In this second of two special episodes, we examine Apple's 2025 and this time July to December. It's six months of new devices, new rumors, and old legal battles, all on the AppleInsider Podcast.
If 2025 already seems like a long time ago to you, you're about to be surprised just how much happened in its last six months. From the new M5 iPad Pro to the M5 Apple Vision Pro, and the iPhone 18 Pro Max to the iPhone Air, Apple had a very busy end to the year.
Just as in our review of January 2025 to June 2025 in the previous AppleInsider Podcast, there are new legal battles you'd swear were old, and ongoing Apple Intelligence issues you'd swear may never end.
BONUS: Subscribe via Patreon or Apple Podcasts to hear AppleInsider+, the extended edition. As 2025 fades away, we give it one last backward glance to see how we all did, but then it's time for 2026 and what technology goals we have for the new year.
Contact your hosts:
- @WGallagher on Twitter
- William's 58keys on YouTube
- William Gallagher on email
- Wes on Bluesky
- Wes Hilliard on emaill
Sponsored by:
- Antigravity: Buy Antigravity A1, the world's first 8K 360 drone, at antigravity.tech
Links from the show:
July
- Apple sues Jon Prosser over iOS 26 leaks
- Apple insists its AI training is ethical and respects publishers
- AppleCare One can cover devices up to four years after
- AppleCare One offers single plan for all your devices
- BMW confirms it will not support CarPlay Ultra
- App Store developers must now provide age rating details
- Apple is training manufacturers in the US
- Apple hits back at DOJ antitrust suit paragraph by paragraph
- Apple has sold 3 billion iPhones since 2007
August
- Tim Cook, Craig Federighi address Apple employees on AI
- Apple Cinemas may regret their name as lawyers step in
- ALS sufferer uses iPad in demonstration of thought control
- Apple confirms AI support tool in new legal page
- Apple's U.S. manufacturing set to get another $100B
- End of Line: AOL finally discontinues dial-up Internet service
- Elon Musk cries antitrust as X & Grok can't compete with
- More high-profile retirements expected soon at Apple
- UK backs down from its Apple backdoor encryption demand
- Apple denies its Fitness chief is bullying his team
- Apple TV+ subscription jumps to $12.99 per month
- Another executive departs Apple for Meta even with hiring freeze
- Apple Music migration tool finally arrives in the U.S.
- Cue vs. Federighi: Executives differ on if Apple should buy
- 'Hitman World of Assassination' sneaks onto iPhone and iPad
- UK tried to spy on US users' passwords stored in iCloud
September
- Apple suppliers must invest in automation or face losing
- Four more employees depart Apple, join other AI efforts
- Google's antitrust case ruling leaves Apple deal untouched
- Apple is behind in AI but a survey says buyers couldn't care
- After 15 years and 396 updates, Instagram is on the iPad
- Entire gang responsible for $16.2 million iPhone return
- Authors sue Apple over claims it trained AI with pirated books
- Anthropic agrees to $1.5B settlement to end AI piracy lawsuit
- Community completes preservation of iPod clickwheel games
- iPhone Air launches with a slimline appearance
- iPhone 17 Pro is here with hugely improved cooling
- AirPods Pro 3 arrives with even better ANC
- Apple now sells a $2000 iPhone
- iPhone Air delayed in China over eSIM regulations
- Apple breaks records in China with high iPhone 17 preorders
- Apple's new 60W charger is ideal for iPhone 17 fast charging
- Apple releases iOS 26 with Liquid Glass and more
- Apple updates parental controls for kids and teens
- Even Apple is behind on its own Liquid Glass redesign
- Inside Apple's secret Apple Watch testing labs
- Tim Cook meets Apple fans in New York
- iPhone Air avoids 'bendgate' in YouTube destruction 'test'
- iPhone Air teardown shows how Apple pulled off the thin
- Apple Immersive adds seven new films for Vision Pro
October
- UK still wants backdoor access to Apple's user data
- Apple doesn't blur Cro's face, he just wants you to think so
- New research may lead to brain-controlled Apple Vision Pro
- ICEBlock app removed from App Store after DOJ demands
- Remembering Steve Jobs, 14 years after his death
- Apple looks externally to find its new AI chief
- The Underdogs return to attack Windows' Blue Screen of Death
- Find My helps police smash major UK smartphone theft ring
- Apple Stores update chargers to stop damaging iPhone 17
- Discord breach exposes 2.1M age verification photos
- Lakers fans will get court-side seats with Apple Vision Pro
- Apple increases its top security bug bounty to $2 million
- Apple sued over Pirated material use in Apple Intelligence
- Apple Clips social video app killed after eight years
- Apple TV+ loses the Plus in Apple's quietest rebranding
- iPhone Air preorders in China start on October 17
- New European green projects announced by Apple
- M5 iPad Pro launches with new chip, Wi-Fi 7
- iPad Air Magic Keyboard now comes in black
- All Affinity apps are now free for the iPad - for now
- Delayed iPhone Air sells out within minutes in China
- iPhone Air may not be selling well
- Don't put webcam covers on a MacBook
- Cosmic Orange iPhone 17 Pro changing color to pink
- MLS playoff matches free to all Apple TV subscribers
- New in iOS 26.1 beta 4: Liquid Glass opacity toggle, more
- Apple's leaker lawsuit marches on after Jon Prosser misses
- UK App Store users win $2 billion lawsuit in landmark case
- Jon Prosser leak case, settlement, Ramacciotti
- Apple reaches $4 trillion market value after surge in iPhone
November
- Apple finally brings the full App Store experience to the web
- Apple TV rebrand debuts new logo and sound mark
- Get your iPad Christmas Tree designs projected at Apple UK
- Apple TV earns its first-ever Grammy nominations
- Apple TV outage hits launch of Vince Gilligan's 'Pluribus'
- Epic Games Launcher finally on Apple Silicon after 5 years
- Passports on iPhone arrive with new Digital ID feature
- EU developers don't pass on App Store fee savings to users
- Costly iPhone Pocket sells out nearly immediately
- Apple & OpenAI must face baseless xAI lawsuit
- Masimo wins $634M in Apple Watch patent infringement suit
- London thieves snatching iPhones, but 'don't want no Samsung'
- How titanium 3D printing is used to make Apple Watch
- Industrial designer & iPhone Air video narrator departs Apple
- Apple attacks Which's lawsuit backer in UK App Store
- Tyler, the Creator wins Apple Music Artist of the Year 2025
- Hikawa iPhone grip sells out fast from the online Apple Store
- Apple performs a rare and small layoff of sales employees
December
- US wants laws to force App Store age checks
- Apple's head of AI John Giannandrea is retiring
- 'I'm Not Remarkable' video highlights Apple accessibility
- Apple's human interface design chief Alan Dye poached by
- Apple Podcasts names 'The Rest is History' show of the year
- Russia shutters FaceTime as it tightens control over apps &
- Dozens of staffers quit Apple, leaving behind only 164000
- Apple chip chief Johny Srouji rumored to consider his own ...
- Justin Bieber threatens Apple with 'rear naked choke hold'
- Apple and Google's iPhone-Android switching update ...
- iPhone owners in Japan just got Messages via Satellite
- Blacklisted apps stayed on App Store despite US sanctions
- How a gift card purchase destroyed an Apple account
- Apple will supply senior managers to advise feds on new ...
- Will Apple increase the number of ads on the App Store?
- Apple AI research details quick 2D-to-3D image editing, more
- Visa-holding staff should not leave the US, warns Apple
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