October 2025

iOS & Apple news

Find My iPhone enabled police to catch gang smuggling 40,000 phones to China. `Police say they have dismantled an international gang suspected of smuggling up to 40,000 stolen mobile phones from the UK to China in the past year,' reports the BBC.

Apple mocks PC's and the Blue Screen of Death in a new ad:

iOS 26

iOS 26 Overview. This is a very comprehensive overview.

iOS 26 overview and review, by Dan Moren. It's extensive and worth reading. He concludes: `Overall, iOS 26’s quality of life improvements are what are likely to resonate the most, and there’s something here for most of us. Who wants to be stuck on hold, or get spam calls and messages, after all? How about the ability to talk with people in different languages, or remember that place you went to six months ago? Who isn’t glad to have the ability to record a podcast on their phone? (Is that just me? It might be just me.)'

26 Hidden iOS 26 Tricks to Change How You Use Your iPhone, by Macrumors.

18 Things You Didn’t Know Your iPhone Could Do, writes the NYTimes.

Joanna Stern reviews iOS 26:

Liquid Glass is part of the new look. How do you feel about it? Opinions vary. This article gives suggestions for some useful adjustments: I HATED iOS 26 Liquid Glass on iPhone, But Now I Like It and Tips to improve legibility.

We finally have anti-Robocall Tools that Work, writes the NY Times.

Here is an in-depth look at iOS26 by 9to5Mac (it's chapterized):

Everything new in iOS 26.1 beta 2, including a smart change for how to dismiss alarms.

new iPhones

Arstechnica reviewed the new iPhone Air in a thorough review. `Apple’s iPhone Air is a bunch of small changes that add up to something big.' They conclude: `Like that original MacBook Air, the iPhone Air clearly leaves room for improvement. But also like the MacBook Air, I wouldn't be totally surprised to see the iPhone Air become the template for what a "normal" iPhone looks like a few years down the road. And who knows what Apple could decide to build on the Air's slim foundation: maybe two of them, joined in the middle by a hinge?'

Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max review: The mighty workhorse we needed, writes Mashable. They conclude: `The 17 Pro Max is the best iPhone, period. It has a large, beautiful display, excellent cameras, and long battery life. If you can afford it, buy it. The only potential drawbacks worth considering are the size and the weight. It’s a big, heavy phone, and if you slap on a case (which, again, you probably should), it’s going to be even heavier. The iPhone 17 Pro has almost exactly the same specs, but it’s smaller and lighter, making it a better fit for some people. As for the iPhone Air, it’s the slimmest, nicest-looking, sexiest phone in the new lineup, but its camera system is leagues behind the one on the Pro models.'

Photographer Austin Mann reviews the new camera capabilities of the iPhone 17 Pro: BUONGIORNO FROM THE DOLOMITE MOUNTAINS! He concludes with advice for photographers, and includes this in his summary: `The standout upgrade in this year’s iPhone Pro is clearly the 4x 48MP camera—along with the new 8x telephoto. Each year, Apple reduces the need for extra hardware—this time, cutting down on the need for external telephoto lenses. At the end of the day, what matters most is using whatever tools we have to fully express our artistic vision and with the iPhone 17 Pro, you’re equipped to pursue just about any vision to the fullest.'

An overview and a review of the iPhone Air.

Joanna Stern tweeted:

AirPod 3 pro

Marques Brownlee reviewed the new airPods 3 pro. He gives them very high marks, including saying that `these don't really have any weaknesses if you are an iPhone user, well played Apple, well played.':

Olga reported getting these Airpods pro 3 and loves them. There are many improvements over the previous generation which she already found to be excellent. The battery life being 8 hours is a significant jump from 6 hours. Additionally, you can leave them out of their charging case and they will not drain down to zero. The sound is excellent, with bass improved. The noise cancellation has improved. And the ear fit is more secure with the new hidden foam under the part that fits in your ear. Olga considers these one of the best products made by Apple.

CarPlay and AirPods work better than ever together in iOS 26, reports 9to5mac.

iOS apps

BePresent is an app to help you manage your digital addiction to any aspect of your iPhone or iPad. Maye its social media, maybe it's games, maybe it's overall screen time. Whatever it is, you can customize it. It gives you many more controls than iOS.

tips & tricks

Recall that on the iPhone, if you use the calculator in landscape mode you can enable scientific mode. But with iOS 26, you can select the mode you want even in portrait mode.

The Hack I’m Using to Clear Out My Camera Roll at Last, writes the NYTimes. The hack is very simple and clever every day, do a search in your Photo app for all photos that match today's date. Review the results and delete the ones you don't need. This spreads the reviews to a limited set so it's not overwhelming. Over time, you will have reviewed all your photos. (In fact, you might feel inspired to do a few extra days at a time, speeding things up, but this method does not ask for too much at any time.)

gadgets & accessories

Recall that Apple suggests using Micellar water when cleaning yoru Airpods. There are many brands you can use. One example is this: Micellar water which comes in a small bottle and is under $6.

Roger told us about the slim card he uses like an AirTag.

MAGNETIC POWER BANK, by Ridge, offers fast magnetic charging for iPhones, Apple Watches, and USB-C. `The Ridge Magnetic Power Bank bridges old and new, delivering 5-in-1 power solutions through integrated cables and magnetic attachment. No more tangled cords or compatibility issues. Just 10,000mAh of intelligent power that works with your latest MagSafe devices (like your iPhone and your Apple Watch) while maintaining backwards compatibility through built-in Lightning and USB-C connections.'

For Amazon Prime users, amazon days are here. All Of The Best Fall Prime Day Apple Deals: Airpods, Ipad, Macbook Air, Mac Mini, Accessories, More, by 9to5Mac.

The 10 Best Apple Deals Under $100 for Prime Day, by Macrumors.

watch

The next Apple Watch activity challenge is all about looking inward, reports 9to5mac.

26 new features to try on the latest watchOS 26, by Macrumors.

AI

A.I. Isn’t Magic. Lots of People Are Acting Like It Is writes book author Cody Delistraty in his opinion piece for the NY Times.

ChatGPT can now interact with multiple apps, including Spotify, Canva, and Figma, here is how.

next iPUG

Our next iPUG meeting will be on Tuesday, Nov 4, at 7 pm AZ time.