{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"398 - AI, Apps, iOS, and Arcade\u2014Oh My!","description":" The latest In Touch With iOS with Dave he is joined by Jill McKinley, Chuck Joiner, Jeff Gamet, Eric Bolden, Marty Jencius. Episode 398 covers Apple\u2019s 2025 App Award winners, the Podcast of the Year, new updates for iOS\/iPadOS\/visionOS 26.2 RC, and a redesigned native ExpressVPN Mac app. The panel reviews major AI news\u2014including Claude 4.5, ChatGPT\u2019s shopping feature, and the possibility of ads\u2014while debating the privacy concerns around ChatGPT integrating with Apple Health. Other highlights include Apple\u2019s foldable iPhone patent, Apple Music Replay, accessibility features, and a big week for Apple Arcade with Subway Surfers+. A funny, insightful, wide-ranging episode with lots of community engagement and tech analysis. The show notes are at InTouchwithiOS.com  Direct Link to Audio  Links to our Show Give us a review on Apple Podcasts! CLICK HERE we would really appreciate it! Click this link Buy me a Coffee to support the show we would really appreciate it. intouchwithios.com\/coffee  Another way to support the show is to become a Patreon member patreon.com\/intouchwithios Website: In Touch With iOS YouTube Channel In Touch with iOS Magazine on Flipboard Facebook Page BlueSky Mastodon X Instagram Threads Summary In this episode of In Touch With iOS, Dave and an all-star panel\u2014Jill McKinley, Marty Jencius, Jeff Gamet, Chuck Joiner, Eric Bolden, and Guy Serle\u2014jump into a packed week of Apple news, updates, AI breakthroughs, and plenty of humor. The show opens with a discussion about the frigid weather sweeping across the country, before moving into Apple\u2019s newly announced App Award Winners. The panel covers winners across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Vision Pro\u2014including the iPhone App of the Year Timbo and Vision Pro winner Explore POV\u2014with commentary on design choices, spatial computing innovation, and whether they personally use the selected apps. Next, the 2025 Apple Podcast of the Year\u2014The Rest Is History\u2014leads the group into a conversation about podcast quality, history storytelling, and the growing depth of Apple\u2019s podcast ecosystem. Updates to visionOS 26.2 RC are discussed, including expanded Travel Mode for buses and cars, support for spatial accessories (like Logitech\u2019s stylus), and improvements to Freeform. Eric even admits the new features were compelling enough for him to install the beta. Updates for iOS\/iPadOS 26.2 RC also make news, adding the Liquid Glass lock screen slider, Reminders alarms, new AirPods Live Translation support in the EU, and Podcasts app refinements. Jeff warns listeners to hold off on macOS Tahoe due to persistent audio issues, reinforcing that stability still matters more than flash. The show then pivots into a major AI segment featuring:     \u2022    Anthropic\u2019s Claude Opus 4.5, touted as the new coding champion among AI tools     \u2022    ChatGPT\u2019s new holiday shopping assistant, which impressed some panelists     \u2022    The controversial discovery of ads in ChatGPT\u2019s app code, sparking fears of \u201censhittification\u201d     \u2022    A possible Apple Health integration, which launches a passionate privacy debate     \u2022    Real-world examples of AI massively reducing work time\u2014from spreadsheets to meeting analytics The group revisits Apple\u2019s newest patent describing a crease-free foldable iPhone using liquid metal, prompting speculation on durability, user experience, and whether Apple can create a foldable without the hallmark crease. Apple\u2019s Year-End Music Charts and Apple Music Replay lead to panelists sharing their most-played artists\u2014ranging from Supertramp to Rush to 80s icons\u2014and poking fun at Dave\u2019s unavoidable Taylor Swift top rankings. Apple also releases a beautifully produced Accessibility in College ad, highlighting assistive technologies like magnifier, voiceover, and live captions. The panel praises Apple\u2019s leadership in accessible design and speculates on future features for glasses-based products. Finally, the team dives into a major Apple Arcade update, featuring five new games including Subway Surfers+, SpongeBob Patty Pursuit 2, PowerWash Simulator, and more. The topic unexpectedly evolves into a discussion of how simulation games\u2014like power washing or trucking\u2014can offer therapeutic calm for many players. Topics and Links Breaking News Apple Announces 2025 App Store Award Winners, Including iPhone App of the Year  Apple Announces 2025 Podcast of the Year  In Touch With Vision Pro this week.  visionOS 26.2 RC is released this week visionOS 26.2 RC Release Notes visionOS Notes This update expands Travel Mode to cars and busses, adds support for hand-drawn content with spatial accessories, and includes other features, bug fixes, and security updates for your Apple Vision Pro. \u2022 Travel Mode lets passengers use Apple Vision Pro on cars and busses in addition to airplanes and trains \u2022 Support for hand-drawn content with spatial accessories like Logitech Muse in Notes, Freeform, and any PencilKit-enabled app \u2022 Tables in Freeform can hold text, images, documents, and drawings, with cells that intelligently resize to fit, bringing structure to the content to your board. Beta this week iOS 26.2 Release Candidate dropped this week.  Apple Seeds iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 Release Candidates to Developers and Public Beta Testers iPadOS 26.2 RC and more now available ahead of coming launch Apple Seeds watchOS 26.2, tvOS 26.2 and visionOS 26.2 Release Candidates watchOS 26.2 has four changes for Apple Watch, here\u2019s everything new Apple Seeds Second tvOS 26.2 Release Candidate iOS 26.2 release date: Here\u2019s when new iPhone features are coming In Touch With Mac this week macOS Tahoe 26.2 Release Candidate Now Available to Developers and Public Beta Testers ExpressVPN gets a native Mac app, optimized connectivity on iOS In Touch with AI this week.  Anthropic Launches Claude Opus 4.5 With Improved Coding and Agent Capabilities ChatGPT Adds AI Shopping Research Feature for Holiday Gift Finding ChatGPT is Going to Start Showing You Ads Apple Health Integration Seemingly Coming to ChatGPT Dave\u2019s experience using CoPilot creating a spreadsheet list of Dell Monitors for work  Other Topics Marty gives his thoughts on a patent. Apple\u2019s Crease-Free Foldable iPhone may also use Liquid Metal in the Hinges Use as reference only: What to Expect From Apple This December: iOS 26.3 Beta, Replay 2025, and More Apple Music Shares 2025 Year-End Charts Apple Music Replay 2025 Now Fully Available Apple Books Launches 2025 Year in Review Experience Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26  Other news: Crucial is shutting down \u2014 because Micron wants to sell its RAM and SSDs to AI companies instead News iPhone Car Keys Support Coming to More Audi Vehicles Apple Releases Firmware Update for iPhone Air MagSafe Battery iPhone 17 Demand Is Breaking Apple's Sales Records Apple Shares New 'I'm Not Remarkable' Ad  Apple Arcade Just Got the Most Downloaded Mobile Game Ever and More Announcements Macstock 9 has wrapped for 2025. Attendees will receive a link for the session recordings when  they\u2019re ready in 30-45 days. If you missed Macstock we missed you! Why not purchase a digital pass to relive all the amazing presentations? Click the link below to purchase the digital pass. Macstock X has already been announced July 10,11,12, 2026 hopeful you all can join us.  Macstock IX Digital Pass Our Host Dave Ginsburg is an IT professional supporting Mac, iOS and Windows users and shares his wealth of knowledge of iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV and related technologies. Visit the YouTube channel https:\/\/youtube.com\/intouchwithios follow him on Mastodon @daveg65, , BlueSky @daveg65  and the show @intouchwithios   Our Regular Contributors Jeff Gamet is a podcaster, technology blogger, artist, and author. Previously, he was The Mac Observer\u2019s managing editor, and Smile\u2019s TextExpander Evangelist. You can find him on Mastadon @jgamet Pixelfed @jgamet@pixelfed.social and Bluesky @jgamet.bsky.social\u202c Podcasts The Context Machine Podcast  Retro Rewatch Retro Rewatch His YouTube channel https:\/\/youtube.com\/jgamet Marty Jencius, Ph.D., is a professor of counselor education at Kent State University, where he researches, writes, and trains about using technology in teaching and mental health practice. His podcasts include Vision Pro Files, The Tech Savvy Professor and Circular Firing Squad Podcast. Find him at jencius@mastodon.social  https:\/\/thepodtalk.net  Eric Bolden is into macOS, plants, sci-fi, food, and is a rural internet supporter. You can connect with him by email at eabolden@mac.com, on Mastodon at @eabolden@techhub.social, on his blog, Trending At Work, and as co-host on The Vision ProFiles podcast.   Jill McKinley works in enterprise software, server administration, and IT A lifelong tech enthusiast, she started her career with Windows but is now an avid Apple fan. Beyond technology, she shares her insights on nature, faith, and personal growth through her podcasts\u2014Buzz Blossom & Squeak, Start with Small Steps, and The Bible in Small Steps. Watch her content on YouTube at @startwithsmallsteps and follow her on X @schmern. Find all her work at http:\/\/jillfromthenorthwoods.com  Chuck Joiner is the host of MacVoices and hosts video podcasts with influential members of the Apple community. Make sure to visit macvoices.com and subscribe to his podcast. You can follow him on Twitter @chuckjoiner and join his MacVoices Facebook group. Guy Serle is one of the hosts of the new The Gmen Show along with GazMaz and email GMenshow@icloud.com  @MacParrot and @VertShark on X  Vertshark on YouTube, Google Voice +1 Area code  703-828-4677 ","author_name":"In Touch with iOS","author_url":"https:\/\/intouchwithios.com","html":"