iPhone Air - first bend test makes its debut.

Courtesy of a Tom’s Guide interview with Joz and John Ternus in collaboration with Lance Ulanoff from Tech Radar. See it for yourself.

iPhone Air is the Goldilocks of iPhones.

Just a few hours before Apple’s “Awe Dropping” event, I expressed my true emotions about the iPhone Air and what it would take for me to buy one:

I can deal with the lack of ultra wide and telephoto cameras.

I can deal with the lack of reverse wireless charging.

I can deal with a binned A19 Pro or standard A19 chip.

I can deal with worse battery life.

But please Apple, for the love of God, give us a truly immersive, gorgeous display.

The display is a 1:1, uncompromised panel matching the iPhone 17 Pro, and the 6.5 inch display is not too big and not too small.

It is just right.

Love is in the Air.

Powerbeats Pro 2 can also integrate with the Fitness app and help you close your rings like AirPods Pro 3.

When Powerbeats Pro 2 were released back in February, you had to use a third party fitness app on iPhone in order to log your heart rate, calories, etc. Now with iOS 26, you can use Apple’s own Fitness app and track your heart rate with a workout.

The fine print in AirPods Pro 3 press release:

Heart rate sensing with AirPods Pro 3 and Powerbeats Pro 2 during workouts is available in the Fitness app on iPhone with iOS 26, iPad with iPadOS 26, and Apple TV with tvOS 26 when also paired with iPhone or Apple Watch. Apple Fitness+ requires a subscription.

The Powerbeats Pro 2 got a lot of flack from the fitness community due to its woes with accurate heart rate monitoring and lack of consistency in getting readings. It worked better on Android for God’s sake.

AirPods Pro 3 are a signature Apple product, and it needs to work well all the time in order for people to take its heart rate sensing capabilities seriously.

The displays on iPhone 17, iPhone Air, and iPhone 17 Pro are all equally great this year - financially it makes the most sense.

Besides the size, every minute spec of the display is identical across the board with the iPhone 17, iPhone Air, and iPhone 17 Pro devices. I compared every bullet point and there is no difference. Quite surprising, and really blurs the line whether or not most people should even consider the Pro lineup.

Yesterday I wrote about how the iPhone Air should have the same display as the 17 Pro in order to fit the premium narrative, and Apple definitely delivered.

Kudos to Apple, but it also makes financial sense. Last year the iPhone 16 Pro jumped to 6.3 inches and the regular 16 was still 6.1 inches, requiring two separate production lines. Now that both phones have the same screen size, why engineer an inferior 6.3 inch display for the regular iPhone 17, when you can just use the same display across the board and save time and engineering costs?

Apple brings back the MagSafe Battery Pack exclusively for the iPhone Air, but will it work with other iPhones?

Looks like I got an answer to one of my biggest requests, but being limited to only one device is a miss. There are still a lot of unanswered questions:

1. Will it work sideways on older iPhones that don’t have a plateau?

2. Can you charge other iPhones with a USB-C cable?

3. Can you plop MagSafe compatible AirPods on it to charge them wirelessly?

The product page does say it will charge other smaller accessories via USB-C, so there’s hope it can also charge other iPhones partially. As for wireless charging, technically it should work and charge other iPhones and AirPods since it is MagSafe.

iPhone 17 Air’s display really needs to match the iPhone 17 Pro to give it that futuristic, “invisible device with a full edge to edge screen,” feeling.

The iPhone 17 Air is really in a weird position. It’s more premium and less premium in many ways, and we’re just a few moments away from finding out the narrative behind the iPhone 17 Air (if that’s even the real name).

The one thing that really would make me stay away from it is an inferior screen compared to the iPhone 17 Pro. It should have at least the following features:

• Same thin bezels as the iPhone 17 Pro.

• Same Dynamic Island as the iPhone 17 Pro.

• Always On Display.

It would be icing on the cake if it had the following (alleged improvements):

• Improved anti-reflective display.

• Higher peak brightness.

The rumored smaller Dynamic Island is being touted as a Pro only feature, but I would argue if there is a smaller Dynamic Island, it has to be on the 17 Air since Apple is already tight for space.

I can deal with the lack of ultra wide and telephoto cameras.

I can deal with the lack of reverse wireless charging.

I can deal with a binned A19 Pro or standard A19 chip.

I can deal with worse battery life.

But please Apple, for the love of God, give us a truly immersive, gorgeous display.

Apple Live Events - visceral reactions from the past.

Most of us don’t get to see the Apple events live in person, but we used to get a feeling of what it was like to be there when we had true live events. In honor of the past, I wanted to share some of my most favorite moments from past live events. These are unscripted reactions from the crowd showing their true reaction, enthusiasm, and shocked surprise of what just went down.

It’s easy to reference the original iPhone launch, but that whole video had plenty of awe and reactivity that would be hard to capture today.

Here are three more recent reactions that really stuck in my head.

1. Apple introduces Microsoft to the stage for the iPad Pro.

Released all the way back in September 2015, the first iPad Pro was the beginning of the modern era of computing, blurring the lines of tablet and computing device. To highlight its much bigger 12.9-inch screen, Apple wanted to demo some productivity apps, and who knew productivity better than…Microsoft???

Microsoft and Apple were more ferocious competitors back then when Microsoft was in the smartphone game, so this was a huge surprise for the audience, and Phil Schiller and Kirk Koenigsbauer leaned into it really well. The audience was in silence until Phil broke it with a classic, “Yeah!” (that Microsoft!)

2. The screaming woman who really loves Dark Mode for iPhone.

Dark Mode for iOS was revealed in June 2019 at WWDC, the last truly live WWDC event. Right before Craig Federighi was about to demo Dark Mode on iOS and was walking towards the demo station, a lady just screams out of excitement with Craig acknowledging her enthusiasm. Small classic moment that got the audience laughing.

3. The bargain price and cheers of the Pro Display XDR gets spoiled by the $999 Pro Stand.

The Pro Display XDR is still a bargain compared to other reference monitors without a shadow of a doubt, and Apple’s presentation of it and it’s “bargain bin” pricing of $4999 was still palatable. What wasn’t that tasty though, was the price of the $999 Pro Stand, which flabbergasted the audience. You could hear the low rumbling chatter, throwing off John Ternus’ final words.

The iPhone 17 ‘Air’ reveal needs to have Phil Schiller levels of nerdery during its presentation.

iPhone 17 Air is not only a thin iPhone, but it is a sign of things to come. I wouldn’t be surprised if Apple’s foldable device (said to launch next year) is essentially two iPhone Airs attached to a hinge (to put it crudely). The engineering of this device is going to carry over in a lot of ways to the next generation of devices, be they iPhones or iPads.

It won’t be a traditional “One more thing” event for the masses, but it sure as heck will be for engineers and designers. It needs to be talked about with a level of nerdery that just screams authenticity and excitement. A scripted performance just isn’t the same.

Hopefully we get this enthusiasm and excitement in post-event interviews.

The ultimate MagSafe and Qi2 charging station.

Aukey just announced the best wireless charging solution to date (via MacRumors):

MagFusion Ark has a 6-in-1 design that includes a base that can charge up to three devices and three detachable power bank spheres for a total of six charging points. All six of the charging spots support Qi2.2 speeds, and Aukey says it is an ideal charger for multi-person households.

When docked, the spheres can recharge from the base while also charging devices that are placed on them, and when removed from the base, they function as 6,700mAh power banks. Each sphere also includes a PD 3.0 30W USB-C port for bidirectional charging, and they have an active cooling system to prevent overheating. The spheres also serve as a magnetic stand for FaceTime calls, videos, and more.

The flagship MagFusion Ark will ship with the base and three spheres, but there will also be one-device and two-device base options, with spheres that can be purchased separately.

Aukey has not provided details on the MagFusion Ark's price, but more detail will be available when it launches in the first quarter of 2026.

Currently I use Anker’s orb-like charger that resembles Aukey’s, but it has 7 more ports in the rear. It’s quite a stretch to reach from my bed to dock my phone since I’m limited by cord length, but with detachable orbs that act as their own battery source and have active cooling makes for a more robust charging solution. Just take it anywhere you want!

Looks like Apple won’t be fixing ‘Swipe to Switch Watch Face’ until watchOS 27.

My own critical analysis a few months ago:

No longer the default option, the swipe came back as a 2nd string option due to its glitchy performance. On my 7 and a half year old Series 3 Apple Watch, with its latest software version (Watch OS 8), in the year 2025, you can swipe between watch faces and everything is in memory and seamless. Extremely smooth, with the hour, minute, and seconds hands perfectly in sync between swipes. It just works!

Somehow the architecture of watchOS 10 fundamentally changed some of the inner workings of the Apple Watch, and after almost 2 years now, it’s as if the watch face has to “load” each and every time you swipe watch faces. It feels and looks buggy, especially when you go from an analog watch face to a digital watch face that is full of data. It juuust (barely) works.

The Tips app on your iPhone even demos how to change your watch face, referring to the touch and hold method vs the swipe method.

I’m sure there are Apple Watch engineers who cringe every time they swipe from one watch face to another, knowing that this problem still exists and needs to be fixed. I understand why it’s not a high priority, but it’ll be two years in June when they announce watchOS 12.

Two years is long enough.

With the latest (and possibly final) developer Beta 9 on watchOS 26, this problem still persists. Not a deal breaker, but it just doesn’t feel Apple-like to leave it this clunky.

It feels like Android.

Red Apple Watch faces that are easy on the eyes when sleeping and maintain your visual acuity (in-depth guide).

For a simple watch face when going to sleep, you could use the Sleep Focus and get a minimal watch face, but the problem is you have to tap the screen to see the time, which defeats the purpose of an always-on watch, and maybe your just overpowered by sleep and moving your other arm feels like a real drag in the moment.

The next best option? Minimal red watch faces.

Having a minimal watch face is always the best choice when going to bed, since blue light can strain your eyes and disrupt your sleep. Depending on which Apple Watch you have, you can use different watch faces with a minimal appearance that won’t launch apps with accidental taps and sear your eyes.

There’s nothing more scary than checking the time at 2AM because you hear some sounds, and now you’re blinded by your watch face. The moment you gain some ability to see in the dark again, you see your child almost right up against your face letting you know they leaked themselves.

Now that makes two of you.

To avoid further leaks, use these watch faces.

Note: All these watch faces are red to the naked eye, maintain your night vision, and give off significantly less light than Apple’s Sleep Focus watch face.

Apple’s Sleep Focus watch face.

A quick tip before we get started - when you select the default red color, tap the red color circle and turn the digital crown to make the red as dark as possible.

All the colors above the dash mark can be edited this way.

Apple Watch Series 3

If you’re still stuck on the Series 3, you have two choices for an all red watch face:

Modular - The Series 3 stopped getting updates after watchOS 8, keeping the older Modular watch face. This has a special advantage since you can change the color of the time, something no longer available with the new Modular watch face. Simply disable all complications, choose red as your color option, and you have the most minimalist, least distractive watch face.

Since you can change the color of even the time, just get rid of all complications…

to get this minimalist watch face that’s easy on the eyes.

X-Large - The X-Large watch face in red is another solid option. You get one spot for a massive complication, still giving you time in big font on a single line. The Series 3 version of X-Large on watchOS 8.8 has a unique problem because none of the complications are static, meaning touching the massively sized complication will open its respective app. The Moon Phase complication for example is actually a static complication in later versions of watchOS, but in watchOS 8.8, it opens the World Clock app.

The only option is to turn off complications and keep the huge font.

The regular X-Large face is the way to go. As neat as the complication looks, it’s not ideal for sleep since the touch target is huge.

Apple Watch Series 4, Series 5, SE 1st generation

These three watches were updated to watchOS 10, giving them an advantage with the X-Large face, but taking away the Modular watch face as we knew it. The new Modular watch face becomes more modernized with an extra Date complication and rounder fonts, but now the time can only be had in white, disqualifying the watch face since a truly red watch face cannot be achieved.

Bummer.

The new Modular watch face has multiple colors, but the time is always white when the background color is turned off.

X-Large - The X-Large face gains more complications in watchOS 10, with the key feature being static complications. These static complications don’t interact to touch and don’t open any apps, making it impossible to get any white light exposure. You can choose from two different static complications that are all red in the Astronomy category:

1. Moon

2. Solar System

Depending on the Moon phase, you could get a brighter image, which is why I recommend the Solar System complication for the least intrusive look.

The Moon and Solar System widgets work as static complications, but Solar System is the better option since it’s almost invisible.

Apple Watch Series 6 thru Series 10, SE 2nd generation

X-Large - on watchOS 11 and later, you get three static complications:

1. Earth

2. Moon

3. Solar System

Earth can get bright if you’re a daytime napper in a blacked out room like myself, so once again, the best complication is Solar System.

Solar System wins every time, but Earth and Moon still give off way less light than the Sleep focus watch face.

Photos - the Photos watch face in watchOS 26 gives you the ability to put any photo as a wallpaper, and more importantly, you can select the color of the time, just like the old Modular watch face on the Series 3. Selecting the time color is not always an option depending on the photo but for our purposes it is.

Use the following process to get an all-black watch face:

1. Take an all-black photo (or just use this sample).

2. Select Create Watch Face.

3. Select the Photos Watch Face.

4. Select your preferred Time Size.

5. Pick your font.

6. Pick your Numerals.

7. For Style, pick Natural.

8. For Time Color, select the red time color and slide the gradient to dark red as described earlier in this article.

9. Turn off all complications.

Note: For whatever reason, you can only change the color of the time on the iPhone and not on the watch directly.

Take a look at how similar it is to the original Series 3 Modular:

Original Modular (left) vs new Photos (right).

Photos watch face with small, medium, large and X-large time sizes.

I will admit I do cheat a bit with the Photos watch face and add a complication on top. It is such a small touch target that I have never activated it by accident. The Top complication does make the time even smaller, making it closely resemble the original Modular watch face on the Series 3:

Original Modular (left) vs new Photos (right). That complication is Wind Speed if you’re wondering. And yes, it matters a lot to me.

Apple Watch Ultra and Ultra 2

These watches get watchOS 26, so they will benefit from the X-Large and Photos watch faces, but with two additional Ultra-exclusive watch faces - Modular Ultra and Wayfinder. Not only are these exclusive watch faces, they are also the only watch faces that support Night Mode, making everything turn red.

Modular Ultra - Simply remove all complications, and pick how you want your time to be displayed. Either select the red color or activate Night Mode to ON to have a big beautiful red clock (or small) with no distractions.

Wayfinder - Once again, remove all complications, and turn ON Night Mode to get an all-red analog watch face.

Wayfinder (left), Modular Ultra (right).

Source: MacRumors

Honorable mentions

There are a few other watch faces that get honorable mentions, but they don’t meet my strict criteria of solid red color with no active complications. They still shine too much light compared to the red watch faces I mentioned above, almost equivalent to Apple’s Nighttime watch face.

Numerals Duo - The top number in the darkest red isn’t a true red, shining white light at you.

Meridian - If you select the Fall 2021 (PRODUCT) RED color, you get a fully red dial, but the hour and minute hands are outlined in white.

Close, but no cigar.

Even the Digital Time complication is all red, making this one receiving the highest honorable mention.

Typograph - Similar to Meridian with the standard red color.

Will Apple gatekeep Night Mode to the Ultra lineup?

It’s hard to say what Apple will do with the Series 11, because if they open up Night Mode (which I am all for), it would change the whole dynamics of having the perfect bedtime watch face. Many more watch faces would qualify with an all red look, but we’re only a few weeks away from finding out.

iPhone 13 mini - what does a typical day with 77% battery health look like?

How long does an iPhone 13 mini with 77% battery health last on iOS 26?

Let’s just say it needs a trusty companion, the MagSafe Battery Pack.

Here is my (typical) log from a few days ago, with less than normal usage:

1. 5:30am - 100% battery

2. 6:32am - 77% battery

3. 12:18pm - 20% battery

4. 12:19pm - Dropped to 15%…attached MagSafe Battery Pack

5. 1:05pm - charged to 76%…detached MagSafe Battery Pack

6. 4:55pm - 17% battery

7. 4:56pm - 9% battery right after connecting MagSafe battery pack.

8. 6:00pm - 50% battery with MagSafe Battery Pack drained.

9. 9:07pm - 23%

10. 9:08pm - 14%

11. 9:09pm - 2%

12. 10:00pm - Dead iPhone, right before I was about to cast something to my Chromecast.

Apps used: Safari, YouTube, Messages, X, WhatsApp, Files, News.

Nothing taxing. The phone does run smoothly most of the time, but it does start to hiccup and slow down as the charge level drops. Other times, it will hiccup even when the battery is nearly full, probably because the phone is a bit warm from charging.

Again nothing taxing, just basic apps. No gaming, no 3D rendering, and no camera usage.

The main issue with poor battery health is predicting how long it will last when it is low on battery. My battery collapsed from 23% to 2% in less than two minutes, but it lasted almost an hour.

In the end, I am able to get a full days use out of it from 5:30am to 10pm when I go to work with a fully charged MagSafe Battery Pack. On a vacation day, I would need to keep a charger close by. It’s time for a Genius Bar appointment to get the battery replaced.

EE, a UK based mobile network operator, will have new family plans that limit internet usage for teenagers - as long as they don’t use Wi-Fi.

BBC:

Its new Sim-only mobile plans will filter the web at different levels depending on the age of the child using it, with three separate tiers of protections.

The plans will also have other features such as reduced internet speeds for younger teens to "limit streaming", as well as protecting against scam calls.

But EE can only control what is accessed by using mobile data using its network - meaning it cannot filter content accessed via wi-fi, which is operated separately.

Sounds like a way to profit off of parents’ fears and desire to do what’s right for their kids, but the uptake of many of these parental controls is really slim. Even on iPhone, setting up Screen Time and Parental Controls is cumbersome, and it took several tries for me to get things right for my kids. It also doesn’t help that you have to remember another 4-digit passcode.

I’m not alone in this battle:

EE ambassador and TV presenter Konnie Huq said at a launch event for the new plans she felt "like her mum in the old days" - who she recalled struggling to work the family's TV remote controls.

Meta, which owns Instagram and WhatsApp, says take-up of its numerous parental controls is relatively low.

Technology analyst Paolo Pescatore told the BBC that EE's plans are "a huge step in the right direction" but implementation of such controls "is no easy feat."

The best option really is to use on-device tools or a third party tool that works cross-platform and master that one app. For me, that’s Screen Time and Parental Controls on Apple devices, for now.

Another real risk of these plans - funneling kids to use public Wi-Fi more than usual, which is a whole different set of risks.

Apple announces “awe dropping” event.

It’s time to start randomly speculating what the image is supposed to mean. Based on past invite images, it could either be a wallpaper (iPhone X, 11, and 12 invites were wallpapers), or a new Liquid Glass color morphing finish for the iPhone to pair well with the new Liquid Glass interface design.

Or we could be getting some sort of infrared camera capabilities on the pro iPhones? Who knows.

Fun fact - if you have a touchscreen device, you can interact with the Apple logo and move your finger around to create your own light path. On Mac, you can also move your mouse over the Apple logo to see similar light animations.

Wireless MagSafe charging is better for your iPhone’s battery health than wired charging.

I have had my iPhone 16 Pro Max since October 2024, and I have been using wireless charging I would say, at least 90% of the time. I have a combination of MagSafe and Qi2 chargers in my bedroom, spare room, and kitchen.

With 270 cycles, I still have 100% battery health, even with installing and running iOS 26 betas. I use a standard MagSafe puck in the kitchen, and I use the Anker MagGo Magnetic Charging Station (8-in-1) at night. Every time I use a cable to charge my device, I do notice it charges faster, but it also makes the device hotter since it’s fast charging. Most people will fall in this scenario because they’ll probably use their laptop chargers to charge their device, which provides the fastest speeds, and also the most heat.

Wireless technology has gotten so advanced, that even if it technically is less efficient, the device doesn’t reach higher temperatures, still giving you better battery health in the long run. Of course I stand by this claim only for MagSafe and certified Qi2 chargers. I’m not the only one as Brandon Butch goes a bit deeper in his video explaining his wireless charging experience during some of his testing. He found wired charging to be 4 degrees hotter than MagSafe charging on his iPhone 16 Pro.

Brandon also used a 90% charging limit, and I have been using an 80% charging limit on my 16 Pro Max. If I was on the regular 16 Pro (I’m leaning heavily towards the 17 Pro), I would also bump it up to 90% to give me that extra juice.

Check out his video for more tips on how to maximize your iPhone’s battery health.

How to disable headphone safety notifications on iPhone and Apple Watch.

Normally this isn’t good advice, but I had to get rid of these safety notifications for my sanity. My background noise sleep setup coupled with earplugs is my ultimate sound proofing system for working the graveyard shift, and there’s nothing worse than your speaker warning you about loud volumes along with your watch vibrating with the same notification during a deep sleep session.

These can be disabled only in certain regions, but thankfully the US is one of them. The settings are buried, but on iPhone:

1. Go to Settings.

2. Accessibility.

3. Audio & Visual.

4. Headphone Notifications.

5. Toggle OFF.

On Apple Watch (or your iPhone’s Watch app):

1. Go to Settings.

2. Accessibility.

3. Headphone Notifications.

4. Toggle OFF.

If you’re in a region that doesn’t allow you to toggle Headphone Notifications off, and you are in a similar situation where you need loud white noise and use ear plugs at the same time, you can try and re-categorize your Bluetooth speaker:

1. Go to Bluetooth.

2. Select your device’s settings by clicking on the blue “i” logo.

3. Click on Device Type.

4. Select Other.

I think this will work. Logic would say, since your devices are technically no longer connected to headphones, you shouldn’t get any Headphone Notifications, right?

I don’t know exactly what the “other” category does, but audio still plays through my Bluetooth speaker.

For my hardwired devices such as my Bose SoundDock XT, I was able to change the settings so the audio levels are not recorded under the Health app.

Toggling this feature OFF should not give you Headphone notifications.

If you have a lightning to headphone jack or USB-C to headphone jack adapter connected to an external speaker, you can change the settings to (hopefully) avoid getting headphone notifications:

1. Go to Settings.

2. Sound & Haptics.

3. Headphone Safety.

4. If you have an iPhone with a lightning port, you will see the words Lightning Adapters on the bottom. If you have a USB-C iPhone you will see the words USB-C Audio Accessories on the bottom.

5. Click your option, and toggle OFF Connected To Headphones.

Will AppleCare One cover a non-US iPhone, even if you live in the US?

If you have a non-US iPhone set to the US region and live in the US, you will have to call Apple Support in order to get AppleCare One coverage. My Canadian iPhone 16 Pro Max tells me I need to contact Apple for an in-store or remote assessment in order to determine eligibility. I already have AppleCare+ on the device and my other devices that have AppleCare+ can be transferred to AppleCare One, so my gut tells me the error is because my model is not a US model. As for my iPhone 13 mini, the battery health is at 79%, so that doesn’t qualify.

Instead of calling Apple, I decided to go to my nearest Apple Store to do an in-store assessment, but the Genius (not trying to be sarcastic) wasn’t able to do the right diagnostic test to make it AppleCare One eligible. I wasn’t going to switch from my current AppleCare+ to AppleCare One, but I just wanted to see if it would even be possible to do on a non-US device.

They told me to call Apple Support since they have more robust remote diagnostic tools, so we will see how that goes in the future.

Google Pixel 10 lineup launches with its own version of MagSafe called Pixelsnap, and even throws in the “A” word for good measure.

The Pixel 10 devices are just the second set of Android devices to have official Qi2 magnets built into the device. The only other device?

The HMD Skyline.

What I’m trying to say is, the Pixel 10 devices are the first Android devices that actually matter, with Qi2 magnets.

Per Android Authority:

Every Pixel 10 model supports Qi2 charging. The Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro top out at 15W with Qi2-certified chargers when paired with a 20W or higher USB-C adapter. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold, the first foldable with Qi2 wireless charging built in, also supports Pixelsnap charging at up to 15W.

The Pixel 10 Pro XL steps things up with Qi2.2 support, hitting 25W when used with a Qi2.2-certified charger and a 35W or higher adapter. Google says its own Pixelsnap Charger and Charger with Stand can hit that top speed.

The branding is very specific to the Pixel devices, so other manufacturers are going to have to come up with their own fancy name if they decide to go this route. I think this is a huge win for the Android community because I think it will force the big giants like Samsung to implement their own built-in magnets.

In shocking fashion, Adrienne Lofton from Google even mentioned the “A” word, and said all Pixel devices are compatible with Apple’s MagSafe accessories. This caught Jimmy Fallon by surprise, and even I was a bit shocked they mentioned Apple. I mean they had to since everyone knows Apple pioneered this feature and everyone would ask that question.

Reminds me of the moment when Phil Schiller introduced Microsoft on stage during the first ever iPad Pro event.

Google’s “Made by Google ‘25” event had signs for the live audience to clap when an “applause” sign comes on during the event.

Andru Edwards on X:

At this Made by Google event they are asking MEDIA AND PRESS to clap when an “applause” sign comes on during the event. This is kind of wild.

The thing is, I bet there’s be almost as much applause without a cue to ask people to clap, because there are a lot of genuinely great/impressive things Google is announcing today.

Andru has been at Apple events, and he describes briefly what goes on there:

The people clapping at Apple events are generally the Apple employees - the teams that worked on the features. The media is busy typing/recording/posting. And there are no applause signs.

That being said, I have to give Google props for at least doing a live event, even if it’s hard to tell whether or not the audience is genuinely interested when they cheer.

Is choosing an iPhone getting too complicated?

I like reading other people’s iPhone stories, and Imthaz over at Volatile Inputs tells his iPhone journey over the years. I’ll have a more in-depth post later on about my journey, but for now, he brings up a good point at the end:

People have long said the iPad line-up is confusing, with too many overlapping options. I feel the iPhone is heading the same way. But perhaps that’s the nature of a maturing product line – what started as a simple choice has evolved into something that can truly fit different needs and preferences. For someone like me who’s been upgrading annually for years, maybe it’s time to embrace the complexity rather than long for the simplicity of the past. After all, having options means there’s likely a perfect iPhone out there for everyone – even if finding it requires a bit more thought than just picking a colour.