Google let slip that Apple will fulfill its promise to add support for Rich Communication Services to the iPhone Messages app “in the fall of 2024.”
That almost certainly means iPhone and Android users will enjoy higher quality cross-platform texting with the release of iOS 18 and not before.
A version of Apple Pencil stylus that can be used with the Vision Pro AR headset is in testing, according to an unconfirmed report.
And there’s proof that Apple is at least considering the idea — it filed for a patent on methods of using a stylus to create virtual objects while wearing a headset.
A release date for much anticipated 2024 iPad Pro and iPad Air will come in early May, according to a reliable source of Apple information. Fans of Apple tablets have been on tenterhooks as the announcements for these had been expected weeks ago.
This will reportedly be the debut of the first iPad Pro with an OLED display plus the largest iPad Air model yet.
Apple’s upcoming M3 Ultra chip won’t consist of two M3 Max processors merged together, according to information leaking out of Cupertino. The change from its predecessors would free up designers to make the next-gen Apple silicon even more powerful.
It even raises the possibility of an M3 Extreme, a workstation-level processor that would give the Mac Pro a reason to exist.
Add the iPhone 12 to the list of handsets that support the new Qi2 cross-platform wireless charging standard that’s based on MagSafe. Apparently, Apple gave the older phones support for the newest chargers without mentioning it.
More recent iPhone models already can use Qi2 accessories.
Apple Maps could receive a pair of big updates this year: “Custom routes” and topographic maps. A developer from Argentina spotted the two new features recently in Apple code, saying they could arrive in iOS 18 and macOS 15.
If true, the changes will make Apple’s navigation application more useful for both drivers and hikers.
Apple reportedly released a tiny, tiny update to iOS and iPadOS on Wednesday. It’s possible this is the new version of the operating system supposedly needed for the much rumored — and much anticipated — 2024 iPad Pro and iPad Air models.
Don’t go looking for the updates on your iPhone or iPad, however.
Update: The latest leak indicates that Apple’s next tablets won’t reach customers until May. They allegedly aren’t just waiting on software; production challenges are also supposedly pushing back the launch.
Apple CEO Tim Cook’s trip to China apparently scored a big win: Tencent will reportedly bring some of its biggest apps to the Vision Pro AR headset. The company developed both the hugely popular WeChat super app plus a wide array of successful games.
Vision Pro has not yet launched in China but the debut is expected soon.
The U.S. move toward banning the hugely popular TikTok video service is “hypocrisy.” That’s the opinion of Steve Wozniak, a co-founder of Apple.
He sees no difference between a Chinese company tracking users and U.S. companies doing the same thing.
The new “Why Upgrade” page on Apple’s website shows users of some older iOS models what features they’d get if they traded up to the latest iPhone 15 series.
The tool says “See what you’re missing“ in hopes of convincing shoppers that it’s time to move on from handsets introduced in 2019 or 2020.
Apple TV+ committed to a second season of The Last Thing He Told Me, a thriller that aired in 2023. Jennifer Garner will continue in the starring role.
Season one of the drama is based on a novel of the same name by Laura Dave. Season two will be an adaptation of the forthcoming second book in the series.
Mac users should install macOS Sonoma 14.4.1, a patch to remove a bug that affected USB hubs (and made headlines). The update, released Monday, also takes care of a couple of other problems.
Currently, it’s the only OS update coming out of Cupertino on Monday, meaning Apple Watch and tvOS users are still waiting.
★★★★★
Baseus Blade 2 Ultra-Thin Laptop Power Bank is loaded with great features, including two USB-C ports, 12,000 mAh of capacity, a max of 65W output and a built-in status display.
But what sets it part from the pack is its design. It’s slim enough to go easily into bags designed for MacBook and iPad. And it’s relatively lightweight, too.
I tested the Baseus Blade 2 with my gear. Here’s how well the accessory lived up to its promise.
On sale: Baseus is offering $30 off the regular cost. But the deal ends soon.
The European Commission opened a noncompliance investigation Monday into whether Apple is fully following the rules that went into effect with the EU’s Digital Markets Act. If not, Apple faces potentially heavy fines.
The Mac-maker isn’t being singled out. The EC also opened similar investigations into Alphabet/Google and Meta/Facebook.
Apple launched Vision Pro on the 40th anniversary of the Macintosh. That’s surely not a coincidence — both are ground-breaking computers that show where the company is headed for the coming decades.
Anyone highly critical of Vision Pro because it appeals only to a niche audience and is very expensive needs to remember that those exact same criticisms were leveled at the original Macintosh in 1984. If the current problems really are proof the AR headset is inescapably doomed — as some have argued — then there never would have been a second-generation Macintosh.
I was around when both computers launched. That gives me perspective on what Apple’s past can tell us about the company’s future.
Manhunt, the Apple TV+ historical true-crime drama about the search for the assassin of Abraham Lincoln, immediately shot to near the top of the popularity charts of two different ratings services.
And other series and films from Apple are also performing well with audiences.
You can use the Apple logo as an emoji … if you know how. Expressing your love for all things Apple looks a lot better if know how to type the .
It’s easy to do on a Mac, and I can show you how to add to texts on iPhone and iPad, too.
Steve Jobs’ business card bearing the signature of the Apple cofounder himself sold at auction for an amazing value: over $180,000. This is supposedly the most ever paid for a signed business card.
A collection of other Apple memorabilia brought in big bucks at the same auction, a sign of the popularity of rare items from the iPhone-maker.
Security researchers have found a serious exploit in all Apple M-series processors. The hard-wired flaw could potentially could be used by hackers to get user credit card information or read encrypted messages.
The flaw exposes precious encryption keys, and it’s baked into the hardware — so it can’t easily be patched without a performance penalty. Here’s what you need to know.
iPhone users can now install iOS 17.4.1, a “bug fix” update on the major upgrade released early this month. iPadOS 17.4.1 is also available for tablet users.
And Vision Pro got its own patch, but there are no updates out Thursday for Mac or Apple Watch.
The Department of Justice and 16 state attorneys general filed an blockbuster antitrust lawsuit Thursday aimed at forcing Apple to open up many aspects of its ecosystem, from the App Store to Apple Watch.
The 88-page civil suit, which accuses Apple of wielding monopoly-like power, could bring truly sweeping changes to iPhone, Mac and other Apple computers.
Apple is reportedly still working on the version of iPadOS needed for the first iPad Pro with a OLED screen. The software development process might delay the launch until well into April.
Previous leaks previously pointed at a March debut, and that’s still possible. But those eager for Apple’s next premium tablet should also be prepared to wait as much as another month.
And apparently the launch date won’t be March 26, despite a recent rumor.
All the people eagerly waiting for the 2024 iPad Pro — which is expected in the coming weeks — can console themselves with a concept video depicting the upcoming tablet in all its magnificence.
Check it out.
A firmware update out for AirTag has begun gradually rolling out. You’ll probably want it, but it turns out that updating the software for Apple’s item tracker is both easy and hard. You don’t have to jump through hoops, but neither do you have much control.
Here’s what you need to do.
Backbone updated the Lightning version of its popular game controller for iPhone with new magnetic adapters, a reshaped D-pad, and more. The goal of the second generation Backbone One is “better, faster, and longer gaming,” according to the company.
It now matches the updated USB-C version that Backbone introduced in autumn 2023.