Lance Ulanoff

Apple appears to be developing AirPods equipped with outward-facing vision sensors that could use Apple Intelligence to recognize objects and save information about them. Although the feature might be useful and Apple could limit image storage through Private Cloud Compute, the commentary argues that visible cameras on earbuds would trigger serious privacy concerns, much like controversial smart glasses. The author believes Apple should delay the product until it better understands public sentiment and the risks of wearable cameras.

Attorneys general from 32 U.S. states are pursuing a landmark lawsuit alleging that Meta deliberately designed Facebook and Instagram to keep young users engaged, ignored warning signs about harms, and violated state and federal law. Meta disputes the claims and says the potential penalties are disproportionate. With damages potentially reaching $1.4 trillion—roughly its market value—the case could force major changes, including subscriptions, higher hardware prices, or a retreat from targeting younger users, although the author expects Meta to seek a much smaller settlement.

Tim Cook is preparing to leave the Apple CEO role and hopes his legacy will be judged by whether he was a good and decent man rather than by specific products or financial achievements. Lance Ulanoff portrays Cook as polite, guarded and pragmatic, crediting him with emphasizing social responsibility, environmental protection and diversity while acknowledging the tension created by his engagement with Donald Trump and efforts to expand U.S. manufacturing. Incoming CEO John Ternus is depicted as more relaxed and less ceremonially polite, but likely to treat the role as a traditional CEO position rather than a personality-driven one. Cook's ultimate legacy will be decided by others, while Ternus begins shaping his own.

Lance Ulanoff describes photographing a partial solar eclipse with the iPhone 17 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra using protective eclipse filters. The iPhone’s native camera struggled with lens selection, focus and exposure, while Samsung’s Pro mode produced better results but relied heavily on digital zoom. The Halide app made the iPhone usable by providing persistent manual controls for focus, exposure, ISO, white balance and zoom. Although the resulting images had flaws from the imperfectly positioned filter and lack of RAW capture, Ulanoff considered them successful smartphone eclipse photographs.

A total solar eclipse will not cause Earth to lose gravity or make people float, despite a conspiracy theory claiming that gravity will disappear for seven seconds on August 12, 2026. NASA explains that Earth’s gravity is determined by its mass and that an eclipse has no unusual effect on total gravitational force, although the Sun and Moon do influence tides. The article distinguishes this debunked claim from reports of small changes in pendulum motion during eclipses, a disputed phenomenon that researchers such as Chris P. Duif have investigated without confirming or fully ruling out an effect. Temperature changes and other ordinary causes may explain the reported anomalies.

Apple’s rumored glass 20th-anniversary iPhone illustrates the technology industry’s fixation on speculative future products. Lance Ulanoff argues that years of conflicting leaks about devices such as the folding iPhone distract consumers from products that have actually launched and create unrealistic expectations for Apple’s engineers. He suggests focusing on the impact of new products—particularly Apple’s anticipated foldable iPhone—rather than rumors about second- and third-generation devices that do not yet exist. The article contrasts Apple’s extensive rumor culture with Samsung’s more release-focused speculation.

Roku rapidly added Jimothy, a viral Seattle raccoon with short spine syndrome, to its Roku City screen saver after a cross-functional Rapid Response Easter Egg Team identified the animal as a playful cultural moment. Roku executive Damon Van Deusen explains that the company can design and publish new illustrated Easter eggs within hours, using silhouettes and recognizable details to encourage discovery. Jimothy will remain in Roku City while he stays culturally relevant, although Roku eventually rotates its Easter eggs and replaces fading viral characters.

Elon Musk predicts that Starlink could deliver most of the world’s internet within a decade, while SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell expects the service to attract customers from major U.S. carriers. Achieving that goal depends on Starlink V3 satellites, which promise substantially greater throughput and beam capacity than V2 satellites, and on SpaceX’s Starship becoming reliable enough to launch tens of thousands of spacecraft rapidly. Starlink currently has about 12 million global customers, far fewer than the more than 300 million connections held by AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile combined. The FCC has approved the next-generation constellation, and SpaceX plans to begin launching V3 satellites and offering Starlink Mobile service as early as next year, but consumer adoption and the operational readiness of Starship remain significant uncertainties.

OpenAI released redacted text messages and emails in response to Apple’s lawsuit accusing former Apple employees of helping it obtain trade secrets. The messages appear to show a current Apple employee seeking technical knowledge from former employee Lui Chang, while another employee reacted with alarm after being added to the conversation. The exchanges have not been authenticated by Apple and do not conclusively establish corporate espionage, but they suggest Apple may be suffering from brain drain and the loss of institutional knowledge. Apple is seeking a preliminary injunction, while the dispute could ultimately move toward an out-of-court settlement despite severely damaging the companies’ relationship.

Myspace co-owners Chris and Tim Vanderhook have confirmed plans to relaunch the once-dominant social platform. The relaunch follows a dramatic decline after News Corp’s acquisition, competition from Facebook and other networks, and a shift toward music. The piece argues that a conventional revival is unlikely to succeed and speculates that the owners may turn to AI, potentially combining music tools, influencer-focused features, and AI-generated interactions. A simpler anti-social-media model could stand out, but the author considers an awkward AI integration more likely.