AppleInsider Podcast

Apple unexpectedly launched yet another device, the very long-awaited AirPods Max, plus the MacBook Neo gets more real-world testing, and Family Sharing gets a great update, all on the AppleInsider Podcast.
Contact your hosts:
@williamgallagher_ on Threads
@WGallagher on Twitter
William's 58keys on YouTube
William Gallagher on email
Wes on Bluesky
Wes Hilliard on email
Wes's blog Hillitech
Sponsored by:
MasterClass: Get 15% off annual memberships at MasterClass.com
NordStellar: Unlock your 10% discount at nordstellar.com/appleinsider with the coupon code nordappleinsider-10-NORDSTELLAR
Bartender:  Check out Bartender at macbartender.com/appleinsider and use the  discount code APPLEINSIDER to get 10% off Bartender 6.
Links from the Show:
AirPods Max 2 vs AirPods Max: Premium personal audio compared
AirPods Max 2 arrive with better ANC, Live Translation, and more
iPhone 17e review: Welcome improvements
iFixit MacBook Neo teardown confirms that it is Apple's most repairable laptop since 2012
Tim Cook denies imminent retirement rumors, 'can't imagine life without Apple'
Tim Cook dashes over to China for the latest Apple anniversary concert
Apple scales up its partnership with Save the Music
Tim Cook continues Apple's 50th anniversary victory lap in new interview
Family Sharing no longer means sharing a credit card in iOS 26.4
Staff departures do not mean Apple will abandon Liquid Glass
Siri and refined Liquid Glass controls on the docket for WWDC 2026
Liquid Glass is divisive now, but Apple knows where it's going
Support the show:
Support the show on Patreon or Apple Podcasts to get ad-free episodes every week, access to our private Discord channel, and early release of the show! We would also appreciate a 5-star rating and review in Apple Podcasts
More AppleInsider podcasts
Tune in to our HomeKit Insider podcast covering the latest news, products, apps and everything HomeKit related. Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Overcast, or just search for HomeKit Insider wherever you get your podcasts.
Subscribe and listen to our AppleInsider Daily podcast for the latest Apple news Monday through Friday. You can find it on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.
Those interested in sponsoring the show can reach out to us at: [email protected]

(00:00) - Intro

(02:37) - AirPods Max

(11:42) - MacBook Neo and iPhone 17e

(38:39) - Apple celebrations

(46:30) - Staff exit

(51:15) - Family Sharing

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

David Pogue, author of "Apple: The First 50 Years" is our special guest talking about what did and did not make it into the book, plus there are rumors of the HomeHub and real-world news of the MacBook Neo and iPhone 17e, all on the AppleInsider Podcast.
Contact your hosts:
@williamgallagher_ on Threads
@WGallagher on Twitter
William's 58keys on YouTube
William Gallagher on email
Wes on Bluesky
Wes Hilliard on email
Wes's blog Hillitech
Sponsored by:
CleanMyMac by MacPaw: Get Tidy Today! Try 7 days free and use  code APPLEINSIDER20 for 20% off at clnmy.com/APPLEINSIDER
Squarespace: Get 10% off your first website or domain purchase at squarespace.com/APPLEINSIDER with code APPLEINSIDER
Tempo: Get 60% off your first box of fresh, chef-crafted meals at tempomeals.com/appleinsider
NordStellar: Unlock your 10% discount at nordstellar.com/appleinsider with the coupon code nordappleinsider-10-NORDSTELLAR
Links from the Show:
"Apple: the First 50 Years" at Amazon
F1: The Stream - how the launch leveraged Apple's entire ecosystem
Tim Cook gets a tune-up as Apple TV speeds ahead with F1 promotions
Apple's long-awaited HomeHub rumored to launch in fall 2026
HomeHub will recharge with MagSafe by sticking to your wall
Apple's smart home hub delayed again because modernizing Siri is hard
Apple Home Hub rumored to offer watchOS-style UI and MagSafe
MacBook Neo proves Apple can build a $599 laptop without cheapeninqg the Mac
2022 Apple Studio Display vs 2026 Apple Studio Display: A lackluster upgrade
MacBook Neo vs M1 MacBook Air: you decide - M4 lite or M1 plus
MacBook Neo is just the latest in Apple's 35 years of trying to make a budget portable
This is what case-makers think the iPhone Fold will look like
'X-Plane 12' flight simulator to take advantage of Nvidia CloudXR 6 in visionOS 26.4
Apple Vision Pro user learns the hard way that flight attendants have the final say
Support the show:
Support the show on Patreon or Apple Podcasts to get ad-free episodes every week, access to our private Discord channel, and early release of the show! We would also appreciate a 5-star rating and review in Apple Podcasts
More AppleInsider podcasts
Tune in to our HomeKit Insider podcast covering the latest news, products, apps and everything HomeKit related. Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Overcast, or just search for HomeKit Insider wherever you get your podcasts.
Subscribe and listen to our AppleInsider Daily podcast for the latest Apple news Monday through Friday. You can find it on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.
Those interested in sponsoring the show can reach out to us at: [email protected]

(00:00) - Intro

(01:06) - David Pogue

(46:17) - F1: not the movie

(54:12) - HomeHub

(01:00:49) - MacBook Neo

(01:08:48) - iPhone 17e

(01:12:28) - Studio Display

(01:14:16) - iPhone Fold

(01:20:08) - X-Plane 12

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Apple released a slew of new devices this week, including the stellar MacBook Neo and iPhone 17e, plus the very good Studio Display XDR, all on the AppleInsider Podcast.
Contact your hosts:
@williamgallagher_ on Threads
@WGallagher on Twitter
William's 58keys on YouTube
William Gallagher on email
@hillithreads on Threads
@Hillitech on Twitter
Wes on Bluesky
Wes Hilliard on email
Sponsored by:
NordStellar: get 10% off at nordstellar.com/appleinsider by using the coupon code nordappleinsider-10-NORDSTELLAR
Claude by Anthropic: Check out Claude and Claude Pro at Claude.ai/appleinsider
Links from the Show:
Apple itself has leaked a 'MacBook Neo'
Studio Display Pro rumors resurface after code references suggest a premium model
iPhone 17e arrives with A19 chip upgrade and MagSafe charging
There's not much in the new M4 iPad Air update other than speed
Performance anxiety: iPad Air M4 chip is binned, has only three performance cores
MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max arrive, with few surprises
How M5 Pro and M5 Max push MacBook Pro into high-bandwidth AI era
New M5 MacBook Air gets double the storage, Wi-Fi 7, and a higher price
New Studio Display XDR immediately outshines the updated Studio Display
MacBook Neo is Apple's new $599 entry-level notebook
MacBook Neo has compromises, but not all of them will matter to you
MacBook Neo name chosen to reflect its 'fun, friendly, and fresh' look
MacBook Neo vs M5 MacBook Air: Budget notebooks compared
MacBook Neo is (probably) not for you, that doesn't make it a failure
Support the show:
Support the show on Patreon or Apple Podcasts to get ad-free episodes every week, access to our private Discord channel, and early release of the show! We would also appreciate a 5-star rating and review in Apple Podcasts
More AppleInsider podcasts
Tune in to our HomeKit Insider podcast covering the latest news, products, apps and everything HomeKit related. Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Overcast, or just search for HomeKit Insider wherever you get your podcasts.
Subscribe and listen to our AppleInsider Daily podcast for the latest Apple news Monday through Friday. You can find it on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.
Those interested in sponsoring the show can reach out to us at: [email protected]

(00:00) - Intro

(01:24) - Apple launches

(17:49) - iPad Air

(23:36) - MacBook Pro

(33:41) - Studio Displays

(50:39) - MacBook Neo

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Tim Cook has made us want to skip the weekend and get straight to the new launches Apple has for us starting on Monday. That might include a low-cost MacBook, but then further ahead there's a hint of a touch-screen MacBook Pro later this year, all on the AppleInsider Podcast.
Contact your hosts:
@williamgallagher_ on Threads
@WGallagher on Twitter
William's 58keys on YouTube
William Gallagher on email
@hillithreads on Threads
@Hillitech on Twitter
Wes on Bluesky
Wes Hilliard on email
Sponsored by:
Squarespace: Go to squarespace.com/APPLEINSIDER to save 10% off your first website or domain purchase with code APPLEINSIDER
NordStellar: get 10% off at nordstellar.com/appleinsider by using the coupon code nordappleinsider-10-NORDSTELLAR
Links from the Show:
How Apple will target consumers with budget MacBook, again
Inexpensive MacBook is the perfect way to get users deeper into the Apple ecosystem
Compromises for affordability ahead: Code leak spills details on new MacBook
Rising memory & battery costs complicate Apple's lower-cost MacBook
Touch-screen OLED MacBook Pro to get small Dynamic Island
Experience F1 tracks with 3D art in Apple Maps ahead of each race
Why Gen Z and young adults are embracing iPods again
Nerds are fighting to bring back gadgets even as iPhone wants them dead
If iPhone Fold is truly coming in 2026, expect big leaks very soon
Right on schedule, test production of iPhone 18 Pro fires up
iPhone Fold hinge crease will be about 1/4 the depth of the Galaxy Fold 7
Expect at least five announcements during Apple's March launch week
Apple has its problems, but still the only real choice for privacy
A leaked internal email shows Ring's plan targets more than pets
A FaceBook smart watch is okay, if you don't value privacy
This Meta smartglasses-detecting app is a great model for Apple Glass developers to follow
Support the show:
Support the show on Patreon or Apple Podcasts to get ad-free episodes every week, access to our private Discord channel, and early release of the show! We would also appreciate a 5-star rating and review in Apple Podcasts
More AppleInsider podcasts
Tune in to our HomeKit Insider podcast covering the latest news, products, apps and everything HomeKit related. Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Overcast, or just search for HomeKit Insider wherever you get your podcasts.
Subscribe and listen to our AppleInsider Daily podcast for the latest Apple news Monday through Friday. You can find it on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.
Those interested in sponsoring the show can reach out to us at: [email protected]

(00:00) - Intro

(01:18) - March launches

(36:13) - Low-cost MacBook

(40:37) - Touch-screen MacBook Pro

(52:47) - Privacy

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

It's been a week of finding out just how much there is in the new iOS 26.4 beta, for learning about Apple's video podcast plans, and also for so many rumors of a new low-cost MacBook coming at a March unveiling, all on the AppleInsider Podcast.
Contact your hosts:
@williamgallagher_ on Threads
@WGallagher on Twitter
William's 58keys on YouTube
William Gallagher on email
Wes on Bluesky
Wes Hilliard on email
Wes's blog Hillitech
Sponsored by:
Tempo: Get 60% off your first box of fresh, chef-crafted meals at tempomeals.com/appleinsider
NordStellar: Unlock your 10% discount at nordstellar.com/appleinsider with the coupon code nordappleinsider-10-NORDSTELLAR
Claude by Anthropic: Check out Claude and Claude Pro at Claude.ai/appleinsider
Links from the Show:
Apple is having an event on March 4, maybe for iPhone 17e & M5 MacBook Pro
March madness: What Apple is getting ready to launch
March 4 international Apple Experiences may follow week of online launches
Out of the park: The March 4 event may not be all that special
Siri pendant & AirPods with cameras getting renewed focus
Apple eyes 2027 for AI smart glasses built around context, not screens
Colorful MacBook & iPhone 17e launching as soon as March
Apple's Playgrounds approach to AI is a sign of its larger strategy
Apple Music Playlist Playground among first new AI features in iOS 26.4
Apple's upgraded Siri is late but not lost — the real story is timing
iOS 26.4 has iPhone Stolen Device Protection on by default
Siri & Apple Intelligence upgrades still coming in 2026 in spite of rumors
Video won't kill the Apple Podcasts star, but will make them more engaging
A code snippet in iOS 26.4 shows Apple TV is coming to CarPlay
AI agents are coming to CarPlay, but they're not getting the keys
Support the show:
Support the show on Patreon or Apple Podcasts to get ad-free episodes every week, access to our private Discord channel, and early release of the show! We would also appreciate a 5-star rating and review in Apple Podcasts
More AppleInsider podcasts
Tune in to our HomeKit Insider podcast covering the latest news, products, apps and everything HomeKit related. Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Overcast, or just search for HomeKit Insider wherever you get your podcasts.
Subscribe and listen to our AppleInsider Daily podcast for the latest Apple news Monday through Friday. You can find it on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.
Those interested in sponsoring the show can reach out to us at: [email protected]

(00:00) - Intro

(02:12) - March 4 experience

(10:42) - MacBook

(20:49) - AI smart glasses

(36:26) - Siri Pendant

(43:30) - iOS 26.4

(56:42) - Video podcasts

(59:40) - CarPlay video

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★