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.
The release candidate signifies that Apple is wrapping up this round of betas before the update goes to everyone. It’s fairly minor for the US, adding things like Apple’s next Pride wallpaper and a new Apple News puzzle game.
It’s much more significant for the EU, where updated iPhones will now be able to download apps straight from the web.
According to AppleInsider, it’s testing Safari updates like “Intelligent Search,” which would offer on-device AI-powered webpage summaries and a built-in “Web Eraser” feature that lets you selectively — and persistently — block content on websites.
AppleInsider’s story, which cites unnamed sources, seems at least plausible, given Apple is widely expected to debut a smattering of AI features at WWDC in June.
I have finally justified my Vision Pro purchase with the iOS version of the Delta emulator.
Apple’s reckoning isn’t just the end of an era for the company — it’s a reflection of the smartphone’s fall from beloved gadget to commodity.
Some lucky early testers are starting to see Live Activities pop up while using Google Maps on iOS. In a few shots posted to X and reddit, Maps navigation appears in Live Activities on the lock screen and in the Dynamic Island. It seems to be in very limited testing and I, for one, can’t wait until I have glanceable transit directions on my lock screen.
That doesn’t mean users can download just any app from the web, as Apple has created a strict set of guidelines developers must meet to take advantage of the update. Apple also started letting users in the EU use alternative app stores last month.
DMA is about to unleash a brave new world of game emulators, clipboard managers, and uncertainty.
The macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 / Ventura 13.6.6 update released today fixes bugs affecting Java apps and Audio Unit plug-ins for professional music apps. It also fixes a problem where USB hubs connected to external displays weren’t recognized.
This morning, Mark Gurman wrote for Power On subscribers that the iOS 18 home screen would be “more customizable,” but didn’t say how.
Now, MacRumors’ sources say this means Apple is loosening up its restrictive app icon arrangement in a way that sounds closer to the way things work on Android — that is, with blank spaces allowed between apps.
WSJ reports Apple’s held talks with Baidu to power AI technology for iPhones in China. That’s not surprising, given China’s strict rules for AI bots covering their output, data used for training, and storage of user data.
So instead of ChatGPT or Google Gemini (like Apple reportedly discussed using everywhere else), Samsung similarly partnered with Baidu to bring its AI chatbot Ernie to the Galaxy S24 in China earlier this year.
Small point updates were released this afternoon for iPhones and iPads running three different operating systems (9.9, 16.7, and 17.4), as well as the Vision Pro headset (visionOS 1.1.1), but there’s very little information on what’s changed.
Apple hasn’t added the details of security fixes in the new software, and the only other note we’ve seen is this support page saying 17.4.1 fixes a QR code scanning bug on iPads.
The company credits the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) for the 164 percent increase in new iOS users it saw from March 5th to the 7th. Opera also saw significant user growth in specific countries, including a 402 percent spike in France and a 143 percent boost in Spain.
Apple started letting iPhone users choose their default browser as part of its compliance with the DMA earlier this month. Besides Opera, Brave and Firefox are also seeing more iPhone users in the EU.
A Reddit commenter posted a screenshot today showing what they said is the Hum to Search option in the YouTube Music on iOS
Google has let you search by humming a tune for years and started testing it in the Android YouTube app in August. Like 9to5Google, I’m not seeing it on my own iOS or Android devices. Are you?
