↩ Accueil

Vue normale

Il y a de nouveaux articles disponibles, cliquez pour rafraîchir la page.
Hier — 31 janvier 2025MacRumors

Apple Cancels Mac-Connected AR Smart Glasses

Par : Juli Clover
31 janvier 2025 à 21:02
Apple is no longer developing augmented reality glasses designed to pair with the Mac, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple wanted to create smart glasses that looked like regular glasses, but had augmented reality capabilities.


Apple was developing AR glasses that connect to a Mac for power, because a chip powerful enough for AR applications would not fit in a device that's the size of standard glasses. Apple engineers determined that the AR glasses would need to provide the performance of an iPhone with a tenth of the power consumption, otherwise the chip would simply run too hot. Adding a battery to the glasses would also be problematic because of the weight.

At first, Apple wanted the glasses to connect to the ‌iPhone‌, but the ‌iPhone‌ didn't have the power or battery life to support them. Apple then transitioned to using the Mac as a power source, but Apple executives weren't convinced a Mac-connected device was a good solution, leading to the shutdown of the project.

The AR glasses that Apple worked on were lighter than the Vision Pro and did not require a head strap, nor was there a front-facing screen showing the wearer's eyes. Apple reportedly created lenses that could change tint based on what the wearer was doing, such as doing work, as a signal to people around them.

There have been rumors about Apple's work on AR glasses for almost 10 years now, and the Vision Pro headset is what Apple built because the technology doesn't yet exist for the kind of augmented reality glasses that Apple is aiming for.

Back in 2023, Gurman said that the AR glasses were a running joke on the AR/VR team because it was a "hopeless" device they worked on to keep Apple CEO Tim Cook happy. Back in 2017, Cook himself said that the technology to make AR smart glasses "in a quality way" simply didn't exist, and it appears that's still the case.

While Apple's work on augmented reality glasses has been paused, the company is still developing new versions of the Vision Pro, and when the technology exists, Apple executives want to revisit the possibility of a set of AR glasses.

Apple's smart glasses featured projectors able to display information like images and video to the wearer, and Apple is continuing to work on custom microLED displays that could one day be used in AR glasses.

Apple competitor Meta has already demonstrated its "Orion" augmented reality glasses that are in development, but the glasses are in a prototyping stage and cost over $10,000 to make. Meta is aiming to release the glasses by 2027, which is also when Apple was originally planning to debut its now-canceled smart glasses.
Related Roundup: Apple Vision Pro
Buyer's Guide: Vision Pro (Buy Now)
Related Forum: Apple Vision Pro

This article, "Apple Cancels Mac-Connected AR Smart Glasses" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Best Apple Deals of the Week: Apple Watch Series 10 Hits Record Low $329 Price, Plus Savings on MacBook Air, Samsung, and More

31 janvier 2025 à 19:25
The Apple Watch Series 10 returned to its all-time low price at $70 off this week on Amazon, marking the highlight of this week's deals. You can also find ongoing discounts on Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S25 smartphones, M2 MacBook Air, and AirTag.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Galaxy S25



  • What's the deal? Save up to $1,250 when pre-ordering the new Samsung Galaxy S25 smartphones

  • Where can I get it? Samsung

  • Where can I find the original deal? Right here



Samsung recently announced its new lineup of Galaxy S25 smartphones, and you can find multiple pre-order discounts and offers on Samsung's website. This includes up to $1,250 in trade-in credits and Samsung credits when pre-ordering the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25+, and Galaxy S25 Ultra. Students can save an extra 5 percent on the new smartphones as well.

The high-end Galaxy S25 Ultra is priced starting at $1,299.99 for 256GB, and you can save up to $1,250 on this model with trade-in credits and Samsung credits. If you trade in a Galaxy S24 Ultra, Z Fold6, or Z Fold5, you can get as much as $900 off the new S25 Ultra.

Additionally, if you select the 256GB Galaxy S25 Ultra, you can get the Galaxy Buds3 Pro for free, and if you select the 512GB Galaxy S25 Ultra, you can get the Galaxy Buds3 Pro for only $20. You'll find these offers if you scroll down on the Galaxy S25 Ultra page, under the "Start building healthy habits with Galaxy" section.

Apple Watch



  • What's the deal? Take $70 off Apple Watch Series 10

  • Where can I get it? Amazon

  • Where can I find the original deal? Right here




Amazon began the week with the return of all-time low prices on the Apple Watch Series 10, with $70 off both 42mm and 46mm GPS models.

MacBook Air



  • What's the deal? Take $200 off M2 MacBook Air

  • Where can I get it? Amazon

  • Where can I find the original deal? Right here



The best overall MacBook deal of the week is on the 13-inch M2 MacBook Air (16GB RAM/256GB), available for $799.00 on Amazon, down from $999.00.

Samsung TVs



  • What's the deal? Get sitewide discounts on Samsung TVs, monitors, and more

  • Where can I get it? Samsung

  • Where can I find the original deal? Right here



In addition to the ongoing Galaxy smartphone deals, Samsung also kicked off a Super Bowl sale this week, with huge savings on TVs and more. The highlight of the sale is up to $1,300 off The Frame TV.

AirTag



  • What's the deal? Take $29 off AirTag 4-Pack

  • Where can I get it? Amazon

  • Where can I find the original deal? Right here



Early in the week, Amazon discounted the AirTag 4-Pack to $69.99, and this all-time low price is still available today.

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.




Deals Newsletter


Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2025? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!




Related Roundup: Apple Deals

This article, "Best Apple Deals of the Week: Apple Watch Series 10 Hits Record Low $329 Price, Plus Savings on MacBook Air, Samsung, and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple Wants to Help Google Defend Search Engine Deal Worth Billions

Par : Juli Clover
31 janvier 2025 à 19:10
Apple wants to defend its multi-billion dollar search engine deal with Google, which is in danger because Google has been found guilty of violating antitrust law. Apple has asked the court handling Google's lawsuit with the U.S. government for an emergency stay [PDF], so that Apple has time to intervene and plead its case before a remedy is decided on.


The U.S. Department of Justice sued Google for anti-competitve behavior in the search market way back in 2020, and after a lengthy legal battle, the DoJ won. A main component of the lawsuit was Google's deal with Apple, which sees Google pay billions annually to be the default search engine for Safari. The court decided that the agreement between Apple and Google violated antitrust law, and is a major reason Google has been able to maintain its search engine monopoly.

The U.S. government asked the court to bar Google from entering into contracts with Apple, among other restrictions, and that will cost Apple a lot of money. In 2022, for example, Google paid Apple $20 billion. Apple already asked the court to allow it to be more involved in the case as remedies are decided on, and the court denied the request due to timing. Apple appealed the decision, and is asking for a stay while the appeal plays out.

Apple says that because its deal with Google is at stake, it deserves a right to participate, and without a stay, it will "suffer clear and substantial irreparable harm."
Apple will be unable to participate in discovery and develop evidence in the targeted fashion it has proposed as this litigation progresses toward a final judgment. If Apple's appeal is not resolved until during or after the remedies trial, Apple may well be forced to stand mute at trial, as a mere spectator, while the government pursues an extreme remedy that targets Apple by name and would prohibit any commercial arrangement between Apple and Google for a decade.

In addition to prohibiting deals between Apple and Google, the U.S. Department of Justice also has more extreme remedies in mind, including forcing Google to sell its Chrome browser and uncoupling Android from other products like Google Search and the Google Play Store. Google has a lot to defend against, and will prioritize Chrome over its deal with Apple.

When initially asking to take a larger role in the case, Apple said that Google "can no longer adequately represent Apple's interests" because of the wide scope of the case. Unsurprisingly, the DoJ does not want Apple involved in the remedies portion of the trial, which is set to start in April.

If the court decides that Google can't pay Apple to be the default search engine on Safari, Apple would still have to offer Google Search as an option in some capacity, but would not be able to continue to collect money for doing so.
This article, "Apple Wants to Help Google Defend Search Engine Deal Worth Billions" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

You Can Now Read 'The You You Are' Book From Apple TV+ Show Severance

Par : Juli Clover
31 janvier 2025 à 18:17
Fans of the hit Apple TV+ show Severance are aware of the important role that self-help book "The You You Are" from Ricken Hale plays in the TV show, and now Apple has made a version of the book available to read or listen to.


The You You Are is available as a 39-page book or an hour-long audio book that's narrated by Michael Chernus, the actor who plays Ricken Hale on the show. In the foreword, Ricken Hale says that this is the first eight chapters of the book and the "first steps on the journey," suggesting Apple might debut additional chapters in the future.

Severance viewers who like to theorize about what's going on in the show will undoubtedly want to take a deep dive into the new book, which Apple is using to promote the show.

The second season of Severance debuted earlier this month, with Apple releasing new episodes on a weekly basis.
This article, "You Can Now Read 'The You You Are' Book From Apple TV+ Show Severance" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

The MacRumors Show: Latest iPhone SE 4 Rumors

31 janvier 2025 à 17:29
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through all of the latest rumors about the iPhone SE 4 as it nears launch.


The fourth-generation ‌iPhone SE‌ is widely rumored to feature an iPhone 14-style all-screen design with a 6.1-inch OLED display, Face ID, and USB-C. Images of dummy models showcasing the new design were recently shared online.

Recent reports suggest that the fourth-generation ‌iPhone SE‌ is expected to support Apple Intelligence thanks to the A18 chip and 8GB of memory. Both the main and front-facing cameras are expected to receive major upgrades to 48- and 12-megapixel sensors, respectively. Contrary to earlier rumors, the device is no longer expected to feature the Camera Control, Action Button, or Dynamic Island.

The fourth-generation ‌iPhone SE‌ is highly likely to be the first to feature Apple's custom 5G modem. While it won't feature mmWave connectivity and may be slower than the Qualcomm components currently used in iPhones, it is expected to offer lower power consumption, improved cellular network scanning, and satellite connectivity enhancements.

The ‌iPhone SE‌ 4 is due to be released before iOS 18.4, sometime around March or April. It is expected to be slightly more expensive than the current model with a price point of about $470.

We also look ahead to the Apple Watch SE 3, which is expected to debut later this year. With an all-new plastic casing that evokes the ‌iPhone‌ 5C, we reflect on the direction of Apple's entry-level devices. The MacRumors Show also has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.



You can also listen to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or your preferred podcasts app. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your podcast player.


If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up for our discussion about how Samsung's latest announcements challenge Apple.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Kevin Nether, Jon Prosser, Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Sam Kohl, John Gruber, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
This article, "The MacRumors Show: Latest iPhone SE 4 Rumors" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Generate Images in iPhone's Messages App Using DALL·E

Par : Tim Hardwick
31 janvier 2025 à 17:02
With iOS 18.2, Apple introduced ChatGPT integration with Apple Intelligence to expand the range of AI capabilities accessible to users on supported iPhone models. One skill in particular that you may not be aware of is the ability to generate images in the Messages app, ready for sharing. ChatGPT leverages DALL·E to generate the images, and the results are almost invariably better than Apple's Image Playground. Keep reading to learn how it's done.



Set Up ChatGPT on Your iPhone


If you have Apple Intelligence enabled on an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 16, setting up ChatGPT integration requires just a few steps, and you can begin without even having a ChatGPT account. You can always start with the basic setup and upgrade to a connected account later if needed, although in our tests there isn't too much difference between them when used within the context of daily iPhone usage.

  1. Open Settings.

  2. Tap Apple Intelligence & Siri.

  3. Under "Extensions," tap ChatGPT.

  4. Toggle on the switch next to Use ChatGPT.

settings

If you have a ChatGPT account (free or paid), you can optionally Sign In from this last screen using your account credentials.

Generate Images in Messages


When ChatGPT integration is enabled, whenever you invoke Siri, the voice assistant analyzes your request to see if it's something that needs to be answered by ChatGPT. However, you can specify that you want to use ChatGPT simply by starting a Siri query with "ChatGPT."

So the next time you're in a Messages conversation and want to express something with an image, tap inside the input field, hold down the Side button on your device to rouse Siri, then say something like, "ChatGPT, generate an image of a cat reading a book about fish." Give it a few seconds to think, and ChatGPT will drop the image into the text field, ready for it to be shared in the conversation.

messages
If you're happy with the output, just tap the Send button to send it on its way. If the image doesn't turn out quite how you hoped, you have a few options. You can tap Rewrite, and ChatGPT will re-generate from scratch a new image based on your prompt.

Alternatively, you can tap one of the provided suggestions from ChatGPT to add specific details to the image, or you can tap Refine with ChatGPT and type your own description for more exact detail requests. Simply hit the colored arrow button to send the prompt to ChatGPT, and it will work its magic.

messages
As you can see, the combination of Siri and ChatGPT easily enhances the voice assistant's capabilities compared to what most iPhone users will be used to. The integration works well even for complex queries involving problem solving, writing assistance, detailed explanations, and step-by-step instructions. For everything you can do with ChatGPT in iOS 18.2 and later, be sure to check out our dedicated guide.
This article, "Generate Images in iPhone's Messages App Using DALL·E" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

CalDigit Launches Element 5 Hub With Thunderbolt 5

Par : Tim Hardwick
31 janvier 2025 à 15:08
If you own one of Apple's latest Mac mini or MacBook Pro models with M4 Pro and M4 Max processors, you may be interested to learn that CalDigit today announced its first Thunderbolt 5 product, the Element 5 Hub.


The Element 5 Hub boasts nine ports, including four Thunderbolt 5 ports capable of up to 120Gb/s bandwidth, two USB-C ports at 10Gb/s, and three USB-A ports also running at 10Gb/s. The hub delivers consistent 90W charging to host devices, regardless of connected peripherals, thanks to its compact 180W power supply.

Display support includes dual 8K monitors at 60Hz or dual 4K at 240Hz refresh rates, leveraging Thunderbolt 5's new Bandwidth Boost feature. CalDigit notes that Windows machines can handle up to three displays through a single Thunderbolt 5 connection, but unfortunately Mac users are limited to dual displays due to macOS limitations, even when using Apple's latest M4 chips.

The hub doubles PCIe bandwidth to 64Gb/s compared to its predecessor, allowing it to accommodate faster storage devices. Meanwhile, power delivery remains stable at 90W for host charging, with 15W available from each downstream Thunderbolt 5 port and 7.5W from USB ports.


The Element 5 Hub is available now direct from CalDigit in the United States for $249.95, with UK and EU availability expected in mid to late February 2025. Pricing is set at £249.99 in the UK and €249.99 (minus VAT) in the EU.
This article, "CalDigit Launches Element 5 Hub With Thunderbolt 5" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple to Compensate Early Apple Watch Owners in Lawsuit Settlement

31 janvier 2025 à 14:58
Apple has reached a $20 million settlement to resolve a class-action lawsuit alleging that certain early Apple Watch models suffered from a battery defect that caused screens to detach or crack (via CNET).


Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, the lawsuit accused Apple of manufacturing the original, Series 1, Series 2, and Series 3 Apple Watches without sufficient internal space to accommodate normal battery swelling. The plaintiffs argued that the lithium-ion batteries put pressure on the display and other components when they expanded, leading to structural damage. In some cases, users reported that the screens separated entirely from the watch casing. Apple has strongly denied any wrongdoing, but the company has agreed to settle the case to avoid prolonged litigation.

Under the terms of the settlement, Apple will create a $20 million non-reversionary fund to compensate consumers who experienced battery swelling issues with the affected models. Consumers who qualify will receive a payment of $20 per affected device, with the potential for a higher amount depending on the total number of claims filed. As with most class-action settlements, the total amount received by individual claimants will depend on the number of participants and a significant portion of the $20 million fund will also go toward legal fees and administrative costs.

No claim form is required for class members who are already registered in Apple's records as having reported battery swelling issues. These individuals will automatically receive compensation unless they choose to opt out of the settlement by February 24, 2025. Apple Watch owners who believe they qualify but have not yet confirmed their eligibility need to do so by submitting their payment method on the official settlement website before April 10, 2025.
Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)

This article, "Apple to Compensate Early Apple Watch Owners in Lawsuit Settlement" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Report: Apple Close to Selecting Supplier for Foldable Display

Par : Tim Hardwick
31 janvier 2025 à 12:20
Apple is in the final stages of selecting a key supplier for its next-generation foldable display technology, according to a new report from the Naver blog account "yeux1122," citing a source within Apple's supply chain.


According to the report, Apple has maintained strict technical requirements for potential suppliers, focusing on maintaining current industry standards for thickness, size, and curvature radius while demanding significant improvements in durability and crease prevention. Some domestic component manufacturers are said to have recently made substantial progress in meeting Apple's exacting specifications.

The supplier selection process is reportedly expected to conclude between late February and early April, though Apple has not yet made a final decision.

While the report doesn't specify which device this display is intended for, the timing suggests a foldable iPhone. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recently indicated that Apple's foldable iPhone remains in the planning stage, with various analysts projecting a release between late 2025 and 2027. The Information has suggested Apple could release a clamshell-style foldable iPhone as soon as 2026.

Apple is also reportedly exploring larger foldable devices. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that the company is developing a roughly 19-inch foldable device "intended to serve as a laptop." Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has also mentioned plans for a "giant" foldable iPad that could launch in 2028, noting Apple's intention to create a device without a visible crease that appears as a single piece of glass.
This article, "Report: Apple Close to Selecting Supplier for Foldable Display" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple Intelligence Support for Eight Additional Languages Arriving April

Par : Tim Hardwick
31 janvier 2025 à 11:43
Apple CEO Tim Cook announced during the company's Q4 2024 earnings call that Apple Intelligence will soon support eight additional languages, including French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and simplified Chinese.


An update coming in April, likely as part of iOS 18.4, will also bring localized English support for users in India and Singapore, said Cook. Apple Intelligence is currently limited to English-speaking regions including the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa.

During the earnings call, Cook expressed his belief in the importance of Apple Intelligence features, noting that "once you start using the features you can't imagine not using them anymore." He specifically mentioned the email summarization function as a particularly valuable tool, stating that he personally relies on it to manage hundreds of daily emails.

Several Apple Intelligence features have been available since the release of iOS 18.1, but its limited language support has restricted its global reach.
This article, "Apple Intelligence Support for Eight Additional Languages Arriving April" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple Arcade Getting PGA Tour Pro Golf Game

Par : Juli Clover
31 janvier 2025 à 01:45
Popular game series PGA Tour is coming to Apple Arcade, with PGA Tour Pro Golf set to launch on the gaming service on February 6. This will be the first PGA Tour game on ‌Apple Arcade‌, and it will feature true-to-life PGA Tour locations.


Recreations of iconic golf courses at Pebble Beach, Spanish Bay, Latrobe Country Club, and more will be featured. According to Apple, players can expect real-time competitive gameplay where everyone plays simultaneously, without the need to wait for turns. "It's golf like you've never played before," reads the app's description.

There will be daily and multi-day tournaments to complete, with exclusive rewards offered. Players will earn coins and cash in all game modes, and that currency will be used to purchase new clubs and equipment.

Next week, ‌Apple Arcade‌ Vision Pro game Synth Riders is set to gain a new Kendrick Lamar experience that features moody spotlights shifting to the beat. The soundscape is designed to accompany Kendrick Lamar's halftime performance at Super Bowl LIX.

This week, existing games like Jetpack Joyride 2, Temple Run: Legends, Wheel of Fortune Daily, and Stitch are receiving content updates.

Apple Arcade is a gaming service that's priced at $6.99 per month in the U.S., and it is also included in Apple One bundles. Games that are available through ‌Apple Arcade‌ do not include ads or in-app purchases.
This article, "Apple Arcade Getting PGA Tour Pro Golf Game" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple Explains How to Keep Your Mac From Turning on When Opening Lid

Par : Juli Clover
31 janvier 2025 à 01:14
Apple designed Macs with Apple silicon chips to automatically turn on and start up when the Mac's lid is opened or when the Mac is connected to power, but there is a workaround in macOS Sequoia if you don't like this behavior.


In a new support document, Apple provided separate instructions on how to prevent an Apple silicon Mac from turning on when the lid is opened or when it's connected to power. Both processes require the Terminal app. Apple's instructions:

1. Make sure that your Mac laptop with Apple silicon is using ‌macOS Sequoia‌ or later.
2. Open the Terminal app, which is in the Utilities folder of your Applications folder.
3. Type one of these commands in Terminal, then press Return:
- To prevent startup when opening the lid or connecting to power: sudo nvram BootPreference=%00
- To prevent startup only when opening the lid: sudo nvram BootPreference=%01
- To prevent startup only when connecting to power: sudo nvram BootPreference=%02
4. Type your administrator password when prompted (Terminal doesn't show the password as it's typed), then press Return.

If you use these commands to change your Mac's behavior and want to undo it, you can open up Terminal and enter sudo nvram -d BootPreference.
This article, "Apple Explains How to Keep Your Mac From Turning on When Opening Lid" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple's Q1 2025 Earnings Call Takeaways

Par : Juli Clover
31 janvier 2025 à 00:14
Apple today held an earnings call to report results for the first fiscal quarter of 2025 (fourth calendar quarter of 2024), with Apple CEO Tim Cook and new Apple CFO Kevan Parekh providing insight into Apple's performance, holiday quarter product sales, and more.


We've highlighted the most interesting takeaways from the Q1 2025 earnings call.

iPhone Sales and Apple Intelligence


Services revenue was up, and there was an increase in Mac and iPad sales, but iPhone sales were down. ‌iPhone‌ revenue came in at $69.1 billion, down from $69.7 billion last year. Apple Intelligence, which debuted in updates to iOS 18, does not appear to have resulted in a major upgrade cycle.

Cook said that the iPhone 16 models are, however, selling better in markets where ‌Apple Intelligence‌ is available.

On ‌Apple Intelligence‌ adoption increasing over time, Cook said that since the feature set is limited to the iPhone 15 Pro models and the ‌iPhone 16‌ models in the ‌iPhone‌ lineup, growth will come as people upgrade to newer devices. Cook also said he expects to see some improvement when ‌Apple Intelligence‌ becomes available in additional languages in April.

"And I think I know from my own personal experience, once you start using the features you can't imagine not using them anymore," Cook said. "I know I get hundreds of emails a day, and the summarization function is so important."

In a separate answer, Cook said that new Siri ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features will be coming "over the next several months." ‌Siri‌ features were expected in iOS 18.4, and it's not yet clear if Apple's plans have changed or the "next several months" means April.

Best Quarter to Date


Apple CEO ‌Tim Cook‌ said that Q1 2025 was Apple's best quarter to date with revenue of $124.3 billion, a four percent increase year-over-year.

Apple's installed base of active devices reached a new all-time high across all products and geographic segments, and Apple now has over 2.35 billion active devices worldwide. Sales in China were down, however. China brought in $18.5 billion, down from $20.8 billion last year.

Services Revenue


Services revenue continues to see notable growth, and the category brought in $26.3 billion, up 14 percent from $23 billion in the year-ago quarter.

All-time records were set in the Americas, Europe, and the rest of Asia-Pacific.

Paid subscriptions grew double digits, and Apple has more than a billion subscriptions across its services.

Mac Sales


Mac sales saw significant year-over-year growth, with revenue at $9 billion, up from $7.8 billion last year. Cook said Mac growth was thanks to new M4 Mac models.

There was double digit growth in both upgraders and people new to the Mac.

iPad Sales


‌iPad‌ sales grew 15 percent, and Cook said it was largely driven by the iPad Air and the low-cost ‌iPad‌ rather than the iPad Pro. Over half of sales in the December quarter went to customers who were new to ‌iPad‌.

DeepSeek


Cook was asked about DeepSeek, and the perspective that Apple will benefit from lower cost on-device compute. Cook said that he believes that "innovation that drives efficiency is a good thing."

Upcoming Products


When Cook was asked if there was "a lot of room for form factor innovation" for future ‌iPhone‌ models, Cook said that "there's a lot more to come" and that "there's a lot of innovation left on the smartphone."

Tariffs


On the potential for tariffs, Cook said that Apple is "monitoring the situation" and doesn't have anything more to say.

Next Quarter


In the March quarter, Apple expects its overall revenue to grow low to mid single digits with gross margin between 46.5 and 47.5 percent.
This article, "Apple's Q1 2025 Earnings Call Takeaways" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

À partir d’avant-hierMacRumors

Apple CEO Tim Cook: There's a 'Lot of Innovation' Left for Future iPhone Development

Par : Juli Clover
30 janvier 2025 à 23:43
During today's earnings call covering the first fiscal quarter of 2025, Apple CEO Tim Cook was asked about whether he felt there was room for form factor innovation in future iPhone models, with the question hinting perhaps spurred by rumors of the upcoming
"iPhone 17 Air."


Cook often declines to provide insight into future products during earnings calls, but he did give an encouraging answer. "I think there's a lot more to come," Cook said. "I could not feel more optimistic about our product pipeline."

Cook went on to say that there is indeed room for change in the ‌iPhone‌ lineup. "I think there's a lot of innovation left on the smartphone," said Cook.

Rumors suggest that Apple is designing a super thin version of the ‌iPhone‌ that will replace the "Plus" model in the series. The device is expected to be between 5mm and 6mm thick, which would make it the thinnest ‌iPhone‌ to date.

In a separate question, Cook was asked whether the super thin design of the 12.9-inch M4 iPad Pro was driving iPad revenue, but Cook said that wasn't the case. It's the iPad Air and the ‌iPad‌ that were responsible for the 15 percent revenue growth the ‌iPad‌ category saw during the holiday quarter.

That's not a surprise given the high price of the ‌iPad Pro‌. Rumors have been split on how much Apple's super thin ‌iPhone‌ will cost, but it is expected to be less expensive than the Pro models. Apple will focus on design, with the device set to use a lower powered chip than the Pro models and a single-lens camera.
This article, "Apple CEO Tim Cook: There's a 'Lot of Innovation' Left for Future iPhone Development" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple Now Has More Than 2.35 Billion Active Devices Worldwide

Par : Juli Clover
30 janvier 2025 à 23:07
There are more than 2.35 billion active iPhones, iPads, Macs, and other Apple devices worldwide, Apple CEO Tim Cook said today in the earnings call covering the first fiscal quarter of 2025.


2.35 billion active devices is a new record for Apple. Apple last shared its active install base numbers in February 2024, when the company had 2.2 billion active devices worldwide.

Apple did not provide numbers for individual devices, but Apple has long had more than a billion active iPhones worldwide.
This article, "Apple Now Has More Than 2.35 Billion Active Devices Worldwide" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple Reports Best Quarter Ever in 1Q 2025 Results: $36.3B Profit on $124.3B Revenue

30 janvier 2025 à 22:39
Apple today announced financial results for the first fiscal quarter of 2025, which corresponds to the fourth calendar quarter of 2024.


For the quarter, Apple posted revenue of $124.3 billion and net quarterly profit of $36.3 billion, or $2.40 per diluted share, compared to revenue of $119.6 billion and net quarterly profit of $33.9 billion, or $2.18 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter.

Apple set all-time records during the quarter for total revenue, earnings per share, and services revenue. Total revenue was up 4 percent year-over-year, while earnings per share rose by 10 percent. Services, Mac, and iPad revenue figures were all up significantly year-over-year, while iPhone and Wearables saw small declines.

Gross margin for the quarter was 46.9 percent, compared to 45.9 percent in the year-ago quarter. Apple also declared a quarterly dividend payment of $0.25 per share, payable on February 13 to shareholders of record as of February 10.
"Today Apple is reporting our best quarter ever, with revenue of $124.3 billion, up 4 percent from a year ago," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "We were thrilled to bring customers our best-ever lineup of products and services during the holiday season. Through the power of Apple silicon, we're unlocking new possibilities for our users with Apple Intelligence, which makes apps and experiences even better and more personal. And we're excited that Apple Intelligence will be available in even more languages this April."
As has been the case for over four years now, Apple is once again not issuing guidance for the current quarter ending in March.


Apple will provide live streaming of its fiscal Q1 2025 financial results conference call at 2:00 pm Pacific, and MacRumors will update this story with coverage of the conference call highlights.

Conference call recap ahead...

1:41 pm: "Our record revenue and strong operating margins drove EPS to a new all-time record with double-digit growth and allowed us to return over $30 billion to shareholders," said Kevan Parekh, Apple's CFO. "We are also pleased that our installed base of active devices has reached a new all-time high across all products and geographic segments."

1:46 pm: Apple saw strength in several product categories, with Services revenue rising 13.9% year-over-year to $26.3 billion, while Mac revenue was up 15.5% to $9.0 billion and ‌iPad‌ revenue was up 15.2% to $8.1 billion. Those gains more than offset dips of 0.8% in ‌iPhone‌ to $69.1 billion and 1.7% in Wearables, Home and Accessories to $11.7 billion.

1:47 pm: After declining around 0.75% in regular trading today ahead of the earnings release, Apple's share price has been bouncing around a bit following the release and is currently up around 0.25%.

1:56 pm: The hold music is live ahead of the quarterly earnings call with analysts at 5 p.m. EST / 2 p.m. PST. Expected on the call is Apple CEO Tim Cook and, for the first time, the company's new CFO, Kevan Parekh, who took over from Luca Maestri on Jan. 1, 2025.

2:00 pm: The call is beginning with the standard earnings call disclosures about forward looking statements from Suhasini Chandramouli, Apple's Director of Investor Relations.

2:02 pm: Tim is on, taking a moment to acknowledge the wildfires that impacted Los Angeles earlier this month. "LA is home to many of our team members... we are contributing to the relief efforts and we are continuing to support our teams and the local community."

2:03 pm: Apple made $124.3 billion, up 4% from last year and an all-time record. Earnings per share were $2.40, up 10% from last year, with all-time records across most countries and regions, including the Americas, Europe, Japan and the rest of Asia-Pacific. It also set records in Latin America, the Middle East and South Asia.

2:03 pm: Services set an all-time revenue record and the company has made almost $100 billion in revenue from services in the last year, and it has 2.35 billion active devices.

2:05 pm: He's talking up Apple Intelligence, noting the countries that it's expanded to during the quarter since its launch in October, and upcoming language support including French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese, Korean and simplified Chinese as well as localized English to Singapore and India.

2:06 pm: He also cites privacy, claiming that "Apple intelligence is a breakthrough for privacy and AI with innovations like private cloud compute, which extends the industry leading security and privacy of Apple devices into the cloud."

2:06 pm: Now we're moving to results, starting with ‌iPhone‌, at $69.1 billion, reaching ‌iPhone‌ revenue records in "dozens of markets and regions."

2:07 pm: Mac revenue was $9 billion, up 16% year over year, driven by "significant excitement around the world for our latest Mac lineup."

2:07 pm: "It's a launch pad to enable users to bring their best ideas and boldest creations to life."

2:08 pm: "Every product in the Mac lineup offers something extraordinary, whether that's the super portable MacBook Air, the powerhouse MacBook Pro, the world's best all in one iMac, or the small wonder that is the Mac Mini, which is not only stunningly capable, but as our first carbon neutral, Mac. All of this is enabled by the unparalleled power of Apple silicon."

2:08 pm: ‌iPad‌ revenue was $8.1 billion, up 15% from last year.

2:08 pm: Wearables, Home and Accessories revenue was $11.7 billion, thanks in part to the new Apple Watch Series 10.

2:09 pm: "Health Innovation has long been a focus for us, and we're committed to continuing to advance this work, because we know how much it matters to our users." He mentions new hearing health features on AirPods Pro and sleep apnea notifications.

2:10 pm: Apple Vision Pro came to more countries as well! "Users are enjoying incredible immersive entertainment experiences and powerful new features and enhancements to Mac virtual display."

2:10 pm: Services set an all-time revenue record of $26.3 billion, growing 14% from last year. All-time records in the Americas, Europe, Rest of Asia-Pacific, and a December-quarter record in Japan.

2:11 pm: "Five years since launch Apple TV plus continues to be home to incredible story telling that viewers love. There's nothing quite like the anticipation that comes when a fan favorite returns, and we were thrilled to debut the second season of Severance earlier this month."

Formula One starring Brad Pitt will debut on June 27.

2:11 pm: ‌Apple TV‌+ productions have earned more than 2,500 nominations and 538 wins.

2:11 pm: Users can also share AirTag locations with various airlines to help them reunite their bags.

2:12 pm: New retail stores also opened in China, Spain and the US. A fifth store will be coming to the UAE later this year, and the online store is coming to Saudi Arabia. Flagship stores will begin opening in Saudi Arabia in 2026.

2:13 pm: "Every day I get deeply moving notes about the many ways our technology is enriching our users lives. I recently got a note from a customer who put his watch on his father's wrist with when he feared something was wrong with him. The watch alerted them that the father was in afib, and they were able to get him to the hospital for potentially lifesaving treatment."

2:13 pm: "There are so many touching notes around the profound impact of our new hearing health feature. Like a recent user who told me it had changed her life, allowing her to take part in conversations with her children and grandchildren."

2:14 pm: Kevan Parekh is taking over the call for the first time.

2:15 pm: "We are very pleased to report an all-time high for revenue. With December quarter revenue of $124.3 billion, up 4% year over year, achieved all time revenue records in the Americas, Europe, Japan and rest of Asia Pacific and grew in the vast majority of markets we track. Products revenue was $98 billion, up 2% year over year, driven by growth from ‌iPad‌ and Mac. Thanks for our incredible customer satisfaction and strong loyalty, our install base of active devices, reached an all time high across all products and geographic segments, and is now over 2.35 billion active devices."

Products gross margin was 39.3%, up 300 basis points sequentially. Services margin was 75%, up 100 basis points thanks to mix. Gross margin was 46.9 overall, up 70bp.

2:16 pm: This strong business performance resulted in all time records for both net income at $36.3 billion and diluted earnings per share of $2.40, up 10% year over year.

2:17 pm: ‌iPhone‌ "grew in the majority of markets we track and reached all time revenue records in several developed markets, including Canada, Western Europe and Japan, and in emerging markets like Latin America, the Middle East and South Asia. The ‌iPhone‌ active install base grew to an all time high in total and in every geographic segment. It also set an all time record for upgraders. According to a recent survey from Kantar during the December quarter, ‌iPhone‌ was a top selling model in the US or in China as well as the UK, France, Australia and Japan. The company continues to see high levels of customer satisfaction in the US at 96% as measured by 451 Research."

2:18 pm: "Mac generated $9 billion in revenue, up 16% year over year. We saw strength across our lineup, from the new Mac Mini to the latest ‌MacBook Air‌ and ‌MacBook Pro‌ models. This incredible performance was broad based with double digit growth in every geographic segment. With our latest advances in Apple silicon and our fastest neural engine ever, customers are able to take advantage of the full capabilities of AI and Mac. The Mac install base reached an all time high, and we saw a double digit growth for both upgraders and customers new to the Mac. Additionally, customer satisfaction in the US was recently measured at 94%."

2:18 pm: "‌iPad‌ revenue was $8.1 billion, up 15% year over year, driven by the new ‌iPad‌ Mini and latest iPad Air, the ‌iPad‌ install base reached another all time high, and over half of the customers who purchased an ‌iPad‌ during the quarter were new to the product. Customer satisfaction was at 96% in the US. Based on the latest reports from 451 Research."

2:19 pm: "Wearables, home and accessories, revenue was $11.7 billion, down 2% year over year. Customers are excited about the new AirPods 4 and the latest hearing health features in ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 and Watch, although we face a difficult compare against Apple Watch Ultra2 launch last year, the Apple Watch install base reached a new all time high, with over half of customers purchasing an Apple watch during the quarter being new to the product. Customer satisfaction for Watch in the US was reported at 94%."

2:20 pm: "Services revenue reached an all time high of $26.3 billion, up 14% year over year. Services continues to see strong momentum, and the growth of our install base of active devices gives us great opportunities for the future. We also see increased customer engagement with our services offerings, both transacting and paid accounts, reached new all time highs with paid accounts growing double digits year over year, paid subscriptions also grew double digits. We have well over a billion paid subscriptions across the Services."

2:21 pm: Apple has $141 billion in cash and marketable securities after repaying $1 billion in maturing debt, and decreasing commercial paper by $8 billion. $97 billion in total debt, with net cash of $45 billion after returning more than $30 billion to shareholders through $3.9 billion in dividends and $23.3 billion in open market repurchases of 100 million Apple shares.

2:22 pm: FX headwinds expected to continue to be a challenge, an impact on revenue of 2.5% year over year. March quarter revenue is expected to grow low to mid single digits year over year. Services revenue expected to grow low single digits year over year, with a year over year growth rate comparable to the December quarter except for FX challenges. Gross margin between 46.5 and 47.5, with operating expenses between $15.1 and $15.3 billion. Expected tax rate around 16%.

2:22 pm: Dividend of $0.25 per share payable on February 13.

2:24 pm: Q: In your prepared remarks, you noted iPhone 16 models were selling better in markets where ‌Apple Intelligence‌ are available. Can you help us understand that how it's impacting ‌iPhone‌ demand and what features are users using most often already?

A: We did see that the markets where we had rolled out Apple intelligence that the year over year performance on the ‌iPhone 16‌ family was stronger than those where Apple intelligence was not available. In terms of the features that people are using. They're using all of the ones that I'd referenced in my opening comments, from writing tools to image playground and Genmoji to visual intelligence and and more.

We only had two and a half weeks or so during the December quarter of the second release of 18.2, and then only had the UK and the other English language countries for the two and a half weeks. And so we've got, you know, just the early indications at the moment.

2:27 pm: Q: On China, can you talk about headwinds that Apple faces, is it shifting preferecnes for Western technology in favor of domestic ventors or is it function of not having ‌Apple Intelligence‌ or replacement cycles?

A: If you look at Greater China revenue for the quarter, we were down 11% year over year. Over half of the decline we experienced was driven by a change in channel inventory from the beginning to the end of the quarter. On the ‌Apple Intelligence‌ side we have not rolled out in China, we saw better results we rolled out in than markets we had not. It's also the most competitive market in the world.

In terms of the macro situation, there was a fiscal stimulus or subsidy announced recently in January that did not affect the December quarter. There were some provincial subsidies in December, but the national program was announced in January. It does cover products in categories we have up to a maximum price point, we do see fiscal stimulus occuring and will be glad to talk about what that's looking like on the next call.

2:28 pm: Q: Asking about the DeekSeek situation and the potential for costs to come down as Apple is a big beneficiary of lower cost compute.

A: Innovation that drives efficiency is a good thing in general and that's what you see in that model. Our tight integration of silicon and software will continue to serve us very well. We do things on the device and the private cloud which mimics, from an architectural point of view, what happens on the device. From a CapEx point of view, we've always taken a very prudent and deliberate approach and we continue to leverage a hybrid model.

2:29 pm: Q: With regard to the ‌iPhone‌ trajectory, you don't talk about new products but do you feel like there's a lot of room for form factor innovation in the future or is the current lineup showing where you're going? I'm wondering if you think, in terms of phone innovation, is there a lot more to come? Do you see the current market changing over the next few years?

A: I think there's a lot more to come and I could not feel more optimistic about our current product pipeline. There's a lot of innovation left on the smartphone.

2:31 pm: Q: Was encouraging to hear about the record for ‌iPhone‌ upgraders. What do you attribute this to? Was ‌Apple Intelligence‌ playing a role in the markets you've launched in?

A: We've never seen a higher level of upgraders before. The install base hit a new all-time high as well and if you look at the 16 compared to the 15, from launch which occurred in September, so across two quarters, the 16 outperformed the 15. I think you can conclude from that there are compelling reasons to upgrade and in the markets where we've launched ‌Apple Intelligence‌, they outperformed markets where we did not. Lots of good color there.

2:32 pm: Q: On the iPad Pro M4, can you talk about that thin form factor for the ‌iPad Pro‌? How did it help ‌iPad‌ sales overall and what did your marketing and consumer research tell you about how consumers valued that thin product form factor?

A: It's a good question. ‌iPad‌ overall grew 15% for the quarter and it was more driven by ‌iPad Air‌ and the entry-level ‌iPad‌ than the top-level ‌iPad‌. Overall, we could not be more pleased with the ‌iPad‌ category growing 15%, it's a great achievement for the quarter and probably what is most important is that more than half of the sales in the December quarter went to customers who were new to the ‌iPad‌. There's still a good amount of customers to attract there.

2:34 pm: Q: Seeing robust growth trends in emerging markets right now, do you think some of these emerging markets are starting to get big enough or growing fast enough to offset some of the China headwinds you're going through?

A: We have great results in a number of emerging markets, I'm particularly keen on India and we're opening more stores there after setting a December quarter record. The ‌iPhone‌ was the top-selling model in India for the quarter and it's the second-largest smartphone market in the world and third-largest for PCs and tablets. It's a huge market and we have very modest share in these markets and I think there's lots of upside there and that's just one of the emerging markets.

Emerging markets we're also seeing double digit growth on the install base in total and for the ‌iPhone‌.

2:35 pm: Q: On gross margins for March, you're guiding flat. Usually you go up, is it all FX?

A: We're guiding to 46.5-47.5, we're pleased with that level. There's always puts and takes, there will be FX headwinds that will affect revenue and margin, but it's offset by favorable costs and mix of services. Also, moving from Q1 to Q2, we do have a loss of leverage. We feel good about the range and it's a strong guide for gross margin.

2:37 pm: Q: You mentioned channel inventory in China. Do you feel like they're elevated or out of range in any other regions? Is this a normal progression into the March quarter?

A: On a worldwide basis we're very comfortable with channel inventory position, in China, our channel inventory reduced from the beginning to the end of the quarter, and that was more than half of the reduction in reported results. Part of the reason is that our sales were a bit higher than we forecasted them to be towards the end of the quarter, so we ended a little leaner than we expected to.

2:38 pm: Q: Servies growth has been strong but you've been navigating some pretty challenging regulatory burdens. Do you think there's a top line or margin headwind that your'e currently absorbing that could potentially reverse in a more balanced regulatory environment?

A: We set an all-time record for Services, up 14%, and we have a broad services portfolio and we have great momentum across the board. We have a billion paid subscriptions across the Services platform.

2:40 pm: Q: You had a great quarter on Macs and iPads both. And I'm just curious in terms of if you can help us think about the sustainability of this double digit growth that you saw in both the product lines?

A: Mac was up 16% and ‌iPad‌ up 15%, strong uptake on new products during the quarter. Launched M4-based ‌MacBook Pro‌, ‌iMac‌ and Mac Mini during the quarter. Apple Silicon is designed for these workloads, but I don't want to project at the category level for the future, but we're incredibly pleased with both the Mac and the ‌iPad‌ for the quarter.

2:41 pm: Q: Re India being a strong and emerging market, to ask about supply chain planning there, how much is a growth expectation to that market vs diversification of the supply chain in that country?

A: If you look at the manufacturing we do there, we do manufacturing both for the domestic market and we export, so our business needs certain economies of scale to have it make sense to manufacture in country so it means we're going to need both a use for domestic market and export market.

2:45 pm: Q: How do we square ‌iPhone‌ momentum with the gross margin profile and ‌Apple Intelligence‌ as a momentum driver for ‌iPhone‌? Where do you think Services margin could go from here being at 75%?

A: Markets where we rolled out ‌Apple Intelligence‌ performed better on a year-over-year basis than markets where we hadn't. That gives us a positive indicator that we were pleased with. The other thing I would say, if you look at it from a launch to the end of the Dec. quarter, that goes back to Sept., the 16 family is outperforming the 15 family. I think those are two good data points. Our next round of language rollouts will be in April, and so it will be in our Q3 quarter.

Re gross margin, Services margin is accretive to overall company margins, but we have a large services portfolio and they have wide gross margins. Payment services and iCloud are growing and when we add incremental users they are accretive to margins. What we expect on a company level is 46.5 to 47.5 and we think that's a strong guide.

2:46 pm: Q: How much of the Mac growth is normal replacement cycle versus ‌Apple Silicon‌ innovation?

A: I think it's a combination of these products being so compelling that it's driving both upgrades at the double-digit level and driving switchers at a double-digit level. We're seeing both come out and I think it's just because of compelling products.

2:48 pm: Q: On product gross margin, how much room do you have to improve or with AI related devices is there more room to grow or not?

A: We had pretty strong sequential improvement, 300 basis points driven by favorable mix and leverage in Q1, it's a launch quarter for many products and we get leverage from higher volume. Our gross margin for products is driven by many factors, many products have different marging profiles and mix makes a difference. Many of our mix across phone, we see people gravitating towards our Pro products. Customers get into our best products and they have favorable gross margin. That trend impacted us and we're in a favorable commodity environment from a cost standpoint and benefited in the December quarter.

We'll have a FX headwind heading into the March quarter and that's included in the guidance we gave.

2:50 pm: Q: What might accelerate the pace of ‌Apple Intelligence‌ adoption and is this time to launch more markets and languages or installed base, or is it about shifting marketing spend or R&D towards AI? Will there be a tipping point where adoption goes mainstream?

A: I think it will go mainstream. I'm getting feedback from people using different features today and this is, keep in mind that on the ‌iPhone‌ side of our business, you either have to have an iPhone 15 Pro or any ‌iPhone 16‌ to use ‌Apple Intelligence‌. As that base grows, usage will continue to grow. Once you start using the features, you can't imagin not using them anymore. I get 100s of emails a day and the summarization function is so important.

I think it's a combination of that and in April we roll out a whole series of new languages that you had mentioned and the base grows further.

2:51 pm: Q: Kevan, one of Luca's legacies was getting Apple to record margin levels and maintaining consistent pricing across the product range. What observations can you share about price sensitivity of users and if having a wider range of pricing might unlock potentially further market share or boost overall product growth?

A: I don't think we're gonna really depart from what served us pretty well until now. We always take into consideration looking at comparisons between short term and long term, I think we've had a pretty disciplined pricing strategy which was served us pretty well. And I think we're going to kind of stick with that.

2:51 pm: Q: How do you you see any potential tariff impact under Trump 2.0 after you did fine under Trump 1.0?

A: We are monitoring the situation and don't have any more than that.

2:52 pm: Q: There's a lot of discussion on agentic AI, the use of agents. Upgraded Siri is coming in April, what do you think of that?

A: I think the killer feature is different for different people and I think for most, they'll find they're going to use many of the features every day. One of those is ‌Siri‌ and that will be coming over the next several months.

2:53 pm: Q: Thinking about the average useful life of these devices in the wild, the strong results you saw in 2021, how might that support opportunity in the future?

A: It depends on different types of users. Some early adopters are quick to jump on the latest technology and upgrade very frequently and then you have people on the opposite side of that barbell. Most people are between those two points. I do think there were lots of units sold during the Covid period of time and it's a huge opportunity for us as a company for more than one of the product categories.

2:55 pm: The last analyst just asked one question, and the call ends some five minutes earlier than usual. And the call is wrapped.
This article, "Apple Reports Best Quarter Ever in 1Q 2025 Results: $36.3B Profit on $124.3B Revenue" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple Might Start Buying Ads on X Again

Par : Juli Clover
30 janvier 2025 à 21:40
Apple held discussions with X (formerly Twitter) about once again showing ads on the social media site, reports The Wall Street Journal. The talks are said to have taken place "in recent weeks."


In an attempt to maintain a relationship with X, Apple was one of the companies that did not pause ad buying when Elon Musk took over the company, but Apple did stop its ad buying in 2023 after Musk made antisemitic comments and there was evidence that Apple ads were being shown alongside pro-Hitler content.

Given that Musk just recently made a hand gesture that was widely interpreted as a Nazi salute at Donald Trump's inauguration, Apple's decision to resume purchasing ads on X could be perceived as ill-advised.

Musk is, however, a close Trump advisor and deeply involved with the Trump administration, so he could influence Trump's decisions concerning tech companies like Apple. Apple CEO Tim Cook donated $1 million to Trump's inauguration and also attended the event, and other tech CEOs and companies have been plying the administration with funds. Apple did not donate.

The Wall Street Journal says that several major companies are reevaluating their stance on advertising on X. Amazon plans to up its ad spending as well, and the boost in advertising could help X with some of its debt. In January, Musk said that user growth was stagnant, revenue was "unimpressive," and that the company was "barely breaking even."
This article, "Apple Might Start Buying Ads on X Again" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Eight Useful Mac Apps Worth Checking Out

Par : Juli Clover
30 janvier 2025 à 21:14
Mac apps can often go under the radar, with apps for the iPhone and iPad receiving more attention. For that reason, we have a Mac-focused video series that highlights useful Mac apps we've come across. Our first picks of the year are largely simple, one-task apps that add utility to your Mac.



  • Ice Menu Bar Manager (Free) - Ice is a menu bar management tool that's an alternative to Bartender. Last year, Bartender was quietly acquired by a less than trustworthy company, and many no longer want to use it. Ice has a rich feature set. You can rearrange menu bar apps, change the look of the menu bar with colors, hide cruft, and more.

  • DropOver ($5.99)- DropOver is a simple macOS app that enhances the Mac's Drag and Drop functionality. You can grab multiple files and move them around without opening side-by-side windows. You activate DropOver with a shake of the cursor, add items to a "shelf" and then you can move to your destination folder and unload them.

  • Latest (Free) - Latest is a super simple app that checks to ensure that your apps are up to date. It supports apps that use the Mac App Store and those that use Sparkle for updates, which is a good deal of the Mac apps out there.

  • NotchNook ($25) - NotchNook turns your Mac's notch into a little Mac version of a Dynamic Island. You can click into it and get shortcuts like a media player, the Calendar, quick notes, and more, plus it has drag and drop functionality that makes it easy to move files and send them using AirDrop. It's $25, or $3 per month.

  • Shortwave (Free, but unlocking more features costs $7/month) - Shortwave is yet another email app, but it uses AI in a helpful way. It organizes your inbox to surface what's most important, it can create to-dos for you, add labels, archive unimportant email threads, search for content, alert you to emails that still need a response, and more. You can also use AI to summarize emails and get writing help, with the AI able to respond in your own voice based on past email correspondence. This is not a bare bones email app, so note that it can take some time to get used to. This is a subscription app and it starts at $7 per month, paid annually.

  • Local Send (Free) - If you need to share content between an iOS device or Mac and an Android device or a Windows PC, you can do so with Local Send. This is great if you're not entirely in the Apple ecosystem, because AirDrop doesn't work on non-Apple devices.

  • Hyperduck ($4) - With Hyperduck, you can share links between your Macs, iPhones, and iPads with more control than AirDrop. You can, for example, save a webpage on your ‌iPhone‌ and have it open up later on your Mac, even if your Mac isn't turned on when you first save the website.

  • Rocket (Free) - Rocket is another simple, one-function app that lets you add emojis in any app. Press on the colon key and then start typing in the emoji that you want. It's free to use, but a pro version adds options for adding GIFs and images.


Know of a great Mac app that we haven't highlighted yet? Let us know in the comments below and we might feature it in a future video. For more of our Mac app picks, check out our Mac apps archive.
This article, "Eight Useful Mac Apps Worth Checking Out" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Google's New 'Ask for Me' Search Feature Uses AI to Make Calls

Par : Juli Clover
30 janvier 2025 à 20:46
Google today started rolling out a new experimental "Ask for Me" feature that's available as part of Search Labs. Google Search users can take advantage of AI to make calls to businesses for information like pricing and availability.


As of now, Google is testing the experimental feature with auto shops and nail salons, and it is designed to prevent users from having to place calls themselves. Businesses can opt out of the AI-based calls, and the feature does disclose that AI is being used at the beginning of a call.

To use Ask for Me, Google Search users can opt-in to Search Labs and then search for a phrase like "oil change near me" or "manicure near me" to test it out. There are capacity limits in place, so there could be a waitlist before a call can be placed.

We’re testing right now with auto shops and nail salons, to see how AI can help you connect with businesses and get things done. pic.twitter.com/inf5hhj1BS

— Rose Yao (@dozenrose) January 30, 2025

Google says that the feature uses some of the underlying technology used for making restaurant reservations through the Google Search and Google Maps apps.
Tag: Google

This article, "Google's New 'Ask for Me' Search Feature Uses AI to Make Calls" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple's Back to School Sale Launches in Japan With Apple Gift Cards

Par : Eric Slivka
30 janvier 2025 à 19:04
Apple's annual "Back to School" promotion has launched in Japan today after returning earlier this month in Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, and South Korea.


While the other countries that saw the promotion launch this month offered either free AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation with the purchase of any new MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, or iMac, or a free Apple Pencil Pro or Apple Pencil (USB-C) with the purchase of any new iPad Pro or iPad Air, the Japanese promotion is offering Apple Gift Cards with the purchase of select Mac and iPad models.

  • MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, or iMac: 22,000 yen Apple Gift Card

  • iPad Pro or iPad Air: 15,000 yen Apple Gift Card


This year's promotion in Japan runs from January 30 through April 9 and is available to qualified education customers who certify their eligibility through UNiDAYS at the time of order. Current and admitted students to universities, colleges, and vocational schools, as well as faculty, staff, and PTA officers at junior high, high, university, and vocational schools, are eligible.
This article, "Apple's Back to School Sale Launches in Japan With Apple Gift Cards" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple Highlights Hearing Health Issues Leading Up to Super Bowl LIX

Par : Eric Slivka
30 janvier 2025 à 17:04
Apple and the University of Michigan have released new results from the Apple Hearing Study highlighting the increase in noise levels seen around recent Super Bowl games. The results come just ahead of Super Bowl LIX taking place in New Orleans on Sunday, February 9.


Based on data collected from over 115,000 users via the Noise app on Apple Watch in the Apple Hearing Study, researchers found that study partipicants were exposed to noise levels about 1.5 to 3 decibels higher over the past four Super Bowl games compared to the following Sundays.

While the study's authors note that a 3 dB increase may be "barely noticeable," given the logarithmic nature of the decibel scale it equates to up to a doubling of sound energy that can be detrimental to hearing health.


Noise levels were significantly higher for users in states where the Super Bowl was played and whose teams participated in the game each year, compared to those in other states, likely representing a higher number of users in those states gathering for the game, potentially in larger groups and louder environments.

Alongside the results, Apple has highlighted some of the hearing health features offered through the company's devices, including the Noise app on Apple Watch that can alert you to high environmental sound levels and the Hearing Protection feature of AirPods Pro 2 that can reduce your sound exposure in loud environments.
This article, "Apple Highlights Hearing Health Issues Leading Up to Super Bowl LIX" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Samsung Introduces Major Discounts on TVs, Monitors, and More Ahead of Super Bowl LIX

30 janvier 2025 à 16:19
Samsung this week introduced a new sitewide sale with big discounts on TVs, monitors, storage accessories, and home appliances. You can also still save up to $1,250 when pre-ordering the new Samsung Galaxy S25 smartphone lineup, which includes the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25+, and Galaxy S25 Ultra.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Samsung. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

In terms of TVs, the highlight of this sale is up to $1,300 off The Frame TVs, with the popular 65-inch model available for $1,299.99, down from $1,999.99. Another steep TV discount is on Samsung's 85-inch Neo QLED 4K TV for $1,749.99, down from $3,999.99.

TVs



Monitors and Storage



Refrigerators



Galaxy Products




Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.



Deals Newsletter


Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2025? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!




Related Roundup: Apple Deals

This article, "Samsung Introduces Major Discounts on TVs, Monitors, and More Ahead of Super Bowl LIX" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple Continues to Be the World's Most Admired Company

30 janvier 2025 à 15:05
Apple has been ranked as Fortune's Most Admired Company for the 18th consecutive year.


The Fortune rankings are based on a survey of 3,380 business leaders across a range of industries, who assess companies on nine criteria, including innovation, investment value, social responsibility, and the ability to attract talent. Apple once again secured the top spot, followed by Microsoft and Amazon, both of which have consistently ranked among the top three in recent years.

The 2025 rankings highlight the continued dominance of the technology sector, most notably with Nvidia making a significant rise to fourth place for the first time, driven by its growing influence in artificial intelligence and GPU development. The company has benefited considerably from the explosive growth of AI, with its chips serving as the backbone for generative AI models developed by OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft.

While technology companies continue to dominate the upper ranks, other industries remain well represented, with Berkshire Hathaway, Costco, and JPMorgan Chase rounding out the top seven. Meanwhile, ServiceNow, Taiwan Semiconductor, and Novo Nordisk made their debuts in the top 50. Another notable trend in this year's Fortune rankings is the increasing consolidation of American corporations at the top, with all ten of the most admired companies based in the U.S. for the second year in a row.
Tag: Fortune

This article, "Apple Continues to Be the World's Most Admired Company" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

50 iPhone Features Apple Added to iOS 18 Since September

Par : Tim Hardwick
30 janvier 2025 à 11:41
Since iOS 18 was released in September 2024, Apple has introduced an unprecedented number of new features and improvements across several point updates. With iOS 18.1, 18.2, and 18.3, users have seen a host of tweaks and changes designed to enhance everything from the Mail app to Camera Control on the iPhone 16.


Below, we've listed 50 of the features and changes that have been rolled out through these recent updates. Keep reading to see if you picked up on them all. You can make sure your iPhone is running the latest iOS 18.3 update by going to Settings ➝ General ➝ Software Update.

Reset Your Control Center


control center
With iOS 18, Apple made the Control Center thoroughly customizable, but there's no way to roll back your changes if things get messy. Fortunately, iOS 18.1 introduced a simple way to start fresh. In Settings ➝ Control Center, you'll find an option to reset your Control Center to its default layout. This feature is perfect if you've made too many customizations and want to return to a clean slate without manually rearranging everything.

Share AirTag Location With Trusted Friend or Airline



In iOS 18.2 and later, Find My has a new option to Share Item Location with an "airline or trusted person" that can help you locate something that you've misplaced. Choosing the Share Item Location option creates a link that lets someone view the location of a lost item when they open the link.

The link can be opened on a non-Apple device, so an iPhone or Mac is not required to provide someone with your item's location. Links expire after a week or when you're reunited with your lost item. More than 15 airlines offer the feature, which is integrated into each airline's customer service process for locating mishandled or delayed baggage, according to Apple. In addition to items equipped with an AirTag, the feature also works with third-party accessories and item trackers that support the Find My network.

Get Details About Places



On iPhone 16 models, Visual Intelligence became available as of iOS 18.2. If you're out somewhere and want to get more information about a restaurant or a retail store, click and hold Camera Control, and then click Camera Control again to take a photo or tap the name of the location at the top of the display. From there, you can see the hours when the business is open, place an oder for delivery at relevant locations, view the menu, view offered services, make a reservation, call the business, or visit the location's website.

More Control Center Buttons



Apple in iOS 18.1 introduced new individual toggles for Satellite and AirDrop in the Control Center, allowing users to add them as separate buttons to their Control Center configurations for the first time. Previously, both features were only available through the combined Connectivity control.

Require Screen On for Camera Control



On iPhone 16 models, under "Display & Brightness" in the Settings app, iOS 18.2 added a Camera Control toggle called Require Screen On. When enabled, this setting requires that your iPhone screen is illuminated before a press of the Camera Control button will open the Camera app or a compatible third-party camera app. It's a handy option if you find yourself pressing the button accidentally.

Add an Event to Calendar From a Poster or Flyer



For iPhone 16 models, iOS 18.3 added Visual Intelligence support for adding events to the Calendar app. After installing the software on an iPhone 16, long press the Camera Control button to activate ‌Visual Intelligence‌ when viewing a poster or a flyer, and you will be given the option to add an event to the Calendar app.

Take Selfies With Camera Control



Camera Control got a selfie upgrade in iOS 18.1. Now you can switch to the front-facing camera without touching your screen. Simply open the Camera app with a press of the Camera Control button, then swipe on the button to cycle through lens options. Look for the person icon at the top to activate the selfie camera, making it easier to capture that perfect self-portrait.

Lock Auto Exposure and Auto Focus



In iOS 18.2 and later, you can now lock the camera's auto focus and auto exposure settings by applying light pressure on the Camera Control button on iPhone 16 models. The lock remains active until you release your finger from the button. Enabling the feature involves navigating to Settings ➝ Camera ➝ Camera Control and toggling on the AE/AF Lock option.

Share ‌Apple Music‌ Songs on TikTok



In iOS 18.1 and later, Apple Music has an option to share ‌Apple Music‌ songs directly on TikTok. To do so, tap on Share Song and then choose TikTok from the list of apps.

Easily Identify Plants and Animals



For iPhone 16 models, Apple's iOS 18.3 update added a feature for easily identifying plants and animals with ‌Visual Intelligence‌. You may be familiar with a similar feature in the Photos app that provides insight into plants, animals, and insects when viewing additional image information. Well, with iOS 18.3 installed, you'll be able to reveal these details with Camera Control's Visual Intelligence option, but in real time.

View Video Fullscreen in Photos


photos
When iOS 18 was released in September, it brought a major redesign to the Photos app on the iPhone, but some of the updates received mixed feedback. After announcing iOS 18, Apple made adjustments to the app in its first two point updates. If you use it now, you'll see the video player has been updated to occupy more screen space, removing the thick borders seen in earlier iOS 18 versions. Now, videos display in full screen without needing a tap to expand them.

Sleep Apnea Detection



iOS 18.1 added support for sleep apnea detection and breathing disturbances readings on Apple Watch Series 10 and Apple Watch Ultra 2. You can enable sleep apnea alerts in the Health app by searching for Breathing Disturbances. Notifications won't be sent until the Apple Watch has gathered at least 10 days of data, with analysis occurring every 30 days. Note that data collection for sleep apnea and breathing disturbances only begins after the update is installed and alerts are activated.

iPhone Mirroring With Hotspot



With iOS 18.2, Apple changed the way iPhone Mirroring works so that you can use it even while your iPhone's hotspot connection is shared with your Mac. Previously, connecting your Mac through Personal Hotspot prevented the use of iPhone Mirroring.

Search Google for On-Camera Items



With Visual Intelligence introduced for iPhone 16 models in iOS 18.2, you can take a picture of any item that you see and tap on the "Search" option to use Google Image Search to find it on the web. Turns out it can be pretty useful for locating items that you might want to buy.

Proofread Your Text


notes
Embarrassing typos could be a thing of the past. Introduced in iOS 18.1, Apple's new Writing Tools feature includes a powerful proofreading function. It not only checks for spelling and grammar errors but also suggests improvements in word choice and sentence structure. You can accept all suggestions with a single tap or review them one by one, complete with explanations.

Track Safari Download Progress



iOS 18.2 introduced the ability to track your Safari downloads outside of the app, making the process of keeping tabs on a download more effortless and immediate. You can keep an eye on download progress right from your iPhone's Lock Screen. On iPhone 14 Pro models and newer, it also appears in the Dynamic Island.

Rewrite Your Text


notes
Need to change the tone of your message? The new Rewrite tool is capable of doing just that. Whether you want your text to sound more friendly, professional, or concise, this iOS 18.1 feature can adjust your writing style without altering the core content. It's like having a personal editor at your fingertips, helping you communicate more effectively in any situation.

Safari Website Data Options



With iOS 18.2, Apple added a new section to the Settings app for managing website data and history, with options for Clear History and Website Data. The Website Data section includes options for exporting data from Safari and importing data from another app into Safari. In iOS 18.2, Apple also added new background images for customizing the Safari start page.

Adjust Media Volume on Lock Screen



Prior to 2022, the volume slider was a familiar presence on the Lock Screen whenever media was playing. When Apple released iOS 16, however, it removed the control without explaining the reason, much to the dismay of many users.

Thankfully, Apple brought the control back as an option in iOS 18.2. You'll find a toggle in Settings ➝ Accessibility ➝ Audio & Visual, labeled "Always Show Volume Control". Enable the switch, and you'll be able to adjust volume from the Lock Screen without having to unlock your ‌iPhone‌ or use the physical volume buttons.

Summarize Long Emails


mail
If you frequently suffer from inbox overload, this should feature introduced in iOS 18.1 should be a welcome one. When you receive a lengthy email, you'll see a "Summarize" button that lets Apple Intelligence create a concise overview. Choose from options like a brief paragraph, key points, or even a bulleted list. This tool makes it easier to quickly grasp the essence of important messages without reading every word. Plus, your inbox displays a brief AI-generated summary instead of the first few lines of each email, helping you prioritize your responses more efficiently.

Reboot Security Feature Extended



With iOS 18, Apple introduced a feature that caused the iPhone to reboot every three days. "Inactivity Reboot" is designed to automatically reboot an iPhone if it remains locked and unused for a specified period, which makes it more difficult to break into with the forensic tools used by law enforcement and others, such as bad actors. A 7-day inactivity reboot functionality was initially introduced in ‌iOS 18‌, but the timer was shortened to three days with the launch of iOS 18.1.

Summarize and Read Text Aloud on Camera



With the addition of Visual Intelligence on iPhone 16 models, iOS 18.2 made it possible to take a photo of text and choose a "Summarize" option to get a summary of what's written. Whenever you take a Camera Control image of text, there's also an option to hear it read aloud. To use this, just tap the "Read Aloud" button at the bottom of the display, and Siri will read it out loud in your selected ‌Siri‌ voice.

Play Daily Sudoku Puzzles



With iOS 18.2, Apple News+ subscribers in the U.S. gained access to daily sudoku puzzles, offering easy, moderate, and challenging difficulty levels. A scoreboard keeps track of your sudoku statistics, including the total number of puzzles solved and your fastest completion times for each difficulty level. This addition is the fourth puzzle game available with an Apple News+ subscription, joining Crossword, Crossword Mini, and Quartiles.

Answer Apple Product Questions


siri
Your iPhone became a knowledgeable Apple expert from the moment you installed iOS 18.1. Siri can tap into a vast database of product information, helping you understand device features, locate settings, and even provide tutorials on how to complete tasks. It's like having Apple Support built right into your device, available whenever you need it.

Easily Manage Default Apps



iOS 18.2 added a new "Default Apps" section that can be found in the Settings app, which can be used to manage your default apps for the iPhone. This is a feature that Apple promised would be coming to the European Union, but later decided to make it available worldwide.

US users can access the Default App interface to choose their preferred Email, Call Filtering, Browser, and Passwords, and Keyboards. EU users should have more options for choosing non-Apple apps as their default, as they are able to delete core apps like Messages, App Store, Safari, Camera, and Photos.

Offer Smart Replies to Emails and Messages



Communication got a boost with Smart Reply, introduced in iOS 18.1. When you receive an email or message, your iPhone will analyze the content and suggest contextually relevant responses. These quick-tap options make it easy to reply promptly and appropriately, saving you time and effort in your daily correspondence.

Adjust Camera Control Double-Click Speed


settings
From iOS 18.2, a new option in Settings ➝ Accessibility ➝ Camera Control allows you to adjust the double-click speed for the Camera Control button. The available options are Default, Slow, and Slower. The settings are added alongside existing options to adjust the speed of the double light press and the force of the light press.

Summarize Multiple Message Notifications


messages
In iOS 18.1, Apple debuted notification summaries. The feature summarizes multiple message notifications on your Lock Screen, giving you a quick overview without the need to open the app. The feature aims to help you stay on top of conversations without getting overwhelmed by notification overload. After controversy over misleading summarized news headlines, Apple in iOS 18.3 rolled back the feature's support for apps in the News and Entertainment category. Apple also tweaked notification summaries so that they appear in italicized text, with the aim of making them easier to differentiate visually compared to regular notifications.

Categorize Emails in Mail



In iOS 18.2, Apple introduced an updated version of the Mail app for built-in categorization. Mail Categories effectively organize your incoming emails into distinct sections for easier navigation.

Important emails are grouped in a "Primary" category, while other types are categorized into three additional sections. The "Transactions" section streamlines access to receipts, orders, and shipping information, allowing you to quickly locate your purchases. Meanwhile, the "Updates" section gathers newsletters, appointment reminders, and various subscription emails, keeping you informed. Lastly, the "Promotions" category highlights special offers and promotional messages, to make sure you don’t miss out on any deals.

Manage Notification Summaries More Easily



Apple Intelligence‌‌ notification summaries are designed to group multiple notifications from the same app together, providing a one-sentence overview of the content. In iOS 18.3, Apple made it easier to manage individual app settings for notification summaries directly from your iPhone's Lock Screen. A quick swipe leftwards across a summarized notification reveals a new option to turn off summaries for the related app. You can reinstate summaries for the app in question anytime by toggling the associated switch in Settings ➝ Notifications ➝ Summarize Notifications.

Create Memory Movies From a Short Description



Relive your favorite moments with ease using the new Memory Movie feature that Apple debuted in iOS 18.1. Simply provide a description like "My cat in 2024" or "Orlando in the summer," and your iPhone will automatically select relevant photos and choose appropriate music. You can further customize the mood and add specific scenes, turning your memories into beautiful short films with minimal effort.

Generate Images Using Prompts



Image Playground was introduced with iOS 18.2 and is a totally new app designed to help you create images based on your ideas. Similar to ChatGPT, you can generate images by providing a prompt, and Apple offers suggested categories like themes, locations, and costumes to inspire your creativity. The app specializes in stylized content, meaning the generated images won't be realistic, but can choose from Animation and Illustration styles.

Additionally, you can include likenesses of friends and family by pulling images directly from your Photos app. While Image Playground functions as a standalone app, it can also be integrated into apps like Notes and Messages and added to third-party applications.

Remove Unwanted Objects From Photos



In iOS 18.1 and later, you can perfect your photos with Apple's Clean Up tool. This feature allows you to easily remove unwanted objects from your images. Whether it's a photobomber or a distracting element in the background, you can now tap, circle, or brush over the object to make it disappear. The tool is smart enough to preserve important elements, ensuring your main subjects remain intact.

Get an iPhone Charge Time Estimate



In iOS 18.2 and later, you can get notified about how long it will take your iPhone to reach a specific charge level. This builds upon iOS 18's existing battery health capabilities, which include options to limit maximum charging to 80%, 85%, 90%, or 95% to help preserve long-term battery health. iOS 18 also alerts users when their iPhone is being charged with a slower-than-optimal charger.

Summarize Your Audio Transcripts


notes
Turn long recordings into digestible content with the transcription feature added in iOS 18.1. When you record audio in apps like Notes, your iPhone can provide a transcript along with a summary. This is particularly useful for capturing and distilling information from lectures, meetings, or interviews, making it easier to review and share key points.

Create Custom Emoji Characters



Genmoji are akin to traditional emojis but offer enhanced functionality. With the feature enabled in iOS 18.2, you can create virtually any emoji you desire, freeing you from the limitations of the standard emoji set.

While they function like emojis on Apple devices, they are not encoded characters from the Unicode Consortium. Instead, Apple developed a unique API for Genmoji, ensuring they display correctly in any application that supports rich text. You can generate a Genmoji by providing a description of your desired design, and you even have the option to create Genmoji that resemble individuals from your Photos library.

Reduce Your Interruptions


notifications
Take control of your notifications with the new Reduce Interruptions Focus Mode. This intelligent feature, added in iOS 18.1, filters your alerts and shows you only the most important notifications that require immediate attention. It should come in handy for when you need to concentrate but don't want to miss crucial information.

Query ChatGPT via Siri



Apple has collaborated with OpenAI to incorporate ChatGPT into the iPhone. Introduced in iOS 18.2, the partnership allows Siri to handle complex requests by referring them to ChatGPT, such as generating images or creating text from scratch. With the Writing Tools feature, ChatGPT can produce and illustrate original content, expanding its capabilities beyond what Siri can currently offer.

For instance, you can open a lengthy PDF and ask Siri to summarize information on a specific topic; Siri can then pass this request to ChatGPT to generate a comprehensive summary. Apple envisions Siri as a facilitator for AI models and tools, optimizing available resources to provide you with answers without the need to switch between multiple apps.

Record Your Phone Calls



iOS 18.1 introduced Phone call recording. During a call, you'll see a record button in the upper left corner of the display. Tap it, and after notifying all participants, the call will be recorded. These recordings are stored in the Notes app, where you can access transcripts and AI-generated summaries, making it easy to review important conversations.

View ChatGPT Limits



As part of Apple's collab with OpenAI, iPhone users running iOS 18.2 and later can access ChatGPT for free but are limited to a small number of requests using the latest ChatGPT-4 turbo engine and a limited number of DALL-E 3 image generations. To that extent, the Apple Intelligence & Siri section in Settings displays ChatGPT limits for free users, but it also provides an option to upgrade to the paid ChatGPT Plus plan. Once these limits are reached, access reverts to a more basic version of ChatGPT, which is less costly for OpenAI to maintain. Full access requires a ChatGPT Plus subscription, priced at $19.99 per month.

Summarize Web Articles



Getting the gist of a long article is easier with this iOS 18.1 Safari improvement. When using Reader Mode, you can tap a button to have Apple Intelligence summarize the article for you. This feature quickly distills the main points, allowing you to grasp the essence of the content without reading every word.

Generate Apple Intelligence Reports



If you're curious about how Apple Intelligence is working on your device, iOS 18.1 added transparency through the Apple Intelligence Report. Found in the Privacy & Security section of the Settings app, this feature allows you to export your Apple Intelligence data. It requires Face ID authentication, ensuring your privacy is protected while providing insight into how AI is enhancing your iPhone experience.

More Options in Writing Tools


notes
With successive point updates, Apple upgraded the Writing Tools feature to include options for more open-ended modifications. In iOS 18.1, Writing Tools can only adjust the tone to friendly, professional, or a simplified version. However, in iOS 18.2, users can specify the desired tone or content changes, such as incorporating more action words or transforming an email into a poem.

Search Apple Music and Apple TV in Natural Language



Apple in iOS 18.2 introduced a natural language search feature for Apple Music and Apple TV, making it easier to find what you're looking for. In the Apple TV app, you can use casual phrases to search for movies and shows. For example, you can type "family-friendly movies," "thrillers set in space," "movies starring Ryan Gosling," or "feel-good comedies" to get tailored results.

The Apple Music app offers similar functionality, letting you search for songs and playlists by mood, genre, or activity. Try searches like "upbeat workout songs," "romantic ballads," "90s pop hits," or "songs to dance to" to quickly discover music that fits your vibe.

Test Your Hearing With AirPods Pro



iOS 18.2 and later brought the AirPods Pro 2 hearing test feature to several more countries, including Cyprus, Czechia, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Romania, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. This feature initially launched in the U.S. and just a few other countries with iOS 18.1.

The hearing test takes about five minutes and helps adults determine if they might have hearing loss by assessing their ability to hear various sound frequencies. Once the test is complete, users receive a classification of their hearing and suggestions for next steps. For more details, Apple provides a support document explaining the feature in depth.

Send Screen Content to ChatGPT


notes
In iOS 18.2 and later, you can ask ChatGPT a question about something on your screen, and Siri will offer to send a screenshot of it to ChatGPT or the full content as a file if it's a long document. You can use the Copy button at the top-right of the scrollable response window to copy the output to your clipboard. Alternatively, you can save useful responses by invoking Siri and saying "Save this to my notes," which gives you a searchable archive of your conversations in Notes that persists after they end. This is especially useful if you aren't logged into ChatGPT and can't refer back to your account to see your chat history.

Perform Repeating Operations in Calculator



Apple used its iOS 18.3 update as a chance to bring repeating operations back to the Calculator app. When you tap the equals sign twice, the app will now repeat the last mathematical operation. For example, if you tap in 10x10 and tap the equals sign to get a 100 result, if you hit equals again, it will multiply 100x10, and will continue multiplying by 10 every time you tap the equals symbol. It's a small but meaningful change that should make it easier to calculate compound interest.

Limit iPhone's Speaker Volume



A feature introduced in iOS 18.2 lets you cap the maximum volume of your device's built-in speaker. It should be particularly useful if you're a parent or guardian and share your device with children, but it's also handy if you frequently find yourself in situations where sudden loud audio could be disruptive. The new "Limit Maximum Volume" option can be found in the Sound & Haptics section of the Settings app, under the "Volume Limit" section.

Layer Voice Memo Recordings



iOS 18.2 added layered Voice Memos recordings to the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, making it easier for musicians to flesh out song ideas and experiment with new ideas. Users can layer a vocal track on top of an existing instrumental recording, with no headphones needed. Instrumental compositions can be played through the iPhone's speaker while vocals are recorded at the same time using the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ microphones. Apple says that this feature is powered by the A18 Pro chip and uses advanced processing and machine learning to isolate the vocal recording.

Battery Health Support for Third-Party Batteries



In iOS 18.1, Apple began allowing iPhones to display battery health information for non-Apple batteries. Previously, when a third-party battery was installed, users would encounter a message indicating that the battery’s authenticity couldn't be verified, and the Battery Health feature would be disabled. But in iOS 18.1 and later, iPhones now provide battery health metrics for aftermarket batteries, accompanied by a notification stating that the data may not be entirely accurate due to the use of a non-genuine battery.
This article, "50 iPhone Features Apple Added to iOS 18 Since September" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

❌
❌