Looking Ahead: Trends for 2026

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.

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Links and Show Notes

App and Apple Preditions and Trends for 2026

Vibe Coding & AI Development Trends for 2026

• Mentioned:
  • Google AI Studio
  • [Swift Playground](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/swift-playground/id908519492
  • 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

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