The latest iOS 18.3 update now lets T-Mobile customers with certain iPhones use Starlink satellites to send texts. This new feature was introduced without much fanfare, with Apple working alongside SpaceX and T-Mobile to bring this technology to iPhone users. You can find details about this new feature right on T-Mobile’s website.
Back in 2022, T-Mobile teamed up with Starlink, and by December 2024, they started a test program where people could send texts using Starlink satellites if they were somewhere without regular cell service. At first, this was just for Samsung phones, leaving iPhone users out of the loop.
Now, with the iOS 18.3 update, T-Mobile has begun inviting a select group of iPhone users to try out this satellite service. If you’re one of the chosen ones, you’ll get a message like this:
“You’re in the T-Mobile Starlink beta. You can now stay connected by texting via satellite from virtually anywhere. To start experiencing coverage beyond, please update to iOS 18.3.”
When you’re out of range for T-Mobile’s usual service, your iPhone will connect to Starlink satellites automatically for texting. Right now, it’s just for texts, but T-Mobile and SpaceX are planning to add voice and data options down the road.
Apple hasn’t said much about this, but T-Mobile has hinted that this service will soon work with most new smartphones.
If you have an iPhone 14 or newer, you can already send emergency texts via satellite thanks to Apple’s deal with Globalstar. Now with Starlink, you have another option for staying connected off the grid. Remember, both services only kick in when you’re out of regular cell range.
The Starlink beta is still pretty exclusive, but T-Mobile aims to open it up to more people soon. If you want to get in on this, you can sign up on T-Mobile’s site. This service is currently only for folks in the U.S., and there’s no cost during the beta phase.
The iPhone has revolutionized how we capture the world around us. More than just a communication device, it’s a powerful camera that fits in your pocket. While features like Portrait Mode and Photographic Styles are undeniably impressive, mastering the fundamentals of photography using your iPhone’s built-in tools can elevate your images to a whole new level.
This isn’t about fancy filters or complex editing; it’s about understanding composition and perspective, and utilizing the tools already at your fingertips. Whether you’re a seasoned photographer or just starting your mobile photography journey, these six tips will help you unlock your iPhone’s true photographic potential.
1. The Art of Composition: Harnessing the Rule of Thirds
Composition is the backbone of any great photograph. One of the most effective compositional techniques is the “rule of thirds.” This principle involves dividing your frame into nine equal rectangles using two horizontal and two vertical lines. The points where these lines intersect are considered the most visually appealing spots to place your subject.
Your iPhone’s built-in grid overlay makes applying the rule of thirds incredibly easy. To activate it:
Open the Settings app.
Scroll down and tap Camera.
In the “Composition” section, toggle on the Grid switch.
With the grid activated, consider these points:
Identify Key Elements: Determine the primary subjects or points of interest in your scene.
Strategic Placement: Position these elements along the grid lines or at their intersections. For portraits, placing the subject’s eyes along a horizontal line often creates a compelling image.
Horizontal Harmony: When capturing landscapes, align the horizon with either the top or bottom horizontal line to emphasize either the sky or the foreground.
Balancing Act: Use the rule of thirds to create balance. If you place a prominent subject on one side of the frame, consider including a smaller element on the opposite side to create visual equilibrium.
Embrace Experimentation: The rule of thirds is a guideline, not a rigid rule. Don’t be afraid to experiment and see how shifting elements within the frame affects the overall impact of your photo.
Capturing objects from directly above, like food photography or flat lays, can be tricky. Ensuring your camera is perfectly parallel to the subject is crucial for a balanced and professional look. Your iPhone’s built-in Level tool is your secret weapon.
In iOS 17 and later, the Level has its own toggle:
Open the Settings app.
Tap Camera.
Toggle on the Level switch.
To use the Level:
Open the Camera app.
Position your phone directly above your subject.
A crosshair will appear on the screen. Adjust your phone’s angle until the floating crosshair aligns with the fixed crosshair in the center. When perfectly aligned, both crosshairs will turn yellow.
Tap the shutter button to capture your perfectly aligned shot.
3. Level Up Your Landscapes: Ensuring Straight Horizons
The Level tool isn’t just for top-down shots. It also helps you achieve perfectly straight horizons in your landscape photography. When the Level setting is enabled, a broken horizontal line appears when your phone detects it’s slightly tilted. As you adjust your phone to a level position, the broken line merges into a single, yellow line, indicating perfect horizontal alignment. This feature is subtle and only activates within a narrow range of angles near horizontal, preventing it from being intrusive.
Sometimes, the perfect shot happens in a split second. Burst Mode allows you to capture a rapid sequence of photos, increasing your chances of capturing that decisive moment.
To activate Burst Mode:
Go to Settings ➝ Camera and toggle on Use Volume Up for Burst.
Then, in the Camera app, simply press and hold the Volume Up button. Your iPhone will continuously capture photos until you release the button. A counter on the screen displays the number of shots taken.
Burst photos are automatically grouped into an album called “Bursts” in your Photos app, making it easy to review and select the best shots.
5. Mirror, Mirror: Personalizing Your Selfies
By default, your iPhone flips selfies, which can sometimes feel unnatural. If you prefer the mirrored image you see in the camera preview, you can easily change this setting:
Open the Settings app.
Scroll down and tap Camera.
Toggle the Mirror Front Camera switch to the green ON position.
Now, your selfies will be captured exactly as you see them in the preview.
6. Expanding Your Vision: Utilizing “View Outside the Frame”
On iPhone 11 and later models, the “View Outside the Frame” feature offers a unique perspective. When enabled, it shows you what’s just outside the current frame, allowing you to fine-tune your composition and avoid unwanted cropping later. This is particularly useful when using the wide or telephoto lens, as it shows you the wider field of view of the next widest lens.
To activate this feature:
Open the Settings app.
Scroll down and tap Camera.
In the “Composition” section, toggle on View Outside the Frame.
By understanding and utilizing these built-in camera features, you can significantly improve your iPhone photography skills and capture stunning images that truly reflect your vision. It’s not about having the latest model or the most expensive equipment; it’s about mastering the tools you already have in your pocket.
Apple’s iOS 18.4 update, released on April 2, 2025, makes texting and app use simpler for iPhone users. The Messages app now supports RCS (Rich Communication Services) for more people, especially those on smaller T-Mobile networks like Mint Mobile and Google Fi.
This means you can send high-quality photos, see when someone’s typing, and enjoy smoother chats with Android friends. To check if it works for you, go to Settings > Apps > Messages > RCS Messaging. If your carrier supports it, you’ll see “RCS” in the text box when messaging Android users.
Plus, iOS 18.4 lets you pick your favorite apps as defaults in new areas like messaging and calls. Before, you could only set defaults for things like email or browsers, but now you can choose apps like WhatsApp for texting or calling instead of Apple’s built-in options.
This gives you more control over how your iPhone works. Both updates make everyday tasks easier and more personal, so you can chat and use apps your way. Have you tried these changes yet? They’re a big step forward!
The world of mobile messaging has been evolving rapidly, and one of the most significant advancements in recent years has been the rise of Rich Communication Services, or RCS. This protocol promises a richer, more feature-filled experience than traditional SMS/MMS, bringing features like read receipts, typing indicators, high-resolution media sharing, and enhanced group chats to the forefront. Apple’s recent adoption of RCS on the iPhone was a major step forward, but the rollout has been, shall we say, a bit of a winding road.
Let’s rewind a bit. For years, iPhone users communicating with Android users were often stuck with the limitations of SMS/MMS. Blurry photos, no read receipts, and clunky group chats were the norm. RCS offered a potential solution, bridging the gap and offering a more seamless experience across platforms. When Apple finally announced support for RCS, it was met with widespread excitement. However, the implementation has been anything but uniform.
Instead of a blanket rollout, Apple has opted for a carrier-by-carrier approach, requiring individual approvals for each network to enable RCS on iPhones. This has led to a rather fragmented landscape, with some carriers offering an enhanced messaging experience while others remain stuck in the past. It’s like building a puzzle where some pieces are missing and others don’t quite fit.
The latest iOS updates have brought good news for users on several smaller carriers. Networks like Boost Mobile and Visible have recently been added to the growing list of RCS-supported carriers. This is undoubtedly a positive development, expanding the reach of RCS and bringing its benefits to a wider audience. It’s encouraging to see Apple working to broaden the availability of this important technology.
However, this piecemeal approach has also created some notable omissions. Several popular low-cost carriers, such as Mint Mobile and Ultra Mobile, are still conspicuously absent from the list of supported networks. This leaves their customers in a frustrating limbo, unable to enjoy the improved messaging experience that RCS offers. It begs the question: why the delay? What are the hurdles preventing these carriers from joining the RCS revolution?
Perhaps the most glaring omission of all is Google Fi. This Google-owned mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) has a significant user base, many of whom are iPhone users. The fact that Google Fi is still waiting for RCS support on iPhones is a major point of contention. It’s a bit like having a high-speed internet connection but being unable to access certain websites.
Reports suggest that Google is essentially waiting for Apple to give the green light for RCS interoperability on Fi. It appears that the ball is firmly in Apple’s court. This situation is particularly perplexing given that Google has been a strong proponent of RCS and has been actively working to promote its adoption across the Android ecosystem. The lack of support on Fi for iPhones creates a significant disconnect.
Adding to the confusion, Apple’s official webpage detailing RCS support for various carriers completely omits any mention of Google Fi. This omission extends beyond RCS, with no mention of other features like 5G and Wi-Fi Calling either. This lack of acknowledgment doesn’t exactly inspire confidence that RCS support for Fi is on the horizon. It raises concerns about the future of interoperability between these two major players in the tech industry.
The current state of RCS on iPhone is a mixed bag. While the expansion to more carriers is a welcome development, the fragmented rollout and the notable omissions, especially Google Fi, create a sense of incompleteness. It’s clear that there’s still work to be done to achieve the full potential of RCS and deliver a truly seamless messaging experience across platforms. One can only hope that Apple will streamline the process and accelerate the adoption of RCS for all carriers, including Google Fi, in the near future. The future of messaging depends on it.
Apple is wrapping up its newest software updates, with iOS 18.5, iPadOS 18.5, macOS 15.5, tvOS 18.5, and visionOS 2.5 now in the release candidate (RC) stage. This means they’re almost ready for everyone to use, likely launching to the public soon. These updates focus on making devices run smoother and fixing bugs, with a few small improvements.
For iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5, there’s a new feature that lets older iPhones and iPads use satellite services, like T-Mobile’s Starlink partnership, for texting in areas without cell coverage. This was previously only available on newer models, so it’s a big win for older devices. The Mail app also gets tweaks, making it easier to turn off features like contact photos or email categories.
macOS 15.5 is getting ready for its public debut, with the RC version available for developers. It’s all about stability, ensuring your Mac runs reliably. Similarly, tvOS 18.5 and visionOS 2.5 are in the RC phase, focusing on performance for Apple TV and Vision Pro. No major new features are expected here, but they’ll make your devices work better.
Apple’s updates are tested thoroughly to avoid issues, and these RC versions are the final step before the public rollout. If you’re in Apple’s beta program, you can try them now, but they’re mostly about polishing things up. Expect these updates to hit your devices soon, bringing small but helpful changes.
Apple is said to be working on a cool new feature: a front camera that sits under the iPhone’s screen, creating a smooth, notch-free look. A report from The Information suggests that by 2027, at least one iPhone model might have its camera and Face ID sensors hidden beneath the display. This would give the phone a clean, full-screen design without any visible cutouts.
The under-display camera idea isn’t new, but earlier versions struggled with fuzzy photos. Thanks to recent improvements, particularly from Samsung Display’s OLED technology, Apple may finally crack it. Samsung, a key supplier for iPhone screens, could help make the camera work seamlessly while keeping the screen sharp and vibrant.
Apple has been down this road before. Whispers about the iPhone 18 Pro, due in 2026, mentioned a tiny camera hole in the screen’s corner. By 2027, Apple seems ready to go all-in with a fully hidden setup. That said, the regular iPhone 18 and iPhone 18 Air might keep the current Dynamic Island, with its two sensor holes and camera.
If Apple nails this tech, it could change how phones look, offering a more immersive screen experience. For now, it’s just talk, but the thought of a sleek, uninterrupted iPhone display has fans buzzing.
Apple faced a significant loss in its legal fight with Epic Games, as the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals backed a 2021 decision. The court ruled that Apple’s tight grip on App Store payments breaks California’s laws against unfair business practices.
This case, sparked by Epic’s 2020 lawsuit, criticized Apple’s 30% cut on in-app purchases and its block on other payment options. The ruling opens the door for app makers to guide users to alternative payment systems, sidestepping Apple’s fees.
This could mean lower costs for developers and possibly cheaper apps for consumers. While Apple avoided a harsher judgment—Epic’s claim that Apple runs an unlawful monopoly was dismissed—the decision weakens Apple’s control over its App Store.
Epic Games, the creator of Fortnite, hailed the outcome, with CEO Tim Sweeney calling it a victory for app creators everywhere. Apple, defending its policies as vital for user safety, plans to appeal to the Supreme Court. The clash has already forced changes in how apps manage payments, with more shifts likely on the horizon.
This outcome may push Apple to loosen its App Store restrictions, giving developers greater flexibility. The Epic-Apple showdown is far from over, but it’s already reshaping the world of mobile apps.
The iPhone Pro Max has long been the king of iPhones, loved for its large display, amazing battery life, and stellar camera. But with Apple’s iPhone 17 lineup arriving this fall, a new favorite might take its place. Enter the iPhone 17 Air—a game-changer that’s ultra-slim and featherlight.
Its 6.6-inch screen hits the sweet spot, feeling just right for everyday use. While it may skip some of the Pro Max’s high-end features, its sleek, modern design is turning heads. Fans are already raving about how comfy it feels, and that could make it the go-to pick for many.
Meanwhile, the iPhone 17 Pro Max, or perhaps a new iPhone Ultra, is getting a bold upgrade. It’s expected to be a bit chunkier to house a bigger battery, ideal for power users who need all-day juice. There’s also buzz about a revamped camera system that could take mobile photography to the next level.
Apple’s mixing things up, and the Pro Max’s reign as the top dog is no longer guaranteed. With the Air’s stylish vibe and the Pro Max’s powerhouse upgrades, buyers have some exciting choices ahead. Which one’s calling your name? Share your thoughts!
Apple’s Tap to Pay on iPhone is a super handy way for small businesses to take contactless payments from mobile wallets or cards. Now, it’s popping up in nine more countries, making life easier for shop owners. This feature lets stores take payments right on their iPhones—no extra gadgets needed. No separate card machine or device, just the phone you already have!
Tap to Pay on iPhone Explained
Apple first shared this idea in 2022, starting slowly in the US. It’s like the fourth big step for small business payment tools:
Old-school wired card machines that you had to rent.
Wireless ones are still rented though.
Standalone gadgets that link to your iPhone via Bluetooth, with a one-time price.
Now, Tap to Pay on your iPhone—no extra stuff is required!
Here’s how it works: a customer taps their card, iPhone, or Apple Watch on the shop’s iPhone. Simple! But it’s only for contactless payments, which have limits that might not work for every business. Apple’s been spreading this feature to more places bit by bit since it started.
Nine New Countries Get It Today
This is one of the biggest updates yet! As of today, these nine spots can use Tap to Pay on iPhone:
Bulgaria: Works with Adyen, myPOS, Revolut, and Viva; SumUp soon.
In the US, Intuit just added a cool trick last week: linking Tap to Pay with QuickBooks. This lets payments flow straight into the accounting app, no hassle.
Things have been buzzing with Apple news lately. The company recently shared that the updated Siri won’t be ready anytime soon, and insiders say the cool features promised at last year’s WWDC are still far off. With all this happening, Apple could use a throwback moment—like a new Snow Leopard—to get its software back on track.
If you’ve used a Mac for a while, say 16 years or more, you might recall Mac OS X Snow Leopard. Back then, Apple didn’t rush out a new Mac OS every year. When Snow Leopard launched, it wasn’t about flashy new tricks or looks. Instead, Apple worked hard to make the software steady and reliable. I started thinking about this after seeing an old WWDC 2009 clip where Bertrand Serlet, a big name at Apple back then, proudly said Snow Leopard had “no new features.” It’s wild to see how much Apple has shifted since those days.
Apple’s never been quick to say “oops,” but it has owned up to slip-ups before. Think about Steve Jobs talking to the press about the iPhone 4 antenna mess or admitting MobileMe wasn’t great and promising to fix it. I miss that honesty. Today, it’s tough to picture Apple saying, “Hey, this update has nothing new,” or owning up to glitches in front of everyone.
Fast forward to now—a Bloomberg report says Robby Walker, a Siri boss at Apple, called the delays “messy” and “awkward” in a team meeting. Last June, at WWDC 2024, Apple hyped up Apple Intelligence, but when iOS 18 and macOS 15 dropped, those features were nowhere to be found. Some trickled out later, but the new Siri—yep, the one in iPhone 16 ads—still hasn’t shown up.
Online, people are grumbling about bugs in Apple’s latest updates, and it’s not hard to see why. Apple should hit pause. Announcing stuff that’s not ready (remember AirPower?) just sets everyone up for disappointment. Now that they’ve admitted Siri’s delay, I hope they focus on smoothing out the rough spots and delivering what they promised. We don’t need big updates every year—give the team time to fix things. A new Snow Leopard vibe could be just what Apple needs.
