Latest news with #AppleIntelligence
The Verge
11 hours ago
- Business
- The Verge
Posted May 30, 2025 at 1:49 PM EDT
Apple execs aren't going to appear on The Talk Show Live at WWDC this year. John Gruber of Daring Fireball has been hosting a WWDC live podcast session for years, and every year since 2015, Apple senior execs have shown up. That won't be the case for the 2025 edition, and after his recent report on unmet promises of Apple Intelligence, I think I can guess why. If you missed the recent Decoder episode with John discussing Apple, its App Store, and Apple Intelligence, you can listen to it right here.
Stuff.tv
16 hours ago
- Stuff.tv
Here's why I'm more excited for Apple's in-home tech than iPhone updates this summer
As Apple's WWDC 2025 developer conference approaches, all eyes are on iOS, macOS, and Apple's other software releases. While a redesign in the next major iPhone update is exciting, I'm more excited for Apple's in-home tech. Namely, we're expecting massive updates to the Apple TV and Apple's first foray into smart home hubs to finally arrive. Read more: I think iOS 19 will be the biggest free iPhone upgrade yet The Apple TV is apparently in for its biggest glow-up in years. The rumour mill says that the latest version of tvOS 19 will come with a major redesign. This will bring it in line with the rest of Apple's platforms, and will likely be inspired by visionOS. We've seen updates trickling in over the years, but this could be the first meaningful shift in years. And while there's no official whisper about new hardware just yet, it's hardly out of the question. The existing Apple TV 4K still runs on the A15 Bionic, which is a few years old now. If the brand wants to push its Apple Intelligence ambitions in the living room, it'll need more power under the hood. A new Apple TV box would likely also support Wi-Fi 6E or 7, potentially with better streaming stability and upgraded internals. Apple's long-awaited home hub is also due to finally arrive. While we've heard rumours about multiple different versions of this, it seems the firm has settled on one with a screen. Picture a HomePod and an iPad having a slightly awkward child – a HomePad, if you will. While the screen and Home control centre would be helpful additions, the software is set to be the main selling point. This new device will apparently run on something called homeOS. Derived from tvOS and iPadOS, it's rumoured to pull in Apple Intelligence and push Siri front and centre. Hopefully not the half-asleep Siri we know, but a more responsive, useful version. Also expect built-in video calling, app support, and features borrowed from the iPhone's StandBy mode. Since both of these new developments are software focused, I expect we'll hear about them at WWDC 2025 if they are coming later this year. And given how often I use my TV and HomePod speakers every day, I'm more excited for this in-home tech than iOS 19.
Digital Trends
18 hours ago
- Business
- Digital Trends
Apple needs to fix the basics for macOS 26, or let AI run the show
The Mac apps community is a wonderful place to find utilities that can supercharge your computing experience. Alfred, Raycast, AlDente, and Rectangle are some of the most highly recommended apps for macOS users these days. The open-source community has also produced a few utilities (and their forks) that I use on a daily basis. If you read between the lines, you'll notice that these apps fill a functional gap that Apple has yet to offer natively. On the other side of the computing ecosystem, Windows has served those perks for years. Will the next big software upgrade, macOS 26, finally give users an in-house fix? We'll only get the answer at WWDC 2025 in just over a week from now. Recommended Videos What if Apple is still reluctant? In that case, I hope macOS 26 delivers something even bolder, preferably with AI taking the lead and easing up mundane tasks. Apple doesn't have to weave some cosmic quantum-tier magic to achieve that. It just needs to look around and build a few tricks of its own. Imagine Copilot, but under the Apple Intelligence banner. Why should Apple even care? That's a pertinent question. I'll keep things tethered to the very fundamental levels of computing here. Remember clipboard history? Well, macOS still lacks a native clipboard. Why does the world's most consolidated computing OS lack something as basic as a clipboard? Only the Apple overlords know. What I do know is that an absent clipboard is deeply frustrating. For someone whose life revolves around words, copy-pasting terms such as CVE-2025-24126 and a half dozen variations of it, dealing with research citations, and more such repetitive chores, I am exhausted with the Cmd+C and Cmd+V cycle. I hate it. On Windows, the universal clipboard copies text as well as media assets. It's a huge relief, and anyone who works with tools such as Office and Workspace would vouch for that. Some users argue that a clipboard can save sensitive information. Well, first of all, you shouldn't be copy-pasting passwords. Second, you can selectively delete sensitive entries or set up an auto-delete protocol for the clipboard. Apple is known for its privacy-first approach, and it certainly has the world-class talent to work on an elegant solution that offers the best of both worlds. Until then, I'll keep recommending excellent third-party alternatives such as Maccy. The problems run deep Window management in Mac still feels extremely limited, especially if you are working on external screens. On the other hand, the resizing and tiling approach in Windows is far ahead. Once again, the developer community comes to the rescue. So far, Swift Shift has been my go-to app for window management in macOS. It's a free, open-source app that makes the process of tiling and resizing app windows far less frustrating than the vanilla macOS experience. Lately, I've also experimented with Loop and have fallen in love with its intuitive approach. It's surprising that Apple is yet to find a utilitarian side to the MacBook's notch. Free apps, such as the Boring Notch, have turned it into an activity hub that handles everything from music playback and calendar viewing to file sharing and camera preview. Apple hasn't paid any attention to the cluttered menu bar situation, and once again, it's third-party apps that help fix the mess. Apple has seemingly condemned even basic facilities like a scratch pad for macOS. I recently tried Antinote and realized just how much ground macOS still has left to cover. Also, when are screenshots going to appear on my clipboard, ye trillion-dollar company? It's pretty surprising, especially when you notice that Apple sees macOS and iPadOS as somewhat of a wannabe proxies that deliver their own unique flavor of computing. And yet, macOS is deprived of even the most basic iPadOS features. Native icon theming, lock screen customization, and deeper widget controls are a few features that should've appeared on macOS by now. Likewise, I could use the flexibility of setting different dock layouts for each desktop or work profile. Once again, a third-party app will let you do just that. And while at it, Apple should simply port over the control center adjustments from iPadOS to Mac, and go a step further by giving a similar treatment to the Menu bar. AI to the rescue? Alright, that's a long wishlist. In hindsight, given how basic those feature gaps are, if Apple hasn't addressed them so far, it's unlikely that WWDC 2025 will see a solution for them all. I am not holding my breath, either. So, what next? Well, macOS 26 is reportedly getting a design overhaul. Moreover, Apple is also rumored to make some big AI announcements. macOS desperately needs some of that. Now, I am not riding the AI hype train. But there are scenarios where it proves to be helpful almost on a daily basis. Deep Research is my favorite. A close second is NotebookLM. I regularly rely on Gemini to break down complex research papers and turn them into interactive podcasts for better knowledge gathering. MacOS could use some of that magic, but baked at a more fundamental level, and with some guardrails in place. Apple already has a partnership in place with OpenAI, one that has integrated ChatGPT within the Apple Intelligence stack. Apple needs to shift gears now and expand AI access within other apps, both in-house and third-party. Look no further than Gemini's integration within Workspace and Copilot fingerprints across the Windows 11 OS. I recently tried Windows Recall on a Copilot PC and couldn't stop dreaming about a similar system for macOS. Apple's M-series silicon definitely offers enough firepower to bring a 'memory bank for Macs' to life. Apple is reportedly in talks to extend its in-house models to developers, so I'm hopeful of some positive developments coming out of WWDC 2025. With the current state of macOS, Apple desperately needs to pay attention. It can either fill the existing gaps or develop breakthrough features, or piggyback on the AI race and redefine how we get work done in the age of AI. We are already at a point where AI agents like ChatGPT Operator, Project Astra, and Mariner are redefining how we interact with phones and get work done across the internet. macOS 26 needs that eureka moment. I'd be happier if Apple took the latter route and offered it with a privacy-first approach. Apple certainly can pull it off. It's just a matter of how and when that happens.
Business Insider
a day ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Apple finally got good news about the iPhone this week
The iPhone 16 is on top of the world. The base model iPhone 16 was the best-selling smartphone in the world in the first quarter of 2025, according to a Wednesday research note from Counterpoint. It was the first time in two years that a base model iPhone was in the top spot. Apple continued its streak of dominating the top five smartphones globally. The iPhone 16, followed by the Pro models and iPhone 15, are at the top of the list, with Samsung's Galaxy A16 5G in fifth place. In China — a key region with increasing competition — iPhone 16 Pro models have a steeper challenge due to government subsidies offering discounts on devices under 6,000 yuan, about $833, making the Pro ineligible for a markdown. However, the Pros pulled through to make up nearly half of Apple's iPhone sales for the third quarter straight. All of this is good news for Apple, according to Jacob Bourne, a tech analyst at Business Insider's sister company, EMARKETER. "This is definitely a crucially timed win for Apple. This demonstrates strength in their flagship product lineup despite economic headwinds and ongoing uncertainties," Bourne said. However, Morningstar analyst William Kerwin isn't sure the tech giant should count it as a win. "The iPhone is routinely the best selling smartphone—and the base variant overtaking the Pro this year shows the narrowed gap between the two models this year due to both needing enough chip content to run Apple Intelligence," Kerwin told BI. Apple is in competition with itself and its past iPhone sales, which Kerwin said have been "lackluster this year and over the past two years." Topping the global charts doesn't indicate that Apple is sitting pretty again, Kerwin said. iPhone revenue missed targets during its fiscal first quarter, coming in at $69.14 billion versus the $71.04 billion estimate. The iPhone 16e, however, was an "interesting" piece of Counterpoint's data, Kerwin said. The budget-friendly iPhone, which starts at $599, ranked sixth in the top 10 best-selling smartphones in March — its first full month on shelves. It's expected to outperform its predecessor, the iPhone SE, in its first year. "Overall, we've seen a narrowing of the delta between budget, base, and pro models this year," Kerwin said. Apple has had a tough 2025. CEO Tim Cook seems to remain in limbo with the Trump Administration as President Donald Trump routinely updates his stance on tariffs. On May 23, President Donald Trump said he would implement a 25% tariff on Apple over plans for US iPhone production to be moved from China to India, Trump said in a Truth Social post. "We believe the concept of Apple producing iPhones in the US is a fairy tale that is not feasible," WedBush Securities' Dan Ives wrote in a note on May 23. Almost one year after it was first announced, Apple Intelligence is also a growing concern for Apple and its investors. The AI tools advertised aren't driving sales the way analysts predicted in 2024. "The AI-enabled iPhone 16 still has not revitalized this growth, much less driven a supercycle," Kerwin said.
Mint
2 days ago
- Mint
WWDC 2025: 5 major reveals we expect from Apple's big software show
Apple's WWDC 2025, set for 9 June, is just a few days away. At the event, we can expect several big announcements from Apple, including revamps for various software platforms such as iOS, and more. Recently, reports have suggested that Apple could be planning a major overhaul of both its naming conventions and how its operating systems are structured. Here are the big things we expect. Firstly, Apple's software could be renamed. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple's software versions might be renamed based on the year. So, this year, we could expect iOS 26, macOS 26, visionOS 26, and iPadOS 26, instead of iOS 19 and others. This will be a significant change for users and might even confuse some first-time Apple buyers. iOS and other platforms are expected to undergo a total revamp. Reports suggest that Apple could revamp its software versions, especially in terms of aesthetics. iOS 19 is expected to offer many translucent and transparent elements, similar to Apple's visionOS, which powers Apple Vision Pro, their latest mixed-reality headset. We can expect translucent elements across various platforms, including macOS and iPadOS, to create visual uniformity between Apple's platforms. Apple Intelligence received mixed reactions from users. While many appreciated the new features on Apple devices, some were underwhelmed because Apple did not release all Apple features at once, instead launching them in a staggered manner. In fact, some features are yet to be released, including a complete Siri revamp. With iOS 19, we can expect Apple to deliver on this front and perhaps show even more AI features that will make the Apple Intelligence experience more complete. iPad is a powerful tool for both artists and as a media consumption device. While Apple has added multiple conveniences and features to the iPad experience, it still serves as an additional device for professionals, who still opt for the Mac as their primary. This is why Apple could be looking at bringing additional functionality to the platform, reports suggest. iPad is expected to gain more capabilities this year, but it still won't switch to a fully Mac-like experience, as this is expected to cannibalise Mac sales. That being said, iPadOS 26 (iPadOS 19) as per reports, could debut a macOS-style menu bar and Stage Manager 2.0, and also support the Magic Keyboard, as tipped by tipster Majin Bu. Recent reports sugges that Apple could open up Apple Intelligence AI suite. For third-party developers, this includes the ability to use on-device features without having to bundle their own AI models with their respective apps. In essence, this means that app developers could leverage Apple Intelligence to power their own apps, rather than relying on or developing their own models, which would require additional resources. This could lead to more AI-powered features in more apps and ultimately aligns well with Apple's overall approach.
