Search results for: “Features”

  • Apple updates website with note about delayed Siri features

    Apple updates website with note about delayed Siri features

    Apple is still dealing with the news from last week that some exciting Siri updates tied to Apple Intelligence won’t arrive as soon as hoped. These features have been pushed back with no set release date. Over the weekend, Apple even removed a YouTube ad showing off one of these features—personal context—on the iPhone 16.

    Now, the company has added a short note on its website wherever these upcoming Siri tools are mentioned, especially on pages promoting the iPhone. These Siri upgrades were meant to make life easier. They’d help users dig up details from chats with friends or family—like flight info or book suggestions—by searching through Messages, Mail, and other apps. Another perk, called on-screen awareness, would let Siri act on whatever you’re looking at, like asking it to “spruce up this picture” while viewing a photo.

    Last Friday, Apple confirmed the delay with a brief statement. It said, “We need more time than expected to get these features ready, and they’ll roll out sometime next year.”

    The note now on Apple’s website is simpler but still unclear. It says:

    Siri’s ability to understand personal context, work with what’s on your screen, and handle tasks in apps is still being built. These will come in a future update.

    You’ll spot this same message on pages for the iPhone 16e, iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro, iPad, and more—anywhere these features were hyped up before without a hint that they weren’t ready. Apple hasn’t shared an exact timeline, but we’re guessing this “future update” might tie in with iOS 19. The first test version of iOS 19 should show up at WWDC in June 2025. Still, an update to iOS 19 could land anytime between fall 2025 and summer 2026. So, don’t hold your breath waiting for it!

  • iPhone 17 Air: Seven cool features to look forward to this year

    iPhone 17 Air: Seven cool features to look forward to this year

    This fall, Apple is shaking things up with a new phone: the iPhone 17 Air. Instead of keeping the Plus model, they’re rolling out something fresh that might even catch the eye of Pro fans. Here are seven exciting things coming with the iPhone 17 Air.

    Super Slim Design

    The iPhone 17 Air will be incredibly thin, taking inspiration from Apple’s slim M4 iPad Pro. Experts guess it could be as thin as 5.5mm in most spots, except for the camera area. That’s a big drop from the iPhone 16 Pro (8.25mm) and the regular 16 (7.8mm). Even the super-thin iPhone 6 was 6.9mm!

    A New 6.6-Inch Screen

    The 17 Air will have a 6.6-inch display, sitting right between the 6.3-inch 17 Pro and the 6.9-inch Pro Max. Its slim body makes it feel compact for Pro users but roomy enough for those who love bigger screens.

    Always-On Screen and Smooth Scrolling

    For years, only Pro iPhones had an Always-On display and a fast 120Hz refresh rate. Now, the 17 Air (and base 17) will get these too! There’s talk of a 90Hz option instead of 120Hz, but either way, it’ll feel smooth and handy.

    A19 Chip Power

    The 17 Air will run on Apple’s new A19 chip, shared with the base 17 model. The Pro versions get an A19 Pro, but the A19 is still great for gaming, AI, and everyday use. It’s just a tiny bit less powerful than the Pro chip.

    One Big 48MP Camera

    Unlike the Pro’s three cameras or the base model’s two, the 17 Air will have just one 48MP rear camera in a cool “bar” design. Details are hush-hush, but it might surprise us with what it can do.

    Better 24MP Selfie Camera

    The front camera jumps from 12MP to 24MP across all iPhone 17 models, including the Air. It won’t match the back camera, but your selfies will look a lot sharper.

    Apple’s Own C1 Modem

    The 17 Air gets a special C1 modem, made by Apple, for better connectivity. It’s a feature only it and the iPhone 16e have so far.

    The iPhone 17 Air could be Apple’s most thrilling fourth model yet, blending style and tech in a way that hints at what’s next for iPhones. Get ready for an awesome launch this fall!

  • Apple pushes new Siri features to iOS 19 after delay

    Apple pushes new Siri features to iOS 19 after delay

    Apple recently shared some news that has left fans waiting longer for exciting Siri upgrades. The company said it needs more time to finish some cool new features for Siri, part of its Apple Intelligence plans. It now looks like these updates won’t arrive until iOS 19, instead of the current iOS 18.

    In a short statement, Apple explained that Siri has already improved a lot in the last six months. It can chat better, answer questions about products, and even connect with ChatGPT. But the bigger changes—like making Siri smarter about your stuff and helping with tasks across apps—are taking longer to get right. Apple hinted these might roll out “in the coming year,” which could mean anytime in the next 12 months or as late as 2026.

    This vague timeline has sparked guesses. Some think “the coming year” ties to Apple’s big WWDC event in mid-2025, pointing to an iOS 19 launch in September 2025 with new iPhones. Others, including tech writer John Gruber, agree this sounds like a shift to iOS 19. News outlets like Reuters and CNBC even reported a 2026 delay, and Apple hasn’t corrected them, making the iOS 19 theory stronger.

    These delayed features were first shown at WWDC 2024, with hopes they’d hit iOS 18—maybe in updates like iOS 18.4. Now, it seems they’re set for iOS 19, or perhaps a later tweak like iOS 19.2. The upgrades promise a Siri that remembers your emails, photos, and more, plus better app control.

    Apple also pulled an ad for the iPhone 16 that showed off this unreleased Siri skill. In it, actor Bella Ramsey asked Siri to recall a name from a past meeting, and Siri nailed it fast. But with the delay confirmed, Apple quietly removed the ad from YouTube. Two other ads about email and photo features are still up, though.

    The wait might stretch further. Some insiders, like Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, say these Siri tools could slip to 2026 or even get reworked entirely. For now, Apple’s keeping things flexible, but fans are eager for a smarter Siri—whenever it arrives.

  • Apple pushes back new Siri features to 2026

    Apple pushes back new Siri features to 2026

    Apple has decided to hold off on releasing some exciting Siri upgrades planned for iOS 18, according to a company spokesperson speaking to Daring Fireball. These changes, part of Apple Intelligence, will now come out later than planned.

    What’s New with Siri?

    Apple shared that making Siri more personal and helpful is taking extra time. They expect to launch these updates “sometime next year.”

    “Siri already makes life easier by finding info and finishing tasks fast,” the spokesperson said. “In the last six months, we’ve made Siri chattier, added options like typing to Siri, taught it about our products, and linked it with ChatGPT. Now, we’re working on a Siri that knows you better and can do more with your apps. It’s a big job, so it’ll take longer than we hoped.”

    These new Siri tricks were shown off at WWDC when iOS 18 was announced. They were supposed to arrive in an iOS 18 update, but now they’re delayed. Here’s what’s coming:

    Knowing You Better

    Siri will soon remember details from your emails, texts, files, and photos. This will help it assist you with things like:

    • “Show me the files Sarah sent last week.”
    • “Find the text where Sarah talked about hiking.”
    • “What’s the movie Sarah suggested?”
    • “Where’s that cookie recipe from, Sarah?”

    Seeing Your Screen

    Siri will also understand what’s on your screen and act on it. For example, if a friend texts you an address, you can say, “Add this to their contact.” Or if you’re viewing a picture, just tell Siri, “Send this to Mom.”

    Working Across Apps

    Siri will handle bigger tasks in and between apps. Think moving files, editing a photo and sending it, or even saying, “Get me home and tell Sarah when I’ll arrive.”

    When Will It Happen?

    Rumors hinted that these features might hit in iOS 18.4, but they weren’t ready for the early betas. Apple’s next update, iOS 18.5, might bring them, though it could stretch into 2026. For now, “next year” means sometime in the next 12 months. Siri’s already gotten a makeover with typing support, a fresh design, and better conversations in Apple Intelligence. More goodies are still on the way!

  • SwitchBot introduces budget-friendly smart roller shades with Apple Home features

    SwitchBot introduces budget-friendly smart roller shades with Apple Home features

    SwitchBot, the company behind my go-to Find My wallet tracker, has just released an exciting new product: the SwitchBot Roller Shade. These smart blinds bring affordable and flexible window solutions to your home.

    The Roller Shade stands out as one of the lower-cost smart blinds you can buy. Plus, it comes with an adjustable bar that fits window widths from 22.8 to 72.8 inches. While you’ll need to trim the fabric, the shade’s box slides in and out for a perfect fit—no need to stress about exact measurements before buying.

    Want to refresh your room’s look? You can swap out the shade fabric easily to match your style. You might even reuse your existing curtains and just add the motor part to turn them into smart blinds.

    If you own a SwitchBot Hub 2, these shades connect to the Apple Home app through Matter support. (Note: The hub is a must—they don’t work with Matter on their own.) Once linked, you can use the Apple Home app or Siri on your iPhone, HomePod, or other Apple devices to control them. A handy slider lets you set how far the shade rolls down, and you can add them to automations—like raising them at sunrise or lowering them at night.

    The shades come with a built-in battery that lasts up to eight months per charge, making them fully wireless. Or, for a hands-off option, attach a solar panel to keep them powered without ever plugging in. Visit SwitchBot’s website for more details. Priced at $199, these shades are a steal in the smart home world, especially with a discount of over $70 available online right now. It’s a simple, budget-friendly way to upgrade your windows with smart tech!

  • Three features missing from the slim iPhone 17 Air

    Three features missing from the slim iPhone 17 Air

    Apple’s upcoming iPhone 17 Air is set to impress with its super-thin and lightweight look. However, this sleek design comes with a few trade-offs. Rumors suggest that this phone will miss out on three features many iPhone fans are used to: a bottom speaker, an ultra-wide camera, and a SIM card slot in some regions.

    Single Speaker Setup

    Last year, The Information shared that the iPhone 17 Air will likely have just one speaker, built into the earpiece at the top. Recent 3D images of the phone seem to back this up, showing only a few small openings at the bottom—probably for microphones, not a speaker.

    Camera Changes

    Similar to the iPhone 16e, the iPhone 17 Air is expected to come with a single 48-megapixel rear camera. This main camera will handle regular 1× shots and offer a 2× zoom that feels almost as good as optical quality. However, it won’t have the Ultra Wide camera for those wide 0.5× shots. The good news? Skipping this extra lens could mean more room inside for a bigger battery.

    No More SIM Slot

    Apple began dropping the physical SIM card slot in the U.S. starting with the iPhone 14 in 2022, switching to digital eSIMs instead. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to follow this trend in the U.S., and it might go even further. According to The Information, Apple could remove the SIM slot in more countries this year, meaning the iPhone 17 Air may rely on eSIMs worldwide.

    In short, the iPhone 17 Air’s slim design looks exciting, but it means letting go of a few familiar features. Fans of loudspeakers, ultra-wide photos, or physical SIM cards might need to adjust to these changes. Still, the trade-offs could pave the way for a fresh, lightweight iPhone experience.

  • iPhone 17 Pro might get 12GB of memory for better AI features

    iPhone 17 Pro might get 12GB of memory for better AI features

    Apple’s smart system, called Apple Intelligence, needs a lot of memory to work well—at least 8GB. Since Apple wants to make this system even smarter, people are saying the iPhone 17 Pro models could come with 12GB of memory.

    iPhone 17 Pro Set for a Memory Boost

    Talk about the iPhone 17 Pro having 12GB of memory isn’t new. Last August, expert Ming-Chi Kuo said this might happen after Apple showed off Apple Intelligence at its big 2024 event. Now, it’s looking more likely that these new iPhones will get a memory upgrade this year.

    Jeff Pu, another expert from GFHK Tech Research, told investors (in a note shared with 9to5Mac) that the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will jump to 12GB of memory from the 8GB in today’s models. He says the growing need for AI tricks is pushing phone and computer makers to add more memory. “The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will switch to 12GB of fast LPDDR5 memory, which could bump up smartphone memory use by 3.5% across about 100 million new iPhones,” Pu explained.

    Last year, only the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max had 8GB of memory, while the regular models got 6GB. In 2024, Apple gave 8GB to the basic iPhone 16 and 16 Plus too. That’s why Apple Intelligence only works on the iPhone 15 Pro and newer phones. The just-released iPhone 16e also has 8GB and runs Apple Intelligence.

    More memory in the iPhone 17 Pro will help it stay ready for the future. It also suggests Apple might add new AI features that need extra power—features only these models could handle. For example, Apple recently upgraded all its Macs, even the older M2 MacBook Air, to 16GB of memory.

    What Else Is Coming with the iPhone 17?

    Rumors say the whole iPhone 17 family will look different. Expect a fresh camera setup and video tools perfect for vloggers. There’s also talk of a super-thin iPhone model that could sit between the regular iPhone 17 and the Pro, maybe replacing the Plus version. These new iPhones should arrive in September.

  • All the cool Apple Intelligence features you can use now

    All the cool Apple Intelligence features you can use now

    Apple Intelligence is the name for a bunch of smart, AI-driven tools that work on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and soon Vision Pro. These features have popped up in updates like iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, making your devices work in fresh, exciting ways. Here’s a simple rundown of what’s available now, plus a peek at what’s on the way.

    First Up: iOS 18.1 Brings Writing Help, Photo Tricks, and More

    • Writing Help: Fix mistakes, rephrase sentences, or tweak your text anywhere on your device.
    • Photo Clean-Up: Easily erase stuff you don’t want in your pictures.
    • Memory Movie Maker: Tell it what you want, and it’ll whip up a video from your photos.
    • Smart Photo Search: Find the exact pics or videos you need with better search.
    • Notification Highlights: Get short, useful summaries of your alerts.
    • Siri Boost: Siri’s smarter now—better answers, a fresh look, a smoother voice, and you can even type to it.
    • Top Emails First: Your most urgent emails jump to the top.
    • Quick Replies: Get handy reply suggestions in Mail and Messages.
    • Email and Chat Summaries: See short recaps of conversations instead of scrolling forever.
    • Focus Mode Upgrade: Block distractions but let big stuff through with smarter alerts.

    Next: iOS 18.2 Adds Fun Stuff Like Genmoji and Image Tools

    • Genmoji: Create your own emojis for any app.
    • ChatGPT with Siri: Siri teams up with ChatGPT for extra smarts, or you can ask ChatGPT directly.
    • Image Playground: Make cool AI pictures in cartoon or drawing styles.
    • Visual Smarts: Point your camera at something and get info about it.
    • Image Wand: Turn doodles into pretty artwork in Notes.
    • ChatGPT Writing: Let it write fresh text for you in any app.

    Coming in iOS 18.3: Smarter Visual Tools

    • Poster to Calendar: Snap a flyer and add the event to your schedule.
    • Nature ID: Figure out what plants or animals you’re looking at.

    Soon in iOS 18.4 and Beyond

    The iOS 18.4 beta (out in April) might tweak these, but here’s what’s testing now:

    • Key Alerts: Important notifications stand out on your Lock Screen.
    • More Image Styles: Add a sketch look to your AI-made pics.
    • Vision Pro Joins In: Apple Intelligence hits Vision Pro with visionOS 2.4.

    Final Thoughts

    Apple’s just warming up with these AI goodies. Expect more surprises at WWDC in June for iOS 19. Love it or not, these tools will keep changing how you use your gadgets as they grow smarter and blend into your daily life.

  • Apple’s smart features now available in the EU with iOS 18.4

    Apple’s smart features now available in the EU with iOS 18.4

    The latest iOS 18.4 update brings a bunch of exciting changes for iPhone users. For those in the EU, there’s one massive highlight in the first beta version: Apple’s smart features, called Apple Intelligence, are finally fully available.

    Apple Intelligence Arrives for EU Users with iOS 18.4 Beta

    When Apple first showed off Apple Intelligence at WWDC last June, excitement quickly turned to disappointment for EU users. The company said its AI tools wouldn’t work in the EU at launch due to some tricky local rules they had to figure out. This restriction only hit iPhones and iPads because of specific EU laws under the Digital Markets Act. Macs, however, weren’t affected.

    After a long wait, Apple shared some great news. Just as Apple Intelligence rolled out widely, the company promised EU iPhone users they’d get it too—in April through a software update. That update looks like it’s iOS 18.4. The first iOS 18.4 beta is out now, and EU beta testers can already enjoy Apple Intelligence ahead of the big April release. This update also adds support for more languages, which fits perfectly with the timing.

    No More Limits for EU Users

    Before this, EU iPhone and iPad owners couldn’t use Apple Intelligence at all. It didn’t matter how your device was set up—Apple blocked it based on where you were. Now, that’s history. For beta testers, the only place still missing out is China, but there’s hope that might change soon too.

    If you’re not on the beta, no worries—iOS 18.4 will hit all devices in early April, bringing Apple Intelligence to everyone in the EU. This update marks a big win for iPhone fans who’ve been patiently waiting to try out these clever new tools.

  • New food features coming to Apple News+ with iOS 18.4

    New food features coming to Apple News+ with iOS 18.4

    Apple is bringing exciting updates to its Apple News+ service with the release of iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4. Soon, subscribers will enjoy a fresh section called Apple News+ Food, packed with thousands of recipes, restaurant tales, healthy eating advice, kitchen must-haves, and more.

    The content will be sourced from popular food magazines and websites like Allrecipes, Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, Good Food, and Serious Eats. These well-known names will fill the section with tasty ideas and helpful tips.

    Apple News editors will handpick the best food stories to share with readers. Plus, there’ll be a special Recipe Catalog area where new dishes are added often. A handy cook mode will guide users through each step of a recipe, making it easy to follow along. Subscribers can also save their favorite recipes to use even without an internet connection.

    This delicious upgrade, Apple News+ Food, will roll out to all Apple News+ users when iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 launch in April. It’s a great way to explore new meals, get cooking inspiration, and learn more about food—all in one place!