Popular Apple TV+ sports comedy Stick just completed its first season and got its green light for season two. So while comparisons to feel-good soccer phenom Ted Lasso seem inevitable, this Owen Wilson-led golf series carves out its own distinctive identity.

Rather than trying to replicate the wholesome optimism and wildly unbelievable story that made Ted Lasso a cultural phenomenon, Stick takes viewers slightly further into somewhat darker territory and into a slightly more believable story with suburban grift, sardonic humor and complex characters navigating grief and redemption.

Hey, I said somewhat darker, slightly further and slightly more believable, OK?

In a nutshell, Stick, like Lasso, is danged wholesome and all about redemption. And both series are feel-good shows people want to watch right now, given the societal circumstances. But for my Apple TV+ Stick review, here are three compelling reasons why Stick deserves your attention, regardless of how you feel about its more famous predecessor.

Consumers stay away from foldable handsets in droves, and a new survey found that a majority of Americans are not interested in one. So it might seem surprising that Apple reportedly plans a folding iPhone for 2026. But it’s typical of Apple.

Apple doesn’t make what you think you want. It never has. It makes what you don’t yet realize you want, and it’s been fantastically successful at it for decades.

Like Apple One, Apple on Wednesday introduced a new AppleCare bundle for protecting multiple Apple devices. Dubbed AppleCare One, it extends the warranty and provides accidental damage protection to three Apple devices.

Pricing starts from $19.99 per month, with an option to add more devices by paying an additional $5.99 per device every month.

July 20, 2007: Just a month after the original iPhone goes on sale, the first third-party app gets compiled and launched for the new platform. The Hello World app serves more as a proof of concept than a serious tool. However, it clearly demonstrates that third-party apps will become a cornerstone of the new iPhone economy.

It’s a shame Apple doesn’t get the memo.

Apple Arcade subscribers can now enjoy special SpongeBob SquarePants content across multiple games on the platform — if they’re into that fishy sort of thing. The gaming service continues its strategy of bringing beloved characters to its exclusive titles. The latest crossover events feature the iconic Nickelodeon character in Snake.io+, Crossy Road Castle and an updated SpongeBob: Patty Pursuit game.

Said Phil Schiller, Apple fellow and former SVP for worldwide product marketing, in a post on Mastodon Social: “Jumping Jellyfish!”

Apple came up with a “significant evolution” for the Dynamic Island that’s part of the display in most iPhone models, according to a noted tipster. Rather than phasing out the dynamic interface, rumors indicate Apple will lean into the feature.

It’s something to look forward to in the iPhone 17 and beyond.

Apple may hold the upcoming iPhone 17 launch event in the week beginning September 8. If not on Monday, the company could opt for September 9 (Tuesday) or 10 (Wednesday).

Apple typically unveils new iPhones in the second week of September.

Apple already has the iPhone 17e on its drawing board, according to rumors. Surveys indicate the company has a new strategy that’ll bring much more frequent updates to its most affordable iOS handsets.

Here’s when to expect the replacement for the iPhone 16e, and what hardware changes are coming.

July 11, 2008: The iPhone 3G goes on sale. Expectations for the smartphone sequel run high, and Apple delivers with the addition of GPS, faster 3G data and a higher-quality build. The iPhone 3G launch also brings a new mobile operating system packed with features.

Apple’s second smartphone runs iPhone OS 2, which introduces a better Mail app, turn-by-turn navigation and a little something called the App Store.

Apple’s AI ambitions take a hit as a key executive leading its AI model efforts departs the company. Meta has successfully managed to poach Ruoming Pang, who managed Apple’s foundation models team.

Meta is forming a new superintelligence team and reportedly offering pay packages of up to $100 million to attract top AI talent.