Apple's "Focus" feature is a powerful tool for cutting down on distractions and interruptions on a per-task basis, but setting up different Focus options takes some time investment and tinkering because there are a lot of features available. We've rounded up a handful of suggestions that may help you get more out of Focus.

Managing Focus Modes

You'll find the Focus section in the Settings app. Apple has some pre-made Focus options, but you can create custom modes by tapping on the "+" button in the upper right corner. Custom Focus modes are a blank slate, so you can choose your own name, icon, and capabilities.


We'll go through some of the useful options below, but it is worth tapping through each section to see which functions will work best for your needs.

Silence or Unsilence Specific People

If you're at work and want to silence personal text messages and calls to cut down on distractions, or if you're at home and want to shut out work messages, the best way to do so is to use the people muting feature.

There are two options. You can silence notifications from a list of people that you select, allowing all others, or you can allow notifications from everyone except for the people that you pick.

With either option, you have to add people one by one, and there's no intelligent grouping option that will do it for you. It can take some time, depending on what you want to set up. It's best to choose the option that has the least amount of tapping, so if you're at work, you may want to select colleagues, important family members, and your boss, while turning off notifications from everyone else.

At home, it might make sense to allow all of your notifications to come through except for people from work.

When you "silence" a person with Focus, you still receive the text message, it's just tucked away in a specific section on your Lock Screen and you don't get an audible or haptic ping when the notification comes in.

Select Apps

Similar to silencing people, you can silence or allow notifications from apps for specific Focus modes. You have the same options as you do with people, and Apple will suggest some of your most used apps.

Given that most of us have a whole ton of apps installed, it's almost always best to use the "Allow Notifications From" feature to choose apps that you want to hear from, but there are exceptions. For a home-based Focus mode, if you have a few apps like Mail and Slack that are noisy, you can mute just those while allowing all other apps.

Carefully choosing the apps that can ping you in each Focus mode is one of the best ways to manage distractions.

Apple's pre-configured Do Not Disturb mode silences all apps and people by default if you just want to turn off everything with no hassle.

Using Reduce Interruptions

If you have a device that supports Apple Intelligence, you can turn on a pre-configured "Reduce Interruptions" Focus. It blocks all notifications except for those that ‌Apple Intelligence‌ determines are "priority notifications."

Reduce Interruptions can be customized to expressly allow or silence specific apps and people, and using this feature will override AI-based sorting for those selections. Reduce Interruptions can be a good compromise between all notifications on and Do Not Disturb.

Intelligent Breakthrough and Silencing

The main feature in Reduce Interruptions, Intelligent Breakthrough and Silencing, can actually be applied to any of your custom Focus modes.

Limit App Access with Custom Home Screens

It takes a few extra steps, but Focus modes can be set up to only show you specific apps. Under the Customize Screens option, you can choose a Home Screen page to show when a Focus mode is active.

If you want to only see work apps while at work, you can set up a page with your work apps and then choose that as your main screen for the Focus mode. You can select all of the apps that you want to see, and others will be hidden from view while the Focus is active. Note that the dock stays available regardless with your selected apps, and you can also edit your custom ‌Home Screen‌ later while the Focus is on if you need to make tweaks.

While in a Focus mode, you can still open other apps by swiping over to the App Library, but by default, distractions are hidden from view.

This can be a good way to shut out distracting games and social media apps at certain times of the day as an alternative to Screen Time.

Add Focus Filters

With Focus Filters, you can really drill down into what's available in each of your Focus modes. If you have a work email inbox and a personal email inbox in Mail, you can use filters to block out your personal inbox when you're at work, or your work inbox when you're at home.

There are filters for apps where you might want to split out different accounts, like Safari, Calendar, and Messages. You can filter for specific conversations in Messages, a specific Calendar, or a Tab Group. There are filters for third-party apps, too.

Focus Modes can be linked to system settings that include Always On Display, Dark Mode, Low Power Mode, and Silent Mode, so you can do things like set up a work focus that always activates Silent Mode, or set up a Focus that blocks out all notifications and turns on Low Power Mode.

Scheduling

All Focus modes can be set to activate automatically, so that once you configure them, you don't need to manually turn them on and off. You can activate Focus modes by time of day, your location, or when an app is opened up.

If you want your Work focus on from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., that's an option, but you could also set it up to turn on when you arrive at a specific location or when you open up an app like Slack.

When manually activating a Focus from Control Center, you can select options that will turn it on for an hour, until the evening (or morning), or until you leave a specific location.

Special Focus Modes

Apple has several pre-configured Focus modes that you can't replicate with custom modes because there are unique activation features included.

Sleep

The Sleep Focus is a unique one, because it is tied to Apple Watch sleep tracking. The schedule that you set up for the Sleep Focus determines when your watch tracks your sleep, when your alarm goes off in the morning, and when you get a "Wind Down" notification to prepare for bed.

This is a Focus that's set up when you enable sleep tracking features and set a schedule, but you can edit it like any other Focus to select people and apps that can deliver breakthrough notifications.

Driving

The Driving Focus blocks out all communications by default, and it activates automatically when driving is detected, when your iPhone connects to your car's Bluetooth, or when CarPlay is activated. It can also be set up to turn on manually, and it can be configured to allow notifications from specific people, but not from apps.

Fitness

The Fitness Focus can be set up to activate automatically when a Workout is started on the Apple Watch.

Mindfulness

The Mindfulness Focus turns on when you start a Mindfulness session on the Apple Watch.

Gaming

The Gaming Focus activates when you connect a Bluetooth-based gaming controller to your ‌iPhone‌ or another device.

Reading and Work

The pre-configured Reading and Work Focus modes have a feature called "Smart Activation" that allows them to turn on at specific times of the day based on your location and app usage.

Both of these modes have no apps or people set up to allow by default, so they still need to be further configured or they will work like Do Not Disturb, shutting out everything. These Focus modes can activate based on your location, so if you're at work, you can get the Work Focus to come on automatically when you arrive and turn off when you leave.

Alternatively, you can have these modes activate when you open a specific app, like Books.

Unlink Devices

By default, Focuses are shared across all devices where you are signed in to your Apple Account. If you turn on Do Not Disturb on your ‌iPhone‌, for example, you are also turning it on for your Mac and your Apple Watch.

If you simply want to silence Focus modes on a single device like your ‌iPhone‌ and not your Mac, you need to turn off the Share Across Devices toggle when setting up the Focus.

Unlink iPhone and Apple Watch

On Apple Watch, if you don't want it to mirror your ‌iPhone‌ Focus mode, you can go to General > Focus > and toggle off "Mirror my ‌iPhone‌."

Conclusion

Focus can save you a lot of hassle in the long run, but only if you take the time to set it up properly. It's definitely worth doing if you want to be able to better compartmentalize your digital experiences, shutting out work at home and removing distractions while working.

If you have tips on getting the most out of the Focus feature, make sure to share them in the comments below.
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For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Lululook to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win an Apple Watch Ultra 2 and a Lululook Qi2 3-in-1 Wireless Travel Charger.


Lululook makes a wide range of affordable accessories for all of Apple's devices, including the Apple Watch. The 3-in-1 Wireless Travel Charger, available for $60, has a convenient, folding design and is able to charge the iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch all at once.

The charger supports Qi2 so it is able to charge a compatible MagSafe ‌iPhone‌ at up to 15W, while also fast charging the Apple Watch and charging the AirPods. The charger is able to fold up in thirds and tuck into an included case with a power adapter and cable, all of which fits well into a bag or backpack.

For home use, Lululook offers the $75 Qi2 3-in-1 Charging Station, which has a sleek upright design that doesn't take up too much space on a desk. There's a Qi2 magnetic charger for the ‌iPhone‌, an Apple Watch charger at the back, and an AirPods charging space on the base of the accessory.


The charger is made from aluminum for a modern look that matches with most home decor, and it comes with a 30W USB-C power adapter and USB-C to USB-C cable.

If you're looking for an Apple Watch band for your Apple Watch Ultra, Lululook has an attractive black titanium band that's available for $100. It's was designed with the ‌Apple Watch Ultra 2‌ in mind, and it is made from 99 percent pure titanium.


Lululook says the band provides aviation-grade durability and comfort, with a diamond-like carbon coating for the black color that is scratch resistant and will hold up well during day-to-day use.

We have an ‌Apple Watch Ultra 2‌ and a 3-in-1 Travel Charger for one lucky MacRumors reader. 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 (March 14) at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time through 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time on March 21. The winner will be chosen randomly on or shortly after March 21 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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The low-cost iPad that Apple released this week with an A16 chip is able to run Final Cut Pro for ‌iPad‌, according to the Final Cut Pro App Store page.


Under compatibility, Final Cut Pro for ‌iPad‌ has been updated to say that it requires iPadOS 17.6 or later "and a device with an M-series or A16 or later chip."

Prior to the release of the ‌iPad‌, the most affordable device that was able to run Final Cut Pro for ‌iPad‌ was the iPad mini with A17 Pro chip, which is priced at $499. The 11th-generation ‌iPad‌ is cheaper, and it provides more screen space for video editing purposes.

With Final Cut Pro available on the ‌iPad‌, there is a much more affordable way for people to access professional video editing software. Affordability is increased thanks to the option to pay for Final Cut Pro on a monthly basis, with Apple charging $4.99 per month for access.

While Final Cut Pro runs on the ‌iPad‌, there are some features that are limited to iPads with more powerful chips and more advanced functions, such as recording in ProRes and editing video timelines with Apple Pencil hover.
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Repair site iFixit today disassembled the M4 MacBook Air for one of its traditional teardown videos, providing us with a look inside of the machine and giving some insight into its repairability.


There have been no changes to the design and opening process this year, and Apple is continuing to use the same chassis as the M2 model that was introduced in 2022. While Apple implemented iPhone battery adhesive that releases with electricity, the same change hasn't been brought to the Mac lineup yet. The ‌MacBook Air‌'s battery is held in place with traditional adhesive strips that need to be carefully removed.

The USB-C ports, a frequent point of failure, are still easy to access with not too much effort or danger of damaging other internal components. The display, the keyboard, and the Touch ID button remain difficult to access.

iFixit didn't note any changes to the arrangement of internal components, which is not surprising given that the only updates were to the webcam and the Apple silicon chip.

The site said that the ‌MacBook Air‌ has the potential to earn a good repairability score thanks to Apple's extensive product manuals and parts option, but there continue to be issues with parts pairing and calibration when using components not bought directly from Apple. Overall, iFixit gave the ‌MacBook Air‌ a repairability score of 5 out of 10.
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Apple is reassuring employees on the Siri team who may be feeling demotivated by the recent ‌Siri‌ delays and the bad press surrounding the company's decisions, reports Bloomberg.


In a ‌Siri‌ team meeting, Apple senior director Robby Walker acknowledged that employees might be feeling "angry, disappointed, burned out and embarrassed" following the ‌Siri‌ delay, but he praised the hard work of employees and the "incredibly impressive" features they developed, saying that Apple would continue to work to "ship the world's greatest virtual assistant" to Apple users. "I saw so many people giving everything they had in order to make this happen and to make incredible progress together," he said.

The situation was described as "ugly" because the ‌Siri‌ features were shown off in public with marketing campaigns and TV commercials before there was a fully functional product. ‌Siri‌'s new functionality was also tied to the iPhone 16 launch in advertising, and it was a feature that Apple used to promote its ‌iPhone 16‌ models.

Apple decided to delay the functionality because of quality issues, with Walker telling employees that ‌Siri‌'s new features were only working properly 60 to 80 percent of the time.

To encourage employees, Walker demonstrated ‌Siri‌ locating his driver's license number, manipulating apps by embedding content in an email and adding recipients, and finding specific photos of a child. Employees on the ‌Siri‌ team will be able to use time away to recharge and prepare for "hard work ahead."

Walker told employees that it is not yet clear when the new ‌Siri‌ features will be ready for launch, but Apple's statement about the delay mentioned "in the coming year." That has been interpreted as 2026, or in an update to the iOS 19 operating system launching this fall.

Walker said that Apple is aiming for ‌iOS 19‌, but that the timeline "doesn't mean that we're shipping then." Apple will ship the ‌Siri‌ functions when they're ready to launch, and the company does not want to provide the public with unfinished features, even if "competitors might have launched them in this state or worse."

"We have other commitments across Apple to other projects," Walker said, citing new software and hardware initiatives. "We want to keep our commitments to those, and we understand those are now potentially more timeline-urgent than the features that have been deferred." He said decisions on timing will be made on a "case-by-case basis" as work progresses on products planned for next year.

"Customers are not expecting only these new features but they also want a more fully rounded-out Siri," he said. "We're going to ship these features and more as soon as they are ready."

According to Bloomberg, Apple does not have plans to fire ‌Siri‌ chief John Giannandrea or any other ‌Siri‌ executives at this time, though there have been discussions about moving additional senior executives under Giannandrea to speed up development.
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Apple today launched a new app called Surveyor, which is designed to allow users to collect data like images of street signs and roadside details to improve Apple Maps.


The app is not public facing and appears to be for use with companies that Apple partners with to assign mapping tasks. Downloading the app and opening it up directs users to "Open Partner App" to choose a task. Tapping on the option launches another app called Premise.

Premise is a company that lets people earn rewards by "completing simple tasks." The Premise app is described as a task marketplace that provides money for taking surveys, sharing local information like construction zones or grocery pricing, or taking pictures of city locations.

Strings in Apple's Surveyor app found by MacRumors suggest that once assigned a mapping task by the Premise app, Premise users will be instructed to attach an iPhone to a mount, rotate the ‌iPhone‌ to landscape orientation, and capture images along a route while driving using the Surveyor app.

The Surveyor app says that images are being captured of items along the road like signs and traffic lights, location and data about physical features sent to Apple to "precisely place objects on the map."

Premise is not listed as an ‌Apple Maps‌ partner in Apple's mapping data information, but the app suggests that Apple is using data collected by Premise users for the purpose of keeping small details in ‌Apple Maps‌ up to date.
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Along with introducing new MacBook Air and Mac Studio models, Apple this week launched a refreshed version of the iPad Air. Little has changed, but the M3 chip is a solid upgrade over the M2, and Apple also debuted a new keyboard option.


The 2025 iPad Air refresh isn't exactly exciting, and if you put an ‌M2‌ ‌iPad Air‌ and an M3 ‌iPad Air‌ next to one another, you're not going to be able to see much of a visual difference, though the back of the 2025 model no longer says "‌iPad Air‌." In fact, Apple made no updates at all except for the chip inside. The design is the same, the colors are the same, and all other internal components are the same, too.

Apple's upgraded M3 chip does bring some key improvements in performance that might matter to some users, though. The M3 isn't a new chip, and it was previously used in the ‌MacBook Air‌, iMac, and other machines, but it is the first 3-nanometer chip that's come to the ‌iPad Air‌. The ‌M2‌ was built on a 5nm process comparatively, and the newer 3nm process brings speed and efficiency improvements, though Apple is using a binned version with an 8-core CPU and 9-core GPU.

In benchmarks, the M3 CPU is up to 21 percent faster than the ‌M2‌, and GPU performance is up to 15 percent faster. The M3 brings new graphics architecture with support for Dynamic Caching, hardware-accelerated ray tracing, and mesh shading. Dynamic Caching improves performance for games and pro apps that need a lot of GPU power, while hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh shading make console quality gaming possible on the ‌iPad Air‌.

The ‌iPad Air‌ isn't Apple's most affordable tablet, nor is it the most powerful. It's akin to the ‌MacBook Air‌, providing a balance between price and performance. If you need something for web browsing, gaming, and watching videos, you can get away with the more affordable iPad. The ‌iPad Air‌, though, has the power to do a lot of what a computer can do. With the M3 chip, the ‌iPad Air‌ is basically as capable as the M4 iPad Pro, and differences come down to display technology, design, and authentication, as the ‌iPad Air‌ has Touch ID while the ‌iPad Pro‌ has Face ID.

You can get the ‌iPad Air‌ in 11-inch and 13-inch sizes, like the ‌iPad Pro‌. The 11-inch model is more portable and is ideal for use on the couch or when traveling, while the 13-inch model is a better size for more work-oriented tasks.

Both models are compatible with Apple's new Magic Keyboard for the ‌iPad Air‌, which was updated this year. Compared to the prior version, it has a larger trackpad, function keys, a USB-C port for charging the ‌iPad‌, and the ‌iPad Pro‌ Magic Keyboard hinge design, but it doesn't have the same aluminum build. Apple's keyboards are expensive, starting at $269 for the ‌iPad Air‌, but the quality is generally worth it thanks to the super responsive Mac-like trackpad. If you have an ‌M2‌ ‌iPad Air‌, the new keyboard is compatible with it.

If you're looking for a tablet that can do more than the ‌iPad‌ but don't need the bells and whistles of the ‌iPad Pro‌, the ‌iPad Air‌ is a solid middle ground, and a $599 starting price is not a bad deal for the M3 chip.
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Apple made a major misstep with the way that it handled the delay of Apple Intelligence features for Siri, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today. Announcing the delay through a press statement was a bad decision, and Apple should instead have gone through official channels.


Kuo referenced the well-known "Antennagate" PR crisis when the iPhone 4 launched in 2010, and the way that then Apple CEO Steve Jobs handled it. Jobs personally responded to multiple customer emails, and then Apple held a press conference to address concerns about the ‌iPhone‌ 4's cellular signal. Jobs ended up announcing that Apple would provide free bumpers for all ‌iPhone‌ 4 uses to mitigate the issue, and allow customers who were still unhappy to return their iPhones.

The implication in Kuo's statement is that Apple CEO Tim Cook and other executives should follow Jobs' example, giving customers more insight into what's going wrong with ‌Siri‌ development.

I think the worst part is that when it came time to admit that Apple Intelligence (Siri) development wasn't going as planned, Apple chose to break the news to the world through an unofficial channel. This is how the world's most valuable company handles a PR crisis.

What should Apple have done? The way Steve Jobs personally addressed the iPhone 4 antennagate PR crisis back in the day provides a great example.

Kuo acknowledges that it takes time to develop artificial intelligence services, and that Apple's early announcement of ‌Apple Intelligence‌ ‌Siri‌ features at WWDC 2024 is understandable "given the pressure from the board and shareholders." With the company unable to deliver the feature set in the promised timeline, Apple needs to provide a more concrete response.

In the midst of Antennagate, Jobs was transparent about Apple's position and offered a concrete solution. Jobs said that Apple did not "fully understand if there were problems" when the ‌iPhone‌ 4 first came out, but that the company had a responsibility to educate as a "leader in the smartphone world." "We're not perfect, and we're working our asses off," Jobs said.

Back in 2012, Cook did personally address Apple Maps shortcomings in iOS 6, penning an apology letter to customers. He told customers that he was sorry, and he provided insight into Apple's work to make the Maps app better. Given the uproar over the delayed ‌Siri‌ overhaul, it could make sense for Cook to again speak to customers directly.
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Apple is working on q feature that will let the AirPods translate in-person conversations from one language to another, reports Bloomberg. The functionality will be linked to iOS 19, and it will be introduced in an AirPods software update planned for later this year.


The AirPods will be able to provide a simpler translation process for people who are speaking different languages, though the process will rely on the Translate app on the iPhone.

If an English speaker with AirPods is talking to someone who is speaking Spanish, the ‌iPhone‌ will detect the audio, translate the speech, and relay it back in English to the person wearing AirPods. The person speaking English will then be able to respond and have their response translated to Spanish and spoken aloud by the ‌iPhone‌. Apple's ‌iPhone‌ Translate app can already be used for conversations like this, but having the function included in the AirPods will streamline the exchange.

To go along with the new AirPods feature, Apple is also planning to improve the Translate app in ‌iOS 19‌, though no details are available at this time. While Apple is working on new AirPods Pro 3 earbuds that are set to launch in 2025, it sounds like Apple might bring the ‌iOS 19‌ Translate feature to existing models as well.

Apple has been tying AirPods updates to iOS updates in recent years. In iOS 18, for example, Apple added a suite of hearing health capabilities that test for hearing issues and allow the AirPods to be used as a hearing aid if problems are detected.
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Google's Gemini AI product is now able to absorb a user's search history in order to provide more personalized information, Google announced today. The Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking model is able to connect to Google apps and services to tailor responses based on past searches.


Google says that this feature will save time and will provide users with "more precise answers." For now, Gemini is only able to read search history, but in the future, it will be able to connect with other Google apps and services. Gemini's access to search history is opt-in, and it is experimental at this time.

In the Gemini app, users can use the model menu to select "Personalization" to connect their Google search history. When making a request, Gemini will then analyze search history to see if it is able to enhance a response.

Google says that search history will only be used when its reasoning models decide that it's helpful, and that early testers have found the feature useful for brainstorming and personalized recommendations.

Gemini with personalization is available to Gemini and Gemini Advanced subscribers on the web, and will be rolling out on mobile soon.
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OpenAI, known for its ChatGPT chatbot, today submitted AI recommendations to the Trump administration, calling for deregulation and policies that give AI companies free rein to train models on copyrighted material in order to compete with China on AI development.


AI companies cannot freely innovate while having to comply with "overly burdensome state laws," according to OpenAI. The company claims that laws regulating AI are "easier to enforce" with domestic companies, imposing compliance requirements that "weaken the quality and level of training data available to American entrepreneurs." OpenAI suggests that the government provide "private sector relief" from 781+ AI-related bills introduced in various states.

OpenAI outlines a "copyright strategy" that would preserve "American AI models' ability to learn from copyrighted material." OpenAI argues that AI models should be able to be trained freely on copyrighted data, because they are "trained not to replicate works for consumption by the public" and thus align with the fair use doctrine. With its AI copyright laws, OpenAI says that the European Union has repressed AI innovation and investment.

OpenAI claims that if AI models are not provided with fair use access to copyrighted data, the "race for AI is effectively over" and "America loses." OpenAI asks that the government prevent "less innovative countries" from "imposing their legal regimes on American AI firms."

For AI data sharing, OpenAI suggests a tiered system that would see AI tech shared with countries that follow "democratic AI principles," while blocking access to China and limiting access to countries that might leak data to China. The company also suggests government investment in utilizing AI technology and building out AI infrastructure.

The use of copyrighted material for AI training has angered artists, journalists, writers, and other creatives who have had their work absorbed by AI. The New York Times, for example, has sued Microsoft and OpenAI for training AI models on news articles. Many AI tools assimilate and summarize content from news sites, driving users away from primary sources and oftentimes providing incorrect information. Image generation engines like Dall-E and Midjourney have been trained on hundreds of millions images scraped from the internet, leading to lawsuits.

OpenAI has submitted its proposals to the Office of Science and Technology Policy for consideration during the development of a new AI Action Plan that is meant to "make people more productive, more prosperous, and more free." The full text is available on OpenAI's website.
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The Apple Intelligence features that Apple introduced with iOS 18 are not pushing people to upgrade their iPhones, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reiterated today. Apple's recent Siri failures are also going to have an impact on 2025 iPhone shipments, which the market is beginning to realize.


As early as last July, Kuo said expectations that ‌Apple Intelligence‌ could drive ‌iPhone‌ upgrades were likely "too optimistic," and in January, he was even more explicit and said that the appeal of ‌Apple Intelligence‌ had "significantly declined" because of the delay between when Apple showed off ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features in June and when they launched starting in October.

Kuo is maintaining his cautious view in light of Apple's Siri debacle, which has seen the company delay heavily advertised ‌Apple Intelligence‌ ‌Siri‌ features that it initially said would come in ‌iOS 18‌.

According to Kuo, Apple is already aware of ‌Apple Intelligence‌'s "underwhelming performance," and has provided suppliers with conservative ‌iPhone‌ shipment forecasts as a result.

Lately, the market consensus has shifted to a more cautious stance on iPhone shipments and Apple Intelligence (Siri), which supports my earlier predictions. Moreover, it's clear that when Apple shared conservative shipment forecasts with its key suppliers early this year, they had already factored in Apple Intelligence's underwhelming performance.

The negative public sentiment that Apple is facing due to the ‌Apple Intelligence‌ ‌Siri‌ delay could further impact sales of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 17 models in the coming months. Apple last week said that ‌Siri‌ personal context and App Intents are being pushed back until the "coming year," and it doesn't seem like the company expected such a critical reaction from the tech community and its customers.

Longtime Apple reporter John Gruber, for example, recently published an in-depth report calling out Apple's ‌Siri‌ shortcomings, and his commentary has resonated with many who have the same feelings about Apple's longtime struggle with ‌Siri‌ improvements.

Many others have also spoken up on the very public demonstrations of ‌Apple Intelligence‌ ‌Siri‌ features that Apple provided over the course of the last year and the subsequent delay that has shaken public confidence in the company's ability to deliver AI features that can compete with OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, and others.
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We're not going to get a first look at iOS 19 until the June Worldwide Developers Conference, but as work picks up on the operating system at Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, California, rumors are starting to leak out. ‌iOS 19‌ promises to be a major update, with some changes that we haven't seen Apple make for at least 10 years.

Overhauled Design

Apple is apparently planning to overhaul the design of all of its operating systems this year, including ‌iOS 19‌, iPadOS 19, and macOS 16. The goal is a more unified design language and feature set that makes the transition from iPhone to Mac and vice versa feel like less of a shock.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says this will be the biggest update Apple has made to the ‌iPhone‌'s design since iOS 7 was released in 2013, and it's not just cosmetic, either.


Apple is planning to overhaul icons, menus, apps, windows, system buttons, and more, while also tweaking navigation and control.

The new look is based on the Apple Vision Pro interface, which features a lot of translucency and a design feel that causes the operating system to kind of fade into the background to put content front and center.

We've heard rumors of what the updated design will do to the Camera app, and it will supposedly have a look that provides more screen space for photo previews with translucent pop-out menus that can be swiped through to select different camera modes.

Apple Intelligence

Apple is going to expand Apple Intelligence features to more of its built-in apps, but we haven't heard a lot of rumors about what's to come. Prior to when iOS 18 came out, it was suggested Apple could use Apple Intelligence for things like generating Apple Music playlists, so that's an example of what we could see.

Siri Updates

We do know about some of the ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features coming, and that's because Apple actually announced them for ‌iOS 18‌ and then had to delay them.


Apple planned to add new ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features to Siri in ‌iOS 18‌, making the personal assistant smarter and perhaps actually useful, but ‌Siri‌ changes are now being held until ‌iOS 19‌ or an update to ‌iOS 19‌.

We're waiting on personal context, onscreen awareness, and deeper app integration. Personal context will let ‌Siri‌ keep track of everything on your ‌iPhone‌, from emails and files to photos and messages, helping you complete tasks and find content that you're looking for without. ‌Siri‌ will be able to do things like find a specific photo someone sent you, locate files, or even find information like your passport number if you've written it down in notes.

With onscreen awareness, ‌Siri‌ will be able to see what's on your screen and complete actions involving what you're looking at. If someone sends you an address, for example, you can tell ‌Siri‌ to add it to their contact card.

Deeper app integration, or App Intents, should make a notable difference in what ‌Siri‌ is capable of. ‌Siri‌ will be able to do more in and across apps, performing actions and completing tasks that are just not possible right now. Apple says ‌Siri‌ will be able to do things like move files from one app to another, complete multi-step tasks like editing a photo and sending it to someone, and more.

Apple is also working on a full LLM version of ‌Siri‌ that would be similar to chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, and Google Gemini, but with the ‌iOS 18‌ ‌Siri‌ features delayed, it's likely LLM ‌Siri‌ won't be coming until at least iOS 20.

A Staggered Rollout

With ‌iOS 18‌, not all features were in the update that we got in September. Key ‌Apple Intelligence‌ functions were held back until iOS 18.1 and iOS 18.2, and that's a trend we could see continue with ‌iOS 19‌.

Apple is holding back features slated for ‌iOS 19‌ until spring 2026, at least in part due to the work on ‌Siri‌ ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features that were supposed to come in ‌iOS 18‌.

Compatibility

Rumors suggest that ‌iOS 19‌ will be compatible with all of the devices that can run ‌iOS 18‌, so if you have ‌iOS 18‌ installed, you should in theory be able to run ‌iOS 19‌. There are typically always features that require the processing power of a newer device, so it's quite possible that some new additions could be limited to the upcoming iPhone 17 models.

Release Date

‌iOS 19‌ will be previewed at WWDC in June, then beta tested for several months before launching in September alongside new iPhones.

Read More

For more on what's coming in ‌iOS 19‌, make sure to check out our iOS 19 roundup. If you want to keep up with rumors, you should bookmark the page, because we update it every time a new rumor comes out.
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When new iPhone models come out, Sebastiaan de With, the developer behind the popular Halide camera app, does a deep dive into the new camera technology. Last month, Apple released the iPhone 16e with an all-new standalone 48-megapixel camera, and de With checked it out to see how it compares to the cameras in Apple's flagship iPhone 16 models.


On paper, the ‌iPhone 16e‌, the ‌iPhone 16‌, and the iPhone 16 Pro seem to have the same main camera, described as a 48-megapixel Fusion camera that's able to take both 1x and 2x shots, but when you drill down into the specs, there's a difference. The ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ has a camera with an f/1.78 aperture, while the ‌iPhone 16‌ and 16e have a camera with an f/1.6 aperture. The ‌iPhone 16e‌ does not have sensor-shift optical image stabilization, while the ‌iPhone 16‌ does, so it's clear these are different cameras.

According to de With, what Apple has done with the ‌iPhone 16e‌ is pair current-generation image processing enabled by the A18 chip with a smaller, older camera component. With just a single Wide lens, there's no Macro mode, no spatial photo or video capture, no Night mode for Portrait images, and no Cinematic or Action mode options when capturing video. There also aren't pro features like ProRAW.

In an image test compared with the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌, the ‌iPhone 16e‌ trended toward warmer images and it had a narrower field of view. The smaller sensor captured less detail, which de With said was most noticeable in lower light. 2x photos with the smaller sensor were lower quality with unpleasant processing.

According to de With, the ‌iPhone 16e‌ isn't on par with the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ or even the ‌iPhone 16‌, but it is on par with prior non-Pro iPhones and the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro. The fact that it has no sensor-shift stabilization was the biggest limiting factor because it cuts down on image quality in low light and in night shots.

De With felt that the ‌iPhone 16e‌'s sensor has a grainy, moody sensor that he enjoyed as an alternative to the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌'s larger sensor. "As the kids would say today, it's a vibe," de With wrote.

De With's full review, complete with comparison images, can be read over on the Lux website.
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Sonos has ended work on a high-end streaming set-top box that was expected to launch sometime in 2025, reports The Verge. Sonos informed employees of the streaming box's cancelation in a meeting today, and has reassigned those that were working on the product to other teams.


The set-top box was supposed to be Sonos' major product for the second half of 2025, and Sonos spent considerable resources on it. It was almost completed, and was even beta tested for months, but interim CEO Tom Conrad has decided to reprioritize Sonos' roadmap, and a push into video is no longer happening at the current time.

Sonos planned to compete with the Apple TV and other streaming boxes with its now-canceled "Pinewood" project, and the device would have been priced between $200 and $400. It was described as a simple black box with a "beautiful" Android interface that offered content from Netflix, Max, Disney Plus, and other streaming services.

Sonos wanted to reduce fragmentation in the streaming ecosystem, and to distinguish the streaming box from competing products, it would have doubled as an HDMI switch. Users would have been able to plug in gaming consoles, soundbars, and other devices using passthrough functionality, and it is said to have solved a latency problem that long annoyed Sonos.

Sonos plans to work on software improvements to continue to repair the damage done by last May's disastrous app update.
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Apple refreshed the MacBook Air lineup last week, and those new models are available starting today. We picked up one of the M4 ‌MacBook Air‌ models for a quick unboxing and first impressions overview.


If you've seen the M2 or M3 ‌MacBook Air‌ models, then you know exactly what the M4 version looks like. Apple didn't change the design one bit, though there is a new Sky Blue color that replaces Space Gray. It's a subtle blue that doesn't even look blue depending on the lighting, so it's not the most exciting update.

What's new is inside, and it's primarily the M4 chip. The M4 chip is Apple's latest, and you don't need us to tell you that it's fast. CPU performance is up to 30 percent faster, and GPU performance is up to 21 percent faster compared to the M3.

Both the M3 and the M4 are built on a 3-nanometer process, so there isn't a huge year-over-year improvement, but the new ‌MacBook Air‌ models weren't designed for people coming from M3. If you're upgrading from an Intel-based Mac, a Windows PC, or even the M1 ‌MacBook Air‌ from 2020, you're going to see a night and day leap in performance.

You can get the ‌MacBook Air‌ in 13-inch and 15-inch sizes, and they're about identical except for the display size, the weight, the speaker system, and the cost. There aren't differences in battery life, and both last for up to 18 hours when streaming video or 15 hours when browsing the web, so you can work all day without needing a charge.

There are two Thunderbolt 4 ports for connecting peripherals, and this year, the ‌MacBook Air‌ can drive two external displays at 6K resolution at 60Hz with no compromises. Apple added a new 12-megapixel front-facing camera this year, and it's a huge improvement over the 1080p camera that's been in multiple generations of prior ‌MacBook Air‌ models. The camera supports the latest features like Center Stage for keeping you in frame and Desk View if you need to demonstrate something on your desk.

The 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ is priced at $999 and it comes with 16GB RAM, an 8-core GPU, and a 10-core CPU. If you want the larger screen size, the 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ starts with 16GB RAM, a 10-core GPU, and 10-core CPU. You can upgrade the 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ to the 10-core GPU, and both models support up to 32GB RAM if you want to improve performance for tasks like video editing, gaming, and AI.

While the ‌MacBook Air‌ only got an incremental update this year, it's still the best Mac for most people. The $999 model is a solid deal with the M4 chip and the 16GB RAM. You can't get a cheaper current-generation notebook from Apple, but if you don't need portability, you can get a Mac mini with about the same specs for $599.

The main compromise between the ‌MacBook Air‌ and the more expensive MacBook Pro is essentially the display. The ‌MacBook Pro‌ has a much brighter mini-LED display that supports HDR and ProMotion. It also has more ports, a longer battery life, and the option to upgrade to faster M4 Pro or M4 Max chips for those who need even more performance.

It's probably going to be a few more years before Apple makes any notable design changes to the ‌MacBook Air‌, so it's not a bad time to upgrade from an older Intel or ‌M1‌ ‌MacBook Air‌ model.
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Apple is bringing support for the Apple Account Card in the Wallet app to the UK, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Sweden, and Austria, according to Nicolás Alvarez.


The Apple Account Card option for Wallet started rolling out in 2022, but it has been limited to a small number of countries since launch. The card displays the Apple credit balance associated with a user's Apple Account, and the card can be used to make purchases in the Apple Store, online, or for apps, subscriptions, and other Apple services.

Money can be added to an Apple Account Card in Wallet using the included "Add Money" feature, which relies on a linked credit or debit card. ‌Apple Store‌ gift cards also add to the Apple Account balance.

Adding an Apple Account Card can be done by opening up the Wallet app, tapping the "+" button, and choosing the option from the Available Cards list.

The Apple Account Card shows the account balance associated with the Apple Account, as well as transactions that have been made with the card.

Support for Apple Account Cards in additional countries is either available now, or will be coming soon, per Alvarez.
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On Friday, March 14, Apple plans to release a new Apple Immersive Video featuring Metallica, with Apple retail stores offering a preview for customers who do not have a Vision Pro headset.


The Metallica concert experience was filmed in Mexico City during the second-year finale of the band's M72 World Tour. It includes full performances of three songs, including "Whiplash," "One," and "Enter Sandman."

The concert was captured using Apple Immersive Video, and it provides a high-resolution 180-degree video along with Spatial Audio. Apple built a custom stage layout with 14 Apple Immersive Video cameras using a mix os stabilized cameras, cable-suspended cameras, and remote-controlled camera dolly systems that moved around the stage.

Apple says that the experience provides "unprecedented access" to Metallica members James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, and Robert Trujillo, with views as close as the Snake Pit.

"Game changing is putting it lightly," said Lars Ulrich of Metallica. "Seeing our concert like that, along with the energy of the Mexico City fans -- it's very immersive, and it's super fun. We've always been interested in pushing the boundaries, and Metallica on Apple Vision Pro is exactly that."

The video launches on Friday, and Apple Vision Pro demos at retail stores will provide a preview. Metallica's new EP, M72 World Tour: Mexico City is also launching on Apple Music on Friday.
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Apple last week introduced new versions of the iPad, iPad Air, MacBook Air, and Mac Studio, with plans to launch the devices on March 12. It's already Wednesday, March 12 in New Zealand and Australia, which means customers who pre-ordered one of Apple's new iPads or Macs have started receiving their devices.


Apple's updates focused primarily on introducing more powerful chips, with few other changes. The ‌MacBook Air‌ received an M4 chip and a new Sky Blue color option, while the ‌Mac Studio‌ is available with Thunderbolt 5 ports and either an M4 Max chip or an M3 Ultra chip.

The low-cost 11-inch ‌iPad‌ now comes with an A16 chip (which does not support Apple Intelligence), while the ‌iPad Air‌ has an updated M3 chip, an improvement over the prior M2. Pricing on the ‌iPad‌ starts at $349, while pricing on the ‌iPad Air‌ starts at $599. Apple's ‌MacBook Air‌ is its most affordable notebook with a $999 starting price, while the ‌Mac Studio‌ starts at $1,999.

Customers who did not pre-order will be able to visit an Apple retail store to pick up one of the new iPads or a stock ‌MacBook Air‌ or ‌Mac Studio‌ configuration. Apple should have adequate stock of base ‌iPad‌ and Mac configurations around the world, and customers in Australia will be the first to be able to purchase one of the new products from an Apple Store.

The new iPads and Macs are available in Australia and New Zealand now, and will soon launch in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and finally, North America.

Did you get a new ‌iPad‌ or Mac? Let us know what you think and share your first impressions in the comments below.
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With new iOS software updates, Apple has been automatically turning Apple Intelligence on again even for users who have disabled it, a decision that has become increasingly frustrating for those that don't want to use ‌Apple Intelligence‌.


After installing iOS 18.3.2, iPhone users have noticed that ‌Apple Intelligence‌ is automatically turned on, regardless of whether it was turned off prior to the update being installed. There is an ‌Apple Intelligence‌ splash screen that comes up after updating, and there is no option other than tapping "Continue," which turns on ‌Apple Intelligence‌.

If you've updated to iOS 18.3.2 and do not want ‌Apple Intelligence‌ enabled, you will need to go the Settings app, tap on ‌Apple Intelligence‌, and then toggle it off. When ‌Apple Intelligence‌ is enabled, it consumes up to 7GB of storage space for local AI models, which is an inconvenience when storage space is limited.

Auto-on for ‌Apple Intelligence‌ was also a problem for some users with the prior iOS 18.3.1 update, and Apple has not changed the setting despite complaints after iOS 18.3.1 was released. The issue can also affect iPadOS and macOS users, so make sure to check your ‌Apple Intelligence‌ settings on each device after updating.
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The iOS 18.3.2, iPadOS 18.3.2, macOS Sequoia 15.3.2, and visionOS 2.3.2 updates that Apple released today include an important security fix for a WebKit vulnerability that may have been actively exploited.


In Apple's security notes for each update, Apple says that maliciously crafted web content could break out of the Web Content sandbox. Most of the issue was addressed with iOS 17.2, but Apple has added an additional supplementary fix in today's updates.

Apple says that it is aware of a report that the vulnerability may have been exploited "in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals," though it is worth noting that these attacks happened prior to iOS 17.2.

The issue was addressed with improved checks to prevent unauthorized actions.

Given that there is a vulnerability that is known to have been exploited in the wild, it is a good idea to update your devices to the latest software for optimal protection.
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After announcing that some Apple Intelligence Siri features promised for iOS 18 will be delayed, Apple has tweaked the wording on its ‌iOS 18‌, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia webpages to remove mentions of the Siri capabilities that are being pushed back.


There is a section called "The start of a new era for ‌Siri‌," that previously suggested ‌Siri‌ was more capable and helpful than ever thanks to personal context, a feature that is not yet available.

Now the wording has been updated to point out more expansive product knowledge instead, as this is a feature that Apple rolled out with iOS 18.2.

• Before: With richer language understanding and awareness of your personal context, ‌Siri‌ is more capable and helpful than ever.


• After: With richer language understanding and expansive product knowledge about your devices, ‌Siri‌ is more helpful than ever.

Apple has been highlighting unavailable ‌Siri‌ features since last June, both on its website and in ads, but with the ‌Siri‌ delay, Apple is cleaning up its wording to avoid misleading customers. Apple Intelligence features were a main selling point of the iPhone 16, but none of them were available when the ‌iPhone 16‌ models launched. Some capabilities came in iOS 18.1, iOS 18.2, and iOS 18.3, but not the ‌Siri‌ features that Apple has been demonstrating.

Apple tied the new ‌Siri‌ features to the ‌iPhone 16‌ models, leading to disappointment when it became clear the updated ‌Siri‌ will not be available in the near future. Earlier this week, Apple removed an iPhone 16 ad showing off a "more personal ‌Siri‌," so it is no surprise that the website wording is being updated as well.

Last week, Apple said that the more personalized ‌Siri‌ that is able to do more in and across apps is "taking us longer than we thought to deliver," with the capabilities set to start rolling out "in the coming year."

Apple planned to release ‌Siri‌ features that include personalized context, onscreen awareness, and deeper app integration with iOS 18.4, but when the first couple of iOS 18.4 betas came out with no new ‌Siri‌ functionality, it became clear that ‌Siri‌ was not ready. There was some speculation that Apple could bring the abilities to iOS 18.5, but it's now sounding like the smarter, more capable ‌Siri‌ that's been promised won't be introduced until iOS 19.
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Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.3.2, a minor update to the ‌macOS Sequoia‌ operating system that came out last September. macOS 15.3.2 comes a month after the launch of ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.3.1.


Mac users can download the ‌‌‌‌macOS Sequoia‌‌‌‌ update through the Software Update section of System Settings.

According to Apple's release notes, ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.3.2 includes important bug fixes and security updates, and it is recommended for all users.
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Apple today released iOS 18.3.2 and iPadOS 18.3.2, minor updates for the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that came out last September. iOS 18.3.2 and iOS 18.3.2 come a month after Apple released iOS 18.3.1 and iPadOS 18.3.1.


The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update.

According to Apple's release notes, the iOS 18.3.2 update adds important bug fixes and security updates. On some devices, it fixes an issue that could prevent playback of some streaming content.

Apple is also working on iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4, which are more significant updates that are set to come out in early April.
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Apple today released tvOS 18.3.1, the newest version of the tvOS 18 operating system that came out in September. tvOS 18.3.1 comes almost two months after the release of tvOS 18.3, and it is only available for the third-generation Apple TV 4K. Other ‌Apple TV‌ models will not have an update available.


tvOS 18.3.1 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the ‌‌Apple TV‌‌. Open up Settings and go to System > Software Update to get the new software. ‌‌Apple TV‌‌ owners who have automatic software updates activated will be upgraded to tvOS 18.3.1 automatically.

Apple shares full release notes for tvOS in its tvOS support document, which is updated after each new version of tvOS comes out. Today's update addresses an issue that could prevent playback of some streaming content on the third-generation ‌Apple TV‌ 4K.

Update: This article has been updated to note that the tvOS 18.3.1 software is only available for the third-generation ‌Apple TV‌ 4K.
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Apple today released visionOS 2.3.2, a minor update to the visionOS 2 operating system that came out in September. visionOS 2.3.2 comes a month after the launch of visionOS 2.3.1.


visionOS 2.3.2 can be downloaded on all Vision Pro headsets by navigating to the Settings app, selecting the General section, and choosing the Software Update option.

To install an update, the Vision Pro headset needs to be removed, and there is a software progress bar available on the front EyeSight display.

According to Apple's release notes, visionOS 2.3.2 provides important bug fixes, security updates, and addresses an issue that may prevent playback of some streaming content.

More information on the Vision Pro and ‌visionOS 2‌ can be found in our roundup.
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Apple today seeded the third public betas of upcoming iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS Sequoia 15.4 updates, allowing public beta testers to try out the new features in the software ahead of its public launch. The public betas come a day after Apple provided the beta updates to developers.


Public beta testers can download the updates from the Settings app on each device after opting into the beta through Apple's public beta testing website.

The new software for iPhone and iPad includes Priority Notifications, an Apple Intelligence feature designed to show you your most important notifications first, plus it adds a new Sketch style for Image Playground on all ‌Apple Intelligence‌ devices.

There is a new Apple News+ Food section for ‌Apple News‌+ subscribers that aggregates recipes, food stories, and tips for healthy eating, plus an Ambient Music feature for playing chill music from Control Center On the ‌iPad‌ and Mac, the new updates introduce Mail Categorization, a feature that was previously limited to the ‌iPhone‌.

In beta 2, Apple added new emoji characters and debuted the Vision Pro app for ‌iPhone‌. The update also brings Visual Intelligence to the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

An outline of all of the new features in iOS 18.4 can be found in our iOS 18.4 features guide.
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