Apple is continuing to improve the AI Support Assistant that it is testing in the Apple Support app, introducing new functionality in the latest update.
In addition to answering questions about Apple devices and services and providing device-specific help, Apple says the Support Assistant is able to help run diagnostics to show details about a device's health and performance.
The Apple Support app now has a more informative interface for the Support Assistant, and the tab for accessing the feature has an updated "Ask" label with a new icon instead of a "Chat" label. Apple is no longer calling the Support Assistant an "Early Preview," suggesting it is now available in a more official capacity.
Despite the update, the Support Assistant remains limited, and it is not yet available to all users. It's possible that Apple has expanded the feature to a larger number of testers, but not everyone will see it yet.
Apple began testing the Support Assistant last August. The tool uses AI to answer questions related to Apple support, and it is able to walk users through step-by-step solutions for common problems.
If the Support Assistant is unable to solve a problem, users are able to escalate a request to Apple's support staff for further help.
Sunday February 1, 2026 10:08 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly nine months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon.
In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis.
In his Powe...
Sunday February 1, 2026 12:31 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
The calendar has turned to February, and a new report indicates that Apple's next product launch is "imminent," in the form of new MacBook Pro models.
"All signs point to an imminent launch of next-generation MacBook Pros that retain the current form factor but deliver faster chips," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said on Sunday. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated...
Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by Joe Rossignol
We are still waiting for the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate to come out, so the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week or two 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...
Sunday February 1, 2026 5:42 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips alongside macOS 26.3, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
"Apple's faster MacBook Pros are planned for the macOS 26.3 release cycle," wrote Gurman, in his Power On newsletter today.
"I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated for the macOS 26.3 software cycle, which runs from...
Tuesday February 3, 2026 8:55 am PST by Joe Rossignol
In 2022, Apple introduced a new Apple Home architecture that is "more reliable and efficient," and the deadline to upgrade and avoid issues is fast approaching.
In an email this week, Apple gave customers a final reminder to upgrade their Home app by February 10, 2026. Apple says users who do not upgrade may experience issues with accessories and automations, or lose access to their smart...
That's nice. The only discourse I've had with this thing is spamming "Live agent" until a real human being takes over and I can get my issue solved. But hey, keep wasting billions on this nonsense, Apple.
Having spent days with the AI «support» of Adobe and Adidas these past months, in endless loops of helplessness of the machine agent – this is not the way to go. Support is such an important part of your brandscape, you do not at ALL ever in any fashion give this over to digital agents that are much worse than even the free ChatGPT experience. It does not solve the problem. I think that making information available via AI, that having assistants online for simple problems, making support databases dialogue-based why not?
But when you **** up as a company and your client needs help, because your system is broken, you have a bug, you made an error... don't hide behind AI-crap.
In all cases I had, the best result was a real human, ideally of a higher support level with a certain experience, that solved the mess.
Except for Adobe, where a very simple problem was obviously too much and even after calling a number that is noooowhere on their site and which I found by googling in a forum and finalllllly had a human being in my ear... they could not solve a simple account-mess they did with my CC sub. I had to cancel my Adobe-Stock-subscription and lost 90 credits in the process, while the support dude actually still tried to hard-sell me on the Acrobat-AI-nonsense that really no one ever will need. Adobe is great, but they kill their brand with that kind of support.
When I want AI-support I can ask Gemini, GPT, Claude, whatever.
When I call Apple because they f*d up SMB or all the Electron Apps make my CPU go nuclear, I want a capable, experienced human being that at least can speak English and find a solution. Via Mail, in a Chat, on the Phone. But sure as hell not a roboChat that explains again and again how sorry it is that it cannot help me and that it understands my frustration that IT IS CAUSING. :-D
