iOS 18 allows users to change the two shortcut buttons on the Lock Screen to an action of their choice for the first time.
Users can now swap out the two controls at the bottom of the Lock Screen for a different action of their choosing. Shortcuts to functions like Translate, Notes, and music recognition in Shazam, and more are available. The full list of actions is as follows:
Here are all the options to replace the camera and flashlight buttons on the Lock Screen on iOS 18 pic.twitter.com/ZS6j5xWQzF
— Aaron (@aaronp613) June 10, 2024
These new controls can also be accessed via the Action Button on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
The ability to change these Lock Screen controls is part of a wave of new customization features in iOS 18, which includes app icon color-changing capabilities and more. The first developer beta of iOS 18 is now available, with the public beta set to follow in July and the official release scheduled for the fall.
Here is something that Apple TV HD owners probably didn't expect when they purchased the device all the way back in 2015: it continues to receive software updates.
Apple's developer website confirms that the tvOS 18 update unveiled today is compatible with all Apple TV HD and Apple TV 4K models.
tvOS 18 compatibility list:
Apple TV HD (2015)
Apple TV 4K (2017)
Apple TV 4K (2nd Generation) (2021)
Apple TV 4K (3rd Generation) (2022)
tvOS 18 introduces a new InSight feature, includes updates to Enhance Dialogue and subtitles, adds new screen savers, supports 21:9 video playback for playing movies and shows on projectors, and more, as outlined in our coverage of the update.
The first tvOS 18 developer beta is available for Apple Developer Program members starting today, and Apple said that a public beta will follow in July. The update should be widely released to all users with a compatible Apple TV in September.
With iOS 18, Apple is expanding the Emergency SOS via satellite feature to introduce Messages via satellite, a feature that will let you send texts even when you don't have a Wi-Fi or cellular connection.
Available on the iPhone 14 or later, you can send and receive iMessages or SMS messages using a satellite connection. The feature works with all iMessage features such as emoji and Tapbacks, plus with iMessage, conversations are end-to-end encrypted.
Messages via satellite will work on the iPhone 14 and later, aka the same devices that support Emergency SOS via satellite. Apple did not specify whether there will be a cost for Messages via satellite, but Emergency SOS via satellite is still free for all iPhone 14 users for a total of three years.
Apple has said it eventually plans to charge for satellite services, but no pricing has been unveiled. The iPhone 15 models also came with two free years of satellite access.
Apple today confirmed that it plans to implement support for Rich Communication Services, or RCS, in iOS 18 this fall. Apple software chief Craig Federighi confirmed RCS support when introducing new features for the iPhone at the WWDC keynote event.
We've known about Apple's plans to adopt RCS since last November, but Apple only gave a vague "later in 2024" timeline for adoption so it was unclear exactly when the feature might roll out. RCS replaces SMS/MMS as the default communication protocol on the iPhone.
RCS has already been adopted by Google, U.S. smartphone carriers, and other companies, so Apple is a little late to the party. It doesn't change much for iMessage, but it does overhaul the way iPhones interact with Android devices. RCS improves texting with Android users, adding support for features that have previously been limited to iMessage. Some of the additions:
Support for higher resolution photos and videos.
Support for larger file sizes and file sharing.
Audio messages.
Cross-platform emoji reactions.
Real-time typing indicators.
Read receipts.
Ability to send messages over cellular or Wi-Fi (SMS is cellular only). There is no cost to send an RCS message over Wi-Fi.
Improved group chats.
It is not clear if Apple will introduce RCS support during the iOS 18 beta testing period or hold the feature until the fall public launch of the update, but we do know that it is indeed tied to iOS 18 at this point.
iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia feature a new, dedicated Passwords app for faster access to important credentials.
The Passwords app replaces iCloud Keychain, which is currently only accessible via a menu in Settings. Now, passwords are available directly via a standalone app for markedly quicker access, bringing it more in line with rival services.
The Passwords app consolidates various credentials, including passwords, passkeys, and Wi-Fi passwords, into a single, easily accessible location. Users can filter and sort their accounts based on various criteria, such as recently created accounts, credential type, or membership in shared groups.
Passwords is also compatible with Windows via the iCloud for Windows app, extending its utility to users who operate across different platforms.
The developer beta versions of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia are available today with official release to the public scheduled for the fall, providing an early look at the Passwords app.
Apple today released new beta firmware for the AirPods Pro 2, including both the Lightning and USB-C versions. The updated firmware has a build number of 7A5220e, and it is available to developers at the current time.
At today's keynote event, Apple introduced several new features that are coming to the AirPods Pro 2 as part of iOS 18, including head gestures, and these features may be included in the firmware update.
With head gestures, users can control Siri on the AirPods Pro with a shake or a nod of the head. If you get a phone call, for example, you can shake your head no if you don't want to answer it, or nod to accept the call. Siri interactions can be used for responding to incoming messages, calls, and notifications.
Apple is adding Voice Isolation to the AirPods Pro to cut down on loud background sounds to make you easier to hear, and there is a new Personalized Spatial Audio feature specific to gaming. Game developers will be able to incorporate spatial audio into their games for a more immersive audio experience.
As was rumored, watchOS 11 drops support for the Apple Watch Series 4, Apple Watch Series 5, and first-generation Apple Watch SE, according to Apple's website.
The update is compatible with all other models, including the Apple Watch Series 6 and beyond:
Apple Watch SE (2nd generation)
Apple Watch Series 6
Apple Watch Series 7
Apple Watch Series 8
Apple Watch Series 9
Apple Watch Ultra
Apple Watch Ultra 2
Even though the Series 5 has an S5 chip, it has the same processor as the S4 chip in the Series 4, so it is not too surprising that Apple dropped support for these models simultaneously. Key changes with the Series 5 compared to the Series 4 included an always-on display option, increased storage, and a compass.
watchOS 11 continues to work with a paired iPhone XS or newer. A developer beta is available starting today, and a public beta will follow in July.
The general public can expect watchOS 11 to be released in September.
At WWDC 2024, Apple introduced an onslaught of Apple Intelligence features that integrate AI into everything from Siri to built-in apps like Mail, Messages, and Photos. Apple Intelligence is still under development, and it won't immediately be available to developers.
Apple plans to debut Apple Intelligence in the iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia betas this summer. When Apple Intelligence officially launches to the public this fall, it will be available in a beta capacity. Some of the Apple Intelligence additions might take even longer to launch, with Apple suggesting that "some features, additional languages, and platforms" will be coming over the course of the next year.
With Apple Intelligence, Siri is much smarter, and there are tools for generating custom emoji and images, refining your writing, summarizing content, cutting down on unimportant notifications, and way more. Apple is also partnering with OpenAI to bring ChatGPT 4o to its platforms, with ChatGPT set to be integrated into Siri and Writing Tools. Siri will be able to tap into ChatGPT for some tasks, asking user permission to share information.
Apple Intelligence is free to use, but it is limited to devices with the A17 Pro chip or any M-series chip. That means to use these features, you need an iPhone 15 Pro or an iPhone 15 Pro Max, but the upcoming iPhone 16 lineup will support Apple Intelligence too.
On the Mac side, you need a Mac with an M1 or later, and for iPads, you need an iPad Pro or iPad Air with an M1 chip or later.
Following today's WWDC keynote event that saw the unveiling of new software, Apple has provided the first betas of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia, tvOS 18, watchOS 11, and visionOS 2 to developers for testing purposes. Developers have access to the software so they can begin incorporating all of the new features into their apps.
Registered developers are able to opt into the betas by opening up the Settings app on their device, going to the Software Update Section, tapping on the "Beta Updates" option, and toggling on the Developer Beta. Note that an Apple ID associated with a developer account is required to download and install the beta, but Apple allows even free developer accounts to install beta software.
It is a bad idea to install early betas on a main device, and we recommend having a secondary device if you want to try out the software. There are often significant bugs in early versions of iOS and macOS, so if you do install on a main device, make sure to create a backup beforehand.
Over the course of the next several months, Apple will refine the features available in all of its new software, and we will go through several betas before the updates see a public release around September.
While the betas are limited to developers right now, Apple typically provides a public beta in July, which is usually much more stable than the early developer betas.
Apple today released visionOS 1.2, the second major update to the visionOS operating system that launched alongside the Vision Pro in February. visionOS 1.2 comes three months after the launch of visionOS 1.1.
visionOS updates can be installed by going to the Settings app on the Vision Pro, selecting the General section, and choosing Software Update. The Vision Pro headset will need to be removed to install new software, with a progress bar available on the front EyeSight display.
visionOS 1.2 adds Persona improvements such as improved hair and makeup appearance, as well as better rendering for Eyesight. Messages supports Contact Key Verification, and Apple made improvements to both the Virtual Keyboard and the Mac Virtual Display. Apple's full release notes are below.
Mobile Device Management - Enables account-driven device and user enrollment using Managed Apple IDs - Support for device configuration (Wi-Fi, VPN, email accounts, single sign-on, and more) - Support for deploying apps in volume including iPhone and iPad compatible apps, visionOS apps included in a Universal purchase, and proprietary in-house visionOS apps - Support for remote erase via MDM and device inventory data
Messages - Adds support for iMessage Contact Key Verification
Accessibility - Closed captions can be anchored to the playback control while viewing Apple Immersive Video
Persona (beta) and EyeSight - Adds an option to enroll your Persona hands-free - Improves hair and makeup appearance - Improves neck and mouth representation - Improves rendering of the eyes for EyeSight
Virtual keyboard - Cursor positioning for text input is now more accurate - Resolves some instances where the virtual keyboard placement obscures the text input field - Fixes an issue where in some cases, the text preview on the virtual keyboard may appear out of sync with the text field in the app - Fixes an issue where the edit menu may appear unexpectedly
Mac Virtual Display - Improves the reliability of discovering and connecting to a Mac using Mac Virtual Display - Resolves an issue where Universal Control may stop working - Addresses a connectivity issue that occurs when a previously paired Bluetooth device cannot be found
Captive Network Support - Ability to set up your device while using a captive WiFi network such as those found at hotels, cafes and airports
For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website: https://support.apple.com/kb/HT201222
The first year of the Vision Pro will see plenty of feature refinements, and Apple has already announced visionOS 2 with even more new additions.
Apple today announced that public betas of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia, watchOS 11, tvOS 18, and HomePod software version 18 will be available in July.
Apple did not provide a specific release date in July for the public betas, and it appears that visionOS 2 will not be available as a public beta, at least initially.
Anyone can join Apple's public beta testing program for free, allowing them to test out the updates next month without paying for Apple Developer Program membership.
Apple developers can test all of the new updates starting today, including visionOS 2.
Siri will determine if queries may be useful to forward to ChatGPT, and asks the user for permission to share. This enables Siri to leverage ChatGPT's image- and text-understanding capabilities with no need to jump between tools. Users can ask questions related to text, documents, photos, PDFs, and more.
ChatGPT will also be available in Apple's new systemwide Writing Tools to help users generate content for anything they're writing about. With Compose, users can similarly access ChatGPT image tools to generate images in a range of styles to compliment their writing.
Siri will leverage GPT-4o for free, with no need to create an account. Requests are not logged and IP addresses are obscured. ChatGPT subscribers will also be able to access paid features within the experiences.
As part of Apple Intelligence, Apple has unveiled a new Image Playground feature that allows users to create generative images on the fly using a range of concepts like themes, costumes, accessories, places, and more.
With Image Playground, users can quickly create playful images, choosing from three styles: Animation, Illustration, or Sketch. Image Playground is straightforward to use, built into apps like Messages, and also available as a standalone app.
Previews are created on-device, and your generative images are accessible in Messages, Pages, Freeform, and even a dedicated Image Playground app. The feature is part of "Apple Intelligence," a deeply integrated, personalized AI experience for Apple devices that uses cutting-edge generative artificial intelligence to enhance user experiences across iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Apple at WWDC today announced Apple Intelligence, a deeply integrated, personalized AI experience for Apple devices that uses cutting-edge generative artificial intelligence to enhance user experiences across iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Apple says that Apple Intelligence "combines the power of generative models with personal context to deliver intelligence that's incredibly useful and relevant." Baked into iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, it can create language and images, take action across apps, and draw from personal context to simplify and accelerate everyday tasks. And with Private Cloud Compute, Apple is focused on delivering AI based on privacy, with the ability to flex and scale computational capacity between on-device processing and larger, server-based models that run on dedicated Apple silicon servers.
"We're thrilled to introduce a new chapter in Apple innovation. Apple Intelligence will transform what users can do with our products — and what our products can do for our users," said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. "Our unique approach combines generative AI with a user's personal context to deliver truly helpful intelligence. And it can access that information in a completely private and secure way to help users do the things that matter most to them. This is AI as only Apple can deliver it, and we can't wait for users to experience what it can do."
Top of the features list are new ways for users to enhance their writing and communicate more effectively. Apple says that with brand-new systemwide Writing Tools built into iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, users can rewrite, proofread, and summarize text nearly everywhere they write, including Mail, Notes, Pages, and third-party apps.
For example, with Rewrite, Apple Intelligence allows users to choose from different versions of what they have written, and then adjust the tone "to suit the audience and task at hand." According to Apple, the Rewrite feature helps users deliver the right words to meet the occasion, whether that's finessing a cover letter, or adding humor and creativity to a party invitation. A new Proofread option checks grammar, word choice, and sentence structure while also suggesting edits — along with explanations of the edits — that users can review or quickly accept. And with Summarize, users can select text and have it recapped in the form of a digestible paragraph, bulleted key points, a table, or a list.
In Mail, a new section at the top of the inbox called Priority Messages shows your most urgent emails, like a same-day dinner invitation or boarding pass. But instead of previewing the first few lines of each email, you can see summaries without needing to open a message. Meanwhile, for long threads, you can view pertinent details with a tap. There's also a Smart Reply feature that offers suggestions for a quick response. The feature also identifies questions in an email to ensure everything is answered, according to Apple.
Elsewhere, a new Priority Notifications feature surfaces alerts at the top of the stack to show what's most important to you, and summaries help you scan long or stacked notifications to show key details right on the Lock Screen, such as when a group chat is particularly active. To help users stay present in what they are doing, there's also a new Focus called Reduce Interruptions that surfaces only the notifications that might need immediate attention, like a text about an early pickup from daycare.
In the Notes and Phone apps, Apple Intelligence allows users to record, transcribe, and summarize audio. When a recording is initiated while on a call, participants are automatically notified, and once the call ends, Apple Intelligence generates a summary to help recall key points. A new Image Playground feature also allows users to choose from a range of concepts from categories like themes, costumes, accessories, and places to create their own images for sharing in Messages, Notes, Keynote, Freeform, and Pages, and third-party apps that support the new Image Playground API.
Taking emoji to new places, users can also create an original Genmoji to express themselves. By simply typing a description, their Genmoji appears, along with additional options. Users can also create Genmoji of friends and family based on their photos. Just like emoji, Genmoji can be added inline to messages, or shared as a sticker or reaction in a Tapback.
Switching to the Photos app, natural language can be used to search for specific photos, such as "Maya skateboarding in a tie-dye shirt," or "Katie with stickers on her face." Search in videos also becomes more powerful with the ability to find specific moments in clips so users can go right to the relevant segment. Additionally, the new Clean Up tool can identify and remove distracting objects in the background of a photo, without accidentally altering the subject, according to Apple.
With Memories, users can create the story they want to see by simply typing a description. Using language and image understanding, Apple Intelligence will pick out the best photos and videos based on the description, craft a storyline with chapters based on themes identified from the photos, and arrange them into a movie with its own narrative arc. Users will even get song suggestions to match their memory from Apple Music. As with all Apple Intelligence features, user photos and videos are kept private on device and are not shared with Apple or anyone else.
Apple is also emphasizing cross-platform enhancements to Siri, which is said to be "more natural, more contextually relevant, and more personal, with the ability to simplify and accelerate everyday tasks." For example, it can follow along if users stumble over words and maintain context from one request to the next. Additionally, users can type to Siri, and switch between text and voice to communicate with Siri however they like. Siri also has a brand-new design, suggestive of its new capabilities, with a glowing light that wraps around the edge of the screen when Siri is active.
Siri can answer queries about how to do something on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and with onscreen awareness, Siri will be able to understand and take action with users' content in more apps over time, according to Apple. For example, if a friend texts a user their new address in Messages, the receiver can say, "Add this address to his contact card," and Siri will do just that. Similar actions will extend across Apple and third-party apps.
Siri will be able to deliver intelligence that’s tailored to the user and their on-device information. For example, a user can say, “Play that podcast that Jamie recommended,” and Siri will locate and play the episode, without the user having to remember whether it was mentioned in a text or an email. Or they could ask, “When is Mom’s flight landing?” and Siri will find the flight details and cross-reference them with real-time flight tracking to give an arrival time.
Thanks to on-device processing, Apple says its AI features are aware of your personal data without collecting your data. And when it needs more compute capacity, it sends only the data needed to fulfill the request to Apple's Private Cloud Compute servers, which share the same privacy and security capabilities of your iPhone, according to Apple.
To verify privacy, Apple says that independent experts can inspect the code that runs on Apple silicon servers, and Private Cloud Compute cryptographically ensures that iPhone, iPad, and Mac do not talk to a server unless its software has been publicly logged for inspection. "Apple Intelligence with Private Cloud Compute sets a new standard for privacy in AI, unlocking intelligence users can trust," says Apple.
Apple is integrating ChatGPT access into experiences within iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, allowing users to access its expertise — as well as its image- and document-understanding capabilities — without needing to jump between tools. Apple says users are asked before any questions are sent to ChatGPT, along with any documents or photos, and Siri then presents the answer directly.
Additionally, ChatGPT will be available in Apple's systemwide Writing Tools to help users generate content for anything they are writing about. For example, with Compose, users will also be able to access ChatGPT image tools to generate images in a variety of styles to complement what they are writing.
Apple says that ChatGPT will come to iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia later this year, powered by GPT-4o. Users can access it for free without creating an account, and ChatGPT subscribers can connect their accounts and access paid features right from these experiences.
Apple today announced that tvOS 18 is gaining a feature called "InSight," which helps you find more information about all of the actors and songs in the current Apple TV+ show or movie you're watching. InSight will only be available on Apple TV+ content.
Apple said that InSight is connected to your Apple Music account. This way, if you hear a song you like in an Apple TV+ show, you can use InSight to find out what it is, and immediately add it to your Apple Music library.
Additionally, tvOS 18 is getting a smarter "Enhance Dialogue" feature for TV speakers and receivers, AirPods, and other Bluetooth devices. This feature uses machine learning to give greater vocal clarity to voices in shows and movies.
A few other new tvOS additions include:
Subtitles will automatically appear if you mute the volume or go back a few seconds
Adding support for the 21:9 format for projectors on Apple TV
Redesigned Apple Fitness+ experience
New Portraits category for screen savers
New TV+ shows and movies category for screen savers
New Snoopy screen saver
These new features will be coming to tvOS 18 later in 2024.
Apple at WWDC today announced macOS 15 Sequoia, the next version of its Mac operating system featuring several new AI capabilities also announced for iPhone with iOS 18, in addition to a new Password app, a major Safari update, and a new Continuity feature called iPhone Mirroring.
At the heart of the new AI features is "Apple Intelligence," which Apple says is a deeply integrated, personalized AI experience for Apple devices that uses cutting-edge generative artificial intelligence to enhance user experiences across iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
According to Apple, the service "combines the power of generative models with personal context to deliver intelligence that's incredibly useful and relevant." Apple Intelligence "understands and creates language and images, takes action across apps, and draws from personal context, simplifying and accelerating everyday tasks."
“The all-star combination of the power of Apple silicon and the legendary ease of use of macOS have made the Mac more capable than ever. Today, we’re excited to take macOS to new heights with macOS Sequoia, a big release that elevates productivity and intelligence,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. “macOS Sequoia ushers in Apple Intelligence, unlocking incredible new features that will be a game changer for working on Mac. And with more ways to help users effortlessly get things done, new Continuity features like iPhone Mirroring, major updates to Safari, and a host of new games, we think Mac users are going to love it.”
As part of the new AI features, Image Playground lets users can create playful images in seconds, choosing from three styles: Animation, Illustration, or Sketch. Image Playground is designed to be easy to use, and comes built right into apps like Messages, and is also available in a dedicated app.
macOS Sequoia includes a new Continuity feature called iPhone Mirroring that allows you to view and control your iPhone right from your Mac. According to Apple, "a user's custom wallpaper and icons appear just like on their iPhone, and they can swipe between pages on their Home Screen, or launch and browse any of their favorite apps." Not only that, but also the keyboard, trackpad, and mouse on Mac let you interact with your iPhone, and audio even comes through.
Your iPhone on your Mac shows everything, including icons, the Home Screen, apps, and more. Any app can be opened, and all the while, your iPhone can stay locked, so nobody else can access it. You can even drag and drop items and files from your Mac to your iPhone seamlessly. macOS 15 also brings iPhone notifications to Mac, where they appear alongside Mac notifications and can be responded to.
Meanwhile, Safari now offers Highlights, which Apple describes as "an even easier way to discover information on the web, such as directions, summaries, or quick links to learn more about people, music, movies, and TV shows." Reader mode has been redesigned, and now includes a streamlined view of the article, a summary, and a table of contents for longer articles."
In addition, macOS now automatically sizes windows to tile them and fill up the screen, utilizing maximum screen real estate. Drag a window to the edge of the screen, and macOS Sequoia automatically suggests a tiled position on your desktop. There are also new keyboard and menu shortcuts designed to better organize tiles.
The Presenter preview feature has also received an update, with new keyboard and menu shortcuts to help users organize tiles. Users can also add built-in backgrounds, including color gradients and system wallpapers, or upload their own photos. Background replacements can also be applied during a video call in FaceTime or in third-party apps like Webex.
macOS 15 also includes a new dedicated Passwords app, allowing you to manage Wi-Fi passwords, app and website passwords, verification codes, and more. Passwords sync across devices, and macOS uses autofill to populate passwords in the Passwords app. The Passwords app is also available on Windows, thanks to the iCloud for Windows app.
Apple is also highlighting Memories in Photos, which it says lets users create the stories they want to see "just by typing a description." Apple Intelligence picks out the best photos and videos based on the description, crafts a storyline with chapters based on themes identified from the photos, and arranges them into a movie with its own narrative arc. There's also a new Clean Up tool that can "identify and remove distracting objects in the background of a photo — without accidentally altering the subject."
Other features include: Updates to Messages, which has all-new text effects, emoji and sticker Tapbacks, and the ability to schedule a message to send later; hike and trail routes in Maps, Collections in the Photos app, smarter Notes, and better Calendar / Reminder integration. macOS 15 Sequoia will be released to the public in the fall.
