Last year, when Apple previewed the AI tools that it was bringing to the iPhone and other platforms—which it called Apple Intelligence—one of the coolest featured announced by Apple was the ability to help you based on information on your device, including things in your emails, text messages, and even things displayed on your screen. For example, Apple said that you would be able to tell Siri to send an email or take something from your photo album and move it into a Note. Perhaps the coolest example is that Apple said you could ask Siri something like: “Siri, what’s the name of the guy I had a meeting with a couple of months ago at Cafe Grenel?” and it would answer you correctly because it knows what is on your calendar. In fact, Apple thought that last one was so cool that it hired actress Bella Ramsey—one of the stars of the HBO show The Last of Us and the actress who played Lyanna Mormont in Game of Thrones—to record a TV commercial. I linked to that commercial on September 13, 2024, and noted that I would love if it actually worked this easily. Well, it turns out that my skepticism was justified. Last Friday afternoon—the perfect time for a company to announce bad news that it hopes gets lost in the end-of-the-week news cycle—Apple issued a statement to a few people such as John Gruber of Daring Fireball that Apple would delay the ‘More Personalized Siri’ Apple Intelligence features until “the coming year,” whenever is. Gruber wrote a follow-up piece this week that is critical of Apple for not only announcing but also advertising a feature that was vaporware. Why the delay? Apple isn’t saying, but Federico Viticci of MacStories notes that it could be because of security concerns, and that explanation makes sense to me. Will Apple eventually be able to do what it promised? Perhaps, but there could be some long-term repercussions. Apple previously had a good reputation for not announcing products until they were close to being ready to ship. In light of this situation, how much can we trust Apple in the future when it announces a new feature but is cagey about showing it off? Now to be fair, we’ve all probably been in a situation in which we over-promised because we misjudged how long it would take to do something or we misjudged whether it was possible to do it at all. Apple can regain our trust by being more circummspect in the future about what it promises. And hopefully, that is exactly what Apple will do. And now, the news of note from the past week:

• This has nothing to do with the iPhone, but I was proud to see that TimeOut magazine named New Orleans the best city in the world right now for food based on a survey of over 18,000 people. The number of amazing restaurants in this city is truly astonishing, whether it is a high-end (but very affordable compared to other cities) meal at a restaurant like Commander’s Palace in the Garden District or a delicious banh mi sandwich from the Vietnamese bakery Dong Phuong in New Orleans East, it’s no wonder that Homer Simpson found a thousand little things to love about this city. Kudos to all of the amazing chefs in the Crescent City whose talents earned this designation.
• The brand new iPad Air M3—a perfect device for attorneys and other professionals—is already discounted 7% on Amazon, selling for $559.
• Adrian Kingsley-Hughes of ZDNet reports that iOS 18.3.2, released this week, is an important update because it patches a serious security flaw in Safari that was already being exploited by hackers.
• Jason Snell of Six Colors recommends the iPhone app Mercury Weather because of its ability to give you a forecast for different cities that you will be visiting in the future.
• Ryan Christoffel explains how the Notes app on the iPhone can now record audio and create a transcript for you and even a summary of that transcript.
• Similarly, Tony Phillips of How To Geek explains how you can use the Microsoft Word app to transcribe speech.
• John Voorhees of MacStories tested the new iPhone 16e for 10 days and concludes that it is “an iPhone stripped to its core in a (mostly) uncompromising way that may not excite gadget nerds but exudes a quiet elegance for half the price of a flagship Pro Max” and is a particularly good camera for taking simple but great pictures.
• Fernando Silva of 9to5Mac describes 10 Apple Watch features that he uses every day.
• I’m not a fan of heavy metal, but I just watched a heavy metal concert, and it was one of the most amazing concerts that I’ve ever seen. The band Metallica announced this week that it is featured in a new immersive video from Apple for the Apple Vision Pro, and the video was released today. The video was recorded in Mexico City, the band’s final stop of its 2024 tour, and Apple had numerous 3D cameras there. At times, you feel like you have a front-row ticket that you could never afford. At times, you feel like you have a ticket that doesn’t even exist—one that lets you stand next to the band members on stage as they perform. Other shots are from overhead cameras. Other shots provide close-ups of the crowds who are loving the concert. It is all very well done and incredibly immersive. The band performs three songs in this 25-minute show. Two of them are new to me (Whiplash and One) but they finish up with a song that almost everyone knows, Enter Sandman, and it is fantastic. Considering how much I enjoyed this concert video for a band that is almost totally outside of my zone of interest, I cannot wait to see something similar for a band that I love. If you are a fan of Metallica, you might want to buy an Apple Vision Pro just to watch this immersive video.
• If you want to try out an Apple Vision Pro, you can go to your local Apple Store or you can go to Lowe’s. Lowe’s? Yes, Lowe’s.
• Next month, Apple will release iOS 18.4. Ryan Christoffel of 9to5Mac describes the changes coming to the TV app on the iPhone.
• Christoffel also discusses some of the shows coming to Apple TV+ that could be really good: Dope Thief, The Studio (which is getting some amazing early praise), Your Friends & Neighbors starring Jon Hamm, Murderbot starring Alexander Skarsgård, and Stick starring Owen Wilson.
• And finally, I’m a big fan of the show Severance on Apple TV+, and I can’t wait to watch the penultimate episode of Season 2 tonight. At the recent SXSW 2025 conference, Ben Stiller (director and executive producer of the show) talked to Apple VP Eddie Cue to talk about Severance, Apple TV+, and more. It’s a great conversation that I enjoyed watching, and I hope that you do too:

There are two new iPads to choose from, and we begin this week’s episode of the podcast discussing who should consider each of the new models. We also discuss improvements in the iPhone 16e, new features to protect children, new emoji coming next month, location-based passwords in 1Password, hockey, ABA TECHSHOW, Severance, The Gorge, and much more.

In our In the Know segment, Brett and I share tips for getting the most out of the 1Password app.

Click here to listen to the audio podcast, or just listen using your podcast player of choice. You can also watch the episode on YouTube:

Password manager apps have been around for a long time. I’ve been using 1Password since late 2012. Thus, I suspect that it is difficult to come up with new features for password manager apps that haven’t been thought of already, other than working with emerging technologies such as passkeys. Nevertheless, the latest update to 1Password managed to come up with a new feature that I think is quite clever and useful. As Julie Clover of MacRumors explains, the app now supports location-based passwords. Select a username/password and assign a location where you frequently use that password. When you are at that location—such as your work, your home, a coffee shop, etc.—passwords associated with that location will appear in the Nearby section of the Home screen. This is a nice new feature that makes it faster to get to the password you want without having to take the time to search for it. It’s nice to see that you can teach an old dog new tricks. And now, the other news of note from the past week:

• If you are thinking of upgrading from an iPhone SE (3rd generation) to the new iPhone 16e, I suspect that you already know about the major changes: a larger device with a bigger screen, Face ID, Action button, faster processor, Apple Intelligence, much better camera, and USB-C instead of Lightning. But there are some smaller but still notable differences as well, and Michael Burkhardt of 9to5Mac discusses them in this article.
• When iOS 18.4 is released next month, it will include new emoji. Jovana Naumovski of Gadget Hacks shows off the new characters, which include Face with Bags Under Eyes and Fingerprint.
• I normally don’t use beta software on my devices like my iPhone and iPad because I depend upon them to get work done. I don’t want to worry about the bugs associated with software that is still being worked on. But I have installed beta software in the past on my Apple Vision Pro because everything about that device is already sort of a beta for the future of technology. Thus, I installed visionOS 2.4 beta 2 on my Apple Vision Pro a few days ago. As Ryan Christoffel of 9to5Mac explains, this beta includes Apple’s new Spatial Gallery app, an app that includes notable spatial photos, videos, and panoramic pictures. For now, there is only a small amount of content, but it is interesting, and it demonstrates that 3D content can be compelling even if it isn’t immersive spatial video that feels up your entire field of view and then some.
• If you want a portable battery that is powerful enough to run a refrigerator but is portable enough for off-grid trips, Brian Patterson of Apple Insider reviews the Jackery 2000 Explorer. It is not cheap ($1,499 on Amazon) but for many uses it will provide all of the power that that you could need. If you want something less powerful but far cheaper, the Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 300 is currently on sale on Amazon for an all-time low price of $169.
• I stopped using Twitter/X for obvious reasons and switched to Mastodon, and the primary reason that I enjoy using it is that the Ivory app from Tapbots is such an excellent client app. Stephen Hackett of 512 Pixels reports that Tapbots is working on a similar client app for Bluesky that will be called Phoenix. I don’t use Bluesky right now, but with an excellent app, maybe I will start doing so.
• John Gruber of Daring Fireball explains some of the changes coming to how Apple handles child accounts.
• Greg Wyshynski of ESPN explains how NHL referees are using Apple Watches to receive real-time, in-game notifications.
• In this video clip from an interview of Ben Stiller on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Stiller explains that he offered a role in Severance to former President Barack Obama.
• Ed Hardy of Cult of Mac says that the Apple TV+ movie The Gorge is a perfect date-night film because it includes both action and romance. I watched it recently, and I thought it was great fun. I recommend it.
• And finally, I understand that it can be difficult to explain what makes the iPhone 16e special other than saying that it is a modern but less expensive iPhone. But this new ad from Apple doesn’t really clear up anything for me. This one is just bizarre:

Less than a year ago, Apple introduced the high-end iPad Pro (M4) and the mid-range iPad Air (M2). They are both fantastic iPads. For most lawyers, the iPad Air gave them everything that they could want. For users who wanted a premium model that looked a little better and could do a little more, the iPad Pro was a nice upgrade. Yesterday, Apple narrowed the gap between those devices by replacing the iPad Air (M2) with the new iPad Air (M3). The name tells you what is different: the new model has a faster processor, so it is everything that you loved about last year’s iPad Air with a speed bump. This is a very capable device that will be perfect for most lawyers. Apple also updated its low-end iPad; more on that below.

The iPad Air (M3)

I love the iPad Air because it includes so many features that used to only be available in the high-end iPad Pro. I’m talking about features like thin bezels, flat sides, USB-C, a very nice screen, support for the Apple Pencil Pro, and an option to get a large 13-inch size. I love that larger size because I do so much reading on my iPad: pleadings, contracts, legal opinions, websites, etc. But if your eyesight is better than mine and you prefer the more traditional, lighter, and easier-to-carry 11-inch size, that is also available for the iPad Air.

If you were trying to decide between last year’s iPad Air (M2) and the iPad Pro (M4), you had to decide if it was worth the extra $400 for a nicer and brighter OLED screen, Face ID instead of Touch ID, four built-in speakers instead of two, and the speed of an M4 processor versus an M2. There were some other minor differences, such as the ability to pay more for a reduced glare non-texture display on the iPad Pro, but those were the main differences. For most attorneys, the iPad Air was the better choice, whereas the iPad Pro was better for attorneys who didn’t mind spending more for the top-of-the-line model with all of the best features.

This year, with the iPad Air (M3), the decision is essentially the same except for the speed. The M3 is about 15% to 20% faster than the M2, depending upon what tasks you are doing. The M4 is almost 25% faster than the M3. So by getting an M3 instead of an M2, you are closing that speed gap. That’s nice. To be fair, for many tasks that a lawyer is likely to do with an iPad, even the speed difference between the M2 and M4 was barely noticeable. But even so, it is nice to have a more responsive M3.

Thus, the elevator pitch for the new iPad Air (M3) is: it’s everything that you loved about last year’s mid-level iPad, but now it is a little faster for the same price.

The iPad Air (M3) starts at $549 for the 11-inch model and $749 for the 13-inch model. Those are both the 128GB versions. It is an extra $100 to go up to 256GB, an extra $300 to go up to 512GB, and an extra $450 to go up to 1TB. I think that 128GB is enough space for many lawyers, but if you want to store a large number of documents, photos, or videos, then going up to 256GB is a nice upgrade for only $100 extra, especially if you plan to use this iPad for many years to come.

Magic Keyboard for iPad Air

Apple sold a version of its Magic Keyboard for the iPad Air (M2), and yesterday, Apple introduced a new version that works with the iPad Air (M3). The new version adds a row of function keys at the top and a larger trackpad. But unlike the version of the Magic Keyboard that you can get with the iPad Pro, this version lacks haptics in the trackpad, lacks baclklit keys, and lacks an aluminum top, instead using one covered with silicone.

iPad (A16)

The other new iPad that Apple introduced yesterday is the iPad (A16).

Apple introduced the original iPad in 2010. Successive generations were called the iPad 2, iPad 3, and in 2012, Apple released the iPad 4. Then Apple turned its attention to the iPad Air in 2013 and 2014 and introduced models of the iPad Pro in 2015 and 2016. In 2017, Apple introduced the iPad (5th generation) as the new entry-level iPad, and Apple released new models of that low-end iPad up through the iPad (10th generation) in 2022.

I thought that the next version of the entry-level iPad would be called the iPad (11th generation), but instead, Apple is calling the new model it released yesterday the iPad (A16)—consistent with Apple’s modern naming convention of using a general product name along with an indication of what kind of Apple processor it uses.

The new iPad (A16) is the same size as the iPad (11th generation), but Apple used to call that size 10.9-inch and now Apple is rounding up and calling it the 11-inch size.

As the name tells you, the new model includes the A16 chip, which is a step up from the A14 of the iPad (11th generation). The A16 chip was first used in the iPhone 14 released in 2022, so it is certainly not the latest and greatest, and it is not even powerful enough to support Apple Intelligence. But people purchasing an entry-level iPad are looking for something good but relatively inexpensive; nobody expects to see the fastest processors. The other big improvement over the iPad (11th generation) is that it starts with 128GB instead of 64GB.

In the past, I have urged most lawyers to get an iPad Air and not the entry-level iPad. That remains true today. The iPad (A16) starts at $349 for the 128GB model, whereas the iPad Air 11-inch starts at $599 for the 128GB model. But the extra $250 gets you a device that is better and faster today and is more future-proof, an important feature in an iPad considering that most people continue to use them for many, many years before upgrading. For example, the M3 processor is faster than the A16, and it supports Apple Intelligence—which I think it going to become a bigger deal in the coming years. The iPad Air also has a better, more vibrant screen. The iPad Air also supports the Apple Pencil Pro. (The best version of the Apple Pencil for the iPad (A16) is the Apple Pencil (USB-C).) And the iPad Air supports the Magic Keyboard for iPad Air, a superior keyboard to the Magic Keyboard Folio supported by the iPad (A16).

Having said that, the new iPad (A16) is not just the iPad for your kids. If you want to use an iPad to get work done but have only simple needs and want to spend as little as possible, the iPad (A16) is a good device for 2025. But it is going to start showing its age even more every year.

Conclusion

Even though these two new models are essentially just speed bumps, not major new versions, there is nothing wrong with a speed bump. Who doesn’t like the idea of getting more without paying more? And while the iPad (A16) is a nice entry-level model for anyone with simple needs, the iPad Air (M3) is the sweet spot for most lawyers and other professionals who want to get work done with an iPad but also have a fantastic device for surfing the web, personal email, watching movies, etc.

Happy Mardi Gras from New Orleans! It will be an unusual Mardi Gras Day today because of the weather. As reported not only in our local news but even in the New York Times, the National Weather Service warned that strong winds today could bring gusts of up to 60 miles per hour. You don’t want to be standing next to a tall float with winds that high! As a result, the parade schedule in New Orleans for today has been trimmed back substantially. The parades will start earlier to try to beat the bad weather, the routes will be much shorter, the parades themselves will be shorter with no bands between the floats, and the late morning/afternoon parades are being rescheduled for this Sunday. At least we will have some parades today; all of the parades in neighboring Jefferson Parish are cancelled/postponed. As a result, today will be a Mardi Gras Day for the history books along with other notable ones including:

• February 24, 1857: First Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans, the Krewe of Comus
• 1862-1865: Parades cancelled due to the Civil War
• February 25, 1879: Most parades cancelled due to yellow fever epidemic
• February 14, 1899: Three inches of snow
• February 20, 1917: Three-way tie for warmest Mardi Gras with high of 83º
• 1918-1919: Mardi Gras cancelled due to World War I
• March 1, 1927: Wettest Mardi Gras with over two inches of rain
• February 9, 1932: Three-way tie for warmest Mardi Gras with high of 83º
• 1942-1945: Mardi Gras cancelled due to World War II
• February 27, 1979: New Orleans parades cancelled due to police strike.
• February 16, 2021: Coldest Mardi Gras with high of 33º + cancelled due to COVID-19
• February 21, 2023: Three-way tie for warmest Mardi Gras with high of 83º

Notwithstanding the changes for today, the biggest part of Mardi Gras season—the days leading up to Fat Tuesday—have been fantastic this year. The weather was amazing this past weekend, and I had so much fun spending time with lots of family and friends.

During the Iris parade this past Saturday, a crew member threw me a pair of beads with an iPhone on it. Of course, I have no idea who it was because riders have to wear masks, but I assume it was an iPhone J.D. reader who knew what I would love to catch:

Apple recently stopped selling any iPhone model with a home button, but that iconic design will live on in Mardi Gras beads and elsewhere.

Speaking of cool beads, I have to give credit to the marketing folks at my law firm. For the last few years, they have created beads to use at various firm events this time of year, and they are fantastic. Here are some recent ones:

Whatever you are doing today, I hope that at least a little bit of Mardi Gras spirit makes its way to you.

It’s Mardi Gras time in New Orleans! I had a great time watching parades with family and friends last night, and I look forward to doing it again on Saturday for reasons that I explain at the beginning of this week’s episode of the In the News podcast. Next, we talk about reviews of the iPhone 16e by people who have been using the device for a little while, the latest updates in the UK-Apple Advanced Data Protection saga, Photoshop on the iPhone, Apple News+ Food, the Apple Vision Pro, Steve Jobs, and more.

In our Where Y’at? Segment, we discuss the Apple Watch and AirTags.

In our In the Show Segment, we discuss Mr. Milchick.

In our In the Know segment, Brett shares a tip for reducing motion sickness in your car and I explain why you should use a Live Photo on your iPhone Lock Screen.

Click here to listen to the audio podcast, or just listen using your podcast player of choice. You can also watch the episode on YouTube:

Apple is well known for providing equal access to opportunities and resources for people who might otherwise be marginalized. That means devoting time and resources to accessibility features for speech, vision, hearing, mobility, and cognitive disabilities, often resulting in features that are beneficial for everyone—such as iPhone and iPad features that I use regularly. And it also means creating a culture of inclusion and encouraging diversity in its hiring not only because it is the right and just thing to do but also because when your products are created by people with different viewpoints and backgrounds you are more likely to come up the next great idea. Unfortunately, it has always been true and remains true today that there are some people, including people in power, who oppose this. Michael Liedtke of the AP reports that during the Apple shareholders meeting that took place this week, a conservative organization opposed to diversity efforts submitted a shareholder proposal for Apple to abolish its diversity and inclusion programs. Apple opposed that proposal, and it was rejected by 97% of Apple shareholders. Reuters reports Apple’s CEO Tim Cook said at the meeting that Apple’s “strength has always come from hiring the very best people and then providing a culture of collaboration, one where people with diverse backgrounds and perspectives come together to innovate.” Apple is not alone; Miranda Jeyaretnam of Time magazine wrote this week that other companies suporting DEI efforts notwithstanding the latest wave of opposition include Microsoft, Delta Airlines, and JPMorgan Chase. But Jeyaretnam also notes that some are giving in to the pressure such as Google, Amazon, and Meta. Students of history know that doing what is right is not always what is easy, so I’m glad to see that Apple is sticking to its convictions on these issues. And now, the other news of note from the past week:

• The new iPhone 16e goes on sale today, and we now have reviews from a few folks who got pre-release units from Apple. Cherlynn Low of Engadget says that while it is nice to get an iPhone that starts at $599 instead of $799, the shortcomings in the camera and the lack of MagSafe are big omissions, and the iPhone 16 at $799"is a better buy for most people.”
• Allison Johnson of The Verge had a similar reaction: “I’d rather have a cool magnetic accessory system and a neat quick-glance display feature built into my phone than Apple Intelligence, especially for $600. It doesn’t quite add up for me, but maybe the math looks a little different for you.”
• Nicole Nguyen of the Wall Street Journal says that the iPhone 16e is “a decent choice for anyone who just wants the basics” and “who give priority to price of specs,” but also notes that for those folks, an older model being sold at a discount might be “the best bang for your buck.”
• Patrick Holland of CNet says that when you look at what Apple included and what Apple omitted from the iPhone 16e, it is “a weird value proposition. It’s new, but it’s old. It’s affordable, but not cheap.” But he ultimately concludes that “it’s a good phone and will be a solid upgrade from older iPhone models.”
• The most in-depth review of the iPhone 16e that I read was the review by John Gruber of Daring Fireball. He discusses all of the omissions to make this product less expensive but notes that the target market of the iPhone 16e is not the people who read his website but instead their friends and family members who just want a decent phone. I agree with that 100%.
• The one new feature in the iPhone 16e is the Apple-designed celluar modem called the C1. In an article for Six Colors and Macworld, Jason Snell says that while the C1 itself is nothing special, it shows that Apple eventually plans to beat Qualcomm at its own game.
• David Sparks of MacSparky offers a similar take in his post Why the C1 Chip Matters More Than You Think.
• William Gallagher of AppleInsider discusses one of the first tests of the new Apple C1 modem, noting that Apple is correct to say that it is up to 25% more power efficient than previous modems.
• Apple announced this week that its relatively new Hearing Aid feature for the AirPods Pro 2 is now available in the United Kingdom.
• One feature no longer available in the UK is Advanced Data Protection, and John Gruber of Daring Fireball explains why: a reported demand by the UK government that it be allowed to access encrypted data of Apple customers.
• Those reports of what the UK demanded—the first one of which seems to be this February 7, 2025, article by Joseph Menn of the Washington Post—say that the UK was demanding not only access to encrypted data for customers in the UK but for customers everyone in the world. Zoe Kleinman of the BBC reported this week that Tulsi Gabbard, the new director of US National Intelligence, is saying that if these reports are true, then the UK’s demands are an “egregious violation” of privacy for U.S. citizens and might also violate agreements between the US and the UK.
• Two weeks ago, I noted that Apple introduced a way to migrate all of your purchases from one Apple Account to the other one so that you can just use a single account for everything. Zac Hall of 9to5Mac reports that there are tons of restrictions on who can use it and that he cannot get the tool to work for me. Although I have two Apple Accounts and I would love to have one, I’m planning to wait on the sidelines on this one for a long time. I’ve heard too many stories like this one.
• Adobe released Photoshop for the iPhone this week. It is a cool app with some useful features like quickly replacing the background of an image, adjusting the color and light in a specific part of an image, a tool to remove something from an image (the Clean Up feature in Apple Intelligence for the built-in Photos app can do something similar), the ability to add to an image with AI Generative Fill, and more. I started trying out the app last night, and it is very powerful but also fairly easy to use.
• Amazon unveiled the new Alexa+ this week, and Ryan Christoffel noted that it has some AI features that would be great on an Apple TV, such as the ability to jump to a specific scene of a movie and personalized movie and TV recommendations. I suspect that Apple is working on a next generation of the Apple TV to include features like this.
• Speaking of possible future Apple products, Christoffel notes in another article that the upcoming iOS 18.4 will include a new Food section in Apple News, and he wonders if the reason why is that providing recipes would be a perfect feature of a new HomePod-like product with a screen sold by Apple to use in a kitchen.
• Whether or not it is included on a possible future new home device from Apple, the upcoming Apple News+ Food section sounds pretty great. Juli Clover of MacRumors reports that it will include “tens of thousands of recipes, stories about restaurants, tips for healthy eating, kitchen essentials, and more” from “top food publishers such as Allrecipes, Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, Good Food, and Serious Eats.” When Apple first released News+ in 2019, I wasn’t sure how useful it would be, but I now find myself reading it just about every day. News+ does a good job of automatically surfacing articles of interest to me, and it is a great way to search for other articles from a wide range of sources on other topics. With the addition of a Food section, News+ will become an even better value.
• iOS 18.4 will also include new features for CarPlay. José Adorno of BGR reports that one new feature is the ability to display a third row of apps if you have a larger screen in your car, such as the 14-inch screen offered in a Toyota Tundra.
• There was lots of good news this week for users of the Apple Vision Pro. I reported a few days ago that visisionOS 2.4 will be released in April and will feature a new Spatial Gallery app. Additionally, Mike Fleming, Jr. of Deadline reports that Apple TV+ has a new documentary coming out on May 30 called Bono: Stories of Surrender. That film about the U2 singer and songwriter will have not only a regular version but also an immersive version designed for the Apple Vision Pro.
• Andrew Orr of AppleInsider reports that visionOS 2.4 will also make it substantially easier to let a guest use your Apple Vision Pro thanks to a new iPhone/iPad app.
• Zac Hall of 9to5Mac reports that an Apple Watch helped to save the life of a man in Texas when it notified him of an irregular heart rate and detected Afib.
• Off and on for a while now, you were able to purchase a four-pack of AirTags from Amazon for a record-low price of $69.99. Now the price is down to $67.99, a new record low (as shown on Camel Camel Camel). I suspect that Apple is clearing out inventory so that it can release a second-generation AirTag with new features, but the current AirTag is so useful that I wouldn’t discourage anyone from taking advantage of this sale if you have something that you want to be able to track.
• I enjoyed this interview by Sarah Bahr of the New York Times with actor Tramell Tillman, who plays Mr. Milchick on the Apple TV+ show Severance.
• And finally, Steve Jobs would have turned 70 years old this week, and the Steve Jobs Archive shared a Steve Jobs video clip from 2007 that is one of my personal favorites. By almost any measure, Tim Cook has done a fantastic job leading Apple since Steve Jobs passed away in 2011, but I was thinking of Steve Jobs when I watched the recent SNL50 show and found myself laughing at another Steve: Steve Martin. Between the opening monologue on that special and his hit show Only Murders in the Building, Steve Martin is doing some of his best work ever at age 79. If Apple could have had the benefit of another two decades or more of contributions by Steve Jobs, the results could have been something special for all of us. The video clip released by the Steve Jobs Archive is nice because you can see Steve Jobs speaking, but I prefer the slightly longer version that Apple played (audio only) at the beginning of its special event on September 12, 2017, which was the first presentation in the Steve Jobs Theater on Apple’s campus and was the occasion when Apple introduced the revolutionary iPhone X. I encourage you to hit play on the below video and listen to the first 90 seconds:

The very best spatial videos for the Apple Vision Pro are available in the Apple TV app. These are 180-degree 8K recordings captured with Spatial Audio. And they are stunning. Apple has released quite a bit of this content since the Apple Vision Pro first went on sale on February 2, 2024, but I haven’t found a good source that lists all of it in one place. So I made this list.

If you are new to the Apple Vision Pro and want to know what you should watch, or if you want a reminder of all of the immersive video content that has been released, here is an up-to-date list.

Last update: April 17, 2026.

Total videos on Apple TV (some not yet released): 46.

Adventure. Join pioneering athletes as they take on awe-inspiring challenges in some of the world’s most spectacular locations. Apple TV link. Episodes:

• Highlining. Step into thiin air with highliner Faith Dickey as she take on her biggest challenge yet—a daring traverse 3,000 feet above Norway’s breathtaking fjords. (2-2-2024)
• Parkour. Join the world’s leading parkour athletes on a gravity-defying trek across the streets and rooftops of Paris. (5-24-2024)
• Ice Dive. Plunge into the Arctic’s frigid waters as diver Ant Williams attempts to shatter the world record for swimming the longest distance under ice—on just one breath. (12-20-2024)
• Deep Water Solo. Scale the craggy seaside cliffs of Mallorca, Spain, with world-class climber Kai Lightner as he makes a risky free-solo ascent on Cova del Diablo. (2-28-2025)
• Hill Climb. Ride along with driver Laura Hayes for an exhilarating rally car race against the clock. Will she become the fastest woman to finish the notoriously tough Pikes Peak International Hill Climb? (4-25-2025)

Music. Apple has released stand-alone music content for the Apple Vision Pro since the very beginning. Individual titles released so far:

• Alicia Keys: Rehearsal Room. Get a rare glimpse into the GRAMMY winner’s creative process with this intimate rehearsal session featuring renditions of her hits “No One,” “If I Ain’t Got You,” and “You Don’t Know My Name.” (2-2-2024)
• The Weeknd: Open Hearts. Journey alongside The Weeknd as he weaves his way through a surreal, haunting cityscape in this electrifying sonic voyage. (11-14-2024)
• Metallica. Immersive concert filmed in Mexico City during the sold-out second-year finale of the band’s M72 World Tour. Features full performances of “Whiplash”, “One,” and “Enter Sandman.” (3-14-2025)
• Bono: Stories of Surrender. Through words, music, and mischief, Bono pulls back the curtain on his deeply personal experiences that have shaped him as a son, father, husband, activist, and U2 frontman. (5-30-2025)
• HYBE: Nearest Cortis. Hang out in the rehearsal room with the breakout K-Pop sensations for a personal, high-energy performance of their smash hit “GO!” (1-16-2026)
• Debut at the BBC Proms. Pianist Lukas Sternath makes his BBC Proms debut performing Edvard Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A minor with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and their Chief Conductor, Sakari Oramo. With this special experience—the first classical music concert available in Apple Immersive—viewers will enjoy the performance inches from the pianist’s hands, while being surrounded by the power of the orchestra in Spatial Audio, and enveloped by the historic architecture of one of the world’s most iconic music venues, the Royal Albert Hall. (3-27-2026)

Prehistoric Planet Immersive. Transport yourself into the daily lives of dinosaurs, and follow the struggles and triumphs of these majestic animals amid spectacular scenery. Apple TV link. Episodes:

• Pterosaur Beach. Along a rugged ocean coast, a pterosaur colony settles in for an afternoon nap—one that proves to be anything but restful. (2-2-2024)
• Triceratops Forest. Deep in the woods, a curious baby triceratops learns a valuable lesson about family bonds. (4-19-2024)

Wild Life. Get up close and personal with some of the most charismatic creatures on the planet—and uncover what makes them unique with the experts who know them best. Apple TV Link. Episodes:

• Rhinos. Explore the world’s largest sanctuary for these gentle giants—and meet the woman who dedicates her life to rescuing, raising, and rewilding them. (2-2-2024)
• Elephants. Join orphaned elephants as they find their footing at Kenya’s Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, forming a chosen family with each other, their caregivers, and wild elephants. (8-9-2024)
• Sharks. Suit up with a bold team of scuba divers in the Bahamas—and come nose-to-nose with one of the most misunderstood creatures in the ocean. (12-13-2024)
• Orangutans: Bond with young orangutans at an extraordinary rehab center in Borneo as they grow, play, and learn the ropes of jungle life. (8-8-2025)

Sports. Sports content is especially compelling in immersive video because you are so close to the action, sitting in seats that you could never afford. The following sports-related titles have been released by Apple so far:

• 2023 MLS Cup Highlights. Join MLS superstars on the pitch as Columbus make their heart-pounding push for the club’s third MLS crown. (3-28-2024)
• 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend. Take the court as gravity-defying icons and emerging stars ignite the NBA’s star-packed weekend. (10-18-2024)
• 4 Minutes Inside Super Bowl LVIII. Join the NFL’s best on the gridiron—and go behind the scenes—as the Chiefs and 49ers battle for football’s ultimate prize. (9-6-2024, but not currently available)
• Man Vs. Beast. Hang on tight as professional bull riders take you inside the rodeo and show you what it takes to compete in the dangerous sport. (1-31-2025)
• VIP: Yankee Stadium. An all-encompassing look at how elite athletes, die-hard fans, dedicated staff, and epic moments make the Bronx ballpark legendary. (2-4-2025)
• NBA games. As Apple announced in this press release, and as I explained in more detail in this post, Apple is broadcasting in Immersive Video six Lakers basketball games in January, February, and March, 2026.
  • Milwaukee Bucks vs. Los Angeles Lakers (1-9-2026)
  • Philadelphia 76ers vs. Los Angeles Lakers (2-5-2026)
  • Los Angeles Clippers vs. Los Angeles Lakers (2-20-2026)
  • Los Angeles Lakers at Denver Nuggets (3-5-2026)
  • Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Los Angeles Lakers (3-10-2026)
  • Washington Wizards vs. Los Angeles Lakers (3-30-2026)

Boundless. Embark on the kind of bucket-list trips you’ve only dreamed of as you explore extraordinary places and meet inspiring people. Apple TV link. Episodes:

• Hot Air Balloons. Take a stunning journey above Türkiye’s iconic rock formations with the first woman hot-air baloon pilot from Cappadocia as your guide. (7-18-2024)
• Arctic Surfing. Paddle into icy waters with a group of intrepid surfers and feel the rush of riding Norway’s wintry waves. (2-21-2025)

Elevated. Gain an all-new perspective as you take aerial tours of the world’s most remarkable landscapes, led by well-known guides with a special connection to each place. Apple TV link. Episodes:

• Hawai’i. Soar over simmering volcanoes, rushing waterfalls, and breathtaking ocean cliffs. It’s all in this epic voyage across the islands, guided by actor and Hawai’i native Auli’i Cravalho. (9-6-2024)
• Maine. Fly above the Pine Tree State’s stunning autumn landscape with Oscar-winning actor Tim Robbins as your guide. Sweep over rugged coastlines, pristine lakes, and forests bursting with fall’s fiery palette of orange, crimson, and gold. (10-3-2025)
• Switzerland. Walk on air where snow-powdered peaks scrape the sky. Swiss actor Carla Juri joins you on an exhilarating flight above mountaintop castle ruins, chasm-spanning railways, and the jaw-dropping majesty of the Matterhorn. (2-27-2026)
• New York. Glide above the Big Apple’s shimmering spires and down its iconic streets. From the neon sizzle of Times Square to the Statue of Liberty’s beacon of hope, let the voices of New York-and songs celebrating the city’s magic-be your guide. (4-17-2026)

Concert for One. Enjoy exclusive, up-close access to private performances from today’s most electrifying artists. Apple TV link. Episodes:

• RAYE. Singer-songwriter RAYE sings her hits “Genesis” and “Escapism” from AIR Studios in London in this captivating, intimate set. (10-10-2024)

Movies and short videos. The following stand-alone immersive movies and short videos are available on Apple TV:

• Submerged. A WWII submarine crew combats a harrowing torpedo attack in this adrenaline—pumping thrill ride. From filmmaker Edward Berger, director of the Academy Award-winning All Quiet on the Western Front. (10-10-2024)
• F1 The Movie: Hot Lap Immersive. Go for a high-speed test drive with Brad Pitt. (6-19-2025)
• Tour De Force from CANAL+ and MotoGP. Documentary that follows MotoGP rider Johann Zarco through his dramatic victory in the rain during the French Grand Prix at Le Mans. (9-22-2025)
• Flight Ready. Report to the flight deck of the USS Nimitz and strap in with F-18 fighter pilots for a full-throttle ride through the skies. (11-11-2025)
• Top Dogs. They’re chasing greatness—and they’ll stop at nothing to win. Get up close with these cute, fiercely competitive canine stars (and their humans) as they face off at Crufts, the world’s biggest dog show. (1-30-2026)

World of Red Bull. Get ready for a rush like no other. Tackle the biggest waves, tallest mountains, and fastest speeds with Red Bull’s fearless athletes. Apple TV link. Episodes:

• Backcountry Skiing. Venture deep into the snowcapped mountains of British Columbia with a trio of pioneering professional freesiers. Feel the unmatched thrill of blazing fresh trails down unforgettably epic slopes—all in a pristine alpine landscape. (12-5-2025)
• Big-Wave Surfing. (available in 2026)

Other upcoming immersive content

Apple has announced other upcoming immersive content. For example, on September 22, 2025, Apple issued a press release to announce that a number of companies will be releasing new immersive content using the new Blackmagic Design’s URSA Cine Immersive camera. Titles announced by Apple that are not yet available are:

• Journey to Antarctica to Find Emperor Penguins. Documentary from CNN featuring chief climate correspondent Bill Weir.
• Julaymba. Documentary from PHORIA featuring the lush Daintree Rainforest of North Tropical Queensland, Australia. (Scheduled for October 2025, but not out yet)
• Experience Paris. A film for The Explorers that celebrates French heritage.

There was also an an article in Adweek that mentioned an upcoming immersive horror film. Also, an article in the New York Times mentioned an immersive documentary about the Real Madrid team. I presume that both will be available in the Apple TV app.

Great content outside of Apple TV

Finally, while the focus of this post is on the immersive video content available in Apple’s own Apple TV app, I would be remiss if I did not mention that some third parties are also doing amazing work in this area and releasing their own apps containing immersive content for the Apple Vision Pro. While there are many such apps, I think that two deserve special mention.

First, the Prima Immersive app premiered on February 10, 2025, with the first episode of the Sessions immersive video series from The Spatialists, which features bluegrass band AJ Lee & Blue Summit. It is stunning, as good as anything released by Apple. In January 2026, a representative of The Spatiliasts wrote in a post on Reddit that they “have hit delays in getting new content produced” but they “ARE working on it and there is a promising path forward for getting production on the full series started later this quarter.”

Second, the Explore POV app (App Store link) features lots of great immersive content. On December 4, 2025, Apple announced that the Explore POV app won the award for 2025 Apple Vision Pro App of the Year.

I hope to see more great content like this from third parties!

Thank you to SaneBox for sponsoring iPhone J.D. this month. SaneBox is a service that sorts emails based on who the email is coming from and the subject line of the email. That sounds so simple, but it makes such a difference. Using SaneBox can vastly reduce the number of interruptions in your day.

Whether you are drafting a brief, doing legal research, or preparing a contract, you need uninterrupted focus time to do your best work. But of course, getting uninterrupted time is a luxory, and email is often one of the biggest obsticles. Even if you can deal with each email quickly, every time you do so, you need to take the the time to return focus to what you were working on.

You cannot get rid of interruptions completely. But you can minimize them by using SaneBox. I’ve written in the past about how SaneBox can improve your relationship with email by automatically filing your less emails into different folders. For example, by turning on the SaneLater feature, messages that are likely to be less important automatically go into a separate folder. And every email that doesn’t show up in your Inbox is one less interruptinos to your day. By turning on the SaneNews feature, newsletters—which you almost certainly don’t want to take the time to read while you are focusing on a project—automatically go into the @SaneNews folder. SaneBox keeps these less important emails out of sight and out of mind, until a later point in the day when you are ready to take the time to look at them. Meanwhile, important emails still go straight to your Inbox.

What if SaneBox makes a mistake, putting an email into your @SaneLater folder when it is the type of email that you normally want to see right away? You can fix this without fiddling with any control panels or settings. Simply drag the email from the @SaneLater folder into your Inbox. That’s it. That will train the SaneBox AI so it does what you want in the future.

There are other SaneBox features that you can also use to minimize interruptions such as the Snooze feature. You can enable folders such as @SaneTomorrow, @SaneNextWeek, and @SaneNextMonth. (Or you can configure any other time period.) Move an email into the @SaneTomorrow folder and it will disappear from your Inbox until sunrise the next day, keeping your Inbox clean for today. If you want, you can enable auto-replies for snoozed emails to let the sender know that you will get back to them soon.

You can also free up your headspace by setting reminders right from your Inbox. Just forward a message to a reminder address like 1day@sanebox.com and you’ll get a reminder in your chosen time frame.

With SaneBox automatically organizing your emails, you can spend much less time in your Inbox, which means more time getting your important work done with fewer interruptions.

If this sounds interesting to you, click here to get a 14-day free trial with no credit card required. If you decide that you prefer getting all of the intrruptinos, then just don’t sign up. But if you appreciate having more time to focus on getting your work done, using this link in this post will give you a generous $25 credit for when you pick a plan. I’ve been using SaneBox since 2022, and I really like the service, so perhaps you will too.

Thanks again to SaneBox for sponsoring iPhone J.D. this month.

Apple does not introduce a new iPhone very often, especially one that has a new type of name. But a few days ago, Apple announced the iPhone 16e, and that is what we focus on in this week’s episode of the In the News podcast. We talk about what the “e” might stand for, what features are included and which are missing, and what the iPhone 16e might tell us about future iPhone models. We also talk about how to store multiple Apple Watch bands, the latest immersive video for the Apple Vision Pro called Arctic Surfing, the Severance show on Apple TV+, and more.

In our In the Know segment, Brett shares a tip for changing the size of app icons on your iPhone. And I remind you that if your speaker or microphone on your Apple Watch isn’t working as intended, then it may be time for it to take a shower.

Click here to listen to the audio podcast, or just listen using your podcast player of choice. You can also watch the episode on YouTube: