Macworld Podcast: iOS 26.5 new features, Apple Watch rumors

Macworld

xOS 26.5 is now available. What are the new features? Plus, we talk about Apple Watch rumors in this episode of the Macworld Podcast.

This is episode 983 with Michael Simon, Jason Cross, and Roman Loyola.

Watch episode 983 on YouTube

Listen to episode 983 on Apple Podcasts

Tune in to episode 983 on Spotify

Get info

Click on the links below for more info on what was discussed on the show.

• iOS 26.5 is out now
• iOS 26.5 may be small, but it hides some incredible new features
• Apple isn’t bringing Touch ID to Apple Watch, leaker insists 
• It sounds like Apple has run out of ideas for watchOS 27
• Fitbit Air looks like no Fitbit you’ve seen (Tech Advisor)
• How Apple reinvented the music business with the iTunes Store

Comment Corner

I’m realizing apples marketing problem in real time at home when it comes to AirPods. My wife’s coworker is convinced that the AirPods 4 are better than the AirPods Pro 3 because of the numbering scheme. She said her coworker wanted the language translation of the AirPods 4 which I had to scratch my head for a second because they are available on the AirPods Pro 3.

Reese M. via email

The executives running Apple have a fiduciary obligation to grow revenue and profit. If Apple could double in size over the next five years without shipping a single new product, that’s the choice they’d be obligated to make. The same logic applies to the pricing decisions you (rightly) call outrageous on memory and storage upgrades — if that pricing maximizes profit, they’re legally obligated to charge it. It’s worth keeping that frame in mind when grading them on “new products” or “fair pricing.”

John F. via email

My friend, who is 27, informed me a lot of people in his generation are tired of paying for streaming services like Spotify or Apple Music. They want to own their music and not rent their albums. I own at three 40GB iPods and a 4GB Nano. He encouraged me to hang on to them because they are worth a lot, assuming they are still working. Have any of you heard of this iPod revival? Younger people want to disconnect from the internet to enjoy their music and enjoy the feeling of owning the music not tied to a streaming service.

Louis L. via email

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