Apple’s new Liquid Glass design language aims to give greater focus to content over controls, but at what cost to the tools we use to create that content? Here’s why that tradeoff matters.
Adam Engst finds that, despite similar specs on paper, macro photos from last year’s iPhone 16 Pro edge out those from the new iPhone 17—but the difference is sufficiently subtle that it might not matter to most people.
Nick Heer offers a detailed critique of Liquid Glass, Apple’s controversial new translucent interface design in iOS 26 and macOS 26 Tahoe, finding it more successful in iOS but still problematic across both platforms.
Apple has rolled out a series of updates across its operating systems to fix initial bugs, including installation issues on the M3 Ultra Mac Studio, iPhone networking and photo problems, and audio sync issues in tvOS. Many of the updates also address a FontParser security vulnerability.
After analyzing macOS release patterns over the past two years, Howard Oakley provides a calendar showing when we can expect macOS 26 Tahoe updates throughout the upcoming year.
Adam Engst investigates whether his choice to downgrade from a triple-camera iPhone 16 Pro to a dual-camera iPhone 17 was justified by analyzing a year’s worth of photos using EXIF metadata.
Apple issued a statement arguing that the EU’s Digital Markets Act harms user experience and safety, but the core issue may be competing mandates: a democratic regulator representing all EU residents versus a platform owner advocating for its users. As Big Tech’s power grows, expect more of these clashes—with no clear heroes.
macOS 26 Tahoe marks the end of an era as Apple removes support for FireWire, the high-speed connection technology that preceded today’s USB and Thunderbolt standards. Those who still rely on legacy FireWire devices through adapters will need to delay upgrades and make alternative plans.
The title says it all—if you have a Mac Studio powered by an M3 Ultra chip, you cannot upgrade to macOS 26 Tahoe at this time. macOS 15.7 Sequoia will install, or you can wait until Apple resolves the issue.
In macOS 26 Tahoe, Apple automatically enables FileVault during setup when users sign in with an Apple Account, and it changes how Recovery Keys are stored to protect against government overreach. You can turn FileVault off, but we recommend using it.
If you haven’t yet upgraded to OS 26 (and most people shouldn’t), you should instead install the other security updates that Apple released for older operating systems. Apple even fixed a zero-day exploit that could still impact iOS and iPadOS 15 and 16.
Apple has released the first versions of its 2026 operating systems—macOS 26 Tahoe, iOS 26, iPadOS 26, watchOS 26, visionOS 26, tvOS 26, and HomePod Software 26. You might want to upgrade right away, but Adam Engst advises most people to wait at least a little while. Or even longer for macOS.
Apple’s new Memory Integrity Enforcement feature, available only on iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air, represents a significant advancement in preventing memory-based security exploits used by mercenary spyware.
Apple has quietly extended free satellite features for iPhone 14 and 15 users for another year, suggesting that the company continues to view satellite connectivity as an ecosystem enhancement rather than a revenue source.
While Apple’s iPhone Air announcement focused on its svelte design, several significant details flew under the radar. Adam Engst looks into the features and compromises that weren’t center stage during the announcement.