Quote · Waveform: The MKBHD Podcast
WWDC 2026: Is Siri Actually Good Now?
Where this was said
Parental Controls Overhaul: Setup Flows, Gradual Access, and Apple's Long Game
At 1:12:17 · chapter starts 1:09:10
Andrew, a new parent, walks through iOS 27's most significant parental control changes: a redesigned child account setup assistant with preset bundles ('essentials only' locks to FaceTime, Phone, Messages, Maps, and Settings), the ability to convert existing accounts to child accounts, gradual app unlocking as kids earn trust, and request-based access to new apps and websites that sends notifications to parents for approval. Screen time can now be restricted by time of day — during school hours, for instance — and parents can adjust allowances on the fly as rewards or consequences. Marques cuts through the feature showcase with a cynical but accurate observation: the real beneficiary is Apple's future market share. Get a kid comfortable on iPhone early and they are statistically far more likely to remain an iPhone user for life. The crew acknowledges this doesn't make the features bad — just commercially motivated.
iOS 27's revamped parental controls make it dramatically easier to set up locked-down child accounts with granular app permissions, screen time by time-of-day, and request-based access to new apps. But Marques pointed out what Apple gains too: get a kid on iPhone early and they are statistically far more likely to stay on iPhone for life.
The new Siri AI is genuinely impressive at pulling personal context from your iPhone — indexing messages, email, and calendar to take actions on your behalf. The catch: it defaults to Apple's own apps. Ask it to send a Gmail or add to Google Calendar, and it silently uses Apple Mail and Apple Calendar instead. If you're fully in Apple's ecosystem, it works. If you're not, it's frustrating.
