With the Pixel 8a unveil this week, Google appears to have taken down the “5G on your Pixel” website.
Since the Pixel 5 and 4a 5G, Google has offered a list of countries where 5G is supported. The list was last updated around March to bring the total count to 38. For reference, the Pixel is sold in 23 countries.
This page does not have an equivalent country list and just has this line: “Ask your carrier about its 5G area, speeds, and support for your phone model. Only some carriers offer 5G service. Their 5G areas may be in smaller areas than their other services.”
People have long complained that Pixel 5G availability is not universal, with certification and testing presumably holding things back. That remains the case today.
The Android 14 May security patch is rolling out today for the Pixel 5a, 6, 6 Pro, 6a, 7, 7 Pro, 7a, Tablet, Fold, 8, and 8 Pro. It’s available a day after the equivalent Pixel Watch update.
There are 11 security issues resolved in the Android 14 April patch dated 2024-05-01 and 18 for 2024-05-05. Vulnerabilities range from high to critical.
The dedicated bulletin for Google devices lists seven additional security fixes.
There are four builds across Global, KDDI (Japan), Verizon, and then T-Mobile, C Spire, US Cellular & Cellcom. Update: As of Tuesday afternoon (PT), the on-device OTA is rolling out. It’s a 9.54 MB patch on a Google Fi Pixel 8.
Every now and then, Apple forces you to choose between more than just size when you’re out for this year’s “best iPhone ever” – there have been instances where the Max one-ups the ‘regular’ Pro in that one line in the camera specsheet. Such is the case with the iPhone 15 Pro which only gets a moderate telephoto camera and not the longer reach of the Pro Max.
But, really – does 3x vs 5x make a world of a difference? Particularly with iPhones, where Apple goes to great lengths to standardize the experience across one generation, but also from one generation going into the next? We reckon not, at least for the sake of this reviewer who opted for a Pro, instead of a Pro Max.
The 15 Pro otherwise gets the same treatment as the 15 Pro Max in all the other key areas – like the titanium in the frame that makes it a lot lighter than last year’s model. This is, in fact, perhaps even more of an important development on the smaller model, and it now makes it a more viable option for those looking for a pocketable Pro iPhone.
Naturally, a chipset upgrade is also part of the generational changes and there the Pro is as Pro as the Pro Max, of course – the 3nm A17 Pro is standard equipment. Not quite so is the storage situation, where the regular Pro’s 128GB base trim level isn’t befitting the name – the Pro Max starts at 256GB and that’s a lot more like it.
iPhone 15 Pro (left) next to iPhone 15 Pro Max
Circling back to the cameras (because it’s not all about the telephotos), the iPhone 15 Pro also gets the 24MP jpegs (or heifs, if that’s your thing) and the two intermediate pretend-focal lengths – there’s so much more parity in the imaging department than there are differences, after all.
Apple also invented USB-C this year, perhaps nudged in the right direction by the EU, but why not out of their own accord? (Because probably not.) Not strictly a Pro feature this one, since the vanilla iPhone 15 and the 15 Plus also use the industry-standard connector, but a most welcome development either way.
Then there’s some more of the usual stuff, the usual good stuff. The Pro iPhones have some of the best displays in the business, and the one on the 15 Pro is no different – in the same compact 6.1-inch size Apple settled on in 2020 with the 12 generation. While we’d say that underdisplay fingerprint readers should be mature enough for Apple to finally add one into the mix, Face ID remains a solid option for authentication. The autofocusing selfie camera that’s in that same vicinity has proven great in the past too.
iPhone 15 Pro (left) next to iPhone 15 Pro Max
Battery life has been a strong suit of iPhones for a while and we’re seeing little reason why that would change now. We do sense we’ll be complaining about the 15 Pro‘s charging speeds though, as usual. Have a look at this quick rundown of the specs before we tear the paper tabs on that white box.
Disclaimer. We can not guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro unboxing
As expected, the iPhone 15 Pro ships in a half-height retail box, with little inside other than the phone itself. The less important bits that are still included are a SIM ejection tool, an Apple sticker, and some documentation.
The one bundled accessory that’s of more practical significance is the new USB cable (C-C) which is now braided. That should help make it last longer than the plain Apple cables of yesteryear, though we’re not sure the white fabric will be looking pristine a few weeks down the road. The cable is also USB 2.0 spec, so if you’re after the fastest possible transfer speeds, you’d need to get a different one. On to the phone itself we go now.
Competition
An iPhone‘s competition most often comprises other iPhones – be they older ones, the other size from the same lineup, or one from the other lineup. In that sense, you need to have your priorities all figured out when picking the right iPhone for you.
iPhone 15 Pro in front of iPhone 15 Pro Max
For example, if you want the absolute best iPhone on the market, the 15 Pro isn’t that. The 15 Pro Max will get you a longer-reaching telephoto camera, better battery life and more screen estate, though conversely, it will take up more room in your pocket, and it’s also more expensive (€250/$200).
On the other hand, if you’re looking to save some money (€300/$200), you could give up on the Pro and get the vanilla iPhone 15 – not only is it the same size as the 15 Pro, but it’s tangibly lighter, which can be a priority. The 15 is nowhere as good a cameraphone as the 15 Pro – no telephoto, no AF on the UW, and less fancy main camera.
An interesting middle ground is the iPhone 14 Pro. Apple may have discontinued it, but we reckon there’s ample stock at third-party retailers, and for €150 less you can have almost the same phone as the 15 Pro – minus the USB-C port, the latest intermediate zoom modes, the newest chipset (last year’s is fine), and the titanium frame (which may actually be an advantage for the previous generation).
If you’re OS-agnostic or just like jumping ship every now and then, or you may want something that Apple doesn’t make yet, there are plenty of Android options you could entertain.
Samsung’s two foldables easily come to mind – there’s no bendy iPhone just yet. The Galaxy Z Fold5 is perhaps the best bet if you’re after the ultimate smartphone for productivity, while the Z Flip5 is more of a fashion statement with the benefit of some form of pocketability. If that last bit is a top priority, then the Zenfone 10 just might be able to entice you, while an Xperia 1 V could appeal to the right crowd with its extensive video recording chops.
Verdict
The iPhone 15 Pro is a logical if not quite exciting, evolutionary step for the lineup. Small advancement in key areas go with continued refusal to improve on others, but Apple will be Apple. Perhaps that statement alone explains the fact that the new 5x telephoto only comes on the Pro Max and not the Pro, and we’re bummed about it on principle, even if it’s objectively not a big deal.
The high price, scant retail bundle, iOS quirks, and heavy throttling sound like cons we’ve listed before and will continue to do so. On the other hand, traditional strong points of the iPhone are only getting stronger – like the upmarket build and in-hand feel, spectacular display, versatile camera system and great speakers. We’re more than happy to welcome the USB-C port this year on iPhone too.
Ultimately, the iPhone 15 Pro is what you’d expect it to be – the best one to date in size small. As usual, if you’ve already got an iPhone 14 Pro, there’s no truly compelling reason to get a 15 Pro. However, if you’re on an iPhone 13 Pro or older, or on one of the other branches of iPhone (like a vanilla 14 maybe), the 15 Pro will more easily make a convincing case for itself.
Pros
Exquisite and now lighter design, water-resistant up to 6m deep.
Outstanding OLED display – super bright, color-accurate, Dolby Vision capable.
Superb speaker loudness, balance, sound quality.
Top-notch performance.
Every iPhone comes with at least five years of iOS updates.
Upgraded connectivity across the board, UWB2 too.
USB-C is here, and we love it.
Class-leading video capturing and stabilization, impressive Pro modes.
Superb daylight and nighttime photos from all cameras.
Cons
A lot more expensive than corresponding Android alternatives.
No charger in the box, and charging isn’t particularly fast.
Apple’s iOS restrictions can be off-putting to newcomers to the ecosystem.
The photo processing could benefit from less sharpening at times.
Limiting the 5x telephoto to just the Max feels arbitrary (and so is the 256GB base storage).
The rear glass is reportedly much more shatter-prone than before.
An improved display. Better cameras. A faster chip. This is the new iPhone. A phone that’s often criticized for being behind-the-curve in certain ways, but often copied. A polarizing device that sets the trends in more ways than one. The iPhone 14 Pro is as controversial as any high-profile iPhone to come before it, if not more.
The iPhone 14 Pro follows Apple’s formula to a T – it brings an even brighter Super Retina XDR OLED with an Always On option and a smaller pill-shaped cutout. Apple has done it again – turning weakness into strength. Once an eyesore, the infamous notch is now the Dynamic Island, a unique feature other brands are considering copying.
There are other improvements across the cameras, courtesy of new sensors, lenses and ISP. And, of course, Apple’s A16 Bionic chipset is faster and more energy-efficient than the A15, just as expected.
Let’s start with the screen. While it’s still a 6.1-inch OLED, it has a smaller pill-shaped cutout, can be as bright as 2,000nits, and supports Always On thanks to new more energy-efficient panel. The cutout is arguably the most iconic iPhone 14 Pro series feature, which actually comprises of two small cutouts – one pill-shaped and one round. Apple has turned this into a feature with various cool animations for notifications and calls it Dynamic Island.
Then come the cameras. The rear camera is still a triple-setup with a LiDAR scanner, but now the main shooter features a 48MP sensor with second-gen sensor-shift stabilization and a 2x lossless zoom option. The 12MP ultrawide camera got a new larger sensor and improved lens. Then there is the front camera, which now has a brighter lens, autofocus and even optical stabilization. There is also a better image processing called Photonic Engine and a new 9-LED flash.
The Apple A16 Bionic chipset offers an even faster processor and graphics though it still features a similar 6-core CPU and 5-core GPU architecture. It does support LPDDR5 RAM now and has higher memory bandwidth. Finally, a new ISP and DSP are present, of course.
Another new introduction as part of the new hardware is the Emergency SOS via satellite – a feature that allows you to send a message to emergency services wherever you are around the world – no need for SIM or network coverage. And thanks to a bunch of new sensors, the new iPhones now support Crash Detection and can automatically send for help if they detect you were in a crash.
This is the first iPhone series to come without a SIM slot in the US, which means the trial run for the SIM slot retirement has officially begun – at least as far as Apple is concerned. If successful, like it was with the nano-SIM, get ready for a smartphone world without SIM cards in a few years.
What hasn’t changed is the design – it’s the same as on the iPhone 12 and 13 series, and just as tough with Ceramic Shields and improved IP68 ingress protection. Battery and charging capabilities have also stayed unchanged.
Disclaimer. We can not guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct.
So, what’s missing on the new iPhone 14 Pro? A proper file manager! Just kidding, this ain’t happening. It seems Apple has addressed many of the omissions from the past generations, and we have the best iPhone ever. Until USB-C-featuring iPhone 15 comes, that is.
Unboxing the Apple iPhone 14 Pro
The thin paper box contains the iPhone and a USB-C-to-Lighting cable. We were disappointed Apple didn’t retire the Lightning port on the iPhones this year, as it already did on its other devices. We guess that’s a task for the next one.
Other than the cable, you will get a SIM ejection tool for models with a SIM slot and one Apple logo sticker. While Apple has ditched the plastic wrapping from the boxes, the plastic sticker remains.
Alternative options
The new iPhone 14 Pro has a lot of upgrades over the iPhone 13 Pro, even if only a single one is visible at first sight – the Dynamic Island. There are new cameras, a new chipset, a new satellite connection and crash detection, and higher brightness for the screen, plus an always-on display option. But even with these novelties, upgrading from an iPhone 13 Pro to the 14 Pro makes little sense.
In fact, Apple has never been a company that wants you to upgrade every year and the 5-year software support plus the aggressive battery care are both statements for that. People still do that more often than not, of course, and if you’ve set your eyes on the new iPhone, be it this one, or another, there is nothing that will change your mind.
The new iPhones have seen a price increase everywhere but the US, which will surely lift a few eyebrows. This is the world we live in right now, with inflation and an ongoing war raging in Europe, unfortunately.
We still have to conclude this review like any other, and we will certainly do it. So, let’s suggest a few iPhones you can buy if this €1,300 iPhone 14 Pro is not your love at first sight.
The iPhone 14 Pro Max is a good alternative with a larger display and better battery life. It starts at €1450, which is hefty premium.
Smaller and lightweight iPhones are available, too. We certainly won’t suggest the new iPhone 14 unless you want the satellite feature, as it is the most insignificant update the iPhones have ever seen. Apple is selling both the €900 iPhone 13, the €800 iPhone 13 mini, and the €800 iPhone 12, so we’d suggest thinking about those if you want a light and compact iPhone and don’t mind not having a zoom camera or a 120Hz display.
The Android market is thriving, too, and you can now both have compact yet flagship smartphones. Samsung has the €700 Galaxy S22 and the foldable €900 Galaxy Z Flip4, a couple we encourage exploring. The €800 Asus Zenfone 9 will give you an all-around flagship package within an incredibly compact body. And you may want to consider the €1,050 Sony Xperia 5 IV for its superb camera kit and natural processing.
Our verdict
The Apple iPhone 14 Pro is the best iPhone Apple has made so far, as the maker just loves to point out. And it is – it has the best screen, cameras, performance, speakers and durability not only among the iPhones but across all flagship smartphones.
It introduces more than enough upgrades over the previous generation to make it interesting – an improved OLED with higher brightness, a smaller cutout with cool animations, and always-on option. The cameras have been updated all around, but the primary with its 48MP sensor and 2x lossless zoom is the showstopper, of course.
The new generation comes with interesting additions like global satellite connection for emergency and crash detection with automatic emergency call. The new faster chipset with improved stability is also worth mentioning.
Even with so many updates, the iPhone 14 Pro looks like the old iPhones, and if it weren’t for the new Deep Purple color and the pill-shaped cutout, you wouldn’t even know. And this design stasis may not be everyone’s favorite, even if this design is a self-proclaimed toughest in the world.
And it’s an iPhone, so not having a top-notch battery life and full OS access is something you choose to accept and live with for the foreseeable future.
Expensive or not, you will love the iPhone because it’s as good as advertised. The iPhone 14 Pro does make little sense as an upgrade over the 13 Pro, the 12 Pro even. But who are we to judge. The heart wants what it wants, right? And that’s the new iPhone. So, you should probably go and get it.
Pros
Class-leading design, water resistance and durability.
The best iPhone ever, version 2022, size XL – we have the iPhone 14 Pro Max. The list of novelties this year includes the notch morphing into a pill, the introduction of an Always-On display, and an all-new primary camera – and while you can get all of that on the 14 Pro, the extra screen estate and longevity coupled with the Max’s ‘ultimate’ status mean it has a market niche of its own.
The Face ID notch that’s been with us since the iPhone X was nobody’s favorite, and perhaps its reincarnation as a pill is a step towards its eventual removal. But not before turning the eyesore into a feature – the pill is a Dynamic Island of notifications, blurring the line between hardware and software.
In a similar vein is the Always-On display – a software feature only made possible now in Apple’s world thanks to LTPO displays being able to ramp down to 1Hz refresh rate.
A massive increase in brightness is also among the key developments this year, this one solely in the hardware department.
Late to yet another party, Apple finally joins virtually every other manufacturer and introduces a camera with a Quad Bayer type sensor – the specs on the 48MP main unit don’t read like any other, so apparently, it’s an exclusive design. The telephoto remains unchanged, but the ultrawide has gotten a sensor size upgrade, while the front-facing one now features autofocus (and maybe even OIS).
On the hardware front, there’s the mandatory chipset update, of course, and little else worth mentioning. Well, there’s the blanked-out SIM card slot for the US models, which will only operate with eSIMs – does that count as a hardware change? Crash detection and emergency sort-of satellite connectivity are also on the list of new features combining software and hardware.
Disclaimer. We can not guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct.
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max unboxing
Hardly anything has changed in the presentation of the iPhone 14 Pro Max compared to last year’s model. The half-height box has a color-matched likeness of the phone printed on the lid, and opens with a couple of paper tear-off pull tabs.
Inside, the phone is lying face down, its back greeting you as you remove the lid. There’s no charger bundled, but there’s still a USB-C-to-Lightning cable, at least. And an Apple sticker, because free advertising.
Competition
There are two ways to look at the possible competitors to the iPhone 14 Pro Max. On the one hand, you have the people looking for an iPhone, and those can be subdivided into those looking for a large-screen iPhone and others looking for a Pro iPhone. On the other hand, you have the undecided folk with less of an ecosystem allegiance and more of a ‘what’s the best I can get regardless of price’ attitude.
Then there’s another matter complicating things further – iPhone prices vary greatly from region to region this year, more so than usual. While the US numbers have remained unchanged, the Euro prices have gotten a steep hike – €200 is not insignificant, even at this level. The INR 10K increase in India isn’t as severe, but it’s still an increase.
That price development can make a strong case for the iPhone 13 Pro Max, which fits neatly into both subsets of prospective iPhone buyers – it’s got a large screen, and it’s a Pro model. Sure, Apple may have discontinued it, but retailers appear fully stocked still. You’ll be missing out on some improved cameras, but the last generation is still a competent cameraphone, while the pill vs. notch argument is, well, hardly an argument.
If, on the other hand, it’s specifically the new cameras and/or the pill that you’re after, but you don’t quite fancy the Max’s bulk and heft, then there’s the 14 Pro. The same as the Max, but more compact and with slightly shorter battery life, the 14 Pro will also save you some cash – $100/€150/INR 10K.
The 14 Plus, too, can appeal to those looking to spend a little less and still have a large-sized iPhone. It’s not quite the best deal in the US, where it goes for 14 Pro money ($200 less than the 14 Pro Max), but in Europe and even more so in India, you’d be looking at some serious savings – €300/INR 50K. You’d need to wait a couple of extra weeks and settle for last year’s internals, but it’s still a big iPhone at a sort of bargain price.
For the brand agnostics out there, the obvious choice is the Galaxy S22 Ultra. Samsung’s ultimate non-foldable is Max-sized too, has a great set of cameras and packs a stylus (or a remote shutter release, depending on how you look at it). There’s also the Galaxy Z Fold4 – a phone and a tablet in the same device that’s only barely heavier than the 14 Pro Max. A Pixel 7 Pro is also on the way if you’re more into Google’s way of doing cameras and software. Somewhat of a niche alternative (judging by market share, at least) can be found in the Xperia 1 IV too.
Verdict
The best iPhone ever comes with a wide range of advancements, and even if you don’t consider any of them groundbreaking or relevant to your usage, they’re there and add up. The brightest screen by a country mile, now with AoD, a pill for the notch-ache, a camera system with all-around improvements and great full-res images, and emergency hardware/software features – that’s the new stuff.
These come on top of Pro Max staples like great battery life, superb speakers, and premium and durable build quality. The most potent chipset in the business and at least 5 years of support for the software you’ve known for ages (and likely love and hate at the same time) are other classic arguments for the iPhone, Pro Max included.
The price increase in RoW markets (that is, outside of the US) is a tough pill to swallow on at least two levels. There’s the absolute monetary dimension of the extra cash leaving your pocket, and then there’s the sense that you’re paying for part of the US customers’ iPhones – we’re not sure which is the more bitter sentiment.
But in any case, the iPhone 14 Pro Max is undoubtedly a wonderful handset with few faults. And where you can see possible negatives, those come with the territory and aren’t exclusive to this specific generation or size. So, ultimately, if it’s your time to upgrade and the price is right for you, you can’t go wrong with this one.
Pros
Class-leading design, water resistance and durability.
The Pixel 8a is likely only a couple of weeks away from its debut and the leaks keep on coming. In another new leak, a Pixel 8a product page reiterates and confirms details about the upcoming device, including that it has a matte finish on the back.
We’ve heard basically all of the important things about the Pixel 8a already. Tensor G3, a 120Hz display, 7 years of updates, and even pricing.
Now, a full product page posted by Evan Blass reiterates all of the details we already knew, and throws in a couple of new ones. There’s mention that Pixel 8a has Gorilla Glass 3 protecting its display, the same as was used on the Pixel 7a. Google does claim, though, that the Pixel 8a is its “most durable” A-Series release yet, alongside confirmation of IP67 water resistance (again, in line with 7a).
The same page also talks about the “fun colors” and the use of a matte finish on Pixel 8a.
Technically we already knew this through hands-on leaks. An image of the black model clearly showed a matte finish on the back, and another image of the blue and green models further cemented the idea, though there’s always a bit of leeway there. But this product page leaves no room for doubt, with an explicit mention (translated) that the Pixel 8a has a matte finish.
The page also says that Pixel 8a is made, in part, from recycled materials. In context, this sounds like it’s referring to the back of the device, but it could easily be referring to the frame. Pixel 7a used recycled aluminum in its housing.
Google Pixel 8a features a smooth overall finish and a matte back, making it extremely comfortable to hold. What’s more, it’s made from recylced materials.
The only color we don’t know for 100% certain at this point is the white model, but given that it looks identical to the other models in renders we’ve seen leak, it certainly looks like Google is going for a matte finish across all colors. That’d match the company’s pattern on the Pixel 8 Pro, too.
Interestingly, one portion of the page also mentions 6 months of Fitbit Premium with the 8a. That’s not something Google offers on its other Pixel phones, usually only offering it on Pixel Watch.
Google is expected to launch the Pixel 8a soon, probably around Google I/O which takes place on May 14.
The Apple Watch AFib feature – which detects abnormal heartbeat patterns indicative of atrial fibrillation – has received a new tick of approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Doctors have already credited the health feature with saving lives.
While the FDA had previously granted clearance for AFib detection, that was a limited endorsement
The Apple Watch previously had FDA ‘clearance’
When the FDA first cleared Apple to include atrial fibrillation detection by the Apple Watch, that was the lowest hurdle. Specifically, the 510(k) clearance granted to Apple effectively said that the device is “substantially equivalent” to some existing device.
In other words, there were already existing optical pulse oximeters which worked in the same way as the one fitted to the Apple Watch, and those had already been shown to detect AFib.
Since usage of those earlier devices was already permitted, then the new device is effectively grandfathered in by a 510(k) clearance.
Now qualifies under MDDT program
The FDA has now announced that the Apple Watch AFib feature has now qualified as a Medical Device Development Tool (MDDT).
It says that this is the first ever digital health tech to qualify under the program.
The FDA is announcing the qualification of a new tool to assess atrial fibrillation (a type of arrhythmia, or abnormal heartbeat) burden estimates within clinical studies through the Medical Device Development Tools (MDDT) program.
The Apple Atrial Fibrillation History Feature is the first digital health technology qualified under the MDDT program, providing a non-invasive way to check estimates of atrial fibrillation (AFib) burden within clinical studies.
What does this mean?
It means researchers carrying out clinical studies into atrial fibrillation are now allowed to rely on Apple Watch AFib data as part of their findings.
Specifically, an Apple Watch can now be used to determine the severity of AFib (known as the AFib burden) in order to determine whether treatment is needed, and then to measure the effectiveness of that treatment afterwards.
The MDDT qualification determines that the device creates “scientifically plausible measurements.” Effectively, the FDA is stating that it is sufficiently confident in the reliability of the feature to determine its results safe to use in research studies.
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.
After on and off testing over the past few years, Google looks to have widely rolled out simultaneous app downloads and installs on the Play Store in a nice quality of life improvement.
To see it in action, install two apps — pick bigger downloads, like Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides — and see how they download and then install concurrently instead of first waiting for one to complete. You can monitor their progress inside the Play Store and on your homescreen as seen in the screenshots below.
This updated behavior only triggers on new installs, while it just works with two apps at a time. (You can see how a third download remains “Pending” until something from the first pair finishes.) For comparison, the iOS App Store can handle three concurrent downloads and installs.
As of today, Google Play’s simultaneous downloads do not apply to application updates, which would be more useful as updating is more common than fresh installs. Hopefully, this is just a case of Google Play starting small before expanding. Where this change will be useful is when setting up a new Android phone or tablet.
We are seeing this change on several Pixel phones and tablets we tested running Android 14 and version 40.6.31 of the Play Store.
Gurman writes that alongside the slate of artificial intelligence features, iOS 18 will include updates to most of the popular built-in apps on the iPhone, including overhauls for the Photos, Mail, Notes and Fitness apps. The Calculator app will be updated with new features, and made available on the iPad for the first time.
iOS 18 has been described as one of the biggest iPhone software updates, ever. Users can expect new features across the OS. We have previously heard about new features coming to Apple Maps for instance.
Corroborating previous reports, Gurman also says that the iPhone home screen will get some new capabilities. Users will be able to freely place icons for the first time, not aligned to the grid.
The overall OS will reportedly get a bit of a facelift with Gurman expecting a series of design tweaks, although not as dramatic as the iOS 17 transition. Specifically, he says that the design changes will make the app designs more “modular” and “easier to update and customize”.
This is speculation, but it sounds like Apple is working to standardize the library of UI components it uses across its apps, which will make it easier for the engineering teams to update them over time, especially as increasingly they are made available as universal apps spanning iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, tvOS, and visionOS.
We’ll know for sure when Apple officially announces iOS 18 at its WWDC developer conference, in June. The keynote announcements will kick off at 10 AM PT on June 10. Nearer term, Apple will hold a spring product event on May 7 where it will unveil the new iPad Pro and iPad Air lineups.
