Apple’s WWDC 2024 was packed with announcements about iOS 18, its upcoming version of the iPhone operating system, which introduces a host of new features.
Which devices support iOS 18?
The company says you can download iOS 18 on the following models:iPhone 15iPhone 15 PlusiPhone 15 ProiPhone 15 Pro MaxiPhone 14iPhone 14 PlusiPhone 14 ProiPhone 14 Pro MaxiPhone 13iPhone 13 miniiPhone 13 ProiPhone 13 Pro MaxiPhone 12iPhone 12 miniiPhone 12 ProiPhone 12 Pro MaxiPhone 11iPhone 11 ProiPhone 11 Pro MaxiPhone XSiPhone XS MaxiPhone XRiPhone SE (second generation or later)When will iOS 18 be available to download?
However, if you want to try out iOS 18 a little earlier, the public beta will be available to download next month at beta.apple.com.
You’ll get the most out of the Apple Intelligence features with the iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max since they have the A17 Pro chip.
Apple announced a ton of new AI features under the new Apple Intelligence moniker.
While the features are free to use, only a limited number of devices will get access to them.
These devices include on iPhone 15 Pro along with iPad and Mac with M1 or newer chips.
So older iPhones or iPhone 15 users won’t be able to use these abilities.
The new Apple Intellgience features include revamped Siri, writing features across the system, image generation capabilities, and genAI-powered emoji.
The latest version is MacOS Sequoia.
Notifications on Mac bring up iPhone mirror mode, and iPhone audio comes through the Mac as well — but the paired iPhone stays locked.
Elsewhere, MacOS Sequoia introduces automatic window tiling, and a presenter preview mode for video conferencing with a built-in background replacement.
On the gaming front, Apple announced Game Porting Toolkit 2, the newest version of its game porting toolkit.
The MacOS Sequoia beta will be available this month, with final releases to come this fall.
Developers who want to show off apps, or anyone whose iPhone is currently out of reach, will appreciate a new Continuity feature arriving on the new version of macOS Sequoia.
The new OS, announced at WWDC 2024, will allow users to mirror their iPhone screen directly on their Mac and even control it, like swiping through pages on the Home Screen and launching apps via the Mac’s trackpad.
In addition, as Apple showed, it would make it easier to use Mac apps and iPhone apps alongside each other.
When using the feature, users will be able to use the Mac keyboard to enter text and other input into iPhone apps.
Plus, iPhone notifications will appear alongside Mac notifications when it’s mirrored, and users will also be able to interact with them and take action.
Apple is set to board the runaway locomotive that is generative AI at next week’s World Wide Developer Conference.
First there’s the name: Apple Intelligence.
Apple Intelligence will arrive as an opt-in beta, similar to developer-focused operating system updates the company releases after WWDC.
Apple Intelligence will initially be focused on bolstering existing applications.
it sounds like Apple’s big push into AI is less about flash and more about making its operating system more intuitive and user friendly.
Apple finally updated its App Store guidelines to allow global developers to host retro game emulators on iOS.
Now, at long last, Testut has released a Game Boy emulator directly into the iOS App Store, where it’s already climbed to #1 on the entertainment charts.
Delta, the emulator, even supports DS, N64, SNES and NES games, in addition to Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance games.
If you’re a Paladin-esque rule follower, you can use a tool like Epilogue’s GB Operator, which can rip .ROM files directly from the Game Boy games that you already own.
So, now that you have legally obtained your .ROM file, how do you get it onto your phone?
Apple’s stance on the right to repair has now become more accommodative, with the company now supporting used parts for iPhone 15 repairs that can include the camera, display, and battery.
While Apple’s move is welcome to many, it does answer a series of questions: If your iPhone breaks, should you have the right to fix it?
If you want to fix your iPhone, should you be able to do that yourself, or be forced to go to the manufacturer?
And if you are going to fix your iPhone yourself — or pay a third-party to help — should you be able to use whatever parts will work?
Apple pushed back vocally against criticism of parts pairing, and has recently backed laws in several states that enshrine consumer repair options.
On Thursday, Apple announced that it has opened its iPhone repair process to include used components.
Today’s news adds all components — including the battery, display and camera — which Apple requires to be configured for full functionality.
“‘Parts pairing’ is used a lot outside and has this negative connotation,” Apple senior vice president of hardware engineering, John Ternus, tells TechCrunch.
“I think it’s led people to believe that we somehow block third-party parts from working, which we don’t.
Ternus cites a recent UL Solutions study as evidence that third-party battery modules, in particular, can present a hazard to users.
Brave announced on Wednesday that it’s bringing its AI assistant, called Leo, to iPhone and iPad users.
The iOS launch of Leo brings voice-to-text capability, which isn’t available in the Android version of the AI assistant.
By giving access to a built-in AI assistant, Brave is hoping users won’t turn to ChatGPT or other similar services.
Brave isn’t the only browser company to launch an AI assistant; Opera launched an AI assistant called Aria last year.
To access Leo, open the browser, start typing in the address bar and then select “Ask Leo.” Leo is an opt-in feature and can be disabled via the app’s settings.
Indeed, with numbers hovering around 20% globally, it’s difficult to make the case that the company is dominating the competition the way Microsoft did Apple a quarter-century ago.
Apple suggests, however, that the DOJ’s suggestion that its “share of the entire U.S. smartphone market exceeds 65%” is misleading, as it refers to revenue rather than units sold.
It’s here the DOJ suggests that Apple commands 70% of the “performance” smartphone market.
Today, only Samsung and Google remain as meaningful competitors in the U.S. performance smartphone market.
Even Cupertino’s highly paid legal team would struggle to make the case that Apple Watch owners aren’t hamstrung by its iOS exclusivity.
