It has been an unprecedented year for Apple software. The company is supporting more platforms and devices than ever, and the number of new features shipped and soon-to-arrive is impressive. So how is all of that going? Here’s a report card-type look at the good, bad, and ugly with Apple’s 2024 software.
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There’s a new Home Screen trend brewing, and it’s something made possible by two changes in iOS 18. Get ready for the cuteness of iPhone bookshelf wallpapers and the Home Screen layouts they make possible.
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Some developers yesterday argued that a change to iPhone contact privacy in iOS 18 made it harder for new social media apps to compete.
But I think they’re wrong, and that the more granular privacy control offered in iOS 18 actually makes it more likely that we’ll be willing to grant contacts access to apps …
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iOS 18 is a huge release for iPhone users and the system apps many of us rely on each day. Joining updates for Notes, Reminders, Photos, another built-in app that just got upgraded is Apple Maps. Here’s everything new that iOS 18 brings to the Maps app.
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iOS 18 is full of big, headline changes like new customization tools, upgrades to Photos, Notes, and Messages, and the forthcoming Apple Intelligence features. But one smaller update is causing a lot of concern for social apps, and it’s a change designed to protect user privacy.
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Update October 2, 2024: The release of iOS 18.0.1 is imminent. The information was shared on social media by a private account with a strong track record. The account has previously shared details about upcoming iOS software updates on multiple different occasions. According to the account, iOS 18.0.1 will have the build number 22A3370.
Apple is now testing iOS 18.0.1, according to 9to5Mac analytics. This update will likely include fixes for a few different bugs that iPhone and iPad users have reported experiencing. It comes two and a half weeks after the release of iOS 18 for iPhone users.
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Apple’s Messages via satellite service is likely to be in demand for some time, to help people check in on friends and family in the wake of Hurricane Helene.
Some 370 cell towers in North Carolina are completely out of action, with a further 103 operating on backup power …
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Here’s some feedback I’d like to put on Apple’s radar. Lock Screen customization is awesome, especially with new iPhone control options in iOS 18, but sometimes I just want to change my wallpaper. Trying out a new wallpaper has been rather complex since iOS gained Lock Screen customization, widgets, and now controls.
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Hurricane Helene has caused massive damage and taken over 100 lives across several US states. Many thousands of people are without power and/or cell service. But in the wake of the storm, reports have surfaced about a key iOS 18 feature that has been a lifeline for survivors: Messages via satellite.
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Apple unveiled one of its largest updates to the Mail app back in June. The changes include an all new design, Apple Intelligence enhancements, and a number of other quality of life improvements. Although most of the non-AI features aren’t yet present in iOS 18.0 or iOS 18.1, Apple currently says that we should expect everything “later this year,” so we’ll likely see things roll out in iOS 18.2.
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iOS 18 is one of the biggest software updates ever for the iPhone. The forthcoming Apple Intelligence features are the headliner, but there are also powerful new customization tools and big changes to the apps you rely on every day, like Photos, Messages, and Notes. A key productivity tool being improved is the Reminders app, which includes a variety of new features in iOS 18.
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Apple continues to roll out dark app icons for its suite of iOS apps that live in the App Store. Today, GarageBand got a bug fix update that includes the stylish new dark theme artwork.
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iOS 18 is a big release for the iPhone apps, with the brand new Passwords app plus significant enhancements to apps like Messages, Photos, and Journal. One of my most-used apps, Notes, gets a variety of powerful new features in iOS 18 including live audio transcription, highlights, Smart Script, and more. Here’s everything new in Apple Notes.
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iOS 18 takes gaming further with a dedicated Game Mode for iPhone and iPad. The new feature redirects system resources to maintain high frame rates, improves Bluetooth controller responsiveness and audio with AirPods, and more. Here’s how to use Game Mode on iPhone in iOS 18.
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iOS 18.1 beta 5 adds lots of new features to the iPhone, including drag-and-drop support for iPhone Mirroring, selfie camera access for iPhone 16 Camera Control, the ability to reset the Control Center layout, new individual Control Center toggles, and several new shortcuts. But that’s not all; watch our hands-on video as we explore 20 new iOS 18.1 beta 5 changes and features.
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iOS 18 was officially released to the public last week, but we’re still learning more about all of the new features and changes. Here are a few additional tidbits on improvements to FaceTime, changes to the Wallet app, and more.
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Apple last week released iOS 18 to the public. The update comes with a bunch of new features, including customizable Home Screen and Control Center, a redesigned Photos app and improvements to the Messages app. However, those who have updated to iOS 18 can no longer downgrade to iOS 17, as Apple has just stopped signing iOS 17.6.1.
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Obscura is a powerful third-party camera app for iPhone, and it just got even more capable. With the launch of iOS 18 and the iPhone 16, Obscura can now be accessed directly from your iPhone’s Lock Screen, adjusted via the Camera Control, and more.
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According to Mark Gurman’s latest Power On newsletter, the completely rebuilt Siri with Apple Intelligence might be released to users sooner than we initially thought. It might not be the entire experience, but we could start to see some features roll out early.
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As part of iOS 18 this month, Apple has major new accessibility features for iPhone users. Among improvements like Eye Tracking and upgrades to Vision Pro, Apple also has plans to bring some accessibility updates to CarPlay.
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Apple has improved iPhone security and privacy with iOS 18. One of the valuable new features is the ability to require Face ID for individual apps as well as putting them in a hidden folder. Read along for how to lock and hide apps on iPhone in iOS 18.
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The iPhone 16 and 16 Pro are now in users’ hands. If you’ve purchased the latest iPhone, that means you now have Camera Control—a dedicated side button for the camera. Hot tip: now you can replace the Lock Screen’s camera button with something else. Here’s how to do it.
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Apple has some major upgrades to the Messages app in the just-released iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia. Messages adds new tapback options, message scheduling, text formatting with bold and italics, new effects, RCS support, and more. Here’s everything that’s new in Messages on iOS 18.
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As part of his iPhone 16 coverage, Chinese blogger Geekerwan did a battery test of the new flagships, comparing all the iPhone 16 models to the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max and some Chinese Android flagships.
Mirroring other testers’ findings, the iPhone 16 Pro Max set new records for battery longevity, easily clearing 10 hours of life in his test. But what’s perhaps more interesting is that the 15 Pro Max actually gained an hour of extra battery life running iOS 18, compared to when the test was conducted on the same phones running iOS 17. The 15 Pro also saw proportional improvements …
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