October 2026
iOS & Apple news
On October 8, Joz posted:
Welcome home. October 13. https://t.co/ChelGSDOTI
— Greg Joswiak (@gregjoz) October 8, 2026
and earlier today, October 13, Apple made 3 home-related announcements:
First, Apple HomeView, a new way to enjoy entertainment, stay connected, and manage the home.
Secondly, Apple unveils the new Apple TV 4K, , `supercharged by Siri AI,' announced Apple. `A more capable and conversational Siri, faster performance, and an even more immersive home theater setup elevate the entertainment experience.'
Thirdly, Apple introduced Apple Home Collection, , a new lineup of smart home accessories.
And the fourth announcement: the next generation of HomePod mini with support for Siri AI, beautiful new colors, and rich sound, posted Apple in their online newsroom.
Here is Apple's intro to the new products, starting with HomeView:
The new Apple TV:
And the new HomePod Mini 2
Initial reactions & reporting on today's announcements:
My first look at the HomeView. One of most interesting things about it? Third-party apps. There’s no App Store. Instead, it runs a CarPlay-like projection off your iPhone or iPad. So if an app has CarPlay support it should have HomeView support. https://t.co/xIPZDx5qg9
— Joanna Stern (@JoannaStern) October 13, 2026
Overview by Marques Brownlee:
Overview by Stephen Robles
Shane Whatley was actually invited to the Apple Announcement, so we expect some new videos posted by him very soon!
Steve Jobs
October 2026 marks the 15th anniversary of the passing of Steve Jobs.
There are people who leave a mark on the world, and then there are people who change it entirely. Steve changed the world and so many lives in the process. He certainly changed my life forever. His spirit lives on in everything he created and everyone he inspired. https://t.co/8p08BcSlTS
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) October 5, 2026
The way Steve taught us to care about every detail, every experience, every person, still guides our work today. Forever grateful.
— John Ternus (@johnternus) October 5, 2026
Recall that the new iPhone Duo is not out yet. pre-orders start in October and it will coe out with iOS 27.1, which is out for other iOS devices to download.
iOS 27
iOS 27 has been out for a month. Here is a comprehensive guide for all the new features released.
iOS apps
Endless Paper is an iPadOS app that gives you effectively infinite paper to write on, to draw, to brainstorm. Apple's own Freeform app is similar in many ways, but came on the scene later, after Endless Paper. Third party apps have a danger of getting `Sherlocked' by Apple, but this one appears strong. They recently announced new features and capabilities. Olga recommends it. They offer a 7-day free trial, and pricing options apply beyond the free trial.
`podcasts
Ina Garten has released her new podcast, Happy Hour with Ina Garten. You can get it on Podcasts, as usual, but also watch it on Youtube. Here is her first episode with Kate KcKinnon:
And a new episode with nathan Lane:
Kara Swisher's recent podcast interview of New York State Representative Alex Bores is a very worthwhile listen: AI Agents Went Rogue. Should We All Hit The Panic Button?
tips & tricks
With iOS 27, you can get Siri AI but it's optional. Here is how:
How to cancel a free trial or a subscription:
next iPUG
The next iPUG meeting will be on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, at 7 pm AZ time. That's the 2nd Tuesday in November.
Recall that we are considering holding future iPUG meetings on the 2nd Tuesday of the month instead of the 1st Tuesday. This will help avoid some conflicts such as election days the beginning of the year or some holidays that often fall early in the month, including the 4th of July, labor day, and so on. Do you have any opinion or preference? Please bring it up during our meetings.