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Podcast Rewind: Shortcuts Apps, Retroid Drama, Xbox Handhelds, Traveling in Japan, and the Pebble Returns

Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:

AppStories

This week, Federico and I explore a collection of Shortcuts helper utilities that extend functionality beyond the built-in system actions, sharing how these apps address gaps in Apple’s Shortcuts implementation across the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

This episode is sponsored by:

  • Incogni – Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code APPSTORIES with this link and get 60% off an annual plan.

NPC: Next Portable Console

This week, Brendon, Federico, and I dive into the ongoing Retroid Pocket Mini controversy, discussing the scaling issues, community reactions, and what it means for consumers in the retro handheld space. After addressing Retroid’s troubles, they explore the Retroid Pocket Classic and pricing information for the Flip 2. To wrap up the week’s news, they cover SteamOS news, AYANEO’s confusing new teaser for the “Pocket Ace,” examine important new reports of Microsoft’s collaboration with ASUS on an Xbox-branded Windows handheld.

NPC XL

This week, Brendon prepares for a two-month trip to Japan and needs advice on assembling the perfect portable gaming setup. Federico and I lend a hand, suggesting which handhelds to take along and how to maintain a podcast recording workflow away from home.

Ruminate

I bring the snacks, Robb brings the Lego news, and we both get excited for new Pebbles for the second time in ten years.

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European Commission Orders Apple To Improve Third-Party Device Integration

Just as I was linking to Eric Migicovsky’s post about the disadvantages third-party smartwatch makers face when trying to integrate with the iPhone, the European Commission (EC) released a pair of related specification decisions regarding Apple’s Digital Markets Act compliance. The first covers iPhone connectivity with third-party devices:

The first set of measures concerns nine iOS connectivity features, predominantly used for connected devices such as smartwatches, headphones or TVs. The measures will grant device manufacturers and app developers improved access to iPhone features that interact with such devices (e.g. displaying notifications on smartwatches), faster data transfers (e.g. peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connections, and near-field communication) and easier device set-up (e.g. pairing).

The other decision focuses on the process of interoperability:

The second set of measures improves the transparency and effectiveness of the process that Apple devised for developers interested in obtaining interoperability with iPhone and iPad features. It includes improved access to technical documentation on features not yet available to third parties, timely communication and updates, and a more predictable timeline for the review of interoperability requests.

An unidentified spokesperson for Apple responded with a statement to 9to5Mac:

Today’s decisions wrap us in red tape, slowing down Apple’s ability to innovate for users in Europe and forcing us to give away our new features for free to companies who don’t have to play by the same rules. It’s bad for our products and for our European users. We will continue to work with the European Commission to help them understand our concerns on behalf of our users.

This decision shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who has been following our DMA coverage. It’s easy to understand why Apple is unhappy about this decision, but it’s also just as easy to understand how the status quo holds back competition. There are no easy answers to any of this, but as difficult as this may be for Apple to do while upholding its privacy, security, and other standards, I’m glad the EU is pushing for change and hope those changes spread to other corners of the globe.

Hands-On with Multiple Pinned Item Lists in Callsheet

It’s been over a year and a half since the debut of Callsheet, the app from Casey Liss for looking up information about films and TV shows, and the app has grown a lot in that time. From new app icon variations to more fine-grained spoiler settings to actors’ heights and ages, Callsheet has gained many new capabilities. My favorite addition thus far is the indicator for mid- and post-credit scenes in movies.

The app’s latest update expands greatly upon a feature that’s been present since the beginning: pinned items. Users can now create multiple separate lists of pinned items and organize them to their hearts’ content. As someone who watches quite a bit of TV and covers it regularly, I could certainly benefit from this feature, so I decided to give it a try.

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Podcast Rewind: New Apple Hardware, Avoiding the Echo Chamber, and the latest Apple TV+ Shows

Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:

Comfort Zone

Matt and Chris have all the new Apple hardware, and Niléane takes the challenge to the next level.

MacStories Unwind

This week John is tricked by Daylight Savings, Federico and he reflect on how to avoid getting stuck in a creative echo chamber, share movie and music picks, along with a movie deal, and digress into the world of European cartoon theme songs before calling it a day.

Magic Rays of Light

Sigmund and Devon highlight the debut of Apple Original drama Dope Thief, share their ideas for how Apple Intelligence could enhance the Apple TV experience, and recap the captivating first season of Prime Target.

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Ted Lasso Renewed for a Fourth Season on Apple TV+

Apple has officialy renewed its hit comedy series Ted Lasso for a fourth season on Apple TV+ with series star and executive producer Jason Sudeikis returning. Sudeikis even offered a small hint of what viewers can expect:

As we all continue to live in a world where so many factors have conditioned us to “look before we leap,” in season four, the folks at AFC Richmond learn to LEAP BEFORE THEY LOOK, discovering that wherever they land, it’s exactly where they’re meant to be.

Sudeikis also appeared on the New Heights podcast today, mentioning that his character Ted will coach a women’s football team in the next season. This information was exclusively revealed on MacStories’ own Magic Rays of Light podcast in February.

Season four is currently being written. The creative team behind the show, including executive producers Bill Lawrence, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt, and Joe Kelly, is returning alongside new executive producer Jack Ruditt. The series, based on the preexisting format and characters from NBC Sports, won 13 Emmy awards over its first three seasons, including back-to-back wins for Outstanding Comedy Series.

Other details about season four, including its full cast and anticipated release date, are currently unknown. But for fans of Ted Lasso, this official renewal is an exciting progression after many months of rumors that the show would return. Sometimes, the hope doesn’t kill you.

Apple Says It Will Adopt New RCS Encryption Standard in a Future OS Update

Earlier today, the GSM Association approved new RCS specifications that enable end-to-end encryption when using RCS to send messages. According to a post by Tom Van Pelt, the GSMA’s Technical Director:

Most notably, the new specifications define how to apply MLS within the context of RCS. These procedures ensure that messages and other content such as files remain confidential and secure as they travel between clients. That means that RCS will be the first large-scale messaging service to support interoperable E2EE between client implementations from different providers. Together with other unique security features such as SIM-based authentication, E2EE will provide RCS users with the highest level of privacy and security for stronger protection from scams, fraud and other security and privacy threats.

Currently Google Messages supports end-to-end encryption over RCS when the messages are sent among Google Messages users but not, for example, between an iPhone and Android user. The GSMA’s new specifications are designed to permit that sort of cross-platform encryption for the first time.

In a statement to 9to5Mac, an unnamed Apple spokesperson said:

End-to-end encryption is a powerful privacy and security technology that iMessage has supported since the beginning, and now we are pleased to have helped lead a cross industry effort to bring end-to-end encryption to the RCS Universal Profile published by the GSMA. We will add support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messages to iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS in future software updates.

While it’s not clear to me from the announcements today whether OS updates will also be necessary on the Android end to implement end-to-end encryption, it’s good to see a standards body moving relatively quickly to ensure that privacy is available cross platform and that Apple is committed to adopting the new specifications.

Podcast Rewind: Tech Ultimatums, Samsung’s Wild Prototype Handheld, and Our Gaming Origin Stories

Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:

AppStories

This week, Federico and I share our self-imposed tech deadlines for the hardware and software they use.

This episode is sponsored by:

  • Memberful – Easy-to-Use Reliable Membership Software

NPC: Next Portable Console

Brendon, Federico, and I are back for another week of handheld news, including a tiny bit of Switch 2 news, an up and down week for Retroid, DS handhelds inch forward, Samsung wonders if thumbholes are the perfect complement to thumbsticks, and AYANEO decides thumbsticks aren’t worth the trouble. Plus, Brendon shares NextUI and the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Controller.

NPC XL

This week, Federico, Brendon, and I take listeners on a tour of our handheld and console gaming histories.

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Metallica Is Coming to the Apple Vision Pro

Apple revealed a new Immersive Video title for the Vision Pro. As announced at SXSW today, Vision Pro users will be treated to a live performance of three Metallica songs: “Whiplash,” “One,” and “Enter Sandman” on March 14th.

According to Metallica’s press release:

This project marks a new foray into immersive technology, using ultra-high-resolution 180-degree video and Spatial Audio to give fans unprecedented access from vantage points as close up as the Snake Pit to wide-angle views. It brings the live show to a whole new level, and to achieve this, Apple built a custom stage plot featuring 14 Apple Immersive Video cameras using a mix of stabilized cameras, cable-suspended cameras, and remote-controlled camera dolly systems that moved around the stage.

For its part, Apple released a trailer for the video on YouTube:

along with an interview by Zane Lowe with Metallica’s Lars Ulrich:

Today’s Metallica news follows the recent Immersive Video announcements of VIP: Yankee Stadium and Bono: Stories of Surrender. It’s great to see new content coming to the Vision Pro, especially live concerts and sports, which are a perfect matches for the format.

The ‘e’ Is for Elemental

Source: Apple.

Source: Apple.

For the past 10 days, I’ve been testing the iPhone 16e – but not in the way I typically test new hardware. You see, I didn’t buy the iPhone 16e to make calls, send email, surf the web, post to social media, or anything else, really. Instead, I got it for one thing: the camera.

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