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  • Ford drivers can now use Tesla chargers with Apple Maps

    Ford drivers can now use Tesla chargers with Apple Maps

    Ford has exciting news for Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning owners! If you use Apple Maps EV Routing through CarPlay, you can now find routes that include Tesla Superchargers and other chargers using the North American Charging Standard (NACS). This update makes charging on the go even easier.

    Before this change, Apple Maps EV Routing didn’t include Tesla’s Superchargers. Now, Ford drivers can enjoy this perk without needing a software update. All you need is an iPhone running iOS 17 or higher connected to CarPlay. To make it work, go to Apple Maps Settings and choose NACS chargers as your preferred network. You’ll also need a Fast Charging Adapter that works with NACS stations.

    Apple launched its EV Routing feature in 2023 to help electric vehicle drivers plan trips. However, it’s only available for a few models, like the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Ford F-150 Lightning, and Porsche Taycan. Car companies must add support for it to function with their vehicles.

    This handy tool uses real-time info from your car to suggest the best route. It looks at things like hills on the road and your battery level to decide when you’ll need to stop and charge. If your battery runs low, Apple Maps will guide you to the closest compatible charger, so you’re never stuck.

    People first noticed hints of NACS support in iOS 18.4, but Ford says you don’t need to wait for that update. Apple made this change remotely, so it’s ready to use right now. With this update, Ford drivers can hit the road with more confidence, knowing they’ve got access to Tesla’s charging network alongside other options.

  • iOS 19 set to deliver a fresh look for iPhones and more

    iOS 19 set to deliver a fresh look for iPhones and more

    Apple is gearing up to give iPhones, iPads, and Macs a major makeover with iOS 19, iPadOS 19, and macOS 16, according to Bloomberg. This update, coming later in 2025, promises to shake up how these devices look and feel, making them work together more smoothly.

    The company plans to refresh icons, menus, apps, windows, and buttons with a simpler, cleaner style. Navigating your device should also become easier. These updates are said to be much more than just a new coat of paint—they’ll bring the biggest change to iOS since iOS 7 and to macOS since Big Sur.

    The new design takes some inspiration from visionOS, the system used in Apple’s Vision Pro headset. Think rounded app icons, see-through effects, and a touch of 3D flair—but it’s not an exact copy. Apple hopes this fresh vibe will spark excitement for its latest gadgets and shift focus from delays in its Apple Intelligence Siri upgrades.

    We’ll get our first peek at this revamp during the Worldwide Developers Conference in June 2025. After that, it’ll be tested for a few months before rolling out to everyone in the fall. Rumors of this big redesign have popped up three times now. Sources say iOS 19 will borrow some ideas from visionOS, like a simpler layout and translucent touches. The Israeli site The Verifier first hinted at this shift, though it thought it’d come with iOS 18—seems they got the details right but the timing wrong.

    Tech insider Jon Prosser also chimed in, showing off a redesigned Camera app with see-through menus in a YouTube video. He thinks these changes might spread to the Home Screen and beyond. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman backed this up, saying the update will unify Apple’s systems with a fresh, easy-to-use look.

    One big question remains: Will iPhone app icons go fully round like visionOS, or stick with their current shape? Gurman didn’t confirm either way. Still, expect iOS 19 to feel lighter and more modern if these rumors hold true. Mark your calendars for WWDC 2025 in June for the official reveal!

  • Apple rolls out new test updates for iPhones, iPads, Macs, and more

    Apple rolls out new test updates for iPhones, iPads, Macs, and more

    Today, Apple shared the third test versions of its upcoming software updates: iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 for iPhones and iPads, macOS Sequoia 15.4 for Macs, and visionOS 2.4, tvOS 18.4, and watchOS 11.4 for Vision Pro, Apple TV, and Apple Watch. These updates come a week after the second test versions were released.

    iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4: What’s New

    You can grab these updates on your iPhone or iPad by heading to Settings > General > Software Update. One cool addition is Priority Notifications, a smart feature that figures out which alerts matter most and puts them front and center on your Lock Screen. There’s also a new Food section in Apple News+ for subscribers, packed with tasty content.

    Plus, Image Playground now has a Sketch option to create drawings that look hand-drawn. The update supports more languages like French, Spanish, and Japanese for Apple’s smart tools. New emojis are here too, along with a Vision Pro app for managing your headset right from your phone. iPads now get Mail Categorization, and there’s a relaxing Ambient Music feature in the Control Center. Apple plans to launch these in early April.

    macOS Sequoia 15.4: Fresh Features for Macs

    Mac users can join the test by going to System Settings > Software Update with a developer Apple ID. This update brings Mail Categorization to Macs, sorting emails into handy groups like deals, updates, and important messages. You’ll also find new emojis, a Food section in Apple News+, and a Sketch tool in Image Playground. Plus, you can now make Memory Movies in Photos. It’ll roll out in early April too.

    Vision Pro, Apple TV, and Apple Watch Updates

    The third test versions of visionOS 2.4, tvOS 18.4, and watchOS 11.4 are out for developers too. VisionOS 2.4 stands out, adding smart features like Writing Tools and Priority Notifications to Vision Pro. It also includes a Spatial Gallery app with cool 3D photos and videos and a handy iPhone app to manage your headset. With iOS 18.4, you can even set up Guest Mode for others to try your Vision Pro easily. These updates are set for early April as well.

  • A small fix coming to your iPhone: iOS 18.3.2

    A small fix coming to your iPhone: iOS 18.3.2

    It looks like Apple is getting ready to send out a small update for iPhones called iOS 18.3.2. We know this because people working at Apple are trying it out on their phones already. This kind of testing usually means the update will be available to everyone soon, probably in the next couple of weeks.

    What This Update Does

    This update won’t bring any big, new things to your phone. Instead, it’s designed to fix small problems and make your phone safer. Think of it as a little tune-up to keep things running smoothly.

    Why This Update Now?

    Apple is also working on a bigger update, iOS 18.4, which is still being tested. That bigger update will have some new things, like better ways to see important messages and a new section in the Apple News app for food lovers. But it’s not quite ready yet. So, iOS 18.3.2 is like a quick fix while we wait for the bigger one.

    When Will You Get It?

    We expect iOS 18.3.2 to be released sometime in March. The bigger update, iOS 18.4, should be available to everyone in early April. Just last month, Apple released another small update, iOS 18.3.1, which also fixed some bugs. So, Apple is working hard to keep our iPhones working well. This new update, while small, will help make your iPhone experience a bit better.

  • Apple removes iPhone 16 ad about a smarter Siri

    Apple removes iPhone 16 ad about a smarter Siri

    Apple recently took down an advertisement for the iPhone 16 that highlighted a “smarter Siri.” This decision came after the company announced last week that some of the new Siri features, part of Apple Intelligence, won’t be ready as soon as they had hoped for iOS 18.

    The Smarter Siri Ad

    The ad starred English actor Isabella Ramsey and was posted on YouTube in September, just before iPhone 16 pre-orders began. In the video, Ramsey asks Siri to recall the name of someone they met at a restaurant a month earlier. The clip, now private on YouTube, was also shared on Instagram by fans, and you can still find it there.

    Apple described the ad like this:

    With a better understanding of your personal details, the ability to work across apps, and improved language skills, Siri will help you in exciting new ways.

    Apple now says these advanced Siri upgrades will take more time and will arrive sometime next year.

    What’s Happening with Siri?

    The smarter Siri features were first shown off at WWDC when Apple introduced iOS 18. They were supposed to launch in an iOS 18 update and include things like knowing more about your life, understanding what’s on your screen, and working better with apps.

    According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, these updates might not come until next year—or possibly later. Some folks in Apple’s AI team even worry that the features might need a complete redo or could be dropped entirely.

    Challenges Ahead

    Inside Apple, there’s talk that making Siri better might need stronger hardware. This could mean cutting back on some features or slowing them down on today’s devices. For now, Apple is working through these issues, and fans will have to wait a bit longer for the Siri they saw in the ad.

  • How Apple can improve its smart summary feature

    How Apple can improve its smart summary feature

    At WWDC24 last summer, Apple introduced a bunch of Apple Intelligence features, and one that’s been stirring up some debate is notification summaries. People have spotted mistakes in these summaries, which led Apple to tweak their look and even turn them off for news updates. While these summaries won’t ever be flawless, there’s a simple way Apple could make them better. I’d love to see this idea show up in iOS 19.

    What Notification Summaries Do

    The goal of notification summaries is to help you skim your alerts. The feature scans all the notifications in a group, sums them up, and does it all right on your device. Sounds handy, right? But there’s a big catch: Apple Intelligence can only work with what’s in the notification itself.

    This might seem obvious, but here’s the issue: Notifications are already super short. They’re designed to fit in a tiny bubble for quick reading. Plus, the system has to be small enough to run on a chip like the A17 Pro, so it doesn’t have much wiggle room to figure things out.

    Why Summaries Miss the Mark

    Take group chats in iMessage, for example. People often reply to different things at once in busy threads. That’s fun, but Apple Intelligence doesn’t get the full picture. It ends up mixing everything into one messy, wrong summary.

    Right now, it just sums up short notifications in the order they come in. That doesn’t always work well. Here’s my fix: let app makers give Apple’s system some extra info to work with. For iMessage, Apple could tell the system what a new message is replying to.

    My Hope for Apple’s Next Step

    If apps could share a bit more background info—stuff users wouldn’t see—it’d help Apple’s system make smarter summaries. Back in December, Apple Intelligence botched a BBC News summary about Luigi Mangione. It was way off, and Apple ended up turning off news summaries altogether.

    But imagine if the BBC could share the story’s opening paragraph as extra info. That’d give Apple Intelligence more to chew on, leading to better summaries. Big language models will always have quirks, especially ones tiny enough to run on a phone with just 8GB of RAM. Still, Apple can’t keep news summaries off forever. Adding background information from apps could be the answer they need.

  • Fresh details on iOS 19 and visionOS 3 unveiled

    Fresh details on iOS 19 and visionOS 3 unveiled

    Apple’s big software updates are still about three months off, but some early hints about iOS 19 and visionOS 3 are popping up. First off, Mark Gurman from Bloomberg shared that iOS 19 will probably bring more of Apple’s smart features, called Apple Intelligence, to a wider range of apps. It’s a small but exciting tease for what’s ahead.

    Next, he heard that visionOS 3 will come loaded with new goodies. While he didn’t spill any exact details, he called it a “feature-packed” update, which sounds promising. Meanwhile, visionOS 2.4 is already in testing and shaping up to be a solid upgrade. It brings Apple Intelligence to the Vision Pro, adds a cool Spatial Gallery app with 3D content, and throws in a few other surprises. Everyone will get to try it out in April.

    As for the Vision Pro hardware, there’s chatter about a possible upgrade to an M5 chip by late 2025. But 2026 seems more realistic. Gurman thinks the Vision Pro, which he called a “sales dud,” won’t see a refresh this year. On the iOS 19 side, we’re also expecting a fresh look for the Camera app and a chattier Siri. That Siri upgrade was pushed back a bit, though. These updates show Apple’s still hard at work, even if the big reveals are a little ways off. Stay tuned for more as we get closer to the launch!

  • Apple Smart Home device delayed, staff testing it at home

    Apple Smart Home device delayed, staff testing it at home

    Mark Gurman from Bloomberg says Apple has started a special testing program for its new smart home gadget, which some call the HomePad. It was supposed to launch in March, but that’s not happening anymore. The delay is because Apple is still working on making Siri smarter, which is taking longer than planned.

    Why the Delay?

    Even without the Siri troubles, the smart home device was unlikely to hit its March target. It needs new Siri features, called App Intent, that were meant to come with iOS 18.4 in April. But now, Apple has admitted those upgrades are running late. In a message to Daring Fireball, they said:

    “We’re building a Siri that knows more about you and can do tasks in your apps. It’s taking more time than we expected, and we’ll roll it out next year.”

    Rumors hinted at these Siri updates arriving with iOS 18.5 or later, but Apple’s “next year” comment suggests bigger delays. Gurman even thinks Apple might need to rethink its whole plan for Siri and Apple Intelligence. Since the smart home gadget depends on these Siri improvements, its launch has been pushed back, too.

    Testing at Home

    Even though the public won’t see it soon, Apple isn’t sitting still. Gurman reports they’ve kicked off a testing program for employees. Some staff get to bring the device home, try it out, and tell Apple what works or doesn’t. This helps fix problems before the gadget goes on sale.

    What’s This Device Like?

    Here’s a quick look at what people say the new smart home hub might offer:

    • A 7-inch square screen with a thick edge
    • A camera up top
    • A battery you can recharge
    • A new system called homeOS
    • Great for video calls like FaceTime
    • Works with lots of Apple apps
    • A handy dashboard like StandBy
    • Simple controls for your smart home
    • Support for Apple Intelligence

    The delay is a bummer, but it’s smart to wait until everything’s ready. For now, Apple’s team is testing it to make it better.

  • 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!

  • What new Apple gadgets to look forward to this summer

    What new Apple gadgets to look forward to this summer

    Apple recently shared news about its budget-friendly iPhone 16e, along with fresh MacBook Air and Mac Studio models powered by M4 and M3 Ultra chips. With those out of the way, let’s take a peek at what else might pop up from Apple this summer.

    Apple’s Summer 2025 Highlights

    We’re crossing our fingers for updates in at least three product areas before summer ends. Nothing’s set in stone, but here’s what’s on our radar.

    Smart Home Hub

    Apple’s cooking up a new gadget to control your smart home, kind of like a central command station. Picture an iPad-style device that could hit shelves as early as 2025, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. That said, he’s hinted that delays might push it later into the year, tied to updates in iOS 18.4 or iOS 19. Another expert, Kuo, predicts a release between April and September 2025. Gurman added in February that it’s still a few months off.

    Mac Pro

    The Mac Pro is due for a summer 2025 refresh, per Gurman. Originally, folks thought it’d get the shiny new M4 Ultra chip, but the recent M3 Ultra launch in the Mac Studio has people second-guessing. Apple’s M4 Max chip doesn’t support a beefier Ultra version down the road, so the next Mac Pro might stick with the M3 Ultra—Apple’s fastest chip yet, they say.

    AirTag 2

    Apple’s planning a new AirTag for mid-2025, Gurman reports, though another source bets on May or June. This upgraded tracker will boast a better chip for pinpointing locations, possibly the second-gen Ultra Wideband chip from the iPhone 15. To tackle stalking concerns, the speaker will be harder to yank out. The look won’t change much, but its range might stretch further for sharper tracking.

    iOS 19

    Apple will show off iOS 19 at its June 2025 developer event, with a full rollout in September alongside the iPhone 17. The word is that iOS 18 work is slowing iOS 19 down, so new features might trickle out like they did this year. One rumor hints at a Camera app redo with a visionOS-inspired style—think see-through buttons and a focus on content. A smarter Siri is in the works, too, but it might not arrive until iOS 20, says Gurman.

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