Over the last several weeks, a number of reports on social media have surfaced from iPhone users claiming their alarms don’t properly play a sound. Apple has since confirmed that it’s aware of this problem, and says it is working on a fix.
Apple confirmed the problem to the Wall Street Journal’s Joanna Stern this morning. The company said that it is aware of a problem causing some iPhone alarms to not play the expected sound and working on a fix.
Today Show called me last night and said iPhone alarms aren't working! I hadn't heard that but Apple confirmed this AM that it is aware of an issue causing some alarms not play a sound and that it's working on a fix.
My iPhone alarm woke me up right on time at 6:50AM! Anyone out…
On social media, some users have found that the problem relates to the Attention Aware features on iPhone. This feature is designed such that if you’re looking at your device, it will lower the volume sound of your alerts.
Social media users speculate that the Attention Aware feature is incorrectly detecting attention and lowering the volume of alarms, even when the iPhone user is asleep. Apple hasn’t confirmed whether this is actually the cause of the problem.
To disable Attention Aware Features, open the Settings app, tap Face ID & Passcode, then toggle off Attention Aware Features.
A news report from the TODAY Show below highlights the problem below.
Apple will reveal its AI cards on June 10 at WWDC, and Siri is surely going to be a key component. Generally, people want Siri to get good. You can’t just replace Siri intelligence with generative AI, however, but the two technologies make a powerful combination. What we want to see from an AI-infused Siri is actually simple.
Siri as it exists today is actually good at certain specific things.
We use Siri daily to send messages, make calls, create reminders, add things to my shopping list, play music, control lights, check the weather, check sports scores, start navigation, make voice memos, and much more.
Those are all rock solid. Siri is less reliable at summoning information. When kids ask knowledge questions all the time, and Siri should be the smoothest way to find the answer. We know in our bones that Siri is hit or miss on finding answers.
A simple test for Siri in iOS 18 is if it can eliminate punting to the web for search results as the answer. That’s where large language models excel. LLMs can be like hyper focused search engines that provide answers and not search results.
If Siri can provide more answers and less redirection, We can consider that a solid start.
Some other thoughts on this topic:
Siri is good about sourcing information when it does provide answers.
LLMs, on the other hand, will provide plausible answers that may be inaccurate.
Siri, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant competed on feature parity before; now the competition is over how best integrates generative AI.
Humane, the startup behind the Ai Pin hardware, has shown how generative AI should work with a voice assistant.
However, Ai Pin’s limited capabilities around actions shows where Siri + AI can excel.
Separately, the Rabbit R1 bespoke AI hardware has a different approach to actions that looks competitive.
In sum, throwing out Siri and starting over from scratch is not a serious solution. Instead, Siri should maintain its functionality while using generative AI to patch its weak spots.
Last month, Apple announced a new Web Distribution offering for developers in the European Union. On April 16, 2024, the Beta launch of iOS 17.5 beta 2, that feature is now available.
Web Distribution gives developers in the EU the ability to offer their apps for download directly from their website. Here’s how it works.
Web Distribution in the European Union with iOS 17.5
Web Distribution is the third distribution option that developers in the European Union can take advantage of in light of the Digital Markets Act.
To use Web Distribution, developers will have to opt into the new App Store business terms, which means they will pay the Core Technology Fee of €0.50 for each first annual install over one million in the past 12 months.
Any app distributed through the web will still be required to meet Apple’s notarization guidelines. Apps can only be installed from a website domain that the developer has registered in App Store Connect. Apple will also make a number of APIs available for integration with system functionality for developers.
Web Distribution lets authorized developers distribute their iOS apps to users in the European Union (EU) directly from a website owned by the developer. Apple will provide developers access to APIs that facilitate the distribution of their apps from the web, integrate with system functionality, and back up and restore users’ apps, once they meet certain requirements designed to help protect users and platform integrity.
When a user downloads an app from a developer’s website for the first time, they will be prompted with a series of screens explaining what it means to give that developer the ability to install apps from their website.
After authenticating with Face ID to approve giving that developer permission to install apps, the user will then go through a three-step installation process for the app itself. Apple’s Notarization system means that users will see clear information about the app and how it works. This includes things like the app name, developer name, app description, screenshots, and system age rating.
Notably, users only have to give each developer permission to install apps one time.
For example, let’s say Meta ends up supporting the Web Distribution feature in the EU. The first time a user downloads an app from Meta, such as the Facebook app, they will be prompted to give Meta the ability to install apps on their device. Then, going forward, they will only have to approve each app installation itself.
Verdict
The new details provided by Apple give a good look at the actual process of using Web Distribution in the European Union – including how it is balancing security and privacy with convenience.
A viral post on social media last week, boosted by Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney, claimed that it would take 15 steps to install an app using Web Distribution. With the details provided today, Apple makes it clear that’s not the case.
Congratulations to Apple leadership for designing the worst app installation experience in the history of computing! Because Apple designers are the world’s best, there’s no question that this abomination is a premeditated part of a malicious European DMA compliance strategy. https://t.co/zx4aZicdEA
The first time you install an app from a developer using Web Distribution, it’s essentially an eight-step process to authorize a developer and install the first app. Each subsequent time you install an app from that same developer, it’s a three-step process.
For comparison’s sake, Android uses a one-time permission model when sideloading apps. While Android’s implementation requires fewer taps than Apple’s implementation, Apple provides users with more granular control for each developer. It also offers more details about each app prior to installation.
And, in a funny twist, Apple’s implementation of Web Distribution on iPhone is a significantly easier process than installing and using the Epic Games Store on the Mac.
While the iPhone 16 won’t feature any dramatic design changes, Apple is allegedly planning to shake up the color choices. According to a new rumor today, the iPhone 16 will be available in two additional colors compared to the iPhone 15 lineup.
iPhone 16 colors
Interestingly, the rumor specifically refers to the iPhone 16 Plus. It seems unlikely that the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus would each be available in different colors, but this is something to keep in mind.
As a refresher, here are the five color options for the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus:
Pink
Yellow
Blue
Green
Black
According to a new rumor posted on Weibo today, the iPhone 16 will be available in a wider array of seven colors:
Pink
Yellow
Blue
Green
Black
White
Purple
Again, this is just a rumor for the time being – and a sketchy rumor at that. Still, it’d certainly be nice to see Apple offer the iPhone 16 in a wider array of colors … and maybe some of those colors will be a bit bolder and less muted than what we have now.
Apple is alerting users to a new instance of an identified mercenary spyware attack on the iPhone. Possible victims have been sent an email from Apple describing how the attack could “remotely compromise the iPhone”. Victims are being notified in India and 91 additional countries, via Reuters.
Mercenary attacks of this nature typically cost millions of dollars, and are often useless once discovered by security researchers and patched by iOS security updates. They are often believed to be state-sponsored, due to the high cost of development to craft such complex and sophisticated attacks. However, in a notable change of language, Apple no longer says this explicitly in its threat notifications.
Apple has sent out these alerts in waves since 2021, as new attacks have been discovered. They generally target people like political activists, government officials, diplomats and journalists.
In this latest case, it seems the purpose of the attack was to install malicious software on the user’s device in order to spy on user’s data and their whereabouts.
Obviously, Apple continuously works to patch and defend against all manners of iPhone security bugs. Users can proactively help to defend themselves, by installing the latest software updates promptly, and consider enabling Lockdown Mode, which disables some iPhone system features that are particularly prone to vulnerabilities.
The origin of this latest attack is currently not disclosed. In addition to technical patches, Apple is also using its legal might to go after some of these spyware maker.
Israel’s NSO Group is one of the most notorious makers of such spyware. In November 2021, Apple sued NSO Group for its role in conducting surveillance attacks on Apple users. The case is ongoing.
Apple has officially started beta testing iOS 17.5 with developers and public beta users. The update brings a handful of new features and changes, and is expected to be released sometime next month. Head below for everything we know right now.
When will iOS 17.5 be released?
Based on previous years of iOS updates, I’d expect that iOS 17.5 will be released to everyone sometime in mid-May. Here’s a rundown of previous iOS x.5 update release dates:
iOS 16.5: May 18
iOS 15.5: May 16
iOS 14.5: April 26
iOS 13.5: May 20
What’s new in iOS 17.5?
While iOS 17.5 isn’t quite as big of an update as other iOS 17 updates, it still includes its fair share of new features and updates.
Web Distribution in the EU
Within the European Union, the latest iOS 17.5 update introduces the capability to install applications directly from a developer’s website. Apple unveiled this new “Web Distribution” feature last month, explaining that it allows developers to distribute their iOS apps straight from their own websites.
To utilize this functionality, developers must opt into the updated App Store business terms, which requires paying a Core Technology Fee of €0.50 for every first annual installation exceeding one million in the preceding 12 months.
guidelines. Apps can only be installed from a website domain that the developer has registered in App Store Connect. Apple will also provide a range of APIs for developers to integrate with system functionality.
While the iOS 17.5 beta 1 lays the groundwork for this feature, there are currently no developers offering their apps via this new Web Distribution feature. We don’t anticipate this changing until the public release of iOS 17.5 in May.
Design changes
iOS 17.5 beta 1 also includes a few small design changes that are worth pointing out:
The Podcasts widget has been updated to have a new dynamic color that changes based on the artwork of the podcast you’re currently playing.
In the Apple Books app, Apple has redesigned the “Reading Goal” icon in top navigation bar.
In the Settings app, there is a new glyph for the “Passkeys Access for Web Browsers” menu under “Privacy & Security.”
Find My network updates
Based on code discovered iOS 17.5 seems to incorporate a new system centered around anti-stalking capabilities for accessories like AirTags. This development follows Apple’s announcement last year of a partnership with Google to collaborate on a new “industry specification to combat unwanted tracking.”
Strings added to the Find My app reveal that iOS will be able to identify tracking accessories, even those that are not Apple or Find My certified, and assist users in disabling them.
One of the new strings states, “This item lacks certification on the Apple Find My network. You have the option to disable this item and prevent it from sharing its location with the owner. To proceed, follow the instructions provided on a website by the manufacturer of this item.”
These changes come as Google started rolling out its new Find My Device network for Android on April 8.
iOS 17.5 roundup
iOS 17.5 also includes an update for MDM users: “MDM solutions can now enforce a beta version during automated device enrollment.”
Whether Apple has more changes planned for iOS 17.5 beyond what was launched today remains to be seen. The focus is clearly on the European Union, where Apple continues to adapt to the Digital Markets Act being enforced by the European Commission.
While the iPhone 15 Pro saw the addition of the Action button, the entire iPhone 16 lineup will reportedly get an all-new “Capture button” this year. This will give users a new way to quickly take pictures using their iPhone 16 camera, with a few added bonuses. Here’s everything we know so far
The iPhone 16 Capture button’s design
The Capture button will reportedly come to the entire iPhone 16 lineup. This includes the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max.
According to multiple different CAD drawings and dummy units, the iPhone 16’s Capture button will be located on the right side of the phones. It will be in the same spot as the mmWave 5G antenna currently is in the United States.
While there was speculation that the iPhone 16’s Capture button might use a capacitive design, the latest reporting suggests that won’t be the case. Instead, the Capture button will have a mechanical design that physically presses in and out.
However, The Information has reported that the surface of the Capture will be touch sensitive. iPhone 16 users will allegedly be able to swipe left and right on the Capture button’s surface to zoom in and out. The Information also says that users will be able to “bring images into focus by pressing it lightly and activate the shutter by pressing more firmly on the button.”
The idea of a dedicated “Capture button” when it was first rumored for the iPhone 16. The rumors around the swipe gestures, however, make it sound infinitely more useful.
In some ways, this also takes me back to the days of the iPhone Smart Battery Case that had a built-in camera capture button. Those were good times.
There’s been an iOS bug for years that gobbles up a big percentage of an iPhone’s available storage. The issue persists in iOS 17.4 and 17.5 but fortunately, there are solutions that don’t involve wiping your iPhone. Here’s how to fix the iPhone System Data storage bug.
Across Apple’s Community forums, Reddit, and more, iOS users have complained about the iPhone System Data storage bug for years (some reports date back to iOS 13). I haven’t had trouble with the bug until iOS 17.3-17.5 where I’ve seen up to 60 GB of storage eaten up by iOS System Data.
And it’s not just a reporting bug, the storage used by System Data is unusable. Unlike the cache in individual iOS apps or Apple apps like Safari, there’s no button to quickly empty System Data. Here’s how Apple describes what it’s used for:
System Data includes caches, logs and other resources currently in use by the system. This value will fluctuate according to system needs.
Apple hasn’t offered an official solution to the problem, but there are several ways to resolve the issue. We’ll start from the simplest and quickest option to more involved tactics.
How to fix the iPhone System Data storage bug
You can see how much storage System Data is using on your iPhone by heading to Settings > General > iPhone Storage > Go to the very bottom > System Data
Try powering off and powering on your iPhone
Head back to iPhone Storage > System Data to see if that’s helped
This alone has worked to reduce my System Data by over 50 GB (but sometimes in days or weeks it will inflate again with further restarts helping)
Change iMessage history to keep for 1 year or 30 days instead of Forever
Head to Settings > Messages > Keep Messages > 1 year or 30 Days
Some users report having success with deleting and reinstalling Apple TV to clear the cache and doing the same with apps like Instagram, TikTok, Discord, Slack, etc.
Clear your Safari cache
Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data (note: this impacts any sites you were logged into, etc.)
Via Reddit user Vertsix, there is a more complex “date trick” that seems to work reliably to purge iOS System Data – make sure to follow the steps as described to avoid losing iMessages in the process
Above is my before and after power cycling my iPhone – 60.58 GB to 8GB usage for System Data.
Google’s Find My Device (FMD) network was originally supposed to launch in the summer of 2023, but it was delayed until Apple implements unknown tracker alerts. The upcoming iOS 17.5 update is adding that support.
Apple released iOS 17.5 Beta 1 and strings detailing how the iPhone will be able to detect third-party trackers. Once found, iOS will direct users to instructions on how to disable them.
For example: “This item isn’t certified on the Apple Find My network. You can disable this item and stop it from sharing its location with the owner. To do this, follow the instructions provided on a website by the manufacturer of this item.”
As of today’s release, this capability is not yet enabled and there’s no user-facing UI. It might go live with later betas and ultimately be ready when iOS 17.5 hits stable.
Looking at past schedules, iOS 17.5 might launch in May. After that update sees wide adoption, Google’s FMD network will be clear of any obstacles.
Google has been waiting “until Apple has implemented protections for iOS,” so that FMD devices cannot be used to track iPhone owners without warning. This delayed the original summer 2023 launch of the network that will leverage over 1 billion Android to periodically check for nearby devices to crowdsource the location of missing ones. The new Find My Device network can “locate devices that are offline or that don’t have location capabilities.”
Several tracker tags were delayed as a result of Google’s safety stance, while phones and earbuds, like Pixel Buds, have also been prevented from adding these capabilities.
iOS 17.5 to introduce new system to disable unwanted tracking accessories
Apple last year announced a partnership with Google to work on a new “industry specification to address unwanted tracking” after many concerns about stalkers using accessories like AirTags to silently track people. Now it seems that Apple is planning to launch these new anti-stalking features with iOS 17.5.
Detecting and disabling unwanted tracking accessories
As found evidence of these new anti-stalking features in the internal code of iOS 17.5 beta, which was released to developers on Tuesday. Strings added to the Find My app reveal that iOS will identify tracking accessories, even when they’re not Apple or Find My certified, and help users disable them.
“This item isn’t certified on the Apple Find My network. You can disable this item and stop it from sharing its location with the owner. To do this, follow the instructions provided on a website by the manufacturer of this item,” reads one of the new strings.
The feature doesn’t seem to be enabled for beta users for now, but this is strong evidence that it may become available with the official release of iOS 17.5. Companies including Samsung, Tile, Chipolo, Eufy, and Pebblebee have expressed interest in supporting this technology.
At the time, Apple and Google said they would create a new universal system for iOS and Android to detect and alert users about unwanted tracking accessories. Currently, iOS is already able to detect unwanted Bluetooth location-tracking devices, but only when they’re Find My certified. The company also offers an Android app to detect AirTags.
More about iOS 17.5
iOS 17.5 beta 1 doesn’t seem to bring any significant changes, as we’ve only seen a few minor tweaks so far. Apple is likely to release iOS 17.5 to the public next month, as the company is also rumored to launch new iPads and accessories in May.
iOS 17.5 beta 1: Here’s everything new
Apple released iOS 17.5 beta 1 to developers, after a month-long gap with zero beta releases. While iOS 17.5 beta 1 is a relatively minor update, there are a few things worth pointing out. Head below for more.
iOS 17.5 beta details
iOS 17.5 beta 1 features build number 21F5048f. It’s available now to registered developers, who can update via the Settings app by going to “General” and then choosing “Software Update.” We expect iOS 17.4 to be released to public beta testers sometime later this week or next week.
What’s new in iOS 17.5 beta 1?
Web installation
In the European Union, iOS 17.5 enables support for installing apps directly from a developer’s website. Apple announced this new “Web Distribution” feature last month, explaining that it lets developers distribute their iOS apps directly from their website.
To use this feature, developers will have to opt into the new App Store business terms, which means they will pay the Core Technology Fee of €0.50 for each first annual installation over one million in the past 12 months.
Any app distributed through the web will still be required to meet Apple’s notarization guidelines. Apps can only be installed from a website domain that the developer has registered in App Store Connect. Apple will also make a number of APIs available for integration with system functionality for developers.
While iOS 17.5 beta 1 lays the groundwork for this feature, there currently aren’t any developers offering their apps via this new Web Distribution feature. We don’t expect this to change until iOS 17.5 is released to the general public in May.
Design changes
iOS 17.5 beta 1 also includes a few small design changes throughout the operating system.
In the Settings app, there is a new glyph for the “Passkeys Access for Web Browsers” menu under “Privacy & Security.”
The Podcasts widget has been updated to have a new dynamic color that changes based on the artwork of the podcast you’re currently playing.
New unwanted tracking system
According to code found, iOS 17.5 appears to include a new system based around anti-stalking features for accessories like AirTags. This comes after Apple last year announced a partnership with Google to work on a new “industry specification to address unwanted tracking.”
Strings added to the Find My app reveal that iOS will identify tracking accessories, even when they’re not Apple or Find My certified, and help users disable them.
“This item isn’t certified on the Apple Find My network. You can disable this item and stop it from sharing its location with the owner. To do this, follow the instructions provided on a website by the manufacturer of this item,” one of the new strings says.
More
According to Aaron Perris on Twitter, iOS 17.5 also includes an update for MDM users: “MDM solutions can now enforce a beta version during automated device enrollment.”
New in iOS/iPadOS 17.5 and macOS 14.5: MDM solutions can now enforce a beta version during automated device enrollment!
Whether Apple has more changes planned for iOS 17.5 beyond what was launched today remains to be seen. The focus is clearly on the European Union, where Apple continues to adapt to the Digital Markets Act being enforced by the European Commission.
iOS 17.5 will likely be released to the broader public sometime in mid-to-late May. It will be the last iOS 17 update released before Apple unveils iOS 18 at WWDC in June.
A new rumor today reiterates the expectation that iOS 18 will be compatible with all the same devices as iOS 17. For iPadOS 18, however, Apple is planning to drop support for several older generation devices.
iOS 18 device compatibility
Today’s rumor comes after an initial rumor last month offered our first look at iOS 18 device compatibility. At the time, however, we cautioned skepticism because the rumor was posted and quickly deleted, suggesting the source wasn’t confident in their claims.
In what seems to be a more concrete rumor today, shared on social media by a private account with a strong track record, here’s which devices will be compatible with iOS 18:
iPhone 15
iPhone 15 Plus
iPhone 15 Pro
iPhone 15 Pro Max
iPhone 14
iPhone 14 Plus
iPhone 14 Pro
iPhone 14 Pro Max
iPhone 13
iPhone 13 mini
iPhone 13 Pro
iPhone 13 Pro Max
iPhone 12
iPhone 12 mini
iPhone 12 Pro
iPhone 12 Pro Max
iPhone 11
iPhone 11 Pro
iPhone 11 Pro Max
iPhone XS
iPhone XS Max
iPhone XR
iPhone SE (2nd generation)
iPhone SE (3rd generation)
For those keeping track at home, this means that iOS 18 will be compatible with all the same devices as iOS 17.
Other than those changes, iPadOS 18 will be compatible with the same devices as iPadOS 17. This includes the iPad (7th generation), which was first introduced in 2019 and is powered by the A10 Fusion chip.
iPadOS 18 compatibility:
iPad: 2019 and later
iPad mini: 2019 and later
iPad Air: 2019 and later
iPad Pro 2018 and later
This is a bit odd. The iPad Pro (10.5-inch) and iPad Pro (12.9-inch) (2nd generation) are both powered by the A10X Fusion processor, and will reportedly be dropped by iPadOS 18. The iPad (7th generation), meanwhile, is powered by the A10 Fusion and will reportedly support iPadOS 18.