Apple just seeded the release candidate of iOS 17.4 to developers. When it goes to the general public — probably next week — it’ll bring in a collection of new emoji to iPhone, and a more secure version of iMessage. For Europeans, the update will be a major one, as it’ll usher in sideloading and other changes.
The release candidate for iPadOS 17.4 also came out Tuesday. However, macOS Sonoma 14.4 is still on beta 5.
iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Plus will have the same type of screen as the Pro versions, according to a new report. That means all four 2025 iOS handsets will offer 120Hz ProMotion, always-on displays.
If true, it means Apple will have to come up with new ways to differentiate its top-tier models.
Center Stage is a brilliant feature that lets an iPad’s front-facing camera follow someone on a video call. Center Stage is not available for iPhone, though. And apparently, it never will be.
Apple developed an alternative version called DockKit, but this requires an add-on accessory.
Apple Arcade now focuses so heavily on family-friendly titles from well-known franchises that some indie game developers feel abandoned, according to a new report. Some even predict doom — or at least creative stagnation — lies in Apple Arcade’s future if things don’t change.
Cupertino’s shifting priorities leave the developers, who Apple once wooed for the service, with few incentives for creating new Apple Arcade games.
Apple reportedly hasn’t given up on the idea of a HomePod smart speaker with a built-in display. It’s supposedly still in development in Cupertino.
There have been leaks and rumors of such a smart home device since at least 2021.
The OLED display in the upcoming iPad Pro reportedly will allow the tablet to be more than 20% thinner. Which is … fine. But if the OLED panel takes up that much less room, there are plenty of improvements Apple could make to its top-tier iPad that would enhance usability more than slimming down an already svelte computer.
Perhaps Apple’s 2025 iPad Pro could use the extra space for more battery and more ports.
The WWII drama Masters of the Air draws in a big audience. It’s stayed near the tops of popularity charts of two different ratings services for weeks now, ever since the premiere in January.
Critics like it too, so the ongoing series that dramatizes the U.S. Army Air Force’s role in helping defeat Germany is another success for Apple TV+.
And the historical crime drama Killers of the Flower Moon continues to be a crowd pleaser as well.
The Belkin Auto-Tracking Stand Pro is the first-ever accessory to work with Apple DockKit. Using this tech, it can hold up an iPhone, rotate and tilt to keep the camera focused on the user during video calls.
After being announced CES 2024 in January, the accessory reached the market on Friday.
Google Chrome uses artificial intelligence in a new experimental tool that makes it easier to start writing or improve something already written online. “Help me write” can punch up the content of any text field in the browser.
It’s coming to Mac and Windows, and is just the latest AI addition to Chrome.
★★★★☆
A wall charger is useless when there’s no power socket handy. That’s why Belkin recently launched one that has a built-in battery so it’s ready to charge up your iPhone even when you’re off the grid.
Belkin BoostCharge Hybrid Wall Charger 25W + Power Bank 5K has a pair of USB ports and flip-out power prongs for maximum adaptability.
I put it through a series of tests with my iPhone 15 Plus, and it came through quite well.
The second-generation version of Astropad’s Rock Paper Pencil includes an improved version of the textured iPad screen protector. Theres also a more durable Apple Pencil tip.
The combo is designed for digital artists who want drawing on an iPad to feel more like using a pen on paper.
An iMessage upgrade with post-quantum cryptography will make Apple’s instant messaging platform ready to fend off future hackers. Today’s encryption methods likely won’t be able to stand up, which is why Apple is bringing in the cutting-edge protocol.
The new tech will launch in March, making iMessage the most secure, widely used messaging service in the world, according to Apple.
The new Apple Sports app for iPhone gives fans access to real-time scores, stats and more for their favorite teams across a wide range of sports leagues. The free app launched Wednesday on the App Store.
“We created Apple Sports to give sports fans what they want — an app that delivers incredibly fast access to scores and stats,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of services, in a statement.
The batteries in the iPhone 15 series are even better than Apple realized. It takes twice as many charge cycles to wear one out than previously thought, greatly expanding the time before the battery needs to be replaced.
We already knew Apple’s latest goes a long time without needing a recharge. And now we know the battery itself is good for years of heavy use while remaining healthy.
Getting 2nm processors into Mac and iPhone is reportedly proceeding as scheduled, and TSMC will begin making these in 2025.
The on-schedule progress report comes as very good news. Especially considering that the Taiwanese chipmaker ran into significant delays developing the 3nm processors currently in use.
Those looking for loads of screen space can connect a pair of HDMI monitors to their MacBook with the newly released Plugable USBC-6950M adapter.
And it can do this with Macs that ordinarily support only one external display.
Foundation season three production reportedly will resume in early March, after problems with the Apple TV+ sci-fi epic were ironed out.
Production for the popular series was put on hold in February due to cost-cutting efforts.
★★★★☆
qCharge 2.0 from Citius Systems is a power bank with built-in charger especially for Apple Watch. With one of these, you can replenish the device almost anywhere, no wall socket needed.
I tested it out with my own Watch. Here’s why I like it.
Vision Pro is years ahead of its time. Apple’s AR headset lets us see today what using an average computer a decade in the future will be like.
In 2034, being surrounded by physical screens will seem charmingly obsolete. Virtual displays of any size generated by an AR headset from Apple (or its rivals) will take the place of displays connected to our computers, phones, watches, etc. And that’s only the start.
You can experience the coming revolution now because Vision Pro is another example of Apple giving us a glimpse of the future.
The percentage of iPhone buyers in the U.S. whose last device was an Android was at 13% in 2023. The figure of Android users who previously used iPhone is much lower.
Apple already leads the smartphone race in the United States, and the poll data shows that’s not going to change.
Are you familiar with iPhone web apps? No? Turns out you aren’t alone. Apple admitted that the method for turning websites into applications never caught on.
It must have been a tough admission, given that Steve Jobs’ original plan for iPhone was that it would only support web apps, with no native third-party applications allowed.
Astropad Slate turns an iPad and Apple Pencil into a drawing tablet for a Mac.
There’s no need to purchase a basic Wacom tablet or a similar accessory when the iPad and pen you already own can be used to draw into desktop creative application.
TikTok just outraced some of its biggest rivals by releasing a native Vision Pro application. The short video service that’s become a global phenomenon can now be enjoyed on Apple’s AR headset thanks to the TikTok Vision Pro app.
The head of development for the new app says the company “redesigned the entire TikTok experience.”
Prime Target is an incoming Apple TV+ thriller that combines conspiracy theories with math theorems. Seriously. It’s about a mathematician whose research is being suppressed as part of a mysterious conspiracy.
The upcoming series will star Leo Woodall and Quintessa Swindell.
The latest demonstration of Apple’s AI expertise is Keyframer, software that turns an image into a video based on natural language instructions.
It offers an early glimpse at the type of AI tools that might come bundled into future versions of macOS or iOS.