Tech News Weekly, Episode 409: Apple’s New M5 MacBook and iPad Pro

Date: October 16, 2025
Host: Micah Sargent
Guests: Jennifer Pattison Tuohy (The Verge), Dan Morin (Six Colors)

Episode Overview

This episode digs into Apple’s latest product launches, focusing on the new M5 Macs and iPad Pro, and explores their significance for smart home enthusiasts and everyday users. Other big stories include California’s legislative action on teen social media safety, and Instagram’s sweeping PG-13-style changes for all teen accounts. With guest experts Jennifer Pattison Tuohy and Dan Morin, the discussion is lively, insightful, and occasionally skeptical—especially regarding tech’s role in society and parental involvement.

Main Segments & Highlights

1. Apple’s New iPad Pro and Smart Home Innovations

Guest: Jennifer Pattison Tuohy ([00:47]–[15:09])

Key Discussion Points

• iPad Pro M5 Now Supports Thread:
  The new iPad Pro is the first to officially support Thread, a smart home network protocol underpinning Matter. This could foreshadow updates to Apple TV or HomePod Mini, but currently, the iPad isn’t a dedicated home hub.

• N1 Wireless Networking Chip:
  Apple’s new N1 chip supports Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread. This “smart home powerhouse chip” is engineered for robust connectivity (especially for Matter devices), leading to speculation that forthcoming Apple TVs and HomePods will include it.

  • “This is what I would call a smart home powerhouse chip. It has everything you need for Matter, smart home connectivity.” – Jennifer Pattison Tuohy [03:12]

• Home Hub Implications:
  The iPad lost its home hub functionality previously, but Thread support may indicate that capability could return. Not confirmed, but possible.

  • “This could indicate that they might bring back that capability, which I know a lot of people missed, because not everyone wants to have a HomePod mini or an Apple TV…” – Jennifer Pattison Tuohy [05:48]

• Thread’s Role & Mesh Networking:
  Explained how Thread’s mesh networking strengthens the more devices you add, as opposed to Wi-Fi, which gets weaker with more connections. She detailed the distinction between Thread border routers (HomePod mini, Apple TV) and end devices (sensors, locks).

• Real Benefits for Users:
  Even if you don’t have a dedicated Thread border router, the new iPad or iPhone will let you use and set up Thread devices, control them locally—even when the internet is down.

  • “If your Internet goes down and your power is out, you have a Thread radio in your iPhone or your iPad, you can still control battery powered devices because it can establish a direct connection over Thread a lot like Bluetooth.” [10:00]

• Recent Thread Developments with iOS 26:
  Thread 1.4 protocol now allows for merging multiple manufacturers’ border routers. Apple Home hubs, Google Nest Hubs, and SmartThings can now operate on a harmonious, merged Thread mesh.

Memorable Quote

“One of the real pain points as people have been adopting the new Matter smart home standard and Thread devices is, like, ‘What’s a Thread border router? Why do I have to have one?’ … Now, if you have an iPad Pro, you wouldn’t necessarily need a Thread border router to set up your smart home device.”
— Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, [07:58]

2. California’s New Social Media Warnings for Teens

Host: Micah Sargent, with commentary from Jennifer Pattison Tuohy ([17:35]–[29:33])

Key Discussion Points

• New Warning Label Law: California now requires platforms to display health warnings to users under 18, highlighting mental health risks (drawn from the U.S. Surgeon General’s report).

• How Warnings Work:

  • On first login each day: Skippable 10-second warning
  • After 3+ hours: Unskippable 30-second warning, repeated hourly

• Audience & Effectiveness:
  Discussion about whether these warnings will have real impact—are they more for parents than kids?

  • “Do we think it's going to go over their heads? ... Is it more actually for [the] adult who helps the child...?” – Micah Sargent [20:22]

• Parental Education as Crucial:
  Jennifer argues for parental education and involvement as a far more effective solution than government regulation.

  • “The solution is parental education... Parents need to help their children navigate society. So parents need to be in charge of this type of thing.” – Jennifer Pattison Tuohy [24:04]

• Comparisons to Warnings for Alcohol & Cigarettes:
  Jennifer notes the cultural precedents but questions effectiveness:

  • “It feels like a bit of a knee-jerk reaction that's not really solving the problem. And when you get to the issue of the problem, it's in the word ‘social’. It's social media. The problem is society; it's not apps, it's not technology.” [23:54]

• Societal Context:
  She draws parallels with how older media also influenced young people's self-image and mental health.

Notable Quotes

“There's no part of smoking that's good or beneficial. But social media, definitely ... there are also parts of it that are good and beneficial. So if it's managed well…”
— Jennifer Pattison Tuohy [25:36]

“Telling children about danger doesn't necessarily mean that they're not going to do something. In fact, most of them enjoy doing things that they're told not to do.”
— Jennifer Pattison Tuohy [29:12]

3. Apple’s M5 MacBook, iPad Pro & Vision Pro Updates

Guest: Dan Morin ([32:13]–[47:19])

Key Discussion Points

• Product Launches Covered:

  • MacBook Pro with M5
  • iPad Pro with M5
  • Vision Pro with M5

• Nature of the Updates:
  These are mostly incremental hardware bumps, not major redesigns or innovations.

  • “These are all incremental updates… Not a major upgrade year over year, but a cumulative update over all the years that Apple has been producing these things.” – Dan Morin [34:55]

• Who Should Upgrade?
  These new devices are most compelling for anyone still using M1-generation Macs/iPads—people on recent models won’t see dramatic improvements.

• AI Signaling:
  Apple is emphasizing AI performance not just for users but to reassure markets that it’s staying competitive.

  • “I think a lot of this is marketing and let's call it AI signaling... a way of telling Wall Street and investors… No, no, our stuff does AI too. We're on top of it.” [38:16]

• Vision Pro Updates:
  Now runs on M5 (up from M2), brings better graphics, higher refresh rate, slightly better battery life. More comfortable dual-strap now standard.

  • “Whether this will solve problems... the back strap includes weights in it like little tungsten inserts... to provide more of a counterweight to the front, which as most reviewers have noted is very heavy.” – Dan Morin [44:04]

• Future Product Rumors:
  Anticipated minor announcements (AirTags, Apple TV, HomePod mini) might drop via press release before year's end, not via big event.

Notable Quotes

“You put one of these M5 MacBook Pros next to an M4 MacBook Pro, I do not think it was Spider-Man, exactly. They're both pointing at each other.”
— Dan Morin [35:36]

“The Pro version, the sort of running story has always been it, the hardware outstrips the software. I think this year it seems like the software has finally started to catch up.”
— Dan Morin [41:23]

4. Instagram’s New Teen Account Controls

Host: Micah Sargent ([50:00]–end)

Key Discussion Points

• PG-13 Content Filtering:
  Instagram now automatically restricts content for users under 18, matching the PG-13 movie experience standard.

• What’s Filtered:

  • Sexual, graphic, violent, and drug/alcohol-related posts
  • Risky stunts
  • Accounts with mature bios or content, including those linking to adult sites

• New Parental Controls:
  Parents can now activate an even stricter ‘limited content’ setting to further filter or block commenting and DMs. Coming soon: limitations on AI chatbot conversations for teens.

• Transparency for Creators:
  Creators whose content becomes hidden from teens will be clearly notified and told why.

• Global Expansion & Age Prediction:
  The changes are rolling out in US, UK, Australia, and Canada, with eventual global coverage. Instagram will use age prediction to capture teens who falsely claim to be adults.

• MPA Response:
  The Motion Picture Association clarified that Instagram’s use of PG-13 as a standard is not officially affiliated with their rating system.

Memorable Quote

“For decades now we've known what a PG-13 experience is going to be… It means that the company took the opportunity to kind of look at the guidelines and then look at the guidelines for PG13 movies and then update them accordingly.”
— Micah Sargent [approx. 54:00]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:47] Jennifer Pattison Tuohy: iPad Pro, Thread, smart home
• [17:35] California’s New Teen Social Media Warnings
• [32:13] Dan Morin: Apple’s M5 MacBook/iPad Pro/Vision Pro
• [50:00] Instagram’s Teen Account PG-13 Controls

Notable Quotes

• “This is what I would call a smart home powerhouse chip. It has everything you need...” — Jennifer Pattison Tuohy [03:12]
• “It feels like a bit of a knee-jerk reaction that’s not really solving the problem. And when you get to the issue of the problem, it’s in the word ‘social’. It’s social media. The problem is society, it’s not apps, it’s not technology.” — Jennifer Pattison Tuohy [23:54]
• “You put one of these M5 MacBook Pros next to an M4 MacBook Pro, I do not think it was Spider-Man, exactly. They’re both pointing at each other.” — Dan Morin [35:36]

Summary Tone

The episode is conversational, candid, and witty, with hosts and guests openly weighing the practical impacts of tech updates and legislative efforts. There’s enthusiasm for Apple’s underlying tech improvements, but skepticism about both the efficacy of regulatory interventions for social media and the marketing hype around “AI” from big tech companies.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This episode is recommended if you want clear, context-rich explanations of Apple’s latest device upgrades (and their real-world implications, especially for smart home buffs), as well as a critical look at how tech companies and lawmakers are (or aren’t) addressing online safety for teens. The mix of expertise from The Verge and Six Colors, plus Micah’s incisive hosting, makes for an engaging and informative listen.