Apple's robot Pixar lamp, iPhone SE 4, and Apple TV+ on Android, on the AppleInsider Podcast

Apple has shown us a peek into the long term future with its Pixar-like robot, a peek into the very near future with the iPhone SE 4, and just maybe an alternative future where it makes all its apps work on Android, on the AppleInsider Podcast.

Apple researchers have unveiled an anthropomorphic lamp — think how Pixar's logo lamp is so human — and while it's a demonstration of general research, it does also suggest a new direction for the company, following the cancellation of the Apple Car. Host Wesley Hilliard will buy an Apple robot the minute it's released, but see if he convinces you any more than he does co-host William Gallagher.

Both, though, are looking forward to the iPhone SE 4 which is now expected to be launched on February 19. If all the rumors about it are true, this could be the phone that brings Apple Intelligence to most people — and it looks certain to be a very good buy.

The iPhone SE 4 may even be enough to tempt yet more Android users to switch over. In which case they'd be doing so just days after Apple has finally given in and made an Android app to get its Apple TV+ service into the hands of more users.

BONUS: Subscribe via Patreon or Apple Podcasts to hear AppleInsider+, the extended edition. This week, it's all about the ancient and modern solutions to how we read news and specifically how we save interesting articles to catch up on later. It's about RSS readers for newsgathering and Read-It-Later services for catching up on, and it is startling how many choices we have for both.

Contact your hosts:

• William's 58keys on YouTube
• William Gallagher on email
• @hillithreads on Threads
• Wes on Bluesky
• Wes Hilliard on emaill

Links from the Show

• Apple execs spotted in New Orleans ahead of Super Bowl
• Apple Sports app adds Nascar support just in time for Daytona 500
• iPhone SE 4 & Apple Vision Pro announcements are coming in the next week
• Apple is working on a 'lifelike' robot lamp, and it's just as cute as you'd expect
• Apple accelerates hiring for its home robotics projects
• Apple's robotics won't hit mass production until 2028
• Apple now lets you transfer purchases from one Apple Account to another
• Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 review: Heart Beats
• Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 vs AirPods Pro 2 compared: A personal audio upgrade
• Foldable iPhones, iPads, & Macs: Everything you need to know about Apple's future
• Apple makes first change to Pixelmator Pro with a new splash screen
• How to use Starlink with iPhone & how to disable it if you don't want it
• Apple Maps renames Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America after official database update
• Apple is once again advertising on X, more than a year after stopping all ads on the platform

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