The idea is you’ll be able to speak more naturally with Siri. Ask and the assistant will be able to understand context better than ever before. You can say, “Play the podcast my wife sent me the other day,” and Siri will be able to pull it up. That kind of thing.
Siri can also help explain how to do certain functions on your phone if you’re not sure (maybe Samsung was onto something with Bixby). And if you make a mistake mid-sentence, there’s no need to start all over again. Siri will be able to understand your slip-up, and it also understands the context of your previous query, so you won’t need to repeat things over and over again.
Much like how Google’s Gemini is drawing on context based on what’s happening on the screen, Siri can now understand what is on the screen when you activate it, so if someone texts you an address, you can activate Siri and ask it to add the address to the person’s contact card. All of this is expected to work in first- and third-party apps.
ChatGPT Integration
Photograph: Apple
Apple Intelligence apparently still needs a boost for some occasions, and so Apple has tapped OpenAI’s ChatGPT to power them. The company says it’s using the GPT-4o model, and you are in control of when Siri uses ChatGPT. This powers features such as when you ask about the subject of a photo or a document (like scanning a hundred-page PDF), and Compose, which lets you generate original images and text from a query.
All of these GPT features are free with no account required, though if you already are a subscriber, you can link your account and access paid features.
New Features in iOS 18
OK, onto the more traditional software features. I’ve collected the top features in iOS 18 below, but there are tons of smaller changes. You can view the full list directly from Apple.
Get Rid of the App Grid
Customize the app icons’ style, color, and arrangement.
Photograph: Apple
For the first time, you can arrange your apps and widgets however you’d like (just like on Android). Say goodbye to the fixed list of grids Apple has forced on us for nearly two decades. You can make further personalization to the app icons as well, tuning them to a specific color to match or complement your wallpaper, and even convert them to dark mode. You can make these apps and widgets look larger too.
More Control in the Control Center
Control Center.
Photograph: Apple
New styles.
Photograph: Apple
Control Center, the hub that appears when you swipe down on the right edge of the iPhone, is now more customizable. There are now tabs within the Control Center, and you can scroll through them with one continuous swipe on the home screen. These include your favorites—the most important things you want accessible in the Control Center—media playback, and even smart home controls.
You can customize the size and layout of everything in Control Center, and this extends to the Lock Screen controls—you can switch out the two icons at the bottom of your iPhone’s lock screen to something more helpful. Expect new controls from third-party apps.
Lock and Hide Apps
Shhh! Hide apps you don’t want others to see that you have installed.
Photograph: Apple
You can finally hide apps to prevent anyone from snooping, or you can lock the app so that it asks for a passcode or biometric authentication every time it’s launched. The information from this app will be hidden throughout the system, even in notifications and searches. Google debuted a similar new feature called Private Space, which is coming to Android later this year.
Redesigned Photos App
Photos gets an organizational overhaul.
Photograph: Apple
Apple’s Photos app got a huge app redesign in iOS 18. Now, you have a photo grid at the top, and below, you can swipe through different collections, such as Recent Days, Trips, and People & Pets. This upgrade is tied with several other improvements powered by Apple Intelligence, like Clean Up, which can erase unwanted objects in the background of your photos, and the ability to find any image easily via search.
RCS and Satellite Messaging
Arguably one of the most anticipated announcements from Apple ended up as a tiny footnote amid the company’s announcements. RCS is Rich Communication Services, the texting standard that followed SMS/MMS. Android phones have supported RCS for several years, allowing for an upgraded texting experience that pulls features from instant messaging apps, like typing indicators, read receipts, and improved photo and video quality. However, none of this works when an Android user texts an iPhone (or vice versa) because Apple didn’t support RCS and used the older SMS standard.
That’s changing now, “RCS messages bring richer media and deliver and read receipts for those who don’t use iMessage,” according to Apple’s marketing materials. These texts will still appear green (instead of blue when you text fellow iPhone owners via iMessage), but it might finally spell the end of the broken texting experience that has caused so many people strife.
It’s WWDC 2024 keynote time! Each year Apple kicks off its Worldwide Developers Conference with a few hours of just straight announcements, like the long-awaited Apple Intelligence and a makeover for smart AI assistant, Siri. We expected much of them to revolve around the company’s artificial intelligence ambitions (and here), and Apple didn’t disappoint. We also bring you news about Vision Pro and lots of feature refreshes.
Spotlight Search gets better at natural language queries in iOS 18
Apple is making it easier for people to discover the content inside their apps using natural language — or “semantic” — queries. Already, Spotlight has been able to search for content in developers’ apps, but it would only return results when search terms matched exactly. With this year’s addition of semantic search capabilities, people will be able to search for content in apps using search terms that are just similar in meaning. Read more
Here are the best WWDC 2024 features you missed
Now that people are using developer betas and exploring the sessions at the event, more features that were not announced onstage are surfacing. Remember that only certain devices will be compatible with iOS 18 when it’s released later in the fall. Read more
iOS 18 cracks down on apps asking for full address book access
Instead, Apple is adding a new two-step permissions pop-up screen that will first ask users to allow or deny access to their contacts, as before, and then, if the user allows access, will allow them to choose which contacts they want to share, if not all. Read more
Apple Watch is finally adding a feature I’ve been requesting for years
Image credit: AppleImage Credits: Apple
Brian Heater writes about consistently requesting this certain feature from Apple: the ability to pause your activity rings. If you’re down due to a cold, on an international flight, or find that you’re vigorously shaking your wrist at 9 p.m. just to finish closing your rings, you can now pause progress via the Watch or through the connected iPhone app. Read more
The apps that Apple Sherlocked at WWDC 2024
Apple has been on a spree of late, announcing a host of new features for its various devices earlier this week. But a lot of those features were already available to some extent on Apple devices through third-party apps. So, just like the past few years, we will examine the ideas that Apple “Sherlocked” in this year’s updates. Read more
Why Apple is taking a small-model approach to generative AI
The company has since revealed some of what makes its approach to generative AI different. First and foremost is scope. Many of the most prominent companies in the space take a “bigger is better” approach to their models. Read more
Apple’s AI, Apple Intelligence, is boring and practical — that’s why it works
Instead of trying to overwhelm users with too many AI features to count, the Cupertino tech giant is carefully rolling out AI where it believes it could be useful. That means the tech won’t be included where it could be much of a threat to the carefully crafted consumer experience of using an Apple device. Read more
Apple’s Messages app will support RCS and scheduling texts
Apple delivered two of the biggest features iMessage and its Messages app that consumers were wanting for a long time: the ability to schedule messages to send at a later date and time and support for RCS, the next-gen messaging standard and replacement for SMS that will make texting with Android folks much less painful. Is it the end of the green bubbles? Read more
More App Store improvements
Apple is giving developers more tools to increase their app revenues and promote their apps with win-back offers and the release of a new commerce API. Read more
iOS 18 compatible devices
Among the highlights of the new operating system version are a set of customization options, such as being able to arrange apps and widgets on the Home Screen and customize buttons. Other features include new text effects, the ability to lock and hide apps, new ways to manage your Mail inbox, the introduction of iMessages over satellite, a significant redesign of the Photos app and more. Now let’s see if your device is compatible. Read more
All the Apple Intelligence news
There was a lot, wasn’t there? Apple’s AI push was at the heart of WWDC 2024, and our AI expert Kyle Wiggers took some time to process all of the announcements before bringing together a guide to all of the news across Siri, Genmoji, ChatGPT integrations, photo editing and beyond. Read more
Apple to work with AI partners beyond OpenAI
In a post-keynote event, Apple SVP Craig Federighi confirmed that the company would work with other third-party models beyond OpenAI, with Google’s Gemini model being highlighted as the first example. He clarified that Apple had “nothing to announce right now, but that’s our general direction.” Read more
Elon Musk lumps OpenAI, Apple together
Tesla, SpaceX and xAI exec Elon Musk took to X to continue his campaign against rival OpenAI, threatening to ban Apple devices from his businesses “if Apple integrates OpenAI at the OS level,” among other responses and reactions to the conversations around WWDC on X. Read more
Apple Intelligence’s (limited) availability
Before you get too excited about putting Apple Intelligence to the test, check if your devices are new enough. Only the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, along with iPads and Macs with M1 or newer chips, will be able to run the new features coming alongside Apple’s AI push. Read more
ChatGPT in Siri
Apple is bringing ChatGPT, its AI-powered chatbot experience, to Siri and other Apple apps, powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4 and other generative AI models. Read more
Apple Intelligence is an image and emoji playground
Image Credits: Apple
One of the Apple Intelligence-powered features coming in iOS 18 will allow iPhone users to create AI images of people they’re messaging with — a feature that works something like an AI-upgraded Bitmoji. The goal, of course, is to make your “everyday conversations more enjoyable.”
Apple Intelligence will have an understanding of who you’re talking with in a messaging conversation, so if you want to personalize that chat with a custom AI image, you can create one on the fly. Read more
Apple TV+
Image Credits: Apple
For those of you who use Apple TV+, there is a new feature called InSight. The feature will allow viewers to learn actor names and song titles as they appear on the screen. Lauren Forristal writes that it’s similar to Amazon’s X-Ray technology, where Fire TV users get an overview of actor bios and behind-the-scenes information while watching TV shows and movies.
What stands out about InSight, however, is its Shazam-like functionality, which highlights the song playing in the TV show or movie and gives users the option to add it to an Apple Music playlist to listen to later. Read more
Siri
Image Credits: Apple
Apple also made some enhancements to its smart assistant, Siri. These include adding some generative AI features that make Siri seem more natural and more personal. There’s also a new glowing light. And, Siri can also handle stumbles in speech and better understand context. Plus, for those who would rather type, you can do that now. Read more
Apple Intelligence is here
Image Credits: Apple
The new feature is called Apple Intelligence (AI, get it?). The company promised the feature will be built with safety at its core, along with highly personalized experiences.
“Most importantly, it has to understand you and be grounded in your personal context, like your routine, your relationships, your communications and more,” CEO Tim Cook noted at WWDC Monday. “And of course, it has to be built with privacy from the ground up together. All of this goes beyond artificial intelligence. It’s personal intelligence, and it’s the next big step for Apple.” Read more
That covers the consumer side of things, but WWDC is a conference for developers, and Apple revealed how developers will soon be able to bring the Apple Intelligence experience into their software. A number of AI features will be added to existing SDKs, allowing for generative AI image generation, or new prompts to Siri, to allow devs to expand the Apple Intelligence footprint. Read more
Apple’s new Passwords app
Image Credits: Apple
While you can already use your iCloud account to store and sync passwords across your devices, it wasn’t easy to figure out. Now, the company introduced a Passwords app. Some of the features include a new column on the left that lets you more easily navigate your password collection. For instance, you can view all your passwords or just Wi-Fi passwords (a new addition), passkeys or codes that aren’t related to a website or service. Read more
Smart Script in iPad
Image Credits: Apple
A new “Smart Script” feature will clean up your handwriting when using an Apple Pencil to write in Notes. Apple says it’s making handwriting your notes even smoother and straighter. The feature improves the appearance of your writing as you write by using on-device machine learning to recreate your handwriting from your notes. You’ll see your own handwriting, just smoother and more legible. Read more
Calculator for iPad
Image Credits: Apple
Who would have thought a calculator would liven up a developer’s conference? Well, Apple’s new Calculator for iPad app got everyone excited.
iOS’ perennial tips calculating app is finally coming to the larger screen. The feature utilizes the additional screen real estate to bring new features that the company couldn’t really jam into the iPhone. The biggest arrival here is the addition of Math Notes. The additional feature does the math for you. Read more
macOS Sequoia
Image Credits: Apple
The latest operating system version is called macOS Sequoia.
One of the biggest features of this new OS is iPhone mirroring. Now, through macOS’ Continuity feature, you can mirror your iPhone’s screen and control it right from your Mac. Notifications on Mac pop you into iPhone mirror mode, and iPhone audio comes through the Mac as well, but the paired iPhone stays locked while in mirror mode. Read more
OK, let’s do a little deeper dive into iPhone mirroring. While Apple didn’t detail many use cases for the feature, Sarah Perez writes that it seems it would make it easier to demo apps over video calls or in person, as users could move between a slideshow presentation and a live demo of the iPhone app by launching it as if it’s another app on your Mac. Read more
Messages via Satellite
Image Credits: Apple
This new feature works much like Apple’s emergency SOS feature. When you have no signal, you’ll be given the option to find a satellite to relay the data. You’ll have to keep the phone pointed in the right direction while you do it, however, there’s an overlay above your messages to remind you. Read more
Photos app
Image Credits: Apple
Apple showed off the new Photos app as it will appear in the upcoming release of the iOS software. The new app introduces new navigation, new organizational features and other ways to discover your favorite photos, including those of friends, family, pets, trips and more.
Some things to know: The new design will lead to less time searching for photos as it puts everything you need within easy reach.
One major change involves how the app has been unified into a single view with the photo grid at the top and the library, organized by theme, below. Read more
Tap to Cash
One of the more interesting additions is Tap to Cash, which is more or less what it sounds like, letting users pay for things by tapping together a pair of iPhones.
As Brian Heater writes, the feature is effectively an outgrowth of Apple Pay’s longstanding Tap to Pay feature. Similarly, the new addition likely uses the device’s NFC functionality. Apple notes that the feature transfers money without having to share any personal info — a nice added privacy element. Read more
iOS 18
Image Credits: Apple
Users will now be able to lock an app when they hand over their phone to do things like show someone a picture or let them play a game. When you lock an app, if someone tries to tap your phone, they will be required to authenticate using Face ID, Touch ID or their passcode. While you have the app lock feature enabled, information from inside the app won’t appear in other places, like search and notifications. Read more
Apple also shared some initial details for the upcoming major release of iOS, which is its operating system specifically designed for the iPhone. As expected, much of this involves artificial intelligence. Remember when icons were locked to the grid? Well, they can now be laid out however you want on your home screen so that they don’t hide your background photos.
“iOS 18 is a big release that delivers more ways to customize your iPhone, stay connected and relive special moments,” Apple SVP of software engineering Craig Federighi said. Read more
Speaking of icons, most of these updates are those long-requested functionalities, like the ability to set app icons and widgets wherever you want on the Home Screen, plus support for dark mode icons with different color schemes. Read more
visionOS 2
Image Credits: Apple
visionOS 2 brings with it productivity enhancements and “new immersive experiences.” One lets you “spatialize” photos from regular photos, leveraging AI tech. Another is a new navigation option: visionOS 2 lets you switch to the home screen by just tapping, or flip your hand over to bring up the control center with notifications, shortcuts and more. Read more
One of the bigger announcements with this includes the ability to turn existing images into spatial photos. The new feature utilizes machine learning to build out additional angles, marking a change from the existing method, which required images to be shot on an iPhone 15 Pro or the Vision Pro itself. Read more
For those of you outside of the U.S., the Vision Pro headset will be available in eight new countries. Read more
Useful AI, not flashy AI
Apple has fallen behind its peers in the AI race, and it probably feels like it needs to pull out all the stops to impress fans and shareholders. But that shouldn’t mean overpromising on features. Read more
Generative AI
For smart assistants: While rumors point to the company transitioning a number of employees to generative AI operations following its electric car implosion, all signs point to Apple having ceded a significant head start to the competition. As such, its most logical play is a partnership with a reigning powerhouse like OpenAI. Read more
Maybe not for iPhone 15: Some other rumors say that when this generative AI comes into play, a limited number of older devices will also be able to run the system, including iPads and Macs running an M1 chip or higher and the iPhone 15 Pro. That means the standard iPhone 15 may be left out in the cold on this one. Read more
Apple has officially unveiled the latest version of its operating system for Mac. This time around, Apple stuck to its “California places” naming convention and went with macOS Sequoia. (Yes, a sequoia is a type of tree, but it’s also a national park in northern California.)
Also known as macOS 15, the new OS packs a ton of new capabilities onto the desktop, including a password management app, videoconferencing tools, and updates to Safari, as well as all the features that come with Apple Intelligence—the company’s new artificial-intelligence-powered system. Below, we break down all these new features that will become available in macOS Sequoia when it ships this fall.
MacOS Sequoia, or macOS 15, is a free update for your Apple computers. But some features, like Apple Intelligence (more on that, later), are exclusive to Macs with the M-series Apple silicon chip. To figure out which Mac model you have, click on the Apple icon in the menu bar in the upper-left corner of your display and click About This Mac. We’ve listed all the models that will be able to run macOS Sequoia below.
MacBook Air: 2020 and later
MacBook Pro: 2018 and later
Mac Mini: 2018 and later
iMac: 2019 and later
iMac Pro: 2017 and later
Mac Pro: 2019 and later
Mac Studio: 2022 and later
MacOS Sequoia is currently available only as a developer beta, but the public beta (where everyone can try out the features) will be available in July.
New Features
Below, we break down all the major features coming to MacOS 15. For a full list, head over to Apple’s official preview page.
iPhone Mirroring
Photograph: Apple
Sometimes your iPhone is in the other room or deep in your bag. For those moments when you need to use it but simply don’t feel like getting up to find it, you’ll be able to pull it up on your computer. As part of Apple’s Continuity features, iPhone Mirroring gives you the ability to both access and interact with your iPhone wirelessly using your Mac.
When the feature is in action, you’ll see your iPhone’s custom home screen appear. From there, you can use the keyboard, trackpad, or mouse to drag and drop content (like photos, videos, and files) between both devices, open and use any of your apps, swipe through all the pages on your home screen, as well as view and respond to notifications. While you’re doing all this, your iPhone will remain locked. It also works while your iPhone is in Standby mode, a feature from iOS 17 that turns your iPhone into a smart display while charging.
Safari Updates
Photograph: Apple
MacOS Sequoia offers a few new features to Safari. With Highlights, Safari will use machine intelligence to show you relevant information from the webpage like directions, links, summaries, and restaurant reviews. Apple also redesigned the Reader to minimize distractions. In addition to a sleeker view of the article, you’ll also see a summary and a table of contents (for longer articles). If the webpage includes a video, Viewer will bring it to the forefront while still giving you access to playback controls (Picture in Picture included).
Window Tiling
Video: Apple
Those who always keep a ton of browser windows open simultaneously will appreciate the new Window Tiling feature that helps organize them for a better viewing experience. When you drag a window to the edge of the screen, the new OS will automatically suggest a tiled position on your screen. (It’s similar to Snap on Windows.) You can then drop the window into place, arrange multiple windows side by side, or place them in any of the four corners to make room for more apps. For quicker organization, you can use keyboard and menu shortcuts too.
Videoconference Tools
Photograph: Apple
Last year, Apple added a ton of new videoconference tools with MacOS Sonoma including Presenter Overlay, Reactions, and various features for the Mac’s built-in webcam. This year, the company is adding a few more. With apps like FaceTime and Zoom, you’ll have access to a new presenter preview capability that allows you to see what you’re about to share before actually sharing it. Meanwhile, the built-in backgrounds feature allows you to apply system wallpapers, color gradients, or your own photos as a backdrop for video calls. Apple says this feature will be available on FaceTime and third-party apps like Webex.
A New Passwords App
Photograph: Apple
If you never loved Keychain, now you have a better option: macOS Sequoia comes with a new Passwords app that allows you to access all your passwords (Wi-Fi passwords included), passkeys, and verification codes in one place. It keeps all your Apple devices in sync, runs on Windows machines (using the iCloud for Windows app) too, and supports end-to-end encryption.
More With Messages
Photograph: Apple
A few new Messages features are coming to macOS Sequoia—and by extension, to iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 as well. You’ll be able to format your texts within Messages using bold, italic, underline, and strikethrough type treatments. You’ll also have the ability to add animated effects to a specific word within a text. For some phrases and words, you’ll also see suggestions appear as you type. Apple added new Tapbacks too—instead of using the traditional heart, thumbs up, thumbs down, question mark, or exclamation point, you’ll also see options to use emoji and stickers. Another standout new feature is the option to schedule your messages ahead of time so they’ll be sent later.
Apple Intelligence Features
Photograph: Apple
In addition to the features above, the company also announced new AI capabilities powered by Apple Intelligence—its “personal intelligence system” built into MacOS Sequoia, as well as iOS 18 and iPadOS 18.
It’s WWDC 2024 keynote time! Each year Apple kicks off its Worldwide Developers Conference with a few hours of just straight announcements, like the long-awaited Apple Intelligence and a makeover for smart AI assistant, Siri. We expected much of them to revolve around the company’s artificial intelligence ambitions (and here), and Apple didn’t disappoint. We also bring you news about Vision Pro and lots of feature refreshes.
Apple’s Messages app will support RCS and scheduling texts
Apple delivered two of the biggest features iMessage and its Messages app that consumers were wanting for a long time: the ability to schedule messages to send at a later date and time and support for RCS, the next-gen messaging standard and replacement for SMS that will make texting with Android folks much less painful. Is it the end of the green bubbles? Read more
More App Store improvements
Apple is giving developers more tools to increase their app revenues and promote their apps with win-back offers and the release of a new commerce API. Read more
iOS 18 compatible devices
Among the highlights of the new operating system version are a set of customization options, such as being able to arrange apps and widgets on the Home Screen and customize buttons. Other features include new text effects, the ability to lock and hide apps, new ways to manage your Mail inbox, the introduction of iMessages over satellite, a significant redesign of the Photos app and more. Now let’s see if your device is compatible. Read more
All the Apple Intelligence news
There was a lot, wasn’t there? Apple’s AI push was at the heart of WWDC 2024, and our AI expert Kyle Wiggers took some time to process all of the announcements before bringing together a guide to all of the news across Siri, Genmoji, ChatGPT integrations, photo editing and beyond. Read more
Apple to work with AI partners beyond OpenAI
In a post-keynote event, Apple SVP Craig Federighi confirmed that the company would work with other third-party models beyond OpenAI, with Google’s Gemini model being highlighted as the first example. He clarified that Apple had “nothing to announce right now, but that’s our general direction.” Read more
Elon Musk lumps OpenAI, Apple together
Tesla, SpaceX and xAI exec Elon Musk took to X to continue his campaign against rival OpenAI, threatening to ban Apple devices from his businesses “if Apple integrates OpenAI at the OS level,” among other responses and reactions to the conversations around WWDC on X. Read more
Apple Intelligence’s (limited) availability
Before you get too excited about putting Apple Intelligence to the test, check if your devices are new enough. Only the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, along with iPads and Macs with M1 or newer chips, will be able to run the new features coming alongside Apple’s AI push. Read more
ChatGPT in Siri
Apple is bringing ChatGPT, its AI-powered chatbot experience, to Siri and other Apple apps, powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4 and other generative AI models. Read more
Apple Intelligence is an image and emoji playground
Image Credits: Apple
One of the Apple Intelligence-powered features coming in iOS 18 will allow iPhone users to create AI images of people they’re messaging with — a feature that works something like an AI-upgraded Bitmoji. The goal, of course, is to make your “everyday conversations more enjoyable.”
Apple Intelligence will have an understanding of who you’re talking with in a messaging conversation, so if you want to personalize that chat with a custom AI image, you can create one on the fly. Read more
Apple TV+
Image Credits: Apple
For those of you who use Apple TV+, there is a new feature called InSight. The feature will allow viewers to learn actor names and song titles as they appear on the screen. Lauren Forristal writes that it’s similar to Amazon’s X-Ray technology, where Fire TV users get an overview of actor bios and behind-the-scenes information while watching TV shows and movies.
What stands out about InSight, however, is its Shazam-like functionality, which highlights the song playing in the TV show or movie and gives users the option to add it to an Apple Music playlist to listen to later. Read more
Siri
Image Credits: Apple
Apple also made some enhancements to its smart assistant, Siri. These include adding some generative AI features that make Siri seem more natural and more personal. There’s also a new glowing light. And, Siri can also handle stumbles in speech and better understand context. Plus, for those who would rather type, you can do that now. Read more
Apple Intelligence is here
Image Credits: Apple
The new feature is called Apple Intelligence (AI, get it?). The company promised the feature will be built with safety at its core, along with highly personalized experiences.
“Most importantly, it has to understand you and be grounded in your personal context, like your routine, your relationships, your communications and more,” CEO Tim Cook noted at WWDC Monday. “And of course, it has to be built with privacy from the ground up together. All of this goes beyond artificial intelligence. It’s personal intelligence, and it’s the next big step for Apple.” Read more
That covers the consumer side of things, but WWDC is a conference for developers, and Apple revealed how developers will soon be able to bring the Apple Intelligence experience into their software. A number of AI features will be added to existing SDKs, allowing for generative AI image generation, or new prompts to Siri, to allow devs to expand the Apple Intelligence footprint. Read more
Apple’s new Passwords app
Image Credits: Apple
While you can already use your iCloud account to store and sync passwords across your devices, it wasn’t easy to figure out. Now, the company introduced a Passwords app. Some of the features include a new column on the left that lets you more easily navigate your password collection. For instance, you can view all your passwords or just Wi-Fi passwords (a new addition), passkeys or codes that aren’t related to a website or service. Read more
Smart Script in iPad
Image Credits: Apple
A new “Smart Script” feature will clean up your handwriting when using an Apple Pencil to write in Notes. Apple says it’s making handwriting your notes even smoother and straighter. The feature improves the appearance of your writing as you write by using on-device machine learning to recreate your handwriting from your notes. You’ll see your own handwriting, just smoother and more legible. Read more
Calculator for iPad
Image Credits: Apple
Who would have thought a calculator would liven up a developer’s conference? Well, Apple’s new Calculator for iPad app got everyone excited.
iOS’ perennial tips calculating app is finally coming to the larger screen. The feature utilizes the additional screen real estate to bring new features that the company couldn’t really jam into the iPhone. The biggest arrival here is the addition of Math Notes. The additional feature does the math for you. Read more
macOS Sequoia
Image Credits: Apple
The latest operating system version is called macOS Sequoia.
One of the biggest features of this new OS is iPhone mirroring. Now, through macOS’ Continuity feature, you can mirror your iPhone’s screen and control it right from your Mac. Notifications on Mac pop you into iPhone mirror mode, and iPhone audio comes through the Mac as well, but the paired iPhone stays locked while in mirror mode. Read more
OK, let’s do a little deeper dive into iPhone mirroring. While Apple didn’t detail many use cases for the feature, Sarah Perez writes that it seems it would make it easier to demo apps over video calls or in person, as users could move between a slideshow presentation and a live demo of the iPhone app by launching it as if it’s another app on your Mac. Read more
Messages via Satellite
Image Credits: Apple
This new feature works much like Apple’s emergency SOS feature. When you have no signal, you’ll be given the option to find a satellite to relay the data. You’ll have to keep the phone pointed in the right direction while you do it, however, there’s an overlay above your messages to remind you. Read more
Photos app
Image Credits: Apple
Apple showed off the new Photos app as it will appear in the upcoming release of the iOS software. The new app introduces new navigation, new organizational features and other ways to discover your favorite photos, including those of friends, family, pets, trips and more.
Some things to know: The new design will lead to less time searching for photos as it puts everything you need within easy reach.
One major change involves how the app has been unified into a single view with the photo grid at the top and the library, organized by theme, below. Read more
Tap to Cash
One of the more interesting additions is Tap to Cash, which is more or less what it sounds like, letting users pay for things by tapping together a pair of iPhones.
As Brian Heater writes, the feature is effectively an outgrowth of Apple Pay’s longstanding Tap to Pay feature. Similarly, the new addition likely uses the device’s NFC functionality. Apple notes that the feature transfers money without having to share any personal info — a nice added privacy element. Read more
iOS 18
Image Credits: Apple
Users will now be able to lock an app when they hand over their phone to do things like show someone a picture or let them play a game. When you lock an app, if someone tries to tap your phone, they will be required to authenticate using Face ID, Touch ID or their passcode. While you have the app lock feature enabled, information from inside the app won’t appear in other places, like search and notifications. Read more
Apple also shared some initial details for the upcoming major release of iOS, which is its operating system specifically designed for the iPhone. As expected, much of this involves artificial intelligence. Remember when icons were locked to the grid? Well, they can now be laid out however you want on your home screen so that they don’t hide your background photos.
“iOS 18 is a big release that delivers more ways to customize your iPhone, stay connected and relive special moments,” Apple SVP of software engineering Craig Federighi said. Read more
Speaking of icons, most of these updates are those long-requested functionalities, like the ability to set app icons and widgets wherever you want on the Home Screen, plus support for dark mode icons with different color schemes. Read more
visionOS 2
Image Credits: Apple
visionOS 2 brings with it productivity enhancements and “new immersive experiences.” One lets you “spatialize” photos from regular photos, leveraging AI tech. Another is a new navigation option: visionOS 2 lets you switch to the home screen by just tapping, or flip your hand over to bring up the control center with notifications, shortcuts and more. Read more
One of the bigger announcements with this includes the ability to turn existing images into spatial photos. The new feature utilizes machine learning to build out additional angles, marking a change from the existing method, which required images to be shot on an iPhone 15 Pro or the Vision Pro itself. Read more
For those of you outside of the U.S., the Vision Pro headset will be available in eight new countries. Read more
Useful AI, not flashy AI
Apple has fallen behind its peers in the AI race, and it probably feels like it needs to pull out all the stops to impress fans and shareholders. But that shouldn’t mean overpromising on features. Read more
Generative AI
For smart assistants: While rumors point to the company transitioning a number of employees to generative AI operations following its electric car implosion, all signs point to Apple having ceded a significant head start to the competition. As such, its most logical play is a partnership with a reigning powerhouse like OpenAI. Read more
Maybe not for iPhone 15: Some other rumors say that when this generative AI comes into play, a limited number of older devices will also be able to run the system, including iPads and Macs running an M1 chip or higher and the iPhone 15 Pro. That means the standard iPhone 15 may be left out in the cold on this one. Read more
This trend bears out in secondary market data: Shipments of used smartphones increased nearly 10 percent, to 309.4 million shipments, in 2023, up from 282.6 million units the year prior, according to research firm IDC. For a lot of people, a good phone really is just good enough.
Apple is also selling privacy as part of its generative AI package, saying that Apple Intelligence “is integrated into the core of your iPhone, iPad, and Mac through on-device processing.” Apple’s AI tools use Apple-developed large language models, instead of relying on another entity’s models or a patchwork of LLMs, as confirmed by Axios. In instances where an iPhone isn’t capable of processing a user’s actions or queries on their device, Apple Intelligence will send the user’s data to a server running on Apple silicon, which will keep that user’s personal data secure, the company says.
Which raises the question: If Apple is already planning to offload some of the processing to its cloud, then couldn’t a slightly older iPhone—like the iPhone 14 Pro, which is powered by a slightly older chip—also get the AI glow-up?
Michael Gartenberg, a consumer technology analyst at Flash Advisory & Research who previously worked at Apple, says he can’t technically say at this point whether Apple “is being disingenuous about what devices can run this. But I do know iPhones can already run ChatGPT and an awful lot of Google’s AI features, so I suspect this is the opportunity Apple has been waiting for to tell you that the iPhone 13 really isn’t good enough anymore,” he says.
Another question the introduction of Apple Intelligence raises, pertaining to iPhone sales, is whether it gives consumers a reason not to buy an iPhone before this upcoming fall, Gartenberg says, which stalls the current iPhone buying cycle. (And that’s assuming buyers want the generative AI features at all; Pew survey results suggest Americans are slightly more concerned than excited about generative AI.)
And, since Apple Intelligence will be available only in US English to start, it’s unlikely to immediately boost iPhone sales elsewhere—like in China, one of Apple’s most important markets—unless Apple does some critical “futureproofing,” says Carolina Milanesi, founder of the research firm Heart of Tech.
“It depends on how they roll out experiences to other countries,” she says, like if AI-generated Genmoji are offered as a feature before text editing or other language-based features. “The bigger update cycle will happen next year, when more languages are added,” Milanesi predicts. And in China specifically, Apple has to not only develop language support but determine how it will handle data storage, she says.
Either way Apple now has a new way to compel iPhone buyers to upgrade come September. This time it’s not just selling them on a new camera jammed into the same container; it will undoubtedly try its hardest to convince customers that any newer iPhone is a much smarter smartphone, one that offers a flavor of generative AI much more palatable than the AI chat platforms still in search of application.
It’s WWDC 2024 keynote time! Each year Apple kicks off its Worldwide Developers Conference with a few hours of just straight announcements, like the long-awaited Apple Intelligence and a makeover for smart AI assistant, Siri. We expected much of them to revolve around the company’s artificial intelligence ambitions (and here), and Apple didn’t disappoint. We also bring you news about Vision Pro and lots of feature refreshes.
In a post-keynote event, Apple SVP Craig Federighi confirmed that the company would work with other third-party models beyond OpenAI, with Google’s Gemini model being highlighted as the first example. He clarified that Apple had “nothing to announce right now, but that’s our general direction.” Read more
Elon Musk lumps OpenAI, Apple together
Tesla, SpaceX and xAI exec Elon Musk took to X to continue his campaign against rival OpenAI, threatening to ban Apple devices from his businesses “if Apple integrates OpenAI at the OS level,” among other responses and reactions to the conversations around WWDC on X. Read more
Apple Intelligence’s (limited) availability
Before you get too excited about putting Apple Intelligence to the test, check if your devices are new enough. Only the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, along with iPads and Macs with M1 or newer chips, will be able to run the new features coming alongside Apple’s AI push. Read more
ChatGPT in Siri
Apple is bringing ChatGPT, its AI-powered chatbot experience, to Siri and other Apple apps, powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4 and other generative AI models. Read more
Apple Intelligence is an image and emoji playground
Image Credits: Apple
One of the Apple Intelligence-powered features coming in iOS 18 will allow iPhone users to create AI images of people they’re messaging with — a feature that works something like an AI-upgraded Bitmoji. The goal, of course, is to make your “everyday conversations more enjoyable.”
Apple Intelligence will have an understanding of who you’re talking with in a messaging conversation, so if you want to personalize that chat with a custom AI image, you can create one on the fly. Read more
Apple TV+
Image Credits: Apple
For those of you who use Apple TV+, there is a new feature called InSight. The feature will allow viewers to learn actor names and song titles as they appear on the screen. Lauren Forristal writes that it’s similar to Amazon’s X-Ray technology, where Fire TV users get an overview of actor bios and behind-the-scenes information while watching TV shows and movies.
What stands out about InSight, however, is its Shazam-like functionality, which highlights the song playing in the TV show or movie and gives users the option to add it to an Apple Music playlist to listen to later. Read more
Siri
Image Credits: Apple
Apple also made some enhancements to its smart assistant, Siri. These include adding some generative AI features that make Siri seem more natural and more personal. There’s also a new glowing light. And, Siri can also handle stumbles in speech and better understand context. Plus, for those who would rather type, you can do that now. Read more
Apple Intelligence is here
Image Credits: Apple
The new feature is called Apple Intelligence (AI, get it?). The company promised the feature will be built with safety at its core, along with highly personalized experiences.
“Most importantly, it has to understand you and be grounded in your personal context, like your routine, your relationships, your communications and more,” CEO Tim Cook noted at WWDC Monday. “And of course, it has to be built with privacy from the ground up together. All of this goes beyond artificial intelligence. It’s personal intelligence, and it’s the next big step for Apple.” Read more
That covers the consumer side of things, but WWDC is a conference for developers, and Apple revealed how developers will soon be able to bring the Apple Intelligence experience into their software. A number of AI features will be added to existing SDKs, allowing for generative AI image generation, or new prompts to Siri, to allow devs to expand the Apple Intelligence footprint. Read more
Apple’s new Passwords app
Image Credits: Apple
While you can already use your iCloud account to store and sync passwords across your devices, it wasn’t easy to figure out. Now, the company introduced a Passwords app. Some of the features include a new column on the left that lets you more easily navigate your password collection. For instance, you can view all your passwords or just Wi-Fi passwords (a new addition), passkeys or codes that aren’t related to a website or service. Read more
Smart Script in iPad
Image Credits: Apple
A new “Smart Script” feature will clean up your handwriting when using an Apple Pencil to write in Notes. Apple says it’s making handwriting your notes even smoother and straighter. The feature improves the appearance of your writing as you write by using on-device machine learning to recreate your handwriting from your notes. You’ll see your own handwriting, just smoother and more legible. Read more
Calculator for iPad
Image Credits: Apple
Who would have thought a calculator would liven up a developer’s conference? Well, Apple’s new Calculator for iPad app got everyone excited.
iOS’ perennial tips calculating app is finally coming to the larger screen. The feature utilizes the additional screen real estate to bring new features that the company couldn’t really jam into the iPhone. The biggest arrival here is the addition of Math Notes. The additional feature does the math for you. Read more
macOS Sequoia
Image Credits: Apple
The latest operating system version is called macOS Sequoia.
One of the biggest features of this new OS is iPhone mirroring. Now, through macOS’ Continuity feature, you can mirror your iPhone’s screen and control it right from your Mac. Notifications on Mac pop you into iPhone mirror mode, and iPhone audio comes through the Mac as well, but the paired iPhone stays locked while in mirror mode. Read more
OK, let’s do a little deeper dive into iPhone mirroring. While Apple didn’t detail many use cases for the feature, Sarah Perez writes that it seems it would make it easier to demo apps over video calls or in person, as users could move between a slideshow presentation and a live demo of the iPhone app by launching it as if it’s another app on your Mac. Read more
Messages via Satellite
Image Credits: Apple
This new feature works much like Apple’s emergency SOS feature. When you have no signal, you’ll be given the option to find a satellite to relay the data. You’ll have to keep the phone pointed in the right direction while you do it, however, there’s an overlay above your messages to remind you. Read more
Photos app
Image Credits: Apple
Apple showed off the new Photos app as it will appear in the upcoming release of the iOS software. The new app introduces new navigation, new organizational features and other ways to discover your favorite photos, including those of friends, family, pets, trips and more.
Some things to know: The new design will lead to less time searching for photos as it puts everything you need within easy reach.
One major change involves how the app has been unified into a single view with the photo grid at the top and the library, organized by theme, below. Read more
Tap to Cash
One of the more interesting additions is Tap to Cash, which is more or less what it sounds like, letting users pay for things by tapping together a pair of iPhones.
As Brian Heater writes, the feature is effectively an outgrowth of Apple Pay’s longstanding Tap to Pay feature. Similarly, the new addition likely uses the device’s NFC functionality. Apple notes that the feature transfers money without having to share any personal info — a nice added privacy element. Read more
iOS 18
Image Credits: Apple
Users will now be able to lock an app when they hand over their phone to do things like show someone a picture or let them play a game. When you lock an app, if someone tries to tap your phone, they will be required to authenticate using Face ID, Touch ID or their passcode. While you have the app lock feature enabled, information from inside the app won’t appear in other places, like search and notifications. Read more
Apple also shared some initial details for the upcoming major release of iOS, which is its operating system specifically designed for the iPhone. As expected, much of this involves artificial intelligence. Remember when icons were locked to the grid? Well, they can now be laid out however you want on your home screen so that they don’t hide your background photos.
“iOS 18 is a big release that delivers more ways to customize your iPhone, stay connected and relive special moments,” Apple SVP of software engineering Craig Federighi said. Read more
Speaking of icons, most of these updates are those long-requested functionalities, like the ability to set app icons and widgets wherever you want on the Home Screen, plus support for dark mode icons with different color schemes. Read more
visionOS 2
Image Credits: Apple
visionOS 2 brings with it productivity enhancements and “new immersive experiences.” One lets you “spatialize” photos from regular photos, leveraging AI tech. Another is a new navigation option: visionOS 2 lets you switch to the home screen by just tapping, or flip your hand over to bring up the control center with notifications, shortcuts and more. Read more
One of the bigger announcements with this includes the ability to turn existing images into spatial photos. The new feature utilizes machine learning to build out additional angles, marking a change from the existing method, which required images to be shot on an iPhone 15 Pro or the Vision Pro itself. Read more
For those of you outside of the U.S., the Vision Pro headset will be available in eight new countries. Read more
Useful AI, not flashy AI
Apple has fallen behind its peers in the AI race, and it probably feels like it needs to pull out all the stops to impress fans and shareholders. But that shouldn’t mean overpromising on features. Read more
Generative AI
For smart assistants: While rumors point to the company transitioning a number of employees to generative AI operations following its electric car implosion, all signs point to Apple having ceded a significant head start to the competition. As such, its most logical play is a partnership with a reigning powerhouse like OpenAI. Read more
Maybe not for iPhone 15: Some other rumors say that when this generative AI comes into play, a limited number of older devices will also be able to run the system, including iPads and Macs running an M1 chip or higher and the iPhone 15 Pro. That means the standard iPhone 15 may be left out in the cold on this one. Read more
Apple is integrating GPT-4o, the large language model that powers ChatGPT into iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and MacOS Sequioa thanks to a partnership with OpenAI announced at WWDC, the company’s annual developer conference, on Monday. But shortly after the keynote ended, Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering said that the company might also bake in Gemini, Google’s family of large language model, into its operating systems.
“We want to enable users ultimately to choose the models they want, maybe Google Gemini in the future,” Federighi said in a conversation with reporters after the keynote. “Nothing to announce right now.”
The news is notable because even though Apple did mention plans to add more AI models into its operating system in the keynote, it didn’t mention Gemini specifically. Letting people choose the AI model they want on their devices instead of simply foisting one on them would give Apple devices a level of customization that none of its competitors like Google or Samsung have.
Apple announced at WWDC 2024 that it’s making its Vision Pro headset available in eight new countries: China, Japan, Singapore, Australia, Canada, France, Germany and the United Kingdom.
Apple will first release the headset in China, Japan and Singapore on June 28, with preorders starting June 13. The Vision Pro will be available in Australia, Canada, France, Germany and the U.K. on July 12, with preorders starting June 28.
Until now, the company has offered a headset for $3,499 in the U.S. Plus, developers could experience the Vision Pro in some locations worldwide.
“The enthusiasm for Apple Vision Pro has been extraordinary, and we are thrilled to introduce the magic of spatial computing to more customers around the world,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said.
“We can’t wait for more people to see the impossible become possible, whether working and collaborating with an infinite canvas for apps, reliving treasured memories in three dimensions, watching TV shows and movies in a one-of-a-kind personal cinema, or enjoying brand-new spatial experiences that defy imagination.”
Apple just announced that the 35th annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) is set to occur from June 10 until June 14. The WWDC 2024 keynote is scheduled for June 10 at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. The remaining festivities are online and free for developers to attend.
What should we expect at this year’s keynote? WWDC is typically a software-centric event, so we might hear some details on the work Apple has been doing around AI over the last year or so. Other reports indicate that Apple will show off a suite of upcoming updates, including iOS 18, iPadOS 18, tvOS 18, macOS 15 and watchOS 11, according to MacRumors. It’s also likely the company will reveal the next operating system for the recently-released Apple Vision Pro headset, visionOS 2.
It’s even possible we’ll get some new hardware announcements. Though typically software-adjacent, last year’s WWDC was chock full of product announcements, from the aforementioned Vision Pro to the 15-inch M2 MacBook Air. The Mac Mini has been missing from recent product refreshes, so maybe the company will announce an M3-based update.
As for the new software, there have been plenty of rumors regarding iOS 18. It has been reported that Apple might integrate Google’s Gemini AI with Siri and various iPhone apps. Check the suspicious capitalization of “Absolutely Incredible” in the above post from Apple’s VP of worldwide marketing Brad Joswiak for a winking acknowledgement of the move. It’s also been suggested that the smartphone software will allow users to place apps anywhere on the home screen grid and will offer RCS support in the Messages app, along with the usual array of design changes.
The keynote event will be available on the Apple Developer app, the Apple website and YouTube. The company is also inviting 50 winners of its annual Swift Student Challenge to attend WWDC in person.
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You can now check in with a friend or family member when you arrive at a destination. If you dillydally for some reason on the way to this destination, the system will try to check in with you. If you don’t respond, it will share location data, battery level, and cell service status with your loved one. Apple says this data is end-to-end encrypted. You can press the “+” sign to find this feature in an iMessage conversation, then tap More until you see Check In.
When someone shares their location with you in iMessage, you’ll now be able to see this directly in the conversation without having to leave the app. If they send an audio message, you’ll see the transcription immediately under it, which is handy if you can’t listen to it immediately.
As for FaceTime, you can now leave a video or audio message for anyone who doesn’t answer your call (about time!). FaceTime is also making its way to Apple TV, and you can use your iPhone as a camera. During the call, you can create augmented reality reactions, like confetti, hearts, or fireworks, with certain hand gestures. You know, in case the person is bored with your normal reactions.
Batch Edit Photos
If you want all your vacation photos to have the same look, you can now batch-edit a whole bunch of photos and videos in one fell swoop. To do this, open a photo in your Photos app and press Edit. Make the changes you want, then save the photo. Press the triple-dot icon on the top right and tap Copy Edits, then go to the next photo, tap the triple-dot icon, and press Paste Edits. Once you have copied edits, you can select any number of photos and paste them, giving a collection of photos a cohesive look immediately.
Sticker Mania
Apple is placing a big emphasis on Stickers in iOS 17, so much so that they’re now built into the emoji keyboard, making them more accessible in third-party apps. Last year’s iOS 16 brought the ability to cut out a subject from any image you capture by just tapping and holding it, and now you can turn these into your own stickers for big meme potential. You can add effects to these stickers and even create Live Stickers with Live Photos. Make embarrassing stickers of friends on demand. Truly, we’re on the best timeline. With iOS 17.2, you can also react to individual message bubbles with a sticker.
iPhone on StandBy
Google Pixel phones have a feature that turns them into a smart display when placed on one of Google’s wireless chargers. Apple is going even further with StandBy. This enables any iPhone to turn into a more useful display while charging in landscape mode. You can have it show the clock (with different clock designs available), photos from your library, or interactive widgets. If you specifically place it on a MagSafe charger, your iPhone will remember your preferred view. Be sure to check out our Best Apple 3-in-1 Chargers guide if you want to take advantage of this feature.
Before iOS 17.1, anyone using an iPhone with an Always-On Display (iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max) would have to tap the screen whenever they want to turn the feature off. The latest update adds a bit more customization. When you head to Settings > StandBy > Display, you can choose between Automatically, which will turn the display off when the iPhone isn’t in use and the room is dark, After 20 Seconds, or Never.
Better Autocorrect
Do you late hate Apple’s autocorrect? You’re not alone. The company is finally making it better. Autocorrect now uses a “transformer language mode” for better word prediction. It corrects more types of grammatical mistakes than ever before, and you can see predictive text recommendations as you type (you can disable this feature with iOS 17.2), just like what you’ll find using Gmail’s Smart Compose. These improvements also extend to voice dictation, which uses a new speech recognition model that purportedly makes it more accurate.
New Communication Safety Features
Photograph: Apple
Apple’s Communication Safety feature, which helps prevent kids from seeing nude images in iMessage, has expanded its reach in iOS 17. Now, it brings these protections to other services and apps in iOS, from AirDrop and Contact Posters to FaceTime messages and Live Stickers. It works with video content too. Adults can also take advantage of the feature, as it can blur sensitive videos and photos and let you choose whether to view them. Apple maintains that all image and video processing for these protective features happens on your device, and nothing is sent back to Apple.
AirDrop Transfers
If someone is sharing high-res media with you and it’s going to take some time to transfer, you don’t need to stand next to them and wait for the transfer to complete. You can step away and the files will be sent over the internet.
Catch-Up Arrow
When you join a chat with dozens of new messages, you’re now able to tap on a new “catch-up arrow” to jump to the first new message. That way, you don’t have to spend time scrolling to find it.
iMessage Contact Key Verification
Apple originally announced this feature last year, and it’s finally here. With Contact Key Verification you have the option to verify who you’re messaging to avoid communicating with someone impersonating a friend or family member. Users will receive a Contact Verification Code they can then cross-reference with the person they’re texting to make sure the codes match.
A New Journal App
Photograph: Apple
There’s a new app as of iOS 17.2 called Journal, and as the name suggests, the idea is to write down your thoughts and memories. You can add photos, audio recordings, and music to your journal entries and even make goals. Apple says Journal uses on-device machine learning to suggest moments to write about during your day. You can read more about it here.
Enhanced AutoFill for PDFs
If you’re frequently working in PDFs, you’ll be excited to use this feature. The software uses machine learning to identify the fields in a PDF so you can quickly add details, and the Notes app now lets you organize, read, annotate, and collaborate in PDFs too.
Health App
Apple is letting you log your daily moods in the Health app, with access to depression and anxiety assessments typically found in clinics (and other resources). Also, if you are using Apple’s Screen Time feature for your kids, there’s now a Screen Distance tool that will use the TrueDepth camera to encourage children to move further away if they are holding the phone closer than 12 inches from their face for an extended period. Apple says this can help lower the risk of myopia and reduce digital eyestrain in adults. Additionally, the Health app is finally available on the iPad. When you update to iOS 17.2, you can use Siri to ask Health app-related questions like “What’s my blood oxygen?” or “How much have I slept this week?”
Hotel AirPlay
Apple is bringing AirPlay to hotel rooms. You can just scan a QR code from the TV to share videos, photos, and music from your device to the big screen. Apple says it’s starting with brands from IHG Hotels & Resorts.
Photograph: Apple
Apple Music
In addition to songs, you can now “favorite” albums and playlists. You’ll then have the ability to filter those favorites based on category.
With iOS 17.2, any songs you “favorite” will also be added to a Favorites playlist. There’s also a new Focus Filter that will automatically turn off Listening History. That way, you don’t have to worry about certain songs appearing in Recently Played or impacting future song recommendations. It’s a useful feature if you’re often using the Music app to play songs for your kids and don’t want to mess up your algorithm.
