In a few hours, we’ll learn what Apple has in mind for an AI-infused version of iPhone software. We expect AI to deliver quality-of-life improvements to iOS over the next year. In recent history is any indication, AI will advance such that iOS 19 and iOS 20 are as influenced by AI as iOS 18. We’ll see.
In the meantime, I want to set a marker for how generative AI is working for me prior to Apple’s anticipated contribution.
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Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference in Cupertino kicks off tomorrow, and for a select group of Swift Student Challenge winners, the surprises have already begun.
This year Apple invited 50 Distinguished Swift Student Challenge winners to WWDC, and Tim Cook gave a surprise welcome to this special group of developers.
For an even smaller number of students, there was a once-in-a-lifetime experience unknowingly awaiting them: showing off their work to the CEO of Apple.
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Want to try Apple Vision Pro? In-store demos have only been offered at Apple retail locations so far. However, a popular home improvement retailer will let shoppers try Apple Vision Pro starting this weekend.
Lowe’s is testing Apple Vision Pro demos for customers in select locations this month. The experience will focus on the Lowe’s Style Studio app on Apple Vision Pro, giving customers hands-on experience with the headset.
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You probably know Halide, the pro camera app for iPhone. Who makes the Halide of video apps though? Turns out, it’s the makers of Halide themselves. Lux, the studio behind Halide, is launching their first pro video app for iPhone, called Kino. It’s a joy to use, with a design and user experience that matches the quality of the iPhone hardware.
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Will there be a fourth season of Ted Lasso? As we approach the one-year anniversary of the season three finale, we still don’t have a definitive answer on whether the final episode was also the series finale.
However, Nick Mohammed, the actor who portrays Nate, just dropped a tease that would be too cruel if it were a red herring. While promoting the Ted Lasso S1-S3 Blu-ray disc and DVD box set, the actor appears to suggest there’s more story to tell.
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AirPods firmware updates. Where do they come from? What do they do? We don’t need the answers to those questions to tell you that updated AirPods Pro 2 firmware was just released.
The newly pushed AirPods Pro (2nd generation) firmware is labeled version 6.5.7 (6F7) and belongs to the same build train. It’s available for both the Lightning and USB-C version of AirPods Pro 2.
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Apple is preparing to launch its second Beats Pill product since acquiring the audio brand nearly a decade ago. After being bought by Apple in 2014, Beats introduced the Beats Pill+ that sold from 2015 to 2020. While it was discontinued without a replacement in sight, the forthcoming Beats Pill has been showing up everywhere from celebrity sightings to regulatory listings.
Seeing the unreleased Beats Pill is an effective tease, but it doesn’t tell us what’s different this time around aside from an apparent integrated lanyard for toting it. However, 9to5Mac has learned through sources what features and specifications will accompany the new Beats Pill Bluetooth speaker when it officially launches.
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OpenAI recently launched their official ChatGPT app for the Mac (before Windows). The macOS app brings most of the functionality from the iPhone version to the desktop — no web browser needed.
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SpaceX has been cooking up Starlink-backed satellite cell service for a while now, and the company just demoed a major milestone.
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It’s been two months since the United States Department of Justice filed its lawsuit against Apple over alleged antitrust violations. While Apple has voiced opposition to the case before now, today the company has taken the first step toward filing a motion to dismiss the case altogether. The move also sets up a number of upcoming deadlines for the case.
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Apple plans to boost its iPhone production in India, increasing from below 15% to 25% by 2028. This target underscores Apple’s commitment to building a robust network of local suppliers and reducing its reliance on Chinese suppliers. It’s also a reality check on inflated projections made in recent reports.
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Samsung Electronics is set to mass-produce its 3nm Exynos application processors in the latter half of 2024, challenging Apple’s smartphone dominance, and pressuring TSMC and Qualcomm.
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Vietnamese officials have asked Apple supplier Foxconn to voluntarily reduce power usage by 30% at its northern assembly plants to prevent power shortages like last summer, which led to over a billion dollars in lost output.
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Anyone play Mega Man back in the day? That’s the first thing I thought of when I unboxed the new NuPhy Halo75 V2 mechanical keyboard. The awesome “blue lagoon” color just screams Mega Man, and the aptly named Halo75 puts on a really playful light show for your Mac as you type. Come to think of it, those blues also give 9to5Mac vibes…
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Apple has released iOS 17.5.1 for iPhone. The software update specifically addresses the issue with deleted photos reportedly returning after updating to iOS 17.5.
While the bug is certainly alarming, it’s important to note that Apple does not access your photos or videos. The issue resulted from a small number of photos being impacted by a corrupted database entry, making it possible for the photo to not fully delete from the device, Apple says.
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Incase has been a favorite Apple accessory brand for me since before my time at 9to5Mac started in 2013. Seriously, their steel-colored Bird’s Nest Snap iPhone 4 case was the perfect blend of chaos and expression for me in 2011. Fast-forward to 2024 and Incase has brought back another crowd pleaser with their ICON case line.
The Incase ICON case design is much more mature than the Bird’s Nest Snap case line that I favored back in the day. The ICON case line for iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max is more like Apple’s FineWoven line—just without the drama.
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MacWhisper is a super useful utility for quickly transcribing spoken audio on the Mac. Version 8 is launching today with new features around video, speed, AI, and more.
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Apple Vision Pro may be taking a backseat while the M4 iPad Pro has its day in the sun, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t big things brewing for the premium mixed reality headset. GamesIndustry.biz has interviewed Owlchemy Labs CEO Andrew Eiche about their experience bringing Job Simulator and Vacation Simulator to Apple Vision Pro, and their perspective on its role in the world is clear.
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Happy M4 iPad Pro launch day! Whether you’re picking one up for yourself or dreaming about which configuration you’d order, there’s plenty of M4 iPad Pro material to go around this week.
The latest insight into Apple’s vision for the iPad is included in an Apple exec interview by Harry McCracken for Fast Company. John Ternus and Greg Joswiak, or “Joz,” talk M4, AI, OLED, and what makes the iPad a “Pro” machine.
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Remember when Apple discontinued the original HomePod and still sold the HomePod mini? The question at the time was “mini compared to what?” Apple later revived the HomePod with a second-gen model, restoring balance to the universe.
Now the iPad lineup is in a similar situation. Apple blasted the M4 iPad Pro with its Super Galactic Thinnifier 3000 Ray Gun, leaving the M2 iPad Air thicker than its pricier companion. In a world where Air means thin, the question is then “thin compared to what?”
The answer exists in the annals of etymology.
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Update: Three weeks later, Meta has announced the feature alongside a new partnership with an airline. Original coverage from April 18 below…
Today I learned two things. First, apparently Meta Quest headsets don’t work on planes? I guess Apple knew to prioritize that feature for Vision Pro. And second, support is reportedly on the way. Add this to the list of ways competition from Vision Pro is making Meta Quest 3 a better product.
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Apple has officially released iOS 17.5, bringing new games in News+ and cross-platform tracking detection to iPhone users. Apple’s latest Pride wallpaper is also featured. The update is available alongside iPadOS 17.5, macOS 14.5 Sonoma, and more.
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With 48 individual iPad configurations available from Apple, there are more choices in the lineup than ever. When simplified, though, the iPad line is divided into four models: iPad, iPad mini, iPad Air, and iPad Pro. As Logan Spurgeon points out, however, there’s one thing Apple could do to really bring clarity to the iPad line.
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Following release candidate versions of iOS and other operating systems this week, Apple has seeded out macOS 14.5 RC to testers. This version could be what ships when the final version reaches customers. Here are the release notes:
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