Search results for: “apple ios 16”

  • 50 new and exciting iPhone features added since iOS 18

    50 new and exciting iPhone features added since iOS 18

    Since the launch of iOS 18 in September 2024, Apple has rolled out numerous updates, enhancing the iPhone experience with iOS 18.1, 18.2, and 18.3. Here’s a look at 50 features and improvements you might have missed:

    • Reset Your Control Center: If you’ve messed up your Control Center customization, iOS 18.1 lets you reset it to its original layout. Just go to Settings > Control Center and choose ‘Reset’.
    • Share AirTag Location: iOS 18.2 offers a new way to share the location of lost items with airlines or trusted friends. This feature works with AirTags and other Find My Network items, providing a link that can be viewed on any device.
    • Learn About Places: With iOS 18.2 on iPhone 16 models, you can get instant information about places by using Camera Control. Hold down the button, snap a photo, and see details like opening hours or make reservations right from your screen.
    • More Control Center Options: iOS 18.1 added new toggles for Satellite and AirDrop, giving you more control over connectivity options right from the Control Center.
    • Camera Control Activation: Now, with iOS 18.2, your iPhone’s screen needs to be on before you can use Camera Control, preventing accidental activation.
    • Add Events from Visuals: iOS 18.3 allows you to add calendar events directly from posters or flyers using Visual Intelligence on iPhone 16 models.
    • Selfie Mode: With iOS 18.1, switch to selfie mode by swiping on the Camera Control button, making selfies easier than ever.
    • Lock Focus and Exposure: iOS 18.2 introduces a way to lock focus and exposure on iPhone 16 models with a light press of the Camera Control button.
    • Share Music on TikTok: iOS 18.1 lets you share songs from Apple Music directly to TikTok, broadening your music-sharing options.
    • Identify Nature: iOS 18.3 enhances Visual Intelligence to help identify plants and animals in real-time on iPhone 16 models.
    • Full-Screen Video: The Photos app now offers a full-screen viewing mode for videos, making your memories more immersive.
    • Sleep Apnea Alerts: iOS 18.1 added sleep apnea detection for Apple Watch Series 10 and Ultra 2, alerting you to potential issues after gathering data over time.
    • iPhone Mirroring with Hotspot: iOS 18.2 allows you to mirror your iPhone to your Mac even when using Personal Hotspot.
    • Search with Camera: Visual Intelligence in iOS 18.2 lets you search online for items by taking a picture, handy for shopping or identifying unknown objects.
    • Proofread Your Text: iOS 18.1’s Writing Tools include proofreading functions to catch and correct typos, making your writing clearer.
    • Track Downloads: With iOS 18.2, you can monitor your Safari downloads directly from the Lock Screen or Dynamic Island.
    • Rewrite Text: Change the tone of your messages with iOS 18.1’s Rewrite tool for more effective communication.
    • Safari Data Management: iOS 18.2 provides new ways to manage your browsing data, including exporting and importing.
    • Volume Control on Lock Screen: iOS 18.2 reintroduced the ability to adjust media volume directly from the Lock Screen.
    • Summarize Emails: iOS 18.1 helps manage your inbox with email summaries, letting you quickly understand long messages.

    These updates, among many others, show Apple’s commitment to continuously improving the iPhone experience, making it more intuitive, personal, and capable. Keep your iPhone updated to enjoy these enhancements!

  • When will Apple roll out the iOS 18.4 test version?

    When will Apple roll out the iOS 18.4 test version?

    Apple just released iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3, and macOS Sequoia 15.3 on January 27, which means we’re all set for the next round of testing. People are excited because the upcoming betas might bring big new features to Siri with Apple Intelligence. But when can we expect this software to come out?

    How Soon Will the New Betas Come?

    Usually, Apple doesn’t wait long between updates. They might drop a new beta just one or two days after the latest software release. However, sometimes there’s a wait of a couple of weeks, especially if there are significant features like in iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS Sequoia 15.4.

    Looking back at past releases can help us guess when the .4 betas might appear:

    • From iOS 17.3 to iOS 17.4 beta: 3 days
    • From iOS 16.3 to iOS 16.4 beta: 24 days
    • From iOS 15.3 to iOS 15.4 beta: 1 day
    • From iOS 14.3 to iOS 14.4 beta: 2 days
    • From iOS 13.3 to iOS 13.4 beta: 57 days

    What’s New in iOS 18.4?

    Since some Apple Intelligence features announced at WWDC in June are still pending, we can expect them in iOS 18.4. Here’s what might be included:

    • Siri Updates: Siri will get smarter with new abilities.
      • Siri’s Personal Context: Siri will remember details from your emails, messages, and photos to help you with tasks like finding files or recalling information.
      • Siri Onscreen Awareness: Siri will understand what’s on your screen, allowing you to do things like adding an address from a text to a contact or sending a photo you’re viewing.
      • Deeper App Integration: Siri will manage tasks across apps, like moving files or editing and sending photos.
    • More Countries: Apple Intelligence will expand to more languages and countries, including English (India), English (Singapore), and languages like Chinese, French, German, and more.
    • New Emoji: The update might introduce new emoji from Unicode 16, like a face with bags under eyes or a shovel.
    • EU Changes: EU iPhone users might soon choose different default navigation or translation apps, thanks to new regulations.

    iOS 18.4 Release Prediction

    After testing through March, Apple is likely to release iOS 18.4 in April 2025. This fits with Apple’s earlier mention of new language support for Apple Intelligence coming in an April update.

  • Apple Calendar app gets better with iOS 18.3

    Apple Calendar app gets better with iOS 18.3

    Apple’s Calendar app has been around forever on iPhones but hasn’t changed much over the years. However, recent updates have started to make it more useful. With iOS 18.3, there’s now another cool feature that makes using Apple’s own app even more appealing.

    Big Changes in iOS 18 for Calendar

    Apple hasn’t done much with its Calendar app for a long time, which is strange because there are so many other good calendar apps out there like Google Calendar and Fantastical. But with iOS 18, Apple finally made some changes that are quite noticeable, even if they’re not huge.

    One of the best new features is that now you can manage your reminders right in the Calendar app. You can add, change, or look at your reminders without needing to switch apps. It’s a nice touch, though it would be better if you could choose which reminder lists show up in Calendar.

    Also, iOS 18 brought a new look to the app with better text and layout, plus a new way to see your month’s events all at once.

    A New Feature in iOS 18.3 for Calendar

    If you have an iPhone 16 with Camera Control, iOS 18.3 gives you a handy tool. By holding down on the Camera Control, you unlock a feature called visual intelligence, which uses AI to understand what your camera is pointed at.

    This new update lets you do something pretty neat: if you see a flyer or poster with a date on it, you can point your camera at it, and your iPhone will ask if you want to add that event to your Calendar. It’s an easy way to keep your digital calendar up to date with what’s going on around you.

    The catch is, this feature only works with Apple’s Calendar app because you can’t set another app as the default for this purpose. This small but smart update gives you one more reason to use Apple’s Calendar instead of looking elsewhere.

  • iPhone Calculator gets better with iOS 18.3 update

    iPhone Calculator gets better with iOS 18.3 update

    Apple has released a new update for iPhones, called iOS 18.3. This update might not have lots of big new features, but it does bring some helpful changes, especially for those who use the Calculator app a lot.

    One of the main fixes in this update is something many people have been asking for. Before, if you updated to iOS 18, you couldn’t do one simple thing anymore in the Calculator app: repeat math operations with the equals button.

    Here’s how it used to work: if you did a calculation like 2 times 2 and got 4, you could press equals again to multiply 4 by 2 again, getting 8, then press it again for 16, and so on. But when iOS 18 came out, this handy trick was gone.

    Now, with iOS 18.3, this feature is back! You can use the equals button to keep doing calculations without having to enter the numbers again each time. This makes quick calculations much easier.

    User Feedback:

    • Conrad7570 commented, “The article does not address another small issue – the ability to swipe to delete mistakes. Yes, there’s a delete button now, but swiping was much simpler and more stylish. Isn’t that what Apple is all about?”

    So, next time you grab your iPhone to do some math, remember you can now use the equals button as many times as you want to keep your calculations going. This small change might make a big difference for anyone who loves quick math on their phone.

  • What’s new in iOS 18.3: Apple’s latest update details

    What’s new in iOS 18.3: Apple’s latest update details

    Apple has just released iOS 18.3 for everyone to download. We’ve already covered the new features, but here’s a simple breakdown of what’s new according to Apple’s official notes:

    Visual Intelligence with Camera Control (For all iPhone 16 models):

    • Add Events to Calendar: Now you can add an event to your Calendar just by snapping a picture of a poster or flyer.
    • Identify Plants and Animals: Your camera can now help you learn about nature by identifying different plants and animals.

    Notification Summaries (For iPhone 16, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max):

    • Manage Summaries Easily: You can now control your notification summary settings right from the lock screen.
    • New Look for Summaries: Notifications that are summarized now show up in italics and with a special icon, making them easy to spot.
    • Temporary Hold on Some Apps: Summaries for News and Entertainment apps are paused for now, but you can choose to get them back when they’re ready.

    Other Updates and Fixes:

    • Calculator: If you press equals again, it will repeat your last calculation, making quick math easier.
    • Siri: No more issues with the keyboard disappearing when you start typing a command.
    • Apple Music: Fixed a problem where music would keep playing even after you close the app.

    This update aims to make your iPhone experience smoother and more intuitive. Whether you’re organizing your schedule or just exploring the outdoors, iOS 18.3 has something to make daily tasks a bit easier.

  • Apple releases iOS 18.3 with new features and fixes

    Apple releases iOS 18.3 with new features and fixes

    Apple has recently rolled out iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3, bringing new features and improvements to iPhones and iPads. This update follows six weeks after the release of iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2.

    Updating Your Device

    To get the new software, simply go to Settings > General > Software Update on your iPhone or iPad. Apple also updated iPadOS to version 17.7.4 for older iPads that can’t handle the latest iPadOS 18.

    New Features for iPhone 16

    For those with iPhone 16 models, iOS 18.3 introduces Visual Intelligence. Now, you can add events to your Calendar just by taking a picture of a poster or flyer. Plus, it’s easier to identify plants and animals around you.

    Changes in Notifications

    This update also tweaks how notifications work. It makes notification summaries easier to manage from your Lock Screen and changes their appearance to stand out better by using italic text. However, for now, summaries for news and entertainment apps are paused to avoid sending out confusing alerts.

    Bug Fixes and Enhancements

    • The Calculator app now repeats your last calculation if you tap the equals sign again.
    • Fixed a problem where the keyboard might vanish when you start typing a request to Siri.
    • An issue where music keeps playing even after you’ve closed Apple Music has been sorted out.

    Note

    Some of these new features might not be available everywhere or on every Apple device. For more on security updates, check out Apple’s support page at:

    Apple Support

    Looking Ahead

    • We’re looking forward to iOS 18.4 beta, which is expected to bring new Apple Intelligence features for Siri, enhancing your interaction with your device even further.
  • Simple guide to iOS 18.3 update

    Simple guide to iOS 18.3 update

    Apple has announced that the new iOS 18.3 update will be available very soon, possibly even today. They made this known while introducing a new Black Unity Sport Loop for the Apple Watch.

    Changes in Notification Summaries

    iOS 18.3 has changed how notification summaries look and work. Now, you’ll see summaries in italic text, making them easier to spot. However, Apple has turned off news summary features for now because they weren’t always getting the stories right. They’ve promised to fix this in the next update. Also, you can now tweak your notification summary settings right from your phone’s lock screen.

    Visual Intelligence Gets Better

    If you have an iPhone 16, you’re in for a treat with iOS 18.3. It upgrades the Visual Intelligence feature which you activate with the Camera Control button. Now, you can use your camera to learn more about things around you, like adding events to your calendar from posters or identifying plants and animals. This cool feature isn’t available on older iPhones though.

    Calculator App Update

    A handy little feature has returned to the Calculator app in iOS 18.3. If you hit the equals button again, it’ll repeat the last calculation, which is great for figuring out things like compound interest without retyping everything.

    Celebrating Black History Month

    To celebrate Black History Month, Apple has released a special Black Unity Sport Loop band for the Apple Watch, along with a new Unity Rhythm watch face and matching wallpapers for your iPhone and iPad. These will come with the iOS 18.3 update.

    Bug Fixes

    iOS 18.3 also tackles some bugs. It fixes a problem where the keyboard might vanish when you’re typing to Siri, and another where music keeps playing even after you’ve closed the Apple Music app.

    Future Home App Feature

    Although not active yet, iOS 18.3’s code hints at upcoming support for robot vacuums in the Home app. Apple says this feature will be available in a future update, possibly iOS 18.4.

    So, keep an eye out for this update, which promises to make your iPhone experience smoother and more enjoyable.

  • 76% of recent iPhones now have iOS 18

    76% of recent iPhones now have iOS 18

    The latest numbers show that iOS 18 is doing just as well as iOS 17 did last year. According to Apple, 76% of iPhones released in the past four years have iOS 18 installed, and 63% of iPads from the same period are now using iPadOS 18.

    Looking at all iPhones, 68% are running iOS 18, while 53% of iPads have iPadOS 18. However, there are still 19% of iPhones on iOS 17, and 13% on even older versions. On the iPad side, 28% are still on iPadOS 17, with 19% on older software.

    This is the first time Apple has shared these stats for iOS 18 since it came out last September. For comparison, by February 5 of the previous year, 76% of iPhones released in the last four years had iOS 17, with 66% of all iPhones updated. Meanwhile, 61% of recent iPads and 53% of all iPads were running iPadOS 17.

    The adoption rate for iOS 18 is similar to iOS 17, but Apple released these figures a bit sooner this year. With updates like iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3 coming next week, more people might choose to update their devices.

    Also, expect some big Siri updates in the iOS 18.4 update coming in April, which could boost the number of users even more. iOS 18 supports iPhones up to six years old, starting from the iPhone XS/XR. However, the fancy new Apple Intelligence features are only for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16, which might make some people with older phones think twice about upgrading.

  • How Samsung Galaxy S25 borrowed from Apple’s playbook

    How Samsung Galaxy S25 borrowed from Apple’s playbook

    Fans of both Apple and Samsung often argue about who copied whom. While Apple has faced legal challenges over design, Samsung has been quite open about taking inspiration from Apple, especially with the launch of the Galaxy S25.

    Smart Features Borrowed

    We all know Apple has been slow with its AI developments. While Samsung’s phones are packed with smart AI tools, Apple’s AI features are just starting to roll out and are pretty basic. Still, Samsung couldn’t help but notice Apple’s AI offerings.

    Apple’s AI system can work with ChatGPT and is planning to integrate with Google Gemini. Samsung followed suit, making its AI system work with external chatbots, starting with Google Gemini instead of its own Bixby.

    When you use Samsung’s Gemini, you see a text box with a bright border, much like Siri. It handles both text and voice inputs, and when you highlight text, it shows options very similar to Apple’s text editing tools, allowing you to check spelling or format as a table.

    Samsung also introduced call recording, transcription, and summarization in its phone app, features already familiar to iPhone users with iOS 18. Galaxy S25 users can now search for photos by describing them, summarize web articles, and even turn photos into drawings, much like Apple’s Image Playground.

    For privacy, Samsung’s AI can work offline, similar to Apple’s approach to limit cloud usage.

    User Interface Echoes

    During the Galaxy S25 reveal, Samsung introduced One UI 7. It features the Now Bar, which shows live updates like sports scores or timers, much like Apple’s Live Activities.

    Samsung’s camera updates mimic some iPhone features from months ago, including the ability to record in log format and tweak audio focus. They’ve also adopted a version of Apple’s Photographic Styles, giving users control over image filters and tones.

    Design Similarities

    The Galaxy S25 Ultra looks strikingly similar to the iPhone 16 Pro with its flat edges and rounded corners, moving away from Samsung’s previous curved designs. The top models now use titanium, while cheaper models stick with aluminum.

    Samsung jumped the gun on Apple’s rumored slim iPhone 17 Air with their Galaxy S25 Edge, choosing style over some features like a third camera. The protective cases for the Galaxy are almost identical to Apple’s transparent MagSafe cases.

    Moreover, Samsung’s upcoming VR headset, Project Moohan, seems inspired by Apple’s Vision Pro, even in its interface design.

    Innovation or Imitation?

    While some might see this as copying, Samsung does bring its own twist to these features. Their version of Photographic Styles, for example, allows for more creative control over image composition. However, in the tech world, where both iOS and Android offer similar functionalities, it’s clear that each company builds upon the other’s ideas to enhance user experience.

    Still, perhaps Samsung could aim for a bit more originality next time around.

  • When will the next iOS update come out?

    When will the next iOS update come out?

    Apple is almost done with the testing phase for iOS 18.3, which means the first beta version of iOS 18.4 might be coming very soon. Here’s when you can expect it:

    iOS 18.4 Beta 1 Should Come Out Soon After iOS 18.3’s Release

    Apple usually follows a pretty regular schedule for its software rollouts, with only small changes here and there.

    Looking back at how things have gone before:

    • In 2024, iOS 17.3 was released on a Monday, followed by iOS 17.4 beta 1 just three days later on Thursday.
    • Back in 2023, iOS 16.3 came out on a Monday, with iOS 16.4 beta 1 appearing three weeks later on a Thursday.
    • In 2022, iOS 15.3 was launched on a Wednesday, with iOS 15.4 beta 1 the very next day on Thursday.

    So, if iOS 18.3 goes public around Monday, January 27, we could see iOS 18.4 beta 1 as early as Tuesday, January 28, or later that week.

    Could There Be More Waiting for iOS 18.4?

    While it’s likely we’ll see the beta soon, there’s a chance it could be delayed. Apple has mentioned that iOS 18.4 will be available to everyone in April. Starting a beta in late January might seem a bit rushed.

    However, for major updates involving AI, like the new features for Siri in iOS 18.4, Apple often likes to have lots of testing time. So, even with the possibility of a delay, I think we’ll still see the beta sooner rather than later. The more feedback Apple gets on the new Siri, the better they can make it before the final release.