Podcast Rewind: Apps in 2026 and The Best Handhelds of the Year

Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:

AppStories

This week, Federico and John look ahead to 2026 and what it will mean for apps, smarter Siri, and more.

On AppStories+, Federico and John update listeners on their latest app experiments and holiday hardware projects.

NPC: Next Portable Console

This week, Brendon, Federico, and John pick their top handheld consoles of 2025.

On NPC XL, Federico, John, and Brendon share their HOTY Honorable Mentions and trends they expect for 2026.

AppStories, Episode 466, ‘What’s Next for Apps in 2026’ Show Notes

App Development Trends for 2026

• Mentioned:
  ⚬ Google AI Studio
  ⚬ Swift Playground
  ⚬ Manus AI
• Wabi
• Claude Code
• Codex
• The junior bet has gotten better

iPhone Opening Up to Wireless Wearables

• Index 01 Ring

Android AI Agents & Computer Use

• Google Gemini

Research Apps & NotebookLM Alternatives

• NotebookLM
• EXA API
• Parallel AI API
• Perplexity’s iPad app focuses on research tools

Siri with App Intents & Apple Intelligence

MCP on Mobile

• MCP (Model Context Protocol)
• Rumored MCP bridge in development for iOS 26

Subscribe to AppStories+

Visit AppStories.net to learn more about the extended, high bitrate audio version of AppStories that is delivered early each week and subscribe.

NPC, Episode 62, ‘The 2025 Handhelds of the Year Awards’ Show Notes

The 2025 Handhelds of the Year Awards

The Contenders:

• Switch 2
• Ayn Thor
• Miyoo Flip
• TrimUI Brick

Subscribe to NPC XL

NPC XL is a weekly members-only version of NPC with extra content, available exclusively through our new Patreon for $5/month. Each week on NPC XL, Federico, Brendon, and John record a special segment or deep dive about a particular topic that is released alongside the “regular” NPC episodes. You can subscribe here.

MacStories launched its first podcast in 2017 with AppStories. Since then, the lineup has expanded to include a family of weekly shows that also includes MacStories Unwind, Magic Rays of Light, Comfort Zone, NPC: Next Portable Console, and First, Last, Everything that collectively, cover a broad range of the modern media world from Apple’s streaming service and videogame hardware to apps for a growing audience that appreciates our thoughtful, in-depth approach to media.

If you’re interested in advertising on our shows, you can learn more here or by contacting our Managing Editor, John Voorhees.