Podcast Rewind: Apps in 2026 and The Best Handhelds of the Year

This week, Federico and John look ahead to 2026 and what it will mean for apps, smarter Siri, and more.

On AppStories+, Federico and John update listeners on their latest app experiments and holiday hardware projects.

NPC: Next Portable Console

This week, Brendon, Federico, and John pick their top handheld consoles of 2025.

On NPC XL, Federico, John, and Brendon share their HOTY Honorable Mentions and trends they expect for 2026.

AppStories, Episode 466, ‘What’s Next for Apps in 2026’ Show Notes

App Development Trends for 2026

Mentioned:

Google AI Studio

Swift Playground

Manus AI

Wabi

Claude Code

Codex

The junior bet has gotten better

iPhone Opening Up to Wireless Wearables

Index 01 Ring

Android AI Agents & Computer Use

Google Gemini

Research Apps & NotebookLM Alternatives

NotebookLM

EXA API

Parallel AI API

Perplexity’s iPad app focuses on research tools

Siri with App Intents & Apple Intelligence

MCP on Mobile

MCP (Model Context Protocol)

Rumored MCP bridge in development for iOS 26

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NPC, Episode 62, ‘The 2025 Handhelds of the Year Awards’ Show Notes

The 2025 Handhelds of the Year Awards

The Contenders:

Switch 2

Ayn Thor

Miyoo Flip

TrimUI Brick