With iOS 26.2, Apple is updating the Podcasts app to add a trio of new features and updated tools for podcast creators.
All English podcast shows will now get automatically created chapters, which makes it easier to navigate through them. Apple says that automatic chapters will also make it simpler for users to understand an episode's structure and return to specific sections that interest them.
Apple will use podcast chapters submitted by creators if they're available, but if not, Apple Podcasts will generate them by default. Podcast creators can turn off the setting in Apple Podcasts Connect.
When a podcast episode mentions another podcast, there will be an option to view the mention in the podcast player and the transcript, making it easier to find recommendations. Podcast pages will also show links shared in a podcast on the episode page.
On the creator side, podcasters can offer links to Apple Music, Apple News, Apple Podcasts, Apple TV, and more. Links that are timestamped and included in show notes or through an RSS feed will appear in line with the transcript and the player while the link is being discussed. Apple says that links may also be automatically created for any podcast that's mentioned.
iOS 26.2 is limited to developers right now, but Apple will likely provide a public beta later this week. iOS 26.2 will launch in December.
Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld.
The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld.
Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Saturday February 7, 2026 9:26 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today shared an ad that shows how the upgraded Center Stage front camera on the latest iPhones improves the process of taking a group selfie.
"Watch how the new front facing camera on iPhone 17 Pro takes group selfies that automatically expand and rotate as more people come into frame," says Apple. While the ad is focused on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the regular iPhone...
Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026.
"I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by Juli Clover
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do.
The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up.
Upgraded Architecture
The next-generation...
Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by Joe Rossignol
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April.
Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far.
iOS 26.3
iPhone to Android Transfer Tool
iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
Chapters, or at minimum a listing of topic times in the description is beneficial for podcasts that talk about tv shows or movies so you can skip ahead without getting spoilers, and then find the segment someday after you have watched the show and are curious about what they said.
It’d also be very useful if it put ad breaks as separate chapters, rather than having to fast forward through them in 30 second increments. (E.g. Stuff You Should Know)
I can see this being super obnoxious. How could the automatic chapters know when the podcast has moved from one topic to another? And are they just going to be named Chapter 1 Chapter 2. Unless they're feeding the entire audio file into an LLM to figure out the content and summarize it.
