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Thoughtful, detailed coverage of everything Apple for 36 years
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Adam Engst 1 comment

Apple “Pro and Tell” Event Set for 28 October 2026

Apple has scheduled another product launch event with the tagline “Pro and tell.” Following last week’s consumer-focused launch, rumors point to high-end touchscreen MacBooks.

Adam Engst 31 comments

Apple’s HomeView: A Peripheral in Search of a Purpose

Apple’s new $299 HomeView combines a HomePod speaker with a small touchscreen and Siri AI, but its limited app selection and unclear purpose make it hard to recommend until real-world use cases emerge.

Adam Engst 41 comments

Fourth-Gen Apple TV 4K Brings Hands-Free Siri AI at a Whopping $299

The fourth-generation Apple TV 4K brings hands-free Siri AI, an easier-to-find Siri Remote, and more home theater support. Pre-orders are open now, with devices arriving on 13 November 2026.

Adam Engst 5 comments

HomePod mini 2 Adds Siri AI, S10 Chip, and Sound Glow

The HomePod mini 2 brings Siri AI, an S10 chip, Wi-Fi 6E, and Sound Glow lighting to Apple’s smallest smart speaker. It also enables four-speaker surround sound with the new Apple TV 4K. Pre-orders are open now at $149.

Adam Engst 16 comments

Why Full Disk Access Matters—and What Apple Should Fix

Full Disk Access is a blunt instrument with a lousy interface for users and developers alike. Here’s what Apple should fix, which apps legitimately need it, and which ones you can safely remove from your list.

Adam Engst 18 comments

Apple Announces “Welcome Home” Product Launch for 13 October 2026

Apple has announced a home-focused product launch for 13 October 2026. Expected products include a long-rumored touchscreen home hub alongside a new Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini. And more?

Adam Engst 7 comments

AppBITS: RetroMac and Reframe Let You Theme Your Mac Like It’s 1999

The free RetroMac app themes your Mac to look like System 6, Mac OS 9, or even Windows 98. Its companion browser Reframe wraps today’s Web in old browser chrome and can throttle your connection to modem speeds. Both are wonderfully impractical.

Adam Engst 2 comments

iPhone 18 Pro Max AT&T Users: Update to iOS 27.0.1 and New Carrier Settings

If you have an iPhone 18 Pro Max on AT&T, update to iOS 27.0.1 immediately and install new carrier settings to avoid a service-disrupting bug that may require hardware replacement.

Adam Engst 80 comments

Apple Plans to Tighten Full Disk Access Controls

Apple has signaled forthcoming changes to Full Disk Access in macOS, seemingly in response to risks from AI agents like Meta’s Muse accessing users’ files, mail, messages, and browsing history. How important is Full Disk Access to your Mac use?

Mark Gibbs 24 comments

The Brakes Are Not Connected

Slowing AI development and keeping humans in the loop both sound reassuring. Mark Gibbs argues that neither is a real brake. What matters are external constraints the AI cannot override, bypass, reinterpret, or quietly persuade someone to remove.

Adam Engst 8 comments

Glenn Fleishman Condemns Stalker-Enabling AirTag Silencer

ElevationLab’s AirTag Silencer lets anyone disable the safety alerts that help stalking and domestic violence victims detect hidden trackers. Glenn Fleishman is calling for an immediate recall.

Adam Engst 4 comments

iSpec the Body Electric: Exploring iPhone Battery Life Metrics

What does 36 hours of video playback actually mean for your iPhone battery life? After analyzing specs for 55 iPhone models, one thing is clear: Apple’s new “typical use” metric is long overdue.

Adam Engst 8 comments

Apple Patches Zero-Day Exploit Alongside September 2026 OS Fixes

A zero-day CoreGraphics exploit is being used in “extremely sophisticated attacks against specific targeted individuals.” Apple has patched it in iOS 26.7.1 and related updates, while OS 27.0.1 brings largely unspecified bug fixes.

Adam Engst 3 comments

Simon Willison Charts 2026’s Rapid AI Progress

Skeptical about how fast AI is really moving? This chronological tour by AI researcher Simon Willison, documenting 2026’s LLM developments, may change your mind.

Adam Engst 2 comments

iPhone 18 Pro Max’s Big Battery Triggers New Shipping Requirements

Apple has come up with a clever solution to a problem most users never knew existed: shipping restrictions surrounding single-cell lithium-ion batteries over 20 watt-hours in capacity.