iOS Today 783: Best of 2025

Hosts: Micah Sargent (A) & Rosemary Orchard (B)
Air Date: December 28, 2025

Episode Overview

This special "Best of" edition of iOS Today recaps the most impactful discussions from 2025, offering listeners a detailed breakdown of Apple’s latest hardware releases. Micah and Rosemary revisit two highly praised episodes: how to choose the right Apple Watch and the right iPhone. Ideal for anyone considering a device upgrade, the episode serves as a comprehensive buyer’s guide, combining technical specs, practical user advice, and memorable anecdotes.

Major Segments & Timestamps

• [03:00] Choosing Your 2025 Apple Watch: SE3, Series 11, Ultra 3
• [31:05] 2025 iPhone Lineup Deep Dive: iPhone 17, 17 Pro/Pro Max, Air

Best of 2025: Apple Watch Buyer's Guide

Key Models & Core Differences ([03:00])

• Apple Watch SE3

  • Entry-level at $249 (GPS), $299 (Cellular)
  • Two aluminum colors: Midnight (dark), Starlight (light)
  • Always-on Retina display, 1,000 nits brightness
  • 18-hour battery
  • Core health features: sleep tracking, heart rate, irregular rhythm notifications
  • No ECG, blood-oxygen app, or hypertension notifications
  • Composite back material, more prone to scratches

• Apple Watch Series 11

  • $399 (GPS), $499 (Cellular)
  • Multiple case options: 4 aluminum, 3 titanium finishes
  • 42mm and 46mm case sizes (10% larger battery in the 46mm)
  • Always-on display, up to 2,000 nits
  • 24-hour battery (defined by Apple as 300 time checks, 90 notifications, 15 min app use, 1 hr workout)
  • Adds ECG, blood-oxygen, and hypertension features
  • Precision Finding with Ultra Wideband chip
  • More durable back with metal/sapphire

• Apple Watch Ultra 3

  • Premium/sport model, 49mm case
  • Up to 3,000 nits brightness, 42-hour battery
  • Emergency SOS via satellite, built-in siren, dual speakers
  • Ceramic/sapphire back
  • Advanced durability, scuba depth (resistant up to 100m, depth gauge for 40m)
  • Best for outdoor use, water sports, long battery life

Display & Battery Insights

“The screen is also not quite as bright. It can only do up to 1,000 nits of brightness and it has a minimum of 2 nits of brightness versus the Series 11, which goes up to 2,000 nits.” – Rosemary ([20:08])

“Big thing to keep in mind is that you are not having to deal with a different system on a chip depending on which one you get. But … Only the Series 11 and the Ultra 3 offer what's called precision finding.” – Micah ([09:22])

Upgrading Considerations ([11:00])

• WatchOS 26 supported on SE2/3, Series 6+, all Ultras
• Compare your current model via Apple's comparison tool before upgrading
• Battery life and new features are major upgrade motivators, but new S10 chip and always-on display are now standard
• Case size matters for using existing bands

“If you had an Apple Watch Series 1 and that's the watch you're currently rocking, well, your display is only 450 nits and now it can go up to 2,000 nits and you've got wide angle OLED, ECG, hypertension notifications … so it's well worth actually using the comparison feature.” – Rosemary ([11:34])

Detailed User Feedback

• Ultra 3’s size is a dealbreaker for people with smaller wrists

“If you have small wrists … I have bones. I exist as a person and you can see me from all angles. It’s just, if you stick the Ultra on my wrist, then it’s like I have a second wrist stuck to my wrist … It’s humongous.” – Rosemary ([26:41])

• Ultra’s battery life is stunningly practical

“There have been a couple of times where … I didn’t put my Apple Watch on the charger … and I went the whole day without needing to charge it.” – Micah ([23:56])

Bottom Line Recommendations

• SE3: Budget-friendly, most main health features, lighter materials, ideal for most users
• Series 11: Added health monitoring, more color/case choices, better durability, precision finding
• Ultra 3: For adventure/outdoor users needing superior battery, ruggedness, advanced safety

Best of 2025: iPhone Buyer's Guide

iPhone 17 Lineup Breakdown ([31:05])

• iPhone 17

  • $799, 6.3” display, aluminum frame
  • A19 chip (non-pro)
  • Dual camera: wide + ultra-wide, updated front camera with Center Stage
  • Range of colors incl. lavender, sage, cloudy blue
  • For compact phone users who want top main features, but don’t need telephoto

• iPhone Air

  • $999, 6.5” display, thinnest iPhone ever (165g)
  • Titanium frame for strength, A19 Pro chip
  • Single 48MP camera with digital “fusion” zoom (1x, 2x); no ultra-wide
  • Special Apple MagSafe battery accessory (only works with the Air’s dimensions)
  • Best for users prioritizing a large, ultralight device (elderly, those with smaller hands, mobility needs)

“I could see my grandmother really liking this … She needs the larger screen size, but a 6.9-inch Pro Max comes with a certain amount of weight to it.” – Rosemary ([50:04])

• iPhone 17 Pro / Pro Max
  • $1099+, 6.3” (Pro) / 6.9” (Pro Max) display
  • Aluminum unibody for better heat dissipation, vapor chamber cooling
  • A19 Pro chip (6-core GPU)
  • Triple 48MP lens: ultra-wide (0.5x), wide (1x, 2x), telephoto (4x, 8x)
  • 39h video playback (Pro Max US eSIM), slightly less with physical SIM
  • For heavy camera users, power users, those wanting best battery/camera

Pre-Order Stories: Memorable Moments

• Rosemary & Micah both got the 512GB Pro/Pro Max in Deep Blue, but had wildly different pre-order experiences

“I managed to get in, pre-ordered it and got a launch day delivery confirmed straight off the bat which was great … But I know your experience wasn’t quite the same as mine.” – Rosemary ([32:39]) “For those of us in Pacific time, pre-orders begin at 5 in the morning … 5:05 rolled around and that’s when I finally got into the store ... I went through with my original deep blue 512 17 Pro Max.” – Micah ([33:33])

Feature Highlights by Model

• Screen tech: All have Super Retina XDR, ProMotion, always-on display, Dynamic Island
• Size options: 17 (6.3"), Air (6.5", extra thin), Pro (6.3"), Pro Max (6.9", max battery)
• Camera:
  • 17: dual rear, front Center Stage
  • Air: main only, digital zoom
  • Pro/Pro Max: Pro camera system, full range of zooms

“I need my three lenses. I need that telephoto. I literally used it earlier today … You’re not getting away with taking my telephoto lens away from me.” – Rosemary ([53:14])

• Thermal design: Pro/Pro Max’s vapor chamber cooling improves heat management

“My dad … in Barbados … has had a number of times where the phone got a bit too hot and just said, no, I can’t take photos right now … It will be good to have better thermals on that.” – Rosemary ([60:29])

• Charging: New, ultra-fast charging supported only by Apple’s $40 USB-C charger

Essential Advice & Memorable Quotes

On Upgrading & Device Choice ([11:00], [64:05])

• Use Apple’s online comparison tools to assess real feature gains
• Consider storage needs and declutter your existing phone before upgrading

“If it turns out you've got 80GB of data taken up by an app that you've not used in six months, … maybe drop down a tier and maybe offload some music if you need that app again ...” – Rosemary ([64:05])

• Battery life, health features, and screen size are top decision factors
• Cases for new iPhones must be model-specific (16 Pro cases block new camera sensors)

Notable Quotes

• “All the health features are finally essentially standard, so even the SE3 offers so much, unless you really need ECG or hypertension notifications.” – Micah ([08:45])
• “It’s humongous … If you stick the Ultra on my wrist, it’s like I have a second wrist stuck to my wrist.” – Rosemary ([26:41])
• “If you can afford to go up more and you don’t need it to be this thin light option, then I think the Pro really starts to make sense … particularly because of all those delicious camera lenses that you get.” – Micah ([58:15])
• “Don’t forget to buy a new case unless you’re somebody that goes caseless … Pro 16 cases fit, but they’ll cover the camera, the flash and the light sensor.” – Rosemary ([66:25])

Summary Table: Apple Device Recommendations

| Situation | Best Watch | Best iPhone | |----------------------------------|----------------------|----------------------------------| | Tight budget, mainstream user | SE3 | iPhone 17 | | Want advanced health/safety | Series 11 / Ultra 3 | iPhone 17 Pro | | Rugged, outdoor, big battery | Ultra 3 | 17 Pro Max | | Largest thin/light device | — | iPhone Air | | Small wrists, lightest feel | SE3 / Series 11 | iPhone 17 | | Power user, best camera, max batt | Ultra 3 | iPhone 17 Pro Max |

Closing Thoughts

Micah and Rosemary emphasize the importance of matching device features to actual needs, considering both technical specs and ergonomics. They advocate for carefully assessing your upgrade rationale, leveraging Apple’s comparison tools, and taking practicality—like wrist size, hand strength, or photography habits—seriously. Both hosts stress that sometimes, skipping a year’s upgrade is a better call and encourage listeners to declutter before buying a bigger storage tier.

For full hands-on guides and more in-depth comparisons, visit Apple’s comparison site and listen to upcoming iOS Today episodes!