HilliTech's Newsletter: Three sleeps till dub dub

It's almost time for Apple to save face in the AI race or step on yet another rake in the public eye. While I don't really care much for AI, I do believe it is important for Apple to compete in some way, shape, or form.

Here are some stories I'd like to share this week:

The URL For Summer Games Fest, A Common Typo, Now Redirects To The Transgender Law Center

“The silly typo website redirects to a place that fights as well as anyone can for trans people in this environment”

AftermathNathan Grayson

Final Fantasy VII Remake makes queerness visible — but confined

By separating aesthetic presentation from player agency, Final Fantasy VII Remake reveals how queerness can be represented without being playable

MothershipNamrah Jamal

Your Summer 2026 Anime Guide: What to Watch and Where It’s Streaming

From ‘Bleach’ to ‘Sekiro,’ here’s every anime you should be watching in the realm of sci-fi, fantasy, and beyond this season.

GizmodoIsaiah Colbert

Hackers Simply Asked Meta AI to Give Them Access to High-Profile Instagram Accounts. It Worked

The exploit shows the extreme risk of offloading technical support to AI.

404 MediaJason Koebler

Mova LiDAX Ultra Lawn Mower review: Mostly hands-off lawn care

If you’ve got a medium to large-sized yard that needs mowing regularly, the Mova LiDAX Ultra robot lawn mower can make mowing an afterthought.

AppleInsiderWesley Hilliard

Pick a lane

Don't ask for more thoughtful product release cycles, then claim a product is dead when it isn't updated regularly. So much of internet bullshit is built around "I want this for the thing I like," which goes out of the window when applied to anything else.

We already knew Apple Vision Pro hardware hit a standstill in the current release cycle and hardware development. There's just no good way to bring down the cost, weight, and keep processing power consistent with today's technology.

It needs a cooling-off period.

In the meantime, we'll see improvements brought about via visionOS, new apps, and more immersive content. That won't slow because the hardware that drives these experiences already exists.

There's no reason for a new Apple Vision product until it can be thinner and lighter. Worst-case scenario, M5 gets a bit out of date, and Apple bumps the model to M8 or whatever. Though, I don't think we'll get that far without a hardware revision.

As I've said many times before, let's take a breath. Apple Vision Pro exists. Apple is selling them in some number that's likely enough to satisfy whatever needs they have for debugging and public beta-type stuff.

Glasses are the next obvious thing, but AR ones, not these silly Meta-style creeper glasses. Sadly, those do seem to be a stepping stone to the full AR pair. I'm very interested in seeing how Apple approaches the hardware in 2027.

We still haven't seen iPhone Fold

Ignore the bullshit leaks, AI-manipulated images, dummy models, and what have you. We haven't seen iPhone Fold. It's June, and a device expected in September hasn't entered mass production.

That is all.

WWDC is Monday

It's finally time to hear about what Apple has planned for its upcoming operating systems. My wishlist is a bit outlandish as usual, but Apple tends to hit at least one or two things along the way.

Let's ignore AI for a moment and discuss the other aspects of what might be announced on Monday.

Every operating system will see some kind of update, and yes, Liquid Glass will be addressed in some form. The "hints" provided by the invites clearly point to the new animation for Siri, so let's not dwell on that.

I'll continue to beat the drum that Apple's database systems need attention. Apple Health, Apple Home, Contacts, and Photos all need to get some overhauls for the new AI-driven world. The more content we can manipulate and control, the better off we'll be.

Apple Contacts should be built around a new GUI that prioritizes live updates, social features, and quick links to interactions. Let me see the user's Contact Poster at the top, their latest Apple Music listen, Game Center game, social media profile, and pinned Apple News article all at the top of their page.

I'd love to see shared Apple Journals where users can be invited to create entries for Journal with images and text that others viewing the Journal can comment on. Yes, this is basically a social media timeline, but private, secure, and small.

Apple Health should be rethought to be a destination, not just a database. Show me relevant data for the day, goals I could pursue, and actions I can take in the moment on a central dashboard. Bring more third-party devices, apps, and data in for use.

Apple Home needs to be a hub for managing the home. That means tracking chores, filter replacements, battery changes, and more. The latest Matter version should also be brought into the ecosystem as well.

Pride Month

I'd be crazy not to at least acknowledge Pride Month. I'm surrounded by friends that belong to the LGBTQ+ community, including my wife, so I can easily say it's an important month for me.

I'll be attending a local Pride Prom tomorrow night as a part of the celebration. And while corporate America attempts to monetize and otherwise ruin Pride Month, I'd like to remind everyone that doesn't mean June shouldn't be a celebration.

We all just need to yell a little louder and ensure that everyone can be heard over the noise. Trans rights are human rights. Love is love. Everyone has a right to be who they truly are.

One of my favorite fun facts is Apple's rainbow logo predates the existence of the Pride Flag by about a year. The company has always had some level of attachment to the Pride community, on purpose or not, and I don't think that's about to change just because John Ternus is set to be CEO.

Happy Pride everyone. Let's piss off all the angry, sad, weirdos that we can.