Command Control Power: Apple Tech Support & Business Talk

Author: Jerry Zigmont, Joe Saponare, Sam Valencia

Sam, Jerry, and Joe discuss their thoughts and draw from their combined experience of over 20 years in the Apple Consultants Network (ACN).
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Genres: News, Tech News, Technology

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693: Apple's October 2026 Updates: Touchscreen MacBook Pro, M6 iMac, and a Revamped iPad Mini
Episode 693
Tuesday, 3 November, 2026

Joe and Jerry discuss Apple's October 28, 2026 product event, focusing on the new "MacBook Pro with Pro LED XDR display," Apple's first touchscreen Mac; it uses existing M5 Pro/M5 Max chips, adds a tandem OLED touch display, and debuts a thinner, significantly lighter chassis with improved audio, while the entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro and iMac get the new M6. They note confusing lineup naming, incremental performance changes, and pricing/upgrade math (RAM and storage), including frustration that the iMac still caps at 2TB. They cover speculation about supply constraints and unlikely price drops, Apple shipping AI-ready hardware before software (Siri), and mixed enthusiasm about AI marketing. They find the updated iPad Mini compelling for its A20 Pro, Wi‑Fi 7/Bluetooth 6, OLED, and nano-texture option. They also address reports of Apple Store subscription opt-ins, briefly mention Duo device issues and ergonomics, and end with an eBay-worthy vintage Apple director's chair. 00:00 Apple Event Setup 00:41 MacBook Pro Naming Mess 03:08 Touchscreen Arrives 04:17 New Chassis Breakdown 06:16 Touch UX and Hybrids 09:11 Screen Specs Reality Check 11:20 Pricing Creep and iMac Limits 14:06 Supply Constraints Debate 19:17 MacBook Air vs Pro Pricing 21:16 Thermals and Wi-Fi 7 24:20 AI Hardware and Siri Promises 27:07 Siri vs ChatGPT in Practice 29:21 Home View Expectations 30:09 Fixing Productivity Systems 32:55 iPad Mini Temptation 35:56 Incremental Apple Updates 38:53 Store Subscription Opt Ins 43:36 Managing Subscriptions Easily 47:44 Duo Defects And Buttons 51:03 Software Update Impressions 52:01 Apple Directors Chair Outro