Founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne, Apple is best known for making some of the world’s most ubiquitous consumer devices, software, and services: the iPhone, iPad, iMac and MacBook computers, Apple TV, Apple Watch, iOS, iCloud, iTunes, Apple Music, Apple Pay, and many more. Led by CEO Tim Cook since 2011, Apple is one of the largest technology companies in the world alongside Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Facebook.
If you check out tomorrow’s Vergecast, you’ll get to hear The Verge’s Jess Weatherbed convince me that gadget straps are a clever phone accessory — and have a lot to say about the future, too. Apple’s version is expensive, but clever, and now comes in “Soft Pink” and “Bright Guava.” I think I’m still buying black, though.
MacBook will get more touch-friendly before 2026 is out, and there’s supposedly a foldable 18-inch iPad in the works, but Apple has no intention of merging the two product lines anytime soon. Execs have remained steadfast in their dedication to keeping the two things separate. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman:
The company argues that it produces better devices by separating the categories, but there’s also a business consideration. Internally, executives believe that a hybrid plan would hurt sales. Apple generates roughly $30 billion annually from each category, adding up to $61.7 billion last year. That’s a hugely material slice of its overall business.
Spokesperson Peter Ajemian tells The Verge that Apple has since removed the prompt, which showed up for UK users who downloaded the latest iOS 26.4 beta:
Some users on the beta software in the UK temporarily saw a message suggesting age verification is required to download apps. That message was displayed in error, and has been fixed. Developers may continue to use the Declared Age Range API to provide age appropriate experiences for users.
With season 5 of For All Mankind streaming next month, Apple’s showing off a first look at its upcoming spinoff. Star City is shown from the Soviet Union’s perspective as it becomes the first country on the moon, offering an alternate view of this alternate history. It starts streaming on May 29th.
Rumors of an Apple product launch event next week look confirmed, now that Tim Cook is posting about a “big week ahead,” with a short video clip of someone swiping around Apple’s logo. So, new MacBook Pros, probably some new iPads, and maybe the rumored iPhone 17e?
We’ll find out soon.
Blizzard apparently isn’t busy enough with Overwatch, announcing a mobile version of the game that “will begin select region testing soon.” Unlike mobile versions of games like Call of Duty, PUBG, or Fortnite, it’s not an attempt at an FPS and is being made by a separate team.
A gameplay preview trailer shows a similar feeling but slower-paced game capable of running on devices like an iPhone XS or Pixel 4a.
The 10-episode season kicks off on March 27th on Apple TV. Based on a trailer, it looks like things will get tense between Earth and Mars.
The very good Ball x Pit is coming to iOS and Android on March 12th.
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Sonic The Hedgehog Classic and Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Classic are the latest games from Sega’s Forever program that could soon disappear from the Google Play and Apple app stores. Both games now display a pop-up message warning that “support for this game will be discontinued, but you can continue playing offline!”
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An update to the Rivian mobile app released today introduces a companion app for the Apple Watch. From your wrist you can lock and unlock doors, vent windows, activate the alarm, adjust the cabin temperature using the Apple Watch’s crown dial, and monitor your vehicle’s battery status from your watch face.
Starting on May 3rd, 2026, five Formula 1 races, including the Miami, Monaco, British, Italian, and United States Grands Prix, will be shown in “select IMAX locations” across the country. The showings will take place in at least 50 IMAX theaters as a result of a new partnership with Apple.
What does it really mean to be number one on the App Store?
The Continuous Audio Connection setting in the tvOS 26.4 beta uses Dolby MAT to reportedly address audio dropout and sync issues when switching formats. Sonos users on Reddit say it also fixes level problems with 5.1 PCM content.
I was impressed with foveated streaming on the Steam Frame, which, when you’re interacting with games streamed to the headset, renders what’s right in front of your eyes at the highest fidelity. I hope it’s just as good on the Vision Pro.
Apple announced visionOS’s foveated streaming as part of the first developer beta for visionOS 26.4.
[Apple Developer Documentation]
It’s a new feature showing up in the app as part of the first iOS 26.4 developer beta, as reported by 9to5Mac.
The beta also includes a new “Playlist Playground” feature that uses Apple Intelligence to make a playlist from a text prompt.
Update: Added Playlist Playground details.
