402 - Apple Card's Big Bank Switch, Vision Pro Reality Checks, and CES 2026 Tech

The latest In Touch With iOS with Dave Ginsburg he is joined by Jill McKinley, Eric Bolden, Marty Jencius, Guy Serle. The first In Touch With iOS episode of 2026 kicks off with major Apple news as Chase becomes the new issuer of Apple Card, sparking discussion about rewards, savings accounts, and what changes may come. The panel also dives into Apple Vision Pro updates, including immersive LA Lakers games and media scrutiny around sales performance. Plus, we cover beta security updates, Apple Music enhancements, a Logitech certificate mishap, standout CES 2026 tech, and new AI integrations shaping email and music discovery.

The show notes are at InTouchwithiOS.com

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Summary

Episode 402 opens the new year with Dave Ginsburg joined by Guy Serle, Marty Jencius, Jill McKinley, and Eric Bolden for a wide-ranging Apple ecosystem discussion. The panel begins with breaking news that Chase will replace Goldman Sachs as the Apple Card issuer, a transition expected to take up to 24 months. The group debates potential impacts on daily cash back, high-yield savings, international availability, and whether Chase branding could alter the card's famously minimalist experience.

Attention then turns to Apple Vision Pro, highlighted by the announcement of immersive LA Lakers games available to users in select regions. While excited about Apple's continued push into immersive sports, the panel addresses recent reports questioning Vision Pro sales and critiques media narratives framing the platform as a failure. The consensus: Vision Pro is still early, niche, and evolving—especially for enterprise and immersive content.

On the software side, Apple's background security update testing raises interesting questions about transparency and user control, while Wi-Fi 6E performance boosts arrive quietly for newer Macs and iPads. Apple Music also gets some love, with new playlist folders, pinned music, and lock-screen animations, plus deeper discussion on whether Apple Music is now compelling enough to replace Spotify for some users.

The episode also touches on a Logitech mouse certificate expiration that temporarily broke advanced features, reinforcing concerns about cloud-dependent hardware. From CES 2026, the team highlights smart bird feeders, AI-powered TVs, and a massive 52-inch 6K Dell display, sparking debate about longevity, privacy, and the growing creep of "always-connected" devices.

Finally, the panel explores AI integrations in Gmail and Apple Music, including ChatGPT-powered playlist creation.

Topics and Links

Breaking News

Chase to become new issuer of Apple Card

Apple Card Issuer Transition

JPMorgan Chase Reaches a Deal to Take Over the Apple Credit Card

In Touch With Vision Pro this week.

Immersive Los Angeles Lakers Games Coming to Vision Pro on January 9

M5 Vision Pro launch likely made minimal sales impact: report

Analysts need Apple Vision Pro to be a flop, whether Apple considers it one or not

Beta this week. No updates this week. Apple releases iOS 26.3 security test for beta users, details here

Apple Again Tests Background Security Updates in iOS 26.3 and macOS Tahoe 26.3

In Touch With Mac this week

Apple Tests Background Security Updates in iOS 26.3 and macOS Tahoe 26.3

iPadOS and macOS 26.2 Double 5GHz Wi-Fi Bandwidth for Wi-Fi 6E Devices

RIP MacUpdater – keep all your apps up-to-date effortlessly Dave tries Updatest as an alternative.

Dave tries this Mac app to manage all your Mac drives. DriveBuddy Never Lose a File Again with Drivebuddy.io

Other Topics

Apple Music

iOS 26 gave Apple Music three of my favorite new features in years

It's not you–a Logitech blunder borked your Mac mouse, but there's a fix

CES News

For Eric CES 2026: Birdbuddy Debuts New Smart Bird Feeders

CES 2026: Google Brings Gemini AI Features to Google TV, Previewing What Apple TV Could Get

Dell announces massive 52-inch 6K display with Thunderbolt

News

Apple Store Moving in Montréal, Get the Mac and iPhone Wallpaper Now

Apple TV just won prestigious awards for three hit series and one movie

Apple Fitness+ launches new features for building exercise habits

The Shure MV88 (again) plugs right into your iPhone

Gmail Users Can Now Use These Three AI Features Without Paying

Generate Apple Music Playlists With ChatGPT

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Our Host

Dave Ginsburg is an IT professional supporting Mac, iOS and Windows users and shares his wealth of knowledge of iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV and related technologies. Visit the YouTube channel https://youtube.com/intouchwithios follow him on Mastodon @daveg65, , BlueSky @daveg65 and the show @intouchwithios

Our Regular Contributors

Jeff Gamet is a podcaster, technology blogger, artist, and author. Previously, he was The Mac Observer's managing editor, and Smile's TextExpander Evangelist. You can find him on Mastadon @jgamet Pixelfed @jgamet@pixelfed.social and Bluesky @jgamet.bsky.social‬ Podcasts The Context Machine Podcast Retro Rewatch Retro Rewatch His YouTube channel https://youtube.com/jgamet

Marty Jencius, Ph.D., is a professor of counselor education at Kent State University, where he researches, writes, and trains about using technology in teaching and mental health practice. His podcasts include Vision Pro Files, The Tech Savvy Professor and Circular Firing Squad Podcast. Find him at jencius@mastodon.social https://thepodtalk.net

Eric Bolden is into macOS, plants, sci-fi, food, and is a rural internet supporter. You can connect with him by email at eabolden@mac.com, on Mastodon at @eabolden@techhub.social, on his blog, Trending At Work, and as co-host on The Vision ProFiles podcast.

Jill McKinley works in enterprise software, server administration, and IT A lifelong tech enthusiast, she started her career with Windows but is now an avid Apple fan. Beyond technology, she shares her insights on nature, faith, and personal growth through her podcasts—Buzz Blossom & Squeak, Start with Small Steps, and The Bible in Small Steps. Watch her content on YouTube at @startwithsmallsteps and follow her on X @schmern. Find all her work at http://jillfromthenorthwoods.com

Chuck Joiner is the host of MacVoices and hosts video podcasts with influential members of the Apple community. Make sure to visit macvoices.com and subscribe to his podcast. You can follow him on Twitter @chuckjoiner and join his MacVoices Facebook group.

Guy Serle is one of the hosts of the new The Gmen Show along with GazMaz and email GMenshow@icloud.com @MacParrot and @VertShark on X Vertshark on YouTube, Google Voice +1 Area code 703-828-4677