Apple this week quietly held a gaming-focused media event in New York City. The event is said to have focused on showing off things like Game Mode in iOS 18, the new M4 iPad Pro performance, and more.
Macotakara detailed the event, which was held on July 10, in a blog post today. On display at the NYC event were the iPhone 15 Pro Max, M4 iPad Pro, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and iMac. Some of the iPhone 15 Pro Max was demo units were paired with controllers from Backbone. There were also PlayStation DualSense controllers from Sony available for Mac and iPad gaming demos as well.
Among the games shown off by Apple during this event were:
Rseident Evil 7 Biohazard
Valheim
Assassin’s Creed Mirage
Diablo Immortal
Zenless Zone Zero
Palworld
The event also focused on the new gaming features coming as part of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15 this year. iOS 18, for example, brings Game Mode to the iPhone for the first time. Apple’s Game Porting Toolkit is also now available to let developers port macOS games to iOS. iOS 18 expands AirPods Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking to gaming with reduced audio latency.
Apple held a similar event for members of the press and influencers last year, offering a look at games coming to iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Mac. Following last year’s event, there were a number of articles and social media posts from those in attendance. So far, this story from Macotaka is the only write up from this year’s event.
Over the last several years, particularly with the advent of Apple silicon for the Mac, Apple has ramped up its emphasis on gaming across all of its platforms.
Vision Pro to a complete revamp of the iPad lineup, there’s a lot to be excited about. Here’s everything we know about what’s coming from Apple this year, broken down by product category.
Spoiler alert: there’s a lot in the pipeline for this year.
Vision Pro
Apple’s 2024 is expected to kick off with the release of Vision Pro, Apple’s new spatial computing headset that was first announced at WWDC 2022. Apple says that Vision Pro will be released in “early 2024” in the United States and later this year in other countries around the world.
According to reports from the likes of Bloomberg and Ming-Chi Kuo, Vision Pro is currently in mass production ahead of a launch to customers sometime in February. Vision Pro will start at $3,499, but Apple has not revealed any other pricing details for things like prescription lenses, storage configurations, and more.
Learn more about Vision Pro in our hands-on coverage from WWDC 2022. Keep up with all of the latest rumors about Vision Pro’s release date in our dedicated guide.
A complete iPad lineup overhaul
In 2023, Appledidn’t release a single new iPad. In fact, the only hardware announcement related to the iPad was the new Apple Pencil with USB-C. Exciting stuff, right?
Thankfully, 2024 is shaping up to be a far more exciting year for the iPad. Rumors suggest that Apple has new versions of every iPad it sells in the works.
iPad Air
One of the biggest changes to the iPad lineup in 2024 is expected to be the addition of a new 12.9-inch iPad Air. Currently, Apple sells one iPad Air model at 10.9 inches. This would mark the first time that Apple has sold an iPad Air in two different screen sizes.
Other than the new form factor option, we aren’t expecting many other changes to the iPad Air in terms of design or features. The only other notable difference will be a new processor, with Apple upgrading the iPad Air from its current M1 chip to the M2 for better performance and efficiency.
The new iPad Air models are expected to be announced and released sometime around March.
iPad Pro
For fans of Apple’s top-end iPad Pro models, there’s a lot to be excited about in 2024. Most notably, the iPad Pro lineup will switch to OLED display technology. Currently, the 11-inch iPad Pro uses an LCD display while the 12.9-inch uses mini-LED.
Additionally, the 2024 iPad Pro lineup will be available in 11-inch and 13-inch screen sizes. The slight increase from 12.9 inches to 13 inches could come in the form of smaller bezels, allowing Apple to increase the screen size while maintaining the same overall form factor.
The switch to OLED for the iPad Pro lineup could also unlock other changes. For example, OLED displays could theoretically allow Apple to make the iPad Pro thinner. There have also been rumors of bigger design changes coming to the iPad Pro models, but whether those design changes will debut this year remains to be seen.
On the inside, the iPad Pro models will use the latest-generation M3 processors. This will unlock improved performance and efficiency for things like pro-level apps, multitasking, and more.
All of these changes, however, will increase the iPad Pro pricing. Not only are OLED panels more expensive than LCD and mini-LED, but Apple is also planning to use the most advanced version of OLED panels on the market. As it stands today, the 11-inch iPad Pro starts at $799, while the 12.9-inch iPad Pro starts at $1,099.
You can learn more about the new OLED iPad Pro in our dedicated guide. This guide includes details about why Apple is switching to OLED and some of the benefits the change will offer.
The new iPad Pro models are likely to be announced and released sometime around March.
New Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil 3
For the new iPad Pro models, Bloomberg has reported that Apple is working on a new Magic Keyboard accessory. The new Magic Keyboard will allegedly make the iPad Pro “look more like a laptop and include a sturdier frame with aluminum.
On the other hand, the new iPad Air models will reportedly use the existing Magic Keyboard.
Meanwhile, Apple is also said to be prepping a new version of the Apple Pencil to launch alongside the new iPad Pro. Details here are still a bit sparse, but rumors have pointed to a hardware change that supports interchangeable magnetically attached tips that simulate different instruments.
iPad mini and iPad 10: Late 2024
Last but not least, Apple is working on updated versions of the base model iPad as well as the iPad mini. These devices will be updated with faster processors, likely the A16 for improved performance and efficiency improvements. No other major changes are expected.
Perhaps most notably, the introduction of the iPad 11 means that Apple will discontinue the iPad 9. The iPad 9 is the last model of the iPad to feature a Home button and a Lightning port. This will also allow Apple to discontinue the first generation Apple Pencil with a Lightning connector.
The new iPad 11 and iPad mini 7 are expected to be announced and released sometime later in 2024.
WWDC 2024
In June, Apple will likely hold its annual Worldwide Developers Conference – or WWDC – event. This will include the launch of its next round of software platforms:
iOS 18
iPadOS 18
watchOS 11
tvOS 18
macOS 15
visionOS 2
iOS 18
The headlining platform at WWDC 2024 will be iOS 18. In October, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman provided an overview of Apple’s ambitions for iOS 18, namely focused on new artificial intelligence features.
This report highlighted an “edict” within Apple and Craig Federighi’s software team to fill iOS 18 “with features running on the company’s large language model.”
Here are the ways Apple is exploring adding AI to iOS 18:
An enhanced Siri version that leverages a new AI system using large language model technology for smarter responses.
The integration of AI in the Messages app, enabling it to answer questions and complete sentences automatically.
New AI functionalities in Apple Music for generating custom playlists.
The introduction of generative AI in iWork applications like Keynote and Pages
The incorporation of generative AI tools in Xcode, aiding developers in more efficient application development
Furthermore, in a surprising move, Apple announced in October that iPhones will start supporting RCS in 2024. RCS, short for Rich Communication Services, is the modern alternative to traditional SMS and MMS. This update is set to bring several features typical of iMessage to text interactions between iPhone and Android users.
Apple indicated that RCS support will be introduced to the iPhone “later next year” through a software update. This timing hints at the possibility of integrating this feature into iOS 18.
For more details on iOS 18, check out our complete guide. iOS 18 will likely be released to developers for beta testing in June, followed by a public beta in July, and a release to the broader public in September.
More software announcements
Unfortunately, there haven’t been any details about what’s to come from Apple’s other software updates this year. We’d expect a lot of focus on visionOS, but no additional information is available.
iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro
A new year means a new iPhone, and this year that will come in the form of the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max.
For the iPhone 16 Pro models, one of the biggest changes will be that the displays are slightly larger.
The iPhone 16 Pro is expected to feature a 6.3-inch display, an increase from the 6.1-inch display of the iPhone 15 Pro. The iPhone 16 Pro Max will reportedly feature a 6.9-inch display, an increase from the 6.7-inch display of the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Each iPhone 16 model will reportedly feature a new “capture button” on the right-hand side below the power button. This button will be dedicated to capturing video, with an emphasis on capturing spatial video that can be viewed on Vision Pro.
In line with that, the iPhone 16 will feature a redesigned camera layout that allows it to capture spatial video. Currently, only the iPhone 15 Pro models can capture spatial video. Apple is clearly looking to expand spatial video features as it ramps up the launch of Vision Pro and the broader “Apple Vision” lineup.
In terms of other camera changes, Ming-Chi Kuo has reported that the iPhone 16 lineup will get an upgraded 48-megapixel ultra wide camera. This is expected to behave similarly to the 48-megapixel main camera sensor in current iPhone models, where computational photography samples the raw 48-megapixels of information to produce a 12 or 24-megapixel final output image.
The iPhone 16 Pro will add the same 5x telephoto camera that is currently available on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Additionally, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will reportedly feature an upgraded version of the Action button that is currently exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro models. The new Action button will allegedly include things like a force sensor for more flexibility.
You can find all of the details about the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro in our dedicated guides. As of right now, we expect the iPhone 16 to be announced and released in September, but that timeline could shift based on things like production and supply chain disruptions.
Apple Watch
What exactly to expect from the Apple Watch this year is unclear. Rumors have indicated that Apple is working on a major new “Apple Watch X” product, but there is still some discrepancy about whether Apple Watch X will be ready to launch this year.
The Apple Watch X has been described by Bloomberg as the biggest redesign of the Apple Watch since its launch in 2015. One of Apple’s specific focuses is on making the Apple Watch thinner.
One of the biggest changes with the Apple Watch X will be a new magnetic system for attaching bands. Apple is reportedly planning to abandon the current band attachment mechanism, with engineers determining that it simply takes up too much internal space. Apple instead hopes that it can use that space for other things, such as a larger battery.
The downside to this change, however, is that it will break compatibility with all existing Apple Watch bands. This means any Apple Watch band you have today won’t work with the Apple Watch X.
Again, there is still some uncertainty as to whether or not the Apple Watch X will be ready for 2024. It’s possible the update won’t come until 2025. It’s also not particularly clear how the Apple Watch X will fit in the Apple Watch lineup.
If Apple is ready to launch a new Apple Watch this year, we’d expect it to debut alongside the iPhone 16 lineup in September.
The Mac
If you’re a fan of the Mac, fear not. Apple has a few things in store for you in 2024 as well. The first M3-powered Macs debuted last October, starting with the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro and 24-inch iMac. This year, that transition to the M3 is expected to continue.
First up, Apple is working on new versions of the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air powered by the M3 chip. The new MacBook Air lineup is expected to be released sometime around March 2024.
We’re also expecting a new version of the Mac Studio and Mac Pro powered by the M3 Max and M3 Ultra chips. Most recently, however, Bloomberg reported that these new desktop Macs aren’t expected “until the end of 2024 at the earliest, if not 2025.”
In fact, Bloomberg reported in November that the M3 Ultra hasn’t even started “widespread testing” inside Apple.
What about the Mac mini? That’s another unknown. The Mac mini is currently available in M2 and M2 Pro configurations. We’d assume an update to M3 and M3 Pro is coming at some point, but right now there aren’t any details on when.
New AirPods
Last but not least, we have Apple’s AirPods lineup. For 2024, Apple is reportedly prepping a major update to its entry-level AirPods, and a not-so-major change for AirPods Max.
AirPods 4
According to Bloomberg, AirPods 3 have not been as successful in sales as Apple had hoped, prompting the company to reevaluate its product range starting in 2024. The report details that both AirPods 2 and AirPods 3 are set to be phased out this year, with plans for two distinct versions of AirPods 4 in the works.
The upcoming AirPods 4 models are expected to showcase a “hybrid design” that merges elements from both the AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro. However, unlike the AirPods Pro, these new models will not include interchangeable and customizable ear tips. Another significant change is the switch from Lightning to USB-C for charging.
The two versions of the AirPods 4 will differ in certain key aspects. The higher-end variant of AirPods 4 will have features like noise cancellation and an upgraded charging case with advanced Find My integration and speakers for Find My alerts.
The new AirPods 4 lineup is likely to be released sometime later in 2024.
AirPods Max
For AirPods Max fans, the story is far less exciting. Bloomberg has reported that new AirPods Max are coming sometime in late 2024, but the only change will be a switch from Lightning to USB-C for charging. There might also be new colors.
If you were hoping for AirPods Max with a more modern chip inside, you appear to be out of luck. AirPods Max were first introduced in December 2020 and haven’t been updated since. They feature a Lightning port for charging and miss out on pretty much all of the new features Apple announced for AirPods at WWDC last year.
Wrap up
Here are some other smaller things Apple is working on, that may or may not materialize in 2025.
Apple is working on a new version of the Apple TV, but there are no details on a launch date.
There are also new smart home products in the works, including an updated HomePod with a screen. Again, there are no details on when this product might be available.
Multiple rumors have suggested that Apple is working on expanding its lineup of external displays beyond the Studio Display and Pro Display XDR. Whether these efforts materialize in 2025 remains to be seen.
Here are some other smaller things Apple is working on, that may or may not materialize in 2025.
New AirPods Pro with new health tracking features are in the works, but not expected until 2024.
Apple is working on a new version of the Apple TV, but there are no details on a launch date.
There are also new smart home products in the works, including an updated HomePod with a screen. Again, there are no details on when this product might be available.
Multiple rumors have suggested that Apple is working on expanding its lineup of external displays beyond the Studio Display and Pro Display XDR. Whether these efforts materialize in 2025 remains to be seen.
Some companies ended up making these briefcase monitor-type accessories, but they were bulky, finicky, and always expensive. But thanks to an update to iPadOS 17, it looks like your iPad can now solve that problem. Here is how to get it done.
How is this possible?
Firstly, the reason this is possible is that one of the new features of iPadOS 17 gives you the ability to use an external camera as a webcam for your iPad. Again this is on iPadOS 17 and it is still in beta, but should be released in mid-September. The way this works is by using an external camera or webcam and basically “playing” it on your iPad, and the result is the ability to use it as your camera instead of the built-in FaceTime camera. Right now this feature only works in the FaceTime app but should become more available in third-party apps like Zoom, Slack, and Teams. Wesley Hilliard, from AppleInsider, wrote that this new camera support also applies to capture cards, which can be used to turn anything into an HDMI in. That is where the magic happens.
What you need
The setup for this is actually extremely simple. It will work with any video game console as long as it has an HDMI out. As tested it with my PS4 and my Nintendo Switch, and it worked amazingly. But below are the software and items needed to get this going.
Any iPad with a USB-C port (does not work with lightning port iPads)
Must be on iPadOS 17
Video Capture Card
Video game console of choice
Capture Pro App (currently in testflight but free to sign up to use)
Optional: USB-C hub to charge your iPad and use Capture Card
As mentioned, the iPad needs to be on iPadOS 17 to support this feature. You also need to make sure to download the Capture Pro App. It is currently in testing, so just hit this link, make sure to download Testflight, and then you can sign up to test Capture Pro for free, and it works immediately. It will eventually make it onto the regular app store once iPadOS 17 goes live to the public.
How to use your iPad as a game console display
Now that we have all the hardware we need, we can start to set this up. As stated, this is the easy part. Just connect your console to power, and run the plug the capture card into the HDMI cable. Plug the HDMI side to the console, and the capture card side to the iPad. Turn on the console, open the Capture Pro app, tap the “reload” button, and you are live!
What You will love about this is also just how well it works! The audio of the video game defaults to the iPad Pro speakers, which is outstanding! There is also ZERO latency. Since this isn’t remote play or cloud gaming, you are directly connected to the console which allows for no latency while playing. On top of all of this, since you are using an App to display this through the Capture Pro App, it supports stage manager. So you could have the gameplay in one window and have Twitter or some walkthrough website up in another window while playing. Be sure to watch the hands-on video to see this in real-time.
Wrap-up
I think this is a very cool feature, and I can’t wait to see what this could mean for portable consoles in the future. It is not unheard of to put your Xbox, iPad, and controller in a bag for a week-long trip. You would be able to get some series gaming done. Combine that with the amazing iPad Pro ProMotion display, and you will be gaming at 120FPS on the go.
This is still in beta but so far I have had zero issues at all. If you want to give it a try, all you really need to do is buy that capture card if you don’t have one, and you should have everything you need.
Apple competitors like Samsung have been trying to push foldable smartphones and tablets for some time. And while this is a niche market, Apple is rumored to have been experimenting with this idea internally. We don’t yet know when, or if, the company will introduce a foldable iPhone or foldable iPad – but read on as we detail what we know so far.
Latest rumors on Apple’s foldable iPhone and iPad
Rumors suggest that the Cupertino-based company is internally developing prototypes of foldable iPhones and iPads, but those devices are far from seeing the light of day. Analysts Ming-Chi Kuo and Ross Young reported that Apple’s first foldable product is expected to be introduced in 2025 “at the earliest.” Details about these devices remain unclear at this point.
This comes as no surprise since Apple has been following a more conservative approach in recent years. Due to the large number of devices the company ships each year, Apple would likely face several supply issues with the launch of a foldable phone at this point, since this technology is still limited and more expensive.
But what would an Apple foldable device look like? People familiar with the matter have been saying that the company has different prototypes inside its campus. One of them looks more like an iPhone that folds – an idea similar to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip. Another prototype looks more like an iPad that folds into a phone. Kuo said this year that he believes the foldable tablet will come first.
I’m positive about the foldable iPad in 2024 and expect this new model will boost shipments and improve the product mix. My latest survey indicates that the foldable iPad will feature a carbon fiber kickstand. Carbon fiber material will make the kickstand lighter and more durable.
Last year, Young claimed that Apple was in talks with its suppliers to order 20-inch displays for a foldable laptop. Of course, these are all for experimental prototypes and none of these are product designs that are about to see the light of day. Still, it’s interesting to see that although having a foldable device is not a priority for Apple, the company is not ruling out the idea for the future.
CCS Insight also predicted that Apple’s first foldable device will cost around $2,500, much more expensive than current iPhones. But at the same time, foldable devices from other companies are not cheap either. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 4 starts at $1,799. Google’s new Pixel Fold also comes with a price tag of $1,799.
Are foldable phones worth it?
Some people think foldable devices are nothing more than a gimmick, while others really see the potential in this technology.
Samsung has been doing a great job with its foldable phones, and these devices open up a lot of new possibilities. For some people, it’s all about making large phones fit into a pocket or purse. For others, it’s about new ways to interact with the phone when it’s folded. I had fun taking selfies with my Z Flip without having to hold it or put it on a stand.
At the same time, these devices still look more like prototypes than devices for end users. There’s still the crease where the display bends and they’re still quite fragile. These are things that Apple can change with its own foldable device.
Report rumored: Foldable iPhone pushed to 2025, Apple mulling 20-inch foldable MacBook display
As part of its broader report focused on the growth of foldable smartphone shipments for companies like Samsung, Display Supply Chain Consultants has new details on Apple’s work on a foldable iPhone.
According to DSCC analyst Ross Young, Apple has likely delayed its foldable iPhone until 2025, but it is also investigating the idea of “foldable notebooks.”
First off, based on conversations with supply chain sources, Young says that DSCC has delayed its expectations for a foldable iPhone to 2025. This represents a delay of around two years compared to previously-reported timelines of a foldable iPhone launching in 2023.
We delayed our expectations for Apple entering the foldable smartphone market by two years to 2025 after discussions with our supply chain contacts. The company does not appear to be in a hurry to enter the foldable smartphone market, and it may even take longer than that.
Perhaps more interestingly, DSCC says that Apple is now investigating the idea of a foldable notebook of some sort. The company is reportedly in discussions with suppliers about this category, and while a product is still several years away, its interest is in a 20-inch foldable of some sort.
On the other hand, we are now showing Apple in our roadmap for foldable notebooks. We hear there is interest at the largest size yet, around 20.x”. This size could create a new category for Apple and would result in a true dual use product, a notebook with a full-size keyboard when folded and for use as a monitor when not folded and used with an external keyboard. It may also allow for UHD/4K resolution or even higher at that size. The time frame is likely later than 2025 though, it could be 2026 or 2027.
Even if this product is several years away, DSCC says that this is “good news for the foldable space” in general.
For those unfamiliar, Ross Young is an analyst for Display Supply Chain Consultants. As such, his reporting is usually based on indications from the supply chain similar to analysts such as Ming-Chi Kuo. He’s proven to be extremely reliable over the past year, including being the sole analyst to report that the 2021 MacBook Pros would feature mini-LED displays with ProMotion.
While Android counterparts like Samsung have entered the foldable smartphone industry with full force, Apple has been much more reserved thus far. Samsung has developed its foldable smartphone products in public, with its most recent being the Galaxy Z Flip3. As usual, Apple’s approach has been to develop a foldable iPhone secrecy and release a product only when it’s deemed ready for the public.
Reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has predicted in the past that Apple could sell 20 million units of the first foldable iPhone, whenever it eventually comes to market.
More interesting than the foldable iPhone delay, however, is Young’s claim that Apple is working on a 20-inch foldable MacBook product of some sort. Details here are a bit sparse, but it sounds like an incredibly intriguing product — regardless of whatever form factor it ultimately ships with.
Some find the idea of a foldable MacBook or iPad much more intriguing than a foldable smartphone.
Stage Manager is Apple’s solution for improving (or at least trying to) the iPad’s multitasking system. The feature lets users run apps in windowed mode, but there’s a catch: it only works with the M1 iPad Air and iPad Pro. Apple hasn’t said a word at this point about changing the feature requirements, but we’ve found a way to see how Stage Manager would work on the iPad mini.
How Stage Manager works
First of all, if you haven’t seen Stage Manager in action, it basically brings windows to iPadOS 16. However, there are still some limitations when it comes to resizing and moving apps around the screen. It’s not exactly like what you have on a Mac or Windows PC, but it certainly makes the iPad feel more like a real computer.
Unfortunately, only iPads equipped with the M1 chip support Stage Manager. Apple says it set the M1 chip as a requirement because Stage Manager lets users open up to eight apps simultaneously. Stage Manager also enables full support for an external display up to 6K resolution, and unsurprisingly, Apple claims that other iPads don’t have enough performance for this.
Some users didn’t seem to believe Apple’s statements as some of them are quite controversial. For instance, the company argues that Stage Manager benefits from the fast memory swap that is only available on the M1 chip. However, the 64GB iPad Air 5, which runs Stage Manager, lacks RAM swap.
Stage Manager on the iPad mini
Officially, there’s no way to enable Stage Manager on non-M1 iPads. However, 9to5Mac found a hidden internal mode in the iPadOS 16 code that enables Stage Manager on any iPad running the latest version of the operating system. Since there’s no jailbreak tool available for iPadOS 16, we can’t enable this mode on a real iPad, but we can take a look at it using iOS Simulator – an Apple tool that lets developers test their apps on a Mac.
More interesting than seeing Stage Manager working on the previous generation iPad Pro or iPad Air, I was wondering what the feature looks like on the iPad mini. And this is what I just found out.
Of course, the iPad mini’s display is too small for an advanced multitasking system, but still, Stage Manager can be quite useful for some iPad mini users. I took some screenshots of the iOS Simulator and sent them to my iPad mini so I could get a better idea of Stage Manager’s usability in terms of interface size. Honestly, everything looks good enough for me.
You can open three iPhone-sized apps side by side without compromising usability, which seems perfect for checking multiple social networks while you read something. You can also open a larger window while leaving smaller windows in the background to quickly switch between them, which is great for dragging and dropping items.
Current iPads can already open up to three apps simultaneously with Split View and Slide Over, but the experience is much more limited since you can’t have all three apps side by side.
Will Apple ever change that?
Some users are willing to have a limited version of Stage Manager available for non-M1 iPads, but Apple has never said if it will ever do this.
After seeing Stage Manager working on the iPad mini, I’m convinced that I’d like to have the option to run apps in windowed mode, even with some limitations compared to the M1 iPads. As I once said, having windows is not only about how many apps you can run at the same time, but it’s also about organization.
Stage Manager isn’t exactly perfect, but it certainly improves the iPad’s poor multitasking system – and it’s a shame that Apple wants to keep it for the more expensive iPads.
For now, iPadOS 16 beta remains available exclusively to developers. According to Apple, the first public beta will be released this month, while the official release is expected this fall.
Apple today released iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 beta 5 to developers. These updates don’t include as many changes as the previous betas did, but they do include a handful of smaller tweaks. Head below as we roundup everything knew in iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 beta 5.
With the fifth betas of iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, Apple is focusing more on refinement than major changes. There are no major changes to the controversial Safari redesign in this beta, unlike the previous releases.
iOS 15 beta 5 features the build number of 19A5318f. Developers can update from beta 4 via the Settings app. Open the Settings app, choose General, then choose Software Update.
iOS 15 is also available to public beta users, but no new beta has been released to those users this week. It’s possible that the next iOS 15 public beta build is released later today or tomorrow, but a release next week is not out of the question. Apple has also not released new betas of macOS Monterey or watchOS 8.
What’s new in iOS 15 beta 5?
The Weather app has a new icon that adds depth, making it similar to the Maps icon in iOS 15
New onboarding screens for the Maps, Home, and Photos applications
In iPadOS 15 beta 5, Apple has made a small change to the Safari interface, so the address bar is now outlined instead of filled in
Safari
iPadOS 15 beta 5 also brings a new “Use Large Icons” setting to the “Home Screen & Dock” area of the Settings app. This was previously located in the “Display & Brightness” settings area
In the Settings app under Safari then Accessibility, there is a new option for “Show Color in Top and Bottom Bars”
New tappable message for “iPhone Findable After Power Off”
Tweaks to the “Notifications while in Focus” design in Notification Center
According to Apple’s release notes: “Legacy Contacts has been removed from iOS & iPadOS 15 beta 5 and will return in a future release.”
New indicator in the App Store for when you have a TestFlight beta version of an app installed
Apple Inc. will debut major software updates for the iPhone and iPad at its developers’ conference on June 07,2021 to an audience that has grown increasingly critical of the company’s App Store policies.
The virtual event beginning June 07,2021 will also include software updates for the Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV as well as tools developers can use to build apps. The company plans to discuss new privacy protections for limiting data collection as well as health-tracking, notifications and messaging features. Executives also will promote significant improvements to iPad software, making the device more capable and appealing to more advanced users.
This year’s conference arrives while Apple is facing criticism from some developers over its App Store policies. The controversy was highlighted by a three-week trial last month of a lawsuit filed by Epic Games Inc., which argued that the iPhone maker’s policies and revenue share of as much as 30% are anticompetitive. Unhappy developers have grown more willing publicly to express discontent, Apple executives have been grilled by U.S. lawmakers and companies such as Microsoft Corp. and Spotify Technology SA have chided Apple.
What to Expect From Apple’s WWDC
The Cupertino, California-based iPhone maker will now try to convince developers that Apple’s platform remains the best place for them to sell software and that it has new features to keep consumers glued to the company’s products. Apple, however, isn’t expected to announce wholesale App Store policy changes next week. The company generated about $22 billion from App Store commission in 2020 alone, according to Sensor Tower estimates.
As part of its continued privacy push, Apple is planning new features to counter overly invasive apps. One major new addition will be a control panel that provides in-depth detail on what data are being collected by each third-party app installed on a user’s device. Earlier this year, Apple rolled out a feature to limit the ability of developers to track users across apps and the web for advertising purposes, irking developers like Facebook Inc.
On the iPhone and iPad software updates, users will now be able to set a status — such as whether you are driving, sleeping, working or don’t want to be disturbed — and have that dictate how incoming notifications are handled. The update will also include a larger focus on auto-replying to messages and a new design for incoming notification banners at the top of the screen.
For the iPad, Apple plans to revamp the home screen and support the placement of widgets — snippets of dynamic information like calendar, weather and stocks — anywhere on the screen. This is a commonly requested feature that will bring the iPad in line with Android rivals. The company also plans an improved multitasking system to make it easier to operate multiple apps at the same time.
The Messages app will receive enhancements on the way toward Apple’s eventual goal to turn it into a more direct competitor to messaging services on social networks like Facebook’s WhatsApp and Messenger, Bloomberg News has previously reported. Apple has also been working on a revamped lock screen for the iPhone and iPad, though some of those changes have been pushed back to a future release and won’t appear this year.
Apple’s planned update to macOS is expected to be somewhat minor after the operating system received an overhaul in 2020, while the Apple Watch is expected to gain some health-tracking and interface improvements. The Apple TV will also get enhanced software after the company released a faster model last month.
WWDC kicks off on Monday June 07,2021 or June 08,2021 3am some part of the world.
App developer Jeremy Provost discovered that Apple has given Zoom access to a private iPad camera API. With that, the meeting app is the only one, except by Apple’s FaceTime, being able to use the camera during iPad Split View multitasking.
With this feature only available on the Zoom app, it gives an advantage to the app among the others, since the user can use the Split View multitasking to access Twitter, a notes app, etc.
As Provost explains in his blog post, when he first discovered Zoom could take advantage of the Split View feature, he started to search for the process for other developers being able to do the same.
“We asked Zoom and to our surprise, they gave us the answer, and in the process revealed an apparently private process, available only to those deemed worthy by Apple.“
To receive access to some API, Apple must give an “entitlement,” which is a right or privilege that grants an executable particular capabilities. Apple explains:
“For example, an app needs the HomeKit Entitlement — along with explicit user consent — to access a user’s home automation network. An app stores its entitlements as key-value pairs embedded in the code signature of its binary executable.“
While Apple provides public documentation and a process for requesting access to entitlements, for example, Provost discovered that there isn’t a public process for requesting this specific API.
As we’ve been informed, it is called com.apple.developer.avfoundation.multitasking-camera-access. Unfortunately, unlike with CarPlay there is no public process for requesting this entitlement. In fact, its existence is not even documented by Apple publicly. Go ahead and Google it, you’ll only turn up the Zoom Developer Forum.
While it’s still unknown why Apple only gave this particular feature for the Zoom app — as the company says, it treats every developer the same, on Thursday, App Store VP testified in Epic trial as emails revealed special API access for Hulu and other devs:
“One email shows there was an internal question about why Hulu was able to switch between App Store billing and Hulu billing. As it turns out, Hulu is part of a “set of whitelisted developers” with access to the subscription cancel/refund API. The company had initially given Hulu access to this API to support upgrade and downgrade plan changes before this was natively built-in to the App Store.“
On the other hand, in the ‘Spring Loaded’ event in April, Apple announced a feature called Center Stage, exclusively available on the M1 iPad Pro, and will let all videoconference apps be able to take advantage of it if their developers choose to.
With the Center Stage feature, the Ultra-Wide front camera will be able to track the user in a conference and position him in the center of the frame. As for now, if you use an iPad in landscape mode, you’ll probably not look good in front of the camera.
iPad Camera Multitasking
A few months back I was surprised to see that Zoom had somehow been able to tap into using the camera during iPad Split View multitasking. This is an obvious feature for a videoconferencing app so that you can keep one eye on your meeting while you consult notes, look at a presentation, or slack off on Twitter.
I scoured the web and found no reference to how to enable this feature for our own iOS Zoom client, Participant for Zoom. We asked Zoom and to our surprise they gave us the answer, and in the process revealed an apparently private process, available only to those deemed worthy by Apple.
This capability is enabled by means of an entitlement. You can read more about entitlements here. In order to access certain OS features, app developers enable public entitlements, like iCloud access or push notifications. But for quite some time there have also existed private entitlements. One example is the ability for an app to integrate with CarPlay.
Apple provides public documentation and a process for requesting CarPlay access that any developer can apply for. Of course, Apple wisely restricts what types of apps can integrate with CarPlay. You need to fall into one of the following categories:
Audio
Automaker
Communication
EV Charging
Navigation
Parking
Quick Food Ordering
Once Apple has granted you the entitlement it will appear in your developer account for you to add to a particular app.
So then, what is the entitlement for iPad Camera Multitasking? As we’ve been informed, it is called com.apple.developer.avfoundation.multitasking-camera-access. Unfortunately, unlike with CarPlay there is no public process for requesting this entitlement. In fact, its existence is not even documented by Apple publicly. Go ahead and Google it, you’ll only turn up the Zoom Developer Forum.
It’s understandable that this entitlement may not be appropriate for every app, or perhaps there may be ways for it to be abused. Maybe it makes sense for there to be an approval process, like with CarPlay. But it doesn’t make sense for this to be private, undocumented, and only accessible to Apple’s preferred partners. You can’t say “we treat every developer the same” while privately giving special capabilities to certain developers.
We’ve gone ahead and reached out to Apple through their developer contact page and made a request for “iPad Camera Multitasking”. We’ll see where this goes.
One week after the release of iOS 14.5, Apple today is releasing iOS 14.5.1 to the public with bug fixes and performance improvements. Apple is also releasing iOS 12.5.3 for older iPhones that are not supported by iOS 14.5.
Today’s new release iOS 14.5.1 is available via an over-the-air update in the Settings app. As usual, if the update does not immediately appear for download, keep checking, as it sometimes takes a few minutes to roll out to all users. The build number for today’s release is 18E212.
iOS 14.5 was a major update for iPhone users, bringing new features such as App Tracking Transparency, Appel Watch Unlock, Siri improvements, and more. For such a big update, it is unsurprising to see Apple release a point update with bug fixes.
Apple says iOS 14.5.1 fixes a bug that prevented some users from seeing App Tracking Transparency prompts:
This update fixes an issue with App Tracking Transparency where some users who previously disabled Allow Apps to Request to Track in Settings may not receive prompts from apps after re-enabling it. This update also provides important security updates and is recommended for all users.
Notably, iOS 14.5.1 does not fix an issue that causes the App Tracking Transparency toggle in Settings to be grayed out. After updating to iOS 14.5.1, the “Allow Apps to Request to Track” toggle is still grayed out for some users in the Settings app.
iOS 14.5.1 is rolling out today and you can update by going to the Settings app on your device, choosing General, then choosing Software Update. Apple is also rolling out iPadOS 14.5.1 today as well.
Following the announcement of the new M1 iPad Pro and M1 iMac on Tuesday, Apple executives John Ternus and Greg Joswiak have sat down with the Independent for an in-depth interview. The two Apple executives spoke in the interview about Apple’s plans for the iPad and Mac, the new features of the 2021 iPad Pro, and more.
On merging the iPad and Mac
The most notable comments during the interview came from Joswiak, who serves as Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing. When asked about the future of the iPad and Mac, as the lines start to blur in terms of power, Joswiak explained that Apple has no plans to merge the two platforms.
“There’s two conflicting stories people like to tell about the iPad and Mac,” says Joz, as he starts on a clarification that will lead him at one point to apologise for his passion. “On the one hand, people say that they are in conflict with each other. That somebody has to decide whether they want a Mac, or they want an iPad.
“Or people say that we’re merging them into one: that there’s really this grand conspiracy we have, to eliminate the two categories and make them one.
“And the reality is neither is true. We’re quite proud of the fact that we work really, really hard to create the best products in their respective category.”
(Joz, however, is reluctant to name the category he’s talking about: he jokes that he “can’t even stand using” the word, because the “iPad is better than tablets”. “I hate to diminish it by calling it the category name,” he says.)
Ternus, who is Apple’s senior vice president of hardware engineering, echoed Joswiak’s sentiment. He explained that Apple does not look at things with the lens limiting what one device can do in order to note “step on the toes” of another device.
“But we’re just going to keep making them better. And we’re not going to get all caught up in, you know, theories around merging or anything like that.”
“We don’t think about well, we’re going to limit what this device can do because we don’t want to step on the toes of this [other] one or anything like that,” he says. “We’re pushing to make the best Mac we can make; we’re pushing to make the best iPad we can make. And people choose.
“A lot of people have run both. And they have workflows that span both – some people, for a particular task, prefer one versus the other.
On the new iPad Pro’s M1 chip
When asked about the M1 processor in the new iPad Pro and the software part of that story, Joswiak explained that Apple has “provided that performance even before the need was there.”
“It needs to exist first, right? You can’t have an app that requires more performance than the system’s capable of – then it doesn’t work. So you need to have the system be ahead of the apps.
Joswiak went on to list examples of powerful third-party apps from companies like Adobe and Affinity, but he wouldn’t say whether Apple was working on its own ways to tap into the new power of the M1:
(When asked again, the morning after the reveal, whether Apple is one of those developers that is planning to take advantage of the extra headroom with its professional app, Joz jokes that he’s not going to let something like that slip out.)
Joswiak also explained that this gives users more headroom and ensures their new iPad Pro purchase “isn’t going to be immediately obsolete.”
On mini-LED in the new iPad Pro
Terns also provided some interesting detail on the mini-LED display in the new 12.9-inch iPad Pro. He explained that one of the biggest undertakings in this process was shrinking the display technology — which is also used in the Pro Display XDR — into the 12.9-inch form factor.
“Shrinking it was a huge undertaking,” says Ternus. “If you just look at the two products, obviously the iPad is a lot thinner than a Pro Display XDR, and the way the architecture works – you have the LED backlight behind the display.
As you shrink it down, you necessarily need to add more LEDs; you need to kind of increase the density, because you don’t have as much room for mixing the light and creating zones.
From the very beginning it was: how do we create a backlight with sufficient density? So we had to design a new LED. We had to to design the process for putting down 10,000 LEDs on this backlight in this incredibly precise manner.”
Ternus and Joswiak also noted that one of the reasons Apple is able to make technological leaps like this is because it develops so much of the technology in-house.
On the new Center Stage front-facing camera technology in the iPad
One of the most interesting new features of the 2021 iPad Pro is something called Center Stage. The new iPad Pros pack a 12MP Ultra Wide camera sensor on the front, and Apple is using this to follow users during video chats to ensure that they are always in the frame.
Ternus explained:
“One of the things that I found really cool about it is – spending all this time in these meetings, you sit a lot,” says Ternus. “And it’s so liberating to be able to just stand up and stay framed in the image, and stretch and move around and sit down,” he says, noting that it is a neat way to still be able to close rings on the Apple Watch.
“And one of the things I found sometimes is in group scenarios – you may be FaceTiming with your family and be able to get the family in the frame, or those kind of things, I think are going to be really, really big and powerful. It’s certainly an amazing technology for the times we’re in.”
