iOS is Apple’s operating system for the iPhone and iPad. It’s also the basis for tvOS for the Apple TV and watchOS for the Apple Watch. It’s even beginning to infiltrate the Mac in some ways. Apple has worked hard to keep iOS private and secure, and it has a huge ecosystem of apps via its official App Store. Some have argued that it is too locked down, but the trade-off is that it’s fast and stable for most users.
According to Mark Gurman, the next version of iOS will have native support for third-party casting services to satisfy the requirements of the European Union’s Digital Markets Act. Users will be able to set AirPlay, Google, or something else as the default for beaming audio and video from their iPhones.
Apple’s dedicated sports app (where betting odds may be on by default until you turn them off) has expanded to 90 new markets. Apple also says that new features include a tournament bracket view for the World Cup stages, visual formations of each starting lineup, and one-tap links to Apple News coverage.
iPhone and iPad users in the European Union, Japan, and other countries can now download Fortnite directly from the App Store, Epic Games announced on Tuesday:
Fortnite is returning to the App Store now because we are confident that once Apple is forced to show its costs, governments around the world will not allow Apple junk fees to stand.
Epic Games brought Fortnite back to the US App Store last year following a legal win against Apple. It’s still not available in Australia, however.
At Bloomberg, Mark Gurman has more AI-related rumors ahead of WWDC, saying that, along with a reworked version of Siri, Apple plans to build Grammarly-like grammar checking and suggestions into the next iPhone and iPad updates (hopefully, without using our AI slopplegangers for an “expert review”).
Other changes include a Shortcuts upgrade that builds automations based on whatever requests you describe, and an AI wallpaper generator similar to what Samsung and Google already offer.
With the “Create a Pass” feature, you’ll be able to import the QR code from your membership cards, tickets, and other passes to your Wallet, where you can create a custom design around it, according to Bloomberg.
This capability is rumored to arrive with iOS 27, and sounds a bit like Google Wallet’s custom pass option.
But it won’t have apps from other developers at launch. Right now, only Epic’s own Fortnite and Rocket League Sideswipe are available due to the Core Technology Commission.
Epic is also pushing for Apple to reduce the number of scare screens when installing the store. Currently, there are 9.
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[Epic Games Newsroom]
The feature, launched in 2024, will also get Siri branding, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The changes could be part of a big camera-related push from Apple this year, as Gurman reported Tuesday that the Photos app will also be getting more AI photo editing features.
Apple is adding an “Apple Intelligence Tools” section to the Photos app editor, which will include four AI features: Extend, Enhance, Reframe, and Clean Up, reports Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.
Clean Up is the only AI editing tool already available in the Photos app, but it fell short of Google’s Magic Editor in our testing after its debut last year.
Earlier this month, 404 Media reported that the FBI obtained deleted Signal messages saved inside an iPhone’s notification database. It looks like the iOS 26.4.2 security update addresses this, as Apple says it has fixed an issue where “notifications marked for deletion could be unexpectedly retained on the device.”
[Apple Support]
The update adds protections against DarkSword, a security vulnerability that can steal information from your phone if you visit an infected link. Apple previously released iOS 18.7.7 to the iPhone XS and XR, but if you have a newer phone and don’t want to download iOS 26, now you can install the patch without worrying about getting Liquid Glass.
Apple is currently testing the feature, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. I hope it makes the cut; I think I’d use it way more than any of Siri’s long-delayed features we’re still waiting on.
Apple started testing the feature with its iOS 26.4 betas, but at the time, the company said the feature would actually arrive in a “future update.” Encrypted RCS messages are back with the first iOS 26.5 developer beta, 9to5Mac reports, so perhaps they will launch publicly on iOS soon.
After users in China reported seeing Apple Intelligence on their iPhones, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said these AI-powered features launched in “error” and that Apple has since taken them offline. The Chinese government currently requires Apple to partner with local companies, like Alibaba, to power AI features in the country.
A newer version of the DarkSword exploit that targets devices running iOS 18.4 to 18.6.2 has appeared on GitHub. About 34 percent of iPhone and 43 percent of iPad users are still running iOS 18 or earlier, according to Apple, which issued an emergency patch on March 11th. Update your devices, folks!
The iOS launch for the AI-powered browser follows an Android release in November.
[Perplexity]
According to 9to5Mac:
iOS 26.4 specifically focuses on fixing a bug where characters on the keyboard appeared as if they were tapped, but were not actually inserted. Those missing characters then affected how Apple’s Auto-Correction feature was able to predict what you actually meant to type.
Apple has released a release candidate of the update, indicating it should launch publicly soon.
Spokesperson Peter Ajemian tells The Verge that Apple has since removed the prompt, which showed up for UK users who downloaded the latest iOS 26.4 beta:
Some users on the beta software in the UK temporarily saw a message suggesting age verification is required to download apps. That message was displayed in error, and has been fixed. Developers may continue to use the Declared Age Range API to provide age appropriate experiences for users.
Blizzard apparently isn’t busy enough with Overwatch, announcing a mobile version of the game that “will begin select region testing soon.” Unlike mobile versions of games like Call of Duty, PUBG, or Fortnite, it’s not an attempt at an FPS and is being made by a separate team.
A gameplay preview trailer shows a similar feeling but slower-paced game capable of running on devices like an iPhone XS or Pixel 4a.
The very good Ball x Pit is coming to iOS and Android on March 12th.
Sonic The Hedgehog Classic and Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Classic are the latest games from Sega’s Forever program that could soon disappear from the Google Play and Apple app stores. Both games now display a pop-up message warning that “support for this game will be discontinued, but you can continue playing offline!”
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