Developers received a fresh batch of new beta software today from Apple, bringing a bunch of fixes and changes to iOS 11, macOS High Sierra, tvOS 11 and watchOS 4.
The new beta builds come two weeks after Apple seeded its fourth set of updates since unveiling all its new software at WWDC 2017.
Apple’s HomePod might have revealed another huge new iPhone feature after developers did some more digging into the beta software for the upcoming smart speaker.
The software appears to reference an unannounced “SmartCamera” feature built into iOS 11 or the yet-to-be-released 2017 iPhone. And it could totally change the way we snap photos.
Thanks to secrets hidden inside Apple’s firmware, we’ve discovered a lot about the iPhone 8 this week. One of its biggest features — quite literally — will be a significantly larger display that leaves no room for a physical Home button or bulky bezels.
Here’s how iOS could change to take advantage of it with a sweet new user interface.
In this week’s Cult of Mac Magazine, amateur podcaster and video-tutorial creator, Chris Ward, shares what he’s learned, along with recommendations on the hardware, software and techniques to get you started podcasting using your Mac.
We’ve got video of iOS 11 beta 4 changes, and how the flashlight mode on iPhone helped a photographer light the simulated workspace of European astronaut Paolo Nespoli. Check out the long-awaited Rainbow Apple Watch Band from Juuk, and more. Get your free subscription to Cult of Mac Magazine from iTunes. Or read on for this week’s top stories.
We’re right in the middle of the dog days of summer. But the hottest place you’ll find is at the Cult of Mac Store. We’ve been busy stacking up a bunch of new deals that are ideal for digital creatives. We’ve got a set of lessons in coding for the all new iOS 11, and Adobe’s suite of graphic design apps. There’s also the industry standard app for screenwriters, and a rugged phone tripod for mobile photography and video. Discounts range from 40 percent to 95 percent off, read on for more details:
Apple manufacturing partner TSMC has reportedly started mass-production of the A11 chip that will power the iPhone 8.
The new chip is said to be based on a 10-nanometer manufacturing process, which should make it faster and more efficient than the 16-nanometer A10 Fusion in the iPhone 7.
Early benchmarks suggest it will be even faster than the A10X Fusion chip in the latest iPad Pros.
iOS 11 is fast approaching. Along with it are coming a whole host of improvements and entirely new features. That means developers have to catch up before Apple’s latest and greatest mobile operating system drops this fall.
We’ve been able to share and collaborate on iWork documents for a while, but in iOS 11 (and macOS High Sierra) you’ll be able to collaborate on any document, just by sharing it through iCloud Drive. To begin with, this will only work with Apple’s own apps, but third-party developers may add real-time collaboration features to their own apps. Here’s how to get started.
Ever wonder what it would be like to live inside an ’80s music video? Thanks to Apple’s new ARKit software, you can live that dream with a new app that draws inspiration from the popular music video for A-ha’s “Take On Me.”
The proof-of-concept app from Trixi Studios pulls iPhone users into a hand-drawn world that reacts to your surroundings. Now you can have a full-on ’80s dance party in your living room.
Check it out:
In iOS 11, you can share your iCloud storage with family members. This is a big deal, thanks to the new supersize iCloud plans, which make it a lot cheaper to buy a single 2TB plan and share it among all your family members.
With all that storage available, you can keep a huge iCloud Photo Library, and take full advantage of the new Files app in iOS 11. Never again will you run out of storage on your iPhone, iPad or the MacBook you foolishly specced at just 128GB of storage space. Here’s how to share iCloud storage with your family members.
Members of Apple’s public beta software program can now test the latest builds of iOS 11, tvOS 11, and macOS High Sierra just one day after Apple dropped the last big batch of beta updates on developers.
The third public beta of iOS 11 contains all of the changes Apple seeded to developers yesterday with iOS 11 beta 4. Along with a number of new bug fixes, the new iOS 11 update brings some new UI improvements like new icons for some stock apps and some changes to the notification center.
Ever since Apple released the first iOS 11 beta to developers, I’ve run each version on my primary iPhone 7 and my 9.7-inch iPad Pro. While iOS 11 doesn’t bring a radical redesign, it’s been great, with several extremely useful new features (especially for iPad).
To get the full rundown on what I like, what I don’t like, and my general thoughts on iOS 11 after a month’s use, watch the video below.
iOS 11 beta 4 was rolled out to developers Monday. Alongside the usual bug fixes you’d expect in a beta release, it brings some nice changes and surprises we did not anticipate. Find out what’s new in the video below.
Developers received an all-new beta build of iOS 11 today, just two weeks after Apple seeded the previous one.
iOS 11 beta 4 brings a host of bug fixes and performance improvements, plus a few key changes that make Apple’s mobile operating system even better. New beta builds are also available for macOS High Sierra, tvOS 11 and macOS High Sierra.
With iOS 11, your iPhone gets smart enough to realize when a Wi-Fi connection is flaky, and gives up trying to join it. This might be most useful if you’re one of those people who keeps your Ask Join Networks setting activated, but it should help anyone who uses their iPhone in multiple places — i.e. everyone ever.
It used to be that when you got back from vacation, you’d drop your film off at the lab and cross your fingers. You hoped you’d get some half-decent photos back a week later, while memories of that cool restaurant you liked faded with your tan.
Now we share our photos with friends and family while we’re still on the beach, then forget about them. But we can, and probably should, make a little effort to preserve our vacation memories. And — you guessed it — there are apps for that.
Siri often gets dinged for being stupid, but significant upgrades in iOS 11 and macOS High Sierra make Apple’s AI assistant smarter than ever. With advances in machine learning and artificial intelligence, Siri sounds slicker and understands you better on Apple’s updated platforms.
Siri also learned a lot of new tricks, and can now offer suggestions inside other apps. Here’s a brief look at everything new with Siri in iOS 11.
Using one-handed maps is currently suboptimal, because you need two fingers to zoom the map. But in iOS 11, the familiar pinch-to-zoom gesture is joined by a new tap-to-zoom, which lets you navigate the entire interface with a single thumb. This means that you can easily check the map while walking, or even — if you are an irresponsible psychopath — while riding a bike.
Apple hasn’t given up on its smallest, most affordable iPhone just yet.
A new report claims the 4-inch iPhone SE is due for a refresh soon, and that it will get its very own event this August. What’s more, the new model will be even cheaper than the one Apple sells today.
This week on The CultCast: The magic of HomePod! We’ll tell you about the built-in audio tech that’s getting even the most ardent audiophiles hyped about Apple’s upcoming smart speaker.
Plus: Why iPhone 8’s biggest features may be disabled at launch; how you can grab Apple’s new back-to-school promo without being in college; the fascinating story behind Steve Jobs’ iconic turtleneck; more of iOS 11’s best unknown features; and we wrap with the heartwarming story of why Jobs insisted on always buying his friends’ lunches.
Our thanks to Casper for supporting this episode. Learn why Casper makes the internet’s favorite mattress, and save $50 off your order at casper.com/cultcast.
betaIf you’re using iOS 10 in an iPhone with 3D Touch, you can press on the timer widget in Control Center and pick from one of the preset timer shortcuts. In iOS 11, on the other hand, you get a full-featured, interactive timer widget that you can adjust, pause, and resume, all without ever launching the actual clock app. Let’s see it in action.
Live broadcasting your home screen to other iPhone owners may soon become possible, thanks to a new addition spotted in iOS 11 beta 3.
Apple added a new button to Control Center that hints at the upcoming functionality. The button doesn’t do anything right now, but it shows Apple could add live broadcasting in one of its next beta builds.
Members of Apple’s public beta software program can get their hands on the second public build of iOS 11 today.
The new beta build was made available this morning, bringing a host of performance improvements, UI changes and new features that take the iPhone and iPad to an all-new level. macOS High Sierra public beta 2, watchOS 4 beta 2 and tvOS 11 beta 2 are also available to download.
Its incredible accessibility features make the iPhone the perfect smartphone for the visually impaired. And it just got even better, thanks to a new app from Microsoft that uses artificial intelligence to describe the world around you.
You can now pay for App Store, iTunes, and Apple Music purchases using PayPal.
The new payment option is already available in Canada and Mexico, and will make its way to the U.S. and other countries “soon.”