iOS 26 latest beta reveals fresh details, here are 10 features coming to iPhone users soon
Easily the most eye-catching change, the new Liquid Glass design gives the iPhone's home and lock screens a translucent makeover. Apps and widgets now appear see-through, with the background subtly adapting between light and dark modes depending on your surroundings. Buttons in apps like Phone and Maps float gently above the interface, designed to be easy on the eyes without stealing focus.
While some users love the modern look, others have compared it to Microsoft's long-gone Windows Vista Aero aesthetic. Apple has already tweaked the transparency after early feedback, but there's no escaping it: Liquid Glass will be part of all upcoming Apple operating systems, from macOS Tahoe 26 to iPadOS 26, for a more unified design across devices.iOS 26: What is newApple has leaned into quality-of-life improvements this year rather than over-promising on AI. Here are some highlights:Phone app overhaul: One of the biggest shake-up in iOS 26 is Apple's complete makeover of some of its most-used apps, starting with the Phone app. Now, instead of jumping between separate tabs, your Recents, Voicemails, and Favourites are all neatly housed on a single screen for easier navigation. There's also an impressive new call screening tool that acts as your personal secretary: it answers incoming calls, politely asks the caller who they are and why they're ringing, and then lets you decide whether to take the call or not.advertisementAnother welcome addition is Hold Assist. Simply set your phone aside, get on with something more interesting, and you'll receive a notification the moment an actual person is ready to speak to you.Live Translation: This feature is no longer limited to Messages; it now works seamlessly during phone calls and FaceTime chats. That means you could, in theory, hold a full conversation with someone without sharing a common language, all in real time. Even more impressively, Apple says it'll function even if the person on the other end isn't using an iPhone. Now that's wild.
Spam text filtering: Annoying scams and spam messages will be separated into their folder.advertisementVisual Intelligence: Search for anything you see on your screen, snap a screenshot of those shoes on Instagram and find them online instantly.Photos tabs return: Library and Collections will have their sections again for easier browsing.Group chat polls: With the upcoming iOS 26, you can now quickly decide where to brunch or whose car to take by running polls directly in Messages.
FaceTime safety: A new Communication Safety tool will pause calls if nudity is detected, and processed entirely on-device for privacy.Customisable lock screen: The iOS 26 brings fresh clock styles, 3D wallpapers, more widgets, and refined focus mode options.What about AI Siri?: Apple's AI assistant won't be getting its big upgrade just yet. The smarter Siri promised at WWDC 2024 is delayed until sometime 'in the coming year.' Rumours suggest Apple may integrate third-party AI models such as OpenAI's ChatGPT or Anthropic's Claude in 2026, alongside its own stripped-down chatbot.iOS 26 update: Eligible iPhonesMost models from 2019 onwards are compatible, but the iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max will not get iOS 26. Eligible devices include: iPhone SE (2nd gen or later), iPhone 11 series, iPhone 12 series, iPhone 13 series, iPhone 14 series, iPhone 15 series, and the latest iPhone 16 line-up. Apple's yet-to-be-announced iPhone 17 (or perhaps 'iPhone 26') models will, of course, ship with it pre-installed.- EndsMust Watch
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Economic Times
23 minutes ago
- Economic Times
Apple plots expansion into AI robots, home security and smart display
AP Apple is plotting its artificial intelligence comeback with an ambitious slate of new devices, including robots, a lifelike version of Siri, a smart speaker with a display and home-security cameras. A tabletop robot that serves as a virtual companion, targeted for 2027, is the centrepiece of the AI strategy, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The smart speaker with a display, meanwhile, is slated to arrive next year, part of a push into entry-level smart-home products. Home security is seen as another big growth opportunity. New cameras will anchor an Apple security system that can automate household functions. The approach should help make Apple's product ecosystem stickier with consumers, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the initiatives haven't been announced. Apple shares climbed to a session high on Wednesday after Bloomberg News reported on the plans. The stock was up nearly 2% to $233.70 as of 2:17 p.m. in New York. It's all part of an effort to restore Apple's mojo. Its most recent moon-shot project, the Vision Pro headset, remains a sales flop, and the design of its bestselling devices has remained largely unchanged for years. At the same time, Apple has come under fire for missing the generative AI revolution. And OpenAI may even threaten the company's home turf by developing new AI-driven devices with the help of former Apple design chief Jony Ive. Though Apple is still in the early stages of turning around its AI software, executives see the pipeline of hardware as a key piece of its resurgence — helping it challenge Samsung Electronics Co., Meta Platforms Inc. and others in new categories. A spokesperson for Cupertino, California-based Apple declined to comment. Because the products haven't been announced, the company's plans could still change or be scrapped. Many of the initiatives and their timelines rely on Apple's continued progress in AI-powered software. Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook told employees in an all-hands meeting this month that Apple must win in AI and hinted at the upcoming devices. 'The product pipeline — which I can't talk about — it's amazing, guys. It's amazing,' Cook said. 'Some of it you'll see soon. Some of it will come later. But there's a lot to see.' Beyond the home devices, Apple is preparing thinner and redesigned iPhones for release this year. And further out, it aims to introduce smart glasses, a foldable phone, a 20-year anniversary iPhone and a revamped headset dubbed N100. It's also planning a large foldable device that melds a MacBook and an iPad. Apple is looking to boost sales after years of slowing growth for its flagship products. It also nixed some expansions into new areas, like self-driving cars, adding pressure to find other sources of revenue. Moreover, the new initiatives will help rebut the idea that the company is no longer innovating like it used News first reported last year that Apple was moving forward with a tabletop robotics project, code-named J595, and developing a new smart-home strategy. But now a clearer picture is forming of its push into that market — and what it means for its AI ambitions. Robots The tabletop robot resembles an iPad mounted on a movable limb that can swivel and reposition itself to follow users in a room. Like a human head, it can turn toward a person who is speaking or summoning it, and even seek to draw the attention of someone not facing it. The hope is to bring AI to life in ways that other hardware makers have yet to do. Apple imagines customers placing it on a desk or kitchen counter and using it to get work done, consume media and manage their day. FaceTime calls will also be a key function of the device. During videoconferencing, the display will be able to shift to lock on to people around a room. Apple is testing a feature that turns an iPhone screen into a joystick, letting users move around the robot to show different people or items in a room during video calls. But the hallmark of the device is an entirely new version of the Siri voice assistant that can inject itself into conversations between multiple people. It will be able to engage with users throughout the day and more easily recall information. The idea is for the device to act like a person in a room. It could interrupt a conversation between friends about dinner plans, say, and suggest nearby restaurants or relevant recipes. It's also being designed to engage in back-and-forth discussions for things like planning a trip or getting tasks done — similar to OpenAI's voice mode. Apple is planning to put Siri at the centre of the device operating system and give it a visual personality to make it feel lifelike. The approach, dubbed Bubbles, is vaguely reminiscent of Clippy, an animated paper clip from the 1990s that served as a virtual assistant in Microsoft Office. Apple has tested making Siri look like an animated version of the Finder logo, the iconic smiley face representing the Mac's file management system. A final decision on its appearance hasn't been made, with designers considering ideas that veer closer to Memoji, the playful characters that represent Apple user prototypes use a roughly 7-inch horizontal display, approaching the size of an iPad mini. The motorized arm can extend the display away from the base roughly half a foot in any people familiar with the product call it the 'Pixar Lamp,' referring to the animated film company's famous logo. Apple has previously disclosed some research in this area: It published a paper in January detailing a light fixture that uses robotics to move around. Apple has multiple teams across its AI, hardware, software and interface design groups tackling the project. The work is being led in part by Kevin Lynch, who previously oversaw a push into smart watch software and technology giant is developing several other robots. It has teams exploring a mobile bot with wheels — something akin to Inc.'s Astro — and has loosely discussed humanoid models. Apple has a group actively developing a large mechanical arm for use in manufacturing facilities or handling tasks in the back of retail stores, a move that could potentially replace some staff. Such a robot, code-named T1333, remains several years away. Charismatic The smart-home push includes a standalone display poised to launch by the middle of next year. That device, code-named J490, is a stripped-down variant of the robot, lacking the arm and conversational Siri — at least to start. It will still have home control, music playback, note taking, web browsing and videoconferencing. It may also include the new Siri visual the smart display and tabletop robot will run a new operating system dubbed Charismatic, which is designed to be used by multiple people. The interface largely centres on clock faces and widgets — small software features that are typically dedicated to specific tasks. Charismatic, which was previously known as Pebble and Rock earlier in development, blends the approach of the Apple TV and Apple Watch operating systems. It offers features like multiuser modes and clock-face themes, such as one based on Snoopy, the beagle from the Peanuts comic strip. The devices are meant to be easily shared: They include a front-facing camera that can scan users' faces as they walk toward it and then automatically change the layout, features and content to the preferences of that person. Some versions of the software use circular app icons and feature a hexagonal grid of apps. Apple is planning to include many of its core apps, including the calendar, camera, music, reminders and notes software. But the interface will be heavily reliant on voice interaction and widgets, rather than jumping in and out of the device will have a touch screen, the primary input method will be Siri and an upcoming upgrade to a feature dubbed App Intents. That software lets users precisely control the interface and applications via hardware itself looks similar to a Google Nest Hub but is shaped like a square, with thin black or white bezels and rounded corners. The non-robotic 7-inch display sits on a half-dome-shaped base, which includes some of the electronics and is perforated around the bottom edges for speakers and microphones. It can also be mounted on a wall. The launch will mark the first time Apple is making a serious push into the smart home and comes nearly a decade after Amazon and Alphabet Inc.'s Google started shipping smart speakers with screens. The home is a critical space for Apple to target, especially as more users consume content from the living room and automate household has long had a strong foothold in mobile devices and quickly became a player in the automotive industry via CarPlay — but that success hasn't followed into the smart home. Though the company launched HomeKit for controlling third-party devices in 2014, it has had limited success with its own HomePod speakers. Linwood and Glenwood Core to the new home devices — and current products like iPhones and iPads — is an overhaul to the underpinnings of are working on a version code-named Linwood with an entirely new brain built around large language models — the foundation of generative AI. The goal is to tap into personal data to fullfill queries, an ability that was delayed due to hiccups with the current new software, known internally as LLM Siri, is planned for release as early as next spring, Bloomberg News has reported. But work is going even further: Apple is preparing a visually redesigned assistant for iPhones and iPads that will also debut as early as next year. Craig Federighi, senior vice president of software engineering, hinted at a bigger-than-anticipated overhaul in an internal meeting with employees this month. 'The work we've done on this end-to-end revamp of Siri has given us the results we needed,' he said, adding that 'this has put us in a position to not just deliver what we announced, but to deliver a much bigger upgrade than we envisioned.' He said that 'there is no project people are taking more seriously.'Linwood is based on technology developed by the Apple Foundation Models team, but the company has a competing project dubbed Glenwood as well that would power Siri with outside technology.A final decision hasn't been made on which models will be used, but Apple has been testing Anthropic PBC's Claude for this purpose. Mike Rockwell, the former Vision Pro chief who was put in charge of Siri earlier this year, is overseeing both the Linwood and Glenwood development of the tabletop robot, Apple engineers have made heavy use of ChatGPT and Google Gemini to build and test features. Within Apple's AI and Siri teams as a whole, software developers are increasingly using third-party systems as part of their development process. Ring competitor Apple is working on a camera, code-named J450, designed for home security, detecting people and automating tasks. The device will be battery-powered and could last from several months to a year on a single charge, on par with rival products. The device has facial recognition and infrared sensors to determine who is in a room. Apple believes users will place cameras throughout their home to help with automation. That could mean turning lights off when someone leaves a room or automatically playing music liked by a particular family member. Apple is planning to develop multiple types of cameras and home-security products as part of an entirely new hardware and software line up. The goal is to compete with Amazon Ring, Google Nest and Roku Inc., capitalizing on its customer loyalty to sell more products. It has also tested a doorbell that uses facial recognition technology to unlock a door. Apple already sells iCloud+ subscriptions with online storage for security footage, but they're aimed at third-party cameras. Elevate your knowledge and leadership skills at a cost cheaper than your daily tea. Tariffs, tantrums, and tech: How Trump's trade drama is keeping Indian IT on tenterhooks Good, bad, ugly: How will higher ethanol in petrol play out for you? 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Time of India
25 minutes ago
- Time of India
Apple plots expansion into AI robots, home security and smart display
Synopsis Apple is planning an ambitious AI-driven hardware comeback, including a robotic tabletop assistant, smart speaker with display, home-security cameras, and an overhauled Siri. Devices will run a new "Charismatic" OS, with voice-led interfaces and facial recognition, aiming to challenge rivals like Amazon and Google in the smart home space.
Mint
25 minutes ago
- Mint
Your Windows Clipboard keeps a history of what you copy: Here's why you should clear it today
We all copy sensitive stuff in a hurry. A passport number for a visa form, a bank account for a quick transfer, an OTP that expires in 30 seconds. Once you paste it, you assume it is gone. On Windows, not quite. Clipboard history can quietly keep a list of what you copied, which is brilliant for productivity and awkward for privacy. If you share a PC at home or jump into a screen share at work, that panel of past snippets can surface at the worst moment. Windows 10 and 11 include Clipboard history. When it is on, press Windows plus V to see a panel of recent items. Text, links, images, screenshots, they all show up. You can even pin favourites so they stick around. For writers, students, coders, this is gold. The flip side is obvious. Sensitive items linger there too. An Aadhaar number you pasted into a form, a one-time passcode copied in a rush, or a screenshot with an email header peeking in the frame. There is also an optional sync that sends your Clipboard to other Windows devices signed in with your Microsoft account. That is convenient if you use a laptop and desktop, but it also widens the surface you have to protect. The fix is not to ditch the feature. It is to control it with a simple routine you can do without thinking. Press Windows plus V to open the Clipboard panel Click Clear all to remove everything that is not pinned To delete a single item, click the three dots on that card and tap the bin icon If an item is pinned, unpin it first, then delete it Open Settings > System > Clipboard and toggle Clipboard history off if you do not need it In the same menu, turn Sync across your devices off to stop items travelling to other PCs Treat Clipboard history like a whiteboard. Use it while you work, then wipe it clean. After copying something sensitive, paste it and clear history. Before any screen share, open Windows plus V and hit Clear all. It takes a second and saves you from a heart-sink moment. On a family PC, create separate user accounts so your Clipboard and theirs do not mix. Use a password manager for credentials and payments so you copy less in the first place. For screenshots, save to a secure folder, crop out private bits, then copy what you need. The goal is not paranoia, it is hygiene. Set the toggles once, add a quick clear to your shutdown habit, and you get the productivity boost without leaving crumbs of data behind.
