Apple is hosting a mysterious media experience next week, and in anticipation of new products, we make predictions about what is coming.
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My Full Responses for the 2025 Six Colors Report Card
Yesterday, Jason shared the results of his annual Apple report card. As per tradition, I’m now turning the answers I supplied Jason into a blog post.1
Mac: 4/5
Five years into the Apple silicon era, Apple seems to be firing on all cylinders, with regular releases for most of its products (cough, cough, Mac Pro). The laptops run cool with amazing battery life, and there’s a desktop Mac for just about everyone.
Apple Highlights Its American Manufacturing Efforts
This morning, Apple announced that it will begin producing Mac minis in America starting later this year:
Apple today announced a significant expansion of factory operations in Houston, bringing the future production of Mac mini to the U.S. for the first time. The company will also expand advanced AI server manufacturing at the factory and provide hands-on training at its new Advanced Manufacturing Center beginning later this year. Altogether, Apple’s Houston operations will create thousands of jobs.
The 2025 Six Colors Report Card⇢
It’s the most wonderful time of the year: grading time! Jason Snell:
It’s time for our annual look back on Apple’s performance during the past year, as seen through the eyes of writers, editors, developers, podcasters, and other people who spend an awful lot of time thinking about Apple. The whole idea here is to get a broad sense of sentiment—the “vibe in the room”—regarding the past year. (And by looking at previous survey results, we can even see how that sentiment has drifted over the course of an entire decade.)
Artemis II Headed Inside for Repairs⇢
Stephen Clark, writing for Ars:
A day after NASA officials expressed optimism that they could be ready to launch the Artemis II mission around the Moon next month, the space agency’s administrator announced Saturday that a new problem will require the removal of the rocket from its launch pad in Florida.
The latest issue appeared Friday evening, when data showed an interruption in helium flow into the upper stage of the Space Launch System rocket, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman wrote in a post on X. Isaacman posted a more thorough update Saturday, writing that engineers are still examining the potential cause of the problem, but any fixes must take place inside the Vehicle Assembly Building.
Connected 591: Find Your Lost Stephen⇢
This week on the podcast, we look ahead to Apple’s March 4 event, talk through iOS 26.4 Beta 1, and ponder a world where Apple makes an AI-powered pendant.
NAACP Against xAI’s Southaven Turbines⇢
Kailynn Johnson, writing for The Memphis Flyer:
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) called xAI’s plans to construct and operate 41 methane-gas turbines in Southaven a “civil rights issue” as opposed to a permitting one.
The advocacy group asked the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) to deny MZX Tech, an affiliate of xAI, to deny the permit for the turbines in question. NAACP sent the letter, signed by Abre’ Conner, director of the NAACP Center for Environmental and Climate Justice, in the wake of a public hearing held by the department as they consider xAI’s permit application.
xAI Ramps Up Turbine Usage in Southaven, Repeating Its Actions in Memphis⇢
In January, the EPA ruled against xAI in a case in which Elon Musk’s CSAM machine/AI company said that if gas turbines were used in a temporary fashion, they were exempt from regulations.
At the time, I wrote:
Time will tell if the company runs into similar legal issues in the state of Mississippi, where the company is currently operating 18 natural gas turbines just south of the state line, on Stanton Road [in Southaven]. That power is then piped a few miles north to xAI’s second site in Memphis.
Someone Tell John Ternus This Would Be a Terrible Crime⇢
I am excited about the possibilities of a low-end MacBook powered by an A-series chip. I think the return of a fun consumer notebook would be good for Apple. There is one terrible disappointment in the most recent reporting about this machine, however. Here’s Mark Gurman:
Like all Macs, this machine — code-named J700 — will feature an aluminum chassis. It’s not plastic, despite the lower price point. To stick with this premium material, Apple developed a new manufacturing process that allows the shells to be forged more quickly. The technique is designed to be both faster and more cost-effective than the one used with Apple’s current laptops.
Apple Announces Press ‘Experience’ for March 4⇢
Earlier today, Apple sent invites to some folks for an event “experience” on March 4, being held in New York, London, and Shanghai. This is in line with some other press events Apple has held over the last several years for smaller announcements that warrant a hands-on approach. As John Voorhees writes, these spring releases tend to be a bit smaller in nature:
With several products rumored to be getting updates in 2026, it’s hard to guess what’s planned, although in the past, Apple has launched or refreshed products like the iPhone 16e, iPads, and the MacBook Air around this time of year.
Connected 590: Nooooo (Marked as Resolved)⇢
This week on the podcast, what’s old is new again: some iPhone displays are tinted green, Jony Ive is using aluminum, and Apple is struggling with shipping a more intelligent Siri.
Jony Ive Designed a Car Interior
It’s not every day that supercar news makes it onto the page of tech-centric websites, but the Ferrari Luce has done just that. The upcoming EV has made huge waves due to its interior design:
Of course, this cockpit is designed by Jony Ive and his collaborators at LoveFrom. Here’s how Ferrari describes it:
Ferrari has always been ready to innovate. The Ferrari Luce project with Jony Ive, Marc Newson and LoveFrom began with a mutual interest in learning, in understanding the future – and a deep understanding of and appreciation for Ferrari heritage. This work is motivated by excellence, and by creating something extraordinary.