Apple co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs was born on February 24, 1955, so today would have marked his 70th birthday if he hadn't passed away in 2011 at the age of 56.
In 1976, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak co-founded Apple Computer Company to market Wozniak's Apple I, a pioneering personal computer. Their collaboration led to the introduction of the Apple II in 1977, which significantly influenced the personal computing industry.
In 1984, Apple launched the Macintosh, notable for its graphical user interface and the iconic "1984" Super Bowl commercial directed by Ridley Scott. However, internal conflicts led to Jobs' departure from Apple in 1985. He then founded NeXT Inc., focusing on advanced computer platforms.
In 1997, Apple acquired NeXT, bringing Jobs back to the company as interim CEO. Under his leadership, Apple revitalized its product line and introduced groundbreaking products like the iMac, iPod, and iPhone. Apple Computer Company was renamed Apple Inc. in 2007 as the company expanded its focus from computers to consumer electronics.
Jobs remained at the helm until his death in 2011, during which time Apple transformed into one of the world's leading technology companies.
As expected, Apple CEO Tim Cook has shared his thoughts about Steve on X (Twitter):
Steve saw the world not just as it was, but as it could be. His vision continues to inspire us to push boundaries and create the future. Today, on his 70th birthday, we honor his legacy and his enduring impact. pic.twitter.com/0q1JUl4UJw
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) February 24, 2025
A new CAD render of all the devices in Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 lineup has been shared online by leaker Majin Bu, specifically showing the allegedly different rear camera system designs of the standard iPhone 17, all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air, and the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models.
The leaker Majin Bu has had some hits in the past, but some of his information has been wrong, including a rumor about an iPad 11 being imminent in 2023. What's different in this particular case is that Weibo-based leakers Fixed Focus Digital, Ice Universe, and Digital Chat Station have all backed the accuracy of the CAD image, based on their own information from Apple's supply chain in China. "The appearance is basically like this," commented Digital Chat Station in reference to the image. It might just be time to get used to this new look.
"The CAD renders are quite accurate," said Fixed Focus Digital. "Let me add a bit more detail: The iPhone 17 Pro models will most likely use a combination of materials — specifically, a glass section for the logo area integrated into an overall metal chassis." This appears to explain the red areas on the iPhone 17 Pro models in the image. Indeed, rumors do suggest Apple plans to go with a half glass, half aluminum build, which would increase durability. The glass would allow wireless charging to continue to be available, but a partial aluminum frame would be less prone to breakage.
Apple has also reportedly tested a wireless reverse charging feature for the iPhone 17 Pro models that would make the iPhone capable of delivering power to other Apple devices.
Apple plans to significantly revamp the camera design on its upcoming iPhone 17 Pro models, moving away from the familiar square camera bump to a distinctive aluminum camera bar that spans the device's width, according to recent reports.
The redesign extends to the new iPhone 17 Air model, which is set to replace the Plus variant in Apple's lineup. This thinner device will allegedly feature a similar horizontal camera bar design, though it will accommodate just a single camera lens.
In contrast, the base iPhone 17 is expected to maintain the current camera design language seen in the iPhone 16 series, helping to further differentiate Apple's premium and standard offerings.
Apple supply chain analyst Jeff Pu earlier this month said the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will all be equipped with aluminum frames. However, Pu expects Apple's rumored iPhone 17 Air model to have a titanium frame. Apple introduced titanium as a feature for its Pro models in 2023, but Pu said Apple plans to use aluminum for the iPhone 17 Pro models due to environmental considerations.
What do you think of the alleged changes in this year's iPhone 17 series? Let us know in the comments. Apple is anticipated to unveil the iPhone 17 lineup during its traditional September launch window.
Seasoned leaker Sonny Dickson shared rendered images over the weekend depicting what the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro Max could look like when housed in a transparent MagSafe case, based on the latest rumors.
The main difference we're expecting in Apple's largest premium model is the redesigned camera system on the rear. Rather than a square bump, Apple could adopt a larger rectangular camera bump that's made from aluminum instead of glass.
The first significant rumor regarding design updates for the iPhone 17 lineup surfaced last November from Wayne Ma at The Information. Ma reported that the rear casing of the iPhone 17 Pro models will adopt a hybrid aluminum-and-glass construction.
The top half of the back will be made of aluminum and feature a "rectangular camera bump made of aluminum rather than traditional 3D glass," claimed the report, while the bottom half will continue to be made of glass to support wireless charging.
Earlier this month, leaker Jon Prosser a shared a render of the iPhone 17 Pro. The iPhone 17 Pro's three rear cameras will apparently be arranged in a familiar triangular layout, but housed in an all-new rectangular bar that extends all the way across the back of the device.
These rumors feed into reports that suggest Apple could completely do away with the titanium frame that it's used for the last several years, instead going back to aluminum.
Both of the iPhone 17 Pro models are said to feature these changes, while the all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air, which replaces the Plus model in the lineup, is also rumored to feature a horizontal rear camera bar, albeit housing just one camera. Meanwhile, recent rumors suggest that the standard iPhone 17 model will retain the same rear camera system design that's used in current iPhone 16 models. The iPhone 17 lineup is expected to launch around mid-September.
Apple today announced that its clinical-grade, over-the-counter Hearing Aid feature for AirPods Pro 2 is now available in the United Kingdom.
"At Apple, we believe that technology can help people live healthier lives, and we're delighted to bring the Hearing Aid feature to the UK, offering our users an end-to-end hearing health experience with AirPods Pro 2," said Sumbul Desai, M.D., Apple's vice president of Health.
The Hearing Aid feature enhances ambient sounds, assisting adults who perceive themselves as having mild to moderate hearing impairment, according to Apple. This functionality is provided at no extra charge in supported countries, delivered via free software updates.
Using the personalised hearing profile generated from the Hearing Test that takes about five minutes to complete, the feature helps adults determine whether they have hearing loss by assessing how well they can detect various sound frequencies. Upon completion, users receive a classification of their hearing level along with suggested actions. Meanwhile, their hearing profile is automatically applied to music, movies, games, and phone calls across devices.
Apple's hearing health features first launched in the US and select other countries in late October with the release of iOS 18.1. In December, iOS 18.2 expanded the hearing test feature to France, Italy, Luxembourg, Romania, Spain, Cyprus, Czechia, and the UK, and both the hearing aid and hearing test features to the United Arab Emirates. Today's announcement means that both the hearing test and the Hearing Aid feature are finally available to users in the UK.
All of the hearing health features on the AirPods Pro 2 require firmware version 7B19 or newer. Firmware updates are installed automatically on AirPods while they are charging and in Bluetooth range of an iPhone, iPad, or Mac connected to Wi-Fi.
The first beta of iOS 18.4 is now available, and it includes a small but useful change for CarPlay.
As we noted in our list of iOS 18.4 features, CarPlay now shows a third row of icons, up from two rows previously. However, this change is only visible in vehicles with a larger center display. For example, a MacRumors Forums member noticed the change in a Toyota Tundra, which can be equipped with up to a 14-inch screen.
In our testing, CarPlay still showed two rows of four icons in a Honda Civic with a 9-inch screen.
While this is only a minor change, CarPlay showing more icons when possible is a nice quality-of-life improvement for Apple's phone mirroring system, allowing drivers to quickly access more apps with less swiping between pages.
Following beta testing, iOS 18.4 is expected to be released to the public in early April.
Apple has started preparing its marketing, sales, and retail teams as it gears up for the March release of new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models featuring M4 chips, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman said that current models are also seeing inventory drawn down at stores, which is another signal that a launch is nearing. A launch has been thought to be imminent for a while now. In fact, it was originally rumored to be planned as Apple's first hardware launch of the year, but that turned out to be the iPhone 16e, which debuted over the past week.
Gurman last week said Apple will begin selling new MacBook Air models featuring its latest M4 chip by March "at the latest," so his wording suggests he is fully confident that the machines are arriving next month. Whether that's in the first half of March or later in the month is still unclear.
Twelve days ago Gurman claimed that the machines would be introduced "within weeks." While he's betting on March, Gurman seems not further forward on learning the exact release timing of the new versions of the company's most popular laptop.
Apple inadvertently confirmed the upcoming M4 MacBook Air machines back in December when the macOS Sequoia 15.2 software update included files for unreleased "Mac16,12" and "Mac16,13" machines. The files referenced the "MacBook Air (13-inch, M4, 2025)" and the "MacBook Air (15-inch, M4, 2025)."
Amazon and Best Buy are discounting Apple's 13-inch M2 MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM and 256GB SSD storage down to $799.00 in every color. This is a $200 discount on the M2 MacBook Air, and the sale does not require any coupon code in order to see the final deal price.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon and Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Compared to past sales, this is a solid second-best price on this model of the M2 MacBook Air. Although this is a previous generation device, it remains in Apple's current lineup and will work great for anyone who doesn't need the performance gains introduced with the M3 chip, especially at this discounted price.
If you're looking for a deal on the M3 MacBook Air, you can get the 15-inch M3 MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM and 256GB SSD storage for $1,099.99 on Amazon, down from $1,299.00. There is only one color available at this record low price on Amazon.
If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.
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This week saw Apple introduce the newest member of the iPhone 16 family, the iPhone 16e, as a new low-cost option to replace the iPhone SE. The iPhone 16e delivers a number of key improvements as well as Apple's first custom cellular modem.
Apple also began seeding the first beta versions of its next round of operating systems, and there are a number of tweaks and improvements in iOS 18.4 while visionOS 2.4 will bring Apple Intelligence to the Vision Pro headset, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more!
Apple Announces iPhone 16e With A18 Chip and Apple Intelligence, Pricing Starts at $599
The iPhone 16e features a larger 6.1-inch OLED display, up from a 4.7-inch LCD on the iPhone SE. The display has a notch for Face ID, completing Apple's move away from the Touch ID fingerprint button on its iPhone lineup.
The iPhone 16e is powered by an A18 chip, enabling support for Apple Intelligence features, such as notification summaries and Genmoji for creating custom emoji. In the iPhone 16e, the A18 chip has a 6-core CPU and a 16-core Neural Engine, but a binned 4-core GPU. The A18 chip in the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus has a 5-core GPU.
Apple Unveils 'C1' as First Custom Cellular Modem
One notable feature of the iPhone 16e is the inclusion of Apple's first custom cellular modem, dubbed C1. Apple says it's the most power-efficient modem ever in an iPhone, helping the iPhone 16e to achieve the longest battery life ever in a 6.1-inch iPhone.
While the C1 is the culmination of seven years of work for Apple, it's also just the first in a family of chips that will see Apple iterate and improve upon the C1. In fact, a C2 modem chip is reportedly already in testing.
iPhone 16e vs. iPhone 16 Buyer's Guide: 25+ Differences Compared
While the iPhone 16e starting at $599 is considerably more expensive than the iPhone SE it's replacing, it's still $200 cheaper than the iPhone 16.
For those weighing whether to purchase an iPhone 16e or an iPhone 16, we've put together a buyer's guide highlighting the over 25 differences between the models to help you decide.
Everything New in iOS 18.4 Beta 1
Apple this week finally released the first beta of iOS 18.4 to developers for testing purposes, and while the beta is lacking some of the Apple Intelligence features we were hoping for, there are some notable new additions.
Priority Notifications powered by Apple Intelligence, the addition of the Sketch style to Image Playground, numerous new languages for Apple Intelligence, and Ambient Music functionality built into Control Center, and more are included in iOS 18.4 so far.
Apple Releases First visionOS 2.4 Beta With Apple Intelligence, Spatial Gallery and More
Apple Intelligence is coming to the Vision Pro with visionOS 2.4. Supported Apple Intelligence features include Writing Tools for generating, proofreading, and summarizing text, Genmoji for creating custom emoji characters, an Image Playground app for generating images, Memory Movie for creating custom slideshows, smart reply for generating quick responses to texts and emails, Priority Notifications and Notification Summaries, ChatGPT Siri integration and new Siri features, and Image Wand for adding images to the Notes app, complete with gesture support.
There's also a dedicated Spatial Gallery app coming to the Vision Pro, which will include a curated selection of spatial videos, spatial photos, and panorama images from artists, filmmakers, and photographers. A new Vision Pro app for iPhone will also allow users to get Vision Pro support and feature help, download apps to the Vision Pro, add content to a watch list, and get device info like serial number. The app can also be used to manage Guest Mode on Vision Pro.
The discontinuation makes sense considering the pricing on the iPhone 16e and the fact that the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus would have been the only models in the lineup to still be using Lightning rather than USB-C.
MacRumors Newsletter
Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.
Amazon this week has Apple's AirTag 4-Pack for $67.99, down from $99.00. This marks a new all-time low price for Apple's item trackers.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Amazon provides a February delivery dates as soon as today for Prime members at some residences in the United States, and you won't need to clip an on-page coupon in order to see this deal. If you're shopping for just one AirTag, Amazon has the AirTag 1-Pack for $22.99, which is about $3 higher compared to that option's record low price.
Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.
Update Feb 24: Amazon has taken an additional $2 off the AirTag 4-pack, marking a new all-time low price. This article has been updated accordingly.
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California Governor Gavin Newsom this week recommended former Apple CEO Steve Jobs for the $1 American Innovation Coin for the State of California that will be minted by the U.S. Mint.
Each state is able to create a unique coin recognizing an innovation or innovator from their region as part of the Innovation Coin Program that was launched in 2018.
Newsom said that Steve Jobs "encapsulates the unique brand of innovation that California runs on."
Jobs' legacy spans industries and products: Jobs was the co-founder and CEO of Pixar Animation Studios, bringing to life the world's first fully computer-animated feature: "Toy Story." But even that legacy-defining achievement is surpassed by his work as co-founder and two-time CEO of Apple, launching several revolutionary computers, including Apple II - the first mass-produced microcomputer - and Macintosh - the first mass-market personal computer that included a graphic display, so users could see what they were working on.
The goal, according to Jobs, was to "bridge the gap between sophisticated technology and 'the rest of us' who make up most of humanity...to make complex technology easy to use and fun to use." That approach led to the iPod, iPhone, and iPad, devices that refined existing technology to make it more precise, more intuitive, and more functional.
By focusing on who he was innovating for - other people - Jobs was able to use technology to connect people to each other and to the broader world, bringing people onto the same level by providing them with equal access. And that approach was built on a willingness to try new ideas and push the boundaries of what was possible - an approach that embodies the California spirit.
California's nomination has been presented to the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC), which will take design recommendations to the Treasury Secretary for final approval. The CCAC decided to recommend a coin with Steve Jobs in his iconic turtleneck and glasses, but the design is not finalized and could be updated before the coin is made.
The coin is expected to be produced and made available in 2026.
The new iPhone 16e includes Apple's first custom designed modem chip, the C1. To promote the new chip, Apple invited several YouTubers and journalists to Apple Park, including Andru Edwards. Edwards got a first-hand look at Apple's modem testing labs, and he was able to speak to Apple engineers about the C1.
According to Apple, the C1 is the most power efficient modem that's been included in an iPhone to date, and that's the edge that the C1 has over Qualcomm's modems. The iPhone 16e has the longest battery life of an iPhone with a 6.1-inch form factor, and it lasts for up to 26 hours when watching video.
At Apple's modem testing labs, Apple engineers spent years testing the C1, determining how it would behave under various conditions using a range of equipment. Apple's testing lab allows it to identify and fix issues before a modem chip ever leaves the design stage.
The C1 was tested in environmental chambers where it was exposed to different extreme temperatures to ensure that it can operate in the harshest conditions. Repeated physical tests also ensure that the chip is able to stand up to daily wear and tear. Network tests cover the heavy data traffic of a packed stadium to remote rural areas with minimal signal.
Apple tested the C1 with over 180 carriers across 55 countries to ensure that it delivers reliable connectivity. The C1 is designed to integrate with the A18 chip, with the A18 able to optimize C1 network load for faster speeds.
According to Apple, the C1 is built on a 4-nanometer processor for the baseband and a 7-nanometer process for the transceiver, and it is a robust platform that's built for the future. Right now, the C1 does not support the faster mmWave 5G speeds, but future versions are likely to add the functionality.
Rumors suggest that a next-generation C2 chip is already in development for future iPhone models.
Apple finally released the first beta of iOS 18.4 to developers for testing purposes, and while the beta is lacking some of the Apple Intelligence features we were hoping for, there are some notable new additions.
There is a new Priority Notifications feature that can show you your most important notifications first. Priority Notifications is disabled by default, but it can be turned on by going to Settings > Notifications > Prioritize Notifications and tapping the toggle.
With the feature enabled, Apple Intelligence will show notifications that may be important in a dedicated section of the Lock Screen.
Image Playground Sketch Style
Image Playground now includes a Sketch style that joins the Animation and Illustration styles. Sketch was previously available for Image Wand, but now it is a third style that can be used in Image Playground.
Swap styles by tapping on the "+" button in the Image Playground app.
Apple also replaced the "Winter Holidays" theme with a new "Spring" theme.
New Apple Intelligence Languages
French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese (simplified), along with localized English for Singapore and India.
Apple News+ Food
iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 include a new Apple News Food section for Apple News+ subscribers. The Food section features tens of thousands of recipes, stories about restaurants, tips for healthy eating, kitchen essentials, and more.
Content will come from top food publishers such as Allrecipes, Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, Good Food, and Serious Eats.Apple News editors will curate food-related stories, and there will be a dedicated Recipe Catalog section where new recipes are added regularly. An included cook mode provides step-by-step instructions, and users can save favorite recipes for offline access.
Ambient Music
iOS 18.4 includes a new Ambient Music option that can be added to Control Center. There are four different sound categories, including Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing.
Each category can be added to Control Center separately, and tapping one plays a random selection of sounds or music from that particular category.
You can't choose what's playing from Control Center, but if you play a category and then tap into the Dynamic Island at the top or access the Now Playing widget, you can skip songs and see the name of what's currently playing.
Mail Categorization for iPadOS 18.4
With iPadOS 18.4, an updated Mail app is available with categorization. The new Mail app organizes incoming emails into different sections. Important emails are displayed in the Primary category, with other emails organized into sections highlighting product orders, newsletters, deals, and social notifications.
Mail categorization was previously introduced for the iPhone in iOS 18.2.
Privacy Indication Dots
The small dots that show up on the iPhone's menu bar when the camera or microphone is in use have been moved to the left and are now more apparent thanks to a black background.
The Genmoji icon for the Emoji keyboard now says "Genmoji" instead of just featuring a multi-colored smiley face. The change should make it more obvious where users go to create a Genmoji character.
Apple Maps
In the Apple Maps Settings, there is a new option to set a Preferred Language.
Podcasts Widget
There are new Library and Shows widgets that can be added to the Home Screen on an iPhone or iPad. The Library widget features saved content, while the Shows option displays shows that you are subscribed to.
In the Podcasts app, if you tap on your profile picture, there are new options for Podcasts Settings and Notification Settings.
Cellular Control Center Toggle
The Cellular toggle in the Control Center now shows your cellular signal strength represented in bars.
Shortcuts Actions
Apple added a new Shortcuts action to open a specific conversation in the Messages app.
CarPlay
Some CarPlay users are seeing a third row of CarPlay icons on the Home Screen rather than just two rows.
There is a new option to set a different Translation app as the default in the Default Apps section of the Settings app. In the EU, there is also an option to choose a different Navigation app.
Notification Center
The animation when swiping out of the Notification Center is now smoother.
Wi-Fi Calling Issue
Apple's developer notes for the update say that Wi-Fi Calling might not work for US Cellular customers in iOS 18.4. Apple says that users should revert to iOS 18.3 to enable Wi-Fi Calling.
Japan 'My Number Card' Support in Wallet
The iOS 18.4 beta appears to include integration for Japanese "My Number Card" Digital IDs in the Wallet app. Apple said last year that it would be adding support for the ID cards in spring 2025.
More than 100 million Japanese residents have My Number Card IDs.
MDM Changes
For enterprise and education users, Apple made some updates to Mobile Device Management. MDM can disable Apple Intelligence reports, Mail smart replies, Safari summarize content, and the Idle Reboot feature that causes iPhones to restart after inactivity.
There are also options for preventing the modification of default calling and messaging apps, and there is a feature that allows a nearby iPhone or iPad to be used to sign into a Mac with an Apple Account.
Vision Pro App and Guest Setup
For Vision Pro owners, Apple has designed a Vision Pro app for managing the headset. It's designed to help users find content and learn about new features, so it includes tools for downloading apps and visionOS content, a tips page, and a My Vision Pro section for setting up Personalized Spatial Audio and getting information like headset serial number.
Guest setup can now be managed on an iPhone or iPad linked to a Vision Pro, making it easier for Vision Pro owners to let others test their headset. There are controls for limiting what apps a guest is able to use, and an AirPlay mode for guiding the guest through Vision Pro experiences. When a guest user puts on the Vision Pro, a prompt to enable Guest Mode will appear on the headset owner's device.
The Vision Pro app isn't in this beta, but it will be coming in a later iOS 18.4 beta.
New Emojis
There are no new emoji in the current beta, but iOS 18.4 code confirms a future beta will add new characters. New emoji will include bags under eyes, fingerprint, leafless tree, root vegetable, harp, shovel, and splatter.
iOS 18.4 Release Date
Apple plans to release iOS 18.4 to the public in April.
With the iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 betas, Apple is introducing a new Priority Notifications feature that can show you your most important notifications first.
Apple first announced Priority Notifications when showing off Apple Intelligence in June, but it wasn't implemented until now. Priority Notifications is disabled by default, but it can be turned on by going to Settings > Notifications > Prioritize Notifications and tapping the toggle.
With the feature enabled, Apple Intelligence will show notifications that may be important in a dedicated section of the Lock Screen.
The initial iPadOS 18.4 and macOS Sequoia 15.4 betas that Apple provided to developers today expand the revamped Mail app to the iPad and the Mac.
The new Mail app features built-in categorization that organizes incoming emails into different sections. Important emails are displayed in the Primary category, with other emails organized into sections highlighting product orders, newsletters, deals, and social notifications.
A "Transactions" section aggregates receipts, orders, and deliveries to make it easy to find orders that you've placed and shipping information for those orders.
In an "Updates" section, you'll find newsletters, alerts for doctor's appointments and correspondence, and subscription emails. A "Promotions" category includes emails with offers and deals.
Categories is the default view after updating to the new software, but in the upper right corner of the Mail app, you can swap back to a list view that shows all emails in chronological order, without separation into categories. Devices that have Apple Intelligence support will show priority emails in the Primary inbox, so you can see what's most important first. Emails in the Transactions, Updates, or Promotions section that have time-sensitive information will also be shown in the Primary section.
Apple already brought Mail categorization to the iPhone with the iOS 18.2 update, but now it has expanded to the Mac and iPad as well.
In iOS 18.4, there's a new Ambient Music option that can be added to Control Center. There are four different sound categories, including Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing.
Each category can be added to Control Center separately, and tapping one plays a random selection of sounds or music from that particular category.
You can't choose what's playing from Control Center, but if you play a category and then tap into the Dynamic Island at the top or access the Now Playing widget, you can skip songs and see the name of what's currently playing.
There is no dedicated app for the feature, but Apple has a hidden app that provides more control through skipping songs.
Ambient Music is available on both the iPhone and the iPad in iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4.
With iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4, Apple plans to introduce new features for the Apple News+ subscription service. Apple is adding Apple News+ Food, a section that features tens of thousands of recipes, stories about restaurants, tips for healthy eating, kitchen essentials, and more.
Content will come from top food publishers such as Allrecipes, Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, Good Food, and Serious Eats.
Apple News editors will curate food-related stories, and there will be a dedicated Recipe Catalog section where new recipes are added regularly. An included cook mode provides step-by-step instructions, and users can save favorite recipes for offline access.
Apple News+ Food is coming to Apple News+ subscribers with the launch of iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 in April.
Apple today seeded the first betas of upcoming iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a month after Apple released iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3.
iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software Update.
iOS 18.4 includes a dedicated Apple Vision Pro app, which will show up on your iPhone if you have a Vision Pro headset that's also connected to your Apple Account. If you don't have a Vision Pro, it can be downloaded from the App Store.
The Vision Pro app is designed to help users find content, get help, and learn about new Vision Pro features. It includes tools for adding content to the Apple TV app to watch later, downloading apps remotely, and viewing information about the Vision Pro such as device serial number with a dedicated My Vision Pro section.
There is a dedicated Discover page that offers curated recommendations for new experiences that are available on Vision Pro. Users can see popular apps and games, a list of more than 300 3D movies, Apple Immersive videos, Vision Pro video content on the Apple TV app, and spatial photos, videos, and panoramas included in the new Spatial Gallery.
With a My Vision Pro page, users can find tips for getting the most out of the Vision Pro, and set up features like vision correction and Personalized Spatial Audio.
Guest setup for the Vision Pro can now be managed on the iPhone, which makes it easier for Vision Pro owners to allow others to test the headset. There are controls for limiting what apps a guest can access, along with an option to view what the guest user is doing for guidance purposes. When a guest user puts on the Vision Pro, a prompt to enable Guest Mode will appear on the headset owner's device.
Rumors suggested that iOS 18.4 would include new Apple IntelligenceSiri features, but the new Siri options may be delayed. Apple is reportedly running into engineering problems and software bugs, and Siri is not yet working as intended, so there may be no new Siri features in the beta as of yet.
Apple has promised Siri will get personal context, on-screen awareness, and the ability to do more in and between apps. Apple also plans to expand Apple Intelligence to additional languages in the iOS 18.4 update, so the new language support could be available. We're also still waiting on Priority Notifications, another Apple Intelligence feature that Apple says is coming in the near future.
With testing starting in late February, iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 are expected to see a launch in April.
Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming visionOS 2.4 update to developers for testing purposes, with the beta coming almost a month after the launch of visionOS 2.3.
visionOS 2.4 can be installed by going to the Software Update section of the Settings app on the Vision Pro and opting into Beta Updates. A developer account is required.
visionOS 2.4 will be one of the most significant visionOS updates to date, because it brings Apple Intelligence to the Vision Pro for the first time. Apple started rolling out Apple Intelligence features on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac last year, but the Vision Pro was not included until now.
"Apple Vision Pro is helping users communicate, collaborate, and experience entertainment in entirely new ways -- and we're continuing to push the boundaries of what's possible in spatial computing with visionOS 2.4," said Mike Rockwell, Apple's vice president of the Vision Products Group. "With Apple Intelligence, Vision Pro users will be able to take their productivity and creativity to new heights using features like Writing Tools, Image Playground, and Genmoji. And we're excited for users to discover and share incredible new experiences with Spatial Gallery."
Apple Intelligence features that are accessible on the Vision Pro include Writing Tools for generating, proofreading, and summarizing text, Genmoji for creating custom emoji characters, an Image Playground app for generating images, Memory Movie for creating custom slideshows, smart reply for generating quick responses to texts and emails, Priority Notifications and Notification Summaries, ChatGPT Siri integration and new Siri features, and Image Wand for adding images to the Notes app, complete with gesture support.
Apple is debuting a dedicated Spatial Gallery app for the Vision Pro, which includes a curated selection of spatial videos, spatial photos, and panorama images from artists, filmmakers, and photographers. Apple plans to offer a range of content featuring sports, culture, arts, lifestyle, nature, travel, entertainment, and more. Content at launch includes images and experiences from Cirque du Soleil, Red Bull, Porsche, Samba Diop, and Jonpaul Douglass, along with behind the scenes content from Apple TV+ shows.
For Vision Pro management, there is a new Vision Pro app that's available on the iPhone. The Vision Pro app is designed to help Vision Pro users discover new content, and it has a number of features. Users can get Vision Pro support and feature help, download apps to the Vision Pro, add content to a watch list, and get device info like serial number. The app will automatically download for iOS 18.4 users who have a Vision Pro headset, but it can also be downloaded from the App Store.
The Vision Pro app has a discover page that provides curated recommendations for new and noteworthy experiences. Users can see popular apps and games, including Apple Immersive titles.
Most notably, an iPhone can now be used to set up the Guest Mode on the Vision Pro, which is a much more useful way to let people demo the headset than having to set it up on the Vision Pro itself. When a guest is ready to use the Vision Pro, a prompt will appear on the iPhone, and the Vision Pro user can select what the guest can access and see what the guest is doing using AirPlay to provide navigation guidance and content suggestions.
Guests are able to save their eye and hand setup for up to 30 days after their last use.
Apple plans to release visionOS 2.4 to the public in April.
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