Summer is coming to an end, which means it’s nearly time for crisp air, pumpkin spice everything, and much-anticipated fall tech events. As journalists, YouTubers, and bloggers furiously refresh their email inboxes awaiting invitations to Apple’s impending keynote, I’m finding myself getting more and more enthused by the day. I love September. If the rumors...
Podcast Rewind: The Rise of Klack, Sports Comedies, and an Alien Invasion
Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:
Comfort Zone
Chris has moved on from Ball and now loves Bean, Matt thinks he’s finally happy with email, and Niléane creates one of the most controversial home screen swaps in show history.
MacStories Unwind
This week, John and Federico return from break to chat about how they spent their time off, the new MacStories Deals social accounts, two sports-related comedies, and a great deal on a favorite TV series.
Magic Rays of Light
Sigmund and Devon highlight the return of Apple Original sci-fi series Invasion, break down the details of the PVOD release of F1 The Movie, and discuss the Apple TV+ price increase.
Apple Announces September 9 Awe Dropping Event
Today, Apple announced that it will host an event entitled “Awe Dropping” on September 9, 2025, at 10:00 AM Pacific Time. The company is expected to announce the iPhone 17 line, including the new iPhone 17 Air, alongside new Apple Watches and potentially AirPods Pro.
The event will be streamed live globally on Apple’s Events page as well as on YouTube and in the Apple TV app. Some members of the media were invited to watch the event in person at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park.
The MacStories team will be covering all the details of the event, so stay tuned and get ready for September 9.
Podcast Rewind: European Software and Smoke
Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:
Comfort Zone
Niléane brings some “classic” headphones, Chris is in possession of The Big Ball, and everyone tries to go a little bit more European.
Magic Rays of Light
Sigmund and Devon discuss the latest Apple TV hardware rumors and recap Apple Original drama Smoke.
The iOS 26 Features Not Coming to Older iPhones
Each fall’s major iOS update and its accompanying set of new features have become a staple of the iPhone user experience. iPhone owners – even those who don’t keep up with all the latest Apple news – expect and anticipate these enhancements every year. However, for those who aren’t on the latest-generation devices, it may not always be clear which of this year’s new features you’ll have access to. Even if a device supports iOS 26, that doesn’t necessarily mean it will be able to run every system feature.
To save you from having to comb through a bunch of footnotes on Apple’s website or, worse, wait until this fall to find out which capabilities your device will support, I’ve compiled a list of all the iOS 26 features that are limited to newer iPhones. Here’s what you can expect based on the model you’re using.
Podcast Rewind: A Big Ball and The Buccaneers
Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:
Comfort Zone
Matt wonders why there are so many face computers, Niléane has an awesome podcast app update, and Chris figures out which of two compelling pitches he gets to buy.
Magic Rays of Light
Sigmund and Devon break down the variations in video and audio quality across streaming and recap the second season of The Buccaneers.
Podcast Rewind: The Ideal AI App and Nintendo’s Pricing Changes
Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:
AppStories
This week, Federico and John pick and choose their favorite AI app features to imagine a better AI app future, critiquing the leading LLM apps along the way. And as a bonus, John explains why read-later apps should support Shortcuts and other automation schemes.
On AppStories+, the critique continues with a look at how Todoist could be improved.
This episode is sponsored by:
- Factor – Healthy, fully-prepared food delivered to your door. Use code
appstories50off
NPC: Next Portable Console
This week, Brendon and John mind the show while Federico is on vacation, covering Nintendo’s pricing changes, the latest on Retroid’s second screen accessory, the TrinketOS Android front end, Manic EMU for iOS, and more.
Then, for Patreon members, John and Brendon share what they’d like to see from a Steam Deck 2 and consider the intersection of No Phone Summer and retro handhelds.
Podcast Rewind: The watchOS 26 Public Beta, Audio Experiments, and an Alien Intervention
Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:
Comfort Zone
Chris wants to talk about OS 26 (but Liquid Glass is OFF LIMITS), Matt found a slick new security camera, and Niléane challenges the gang to downgrade their audio setups.
MacStories Unwind
This week, John is joined by Jonathan Reed to recap the watchOS 26 public beta and share a trio of comedies old and new, along with Brendon Bigley’s new project and a classic monster movie deal.
Magic Rays of Light
Sigmund and Devon highlight the second season premiere of Apple Original comedy series Platonic and the debut of historical drama Chief of War.
Podcast Rewind: Public Beta Thoughts and an AYANEO Extravaganza
Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:
AppStories
This week, Federico and John share their experiences with iPadOS and macOS 26, which are now available as part of Apple’s public beta program.
On AppStories+, Federico and John discuss the state of engagement bait posting about Apple and how it’s affecting the discourse about the company and its products.
This episode is sponsored by:
- Turbulence Forecast – Know before you go. Get detailed turbulence forecasts for your exact route, now available 5 days in advance. Learn more at turbulenceforecast.com.
NPC: Next Portable Console
This week, Brendon KONKRs AYANEO’s two-day announcement-fest and is joined by John and Federico for diversions into 3DS repairs, the GPD Win 5, Gamescom, and more.
On NPC XL, which was released last week, Brendon, John, and Federico talked about the recent Nintendo Direct and shared a Switch 2 accessory update.