iOS 26.3 - Apple is Leveling Up!

Apple is actively expanding services like Apple Fitness+, making significant internal leadership changes, and preparing for a major overhaul of Siri with advanced AI capabilities while also addressing various iOS performance and stability issues across different device models.

• Apple Fitness+ is rapidly expanding globally, hinting at future feature rollouts.

• Siri is undergoing a major AI transformation with a chatbot overhaul planned for iOS 27.

• iOS updates show mixed performance, with stability and bug fixes being a continuous challenge for Apple.

Apple continues to expand its services globally, with Apple Fitness+ now available in Japan and 28 new countries. Internally, John Ternes is now leading both hardware and software design teams, hinting at a potential future CEO role, while a substantial overhaul of Siri is expected with iOS 27, transforming it into a full-fledged chatbot. These developments occur as Apple addresses ongoing user feedback regarding iOS 26.2 and 26.3 beta performance, including battery life, keyboard lag, and system stability.

Apple's Service Expansion

• 00:00:42 Apple Fitness+ has recently expanded its availability, launching in Japan and 28 new countries, indicating a rapid global growth strategy for the service. This broad expansion suggests that more features could be rolled out in the near future to complement the growing user base.

Leadership Changes and Siri's Future

• 00:01:42 John Ternes has taken charge of both hardware and software design teams at Apple, with Bloomberg suggesting he is being prepared for a future CEO position by the end of 2025. Concurrently, Apple is collaborating with Google on a Gemini-based version of Siri for iOS 26.4, but a more significant 'level up' is anticipated with iOS 27, which will feature a complete Siri overhaul into a chatbot internally named 'Campus,' directly competing with ChatGPT.

App Store Ads and Upcoming Releases

• 00:03:59 The App Store is set to display more ads, particularly within search results, starting in March, a move that is expected to be unpopular with users but potentially beneficial for developers. Apple has also invited individuals to Los Angeles for a new creator studio launch on the 28th, which could potentially coincide with new MacBook announcements or Pro Display XDR updates featuring M5 processors.

iOS 26.2 and 26.3 Beta Experience

• 00:12:38 iOS 26.2 is graded a 'C minus' for its 'liquid glass crisis,' with user experience split between new iPhone 17 users who find it modern and older device users reporting regressions in reliability, stability, and bugs like keyboard lag and CarPlay issues. iOS 26.3 beta 2, rated a 'B' for its 'housekeeping effect,' shows improvements in thermal management, animation fluidity, and Face ID performance, but introduces new issues such as frequent random resprings and persistent keyboard input lag on various devices.