A new iOS 16 app lets users open any app of their choice directly from their Lock Screen without ever needing to navigate their iPhone.
The app called "Launchify" lets users configure one or more iOS 16 Lock Screen widgets that directly open any app of their choosing. Users can create a widget to quickly open Messages, Twitter, the Phone app, or Apple or Google Maps, for example.
While iOS 16 includes a redesigned Lock Screen with new customization features, Apple does not allow users to replace the flashlight and Camera app shortcuts with custom apps. Users can, however, customize a wide range of visual elements on the Lock Screen, including the font and color of the time, custom wallpapers with a depth effect, and more.
Launchify is available for free on the App Store but features an in-app subscription that enables more advanced features, such as adding more than one app shortcut on the Lock Screen.
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...
Sunday February 1, 2026 10:08 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly nine months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon.
In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. At the time,...
Saturday January 31, 2026 10:51 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple recently updated its online store with a new ordering process for Macs, including the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro.
There used to be a handful of standard configurations available for each Mac, but now you must configure a Mac entirely from scratch on a feature-by-feature basis. In other words, ordering a new Mac now works much like ordering an...
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...
A newly surfaced resale operation is seemingly offering Apple Store–exclusive display accessories to the public for the first time, potentially giving consumers access to Apple-designed hardware that the company has historically kept confined to its retail environments.
Apple designs a range of premium MagSafe charging stands, display trays, and hardware systems exclusively for displays in ...
This is a perfect example of a piece of software offering a subscription where it's entirely not necessary. If you want to use this app and are perfectly happy with the functionality it offers today, there should be an option to purchase it outright.
I understand that developers want to be paid for the ongoing development of their software and that makes sense if there are new features to be added in future. But when you're buying a set of features that are already there and you're happy to live with them perpetually, let's see a standard purchase option.
Yet another app where the AppStore description fails to mention anywhere what the limits of the 'free' downloaded version are and what you get with the in-app subscription.
Surely it should be an AppStore requirement that developers are up-front about what the app offers, its (free) limitations and what in-app subscriptions actually give you? Having to download an app just to find out this basic information is very annoying.
