This week, Apple Podcasts, CarPlay Apple TV, and the true F1, not the film that seems right here – Picture Credit score: Apple
On this week’s “Reboot” column, the unintended penalties of video on Apple Podcasts, Apple TV and AI on CarPlay, and Apple’s massive F1 push past your iPhone display screen.
Reboot is a brand new weekly column overlaying a few of the lighter tales inside the Apple actuality distortion subject from the previous seven days. All to get the subsequent week underway with an excellent first step.
After per week that noticed new import tariffs changing struck-down ones, Siri unexpectedly lacking from Apple developer betas, and extra authorized wrangling, we are able to do with all the assistance we are able to get.
Video podcasts and maintaining appearances
On Monday, it was revealed that Apple Podcasts is receiving a monumental replace that brings video podcasts to the app. Admittedly, it isn’t earth-shattering as a change, for the reason that app did help some video beforehand.
To not point out that I bear in mind watching video-based podcasts resembling Diggnation and The Completely Rad Present downloaded utilizing iTunes effectively over a decade in the past. To me, it is much less an enormous change, extra a correction to what Apple did earlier than.
Apple Podcasts is getting extra video content material – Picture credit score: Apple
To the remainder of the podcasting universe, Apple’s adjustments are in all probability not massive both. Video podcasts have been round for years, and supporting them correctly in Apple Podcasts merely makes it simpler to deliver them to a wider viewers.
The precise adjustments are issues like native video playback powered by HTTP Dwell Streaming (HLS), which additionally brings alongside adaptive streaming and dynamic video advert insertions.
To Apple Podcast customers, they are going to see this as a brand new addition to the app in spring 2026. For podcasters who could not essentially have labored on video podcasts earlier than, the work begins now.
It is one factor to be able to file audio for a podcast. It is one other if you must care about the way you look, how your background seems, and what opinions the Web could type of visual-you as an alternative of audio-you.
Audio podcasters aiming to catch the wave must do much more to arrange. Meaning getting an honest webcam if Continuity Digital camera does not work with their iPhone for some purpose.
Then there’s making the set look good, or at the very least cleansing the house on digicam behind them. Extra clearly, selecting the smarter garments to put on and really brushing your hair are actual issues.
With the prospect of probably having to visibly seem on the AppleInsider Podcast sooner or later, some members of the editorial staff have taken time to remodel their workplace house to be extra camera-friendly.
Your humble author lovingly refers to his workplace as much less workspace, extra “bombsite with cats.”
There’s additionally having to discover ways to discuss on digicam. You possibly can’t stare at an iPad stuffed with notes consistently as you communicate, as you must look assured in addition to sound it.
It is a lot of labor, and lots of podcasters who have not but ventured into the video realm will probably be unprepared for it.
However on the plus aspect, extra folks will have the ability to justify getting a elaborate haircut as a enterprise expense for tax functions.
CarPlay AI and Apple TV?
Beta builds usually embrace hints of what to anticipate from Apple in its future working system releases. The iOS 26.4 replace included two upcoming adjustments that had been considerably sudden.
The primary one to be discovered was code snippets referring to Apple TV, the video streaming service. These references had been minor, however finally, it is possible for you to to observe Apple TV exhibits out of your automotive’s infotainment system.
Apple already does enable some video playback apps to run on CarPlay, so an enlargement to Apple TV was an eventuality. Nevertheless, don’t anticipate to be watching Ted Lasso as you barrel down the highway at excessive velocity.
Apple already limits video playback in CarPlay to when the car is stationary and parked. The very last thing Apple needs is to be named in a lawsuit attributable to driver inattentiveness, once more.
CarPlay will quickly have Apple TV.
As for the precise viewing expertise, you are not going to get a lot in the best way of visible high quality, as automotive infotainment programs aren’t actually designed for a pleasurable viewing expertise. Their chief operate is to offer drivers and passengers with info and management choices, to not completely present Hannah Waddingham’s face as you flip right into a McDonald’s drive-thru.
That stated, it can use the identical speaker system as you pipe music by way of. Cinema sound, however not drive-in visuals.
The opposite CarPlay introduction is definitely one thing Apple confirmed. An replace to the CarPlay Developer Information mentions a brand new entitlement class for voice-driven conversational apps.
Assume entry to chatbots like ChatGPT and Claude, alongside Siri.
This expertise will probably be restricted, as Apple does not enable the apps to delve far into CarPlay’s programs in any respect, primarily based on the information. It is also clamping down on responses, limiting the interactions in order that the motive force is not bombarded with speech whereas attempting to focus on the highway.
The primary factor to grasp right here is that Apple is permitting AI chatbots to work in CarPlay in an especially managed method, as a result of all the things to do with CarPlay is made in a safety-first manner.
As a lot as folks could dream or concern that ChatGPT will begin driving your automotive whilst you watch The Studio, we’re extraordinarily removed from that occuring.
F1 and extra Apple TV
Whilst you will not have the ability to watch F1: The Film whereas caught in visitors anytime quickly, there are some more moderen developments with regards to F1: The Sport.
Apple’s acquisition of the rights to Method 1 content material in October 2025 was an enormous transfer for the corporate. Whereas it has grown in some areas, together with baseball protection and soccer, Method 1 rights in the US was an enormous coup.
With the 2026 season beginning in early March, Apple has to start out selling its partnership to its viewers to capitalize on the deal.
For dwelling customers, this has emerged as a new channel within the Apple TV app known as Method 1. It is a channel that has snuck onto the sidebar within the app, giving customers fast entry to F1 content material, much like the MLS tab.
At the least, when you’re in the US. In different international locations, you do not get that tab in any respect, for the reason that partnership solely covers the US.
That new Method 1 channel can’t be eliminated within the U.S. Sorry.
Apple TV customers in the US have found that the sidebar itemizing is static. Just like the MLS line, you’ll be able to’t transfer or do away with it in any respect.
After all, not everybody needs to observe millionaires driving costly vehicles in a loop for 2 hours from their iPhone display screen or a small dwelling TV. For followers wanting a extra sociable expertise, they are going to have choices.
For those who occur to have an IMAX theater close to you, choose races will probably be proven reside from the identical fancy screens that confirmed the Brad Pitt car.
However even when you do not have an IMAX cinema inside vary, you will have a sports activities bar or two.
Beneath a partnership with EverPass, Apple TV sports activities content material will probably be accessible to numerous industrial institutions in the US. That may embrace protection of each grand prix in Method 1, Main League Soccer matches, and the weekly MLB Friday Night time Baseball double-header.
Simply bear in mind to not drink and drive, and particularly do not use the bar-based F1 as inspiration to take the “racing line” as you head dwelling.
No cop will take “I noticed it on Apple TV” as an excuse.
Final week’s first Reboot mentioned extra Apple TV information, Jony Ive’s Ferrari design protection, and questioned the necessity for robotic cat bathroom apps.