Safari might not be the most exciting part of macOS, but Apple isn't giving its web browser the cold shoulder. The latest version includes a number of useful improvements, including better privacy controls, encryption features, and the ability to create "apps" from any web page. 

The splashiest feature might be the new web apps feature. This puts a website in your dock, just like any other app and opens it with a minimal interface that helps mask the fact that you're just using a webpage in a browser. If this sounds similar, that's because it's almost exactly like shortcuts in Google's Chrome which can also put a link, complete with a favicon in your dock and opens the site in a simple frame with none of the normal browser controls. 

The more important improvements though are to privacy and profiles. Now private browsing blocks more trackers and your fingerprints from sites so they can't identify you. You can also now lock private browsing sessions behind your fingerprint, so you can step away from your computer without worrying that someone can sneak a peak while you're shopping for a gift or having to close your session.

Profiles allow you to separate your browsing by topic or context. So you could, for example, keep all your work tabs in a separate Safari window that has its own cookies, extensions and favorites. Then you can quickly switch to your personal profile to pick up where you left off trolling eBay for deals on vintage cameras. 

Lastly, users will be able to share passwords or groups of passwords through iCloud Keychain with end-to-end encryption. The latest version of Safari will be available later this year as part of macOS Sonoma which will be launching in beta next month.

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Apple gave a look at its latest accessibility updates during its annual WWDC on Monday, including new voice and and assistive tech features, that will launch with iOS 17. 

For iOS users with cognitive disabilities, Apple's new Assistive Access features lets people customize apps with high contrast buttons and large text labels to meet their individual needs. Apple also added Live Speech and Personal Voice for people who are unable to speak, have trouble speaking or may lose their voice over time. 

With Live Speech, you can type what you want to say and have it spoken out loud to others on a phone or FaceTime call or jot down commonly used phrases to select during conversation to avoid any delay that comes with typing out in the moment. Personal Voice creates a voice that sounds like you by recording 15 minutes of random phrases. As an example, Apple wrote in a May release that people with ALS or other conditions that impact speech can save their voice to their device to use with Live Speech and other assistive tech as their condition progresses. Other new accessibility updates include a Point and Speak feature to read the text on household object aloud.

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The Apple headset is one of the company's most anticipated products with leaks and rumors dating back to 2017. But after years of speculation, today at WWDC 2023 Apple has finally given us a real look at the device that it's now calling the Vision Pro.

Created to support both AR and VR applications, the Reality Pro is a standalone device featuring an innovative design without the need for a dedicated controller. Instead, thanks to the use of multiple external cameras, Apple is planning to rely entirely on voice inputs and hand gestures. On top of that, Apple has created a new feature called EyeSight that uses an exterior display and the headset's internal cameras so that users can see people your reactions while someone is wearing the headset. 

Additionally, you can use familiar apps like Safari and others while still being able to interact with objects or people in the real world. And while the Vision Pro has been designed for use at home, Apple says thanks to new versions of familiar apps like FaceTime, the headset it also a great collaboration tool for those on the road. 

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Apple took to the stage at WWDC today to announce that video-calling service FaceTime is finally coming to Apple TV hardware for the first time, thanks to a robust tvOS update. This seems to be a full-featured version of the company’s proprietary live-streaming app that takes full advantage of the recently-released Continuity Camera feature.

For the uninitiated, this feature lets you use your iPhone as a replacement webcam for your laptop, so you’ll now be able to use your iPhone or iPad as the primary camera for TV-based FaceTime conversations. Apple says wireless integration happens automatically and that the service can also use the phone or tablet’s microphone when joining or initiating a call. The company says the software has been designed so that you always remain in the center of the frame. You can also quickly switch the feed between devices with just a swipe and interact using gestures. FaceTime will be available for Apple TV 4K devices starting this fall. 

FaceTime is the main draw of tvOS 17, but not the only improvement. The company redesigned the control center to make it more intuitive and, more importantly, added Find My Remote support. Just use Siri on your phone, tablet, or computer to locate any mischievous Apple TV remotes. Apple also noted that video conferencing apps like Webex by Cisco and Zoom will launch on tvOS later this year. 

Apple announced new audio features coming for AirPods users. The standout feature is Adaptive Audio, which will tune your device’s active noise cancelation (ANC) and transparency mode based on your environment. In addition, the company says it’s adding personalized volume, which uses on-device machine learning to predict your desired volume while making AirPods device-switching “significantly faster.”

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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The latest update to macOS is called Sonoma and it's all about productivity and widget management. The new operating system adds widgets to the desktop and makes them movable, allowing users to place them anywhere. As one widget is in use, the others will fade into the background.

Sonoma — or, macOS 14 — will also communicate with widgets on your iPhone, with no need to install them directly on the desktop, via a feature called Continuity. With your iOS device nearby, you'll be able to access all of your phone's widgets on desktop. 

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Sonoma also features improvements in Mac gaming power. The new OS introduces Game Mode, which reduces background tasks while prioritizing CPU and GPU performance, all in the name of smoother, higher-performance play. In related news, Death Stranding: Director's Cut will hit Mac this year, as will all future projects from Kojima Productions.

Last year's update, macOS Ventura, landed last fall and included Stage Manager, a feature that organizes apps and windows based on what you're actually using. Safari and Mail also saw some refreshes to better align with iOS 16.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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As usual, Apple is unveiling a major set of updates for iPadOS. This year, we're on to iPadOS 17, and as expected it features a host of changes that have already been shown of for the iPhone in iOS 17, plus some updates specific to the tablet. 

For starters, widgets are now interactive, which means you can update them and take actions without necessarily jumping right into the app. You can start playing music via the Music widget, check off reminders, update smart home features and so forth.

Unsurprisingly, iPadOS 17 is also getting the lock screen redesign that Apple pushed to the iPhone last year with iOS 16. This lets you add widgets to the home screen, assign different focus modes to specific wallpapers, change the fonts of the clock and text and more. There's also a pretty cool Live Photo feature that animates your wallpaper when you wake the iPad. 

Apple is also bringing the Health app to the iPad for the first time. Naturally, it syncs data from the Health app on your phone and Apple Watch, but it looks like you can use it standalone as well if you don't have that other hardware.

PDF support is coming to the Notes app, which might not sound like the most exciting thing ever. But Notes is a pretty powerful app, and having it host PDFs for annotation could be quite useful. There's even a live collaboration feature that lets two people work on a shared PDF at the same time, and changes are reflected as both of you work.

Stage Manager is getting some improvements, too, giving you more flexibility for placing windows. This feature was a key bit of iPadOS 16, and it's good to see that Apple is answering some requests that people have had over the year.

Naturally, a lot of the same updates that are coming to iOS 17 will be here, as well. That includes an improved Messages experience, customizable contact posters, and the brand-new Journal app. 

Follow all of the news from Apple's WWDC 2023 right here.

During the keynote at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, rumors about a new 15-inch MacBook Air were confirmed with the announcement of the company's latest lightweight laptop. The new model adds two inches to the screen, which means if all you want is a bigger display, you no longer have to pay a premium for a Pro model. The machine runs on Apple's latest M2 chip, has a Liquid Retina display, up to 24GB of RAM and starts at $1,299. Units are available for pre-order now and should ship next week. 

There are plenty of other relatively lightweight laptops with 15-inch screens on the market. Here's how Apple's measures up to two of the more popular ones: the XPS 15 from Dell and ASUS's ZenBook Pro 15.

MacBook Air 15 vs Dell XPS 15 vs ASUS ZenBook 15

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Apple has a new diary app landing on iOS devices. Simply called “Journal,” the app is meant to help you keep tabs on daily moments you might want to remember or otherwise reflect on. The app is set to debut later this year following the rollout of iOS 17.

The app’s existence was reported in April by The Wall Street Journal, which compared it to Day One, a journaling app that’s been popular for more than a decade. But Apple’s Journal app could also be much more powerful than the offerings from third-party developers.

In addition to offering a diary-like interface where users can record notes about their day, the app will also allow people to easily keep tabs on their daily activities. Because the app can pull details from other apps, like Messages and Podcasts, it can automatically suggest moments you may want to reflect on.

For example, if you completed a workout using the Fitness app, or listened to a new podcast episode, Journal could remind you of these activities in its “intelligently curated” writing prompts and suggestions. Or if you took a trip to the beach, Journal could automatically pull in any related photos similar to the “memory” collages created in the Photos app.

The company also plans to offer an API for developers who want to tie their apps into Journal’s curated suggestions. Those kinds of integrations between apps could prompt privacy concerns, but the company said it created the app with users’ privacy in mind. The app is end-to-end encrypted, with all information stored locally on users’ devices. Users can also control which apps will have details appear in Journal’s suggestions.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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Apple has introduced iOS 17, and some of its most important changes revolve around fundamental apps. Incoming calls can now include custom posters for certain contacts, and you'll get Google-style live transcripts. Messages, meanwhile, offers easier replies, audio message transcripts, in-line location info and a "check in" that automatically lets people know if you've arrived or are delayed. There's a revamped sticker interface that lets you turn emojis into stickers, add effects and even add stickers to third-party apps.

Sharing is easier, too. NameDrop lets you share contact details just by bringing your iPhone close to someone else's device. You can share photos that way, too, and leave AirDrop transferring content even when you have to step away. A developer framework will expand access to sharing in other apps, too.

Even typing is better. New AI modelling improves keyboard autocorrection, and you'll see in-line predictions for what you're writing. If there's an unfamiliar word, iOS 17 will recognize it over time.

And yes, rumors of a life journaling app are true. The new Journal app lets document how you're feeling, complete with suggestions for writing prompts based on events like trips. Developers can tap into these suggestions.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Follow all of the news from Apple's WWDC 2023 right here.