Apple last week released the AirPods 4, and one version of the new earbuds has Active Noise Cancellation included. ANC means the ‌AirPods 4‌ have a feature set that rivals the AirPods Pro 2, so we thought we'd compare the two for those undecided on which to get.


The ‌AirPods 4‌ are Apple's first open-ear earbuds to include ANC, and the major difference between the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 and the ‌AirPods 4‌ is the silicone tips. The ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 have silicone tips for a tighter seal in the ear, while the ‌AirPods 4‌ don't.

You're not going to get the same level of ANC with the ‌AirPods 4‌ that you get with the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 because there's no sealing mechanism to block out noise, but the ‌AirPods 4‌ still perform impressively well. The new earbuds are able to cut down on plane and road noise even without the tight ear seal.

Sound quality is about the same because the ‌AirPods 4‌ now have the same H2 chip as the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2. The ‌AirPods 4‌ have a much smaller case than the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2, but both cases have a speaker that can play a sound when you need to track them down using Find My. MagSafe wireless charging is exclusive to the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2, though. The ‌AirPods 4‌ with ANC can wirelessly charge, but not with the strong magnetic connection available with the ‌AirPods Pro‌.

There are a few other differences that are worth knowing about, which we go over in the video above.

Choosing between the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 and the ‌AirPods 4‌ with ANC mostly comes down to fit. For some people, the silicone tips for the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 are more comfortable, and others find an open-ear design to be better for long wear. Price is also a factor, as the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 4 with ANC are $179 and the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 are $249. Of course, if you don't need ANC at all, you can get the ‌AirPods 4‌ without ANC for $129.

Let us know which earbuds you prefer in the comments below.
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With the iPhone 16 lineup, Apple brought the Action Button to all four devices, expanding it from the Pro-only limitation last year. At the same time, there's a new Camera Control button that eliminates the need to activate the camera with the Action Button, which was one of the major useful functions. At the same time, there are new Control Center options that you can set to the Action Button, expanding what's possible.


This guide goes over what you can do with the Action Button with an ‌iPhone 16‌ and iOS 18, and it may be useful to help you find something new to use it for.

Base Functions

Since the Action Button has been around since last year, Apple has several base functions that could be assigned to it.

• Silent Mode - This toggles Silent Mode on and off, and it's the one-to-one replacement for the prior mute switch. This is useful if you often want to turn on sound and have the option to turn it off, but if you're a silent all the time person, it's not that functional.


• Focus - You can set the Action Button to toggle on any Focus mode that you've set up. This is a good option if you've got a Do Not Disturb type of Focus that you like to turn off and on throughout the day. Of course, Focus modes can also be set to turn on and off at specific times instead, so that's able to be automated in other ways.


• Camera - If you have an ‌iPhone 16‌ with the Camera Control button, there's no need to set the Action Button to open the Camera, unless you want it to do something like open the selfie camera while the Camera Control button opens the rear camera. It's easy to swap camera modes from the Camera Control button or the Camera app once it's open, though.


• Flashlight - Flashlight is potentially one of the more useful Action Button settings if you regularly use the Flashlight function in the dark. Prior to ‌iOS 18‌, the Flashlight was a mandatory Lock Screen button, but that's no longer the case. You can set other functions to the Lock Screen now, so it can make more sense to move the Flashlight to the Action Button depending on how often you use it.


• Voice Memos - Setting the Action Button to Voice Memo starts a recording when you press the button the first time, and stops it with a second press. In ‌iOS 18‌, you can get transcriptions of Voice Memos, which adds a lot more functionality. If you want to record class lectures, interviews, or meetings regularly, setting Voice Memos to the Action Button might be your best bet.


• Recognize Music - This basically activates Shazam to tell you what music is playing around you. Unless you're using Shazam all the time, this is probably better to activate from Control Center.


• Translate - When you press the Action Button with Translate set, it'll automatically listen to what's being said and then provide a translation. You'll need to select your languages in the Translate app, but after that, it doesn't open up a full app. It's a quick access interface where you can get a translation and even have that translation spoken aloud. There are some limitations on languages, but if you're traveling to a country where one of the available languages is spoken, this one's a super useful way to take advantage of the Action Button.


• Magnifier - Magnifier opens up the Camera app and lets you set a zoom level so you can magnify small text. You can change brightness and contrast for better viewing, and put on the flash if it's dark. If you have eyesight issues and trouble with text that's too small, Magnifier has the potential to be helpful, and you'll probably need it often enough to justify assigning it to the Action Button.


• Accessibility - You can set the Action Button to any Accessibility feature. There are a long list of options, but some of the more useful ones to use with a quick access toggle include Zoom, VoiceOver, Voice Control, Apple Watch Mirroring, Background Sounds, Conversation Boost, Live Speech, and Guided Access.


• No Action - Don't want to use the Action Button? Setting it to No Action means it won't do anything when it's pressed.

Shortcuts

You can set any Shortcut to be activated with the Action Button using the "Shortcuts" setting, and that's how some people get the most out of the feature. You can create a Shortcut that brings up several different apps and functions.

The "Super Action Button" shortcut, for example, opens up a menu where you can choose from options like taking a screenshot, turning on the flashlight, creating a Reminder, starting a Voice Memo, opening Apple Maps, creating a Calendar event, scanning a document, and more.

You can find a bunch of these online on Reddit or the MacRumors forums, or you can create your own with the functions that you want to access quickly.

Third-party apps that have Shortcuts created by developers will also show up in the Action Button Shortcuts section, so if you want to have the Action Button do something like open a book in Audible or create a to-do in Things, you would set that up with the Shortcuts app. Here are a few first and third-party app Shortcuts that might be useful:

• ChatGPT - Ask ChatGPT a question that you type in, or start a voice conversation.


• Audible - Read a book or set a sleep timer.


• Clock - Set a timer.


• Files - Scan a document.


• Google - Start a Google search or a voice search.


• Music - Play music from your Apple Music library or a radio station.


• Phone - Call or FaceTime someone.


• Podcasts - Play a podcast.


• Things - Add a to-do.


• Fantastical - Create an event.


• Remote - Activate the Remote Control feature for Apple TV.


• Open an app - Set the Action Button to open any app you have installed.

What you have available for the Shortcuts Action Button option will depend on which apps you have installed and which Siri Shortcut features they've implemented. Note that this setting is distinct from the Control Center controls that you can also assign to the Action Button.

To make things more confusing, there are different app actions in the Shortcuts app that aren't available in the Action Button settings unless you've previously set them up. You can, for example, have the Action Button launch an Amazon search, but only if you have set up a Shortcut for that function.

So if there's something that you want to do that you're not seeing from the Shortcuts interface in the Action Button Settings, head over to the Shortcuts app, tap on the "+" button and go through the different app options there. If you find an app feature you want to use, like activating a Hue lighting scene, set that as a Shortcut and then you can assign it to the Action Button.

Along with these simple app options that you already have available, you can download any Shortcut from the Shortcuts Gallery or the internet and add that to the Action Button.

Controls

So in ‌iOS 18‌, Apple opened up the Control Center to third-party app developers, and also added more first-party Control Center options. Some of those new Control Center features can be set to the Action Button, and you'll find them under the Controls section when you're deciding on a function for your Action Button.


There are some Control Center controls that just aren't available. There's no option for turning on Low Power Mode with a Control Center option for the Action Button. You can set the Action Button to activate Low Power Mode, but you need to do it with Shortcuts.

You can also do things like turn off Cellular connectivity, but not Wi-Fi, even though both of those are Control Center toggles.

The distinction between Shortcuts and Controls is pretty confusing, especially with arbitrary restrictions like that. Some of the available Control Center toggles:

• Activate Dark Mode


• Open the Timer interface


• Scan a Code


• Open an app like Instagram or Halide to the camera


• Toggle on Airplane mode


• Turn off cellular data


• Open the Home app


• Start a Quick Note

Third-party controls are also present, and a lot of them mirror what you can do with their Shortcuts. But some apps might have Control Center controls and not Shortcuts, or there may be differences between what's available. Shortcuts generally have more options available.

Lock Screen Controls

Keep in mind that you can also set different Control Center controls to the Lock Screen now since the Camera and Flashlight options can be swapped out. It might make more sense to set a Control Center action to the Lock Screen so you can free up the Action Button for something else.

Share Your Action Button Setup

What do you use the Action Button for? Let us know in the comments below if you've come up with something clever.
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It's been a full week since the new iPhone 16 models launched, and we've now had enough time to give the Camera Control button and the camera setup a more in-depth look. We tested the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max, which have triple-lens rear camera setups with 48-megapixel Fusion lens, 48-megapixel Ultra Wide lens, and 5x Telephoto lens.


The Camera Control button has turned out to be great for quickly launching the camera and snapping photos and videos, but the more in-depth adjustments that require light presses and swiping are harder to get used to.

It's still quicker to get to these controls in the Camera app itself by tapping on the display. Maybe that's a matter of getting used to the new setup, but it's also harder to use the button in portrait orientation than landscape mode, and a lot of people take photos in portrait orientation these days. On the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max especially, the button is just too low to be comfortable to use when holding the device vertically.

New this year is the 48-megapixel Ultra Wide lens, and it's a big improvement over the prior 12-megapixel Ultra Wide lens. Apple is using pixel binning to combine four pixels into one, ultimately providing a 12-megapixel finished image, but merging pixels allows for more detail and improved quality in low light.

The 5x Telephoto lenses haven't changed, but you can get 5x optical zoom on the 16 Pro in addition to the Pro Max, which is new this year. The "Fusion" camera is also basically identical to the "Main" camera from last year, and you still have the settings to choose between 24mm, 28mm, and 35mm lenses.

Photographic Styles are a great addition for tweaking the look of an image, and the pad for adjustments is useful to get a unique mood with minimal effort. Make sure to check out our video above to see it in action.

For videographers, the option to shoot in 4K 120 fps is super useful, especially because you can slow it down or speed it up in post production. The Audio Mix feature for changing the audio also really makes a difference for capturing video.

We have some ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ camera comparisons coming, where we pit the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ against some other flagship smartphones. Stay tuned to MacRumors to see those videos next week.
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For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Lululook to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win one of Apple's new iPhone 16 Pro models. For those unfamiliar with Lululook, it is a company that makes a wide range of Apple accessories.


For charging an iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods, Lululook has the $80 Ultra-Rise Qi2 Charging Station. It can charge a MagSafe-compatible ‌iPhone‌ at up to 15W, while also providing enough power to fast charge an Apple Watch. Both the Apple Watch and AirPods can charge at 5W.

The Charging Station has a compact design with an upright adjustable Qi2 charging platform, which supports an ‌iPhone‌ in portrait or landscape orientation so you can use StandBy. The Apple Watch charger is tucked behind the ‌iPhone‌ charger, and the AirPods charge at the base of the device.


If you're looking for a new ‌iPhone‌ wallet option, Lululook offers a $36 Leather Magnetic Wallet Stand that combines a card wallet with a handy pull-out stand that you can use to watch videos, make calls, and more. It holds three cards, and it comes in black, dark brown, or brown. There's a strong magnet inside, but it's easy to detach for quick card access.


The new iPhone 16 models require a 20W or higher charger for fast charging with USB-C or 30W for fast charging over MagSafe, and Lululook has the perfect 65W three-port GaN charger option. It includes two USB-C power delivery ports and a USB-A port for older accessories. The two USB-C ports split power in 30W and 30W increments, perfect for the ‌iPhone‌.


Lululook ships the charger with a Universal Travel Converter so it can be used in the UK, EU, and Australia in addition to the United States, which also makes it ideal for travel. For those interested in any of Lululook's accessories, there is a sitewide September sale right now, just use the code 15OFF at checkout.

We have a new 128GB ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ for one lucky winner, with the winner able to choose the color. To enter to win, use the widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winner(s) and send the prize(s). You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, following us on Threads, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older, UK residents who are 18 years or older, and Canadian residents who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. All federal, state, provincial, and/or local taxes, fees, and surcharges are the sole responsibility of the prize winner. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.

The contest will run from today (September 27) at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on October 4. The winner will be chosen randomly on or shortly after October 4 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.
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Earlier this week, repair site iFixit took apart the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus to demonstrate the new battery removal process that uses electricity for adhesive removal, and today, iFixit is back with a teardown of the iPhone 16 Pro and ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max.


Apple's ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ models do not have the same simplified battery removal process as the ‌iPhone 16‌, with Apple instead using traditional stretch release adhesive for its pricier iPhones. It's still easier to get inside, though, because you can do so through the back of the iPhone rather than the display, which can be easily damaged.

Apple encased the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ battery in metal like the ‌iPhone 16‌ models, but the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max does not have the metal casing around its battery, and it's not clear why. iFixit called the decision to use the metal-encased battery in just the 16 Pro and not the 16 Pro Max "perplexing."

The LiDAR Scanner is more accessible, which makes it easier to access for repairs. In prior Pro ‌iPhone‌ models, it was under the main camera assembly. The camera modules are almost identical, but not quite interchangeable due to a different cable length and a screw positioned in two separate locations inside each model.

Apple moved the mmWave antenna to make room for the Camera Control button, and in the 16 Pro models, it's in a hollowed out space near the top of the device. iFixit says that mmWave signal could still suffer due to the titanium frame of the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ models.

USB-C port removal is "massively" simplified, but iFixit points out that Apple does not sell replacement USB-C ports. The logic board can also be pulled out with only the removal of the upper speaker assembly, which is a major improvement to the design.

Notably, the teardown revealed that the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ models are using a Qualcomm SDX71M modem, which is a custom version of the SDX70M modem used in the iPhone 15 Pro models. Rumors had suggested the Pro models would include the Qualcomm X75 modem, which doesn't appear to be the case.

iFixit gave the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ models a repairability score of 7 out of 10 due to the design changes and the availability of repair manuals.
This article, "iFixit Teardown Provides Look Inside iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple is working on an update for the low-cost iPad, which hasn't been refreshed since 2022. As an entry-level product, the ‌iPad‌ doesn't get a lot of attention and it's not often the focus of rumors, but we've heard a little bit about what might be coming to the ‌iPad‌ 11.

Design

Apple overhauled the look of the ‌iPad‌ in 2022, introducing a 10.9-inch all-display design and a Touch ID power button, so we're not expecting any further design changes at this point in time.


Apple will likely stick with the 10.9-inch display and ‌iPad‌ Air-like design, but we could get new colors. Current colors include silver, yellow, pink, and blue. The ‌iPad‌ already has a USB-C port, which will stick around, and it will continue to support the USB-C Apple Pencil.

A-Series Chip

The current 10th-generation ‌iPad‌ has an A14 chip that was first used in the iPhone 12 lineup, and it's getting outdated. The logical choice for the next ‌iPad‌ is the A16 that was used in the iPhone 15 models, but if Apple wants to make Apple Intelligence as accessible as possible, an A17 Pro chip or A18 chip isn't out of the question.

Of course, adding Apple Intelligence support would also necessitate much more memory, and the ‌iPad‌ is currently limited to 4GB, so it might just be too expensive for Apple to give it that functionality while also keeping the price affordable.

Either way, the A16 will be a major improvement even if it doesn't support Apple Intelligence. It'll be faster and more efficient, so battery life could potentially be improved.

Other Updates

Apple has been updating most of its products with Wi-Fi 6E or better, so we can expect Wi-Fi 6E support for the low-cost ‌iPad‌. The current model supports Wi-Fi 6, so it is not compatible with the faster 6GHz band that's available with Wi-Fi 6E routers.

Cost

We haven't heard rumors of any kind of cost increase for the ‌iPad‌ 11, so we're still expecting pricing to start at $349 for 64GB of storage. Apple has been bumping some minimum storage options in recent years, so there's a chance we could see a boost to 128GB of storage without a cost increase, but nothing has been rumored.

Apple only sells the ‌iPad‌ in 64GB and 256GB configurations right now.

Release Date

Apple is rumored to be holding an event in October to unveil new M4 Macs and a new iPad mini 7, so it's possible we'll see the ‌iPad‌ then.

Rumors about the ‌iPad‌ 11's launch date have been wishy washy, though. Analyst Ross Young recently said that display shipments for the device wouldn't start until October, which is late for an October debut and actually more appropriate for a 2025 launch.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has said Apple is working on a new Magic Keyboard accessory for the low-cost ‌iPad‌ and/or the iPad Air which is expected to come out by the middle of 2025. It may not make sense to release the ‌iPad‌ 11 until that accessory is ready, as Apple doesn't typically split up accessory and device launches.

Of course, if it's actually an accessory solely for the ‌iPad Air‌, the keyboard might not have an impact on the ‌iPad‌ 11 launch date at all.

Buying Advice

If you're planning to get a low-cost ‌iPad‌ and you can wait, we recommend holding off for the new model. The current version is two years old at this point, and the chip inside is even older. You'll get the most out of your money if you wait for an update.
This article, "iPad 11: What's Next for Apple's Most Affordable Tablet" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple is rumored to be working on a sort of iPad-like smart display that will serve as a home hub for controlling your HomeKit and Matter devices. We've been hearing rumors about the device for the last couple of years, and now there's some new information about its potential design.


Called the "HomeAccessory" internally, the upcoming smart home device has a "squarish display," according to 9to5Mac. The square display would make the product distinct from an iPad, which has a more rectangular display. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has previously described the smart home hub as "iPad-like" with features adopted from the ‌iPad‌, HomePod, and the Apple TV, but he's also described a separate ‌HomePod‌ with a screen, which seems to be simpler.

9to5Mac claims it is unclear whether the square design will make it into the final product, which also seems to have a built-in camera for FaceTime. The device includes a camera that is able to identify hand gestures from afar, and it can tell one person apart from another for personalized requests. While it can run apps and play media like the ‌Apple TV‌, it will also serve as an AirPlay receiver like the ‌HomePod‌.

MacRumors spotted signs of the HomeAccessory in Apple's backend code earlier this year. It is a product that is distinct from Apple's other home devices, the ‌Apple TV‌ and the ‌HomePod‌. It seems to run a variant of tvOS much like the ‌HomePod‌, and the test version we've seen described is equipped with an A18 chip, so there is a possibility that it might not be too far off from launching.

With an A18 chip or later, Apple's smart home product would be able to run Apple Intelligence features, and it would support the smarter Siri that Apple plans to introduce in 2025. Prior rumors have said that it will debut in 2025 at the earliest, and 9to5Mac says it could come next spring.
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Apple today released a new firmware update for the AirPods Pro 2, with the software available for both the USB-C and Lightning models. The ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 firmware has a build number of 7A305, up from the 7A302 firmware released earlier in September.


There is no word yet on what's included in the firmware, but Apple is planning to add hearing aid and hearing test features to the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 in the not too distant future.

The firmware update could potentially lay the groundwork for those capabilities ahead of when the full feature set comes out in an iOS 18 update. Apple has already received FDA approval for the hearing aid functionality for the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2.

Apple doesn't have a way to manually upgrade AirPods software, but firmware is generally installed over-the-air when the AirPods are in a charging case and connected to an iOS device or Mac.
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Facebook parent company Meta today unveiled "the most advanced pair of AR glasses ever made," called Orion. Meta claims Orion looks and feels like a regular pair of glasses, but with augmented reality capabilities.


The glasses have been in development for over five years, and Meta describes them as lightweight and great for indoor and outdoor use. Unlike a VR headset, AR glasses augment the real world rather than shutting it out, providing digital experiences that are not constrained by the display of a smartphone or headset.

Orion has the largest field of view in the smallest AR glasses form to date. That field of view unlocks truly immersive use cases for Orion, from multitasking windows and big-screen entertainment to life-size holograms of people - all digital content that can seamlessly blend with your view of the physical world.

According to Meta, Orion is a "feat of miniaturization," featuring components that are sized down to a fraction of a millimeter. The glasses have clear lenses that allow the wearer to see other people's eyes and expressions.

Orion includes built-in contextual AI that is able to "sense and understand" the world around the wearer to "anticipate and proactively address" the wearer's needs. Meta AI can do things like craft a recipe from what's inside your refrigerator, or phone a friend while the user washes dishes.


Orion is not a consumer focused product, but it is also not just a research prototype. Meta is providing its employees and "select external audiences" with access to Orion, so that it can use the data to "learn, iterate, and build" toward a consumer AR glasses product line.

Going forward, Meta wants to improve the AR display to make visuals sharper, optimize for a slimmer form factor, and work to build at scale to make the AR glasses more affordable.

Apple too is rumored to be working on AR glasses, but the product is still many years away from launching at this point. Apple has struggled with getting the power of an iPhone into a device that uses only a fraction of the power to prevent overheating.

Along with AR glasses, Facebook today introduced new AI features for its Ray-Ban Meta Glasses and unveiled a super cheap $300 Meta Quest 3S mixed reality headset, a more affordable version of the Meta Quest 3.
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Writing Tools is one of the main Apple Intelligence features that's available in the iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1 betas for developers and public beta testers. As the name suggests, Writing Tools are meant to help you write.


This guide goes over everything you can do with Writing Tools, where you can use them, and what you need to access the feature.

Writing Tools Overview

There are various AI tools that will write content for you, but that's not how Apple designed Writing Tools and that's not what it's meant to do. The feature can be used to improve, tweak, and refine what you've written, but you still need to write something for it to work with first.


Apple doesn't have a feature for generating text, but that will probably be something iOS and macOS will be capable of when ChatGPT integration is introduced later this year.

You can use Writing Tools to check your spelling, grammar, and word choice, or to change the tone of what you've written. There's also an option to summarize text.

How to Use Writing Tools

To use Writing Tools in an app like Notes or Pages, you can simply select text and then either tap or right click to get to the Writing Tools option, depending on which OS you're using. Apps like Notes have a Writing Tools interface built-in, so you can also get to Writing Tools from the in-app toolbar.

For the most part, getting to Writing Tools is as simple as selecting text to get to the different options you can use. From the Writing Tools interface, you can access the available options for proofreading, rewriting, and summarizing.

Proofread

When it comes to proofreading, Writing Tools does more than just check spelling. It also looks at word choice and grammar. If you use the wrong version of they're/their/there, effect/affect, or two/to/too, Writing Tools will correct it. Spelling issues are pointed out, of course, and Writing Tools can fix some grammar issues.


It doesn't always tell you if you're misusing semicolons, colons, or ellipses, but it will add in a period if you miss one, fix quotes, or add in commas where they're needed.

Writing Tools is also able to fix shorthand and swap out poor phrasing. So if you write "luv" instead of "love," your Apple device can fix it. "Write real good" becomes "write really well."

Unfortunately, Writing Tools does not go through issues one by one with you for making changes on an error-by-error basis. What it does is spit out a rewritten version of what you've asked it to proofread, and you can choose to copy that text, replace your text with it, or share it. It's an all-or-nothing correction, and it can be hard to spot every change if you're correcting a lot of text.

Rewrite

The Writing Tools Rewrite feature refines what you've written, and it can be used to change the tone of your writing. If you just select some text and choose the base Rewrite option, Writing Tools spits out a version of your text that's more refined and fleshed out, but there are also Friendly, Professional, and Concise styles to choose from. Here's an example of each.


Original Text:

There are AI tools that will write content for you on the internet, but that's not what Apple designed Writing Tools for. You're going to love the Writing Tools feature because it is able to help you write really well. Writing Tools helps you with your spelling, but it also has a positive effect on your grammar. There are multiple Writing Tools to use such as proofreading, rewriting, and summarizing.

Standard Rewrite:

There are AI tools available online that can generate content for you, but that's not the purpose of Apple's Writing Tools. You'll be delighted with the Writing Tools feature because it genuinely assists you in writing effectively. Writing Tools not only helps you with spelling but also positively impacts your grammar. It offers various tools, including proofreading, rewriting, and summarizing, to cater to your writing needs.

Professional Rewrite:

There are AI tools available online that can generate content, but this is not the intended purpose of Apple's Writing Tools. The Writing Tools feature is designed to enhance your writing skills and is particularly useful for improving your spelling and grammar. It offers a range of tools, including proofreading, rewriting, and summarization, to assist you in crafting well-written content.

Friendly Rewrite:

Have you heard about AI tools that can write content for you online? Well, that's not what Apple designed Writing Tools for. You're going to love this feature because it's designed to help you write really well. Writing Tools helps you with your spelling, but it also has a positive impact on your grammar. There are different Writing Tools to use, like proofreading, rewriting, and summarizing.

Concise Rewrite:

AI tools can generate content online, but Apple designed Writing Tools for something else: excellent writing. Writing Tools aids with spelling and grammar, offering proofreading, rewriting, and summarizing options.

Looking at various rewriting samples, the standard Rewrite option seems to be a mix of all three styles. It's not as business-like as the professional option, nor as casual as the friendly option.

Summary Options

You can select text and use the Writing Tools summary options to automatically get the gist of a longer piece of text, and it's something that can be particularly useful for long web articles, PDFs, or even your own notes if they're lengthy.

Options for summarizing text include Summary, Key Points, List, and Table. Using the text from the prior examples, here's what each one looks like.

Summary:

Apple's Writing Tools feature enhances writing by correcting spelling and grammar, and offering proofreading, rewriting, and summarizing assistance.

Key Points:

Writing Tools Purpose: To help users write well, not to replace human writing.
Writing Tools Features: Spelling and grammar checking, proofreading, rewriting, and summarizing.
Writing Tools Benefits: Improves writing quality.

List:

Apple designed Writing Tools to assist with writing, not to generate content.
Writing Tools helps with spelling and grammar.
There are multiple Writing Tools available, including proofreading, rewriting, and summarizing.

Table:

Writing Tools Availability

You can use Writing Tools anywhere there's text on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac that's capable of Apple Intelligence. It is system wide. Just select the text and bring up the tap or right click menu and then choose the Writing Tools option.


Writing Tools works with your own writing so you can refine your text in Notes, Pages, Messages, and anywhere else you write text, but it also works in Safari, the Books app, and in PDFs. You can use it in third-party apps, too.

Note that like all Apple Intelligence features, Writing Tools is in beta right now, and it's not perfect. It seems to work more reliably on iOS and iPadOS than macOS at the current time, but that's not unusual for a beta.

Even when Apple Intelligence launches, it's still going to be launching as a beta, and it's likely it will stay in beta status for quite some time as Apple works out the kinks.

Writing Tools Requirements

To use Writing Tools, you need a device capable of Apple Intelligence. That includes the iPhone 15 Pro, the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max, any iPhone 16 model, any ‌iPad‌ with an M-series chip, and any Mac with an M-series chip.

Apple Intelligence features do not work on any other devices because of the processing power and memory required.

Writing Tools is in the iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.1 betas at the current time. The betas are available to developers and public beta testers, and the updates are going to come out sometime in October.

How Useful Are Writing Tools?

For the most part, Writing Tools can be a useful tool for checking spelling and grammar, because it goes a lot further than your standard spell check. It would be more useful if there was an option to go through suggestions one-by-one and reject changes rather than being forced to accept an all-in-one refinement, but maybe that's a change Apple will make later.

Seeing each change individually would make for a better learning tool, providing insight into what specific changes were made and why.

Apple's summaries can also be overly brief, failing to include some key details. Unless summaries get more detailed, it's hard to see how they can be a truly useful tool. Key points and lists do a bit better than a general summary, but there's still work that needs to be done to refine the experience.

Rewriting will likely be useful for some, but it does have something of an AI feel to the text that you get when you use it. It's not a tool that you should rely on without making further edits to make sure that the changes are what you really want to say. Rewrite does do an excellent job of matching the stated tone, and it would be nice to see additional tone options in the future.

Read More

For more on the features that are available in iOS 18 and ‌macOS Sequoia‌, we have a dedicated iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia roundups.
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With the iPhone 15 models that came out last year, Apple added an opt-in battery setting that limits maximum charge to 80 percent. The idea is that never charging the iPhone above 80 percent will increase battery longevity, so I kept my ‌iPhone‌ at that 80 percent limit from September 2023 to now, with no cheating.


My ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max battery level is currently at 94 percent with 299 cycles. For a lot of 2024, my battery level stayed above 97 percent, but it started dropping more rapidly over the last couple of months.

I left my ‌iPhone‌ at that 80 percent limit and at no point turned the setting off or tweaked it. There were some days when I ran out of battery because I was without a charger for most of the day, and there were other times that I had to bring a battery along to make sure I didn't run out of power. It wasn't always convenient to keep it at 80 percent, but there were days when it didn't have too much of an impact.


It was always a treat when the ‌iPhone‌ randomly decided to charge to 100 percent, which is something Apple has baked in to the 80 percent limit to ensure the battery level stays calibrated.

For the most part, I charged using USB-C rather than MagSafe, but there was some ‌MagSafe‌ charging mixed in. There was probably a 70/30 split between wired charging and ‌MagSafe‌ charging. I did often let my battery get quite low before charging, and it didn't sit on the charger for long periods of time too often. Most charging was done in a room at 72 degrees. I'm adding this context because temperature is a factor that can affect battery longevity, and wireless charging is warmer than wired charging.

You can compare your level battery to mine, but here are a couple other metrics from MacRumors staff that also have an ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max and did not have the battery level limited.

• Current capacity: 87%. Cycles: 329


• Current capacity: 90%. Cycles: 271

I don't have a lot of data points for comparison, but it does seem that limiting the charge to 80 percent kept my maximum battery capacity higher than what my co-workers are seeing, but there isn't a major difference. I have four percent more battery at 28 more cycles, and I'm not sure suffering through an 80 percent battery limit for 12 months was ultimately worth it.

It's possible that the real gains from an 80 percent limit will come in two or three years rather than a single year, and I'll keep it limited to 80 percent to see the longer term impact.

I did set my iPhone 16 Pro Max to an 80 percent limit, but I don't know if I want to continue the test given the lackluster results I had from 2023 to 2024. Will the thermal changes in the iPhone 16 models make any difference? Maybe, maybe not. There's a 90 percent charge limit option too, and that might be more feasible than 80 percent for most people, especially those that have phones with smaller batteries.

Let me know your current battery capacity and cycle count in the comments below, and weigh in on whether you think Apple's limits are worthwhile.
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Apple today released the second public betas of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1, allowing non-developers to test the software ahead of its October launch. The second beta comes a day after Apple provided the software to developers.


Public beta testers who have signed up for Apple's beta testing program can download the iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.1 updates by opening up the Settings app, tapping into the Software Update section and selecting the Public Beta option. Apple has also released watchOS 11.1 and tvOS 18.1 betas for public beta testers.

iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.1 are the first updates that includes Apple Intelligence features. Not all AI capabilities have been added, but the beta includes Writing Tools, Siri updates, summaries, AI-powered Focus modes, and smart replies. To use Apple Intelligence features, you need an iPhone 15 Pro, an iPhone 16 model, or M-series Mac or iPad.

Writing Tools are available whenever text can be selected and edited, and the feature can be used for spell checking, correcting grammar, rewriting your work with a new tone, and summarizing text.

‌Siri‌ has been overhauled with a new design that includes a subtle glow around the display, and Type to ‌Siri‌ means you don't have to speak to ‌Siri‌ to get answers. ‌Siri‌‌ can follow along if you stumble over your words, and can maintain context between requests. Safari can summarize articles, and there's a new Reduce Interruptions Focus Mode that intelligently highlights only important notifications.

Smart replies are available in Messages and Mail, plus the Mail app surfaces priority time sensitive messages and puts them at the top of your inbox. Photos has a Memory Movie feature for creating slideshows based on text descriptions, and there is a Clean Up tool for unwanted objects in your photos.

All iOS 18.1 users can now access phone call recording and transcribing, with recorded calls saved in the Notes app, but summarizing phone calls from those transcriptions is an Apple Intelligence feature. The update also brings spatial photo capabilities to the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro and Pro Max.

The second beta includes an update to iPhone Mirroring, adding support for drag and drop file transfers between the iPhone and the Mac. ‌iPhone 16‌ users will see a Control Center reset option and a Camera Control icon to activate the front-facing camera for selfies.

More on all of the features that are available in the betas right now can be found in our Apple Intelligence guide. Image Playground, Genmoji, and other new ‌Siri‌ features have not yet been implemented.
This article, "Apple Releases Second iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia Public Betas With Apple Intelligence" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple's latest iPhone 16 models feature a second-generation Ceramic Shield material, which Apple says is even tougher than the prior-generation Ceramic Shield. Device insurance provider Allstate Protection Plans today published the results of its annual device drop test, giving us insight into the durability of the new iPhones.


Allstate tested the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which is Apple's largest iPhone to date at 6.9 inches. It continues to have a glass front and back, and though Apple has introduced better Ceramic Shield material that's infused with ceramic for durability, it's still no match for a concrete sidewalk.

Using a "DropBot" to simulate drops from a height of six feet, Allstate conducted several tests. In the front-down drop test, the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max display shattered and there were visible scuffs along the titanium frame. This drop rendered the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max unusable, though haptic responses were still felt so it could be repaired.

In the back-down drop test, the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max's rear glass shattered after one drop and suffered damage to the camera housing. It did remain functional, including the camera, but it was not safe to handle with bare hands due to the broken glass.

No smartphones that have glass have survived Allstate's DropBot, so it is not surprising to see the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max fail. Glass and hard surfaces do not mix, so it is a good idea to have a protection plan of some kind like AppleCare+ or a protective case. Drop tests of all kinds are hard to use to determine durability in a real world situation, as the angle of the drop, the height, and the surface that an ‌iPhone‌ is falling on are always going to vary.

Allstate has stopped doing dunk tests because ‌iPhone‌ models now have such solid water resistance, and the ‌iPhone 16‌ models continue to offer the same IP67 water resistance as prior models. Other YouTube videos have tested the ‌iPhone 16‌ models with drops, hammering, scratches, and other damage for those interested.








‌AppleCare‌+ for the ‌iPhone 16‌ and 16 Plus is $179 for two years or $8.99 per month, and for the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ and Pro Max, it's $199 or $9.99. With ‌AppleCare‌+, an ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max display replacement costs $29, and without, it's $379. Cracked back glass replacement is $29 with ‌AppleCare‌+ and $199 without, and if both the front and back are cracked, it's $499 ($58 with ‌AppleCare‌+).
This article, "Despite New Ceramic Shield, iPhone 16 Models Still Vulnerable to Drops" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Back in May, Sonos launched a new version of its mobile app, and it's been wildly unpopular with Sonos customers because of ongoing bugs and the removal of several features. Today, Bloomberg delved into what went wrong at Sonos ahead of when the app launched, and why it came out anyway.


Sonos had to come out with a new app when it launched the Sonos Ace headphones because of "technical debt." The company basically spent time working on new features instead of updating outdated code written in obsolete languages, leading to infrastructure issues. Sonos put off addressing the underlying technical debt, but introducing the headphones required the Sonos app and the cloud setup behind it to be overhauled.

At the time the app was in development, Sonos laid off some of its employees to cut costs and also did some internal restructuring that was "causing chaos" by separating people who had worked together for years. As the app's launch approached, employees protested "forcefully," even resorting to yelling and screaming, because it was clear the app wasn't ready to launch.

Former Sonos employees told Bloomberg that Sonos was prioritizing promises to investors and attracting new customers rather than ensuring equipment owned by longtime Sonos customers continued to work. One employee said they were afraid to push back further on the app's launch because it could lead to them losing their job.

Sonos' lead counsel Eddie Lazarus did an internal investigation into the app's development and told Bloomberg that the app was delayed, from early 2024 to May 2024, and that there had been no "yelling" or "screaming" in meetings. Sonos apparently had a list of what it considered "essential" bugs that needed to be fixed pre-launch, but it decided that less critical bugs could wait until the app was released. "Our list of essential bugs, obviously, was not comprehensive enough," Lazarus told Bloomberg.

Sonos expects to miss its annual revenue target by $200 million after the app debacle. In August, it laid off some employees, and it told others that yearly bonuses and merit-based pay raises have been canceled.

Sonos CEO Patrick Spence apologized to Sonos customers in July and committed to regular updates to address bugs and add missing features. The company considered bringing back the old app as it worked on the new version, but it turned out that wasn't possible because of the updates made to the cloud servers.

Sonos also decided to delay two upcoming product launches in 2024 to instead focus on improving the Sonos app, and the company has "pulled together the very best and most experienced engineers" that it has to work on the app until it is fixed.
This article, "Sonos Execs Launched Ill-Received App Despite Employee Protests" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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In macOS Sequoia, Apple requires users to regularly reauthorize permissions for screen recording apps, a change that has not been popular with some Mac app users. During the beta testing process, these reminders came up weekly, but later in the beta, Apple changed those reminders to monthly.


If you're someone who prefers not to get these reminders for screen recording apps at all, you can use the Amnesia app for the Mac to get rid of them. The app basically changes the .plist file for the screen capture app access feature, and it's a pay what you want situation.

Those comfortable with tweaking plists themselves using the Terminal app can follow instructions shared by Jeff Johnson, known for Stop The Madness. Both Amnesia and the command line version of the fix require disabling reminders on an app by app basis, but it's a little more straightforward to do with the Amnesia app.

Note that Amnesia works on ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15, but there is not yet a version for ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.1, so if you're running the beta, you'll need to wait for an update. The update is expected later today.
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YouTube is raising the cost of its Premium plan in multiple countries around the world, with the new pricing surfacing over the weekend (via Android Authority). Prices are up in Europe, South America, and and some countries in Asia and the Middle East.


Price hikes are being tracked over on Reddit, and so far customers in the following countries are being warned about higher prices: Belgium, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates.

The biggest single plan price increase is in Norway, where prices are up 42 percent. YouTube Premium in Norway used to cost approximately $11.33 per month, but now it is just over $16. In Sweden, the family plan now costs $27.38 per month, up from $17.57. On average, single person plans have increased 18 percent, while family plans are up 43 percent.

Many YouTube Premium customers affected by the price changes have said on Reddit that they plan to cancel given the significant increases to family plans.

YouTube Premium pricing has not increased in the United States, Canada, or other countries. In the U.S., the standard plan is $13.99 per month, and a family plan is $22.99 per month.
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Apple is working behind the scenes to get ready to introduce Hearing Assistance functionality to the AirPods Pro 2. The latest iOS 18.1 beta does not have the feature enabled at the current time, but it is hidden in the update and Apple could potentially activate it in a future iOS 18.1 beta.


We were able to access the hidden ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 Hearing Assistance feature set in the fifth iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 betas, and we tested it out.


When Hearing Assistance launches, users will be prompted to take a hearing test or upload an audiogram from an audiologist. Apple says the results will be used to turn on a hearing aid feature for those with mild to moderate hearing loss, but for all users, it can be used to make sound adjustments to improve music, video, and call clarity.


The test takes approximately five minutes to complete, and it prompts users to tap the screen each time they hear a tone. The ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 are only recommended for mild to moderate hearing loss, and those with more serious hearing loss likely won't be able to use the Hearing Aid feature.


After the hearing test, users will have the option to turn on the Hearing Aid option if it is required. Hearing Aid adjusts the voices and sounds around the user to account for the tones and frequencies that are not able to be heard.


Apple has already received FDA authorization for the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 to function as an over-the-counter hearing aid, and it could be rolled out at any time. Apple has said the feature will come out this fall, so it would make sense for it to be introduced in a future iOS 18.1 beta.
This article, "Apple Gearing Up to Add Hearing Aid Feature to AirPods Pro 2" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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With macOS 15.1 and iOS 18.1 beta 5, Apple has enabled drag and drop, a much anticipated iPhone Mirroring feature. After updating to the new software, you can drag files from an ‌iPhone‌ to a Mac and vice versa.


‌iPhone‌ Mirroring makes it simple to move files from one device to another because it works even when the ‌iPhone‌ is locked and charging. To use the feature, update to the fifth macOS 15.1 and iOS 18.1 betas and then activate ‌iPhone‌ Mirroring.

From there, if you drag a file like a photo from Mac to the open Photos app on the ‌iPhone‌, it'll transfer over. If you want to transfer a PDF, just open the Files app and then drag the PDF from the Mac to the ‌iPhone‌. Dragging a file from ‌iPhone‌ to Mac works in much the same way, you simply drag it over where you want it.


The new ‌iPhone‌ Mirroring feature is active in the developer beta now, and public beta testers should be able to try it out later this week. iOS 18.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1 are expected to see a public launch in October.
This article, "Drag and Drop Files Now Work With iPhone Mirroring in Latest macOS Sequoia 15.1 and iOS 18.1 Betas" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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With the fifth beta of iOS 18.1, Apple has made a small tweak to the Camera Control button that was introduced on the iPhone 16, ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max.


When you dig into the Camera Control settings, there is now a way to set it to the front-facing camera without having to interact with the iPhone's display.

To get to the selfie camera, open up the Camera app with a press on the Camera Control button, and then use a swipe gesture on the button to scroll through the lenses. The person icon at the very top swaps to the front-facing selfie camera.


Note that if you have Camera Control set to a different setting, you will need to open up the Camera app, activate Camera Control, and then tap on the screen to swap tools. The selfie camera and lens options are under the "Cameras" heading. The last tool you used will be the tool Camera Control opens with.

Prior to iOS 18.1, you could use this gesture to swipe through the different lens options, like 0.5x, 1x, 2x, and 5x (Pro only), but now it also includes the selfie camera to make it easier to get to all of the available lens options.
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In the fifth beta of iOS 18.1, Apple has made some changes to the new customizable Control Center, refining it ahead of when iOS 18.1 is set to come out in October.


In the Control Center section of the Settings app, there is now an option to return to the default setup. If you make a bunch of confusing changes to Control Center and don't want to go through the trouble of moving everything around, you can now use the reset option to get back to the default options that Apple provides when installing iOS 18.

Apple has also added separate Control Center connectivity controls for Wi-Fi and VPN connectivity. In prior versions of ‌iOS 18‌, these controls were baked into an all-in-one connectivity button, but now they can be added to the Control Center. The new Wi-Fi and VPN options cannot be added to the Lock Screen or the Action Button.

Almost all connectivity controls can now be added individually, including Airplane Mode, Cellular Data, Personal Hotspot, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and VPN. AirDrop and Satellite are not available as standalone controls.
This article, "Latest iOS 18.1 Beta Adds Control Center Reset and New Connectivity Options" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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