Category: Apple

Shelly Brisbin has a new update out for her book:

I’m pleased to announced that iOS Access for All (iOS 18 edition) is available now. As usual, there is more information than ever before. The book is fully updated for iOS 18 and the new iPhones and iPads that support it. There will also a new book format available soon, for those who don’t need images.

iOS 18 marks some incremental, but welcome upgrades to accessibility features, and to iOS as a whole. It also brings Apple Intelligence to the latest generation of phones. It’s all included, along with coverage of a number of updates Apple has made to iOS since first releasing iOS 18 last fall.

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As is annual tradition around here, I have a request of the Reminders team. This time, it’s about the watchOS version of the app.

Take a look at these watch faces:

The example on the left includes the GoodTask complication; the one on the right is from Reminders itself. GoodTask’s is much more useful, as it lets me see how many more tasks I have due with a simple glance.

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Several weeks ago we got some anonymous feedback in the Connected inbox, directed at Federico:

It’s a shame to hear that you’re going back to the Mac, because this year iPadOS is getting live window resizing and positioning, similar to macOS and visionOS ;)

We read the feedback on the show, not really knowing what to make of it. But it’s been a few years since Apple last tinkered with the iPad’s windowing system, so it’s safe to assume that is about time for more changes to arrive.

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The hits keep coming when it comes to what’s going on with Apple, Siri, and AI. For this round, we go to Tripp Mickle writing for The New York Times:

The A.I. stumble was set in motion in early 2023. Mr. Giannandrea, who was overseeing the effort, sought approval from the company’s chief executive, Tim Cook, to buy more A.I. chips, known as graphics processing units, or GPUs, five people with knowledge of the request said. The chips, which can perform hundreds of computations at the same time, are critical to building the neural networks of A.I. systems, like chatbots, that can answer questions or write software code.

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For years, tons of people have wondered why Siri has seemed so stuck in the mud, seemingly impossible for Apple to improve in meaningful ways. Now, thanks to a new report in The Information, we know a lot more about the mess behind the scenes. Hartley Charlton at MacRumors has a recap:

In addition to Apple’s deeply ingrained stance on privacy, conflicting personalities within Apple contributed to the problems. More than half a dozen former employees who worked in Apple’s AI and machine-learning group told The Information that poor leadership is to blame for its problems with execution, citing an overly relaxed culture, as well as a lack of ambition and appetite for taking risks when designing future versions of Siri .

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Jason Koebler at 404 Media:

This weekend, U.S. secretary of commerce Howard Lutnick went on CBS’s Face the Nation and pitched a fantasy world where iPhones are manufactured in the United States:  “The army of millions and millions of people screwing in little, little screws to make iPhones, that kind of thing is going to come to America, it’s going to be automated, and the tradecraft of America is going to fix them, is going to work on them, there’s going to be mechanics, HVAC specialists, electricians,” Lutnick said. “The tradecraft of America, the high school educated Americans, the core to our workforce is going to have the greatest resurgence of jobs in the history of America to work on these high tech factories which are all coming to America.”

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Jason Snell:

There are a lot of suggestions that the prices of Apple products are headed up. Apple Stores are crowded with buyers who are trying to beat the anticipated price increases. But while prices are probably going up, that’s only one of the many levers Apple can pull in order to deal with the tariff situation. Here’s a look at what the company might do to mitigate the tariff issue as much as possible.

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Over the weekend, Mark Gurman reported that the M6-generation of MacBook Pro will bring with it an updated design, complete with a thinner chassis and an OLED display.

David Sparks’ thoughts on this mirror my own:

I’m particularly excited about the prospect of an OLED screen. This technology promises higher brightness, improved contrast ratios, and more vibrant colors, making the types of things folks do on a MacBook Pro even easier.

However, the notion of a thinner design makes me nervous. In my experience, when surveying the needs of MacBook Pro users–especially those in same creative professions–the desire for a slimmer profile rarely tops the list. More commonly, folks want better battery life, enhanced performance, and adequate input/output.

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The history of Apple’s accessibility work dates back to the early days of the Mac, and while the iPhone took a little while, it’s now the standard-bearer when it comes to accessibility in the smartphone world.

Technologies like VoiceOver that shipped on the iPhone 3GS and the Apple Watch’s ability to detect and warn you about loud noises are important for everyone, even as the impact of those features is felt in different ways for different people.

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I am all for Apple Health being able to collect and connect to more information, but an Apple-built AI agent designed to “replicate” your doctor feels like a bridge way too far.

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There’s a new (old?) computer at apple.com/mac:

(It’s nice to have such a colorful finish on a Pro device!)

The page links to a new video showing how the Mac is at the heart of Severance’s production.

I really think this is the best show I’ve watched since Breaking Bad or Mad Men ended. I love it, and can’t wait for the third season.

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The event will basically follow the template Apple set after the COVID years:

Developers and students will be able to discover the latest Apple software and technologies by tuning in to the Keynote. They can also experience WWDC25 throughout the week on the Apple Developer app, Apple Developer website, and Apple Developer YouTube channel. This year’s conference will include video sessions and opportunities to connect with Apple engineers and designers in online labs.

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