One of the new features of the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro models is an upgraded 12-megapixel front-facing TrueDepth camera system, which, for the first time, is able to take slow motion 120fps videos.
When introducing the 2019 iPhones, Apple invented a new word for the function, combining slo-mo (the name long used for the 120fps feature on the rear-facing camera) and selfie into the word "Slofie."
Slofies didn't sound like a serious word when Apple first mentioned the feature at the iPhone event, but the company is promoting Slofies in multiple places on its website, and as The Verge points out, Apple last Friday filed a trademark on "Slofie" in the United States.
Slow motion videos taken with the front-facing camera are identical to the slow motion videos that have previously been available through the rear-facing camera, slowing down motion for a unique super slow effect. "Slofie" isn't used to describe the feature in the camera app, where it's just referred to as "Slo-mo."
It's not clear if Slofies are going to take off and become a popular feature, but Apple is certainly aiming to make that happen. Prior to when Apple used the word on stage on September 10, the Slofie term doesn't appear to have been widely used, so it's likely Apple will be granted the trademark.
Apple's move to trademark the term will prevent other smartphone makers from marketing their devices with a similar feature name, ensuring the "Slofie" term is associated exclusively with iPhones.
Monday January 26, 2026 1:55 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today introduced its first two physical products of 2026: a second-generation AirTag and the Black Unity Connection Braided Solo Loop for the Apple Watch.
Read our coverage of each announcement to learn more:Apple Unveils New AirTag With Longer Range, Louder Speaker, and More
Apple Introduces New Black Unity Apple Watch BandBoth the new AirTag and the Black Unity Connection Braided...
Thursday January 29, 2026 10:07 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today confirmed to Reuters that it has acquired Q.ai, an Israeli startup that is working on artificial intelligence technology for audio.
Apple paid close to $2 billion for Q.ai, according to sources cited by the Financial Times. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone and audio brand Beats in 2014.
Q.ai has...
Monday January 26, 2026 3:56 pm PST by Juli Clover
Alongside iOS 26.2.1, Apple today released an updated version of iOS 12 for devices that are still running that operating system update, eight years after the software was first released.
iOS 12.5.8 is available for the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 6, meaning Apple is continuing to support these devices for 13 and 12 years after launch, respectively. The iPhone 5s came out in September 2013,...
Tuesday January 27, 2026 2:39 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Update: Apple Creator Studio is now available.
Apple Creator Studio launches this Wednesday, January 28. The all-in-one subscription provides access to the Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro, Motion, Compressor, and MainStage apps, with U.S. pricing set at $12.99 per month or $129 per year.
A subscription to Apple Creator Studio also unlocks "intelligent features" and "premium...
Thursday January 29, 2026 2:40 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
On an earnings call with equity analysts today, Apple CEO Tim Cook responded to fast-rising RAM and SSD storage chip prices in the supply chain.
Cook said that rising memory chip prices had a "minimal impact" on Apple's gross margin in the fourth quarter of the 2025 calendar year, but he does expect a "bit more of an impact" on the company's gross margin in the current quarter.
Cook added ...
