What I saw inside Apple’s campus and the new iPhone features that matter
Plus, Samsung users get a $200 AI freebie, Anker recalls a popular power bank and Snapseed makes a surprise comeback
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This week, I made the trip up to Cupertino for Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference 2025. Yes, once again I drove. It’s a time for me to think, reflect, enjoy the open road… and listen to audiobooks. I finished two of them — I’ll have more on that below.
Before I break down Apple’s biggest announcements, let me explain what it’s like to visit Cupertino. The entire area feels very familiar. I’ve been going to events in the Bay Area for Apple, Google, and others for years now, so I’ve stayed at just about every hotel and seen just about every part of town.
As for Apple itself, the campus is just as polished as the devices they make. Apple Park is a marvel — from the architecture to the landscaping. It’s a lot of glass and stone, with no sharp edges. There’s food, snacks, and coffee for journalists, plus plenty of places to work in between all the meetings you take. Those are the best part — the ability to talk to the product managers who build this stuff and really know how it works. Plus, you get to see it all before the general public gets their hands on it.
It’s all well choreographed, like a Cirque du Soleil show, and I give Apple credit for that. You can get much of the same experience just by walking into an Apple Store anywhere in the world. Each one is its own little tech utopia in a world that isn’t always that way.
iOS 26 brings visual changes, smarter features, and a new name
Apple kicked off its annual event with a keynote previewing major software updates across the board — including iPhone, Mac, Apple Watch, iPad, Apple TV, and more.
They didn’t apologize for being behind in launching a smarter Siri, but they did acknowledge it’s taking longer than expected. Their goal is a private assistant that can intelligently tap into your emails, messages, and photos — but that might not arrive for up to a year. Stay tuned.
In the meantime, we’re getting plenty of visual changes and small upgrades throughout.
Apple’s new design language is called Liquid Glass — think translucent, rounded corners and lots of smooth, bubbly effects. You’ll either like it or need time to adjust. It’s a big shift from what we’re used to.
Also new: Apple is ditching the traditional numbering system and calling the next iPhone update iOS 26 — to match the year, much like car model years.
One of the most notable new features is Call Screening. The iPhone will now ask unknown callers to explain why they’re calling — and show that info on your lock screen before the phone rings. You can decide whether to answer, ignore, or block.
In Messages, unknown senders will now be filtered into their own folder. You’ll also get colorful animated chat backgrounds and the ability to run polls in group chats.
The Camera app gets a cleaner layout — with two big options (Photos and Video) at the bottom. Swipe for more. Other tools are just a tap or swipe away.
Photos brings back two simple tabs at the bottom: Library and Collections. It’s a quiet admission that last year’s redesign wasn’t well received — many, including myself, found it confusing unless you manually reorganized.
Live Translation is coming to more places — including calls, iMessages, and FaceTime — helping bridge language gaps more seamlessly.
One change that may raise eyebrows: Apple Maps will now save a list of places you visit frequently and make them searchable. iPhones have done this in the background for years to power “time to leave” suggestions, but now it’ll be more front and center. You can turn it off — but some might see this as a privacy concern.
Apple also introduced a feature called Visual Intelligence, which lets you search based on what’s on your screen. It works by taking a screenshot and analyzing it. It’s a start — but not nearly as powerful as Android’s excellent Circle to Search.
As for Apple Watch, it’s getting Workout Buddy — a new AI-powered feature that uses your past performance data to offer personalized motivation. Think of it as a virtual coach that knows your pace and goals.
There’s also a new wrist flick gesture — twist your wrist to dismiss a notification or return to the home screen. It complements the existing double tap gesture for selecting on-screen items.
Are these updates groundbreaking in a world where AI seems to be able to do anything? Not really. But they are meaningful improvements for the billion+ iPhone users out there.
That is, if your phone can handle it.
You’ll need an iPhone 11 or newer (or iPhone SE 2 and up) for iOS 26. To use Apple’s new AI features, you’ll need an iPhone 15 Pro or later.
And if you’re reading this on an Android and thinking, “Didn’t we already have most of this?” — the answer is yes. Android is still ahead in many AI features and smart tools. But that doesn’t really matter to the millions of iPhone users who aren’t thinking about switching. To them, this is new, useful, and a clear improvement over what came before.
The update officially arrives this fall, usually alongside new iPhones. A public beta will be available in July — but unless you like dealing with bugs, I don’t recommend installing it on your everyday phone. You’ll be the tester.
I went hands on with the updates, you can see them in the video below.
One more thing: My kid says I should dust off my pen and paper and write a new book about the latest iPhone updates. Years ago, I wrote 101 Handy Tech Tips for the iPhone and it turned out to be quite popular. So… maybe it’s time for a follow-up?
Samsung users, don’t miss this freebie
Since I spent so much time on Apple, here’s something for my Samsung friends. You might be able to get a free year of Perplexity Pro — a $200 value. Perplexity is an AI tool like ChatGPT or Gemini, but it’s focused on delivering complete, sourced answers. It’s actually pretty impressive and useful.
Here’s how to redeem the free offer — no payment info required.
Anker power bank recall — here’s what to know
Anker is recalling one of its most popular power banks — the PowerCore 10000, Model A1263 — sold between 2016 and 2022. The battery can overheat and pose a fire hazard.
Check the bottom of your device for the model number, or enter your serial number here. Pro tip: snap a photo of the label and zoom in to read the tiny print.
If yours is affected, you can request a replacement or refund. Anker says do not throw it in the trash or recycle it at a store — instead, take it to a household hazardous waste collection site.
I’ve long recommended Anker products — and while this is disappointing, recalls do happen.
Tech Tidbits – outages, upgrades & record sales
Were you one of the many people who couldn’t access Spotify, Snapchat, or other apps on Thursday? It wasn’t your connection — a major Google Cloud outage brought down large parts of the internet. Just another reminder of how connected and dependent today’s tech is on cloud infrastructure.
The Nintendo Switch 2 is off to a blazing start — selling 3.5 million units in just four days, making it the fastest-selling console to date.
And for the more tech-savvy: if you’ve got an older PC that isn’t officially supported, here’s a handy guide on how to upgrade to Windows 11 anyway.
Two great apps to Download out if you’re into photos
Snapseed is back from the dead. Google just gave one of my longtime favorite photo editing apps a fresh update. It’s cleaner, faster, and packed with editing tools—from basic tweaks to advanced fixes. My go-to is the healing tool, which can erase blemishes or distractions in seconds. The new “Film” style joins classics like Vintage and Noir, with multiple variations—features that usually cost extra in other apps. For now, the update is iOS only, but you can get the (older) Android version here.
West is a minimalist camera app that nails the film vibe. I found it through the Installer newsletter, and it delivers stylized photos right out of the camera—no editing required. It’s free to use, and if you want to unlock custom filters and controls, it’s just a one-time $8 purchase. iOS only.
Rich’s Book Club: Crazy retail and complicated supply chains
I finished two books this week—and both were fascinating in very different ways.
Retail Gangster is the story of Crazy Eddie, the once-iconic NYC electronics chain from the ‘80s and ‘90s. Their ads were everywhere, and they were known for undercutting competitor prices. But behind the scenes? Pure chaos. The entire operation was built on fraud, and the book dives into how it all unraveled. It’s fast-paced, fun, and a wild cautionary tale. Thanks to listener Jeffrey for the recommendation.
Apple in China is a more serious read, but incredibly insightful. The author (who I had on my show) explores Apple’s deep manufacturing ties with China—and how those decisions shaped both Apple and China’s tech economy. The book argues that China learned how to build the most complex consumer tech products from Apple, and now that knowledge is powering the rise of its own electronics brands. A dense but rewarding read if you’re interested in global supply chains, manufacturing, and what makes an iPhone so hard to replicate elsewhere.
Osteoboost offers a drug-free way to fight bone loss
This week, I also checked out a new device called Osteoboost, designed for women at risk of osteoporosis. It’s an FDA-cleared belt that helps improve bone density by mimicking some of the effects of exercise. You wear it a few times a week, and while it does require a prescription, it could be a promising alternative to traditional medications for bone health.
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– Rich