If you’re curious to try macOS Golden Gate while it’s still in beta, I highly recommend installing it on a separate APFS volume instead of your main volume. Installing macOS 27 on your main volume would replace macOS Tahoe, leaving you at the mercy of any bugs or compatibility issues that arise with the software and hardware you use.
Unlike iOS and iPadOS betas, macOS betas can pose a greater risk due to the complexity of macOS, which includes support for legacy software and hardware. I’ve been burned too many times in the past with hardware and software that didn’t work properly for months until the inevitable updates came after the public version was released later that fall. In my opinion, it’s just not worth it.
The good news is, thanks to APFS, you can easily create a separate volume and silo the macOS Golden Gate beta installation away from your production Tahoe volume. This allows you to test the macOS beta in full while retaining the stability and reliability of the current public release. Watch our full hands-on video walkthrough for a complete step-by-step guide, and be sure to subscribe to 9to5Mac on YouTube for more macOS tutorials.
In this hands-on guide, I’ll show you how to transform a USB drive into a macOS Golden Gate USB installer. Having access to a macOS Golden Gate USB installer is useful for upgrading from macOS Tahoe or earlier versions of macOS across multiple Macs, among other use cases. Have a look at my full hands-on video walkthrough, and be sure to subscribe to 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Mac guides and tutorials.
I recently explored and tested over 200 new features in the iOS 27 beta, but in this post, I’ve distilled that list down to 10 of my favorite new features for iPhone. From Journal app writing prompts and section links in Notes, to much-improved 3D buildings in Apple Maps, iOS 27 is packed with awesome new enhancements.
Is Siri really good this time? Fernando and Jeff talk about some of their favorite iOS 27 beta features, along with a deep dive into the key new Siri AI features, changes, updates, and optimizations.
Jeff and Fernando chit-chat about the reactions to the Ferrari Luce, Steve Jobs in Exile, Spotify app icon changes, iOS 26.6 beta, and thoughts on Apple’s implementation of a new iPhone anti-snatching feature into iOS.
Jeff and Fernando chat about iOS 27 impressive new accessibility features, alongside a discussion on what Apple should do to regain user trust with regard to Siri. Should Siri be completely rebranded? The duo discusses five key features they hope Siri will have when it’s revealed at WWDC 2026.
Fernando shares his journey from using just his iPhone to embracing a more sophisticated workflow with a MacBook Pro, a standalone camera, and Final Cut Pro. The duo also talks about the challenges of constant distractions in the digital age, plus new Apple Wallet news, and insights into Apple’s ongoing mission to improve Siri.
Ahead of NAB 2026, Blackmagic Design has launched its latest update to the Blackmagic Camera app. The video-focused mobile application gives video shooters far more control over the iPhone’s cameras than the stock iOS Camera app, and the new version 3.3 update continues to build on this.
A new companion app for Apple Watch headlines the changes, serving as a wrist-bound control element. There’s also support for full-screen portrait mode via HDMI output for vertical video creation, and ATEM camera control with the Blackmagic Camera ProDock.
Jeff unpacks his surprising journey from AI skeptic to enthusiast, sharing how he now uses tools like Claude Code to build custom solutions. Fernando provides an honest opinion about the new AirPods Max versus AirPods Pro 3, and a one-month check-in on the MacBook Neo.
David Pogue, a CBS News Sunday Morning correspondent, joins Overtime to discuss his new book, “Apple: The First 50 Years.” Pogue, a former Macworld and New York Times columnist, shares insights into the writing process, interviews with key past and present Apple employees, and offers his thoughts on former CEO Steve Jobs and current CEO Tim Cook.
Stephen Robles joins the 9to5Mac Overtime podcast for a super fun conversation all about Apple, Shortcuts, YouTube, AI tools, smart home tech, and the current state of the iPad and Mac. We talk through Stephen’s journey from AppleInsider to becoming an independent creator, how he built a niche around Shortcuts and automation, the real value of Apple Intelligence, why the MacBook Neo is such a disruptive product, and where the iPad still shines in unique real world use cases. We also get into smart home frustrations, Apple’s hardware strategy, YouTube growth, and wrap things up with a fun lightning round.
Fernando and Jeff talk MacBook Neo impressions. The conclusion? The MacBook Neo isn’t necessarily about raw power or specs, it’s all about redefining what the new standard for a budget laptop should be.
Episode 062: First thoughts on MacBook Neo, including advantages, compromises, and how it fits into the Apple ecosystem. Fernando and Jeff argue that the MacBook Neo could be the best budget laptop of all time.
I recently got my hands on the Blackmagic Camera ProDock and used it to build out a production-ready iPhone camera rig. With a single USB-C cable, I was able to connect an external SSD, wireless microphone, HDMI monitor, and an Ethernet adapter to my iPhone 16 Pro Max.
It all comes together courtesy of the Blackmagic Camera ProDock, a $295 iPhone accessory announced alongside the iPhone 17 Pro last September. It, coupled with a few spare parts I had lying around, allowed me to turn last generation’s flagship iPhone 16 Pro Max into a powerful ProRes-shooting and live-streaming camera rig.
A recap of iOS 26.4 Beta 2, the upcoming touchscreen MacBook Pro, Jeff and Fernando are impressed by the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra’s new Privacy Display feature, 1Password vs. Apple Passwords, and the subscriptions we can’t live without.
The second iOS 26.4 Beta doesn’t include nearly as many changes, but there are still several new additions and updates to consider. There’s also some interesting under-the-hood stuff that hasn’t been discussed yet. This includes an upcoming redesign of the permissions prompt, a new NSPredicateValidating protocol, and more clues about Apple’s upcoming Studio Display refresh.
In this latest episode of iOS Decoded, we explore 10 new features and changes in iOS 26.4 beta 2. Watch the full walkthrough, and be sure to subscribe to 9to5Mac for more.
Episode 060: First impressions of iOS 26.4 beta 1, a preview of Apple’s upcoming March 4th event, and why the upcoming low-cost MacBook is by far its most interesting new product on the horizon.
In this new episode of iOS Decoded, we take a deep dive into what’s new in iOS 26.4 beta 1, with in-depth looks at dozens of new features and changes. For example, we get our first look at the Notification Forwarding setup for third-party smart watches and other hardware devices in the EU, along with new iCloud.com functionality that brings secure Photos and iCloud Drive search to the web.
In this post, we’ll consider five standout features included with the update, but watch the full video for a look at everything new, and be sure to subscribe to 9to5Mac on YouTube for more in-depth walkthroughs.
Apple includes privacy indicators in the upper-right corner of your Mac’s display to indicate when critical hardware is in use. An orange indicator means your microphone is in use, while a green indicator suggests the camera is in use. These indicators help users stay diligent about apps that may be using the camera or microphone legitimately or, in the worst case, unscrupulously.
While I appreciate having these indicators, they can become a distraction when taking screenshots or recording my Mac’s external display. Thankfully, Apple provides a solution to address the issue without compromising privacy.
Some of the new Siri features slated for iOS 26.4 are reportedly delayed; the struggle to balance useful AI-powered features with privacy; new AirPods Pro rumors; and Jeff and Fernando share frustrations about macOS Tahoe and iPadOS 26 design.
Apple just released the final version of iOS 26.3 to the public, and while it isn’t packed with new features, there are some notable additions worth exploring. Watch our hands-on video as we walk through everything new in iOS 26.3, and be sure tosubscribe to 9to5mac on YouTube for more videos.
