Perplexity has rolled out an update for its iOS app, giving iPhone users access to its AI voice assistant that was initially released for Android users earlier this year. Its voice assistant can perform tasks for the user by browsing the web or accessing other apps for them. If they ask the assistant to find them a table for a specific restaurant, for instance, Perplexity can launch the OpenTable app with the number of people, the date and the time already filled out. The user still has to perform the final action and book a reservation, but it's already laid out for them — all they have to do is click the button. 

Users can also ask the assistant to draft emails for them for specific contacts, which they'll have to send themselves, and create reminders for them on the calendar. They can ask it to recommend them spots they could visit, such as restaurants serving food they want to eat, and Perplexity will mark locations on the map. Of course, they can ask the assistant to do web searches for them, such as finding specific videos that Perplexity can open on the YouTube app. 

As The Verge notes, Perplexity's voice assistant works on older iPhones, unlike Apple Intelligence that only works on the company's more recent models. The iOS assistant also doesn't have the capability to look at the world for the user and tell them what they're seeing yet, though the feature is already available on Android and could make its way to iPhones in the future. 

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Earlier this year, right as TikTok and other ByteDance apps were temporarily pulled from Apple and Google’s app stores, Meta announced that it was working on a new video editing app tailored to Instagram creators. That app, called Edits, is now finally rolling out as Meta continues to try to leverage the uncertainty surrounding TikTok’s future to draw more creators to its apps.

As previewed in its earlier app store listings, Edits promises much more advanced editing tools than what’s been available in Meta’s apps. The in-app camera allows creators to capture up to 10 minutes of video and publish to Instagram in “enhanced quality.” It also features popular editing effects like green screen and Instagram’s extensive music catalog.

In keeping with Meta’s current focus on AI, Edits comes with a couple AI-powered features as well. The “animate” feature allows users to create a video from a static image, while “cutouts” enables video makers to “isolate specific people or objects with precision tracking.” And unlike ByteDance’s popular editor CapCut, Edits doesn’t export videos with a watermark of any kind (Instagram downranks videos with visible watermarks).

While Edits is launching months after CapCut came back online in the US, Meta is adding some Instagram-specific features to lure Reels creators. This includes in-app post analytics, as well as the ability to import audio tracks they’ve previously saved in the app. And it sounds like Instagram creators can look forward to more specialized features in the future. In a blog post, the company notes that the current version of the app is merely “the first step” for Edits, and that it plans to collaborate with creators on more functionality going forward.

Edits is out now in the App Store and Google Play.

Today's keynote for Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference teased a lot of what users can expect later this year when all of its major software updates roll out. Big changes coming to iOS 18, macOS Sequoia and watchOS 11 include RCS support, a new Passwords app, a revamped Calculator app and a bunch of artificial intelligence (AI) infusions across the board thanks to the new "Apple Intelligence" system. If you weren't able to catch the news live, here's a rundown of everything announced at WWDC 2024.

Apple Intelligence

Apple

Apple revealed its plans to incorporate AI into its operating systems at WWDC this year. Dubbed "Apple Intelligence," this new generative AI system will appear in iOS and iPad 18 and macOS Sequoia in the form of (what Apple believes to be) practical tools that most people can use regularly. Those features include new writing tools that can help you rewrite, proofread and summarize things like emails and other messages, original emoji and image creation and more. The company emphasized the importance of "personal context" with Apple Intelligence, which will enable things like more specific actions such as using natural language to search for photos that contain only you and a specific family member.

Going hand-in-hand with original image generation is a new feature called Gemoji, which allows users to create their own unique emojis by typing in descriptions and requirements like "T-rex wearing a tutu on a surfboard."

Siri is getting an AI infusion now that it will be powered in part by large language models. In addition to asking Siri to delete an email or edit a photo, users will also be able to ask the virtual assistant to summarize articles and webpages in Safari and even extract personal information from a picture of your ID so it can fill out an online form for you.

Apple highlighted how most of the actions involved with Apple Intelligence will be done on-device, to make the system as privacy-focused as possible. But also, the company detailed how those with the latest Apple devices can use ChatGPT for free to answer queries that cannot be done on-device. Much of that involves users providing permission for Apple to share their query with ChatGPT in the moment. ChatGPT integration with iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and macOS Sequoia will roll out later this year.

iOS 18 and iPadOS 18

Apple

The next iPhone software update will roll out to users in the fall and, as expected, one of the biggest changes is support for Rich Communication Service, or RCS. The more-secure messaging protocol offers many improvements over SMS including end-to-end encryption, better media sharing and support for proper group chats. Apple previously stated it would adopt support for RCS in 2024 to comply with EU regulations, so it's unsurprising to see it highlighted in iOS 18's forthcoming features. Also new to Messages will be the ability to "tapback" reply using emojis and stickers, text formatting and effects and the ability to send messages via satellite.

iPhone users will have more control over their home screens in iOS 18 thanks to the fact that it will not be a locked grid system anymore. Users will be able to move app icons a more of a freestyle way, plus they'll be able to change app icon colors as well using a tint color picker. In terms of design and layout, this is one of the biggest changes to come to the iPhone's home screen in years and it gives iOS users similar features that Android users have had for a long time.

The Calculator app is getting a big overhaul in iOS 18, including improved unit conversions, a sidebar showing recent activity and integration with the Notes app. But what might be even more notable is the fact that the revamped Calculator app will not only be available on iPhones and Macs — it's coming to iPads for the first time as part of the iPadOS 18 update. Embedded within the iPadOS Calculator app is a new feature called Math Notes, which lets users write out math equations with the Apple Pencil and the app will solve many of them instantly.

iPadOS 18 will also feature a new Tab Bar, which looks similar to the Dynamic Island on iPhones. This bar makes it easier to access essential controls even when you're in apps, and depending on what you're doing, it can show up at the top of the screen or as a sidebar of sorts on the left of the display.

macOS Sequoia

Apple

The next iteration of Apple's computer software will be called macOS Sequoia. In addition to many of the AI features also coming to iOS and iPadOS 18 as part of Apple Intelligence, the next macOS update will include iPhone mirroring, which lets users see and control their iPhone screen on a Mac screen. They'll be able to use their keyboard and trackpad to intact with the iPhone screen on their laptop, and they can even open iOS apps directly on their computers.

A new Passwords app builds upon the technology of iCloud keychain to save all of users' passwords and login credentials across devices and platforms (it will be available on Windows in addition to all Apple platforms). Along with standard passwords, the new app can save passkeys, verification codes and more, and give users the ability to securely share passwords with others.

watchOS 11

Apple

The next software update for the Apple Watch includes two big changes: Training Load and a new Vitals app. Training Load in watchOS 11 essentially uses many of the health and fitness metrics collected during workout tracking to estimate your effort level each time. Each workout will receive a rating from one (easy) to ten (all out) that estimates how hard the user worked during that particular session.

The new Vitals app will show Apple Watch users how their vitals captured, including heart rate, compare to baseline measurements. This will hopefully allow users to better understand when something might be off and outside the normal suggested range.

The Activity app on iPhone is also getting an update to accompany watchOS 11, and will allow users to customize the data they see on the homepage so they can put the most important stats to them front and center. Cycle Tracking will also get an update to include more detailed pregnancy insights, including gestational age and information about the user's health metrics that may related to pregnancy (like heart rate fluctuations). 

visionOS 2

Apple

Until now, Apple's Vision Pro headset has only been available in the US. That's changing soon as the company announced the device's rollout in additional countries including Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore and the UK. As far as the headset's software, visionOS goes, Apple announced that visionOS 2 will add spatial photos, which adds depth to images in the Photos app, new UI gesture controls and improved Mac screen mirroring with support for higher resolutions and display sizes.

AirPods Pro audio updates

Apple

Apple briefly mentioned some software updates coming to AirPods Pro, including improved Voice Isolation, which should help the buds better pick up a user’s voice in noise environments. A new Siri Interaction is coming to AirPods Pro as well: a silent head-nod will allow users to answer an incoming call without saying a word out loud to Siri, and contrasty, a shake of the head will decline a call. These silent interactions will also be applicable to messages and notifications, in addition to calls.

Developing...

Catch up here for all the news out of Apple's WWDC 2024.

As expected, Apple’s assistant is about to get much more helpful thanks to a load of new AI-powered capabilities. During WWDC, the company previewed a new version of Siri that can take actions on your behalf and understand a wide range of new queries.

The new version of Siri has a better understanding of the apps on your phone and will be able to take more than 100 actions based on your activity and device. For example, you could ask Siri to show you specific photos or memories in your Photos app or to find tracking details for an expected delivery from an email in the Mail app.

Siri will also be able to perform some tasks for you, like adding an address to a contact card, tweak a photo, or share a summary of your notes in an email. Third-party developers will also be able to take advantage of these new capabilities with a new “app intents framework” that will allow them to tap into Apple Intelligence and make certain actions compatible with Siri.

Another major change is that Siri will no longer be only a voice-activated assistant. Apple is adding a “type to Siri” that makes it a bit closer to the experience of other generative AI chatbots.

Apple didn’t specify when all of the new Siri capabilities will launch, but said the new version of its assistant will be coming to iPhone, iPad and the Mac. The revamped Siri is part of Apple’s push into “personal intelligence,” which Tim Cook described as the “next big step” for the company.

Developing...

Catch up here for all the news out of Apple's WWDC 2024.

The rumors are true. Apple is adding a dedicated passwords manager app to most of its operating systems. These include macOS, iPadOS, visionOS and iOS. It’ll even work on Windows by accessing the Passwords app via iCloud. That’s pretty neat. There are way too many passwords out there.

The first-party service is powered by iCloud Keychain and will compete with some heavy hitters in the space, like LastPass and 1Password. The simply-named Passwords app will be able to list various user logins and categorize them based on service type. For instance, banking passwords would be grouped differently than social media passwords. The app will also allow users to bypass manual password input by leveraging Face ID, Touch ID and autofill.

It’s worth noting that Apple already had a password manager, but it’s not exactly beloved and has been buried in the settings page. This new app, however, is quite a compelling option for those tied into the Apple ecosystem. The company didn’t say if the app was free or if it would require a monthly subscription.

Catch up here for all the news out of Apple's WWDC 2024.

Apple's macOS 15 update is called Sequoia. The 2024 Mac software, coming this fall, includes iPhone mirroring and notification, a new passwords app and Safari upgrades.

iPhone mirroring lets you use your Mac to view, control and interact with your phone. It lets you access iOS apps and receive notifications from your nearby handset. Your iPhone screen stays locked in Standby mode while you work on your computer.

macOS also gets a new Windows-like snap window arrangement tool. Drag an app near the screen’s edge, and macOS will automatically suggest where to tile it. You can quickly place them side by side or in corners. Sequoia will also include new keyboard and menu shortcuts to arrange tiles even faster.

Apple also highlighted new video conferencing features in its WWDC keynote. Presenter Preview lets you see what you’re about to share with your call partner(s) before they see it, potentially saving folks some mistakes or embarrassment. Meanwhile, Background Replacement (as its name implies) lets you swap out your real background for built-in ones or your own photos.

1Password finally got “Sherlocked” with Apple’s new Passwords app. Building on Keychain and the passwords previously buried in Safari’s settings, the standalone app will include credentials, verification codes and security alerts. It syncs across devices and will also appear on iOS, iPadOS, visionOS and even Windows (via iCloud for Windows).

Safari gets some upgrades as well. These include Highlights, which automatically detect relevant info from webpages, and Summaries, providing AI-fueled recaps of web content in a redesigned Reader mode.

 Developing...

Catch up here for all the news out of Apple's WWDC 2024.

A new app for the Apple Watch will help you get a better overall view of your health and fitness levels. The new Vitals app synthesizes details from your Health and Fitness data. During the keynote at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on Monday, Apple announced new features coming to watchOS 11. 

In addition to the new Vitals app, the Activity app is getting new abilities like Training Load that measures the intensity of your workout and rates your workouts. A unique algorithm will gauge your effort rating from one (easy) to ten (all out) so you can see how much you're deviating from your norm. You can also now set rest days and hang on to your streaks. 

If you like the Photos watch face, there's good news here too. Machine learning models will now help you find the best photos to feature and will automatically crop and frame it for you. 

This story is developing, please refresh for more updates.

Catch up here for all the news out of Apple's WWDC 2024.

Last month, Apple's tablets got a major revamp with the arrival of the M4 chip, two size options for the iPad Air, updates to the Magic Keyboard and a new iPad Pro packing a fancy Tandem OLED display. And now at WWDC 2024, Apple is looking to flesh out the iPad's software with a number of fresh features heading to iPadOS 18, which is due out sometime later this year. 

To start, iPadOS is getting new customization options for your home screen including the ability to put app icons wherever you want. Control Center has also been expanded with support for creating multiple lists and views, resizing and rearranging icons and more. There's also a new floating tab bar that makes it easy to navigate between apps, which can be further tuned to remember your favorite software. Screen Share is getting the ability to draw diagrams on someone else's iPad or even share their screen.

Apple

After years of requests, the iPad is now getting its own version of the Calculator app, which includes a new Math Notes feature that supports the Apple Pencil and the ability to input handwritten formulas. Math Notes will even update formulas in real-time or saved in case you want to revisit them later. Alternatively, the Smart Script tool in the Notes app uses machine learning to make your notes less messy and easier to edit. 

General privacy is also being upgraded with a new feature that lets you lock an app. This allows a friend or family member to borrow your device without giving them full access to everything on your tablet. Alternatively, there’s also a new hidden apps folder so you can stash sensitive software in a more secretive way.

Apple

In Messages, Tapbacks are now compatible with all your emoji. You can also schedule messages and even send messages via satellite in case you aren't currently connected to Wi-Fi or a cellular network. Apple even says messages sent using satellite will feature end-to-end encryption.

The Mail and Photos apps are also getting similarly big revamps. Mail will feature new categorizations meant to make it easier to find specific types of offers or info. Meanwhile, the Photos app will receive a new UI that makes it easier to scroll through your timeline to find specific images while hiding things like screenshots. And to help surface older photos, there will be new categories like Recent Days and People and Pets to highlight your top shots across a range of scenes and environments.

Audio on iPads is also getting a boost with a new ability for Siri to understand gestures for “Yes” and “No” by either shaking or nodding your head while wearing AirPods. This should make it easier to provide Apple's digital assistant with simple responses in areas like a crowded bus or quiet waiting room where you might be uncomfortable talking aloud.

Catch up here for all the news out of Apple's WWDC 2024.

Developing...

Apple’s iOS 18 update will have major changes for the Photos app. The company previewed a redesigned version of the app, that will organize all your photos around memorable moments like trips and events.

The company described the changes as the “biggest-ever” update for Photos. The new version of the app will ditch the current tabbed layout for Photos in favor of a single screen where you can view all your photos, albums and memories in one place. The familiar grid view of all your images will live at the top of the app, with intelligently organized “collections” below.There’s also a new filter button so you can look for specific types of pictures or easily weed out screenshots.

Apple is also making the app smarter with its new collections, which will sort your photos into album-like views based things like on recent trips and the people you spend the most time with. The app is also more customizable with the ability to pin albums to a dedicated section of the app.

Developing...

Catch up here for all the news out of Apple's WWDC 2024.

Qualcomm’s new commercial that revives Justin Long as a frustrated Mac user who decides to spend hundreds of dollars on a new computer rather than manage his notifications is objectively terrible. (The mocking has been so brutal that Qualcomm deleted the commercial from its YouTube channel!) But, it does raise one fair point: notifications, regardless of what OS or device you’re using, are a complete mess. The tools you’ll find on your computer or phone for managing them are overly complicated and hard to explain to someone who isn’t intimately familiar with the settings menu. I’ve been covering and using iOS for years, so for some stupid reason I do understand how Apple’s various notification options work, but wish me luck if I have to explain it to someone else.

That’s why the number one thing on my list for Apple to fix in iOS 18 (and really all its platforms) when its announced at WWDC next week is notifications. Rumors haven’t pointed to any big change this year, but a boy can dream. But the big problem with notifications isn’t really with Apple, or Microsoft, or Google — it’s with app developers.

Poshmark, a platform for buying and selling fashion items, is a perfect example. My spouse gets constant notifications from the app, making me wonder why she hasn’t just turned them off. Turns out that when you’re selling something, you want to know if someone messages you or buys something — but sorting those notifications from the myriad of other promotional junk the app shoves at you is near impossible.

To test things, I just went through the onboarding process for Poshmark myself. After creating an account and signing in, the app asked if I wanted to turn on notifications. Every app on iOS is required to ask you if you want them — but if you say yes, you’re opting in to anything the app wants to send you. Buried in the Poshmark app itself are more granular controls that let you turn various types of notifications on or off, including things like “party invites,” “just picked for you” items, “daily deals,” “live events” and more. In fact, there are nearly two dozen different notification types in this app alone! That is too many. I also got something like four notifications in the first hour, after barely using the app. Too. Many.

Apple has done what it can to help users find these settings. If you go to the global iOS notifications settings, you can manage preferences for every app on your phone. There’s now an option at the bottom of that list to take you directly into the app to let you do things like turn off most of Poshmark’s 23 different notification types. There’s also an option to allow “time sensitive” notifications (things like direct messages or calendar reminders) to alert you immediately while shuttling other notifications into a summary.

The problem is that most people don’t have the time or mental bandwidth to do this for every app they install, which leads to situations like the one that Qualcomm so cleverly skewered in its awful ad. I’ve accepted the fact that when I get up in the morning, I’m going to find a ton of notifications cropped up on my phone that aren’t meaningful, even though I’ve done my best to aggressively prune them where possible. At this point, it’s a crapshoot whether I’ll find anything useful when I swipe into my Notification Center, which means that I am surely missing important reminders about things I need to deal with.

It's also worth noting that Apple has tried to fix notifications over the years with tools like Do Not Disturb, grouping notifications, sending them to a summary and of course letting you decide how intrusive they are to begin with. You can easily turn off red bubbles if they give you agita, or make it so your phone doesn't light up with every message you get. But again, the onus is on the user to be aware enough of the many ways they can customize notification settings, and a lot of people don't do that until their phone is completely overwhelming them with pings.

Of course, I don’t have anything useful like a “solution” to offer here, but I think the best way forward is for Apple to figure out how to disincentivize developers to flood users with notifications. Perhaps in addition to the existing opt-in dialog for notifications when you first launch an app, Apple can force developers to show you the notifications preferences so you know exactly what an app wants to send you. And instead of turning on all notifications, an app could start with everything off by default and you only check the things you actually want to see.

But I’m also skeptical that more settings to wade through are going to fix anything. People are still going to want to install an app and get started using it without spending five minutes going through an increasingly granular notification settings process. The end result would be the same, too many apps taking up valuable real estate on your phone and in your brain. But they pay Craig Federighi and company the big bucks to figure this stuff out, not me — here’s hoping he has some good news on Monday.