Giving a child a phone or tablet is never an easy decision – the internet is wonderful, but there are many parts of it that aren’t, and it’s difficult to stay on top of our own devices, let alone constantly monitoring our children’s too.

Indeed, the UK government has just announced a ban on social media platforms for under-16s, which comes into affect next year. So the subject is clearly a concern for many.

Apple is one of the brands looking to do something about its own devices.

It already offered a number of new child safety features for its iPhones, iPads and Macs, but those are expanding with iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 later this year. From a new Ask to Browse feature to redesigned Screen Time controls, here’s what’s new and why they should make it easier to keep your child safe.

Set up is easier

The starting point for all of Apple's parental controls is a child account, which Apple is making easier to set up.

In my WWDC 26 demo, it took around five minutes to set up a box-fresh device for a child. You are walked through the account creation process step by step, with initial options allowing you to choose to set up a device for someone 12 or younger, a teen aged 13-17, or an adult over 18.

Once a child account is active, age-appropriate restrictions are automatically applied across the system, from blocking adult websites in Safari to filtering out age-inappropriate apps in the App Store.

You can also decide exactly which apps are available on the device from the outset, with the option to start with a minimal set, such as Phone, Messages and Photos, and add more over time as your child grows.

In addition to selecting ‘Allowed Apps’, you can determine ‘Allowed Websites’ and select the rating for what content is allowed, too, like '9+' or ‘Clean’.

Control in your hands

Building on the existing Ask to Buy feature, which requires your permission before a child downloads an app, Apple has introduced Ask to Browse for Safari.

It works in a very similar way: when a child tries to visit a website that hasn't been pre-approved, a request is sent to the parent's device via Apple’s Messages app. You, as the parent, can then approve or deny it from wherever you are. The feature works across iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

Pre-approved websites are clever too. You can make sure something like Times Table Rock Stars (TTRS) is approved, while limiting YouTube by only approving certain channels and YouTubers, for example.

It means the pre-approved website list can be as granular as you want, giving you more control over what your child can and can’t access.

There’s control over contacts, too. It was previously possible to set Communication Limits, allowing parents to select the contacts a child could talk to during specific times. However, with the new software, this feature has been extended.

If a child wants to add a new contact, they first need parental approval with the request coming through in Messages, like Ask to Buy and Ask to Browse, where the parent can then accept or decline.

There’s also a feature called Communication Safety, which already automatically blurred nudity detected in Messages and FaceTime video calls, though sadly not apps like WhatsApp at the moment.

With the new software, this feature will now detect and block gore and violent content in shared images and videos as well, and it is turned on by default for all users under 18. Again, this will work in Apple’s native apps, though there are APIs that would allow third-party apps to adopt the feature.

In the future, I’d love to see Communication Safety expand to look out for bullying or specific words that might indicate bullying in messages, but for now, these features all contribute to making it easier to keep children safer on devices, and that’s great to see.

Easier monitoring

Parental controls on Apple devices have long had Screen Time, but it was somewhat limited. With iOS 27, iPadOS 27 and macOS 27 Golden Gate, there is a new Time Allowance feature that lets parents set separate limits by app category – like Entertainment, Games, and Social Media.

Apple provides age-based starting points drawn from expert research that you can adjust to suit your family.

The redesigned Screen Time dashboard, meanwhile, gives you a cleaner, at-a-glance view of daily usage and the apps your kids are using most.

You can pause device access instantly, in case someone isn’t doing what they are told and they need a time out. On the flip side, you can also extend a limit quickly if your kid needs a few more minutes to finish something or perhaps you are giving them a reward.

Other features coming with iOS 27 include a Screen Time Passcode Notifications alert for parents if the Screen Time passcode is entered on a child's device. This might give you a heads-up if a child is attempting to change their own restrictions.

User Reporting Tools are also being expanded globally, allowing harmful content to be flagged directly to Apple from more countries and regions. And the company has also launched a dedicated website for parents, covering setup guides, recommended settings, and answers to common questions.

Determined teenagers will always find workarounds, and no features replace actual conversations with your children about how to behave online and the dangers of online. But the new tools coming with iOS 27, iPadOS 27 and macOS 27 are considered, easier to set up and maintain than those that came before.

They're certainly a step in the right direction, which I am thrilled about.

Several new features are coming to iPhone when iOS 27 launches later this year, from performance improvements like faster AirDrop transfers (not that I find it particularly slow now) to new child safety features.

The new (and very long-awaited) Siri AI is unsurprisingly a highlight of the upcoming software, along with a few new Apple Intelligence features. So, here are the top five iOS 27 features that really caught my attention during my in-person demos at WWDC 26. They are the ones I'm looking forward to most.

1. A more helpful assistant in Siri AI

We’ve been waiting a long time for the new contextually aware Siri – two years in fact – but from what I was shown, it looks like it might finally be ready to be a helpful personal assistant.

Siri AI is a redesigned assistant powered by Apple Intelligence and unlike the old Siri, it handles open-ended questions, brainstorms ideas, and holds natural back-and-forth conversations.

It understands personal context, surfacing buried emails, old photos, or saved notes with a simple request. It can also take actions across apps like Messages, Music, and Reminders, and tap into the web for up-to-date answers on pretty much any topic.

A new, dedicated Siri app keeps all your conversations synced across iPhone, iPad and Mac, and it can also write drafts and match your personal tone for each recipient you reply to, as long as you have at least two messages with them for context.

2. Clever new photo editing skills

The enhanced photo-editing skills were rumoured before WWDC kicked off, but I’ve now seen them in action, and they are impressive.

A new ‘Tools’ icon appears alongside Adjust, Filters and Crop when you tap to edit a photo. From here, there’s a Reframe feature that allows you to change the composition of a photo – perhaps you got the angle slightly wrong or didn’t notice the sign in the background, for example.

Clean Up, which lets you remove unwanted objects from a photo, has also been upgraded. In the demo I saw, Clean Up was able to remove a chair and large cuddly toy from an image, place a child’s leg in its place and even match the stripy sock from the child’s other leg.

There’s also Extend, which lets you expand a photo by 25% in any direction.

3. Context-aware suggestions

Siri Suggestions bring intelligent, context-aware actions into Apple’s native apps and this is one feature I am really looking forward to see expand.

To start with, in Messages and Mail, quick actions might be suggested based on your conversation, such as adding a calendar event or opening the Photos app to send a photo.

It can also proactively surface relevant information during phone calls, such as pulling up a confirmation code from your inbox while you're on the line with an airline.

It’s taken further with the Shortcuts app, where you can simply describe a task in plain language, and Siri can build a multi-step automation that connects actions across multiple apps. I can see plenty of potential here.

4. Fixing passwords without my input

This is not one to be underestimated. If you have compromised passwords in the passwords app, you’ll have no excuse for not sorting those out with iOS 27.

The Passwords app in the new software takes the hassle out of keeping your accounts secure. It automatically alerts you to any weak or compromised passwords and can update them on your behalf with no manual effort from you required except one quick tap.

5. Personalising Liquid Glass

This one might not seem that exciting, but for those who found the Liquid Glass design of iOS 26 a little hard to read, there’s a new slider in iOS 27 that will help.

The slider can be found in the Appearance section of Settings, and will allow you to personalise how Liquid Glass looks across your iPhone.

It can be dialled anywhere from ultra clear to fully tinted, with the latter making it a little easier to see. The new software also improves the underlying Liquid Glass design itself, with more uniform refraction and better contrast.

Apple has said iOS 27 will be available from this fall (autumn), though there should be a public beta available from July if you want to try some of the new features out beforehand.

It will be compatible on iPhones from the iPhone 11 and newer, but Siri AI and Apple Intelligence features require an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 16 model or iPhone 17 model.

We’re just under a month away from WWDC 26, where Apple typically reveals a number of new features coming to its devices, from iPhone and iPad, through to Apple Watch and MacBooks.

But ahead of the event, which will kick off on 8 June and likely showcase iOS 27 and this year's other big software upgrades, Apple has released iOS 26.5. It still doesn’t bring the smarter and more contextualised version of Siri that we first heard about back in 2024, but there are several new features to pay attention to.

What's new in iOS 26.5?

Available to download and install now, iOS 26.5 introduces end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging in Messages with supported carriers. The rollout will continue over time and is currently in beta, but it’s there, and that’s certainly exciting.

There’s also a new Pride Luminance wallpaper that you’ll find in the wallpaper gallery, which will dynamically refract a spectrum of colours.

Meanwhile, Suggested Places has arrived in Apple Maps, serving up locations based on your recent search history and trending places nearby. Those are the main features, but there are a couple of smaller ones that some will also appreciate.

For those who use the Reminders app (if you don’t, then you really should), the snooze feature has been updated. Rather than just allowing you to snooze a reminder until the morning, afternoon or evening, iOS 26.5 will show more specific times. For example, an option might be “remind me at 3pm” rather than just “remind me this afternoon”.

Elsewhere, the Magic Mouse, Magic Trackpad and Magic Keyboard will all automatically pair with your device via Bluetooth after being connected via USB-C.

If you’re in the EU, iOS 26.5 also brings Live Activity forwarding for third-party accessories like smartwatches, which should make other devices work with iPhone as well as Apple Watch does.

The iOS 26.5 update can be installed now. If you haven’t got it, open Settings on your iPhone, head to 'General' and then 'Software Update'.

It’s usually good news when a new software update arrives. Typically, whether you’re talking about an iPhone or an Android phone, it means you’re about to get a few new features come to your device. These could be anything from new emojis to camera functions, but the idea of software updates is to usually to enhance your experience, rather than hinder it.

Occasionally however, software updates also bring features that not everyone is thrilled about. That's likely to be the case with iOS 26.5 when it arrives. This update is currently in beta after iOS 26.4 landed on 24 March, and the latest update makes way for ads in Apple Maps.

What's the latest on ads in Apple Maps?

Apple announced back in March that users of Maps in the US and Canada would start to see ads sometime this summer. A definitive launch window wasn’t provided but according to 9to5Mac, the iOS 26.5 beta 2 software has a new pop up alerting users to the possibility of ads appearing.

The pop up says: “Maps may show local ads based on your approximate location, current search terms, or view of the map while you search. For your privacy, advertising information is not linked to your Apple Account.”

You won’t be able to opt out neither, but as 9to5Mac points out, the pop up in the beta software at least explains what the ads will be based on: location, search terms and current map view.

When ads on Apple Maps launches, they will appear at the top of search results, as well as the new ‘Suggested Places’ feature, which appeared with the iOS 26.5 beta 1 software. Suggested Places will deliver recommendations for places you might be interested in when you tap on the search bar.

It’s important to note that the pop up in the latest beta software doesn’t necessarily confirm that ads will appear in Apple Maps with iOS 26.5, but it does remind us that they are on the way.

Many were eagerly awaiting the next iOS update, as it was initially expected to bring the much-anticipated smarter Siri that Apple teased at WWDC in 2024. It was then reported that Siri would be delayed again, so some of the excitement for iOS 26.4 waned, but despite Siri not being on the roster, there’s still plenty to be excited about.

As spotted by 9to5Mac, the RC build of the software has recently been released to beta users, and the expectation is that the final build will be released to the public in the next few days.

It will bring with it 13 enhancements for compatible iPhones, as detailed by Apple's official release notes.

What changes are coming with iOS 26.4?

We mentioned a couple of them last week when we highlighted that iOS 26.4 could appear as early as today – although it hasn’t landed yet.

The features include updates to Apple Music, including Playlist Playground where a playlist is generated based on your description.

Album and playlist pages will also become more immersive with full-screen backgrounds, while a Concerts feature will help you find nearby shows from artists in your library, recommending new artists based on what you like along the way.

There will also be an Offline Music Recognise feature in Control Centre that will allow you to identify songs – like Shazam – but without an internet connection.

Other features include eight new emojis, improved keyboard accuracy when you’re typing quickly, and the ability to mark reminders as urgent from the Quick Toolbar or by touching and holding them.

You will also be able to filter for urgent reminders in Smart Lists, and there’s a Reduce Motion setting coming that will reduce the animations of Liquid Glass for those sensitive to motion.

There are a few other features, too. Purchase Sharing will allow adult members in Family Sharing groups to use their own payment method when making purchases, without relying on the family organiser, and Freeform will join Apple Creator Studio and get advanced image creation and editing tools, as well as a premium content library.

There is no official date on when iOS 26.4 will be released as yet, but we suspect it won’t be long.

There’s been plenty of chatter about the next iOS software update, which is due to arrive soon. That’s mainly because we initially expected this particular update to debut the smarter and more contextualised Siri.

That’s been reportedly delayed once again, although iOS 26.4 will still bring a number of new, exciting features for iPhone users. And it could land even sooner than you might think.

What features will iOS 26.4 bring and when will it release?

According to 9to5Mac, iOS 26.4 may arrive as soon as Monday 23 March – ie. in just a few days.

The site reached this conclusion because the RC (release candidate) has now appeared for beta testers, often signalling the final stages of testing.

The report assumes that if no further bug fixes are required, the final build will be publicly released on Monday. However, if bugs are found, it could be a little later next week.

In terms of features to expect, there are several that have appeared in the beta that should make it to the consumer release.

Apple Music will see the biggest changes with a total of five new features, including an AI Playlist Playground tool, along with concert information and a fresh design for albums and playlists.

There’s also set to be a new video experience in Apple Podcasts, while the Health app will see new sleep and vitals data.

Elsewhere, Reminders will have a new "Urgent" smart list, and the wallpaper gallery is getting a revamp too.

For CarPlay fans, there is said to be support coming for video playback (at last) and AI chatbot apps, while Freeform will be updated with Apple Creator Studio-exclusive features.

In all, it’s a decent update with plenty to look forward to across a range of apps, even if we're still likely to be missing the new Siri.

Apple hasn’t confirmed the date of the software release, but if the 9to5Mac report is right, at least there’s not too much longer to wait.

iPhone users rejoice! There's a new software update which has arrived for Apple's handsets, which brings another significant suite of upgrades to the phones.

iOS 26.3 is the third major update in the iOS 26 family, and brings a handful of noteworthy changes. That includes a new way to switch between Android phone and iPhone, which should make the process of switching between ecosystems much easier.

Elsewhere, the update brings about some more minor tweaks to the Astronomy and Weather wallpaper gallery. If you're thinking that it seems like a more modest update, remember that we've already seen another pair of 26.x updates, which brought other changes in their wake.

However, there is one notable thing missing from the release. Apple's long-overdue AI-powered Siri was widely expected to arrive here, but there is no sign of it.

That was first announced at WWDC back in June 2024, and the subsequent period of almost two years has seen no end of pushbacks. Recently, it was announced that the feature would arrive powered by Google Gemini, rather than Apple's in-house Intelligence service.

AI-powered Siri hits another stumbling block

According to a new report by The Verge, the features in question have been delayed once more. Those are said to be coming in later versions like iOS 26.5, and even in the iOS 27 update.

The latter is a big deal, because iOS 27 is likely to only be mentioned at WWDC, with a full release later in the Autumn alongside new iPhone models.

That would mean some features will take more than two years from first announcement to final unveiling, which is a timeframe ill at ease with how Apple likes to work. The brand is more commonly known for only bringing things to market when they're good and ready, and this mishap seems to have cost the brand a lot in terms of reputation.

After a succession of recent mis-steps – Apple Vision Pro, Liquid Glass legibility issues and more – it feels like the brand really could use a win here. Each time it gets pushed further back, the pressure mounts even more, and the need for this upgrade to prove itself becomes greater and greater.

We'll be keeping a very close eye on proceedings over the next few months.

When iOS 26 arrives in full next month, it'll bring with is a whole host of new features for not just iPhones, but Apple CarPlay too.

That is thought to include Widgets, which will be available on your in-car display for the first time, a switch to Apple's new Liquid Glass design, Live Activities and the ability to customise app icons.

It will also add a new phone call feature, which has been discovered in the iOS 26 public beta that's already available. Indeed, you can try it for yourself now, if you're willing to risk a beta build on your iPhone.

According to 9to5Mac, the adapted phone call management feature will come as a godsend for those irritated by the current method. At present, when you get a phone call while driving, the entire display gets taken over by the caller with options whether you want to speak to them or decline.

That's hardly ideal if you're currently using Apple's or Google's maps service to navigate. You can't see the navigation details again until you decline or take a call – not great if a Motorway turnoff is just coming up.

From iOS 26, that screen is far more compact – allowing you to see Maps running as well. The pop-up appears at the bottom of the screen.

It's such a simple solution, it's a wonder why it hasn't been implemented before?

When will iOS 26 and the new CarPlay features arrive?

As for the rollout, it's believed that iOS 26 will arrive within days of the launch of the iPhone 17 family. Current thinking is that will take place on or around 13 September 2025, which fits with previous years.

The added CarPlay features will be instantly available after you update your iPhone to the new software. They should then be accessible in your car without needing to do much else.

This is all different to Apple CarPlay Ultra – the next-gen experience that is currently restricted to a handful of vehicle models. That's a much more advanced software that doesn't just appear on an in-car display, but has the potential of taking over the entire dashboard and car instruments.

The iPhone 17 won't be announced for at least another seven weeks but from today you can use the latest iOS 26 on your current iPhone and experience the new Liquid Glass design that was announced at WWDC. That's because Apple has just released the Public Beta versions of its '26 OS systems, allowing anyone to update to them.

It's not just iPhones either. The Public Betas include iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe, watchOS 26, and tvOS 26, so you can update your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac and Apple TV.

This is the first major redesign of Apple's iOS system since 2013, which saw the flat look take shape in iOS 7. The new design features floating translucent buttons and boxes that work much like glass and feature a more rounded approach.

iOS 26 offers more than just the Liquid Glass, though. There's a new lock screen with dynamic wallpaper, a new camera app, a call screening assistant, live translation, new maps features, a dedicated games app and much more. iPad and Mac users gain similar new features with more synchronicity between the two platforms, which makes the iPad feel more Mac-like. While the Apple Watch and Apple TV also get significant makeovers.

These versions are very much still Beta versions, though, so they won't be perfect. You might find that some third-party apps don't work properly until they get an update, and the odd crash is entirely possible. For that reason, Apple suggests making a full backup of your device before downloading the update and not installing it on any device you rely heavily on.

How to download the Public Beta of iOS 26

To try the Public Beta of iOS 26 you need to have the Beta Updates option selected in your update settings. Go to Settings > General > Software Update and from there, click on the Beta Updates option. Here you should now see an option for iOS 18 Public Beta and iOS 26 Public Beta. Select the iOS 26 option. Now you should see the option to download the Beta from the main Software Update screen.

This is a large file (17.06GB), so you are best doing it from a Wi-fi connection if you don't want to rinse your data. You will also need to plug your phone into a charger to avoid the battery dying in the middle of an update.

There will likely be regular updates to this Beta over the coming weeks, so if you're not confident or are updating your main device, it might be worth waiting a couple of weeks before downloading it. If you do download it, it's worth checking back for those updates too, as they should solve any niggles that the last version had.

Note that older iPhone models, such as the iPhone XS and XR may not be compatible with this upgrade. You will also need either an iPhone 16 series phone or an iPhone 15 Pro / Pro Max model to access the Apple Intelligence features.

How to update your iPad, Mac, Apple Watch or Apple TV to the Public Beta

The way to update across all Apple devices is now very similar. On the iPad the process is identical to the iPhone process above. For Mac users, go to the Apple Menu > System Settings > Software Update and select the Beta Updates. For the Apple TV go to Settings > System > Software Updates, and for the Apple Watch, on your Watch app on your iPhone, go to General > Software Update and choose Beta Updates.

When iOS 26 launches for all of the best iPhones sometime in September, not only will it add a new look in the form of Apple's Liquid Glass design, but a mighty swathe of fresh features.

Among them will be additional privacy and security capabilities, to help keep your iPhone and data safe. They include Call Screening, which implements a sort-of digital receptionist to answer calls from unknown numbers before giving you the option to pick up or not.

And there will be new screening measures in the Messages app, with spam and messages from unknown senders being hived into their own sections for you to approve or action.

But while both of these features and plenty more will be available on your iPhone with the iOS 26 update, did you know you already have a cornucopia of existing privacy and security features available to you?

Some of them you can switch on right now and could help prevent a catastrophe should your device be stolen. Some are even hidden tricks that'll make you wonder why you didn't know about them before.

Stolen Device Protection

Arriving a couple of years ago, with the iOS 17.3 update, Stolen Device Protection is an complete no-brainer yet T3 was told by Apple that almost 50% of users don't have it switched on.

It effectively locks your iPhone if it falls into the wrong hands – even if a thief manages to find out or crack your passcode. With Stolen Device Protection switched on, anyone trying to access it outside of your familiar locations, such as at home or work.

The iPhone will only respond to FaceID to unlock, so can only be used by the owner. That includes the ability to change an Apple account password or the device's own passcode.

If you don't have it switched on already, head to Settings ≥ Privacy and Security ≥ Stolen Device Protection and tap the slider to make sure it's on. You can also set it to be always active, not just in familiar locations.

Activation Lock

It's possible you have Activation Lock already switched on, as it is by default when setting up Find My for the first time. However, you might not know what it does.

It basically requires the original owner's ID and password to unlock or reactivate a lost or stolen phone, even after it's been erased.

Lock and hide apps

Did you know that you can either lock or hide most apps on your iPhone's screen, so that others cannot access or even see them?

To lock an app, which will then require FaceID to open, you just have to long press on the icon and choose "Require FaceID" in the menu that appears.

Once chosen, you will then get a choice to just require FaceID or hide the app too. The hidden app will then be moved to a hidden folder on your App Library screen.

One example is if you're using job recruitment apps to search for a possible career move, but don't want your current boss to see them on your homescreen.

Hide My Email

One other great feature that's available to iCloud+ subscribers is the ability to create a completely new iCloud email address for each website you register with, yet have all mail sent to your main account.

That way, digital marketing tools or data breaches will not be able to use the registered email address to fingerprint you online. They will not have your personal email address, which will remain private.

If you subscribe to iCloud+ and use Safari to browse on your phone, you should see the option pop-up on most sites when entering email details into a sign up page.

It's worth noting that Safari also generates a privacy report while you are browsing generally, informing you how many trackers it has prevented on sites, etc. And iOS 26 will introduce Advanced Fingerprint Protection for all Safari users, to stop sites using multiple identifiers to generate a picture of you as a user as you hop from site to site.

Basically, bar the features coming with iOS 26, most of the above are available to you right now. So if you're in the 50% who doesn't use Stolen Device Protection or any of the other safeguards Apple provides, maybe you should have a quick look through your settings.

It might well be worth it.

Apple has confirmed what weeks of rumours had been indicating – its next wave of iOS is getting a big shift in its name, dubbed iOS 26 to match the calendar year during which the software will predominantly be active.

That'll skip us from the current iOS 18 straight to 26, but from then onwards it should be a more logical annual change to the number. Alongside that big news, Apple also used today's WWDC to actually show off the new OS, featuring its all-new Liquid Glass design language.

After talking up the fact that it hadn't enacted a major design change for pretty much a decade, Apple showed off how Liquid Glass will change the look and feel of your iPhone pretty comprehensively. The new "material" is basically a way of layering elements on your display naturally, with fun transparent effects that behave a lot like glass really would.

The presentation showed off a range of glimpses of Liquid Glass in different settings, some of them very similar to the old design, and others more distinct. App icons have been refreshed, for example, but look extremely recognisable, as do many menu items and options.

However, the Control Centre is now way glassier and eye-catching (whether you like it or not), while overlaid video controls also showed up much more obviously when demonstrated.

Various key apps got big tweaks besides their design, too. The Photos app is going back to a tabbed approach, and the Camera app got a new lick of paint, too – much, well, glassier.

The Phone app has a new one-page unified layout for all your favourite contacts, recent calls and voicemails in one place. It's also getting a call screening feature that will be familiar to any Google users, since it has boasted the feature for a while on Pixel hardware.

Similar screening options will also come to the Messages app, along with the ability to add backgrounds to your group chats. It'll also get polls, all of which might make it even more of a competitor to the likes of WhatsApp, which has had some of these features for a while.

There will be weeks of dissection of all the new tweaks and features that Apple showed off today, but the key knowledge that the software will be called iOS 26 is worth restating – hopefully this doesn't result in any confusion when upgrade time comes this autumn.

With WWDC taking place next week, all eyes will be firmly on Apple as it debuts a range of new products and services. The show is normally used to showcase its next generation of software and operating systems for various devices.

Naturally, the new iPhone operating system is set to be one of the most popular. With more and more people using one variant or another, there will be millions waiting to see what's on offer.

Still, while some are excited about the new features coming to their handset, others will be waiting with baited breath to see if their device is still supported. Apple often makes certain models obsolete with new OS releases, though there's no real rhyme or reason to it.

Now, a new report suggests that three iPhones could miss out on the iOS 26 software. Those are the iPhone XS, the iPhone XS Max and the iPhone XR. Those handsets were released back in 2018, so it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise.

It's not just the iPhone range which looks set to lose some supported devices, either. The iPad range is also trimming some fat – though it's only the 7th Gen iPad expected to go there.

MacOS 26 is rumoured to involve the most casualties, with the 2020 Intel-powered MacBook Air models, 2018 MacBook Pro's, the 2018 Mac Mini and the 2017 iMac Pro all set to face the chopping block. Three of those four shouldn't come as much surprise, but the inclusion of the Intel-powered 2020 MacBook Air models will likely raise some eyebrows.

Of course, just because a device is supported also doesn't guarantee it will be feature-filled. We've already seen a number of iPhones launched in the not-too-distant past which support the broader iOS, but can't get features like Apple Intelligence.

Still, for those who have kept their devices up to date, this should provide an interesting suite of options.

If you own an Apple device you'll likely be au fait with the company's OS naming system. We're currently on variants of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, tvOS 18, etc, and iOS 19 and we're fully expecting iOS 19 and its equivalents to be announced during WWDC in a couple of weeks.

However, it turns out we could be very wrong.

It is claimed that Apple is set to shake-up the naming convention for the software coming to its best iPhones and other devices. And rather than simplify things, it could be more baffling than ever.

Bloomberg's resident Apple expert, Mark Gurman, has reported that Apple will switch to yearly identifiers from this year's OS updates. However, much like EA does with its annual EA Sports games, it'll opt for the forthcoming year, not the current one.

What will the next iOS be called?

According to "people with knowledge of the matter", that means we'll get iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26, tvOS 26 and visionOS 26 this year, while next year will see iOS 27 release, and so on.

The software will be the same as the rumoured iOS 19, etc, but the name will be different.

Of course, once we get into the swing of it, it'll make sense. And we get why Apple would want to use the proceeding year rather than current one, considering each OS is likely to release towards the end of 2025 (in September). However, it could make it particularly confusing when scanning through app compatibility, for example. The jump from 19 to 26 leaves quite a gap for the uninitiated.

It's also been pointed out just how Samsung this all seems.

Samsung has, since 2020, named its flagship Android phones after years – although as they launch in February or March, they use the current date. The Samsung Galaxy S25 family is the latest, therefore.

It doesn't do so with its software though, with One UI 8 (based on Android 16) set to be its next big phone OS release.

We'll find out more about the new naming structure on 9 June during during Apple's WWDC 25 opening keynote (or should that be 26?).

Apple might only release one major software update a year for its iPhones, iPads, Mac and Apple Watch devices, but following that one major roll out, there are usually a few smaller updates that follow – and they often bring new features.

Occasionally these are minor and not always anything to write home about, while other times those updates are more substantial.

For iOS 18.4, the latter is the case, with the software update that was released on 1 April bringing a number of new tricks to your iPhone.

New to Apple Intelligence

First up, there are a couple of new additions to Apple Intelligence, with Priority Notifications now available following the update.

Previously, the Priority Messages feature was offered as part of the Apple Intelligence suite, showing important emails at the top of your inbox. Priority Notifications does similar but for your notifications, highlighting important notifications that might need your immediate attention at the top of your notification stack.

Sketch has also been introduced within Image Playground as a style option, and Apple Intelligence has expanded support for a further eight languages, including French, German and Italian.

Apple Vision Pro and services

Elsewhere, there is a new Apple Vision Pro app that will appear automatically for those that have a Vision Pro, but if you don't, you can download it from the App Store should you wish to learn more about Apple's "Spatial Computer".

There are updates to the Apple News+ app too, with a focus on recipes, while the Photos app has had a little upgrade with new sorting options and filters.

The software brings new Emojis as well, including a face with bags under its ears and a shovel, while new CarPlay features arrive with iOS 18.4, such as compatible displays showing three rows of apps instead of two.

How to update your iPhone to iOS 18.4

To make sure your iPhone is running the latest software and you have access to all the latest features mentioned above, head to the Settings app on your iPhone and tap on General. From here, tap on Software Update and follow the instructions.

The update will be available to all iPhone models that support iOS 18.4, but the Apple Intelligence features, like Priority Notifications, will only appear on iPhone 15 Pro models and iPhone 16 models, including the most recent iPhone 16e.

With WWDC 2025 now written on the calendar in pen, many are starting to ponder what might be included as part of the event. As has become the standard for these events, we're expecting to see new software for a wide array of Apple products.

That includes the new iPhone software. We've already been given a taste of iOS 19, thanks to a leak on YouTube, but now you can give it a go on your existing iPhone.

That's because one user has created an interactive mock-up of the leaked design, which you can download and use. As reported by 9to5Mac, It uses an App Clip to operate, and takes design cues from the video we saw earlier in the week.

Interaction is also possible, with apps like Settings, Music, Camera and more. The Camera app is a particularly noteworthy addition – that one looks set to have a fairly significant overhaul as part of the update.

From what we've seen so far, the new operating system is expected to utilise a similar design to the Apple Vision Pro. That includes floating window designs which have a glassy appearance. The whole thing looks great, with a premium edge which feels like the Apple of old.

Of course, there's no guarantee that this is what we'll get come June, either. While the leak currently represents the best information out there, things can change and any leaked information may prove to be untrue once things are made official.

Still, I certainly hope this looks like the real deal. I've spoken before now about Apple's position, where years of incremental upgrades in a bid to retain a feeling of familiarity have made it really tough to put out something drastically different.

Change things too much and you're risking alienating one of the most loyal fanbases in the consumer tech industry. Don't do enough, and you're missing out on innovating. If this update proves true, I think Apple may have struck a perfect balance – different enough to show progression, but not so much that you'll lose engaged users.

Last night, Apple announced the dates for WWDC 2025. That's the brand's annual developer conference, and is often seen as the most crucial announcement window in the brand's year.

We often see new software updates for all of the products in its catalogue, including the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and more. But you won't need to wait for the iOS 19 details, as a fairly comprehensive leak is said to detail some of the main changes.

Shared on YouTube by the page Front Page Tech, the video is said to be a recreation of the official imagery seen by the brand. And it showcases a significantly different overall appearance, compared to the current operating system.

Inspired by the Apple Vision Pro operating system, the theme here is floating windows. Pop-up's and menus appear over the top of other media with a glassy appearance, which looks like it is floating in mid-air.

The overall look is seriously classy. There's a refined, modern aesthetic in use here which feels very much like the Apple of old. It's a refreshing change, and feels really premium.

Perhaps the most exciting specific window shown in the video is for the camera. That sees a near total change, with the menu changed into a translucent bubble, rather than simply a black aperture.

The keyboard is also slightly redesigned, with a more squared profile. It's certainly not the most sweeping change, but it's enough to give iOS 19 a bit of a personality.

Last – but by no means least – there are the app icons themselves. Many said that those would change to a circular design as per the visionOS design. Well, that's not the case according to this leak – the icons utilise a square design with some healthy rounding on the edges for a soft overall feel.

With around two months before the event itself, we'll have to wait to find out for sure what is coming. Still, if this is a sign of things to come, it's going to be an exciting time for iPhone fans.

WhatsApp gets so many updates it's hard to keep up sometimes, but despite a year of upgrades there's still a big feature that hasn't made it to iOS yet – support for multiple accounts.

Thankfully though, code in the latest beta version of the iOS app suggests that the chat service is set to deliver exactly that.

The feature is something that's been possible to do on dual-SIM and eSIM Android phones since 2023. And, according to the code watchers at WABetaInfo, the feature's inside the iOS app – although it's not quite ready for release, as yet.

What to expect from WhatsApp multiple account support on iPhone

As with other social apps, having multiple accounts makes it much easier to keep different bits of your life separate – so for example, you might use WhatsApp for work and for personal stuff, so having multi-account support would make it much easier to switch between the two.

It also means you don't need to run multiple apps, which is the current workaround.

Some WhatsApp users have the core app for their personal communications and WhatsApp Business for their business number. Multiple account support would enable you to keep all your communication history in one place, while still keeping notifications, chats and settings separate for each account.

The new feature will give you two options with the app. You'll be able to add another account from scratch with your iPhone as its primary device, or you can scan a QR code to link the app to an existing account as a companion. Of course, your accounts will need to have different phone numbers.

According to WABetaInfo the feature is still in development and visible in Testflight, Apple's testing platform for app developers. That means it's still a bit away from release, but it's encouraging that it's coming.

Today sees the release of iOS 18.2, the update to Apple's latest operating system for the iPhone that brings the new Apple Intelligence features to the UK, Ireland, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

While most of the features have been available via the public beta now for some weeks, this is the first time that users can access them via the final version of the software. As most people prefer to wait for the final version to ensure compatibility with all their services, this is going to be the first chance for many to experience the Apple Intelligence features.

Apple Intelligence is the company's answer to AI features and includes a wide range of tools, including writing tools, photo editing, image creation, an upgraded email app and all new Siri voice assistant.

These features will be available on all new iPhone 16 models, plus the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models. Apple Intelligence also features on iPadOS 18.2, WatchOS 11.2 and MacOS 15.2 for all devices using an M-series silicon chip – everything from M1 onwards.

How to install iOS 18.2 on your iPhone

The first thing you'll need to do to get the Apple Intelligence features is upgrade to the latest version of iOS 18, which is now iOS 18.2. To do this on your phone, go to Settings > General > Software Update.

If you have Automatic Updates turned on, your phone should install this update automatically the next time you plug it in to charge and the battery is over 50%. Otherwise you will see the available update on this page and can select to install it straight away.

How to activate your Apple Intelligence features

To turn on the Apple Intelligence features on your compatible device (iPhone 16 models or iPhone 15 Pro / Pro Max) you need to activate them. Go to Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri. From here you can turn on Apple Intelligence. It will then download the additional generative models required. You can also set you talk and type Siri access here, and choose your new voice for Siri from a wider range of accents.

What to expect from Apple Intelligence

Apple Intelligence isn't one thing. It's more a range of features that weave themselves into your existing workflow. Some users might barely notice the difference, though if you dig a little deeper, they can help with everything you do on your iPhone.

The writing tools provide you with the ability to rewrite paragraphs or emails to change the tone of your writing or proofread them to avoid spelling and grammar errors. It also offers the ability to summarise large bodies of text or email chains, saving you time reading through long sections.

For photos, you can now search for images from your library with natural language describing what's in the picture. You can also use natural language to create and adjust memory collections. Plus for image editing, the new Clean Up tool lets you get rid of unwanted objects in your shot with a simple click.

My favourite tool is the new Image Playground app, which lets you create animation or illustrated images using text prompts, a series of scene and subject suggestions and named people, saved in your photos. So, if I wanted a picture of me as a scientist in a disco, it would do it instantly.

On the image creation side, there's also Genoji, which lets you create a unique emoji based on a text command, inside your normal emoji menu. You also have a more powerful version of Siri and an improved Mail app, with priority filters.

There's a lot to unpack, but I guarantee, you will find yourself using some of the new features regularly.

Apple is rumoured to release iOS 18.2 in the next couple of days – maybe even today. It will add a whole host of new features to your iPhone.

It's perhaps even more exciting for iPhone owners in the UK, Australia and a select few other countries outside the US as Apple Intelligence will finally be available in other variants of English. Brits have so far had to set their devices to recognise US English to use the new AI tools.

There will also be new Apple Intelligence features for the US market too, plus several other new additions which we highlight below.

But beforehand, you should be aware that to use the Apple Intelligence tools, you need to have an iPhone 15 Pro or above – you won't get the suite of new AI software on the standard iPhone 15 models or older Apple handsets, sadly.

Owners of iPad Pro or iPad Air devices running on the M1 chip will also be able to enjoy Apple Intelligence, as well as anyone who purchased the recently-released iPad mini with the A17 Pro processor.

iOS 18.2 release date

Although Apple hasn't strictly confirmed its iOS 18.2 release date, it is widely believed to be over the next couple of days – maybe even later today (Wednesday 11 December 2024).

Rumours had originally pointed to a Monday 9 December release, mainly because UK network EE hinted at the date in a recent community posting: "We wanted to let you know that, from 9 December, you'll no longer be able to use your EE shared number service on MacBooks and iPads."

It might be that Apple even intended to release it that day, but changed plans later.

The vast majority of experts do suggest it's still imminent, however. They claim it will be this week – so Wednesday or Thursday, basically.

Why should we be excited by iOS 18.2?

In short, iOS 18.2 is exciting because it both expands its Apple Intelligence feature set and the locations in which it is available.

That includes the writing tools, photo manipulation, Siri enhancements, smart messaging, and other smaller features released with iOS 18.1 in the States, but also a wave of new, fun features promised earlier this year.

You'll be able to get Apple Intelligence to create Genmojis – AI-generated, custom emojis to use in apps. There will also be ChatGPT integration in Siri for the first time, plus the fun Image Playground, which enables you to create your own pictures using AI and different art styles (animation, illustration and sketch).

Visual Intelligence will add more functionality to Camera Control on the iPhone 16 models, and Image Wand will turn rough sketches or notes into full illustrations.

Finally, you'll be able to use ChatGOT to compose original text passages in apps, and if you have written something yourself, you can get Apple Intelligence to rewrite it on command.

Some of the features could be hugely useful, others might just be a bit of fun. Either way, we can't wait to give them all a try.

How to get prepared for iOS 18.2 and Apple Intelligence

One way you can get your compatible device prepared for the iOS 18.2 push is to turn on automatic updates in Settings > General > Software Update.

Apple iPad owners should also do the same as iPadOS 18.2 is expected to arrive at the same time.

Apple announced iOS 18 back in June during its Worldwide Developer Conference and while the initial build has now arrived on compatible iPhones, followed by iOS 18.1, not all of the features are within those releases.

That's especially true if you're in the UK and you've been waiting for Apple Intelligence. While launched in the US already, the UK English version is coming in iOS 18.2, along with a number of extra features.

Those features are set to include Image Playground, Chat GPT integration and Genmoji, although you will need one of the iPhone 16 models or the iPhone 15 Pro models to experience them.

So far, Apple has said iOS 18.2 – which has recently had its third beta release – will be available in December, but it hasn't specified a date. Thankfully, a report from AppleInsider, which appeared based on a discovery by MacRumors, has revealed a more targeted release date – it claims the specific day could be 9 December.

The site came to this conclusion after the third developer beta contained an update for devices that use mobile network EE, which removes the "Add WiFi Calling for Other Devices" option from System Settings. It means EE customers won't be able to start a Wi-Fi call from an iPad or Mac, and EE confirmed those changes via text message to customers, which was posted to the company's community forum.

The text reads: "Hi, we wanted to let you know that, from 9 December, you'll no longer be able to use your EE shared number service on MacBooks and iPads.

"Watch functionality, along with the Apple-provided iCloud number-sharing function, won’t be affected. We’re sorry for any inconvenience caused by this update.".

As the 9 December date is mentioned in the text, Apple Insider believes this implies the final build of the iOS 18.2 software will be released on that date. Of course, it is worth noting that nothing is officially confirmed by Apple yet, even if the month is, and as iOS 18.2 is currently still in beta, it's possible bugs could be found that then delay the software release.

If the date is accurate however, it's not too much longer to wait to experience some of the main Apple Intelligence features.

If you're in the UK and you want to try some of the early Apple Intelligence features, you will need a compatible iPhone (iPhone 16 models or iPhone 15 Pro models) and you will need to set your device to US English in the language and region settings.

One of the iPhone features you hope you'll never need to use is Recovery Mode, which is the nuclear option for errant iPhones: it enables you to erase your phone and install a fresh copy of iOS, which is sometimes necessary if your iPhone is freezing or doesn't seem to be recognised by your computer any more. But there's one key problem with Recovery Mode: you need a computer to use it – and if you don't have access to one, that meant a trip to an Apple Store or third party repairer. Or at least, it did before the iPhone 16.

9to5Mac have discovered that Apple has brought the same over-the-air Recovery Mode that exists for the Apple Watch and Apple TV to iOS. If you have iOS 18 on the iPhone 16, you can use Recovery Mode without having to find a computer to connect to. The feature is a welcome surprise: Apple's how-to recovery mode page doesn't describe it yet.

How Recovery Mode works in iOS 18

According to 9to5Mac, iOS 18 for iPhone 16s has the same RecoveryOS that Apple first released on Apple Watch and Apple TV; the site was able to simulate a real recovery to check that the feature worked. 

What that means is that instead of having to connect a computer, you'll be able to put your iPhone next to another iPhone or iPad and go into Recovery Mode that way. The other device will then download a new copy of the iOS firmware and transfer it to your iPhone.

As far as we can tell you can use any iOS 18 or iPadOS 18 device to do this transfer. But the actual wireless recovery is only currently on the iPhone 16, which ships with a recovery partition pre-installed on its system storage. We don't yet know whether Apple will add that feature to older iPhones running the same iOS or if it's going to keep it as an iPhone 16 exclusive. Hopefully it's the former.

Eve has just released a Matter version of its Eve Light Switch. A free Matter upgrade can be installed in the Eve app for the third generation of the Eve Light Switch, or the Eve Light Switch with Matter can be bought by new users for under $50 – but this support and affordable price tag aren’t the best parts of this upgrade.

What is the best feature of the new Eve Light Switch with Matter is that it can be controlled directly via iOS 18 from iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. What’s better yet is that you don’t need a home hub to use it, as the Eve app for iPhone and iPad offers on-device schedules.

This means you can easily control your best smart lights with your phone and without having to link up to a bigger smart home ecosystem. However, if you do want to add a home hub later down the line, or you want features like remote access and automations, you can do so without having to go through a confusing reconfiguration or set-up process.

Eve has already introduced Matter to some of its smart home products, including its Eve Smart Weather Station, but the Eve Light Switch is the latest to receive this upgrade. Powered by Matter-over-Thread technology, the Eve Light Switch with Matter offers connected lighting that can be controlled remotely as well as linked to other devices, like Eve’s motion sensors.

With the added support of Matter, the Eve Light Switch with Matter now has a better usability as well as advanced security. It also supports iOS, Android devices and voice assistants like Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri, so you can use your voice to control your lighting.

The Matter version of the Eve Light Switch is available to buy now for $49.95 on the Eve website and Amazon, or for current users, the upgrade will be free on all third generation devices. As of writing, there’s no UK pricing or availability but we hope to see it arrive by the end of the year. To use the Eve Light Switch, you’ll need iOS/iPad OS 18, Android 8.1, a Matter controller or Thread Border router.

Now that Apple has revealed its new iPhone 16 range, the accompanying software – iOS 18 – is available to download. The beauty is that you don't need an iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro to run it. 

In fact, iOS 18 is compatible with iPhone models going back to 2018, including the iPhone Xr and Xs models, as well as the iPhone SE 2nd generation. That's a total of 27 models that are still supported. If you have an iPhone 8 or iPhone X, however, you won't be able to update. 

While some users are cautious to update their software too early, for risk of compatibility issues, there has been a public Beta version running since 15th July with various updates since, to iron out any issues. Personally I've been using the Beta for about a month and have found it incredibly stable. 

Let's look at how you can update your iPhone today as well as the reasons to do it – in case you need tempting a little. 

Updating to iOS 18

The process of updating your iPhone is incredibly easy. If you already have auto updates selected you may have already had a notification that iOS 18 is available to download. If you ignore this notification, it will try and update your phone over night once your phone is plugged in and above 50% charge. 

If you haven't had a notification, you can still do the process manually. First go to your Settings icon and then choose General (above three quarters down the page). Then select the Software Update option. Your phone will then do a quick check for available updates and iOS 18 should pop up as an option (as below). 

You can then choose to update straight away or schedule your update for that night. That's a handy option if you're not on Wi-Fi, as the update is over 7GB to download. Allow at least 10-15 mins for your update. 

It's always worth backing up your phone, either to iCloud or a computer before installing any updates, even if its not a Beta. You may find that you need to log back in to some of your apps after the update, so make sure you know your passwords too. Plus, it's available on all your Apple devices, as well as any PC browser through iCloud. 

Reasons to update to iOS 18

Custom displays

iOS 18 gives you a lot more control over how your home screen looks than on previous versions. You can change the size of widgets, change their colours and place them anywhere. You're no longer tied to a full grid of icons, instead you can arrange them to reveal bits of your background image, or just make a pattern. Icons automatically swap between light and dark mode on iOS 18 but you can also pick a single colour tone for all of your icons, using the colour picker. 

One of the biggest changes though is the control centre, accessed by swiping down from the top right of the screen. This now has a lot more options to it, including audio playback controls, smart home controls and connectivity. Plus you can customise what sits on the first control screen, with a range of options from different apps. 

Password management

This might not sound like anything new if you already save your passwords in your keychain, but the emergence of a dedicated Passwords app, is probably my favourite new feature on iOS 18. 

Password manager apps are extremely useful, as they allow you to use individual, complicated passwords for all of your logins, and store them in one secure place. I've used a password manager for years, as I find it easier to access than Google Chrome or Apple's offerings. Now though, I can have it as part of my Apple set up, and for free. Not only does it store passwords, but it also hold your Wi-Fi logins, verification codes and Passkeys. 

Email categories

As much as I like the way Apple's Mail app looks, I have tended to use other options due to the amount of mail I have to go through and options for sorting it. Both Microsoft Outlook and Google Mail apps have offered forms of categorisation for years, and it means that you can quickly find relevant emails while sorting the rest to another folder automatically. 

With iOS 18 Mail catches up and then some. There's now a primary category for all your important mail, then groups for shopping, updates, promotions and more, making it easier to find what you're looking for. 

With Apple Intelligence, you'll also get summaries of the contents of each email as a preview on the list page, which saves you reading through each one. Unfortunately the Mail app changes aren't being rolled out straight away, so you'll have to wait a little longer for this update. 

Apple Intelligence

Of course, the biggest change coming with iOS 18 is Apple Intelligence. This will mean new writing tools and language capabilities from your phone, to help you create better text and quickly view pieces through summaries. It also includes Genmoji creation and the Image Playground to let your imagination run free. 

Siri will get a makeover too, with richer language capabilities and context aware abilities, so that it knows what you're wanting to do, quicker and easier. This won't be coming with the first release of iOS 18 though, so you'll have to wait for a later update. As Apple revealed last week, It's due to release in US English in October, with the UK and Australia expected to follow in December. 

If you haven't decided to order an iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro just yet, the arrival of iOS 18 on Monday 16 September may change your mind. The latest version of Apple's iPhone operating system has some features designed specifically for Apple's most powerful iPhones. 

However, if those features don't matter to you then iOS 18 is available for a lot of older iPhone models, with a few important exceptions. As a rule of thumb, if you're currently running iOS 17 then your iPhone will also run iOS 18. 

But there are a few things lurking in the small print, and there's also Apple Intelligence to consider. Here's what you need to know.

iOS 18, Apple Intelligence and your iPhone

According to Apple, iOS 18 is compatible with the iPhone SE 2, the iPhone XR, the iPhone XS and  the iPhone 11 onwards, including the various Pro, Mini, Plus and Pro / Pro Max variants.

Some of iOS 18's features require specific hardware, however. The new eye tracking accessibility feature needs at least an iPhone 12 or SE 3, and the new haptic Music features also need the iPhone 12. Live audio transcriptions for calls needs the iPhone 12 or later, and the new InSight features in the TV app need iPhone 11 or later. 

The big issue for most of us, though, is Apple Intelligence. Those features aren't here yet – they're coming later in the year, and for the UK they're scheduled for December – but when they arrive the minimum requirement is the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max or any of the iPhone 16 range. That means if you want those features but don't have the last-gen Pro/Pro Max or one of this year's models, you'll need to upgrade your iPhone.

The 9 September marked Apple's Special Event date for late 2024, where the company revealed the iPhone 16 range, new AirPods models and features, the Apple Watch Series 10, a timeline for Apple Intelligence updates, and yet more.

The event took place a day earlier than typical – on a Monday, not the usual Tuesday slot – under the teaser invitation of 'It's Glowtime'. T3's team was covering the news in the run-up to the event, blogging live during the event itself, and below you can read a range of opinions and features:

Apple's Glowtime 9 September 2024 Event: Main Headlines

• iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: all four models compared
• iPhone 16 brings AI and improved camera
• iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max – bigger, more powerful and smarter
• Apple Intelligence rollout to begin soon – here's when your iPhone will get it
• Apple just unveiled a load of new AirPods features – everything you need to know
• Apple Watch Series 10: everything you need to know about Apple’s new wearable

Original live blog continues below

The time has arrived: it's Apple Special Event o'clock a whisker earlier in the calendar for 2024, as we kick off the week with Apple's anticipated iPhone 16 series launch one day earlier than is typical – so strap in for a Monday more exciting than your average! 

As the official invitation so colourfully put it: It's Glowtime. While we've decoded the meaning of that poster, it's the summary of Apple iPhone 16 rumours where we've collated all the latest expectations. In this live blog, however, we'll be covering what crops up ahead of the on-site Cupertino launch event – which begins at 18:00 BST (that's 13:00 EDT, 10:00 PDT).

It's almost three months to the day since Apple's WWDC 2024 event – can you believe it? – where various software updates, such as the iPhone's iOS 18, were revealed in detail. Today it's expected to be the turn of hardware, with the four new iPhone 16 models expected to push Apple Intelligence to the fore. We'll be on the pulse every step of the way, so stay tuned for the latest...

It's Glowtime

So what does it all mean? "It's Glowtime!" is a clear paraphrasing of "it's showtime!", marking the commencement of an Apple show of Hollywood proportions. 

And this Special Event's star? It's all about Siri, the virtual assistant, being further integrated more broadly into Apple's iPhone 16 line-up. 

The expanse of Apple Intelligence will also be front and centre for this showcase, no doubt, with more iPhone models expected to be AI capable than the current stock. 

Buff that bronze

Among the iPhone 16 rumours is that Apple will be launching an all-new bronze-like colour, thought to be called Desert Titanium.T3's Tech Editor, Mike Lowe, has already written about why Apple's bronze is the new gold – an altogether different aesthetic vision for Apple's flagship phone series. 

The iPhone 16 could also come in Pink, Green, Blue, Black and White options, according to leaks so far. The titanium finish of the Pro models is also expected to come in Natural, Black or White. So there should be plenty of choices for all tastes. 

How to watch the iPhone 16 launch event

Well, the day is finally upon us Apple fans! Later today, we'll see exactly what Apple has in store for us with it's newest line of iPhones.

It's T3's resident Staff Writer, Sam Cross, here. I've lost count of just how many Apple events I've covered at this point. I've seen an inimitable flurry of iPhones, MacBooks and iPads come by, making me a perfect pick to guide you through the early part of this event.

If you're wondering how to watch along with today's event – great news. We have an unmissable guide to how to watch the Apple event, along with timings for different areas around the world and a rundown of what we're expecting.

The intelligent play

There are likely to be a great many products unveiled at the event tonight. While the focus for many will be the new iPhone range, there's at least one thing which I think could be even more important.

That's a further update to Apple Intelligence. When the brand unveiled its AI-powered features earlier this year, there was a lot of promise.

With that being said, it looks set to be a slow rollout. The beta testing for various versions of the iOS 18 operating system has shown a limited amount of functionality, and many users will be keen to hear more detail on when they can expect their promised features.

X marks the spot

Aside from the world of Apple phones, there are many who are expecting to spot a new Apple Watch at this event. Ten years on from the debut of the device, we're expecting to see something called the Apple Watch X unveiled this evening.

Current leaks suggest that could almost act as a hybrid of the current Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2. That would see it retain a curved display, but enjoy the speaker design from the more premium Ultra models.

It's also said to come in two sizes, though those are listed at 42mm and 46mm in a slight deviation from historic releases. Other rumours suggest that we'll get a redesigned Milanese bracelet, and possibly even a ceramic case.

Third time lucky? Not for the Apple Watch Ultra

Of course, who could talk about the best Apple Watches without a mention for the Apple Watch Ultra. Currently on its second generation, many had expected an Apple Watch Ultra 3 this time out.

That now looks unlikely, though. According to respected Apple insider, Mark Gurman, the Apple Watch 3 won't rear its head.

Instead, we're likely to be treated to a new colourway for the current Apple Watch Ultra 2 model. That's said to be Black Titanium, a model which has been widely rumoured for a long time.

A long time coming...

While we're hoping to see a range of updates concerning the Apple Intelligence suite, there does appear to be some rather unfortunate news on the subject. A new report from noted Apple insider, Mark Gurman, suggests that one of the most highly anticipated AI features is delayed.

The Apple Image Playground – an AI-powered feature which enables users to generate images for use in a range of apps – has reportedly been delayed until December 2024.

That will come as a shame for those users hoping to get in on the AI-powered action soon. As I've already mentioned, the promises of a wonderful world of intelligent features have come up slightly short thus far, and this will only add fuel to that fire.

Changing hands

Thanks to T3's Staff Writer, Sam Cross, who's nipped off for a well-earned bite to eat.  T3's Tech Editor, Mike Lowe, takes hold of the baton in today's Apple relay and is now in the hotseat. So hello once again. 

Fold the page...

With almost another six hours to go until the Cupertino event kicks off proper, I thought I'd muse over the prospect of an 'iPhone Fold' showing face later today. 

I think the chances are approaching zero, to be honest, but it was at the end of last year that rumours were afoot regarding an iPhone Fold that could arrive sooner than everyone might expect. Things have gone a little quiet on that front since. 

But things certainly haven't gone quiet on the best folding phones front, with loads of (Android, of course) devices being revealed. The latest of which, the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, is about as 'iPhone-y' as you could get from a non-Apple device. 

I have to suspect that Apple is at least researching in this space, pondering whether it can create a foldable iPhone that's worthwhile. So don't expect an 'and another thing' in regards to this later today, but maybe 2025 could be the year for it...

An ear to the ground...

No, you're not tripping out, that picture's background is truly psychedelic. What I believe Apple is likely to quietly announce later today is less trippy, though – a new and upgraded AirPods 4 (or 'Gen 4') model. 

Why now? Well, the entry-level AirPods range still haven't moved over to USB-C. That's where the fourth-generation model will come into play, aligning Apple's connectivity across its range more seamlessly. 

It has got me thinking about the wider range of AirPods available in general, though, as the AirPods Max are almost four years old now (can you believe it!?) and I'm fairly sure that a second-generation model will appear in 2024. It's just whether that'll be for early December or a surprise early launch...

10/X? A curious equation... 

Cast your mind back to when the iPhone X was launched (back in 2017, yeesh, I'm feeling old again). That was the 'iPhone 10', just to be clear – and Apple really didn't like it when people said "iPhone ex" instead.

Now, with the 10th-generation Apple Watch expected to be launched at today's event, surely Apple won't revert back to that naming convention? Series 10 reads so much better than 'Series X' – which sounds like an Xbox clash of heads waiting to happen, if you ask me.

The altogether simpler 'Apple Watch X' does look better, but I think it'll fall into that conundrum of people saying "ex" once more – which sounds like a whole other model series. It'd add to the confusion I reckon, but place your bets now!

BRB!

No, not me, I'm here for another hour before passing over the reins! Apple's Store, however, is currently unavailable – which happens every time in the hours ahead of a slew of new products being added. 

That'll no doubt be the latest iPhone 16 models this time around – read about the iPhone 16 rumours in full here – but it could also suggest that pre-orders may open even sooner than expected? I'm positing that as a question, however, as we've been operating under the assumption that pre-orders will be from the 13 September. 

Still, even if you have to wait a whole three-and-a-half days to get your iPhone pre-order in – and there's good reason, as the Pro Max could sell out due to demand – I'm sure that the Store will be full of lovely animations and iPhone upsells when it returns following tonight's event's close.  

Ou la la! More luxury options?

Apple's partnership with Hermès, which kicked off in 2015, might not be the only fashion tie-in that Apple is set to work with. 

Jacquemus, the revered French fashion label, posted on Insta Stories on Sunday 8 September – suggesting that Simon Porte Jacquemus himself could well be part of Apple's event.

The Hermès partnership has seen Apple deliver Apple Watch Hermès Edition models and other straps. So could we be about to see a Jacquemus version for the Series 10? 

It's set tongues wagging, that's for sure. I mostly just want to hear Apple CEO, Tim Cook, saying it though. Jacky Mousse anyone? 

AirPods Max 2 could be a surprise reveal after all...

While I was under the impression that a second-gen AirPods Max wouldn't launch until later this year – and that could still be the case in terms of an on-sale date specifically – a last-minute report suggests that, actually, AirPods Max 2 will be surprise reveal at today's Apple event. 

On the one hand that would make sense: it'll mean that all AirPods products across Apple's range will pack USB-C charging, which is thought to be the main difference between the original AirPods Max and would-be successor. 

However, Bloomberg commentator Mark Gurman now suggests that the second-gen Max will feature "better noise cancellation [and] adaptive audio" too. That's contrary to earlier reports, too, but would be a welcome upgrade to Apple's priciest and most prestigious headphones. 

I'm still on the fence about this one, but we'll find out soon enough... 

Intelligent delays?

While I suspect you'll hear the words "Apple Intelligence" in abundance at today's event, it seems that not all the AI features will be available on day one. 

We reported that one of Apple's most fun iPhone 16 features is likely delayed, with Image Playground and Genmoji not expected to hit Apple's devices until an iOS 18 update come December time – possibly pushed back even further to 2025. 

That means if you're a day-one iPhone 16 user you probably won't be able to generate images based on text prompts or create animated emoji stickers of family and friends. Not major absences, arguably, but does make me question that if Apple Intelligence is so integral to future proceedings and products, then why reveal so much too early? 

I get that AI features need to be ready – especially when so many of current artificial intelligence offerings are limited or not quite fully formed – but clearer timelines should be set so users know what to expect. Because if I can't be turned into a cat wearing a chef's hat then, hell, why would I even consider buying an iPhone 16 at all ? 

Apple wishlist

Afternoon all! It's Mat Gallagher taking on the blog for the next few hours, while Mike prepares himself for this evening's entertainment. We're now less than four hours from the start of the event and I'm already over excited. 

Apple has somehow made its big press events into a must-see event, and not just for tech journalists like me. Millions of people will tune into the live stream today on You Tube, Apple.com and on the various Apple Events apps to find out the new details of the upcoming iPhones and Apple Watches, and no doubt hoping for something more. 

As I wrote this morning, I'm secretly hoping for another one more thing from Tim Cook at the end, and ideally one of the five things I listed in the piece. 

Get ready for iOS 18

One of the great things about the software updates that come with today's new devices is that they benefit older devices as well. I've been using the public beta of iOS 18 for a few weeks now and even without the Apple Intelligence features, think it offers a big improvement for all users. 

One of my favourite features is actually the changing icons. When the phone goes into dark mode, all of your icons get a darker treatment, making them look... well, darker – but also somehow cooler. You can also permanently adjust your icons, setting them to a single colour to match your backdrop. Though I found this a bit much to use all the time. 

Waiting for Cupertino to wake

Very soon I expect to see the early risers in California on X, tweeting about their day. We should hear from Tim Cook at some stage, as well as the many influencers and journalists who are attending the event in person. 

I'm not in Cupertino this year, but I am wearing my exclusive Apple Park T-shirt, which you can only buy at the Apple Store on site. It's one great reason to visit, as is the sight of Apple Park itself. Even from the outside it looks impressive. Like some giant space craft that has crash landed in the Californian suburbs. 

Skirting around a new mini

Hi, news editor Rik Henderson taking over now for the last stint before the event itself, and I'll start with something I wish we'd see today, but am pretty sure we won't – a new iPad mini.

With the current 6th-gen iPad mini having been released almost three years ago, it is long overdue a replacement. It runs on an A15 Bionic chip for starters, so the series needs to enter the Apple silicon age.

But while we seemingly hear rumours about an iPad mini 7 each and every Apple event, it's been strangely quiet this time around. That's because I believe the firm has plans to introduce one soon, just not today.

I fully expect new iPads to be unveiled in a month's time instead, with Apple often hosting a second, slightly smaller event in October each year for new Macs. This will surely be when a new iPad mini could make an appearance too... unless there's "just one more thing" we don't know about yet.

Don't be Siri

As many have suggested, the "It's Glowtime" strapline for today's event could refer to an AI-powered change in Siri. After all, the voice assistant lights up and "glows" when you call its name.

I'm more inclined to think it's actually referencing the Apple Watch X, considering the Cupertino company is celebrating an important milestone for its wearable, but if the tag is to do with Siri changing, not everyone will be happy.

For example, T3's own home editor, Bethan Girder-Maslen, is seriously hoping that for all the new features coming to the assistant, it won't have a completely new voice.

Imminent changes are coming to both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, which will result in more human-sounding tones for each. However, Beth prefers the robotic twang that Siri exhibits in all its different accents and voice types. She doesn't want a friendlier, more realistic AI chum... and I tend to agree.

That being said, if Tim Cook announces that the new version of Siri is based on Danny Dyer, I'm in: "You've been on your trotters now for 20 minutes – take a break, you muppet!"

Watch it with us live

With under an hour to go until the event starts, it's an opportune time to once again highlight the fact that we'll be hosting it right here on T3.

You can watch along with us, therefore, and see all the new products announced live. Alternatively, just keep this liveblog open to read about each of the announcements as they happen – including some of our comments on what we think.

We'll also be bringing you in-depth pieces on the different devices throughout the show, so keep with us, we won't let you down.

All sunshine and rainbows

As is traditional, Tim Cook has taken to X (formerly Twitter) prior to the event with a picture from Apple's HQ, and this year's is particularly colourful.

He's also referred to the Glowtime tagline by exclaiming that even "Apple Park is glowing".

It's (almost) Glowtime...

And so the event will start soon (just 15 more minutes at the time of writing). Those in Cupertino are taking their seats – such as tech analyst Avi Greengart who posted a pic from the inside the Steve Jobs Theater on X – while everyone else is tuning into the live feed.

I'll be handing the reins of this blog back to our tech editor Mike in a minute. He'll take you through the event itself. Remember though, we'll also be posting in-depth pieces on each of the new products, so also check out the T3.com homepage often.

Ta-ta for now and enjoy the show glow.

Let's Glo!

See what I did there? Mike Lowe, T3's Tech Editor, back in the Apple hotseat to cover the event in real-time with all the juicy nuggets of Apple news from today's event. 

Now we're into the real deal, with the first video rolling. So strap in for the next couple of hours while Apple delivers its latest. 

The T3 team is on hand for breakout news stories, opinions and more – so keep your eyes on the site today, tomorrow and beyond for more coverage and context.

Confirmed: iPhone, AirPods, Watch

Well, there we go. Tim Cook isn't beating around the bush. It's going to be all about the Apple Watch, AirPods and iPhone range today. Something for everyone!

Apple Watch Series 10

Up first it's all about Apple Watch in a "new design". And Apple's Chief Operating Officer, Jeff Williams, is up to explore it. 

Series 10 brings the "largest, most advanced display" that Apple has ever put into a wearable product. It's even bigger than that of the Watch Ultra.

That display is a wide-angle OLED, which is 40% brighter when viewed from an angle. Ideal for a wearable product such as this. 

There are new aluminium finishes, too, including the deep and glossy Jet Black. Don't fancy that? There's a new Titanium finish, which is 20% lighter than the stainless steel Series 9 watch that this finish replaces. 

There's a new metal back with a larger charging coil for the fastest-charging ever offered by an Apple Watch. 

It's available for pre-order ahead of its 20 September on-sale date. 

Let's get wet

Series 10's redesign "makes it even better for workouts" in the water. 

This year the Watch gains a new depth gauge, which can measure to depths of 6m/20ft – making it ideal for snorkelling and more. There's a water temperature sensor too.

A new Tides app can provide 7 days of information, including rising/falling, high/low tides, and sunfall/sunset information. Ideal for fishing, crabbing and other activities around the water.

Apple Watch Ultra's new finish

With Apple Watch Series 10 revealed to offer so many upgrades, Apple is reinforcing that the Watch Ultra 2 remains relevant. That confirms the rumours: there's no Watch 3 Ultra to see today. 

What is new, however, is the Watch Ultra 2's all-new Satin Black finish. It's got a new titanium Milanese loop, too, unless you fancy one of the fancy new Hermès bands – a partnership that's now extended to Ultra too. Nice. 

AirPods 4

"The most loved and popular headphones in the world", says Tim Cook, before rolling into a VT backed by Fred Again's balearic beats...

Say hello to AirPods 4. Designed to set a new bar "for fit and comfort". They're designed with a refined design based on research and data of thousands of different people's ear shapes – for a shape that should naturally fit everyone.

The AirPods 4 have been redesigned to deliver bolder sound, too, with deeper bass as part of their acoustic make-up.

The included case is also the smallest of any AirPods to date and, but of course, feature USB-C for charging.

There's more!

But that's not all for AirPods. There's a second AirPods 4 model with active noise-cancelling (ANC) too. It includes Transparency mode, to help you hear the environment around you. And Adaptive Audio will auto-adapt for quiet and loud areas. 

It's interesting that Apple is looking to deliver ANC to the lower-price end of the market, especially as the AirPods Pro deliver it so well. But that's a way to further dominate in this market. 

This case, which also has USB-C, also features a speaker for Find My, and there's wireless charging (including Qi) too. 

The AirPods 4 will be priced at $129, while the AirPods 4 ANC will be priced at $179. Both will be available from 20 September.

AirPods Max 'too'...

It's AirPods mania today, with Apple's AirPods Max also revealed to be updated. Note that I didn't say 'AirPods Max 2' there, though, as it looks as though these USB-C-toting over-ears bring that new connection and some new colours only. The price remains the same, at $549, so I suspect this model will simply replace the outgoing Lightning version...

Hearing Health is central

Now here's an interesting take: a software update coming to AirPods Pro 2 and iOS 18 will bring some hearing assistance functions for those who suffer from mild to moderate hearing loss. 

There's a Hearing Test to measure and diagnose your hearing capacity, and for those who need it a new Hearing Aid feature which does as you'd expect – enhancing relevant frequencies to boost your ability to hear. 

That'll help segregate the Pro model from other AirPods.

Ai, Ai, AI? It's iPhone 16 time!

Now for the big stuff: the iPhone 16 is official and "raises the bar for what an iPhone can do," quips Tim Cook. Taking over the presentation is Kaiann Drance, VP of iPhone Product Marketing. 

iPhone 16 "celebrates colour", with colour-infused glass, available in ultramarine, teal, pink and the usual black and white options. It's tougher glass than before too. 

The iPhone 16 comes in two sizes: 6.1-inch for the entry model, 6.7-inch for the Plus model. Both now feature the Action button, which was first revealed in the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models. 

The iPhone 16 introduces the all-new Camera control, allowing click-and-slide controls on the button to easily control your photography.

So what's inside? Apple is "jumping two generations" for this range, with Apple's A18 silicon inside. There's a focus on the neural engine being enhanced for faster access to generative models – that being Apple Intelligence-focused.

Apple Intelligence 

Craig Federighi takes over and... well, I'm more interested in what crazy stunts he's going to do in his VT. If you don't know what I'm talking about then, well, he's become a bit of a silver-haired meme at these showcases. And I'm so here for it. 

"Apple Intelligence can unlock even more intelligence," he says, by using Apple Cloud Compute. So there's Apple Intelligence Intelligence now? I jest...

To summarise what Apple Intelligence will bring to iOS 18 in the iPhone 16 series: it's a more cohesive experience for search, with context-relevant results being available, summaries, text-prompted emoji creation, more advanced Siri comprehension, and "more to come".  

Apple Intelligence will be a free software update, starting in October in US English. Other languages, such as British English, won't arrive until December, with further support coming to wider regions from 2025.

Camera Control

Now let's talk Camera Control. This new physical button control works in either portrait or landscape orientation and can recognise touch gestures too. That allows distinction between a full click and a lighter press – much like a camera's physical shutter button. A light press brings up an overlay in the preview, so you can quickly select additional controls before taking the picture.

The actual cameras for iPhone 16 remain almost the same as before, though, with a 48-megapixel main joined by a 12MP wide-angle (the latter adding autofocus, which previously lacked, and a wider aperture). There's no physical zoom, but a 2x digital telephoto uses the centre portion of the main sensor to allow pixel-for-pixel zoom.

The new camera design of iPhone 16 – they're paired side-by-side – also allows for Spatial Photo capture. That gives a three-dimensional result viewable on-device.

Show me the money

So how much for all this iPhone goodness? The iPhone 16 starts at $799, while the iPhone 16 Plus starts at $899. 

While I'm quoting US pricing – as that's what's provided by Apple at its live event – the same year-on-year pricing has also stuck to wider regions, so in the UK it's £799/£899 as per last year, with Australia also maintaining pricing. Nice, no regional 'tax' hike!

It's Pro-time!

Now it's the turn of the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max: which are now larger than the previous generation, at 6.3-inches and 6.9-inches respectively. But that's been achieved while minimising product growth, thanks to the thinnest bezel on any Apple product. 

As with the previous iPhone 15 Pro series, the 16 Pro models use Grade 5 Titanium, for great strength but lightweight finish. That's available in four finishes, including the rumoured Desert Titanium – the much-rumoured bronze-like colour. 

Design-wise, the 16 Pro range deliver a new thermal capacity thanks to a graphite-clad substructure, "delivering up to 20% improvement in sustained performance", which is "crucial for on-device features", such as Apple Intelligence. 

The Pro models go one step further when it comes to power, too, thanks to the Apple A18 Pro silicon at the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max's hearts. That all-important 'Pro' distinction makes it far more powerful than the entry iPhone 16 and Plus models.

The chip has vastly improved processing for video, plus further advancements to camera features. There's a new 48-megapixel 'Fusion Camera' at the heart of it all, which features a second-generation sensor. More importantly, however, is the wide-angle is also 48-megapixels – a big jump over the 12MP sensor of the previous generation.

Video gets further enhancements too: Cinematic Slow Motion offers 4K at 120 frames per second for Ultra-HD slow-motion. There's also the ability to capture in ProRes and LOG to external devices, which will appeal to those seeking pro-level capture. 

Spatial Audio capture is also possible when capturing video thanks to new microphones. Audio Mix, which is claimed to be an industry first, captures voice and separates it from background sound. Voice Notes has also been upgraded so you can add an additional recorded layer in real-time – handy for musicians putting down ideas on the fly. 

Ker-ching!

Right, then, how much will the new iPhone 16 Pro models cost? It's a similar story to the rest of the range: the iPhone 16 Pro is priced from $999, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max is priced from $1199.

Again, that's a year-on-year price freeze – and not just for the USA! Since first publishing this page in the live blog, I've checked Apple's Store (which is now back online) and you can expect to pay the same £999/£1199 in GBP too. Australian pricing also follows suit as the same. 

And it's go-home-time!

Annnnd... that's a wrap! Glowtime is over, so it's go-home-time...

In summary: Apple's September Event introduced us to the Apple Watch Series 10, a new Watch Ultra 2 colour, the AirPods 4, AirPods 4 ANC, and AirPods Max (USB-C update), and closed out with the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Sadly, Craig didn't do any stunts this year – and there was ample time for it! Maybe next time Federighi...

One of the most interesting smart home features in Apple's HomeKit platform is Adaptive Lighting, a clever feature that changes the tone of your smart lights from dawn till dusk. It's been there since iOS 14 but it's also quite limited in terms of the lights you can use with it: you can use HomeKit-compliant Nanoleaf lights and Philips Hue lights and only a few other firms' products. However, that's about to change with iOS 18.

The big difference? Matter. With iOS 18 Apple is bringing Matter support to the Adaptive Lighting feature, and that means it'll work with a much wider ecosystem of smart lights and smart bulbs. The feature leaked via Nanoleaf users on Reddit, who spotted a toggle in the iOS 18 beta for their Nanoleaf Matter bulbs; Nanoleaf has since confirmed to The Verge that it's one of the launch partners for Adaptive Lighting for Matter products.

What is Adaptive Lighting?

Adaptive Lighting takes advantage of lights that can change their colour temperature, which is how warm or cool the white tones are: warmer tones are yellowish like old incandescent bulbs, and cooler ones are more blue, like LED car headlights. 

Adaptive Lighting adjusts those tones over the course of the day to make your lighting work much like daylight does. So you'll wake to warm, sunrise-y tones, but as the day progresses the colour temperature will become cooler to help you focus on getting things done. As the day turns to night the colours warm up again, cutting blue light and helping you get ready for a good night's sleep.

The feature works really well, but up till now it's been exclusive to HomeKit-compliant products – and that's a subset of the much larger smart bulb market, which is increasingly embracing the Matter interoperability standard. That's particularly true of more affordable brands and sub-brands; getting the HomeKit label has traditionally been rather expensive, a cost that some firms haven't been willing to incur.

For the time being, Adaptive Lighting-compatible Matter lights and bulbs will only deliver the feature in Apple smart homes; it's an Apple feature, not a Matter one. But it's likely that we'll see similar options for other platforms too.

Apple's beta versions of iOS 18 are heating up as we get closer to the release window for the next batch of iPhones, which will ship with the new software already installed. 

Particular discussion was flying around about the changes that Apple had made to the Photos app, which was the recipient of a pretty new user interface and a slathering of Apple Intelligence features. Some of these, it turns out, have been trimmed away completely in the latest beta version.

In particular, the Carousel, a feature that Apple boasted about prominently when it unveiled iOS 18, has been deleted, at least for now. This was going to be a chunky viewpoint where your phone would showcase your best photos, according to its machine intelligence, but users had complained that it took up way too much real estate.

In fact, canvassing social media and comments threads, you'll find a lot of beta users complaining about the app more widely – in particular, that it has been taken from a simple but useful experience where you can fairly quickly find your photos, to one with a lot more bloat. 

As well as removing the Carousel, Apple has also seemingly tweaked the app's layout to make sure that you can see more of your photo grid (or camera roll) when you open it, which could make it simpler to get straight into a list of your recent photos if that's all you're looking for. 

There are still a heap of new collection-style groupings though, such as Recent Days, People & Pets and more, which different users might find more or less useful depending on their tastes and photos. 

What hasn't changed, though, is the removal of the navigation bar at the bottom of the current Photos app, something that has been relied upon for a long time now – it'll be curious to see how people adapt, and whether Apple sticks with the changes at iOS 18's release or past that point. 

As expected, Apple has released the public beta of iOS 18. That means you can install it on your phone today and travel in time, because you'll be using an operating system that won't be released until September. However, while there are some useful improvements there are also some very big omissions.

As ever with beta software, you're advised not to install it on your main phone. However, I've been using the third developer beta, on which the public beta is based, and I've found it 99% reliable: the exception for me has been the camera app, which I've found to be quite crashy on my iPhone 15 Pro Max. Provided you don't have any apps that you absolutely depend on daily, I think this is a pretty safe installation.

Here's what you need to know.

Should you install iOS 18 public beta on your iPhone?

If you want to take advantage of the improved personalisation, yes. You can now arrange your home screen icons in a more fluid way, and you can change the tinting so that all your icons share the same colours. It's a nice change, and there's also a new colour-changing dynamic wallpaper. Control Centre has been improved and you can now change which controls appear on your Lock Screen.

There's a new stand-alone password app that I've found very reliable so far, and it's definitely an improvement on hunting around in Settings. You can lock apps behind Face ID, and there's a very revised Photos app that's proving divisive: lots of people dislike it but it does introduce a new Recovered folder where you might find photos you thought you'd lost forever.

There are some big omissions, however. Here in the UK the RCS messaging feature – which improves communication with Android – doesn't appear to be implemented yet. And the biggest missing feature of all is Apple Intelligence. If you were hoping that the beta could let you experience a smarter Siri, that's some way off still – and for those of us outside the US, it could be many months before we get Apple Intelligence on our iPhones.

You can find out more about installing the iOS public beta on the Apple website.

Apple Home users, specifically those who have a HomePod or Apple TV, now have the option to choose a ‘Preferred Home Hub’, thanks to a new iOS 18 update. As spotted by Reddit users in iOS 18 beta, there’s a new menu that lets users choose which device they want to connect to their HomeKit.

Apple’s WWDC event took place on 10th June 2024, and while it was a little quiet on the smart home front, it did announce a few exciting iOS 18 updates, like app locking via Face ID, advanced Siri features and guest access to the Home app. Speaking of Apple Home, users will be happy to learn that iOS 18 now lets you choose your ‘Preferred Home Hub’, something that Apple TV and HomePod owners have been asking about for a while.

Apple TV and HomePod users have the option to set up these devices as a Home Hub, for better control over their HomeKit and Matter-supported accessories. Previously, there wasn’t an option for users to choose a specific hub as their main outlet, as Apple would automatically select one for you.

But as discovered in the iOS 18 beta by HomeKit Reddit users, you can turn off the Automatic Selection and choose your own ‘Preferred Home Hub’. While this might sound like a small update, this fixes many problems and concerns that HomePod and Apple TV users have had for years.

The main issue that Apple smart home owners had was that the automatic selection would often choose older devices with slower internet connections, meaning automations and other features weren’t as quick or responsive. Additionally, many people would rather use their wired Apple TV than a Wi-Fi connected HomePod smart speaker for better stability and reliability.

Having the option to choose your own Home Hub is something that will appeal to many Apple Home users, particularly for those who have multiple devices and set-ups. To get this new ‘Preferred Home Hub’ feature, your devices must be running the iOS 18 and tvOS 18 beta versions. A public beta is expected to be released in the next month, and an official launch for the new Home Hub update is set for later in the year.

Last night, Apple executives took to the stage at WWDC 2024. The event takes place every year, giving the company an opportunity to showcase their latest and greatest technology.

This year was no different. While hardware news was fairly reserved – save for some announcements surrounding the Apple Vision Pro – the full suite of the brand's software was given a new lick of paint.

That includes iOS 18. That's the latest technology for iPhone users – but it also offers something spectacular for Android phone users too.

Blink and you'll have missed it, but the presentation confirmed that RCS messaging is coming to iPhone. That's a big deal for Android aficionados who message iPhone users, and will now have the ability to send a better array of media.

Specifically, you'll be able to send high-resolution images and videos, create group chats, get read receipts and typing indicators, and use voice messages without opting for a third-party solution.

That's a pretty big step. For months now, the debate over messaging standards has raged on, with Apple remiss to give up their security in favour of connectivity with external devices. Something clearly changed, though.

Does this mean the end of the infamous green bubble? Not quite. As seen in materials about the new feature, the text bubbles remain green, but with a tag in the field which says "Text Message + RCS".

There is one slight down side, though. The RCS profile used by Apple doesn't facilitate end-to-end encryption, which means that the security features enjoyed by Android users won't be available.

Still, Apple is pretty hot on security, so we're sure there will be some measures in place. For the kind of user this is aimed at, it's also likely to be a sacrifice worth making to get the associated benefits.

Users looking to get the features on their device are able to from today with the iOS 18 beta. If you're planning to wait for the full release, expect to get hands on sometime this autumn.

As the dust settles on WWDC 2024, many are starting to dig a little deeper into the new features presented. The show was light on hardware, but certainly made up for it with software releases spanning their entire portfolio.

The highlight was unquestionably the new Apple Intelligence suite of features. Bringing more AI-powered features to the brand's suite of devices was a big moment, bridging the gap to other phones which have brought similar technology to market recently.

It's not the only thing, though. The brand revealed WatchOS 11, complete with the all new Vitals app. There were similar updates for the iPad and MacBook ranges.

We also saw iOS 18 unveiled. That's the latest version of the software for iPhone users, and brought a host of long-awaited features. Many online commentators have mocked the release, with the highlight appearing to be customisation options which have existed on other devices for years.

But there is one hidden feature which has been uncovered – and even your Android phone doesn't have this. As reported by Android Authority, the new operating system includes a feature which allows you to enjoy greater control over your flashlight. Yes, you did read that correctly.

Currently, the flashlight is a relatively simple affair. Gone are the days of just on and off – users can also adjust the intensity of the light to suit their situation. 

Now, you can also adjust the radius of the light beam.That allows you to utilise wider rays, or more intense, focused light as needed for your situation.

It's certainly an unusual feature to add in. I'm fairly confident no-one has been crying out for this feature – particularly as it doesn't appear to be available on other devices in the market.

Still, it's a really handy thing to have available. If you're looking to light different situations with your iPhone, you've now got more control than ever before.

WWDC 2024, Apple's biggest conference of the year, is currently live. We're reporting in real time, bringing you the biggest software updates that are heading our way in the not too distant future. Whilst no hardware is expected, smart home fanatics will be pleased with iOS 18's new range of features, many of which are being introduced to the Home app. 

One particular feature is the Home app's new guest access, providing an even more effortless home entry experience. The update is perfect for users who rent their homes out on Airbnb or often host family and friends, meaning they can control who enters their home remotely. 

With iOS 18, the Home app will provide users with convenient ways to grant guests control of locks, garage doors, and security systems. Users will also be able to schedule individualised or time-based access to the home with the best smart locks and view Activity History for guests. 

Additionally, hands-free unlock with home keys allows users to instantly open supported entry locks as soon as they are six feet away from their door, for an even more effortless home entry experience.

iOS 18 is also making it easier for users to access, understand and make more informed decisions about their home electricity use. Eligible users will be able to easily view their electricity usage in the Home app’s Energy category when they connect their utility account.

Stay tuned to the WWDC 2024 live blog to keep an eye on all updates and releases. 

With WWDC 2024 just hours away, some last-minute leaks have snuck in just before the official announcements begin – and one of them should delight parents. If like me the phrase "can I play on your phone?" is a regular in your home, on the bus or in the car then you'll like the new feature that's coming to iOS: app locking via Face ID.

At the moment, you can lock some kinds of things on your iPhone: you can create hidden apps in Photos, lock up your Recently Deleted photos album and prevent other people from getting into your secret plans for world domination in Notes. But in iOS 18 you'll be able to lock specific apps behind a Face ID shield to prevent other people from accessing content or apps you don't want them to access.

How will the new Face ID feature work?

According to MacRumors, you'll be able to select a specific app or apps and then lock it or them with Face ID, and presumably Touch ID or a passcode too. When you want to use the app it's just a matter of putting your phone in front of your face or under your finger, but the feature will act as a bouncer when anybody else tries to get in.

Some of this has been possible for a while via Apple's Shortcuts app, but of course that's a bit more effort than just toggling a Face ID button. By bringing Face ID app locks into the operating system it should mean many more people can know about it and use it. 

The big winners for this one, I suspect, will be parents like me: I don't mind letting my youngest into my phone to play Geometry Dash or select things from Apple Music, especially if it'll make a long trip more bearable for both of us. But there are apps I don't want them to use – so for example I don't want my youngest getting their hands on my unfiltered YouTube app, or getting into the unfinished song I've got open in Logic for iPad. 

The new feature is expected to debut in iOS 18 for developers this week, but the official release won't be until September. We don't yet know if it'll apply to all apps or just Apple ones, or if app creators will be able to opt-out. Those details should emerge this week.

Someone at Apple will be looking for a new job if this latest, massive leak is real: sources inside Apple have revealed all the new features of Siri that Apple intends to announce at WWDC this week. It's the best guide yet to what Apple's AI push will actually mean for us, our devices and our apps.

The leak comes via AppleInsider, which has been given details not just of the features but of the prompts Apple has been using to test them. And it's clear that Siri's new powers go beyond just understanding us better.

The new features are coming to Apple's core apps, which include Books, Calendar, Camera, Contacts, Files, Freeform, Keynote, Mail, News, Notes, Reminders, Safari and more. 

Here's what to expect.

What will Siri's new AI features deliver?

In Books you'll be able to navigate around books, open specific or recent books, change the on-screen theme or search for particular types or genres in the Book Store.

Siri in the Camera app will enable you to open the app in a specific mode, such as portrait or slow-mo, to set timers, to toggle video recording and to switch between front and rear facing cameras.

Keynote will be able to create a new presentation with a specific theme, add videos from Safari, add content – the example given is "add the image named cat to slide 1" and control presentations. And Safari will get a new feature that'll summarise the content of web pages to give you the gist more quickly. 

One of the most interesting apps for me is Mail, which feels like it's been ignored a little lately. Main will now be able to analyse and classify emails into categories such as news, promotions, socials, transactions and so on, and will enable you ask Siri to reply to a single or multiple person in an email conversation by saying something like "reply to everybody in this email with the body text 'ok, I'll see you there.'" Siri will also be able to block senders, mark messages for reading later, summarise messages and threads, compose emails and create AI-generated "smart replies".

Notes will give Siri more control over creatingm naming and deleting notes and tags, and it's expected to have in-app audio recording, transcription and automatic summarisation. You'll be able to store those in the note so everything's in one place. There will also be integration with the new calculator and the ability to include complex equations and graphs in notes.

The app that'll probably be shown off the most by Apple is pjhotos, which will enable you to search for objects, open photos of specific people or pets, create new albums and memories, enhance or filter photos and carry out organisation such as renaming albums or deleting or hiding photos.

Apple is expected to show off these new features this week, and while the surprise is gone it'll still be fascinating to see how these new features work. They're expected to come to devices early next year, with some features exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

If you missed out on watching WWDC 2024 live then the show has now wrapped – and it was the bumper software and AI showcase, just as expected and detailed in our live blog. 

In addition to Apple Vision Pro being revealed to wider markets, the biggest take-away is that Apple's version of 'AI' will be 'Apple Intelligence' (rather than artificial intelligence) – coming as part of iOS, iPadOS and macOS rollouts. 

Here's a summary of the biggest stories from the WWDC presentation on 10 June: 

• Apple Intelligence will power your next iPhone, iPad or Mac with AI skills
• Apple Vision Pro UK release date and price confirmed
• Apple TV to get a huge free video upgrade for home cinema fans
• Apple Vision Pro upgrade will revolutionise your photo library
• Apple AirPods adds gesture control and personalised spatial audio for gaming
• Apple Watch gets new Vitals app to better track and explain your health changes
• iOS 18 introduces guest access to the Home app
• New Apple Watch updates will help you exercise more... or less

Original live blog continues below

Apple's biggest conference of the year is here once again. WWDC 2024 – the company's worldwide developer's conference, otherwise known as 'Dub Dub' to many – is back and taking place at the company's Cupertino headquarters later today. 

The T3 team will be here all day to live blog in the run-up to the event – which kicks off at 18:00 BST (that's 10:00 PDT / 13:00 EDT), here's how to watch live – to cover all the rumours, tidbits, expectations and, of course, the actual event itself for a quick-fire summary of all the new Apple software and goodies forthcoming. So stay tuned!

First up, however, is to point out that no hardware is expected. No iPhones, no iPads, no Macs, no physical shiny goodies at all are anticipated. Crucially, however, it's the software that powers all those devices which is going to have its big day, with a push into artificial intelligence (AI) anticipated, among the usual iOS 18, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS and other operating system updates. 

The countdown commences...

So, good morning Apple fans! Mike Lowe here, T3's Tech Editor, to kick things off, while the whole T3 team gears up for the big event tonight. In just 10 hours we'll be in the thick of it.

But hopefully we won't need to trudge through it. Unlike many Apple WWDC events, which tend to focus on hardware too, this year it's believed there's going to be a lot of deep-dive into artificial intelligence and, I would suspect, ethics surrounding the topic – in a similar way to how Google handled the topic with its I/O event. 

The only hardware I'm really expecting isn't a reveal, per se, rather an availability announcement: it's strongly anticipated that Apple's Vision Pro will be announced with international on-sale dates. Which is still a pretty big deal, of course.

So let's see what is uncovered throughout the day prior to the event kicking off proper, with Apple's CEO, Tim Cook, expected on stage (or perhaps via video stream, which seems a common theme now)...

The whole "Apple doesn't do AI" thing

While today's showcase is a big opportunity for Apple to go big on its own AI software endeavours, I keep hearing reference that "Apple doesn't do AI". 

Wrong! The buzzer shows a big red cross! Apple does indeed use AI in all kinds of applications. Think about Portrait mode in the iPhone cameras – that uses subject recognition and machine learning algorithms to apply computationally rendered bokeh effects. All of which is AI – just without anyone shouting those two key acronym letters from the rooftops. 

And let's not forget: Apple's own silicon, with its Neural Engine, is literally hardware designed for AI processes. That's the equivalent of a Neural Processing Engine, or NPU, something that's been appearing in chip architecture for many years – in the iPhone the A11 Bionic chip featured a Neural Engine and that was seven years ago, in 2017! On-device hardware with M-series also features significant Neural Engine power. 

So WWDC today is about Apple making a statement. It's got the hardware in place and there's obviously more to come. The next step is leveraging that with tangible software features and the right marketing that'll have everyone shouting about 'Apple AI' or whatever various layers its programmes will be called. It's the necessary move, too, given how deep Google and other major players have already been in pronouncing their AI strategies. 

HomeKit and HomeOS rumours

While WWDC attracts the usual faces – Apple invites its usual inner circle from around the globe to Cupertino each year – but there are some newcomers and additions this year. Which is notable because they're outside of the typical areas of publishing. 

Brett.Tech, as one example, is a renowned smart home TikTok creator. Yep, smart home may have its day, people! One of his posts covers the rumours around homeOS, which hasn't been widely discussed.

He predicts that with improvements to Siri, HomeKit and iOS that an upgraded and AI-capable smart home would be feasible – one that would contextually learn your behaviours from your iPhone and reduce the need to programme specific automation.

iOS 18 has already leaked

Well, that didn't take long did it? As summarised in this morning's T3 news story: "a huge leak has revealed the key new features Siri will be getting in iOS 18, including app and system settings control, smart features such as AI-generated email and news summaries".

The leak comes from AppleInsider and highlights new features coming to Apple's core apps, which includes Books, Calendar, Camera, Contacts, Files, Freeform, Keynote, Mail, News, Notes, Reminders, and Safari. Each of those and more apps will be getting the AI treatment. 

That sounds like your iPhone 15 Pro Max will be getting a free upgrade then, as surely iOS 18 will leverage current hardware and bring AI updates to the existing range of the best iPhones? I reckon so. Check out T3's iOS 18 leak story for more information on what each app is said to add with the power of AI. 

App locking via Face ID

As part of that iOS 18 leak, there's one new feature that I reckon parents are going to love: app locking via Face ID should be coming to iOS 18 and iPadOS. 

The rumour suggests that you'll be able to lock specific apps behind a Face ID "shield" to prevent other people from accessing content or apps you don't want them to access. Ideal if you're a parent handing a phone over to your kids, let's say. 

Or perhaps you just want to add an additional layer of security to specific apps. Sure, at the moment you can lock down in certain ways: by creating hidden apps in Photos, locking up your Recently Deleted photos album, or hiding things in Notes. But a new Face ID layer would be more customisable and easier to use. 

So how will this work? Check out T3's news story from this morning, detailing how a new Face ID security layer addition in iOS 18 will function.

Show me the hardware

For all the talk of AI, however, I do hope Apple doesn't completely forego hardware. By which I mean: please release the Vision Pro to wider markets (i.e. the UK).

I would bet that this will be on the cards, though. After all, we've waited over four months since the product's release in the USA – and all has been quiet. 

Not that the reviews have been as quiet: critics and customers alike have pointed out peak positives and questionable negatives in Apple's wearable 'spatial computing' product.

There's no doubt it's an innovation: indeed, Vision Pro netted a T3 2024 Award, so while the review round-ups have been mixed (and hint at a second- or third-gen model being amazing), there's no doubt that this product is the first in many years to excite to such a degree. 

So besides the iOS 18 new features and more advanced Siri, I'm awaiting a Vision Pro rollout – perhaps with some new additional features by virtue of those software upgrades. We'll know by the end of the day either way.

Here's why we might see hardware

Good morning all, it's Mat Gallagher here with you for the next few hours. Before I change into my special Apple Park T-shirt ready for tonight's event, I'm going to be sharing news and rumours in the runup. 

The big question for tonight seems to be, will there be hardware? Google I/O ditched its hardware section this year and so there are rumours that Apple might do the same. While it would certainly make sense, given the potential amount of AI there is to talk about, I think there's still a case that we might get some hardware. Here's why. 

The M4 silicon chip was introduced just over a month ago, and now sits exclusively in the iPad Pro models. Though no one will say it, that means that the iPad Pro is more powerful than the MacBook Air and base-level MacBook Pro machines. 

So, an update to those machines – bringing them up to M4 chips – would make sense. It's likely to be a simple update and leave nothing else changed on the device, but it would make sense at this stage. 

Then there's the case for the M4 Pro, M4 Max and even the M4 Ultra chips. These would likely follow for the higher-end MacBook Pro models and the Mac Studio devices. Last year at WWDC 2023, the M2 Ultra was revealed with these updates, so maybe we'll see a repeat. 

Home is where the heart is

While there will of course be a focus on what AI can do for the iPhone and the Mac, where it's likely to get really interesting is in the home. Apple has the ecostructure in place for a great smart home system, but it's never really taken off. 

Right now you can use the HomePod speakers with the Apple TV and tie it all into to Apple's Home app to control these and most other smart devices. However, i'd love to see this do more, and hopefully with this update it will. 

I've been wishing for Apple to release more of a home hub device for sometime – a form of HomePod with an iPad attached – and a dedicated Home OS could pave the way for that. 

Apple Swag

Looks like some interesting swag from Infinite Loop for all those attending. Sofia on X has been showing the selection of pin badges, T-Shirt and water bottle for those that arrived yesterday for the Apple Design Award.

How many times will the presenters say AI?

As this year's WWDC is likely to be pretty AI heavy, there's a chance the term AI will be said a lot. At Google I/O this year the term was apparently used over 120 times in its two hour presentation. Will Apple beat that? 

With its neural engine on board, Apple has been talking about AI, without talking about AI for many years, so maybe there won't be quite the same need to badge everything with the term as we've seen in other events. But then again...

An upgrade for everyone

The advantage of an OS update as opposed to a new product is that everyone with a reasonably current device will benefit from it. All the new features mentioned today will of course be available on brand new devices in September, but they will also be available on your current iPhone, Mac, Apple Watch etc. 

After today Beta versions of the software will start to become available and Apple now makes it easy for anyone that wants to, to try out a Beta version. In your software updates panel on your device, there will be a Beta updates option. If you turn this on, you'll be able to download the latest Beta edition. 

Being a Beta rather than final version can mean that not everything works perfectly, and you might get the odd glitch. However, Apple's public Betas have been pretty stable and so as long as you're all backed up, there's no reason not to give it a try. Just remember, it's not quite as simple to switch back. 

More to Mac?

Good afternoon, tech fans! T3's beloved Staff Writer, Sam Cross, here to take you through to the first pitter patter's of technological tidbits.

Personally, I'm excited for a new MacOS offering. The MacBook is just about the only Apple product left in my daily tech bag, and I'm interested to see what can be done to improve on the form.

Last time out, MacOS 14 brought us widgets and improvements to the video conferencing software, as part of a more gentle upgrade. With rumours of a general clean up of the menu system, better Siri and a more gamer-focussed edge, it looks like it could be another modest – but important – step for the system.

A special launch for a special year?

The sun is just about rising on the Californian coast, with the lucky few invited to attend in person ready to drink their coffee, eat their cereal and head on down to Apple Park.

One thing I've been thinking about recently is the potential for an anniversary Mac of some kind. This year marks 40 years since the original Macintosh, and I'd be surprised if there wasn't at least a passing nod to that triumph.

My dream of a modern iMac in a retro case? Well, that may be a little too much to ask...

About to heat up?

While many are looking forward to the new AI branded features expected on the iPhone, it may also prove to be a cause for concern. That's according to renowned Apple insider, Mark Gurman, who tweeted ahead of his arrival at the conference.

Gurman suggests that some of the features may be "especially buggy", with users advised – more now than ever before – to be cautious installing the software too quickly on their main device.

It will certainly be interesting to see just how much of what is on show becomes available right away.

If my calculations are correct...

Let's stay with Mr Gurman for a moment, as we dive into an exciting feature said to be coming to the iPad lineup. This is a long-awaited feature which is almost certain to please users.

Yes folks, the popular Apple inside man has confirmed that a Calculator app will come to the device for the first time. It has been a notable admission from the tablet range since its inception, and the brand seem to have finally come to their senses on that front.

According to the report, the same overall interface used on the current iPhone app will make its way to the iPad and the MacBook.

It's the final countdown

One important attendee of today's event is already at Apple Park bright and early. The brand's CEO, Tim Cook, has shared an image on Twitter of the sun rising over the iconic building.

It has become something of a tradition at these events, with the top man taking to Twitter to build some excitement as the sun starts to beam down on the show.

We'll all be waiting patiently to see what Apple has cooked up for us this time out.

Will we get a new Apple TV 4K?

Hi, news editor Rik here now to take us closer to the event.

One of the more persistent rumours of recent times is that we'll be getting a new Apple TV box soon – after all, the current Apple TV 4K was released at the end of 2022.

Sadly, it's doubtful we'll get a hardware refresh quite yet – the existing model is still widely considered to be among the best streaming devices – but there could well be some new features coming for the 64GB and 128GB variants.

Apple tvOS 18 will likely benefit from some of the new AI capabilities Apple is set to announce – possibly when it comes to Siri's search functionality. And, if homeOS does launch, it could affect how the Apple TV works with your smart home.

Either way, we don't have too long to wait to find out now.

In other Apple news...

While we're not likely to hear much about future iPhones, bar the software they will be running (iOS 18), a leak from a trustworthy source has revealed something interesting about the forthcoming iPhone 16 series.

Ice Universe claims to have found out that the iPhone 16 Pro models will come with the thinnest screen bezels of any phone ever!

It's a bold statement, but he says that the iPhone 16 Pro will have a 1.2mm bezel, while the Pro Max will have an even slimmer surround – 1.15mm. That's a 0.51mm and  0.4mm reduction year-on-year respectively.

It could allow Apple to slightly increase the screen size or even reduce the girth of the handsets themselves.

We won't find out for sure until September though, when the handsets traditionally launch.

Who's watching the watchOS?

Although there have been plenty of leaks on iOS 18 and Apple's AI plans, we've not heard anywhere near as much on the new watchOS.

That might be because Apple doesn't plan to add much this year, when it releases watchOS 11. Indeed, Bloomberg's Apple expert, Mark Gurman, claims it'll just be a "fairly minor" update – certainly in comparison with new system software for other devices.

It is tipped instead that the company will announce a bigger refresh of its Apple Watch lineup later this year, with the hardware being reconfigured in some way. That could include the long-awaited Apple Watch X.

"Thank you for being here..."

No matter how enthusiastic you are to watch the WWDC keynote (which is now just an hour-and-a-half away) you are unlikely to be as enthusiastic as the staff at Apple Park.

If only we were greeted every day like developer Filip Molčan was when he arrived earlier.

Make sure you make a cup of coffee... or tea... or gin!

Although Apple hasn't officially said how long its keynote presentation will last, last year's event ran for over two hours and the calendar invite added by the official site does hint that we could be in for a similar stretch. Just make sure you've got a coffee or another beverage lined up before it starts.

Admittedly, we did get some new Mac devices and the Apple Vision Pro, last year, so there was arguably more to talk about. But I wouldn't be surprised if the new AI stuff takes up an hour on its own.

Confidence is a preference for the habitual voyeur of what is known as... Apple Parklife

Last year's WWDC was held outside at Apple Park and it seems this year's will be too. The staging looks very similar to the one used for WWDC 23.

That's according to an image posted on X by Apple designer, Taylor Carrigan. It looks like it's a beautiful day in Cupertino anyway, so I can certainly see why.

Wozzat? Is Wozniak making a return?

If you've followed Apple's history then you'll know that Steve Wozniak, Apple co-creator, effectively departed the company back in 1985...

...yet various shots of who appears to be Wozniak at Cupertino have surfaced in the last few hours and that leaves the big question: what is Wozniak up to?

He's well known for his philanthropist views, indeed his Twitter/X profile begins: "Engineers first! Human rights." So perhaps this is Apple's play in the whole AI and ethics debate. I'm sure we'll find out soon enough...

Ai, ai ai! It's Sam Altman of OpenAI

Well, if you needed any more confirmation that this Dub Dub was going to be any more focused on AI then here you have it: Sam Altman, the (is-he-isn't-he?) CEO of OpenAI, which created ChatGPT, is in the building. Well, outside the building, to be pernickety. 

Whether that means there's an OpenAI tie-in with Apple, or a new venture, or something entirely unrelated isn't yet clear. Just be prepared for the 'AI counter' to go into overdrive during the presentation, I think we can all be clear on that...

So who will benefit from this expected AI upgrade?

But back to the actual products for a moment. With iOS 18 expected to roll out for the assumed iPhone 16 launch event around September, will only new hardware purchases benefit from new AI features?

Apparently not. MacRumors has a list of all the supposedly compatible iOS 18 devices – and there are plenty! The list goes all the way back to XR and XS models, meaning from the iPhone 11 onwards you're golden for an update. Even the second- and third-generation iPhone SE models are said to benefit. 

Exactly how that'll work is up for question, however, as there's a lot of different hardware running on those various models. That means differing limitations for on-device processing, which will either mean certain AI features have to be cloud-based and that others may not run as well on older hardware – but I'm sure Apple will be clear about whether it's a one benefit for all update or not. 

Tick tock, it's almost time, so here's a WWDC 2024 summary of expectations

Only 5 minutes to go until the big event gets underway, so here's a quick recap of what to expect from WWDC 2024:

1. No hardware expected, it's all thought to be software focused.

1b. Caveat to that likely to be an international launch date for Apple Vision Pro.

2. iOS 18 and other operating systems (iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, etc) to get embedded AI feature advances.

2b. iOS 18 expected to roll out with iPhone 16 series from September, but backwards compatibility now expected (whether with all AI features or not is TBC).

3. homeOS rumours suggest a big push in HomeKit and Siri integrations for smart home automations. But that could be nothing but a false rumour!

4. A smarter Siri: Apple's voice assistant, while useful, has so much room for improvement. And if Apple is going to leverage large language models (LLMs) and make Siri even smarter with the power of AI then now is the time. 

4b. Could that possibly maybe mean a new HomePod? No, I said no hardware, so don't expect it. 

5. Get your AI counter at the ready. You're going to hear "AI" muttered at least a couple of hundred times over the next two hours. Best prepare yourself...

Apple TV+

Wowsers, Apple TV+ is now 5 years old. It was a T3 Awards winner last year, as the best streaming service. And look how it continues to soar.

Tim Cook, Apple CEO, from atop Apple's HQ – literally, he's on the roof presenting – is showing off the showcase of what's forthcoming for the service. 

From Severance to Wolfs, Bad Money to Shrinking, and plenty more besides, there's a lot of Apple TV+ original content to come this year. 

All the OS announcements!

Apple Vision Pro first arrived in February and it's got some updates coming for its visionOS. Here's what to expect from visionOS 2. Yep, the second-gen operating system is coming. 

Photos. Spatial computing has reinvented how you view your photos, apparently. With the photos already in your library you can create a left- and right-eye view for full three-dimensional viewing. 

Mac integration. You can bring your Mac into your visionOS workflow, but an update will bring a higher resolution and larger virtual display within the OS.  

Travel mode. Apple is adding 'train mode' in addition to the existing 'plane mode', so you can use your Vision Pro on the go -- something that was previously a problem on trains due to GPS.

That's the summary. But as a side note for spatial video: Canon has created a special 3D lens for its EOS R7 camera. Pretty high-end stuff, but if you're serious about three-dimensional VR/AR and spatial video then it's one clear option. 

Vision Pro international rollout, finally!

Yay, the Vision Pro will be coming to the UK and some other EU territories on 12 July. 

In some other regions, such as China and Singapore, it's even sooner, from 28 June. 

No pricing or further info just yet, but an expected announcement has come true. 

All about that iOS

Yes, iOS 18 is coming. Here are some of the new features to expect:

Customisation: Tweak colours and implement a new dark mode for your home screen and Control Center as you please. 

Control Center: 'Controls Gallery' added, meaning developers can offer control widgets from their apps -- and you can choose them if you wish. It's a bit like Widgets in Android. 

Privacy: A new way to protect sensitive apps by adding Lock an App. If someone else using your phone tries to open a locked app it'll require additional verification. You can also Hide an App in a new hidden apps folder, which is also locked. Contacts can also be segmented so you can control which apps see which contact books. 

Messages: Tapbacks has been redesigned, with any emoji or sticker now available. Schedule Send is also being added. Text Formatting: bold, italicise or strikethru any text. Text Effects, such as nod, bounce, ripple, enhance the visual tone. Messages via Satellite is added for texting when off the grid, using iMessage with end-to-end encryption. 

Mail: On Device Categorization adds breakdowns, from Primary to Updates, Promotions and more -- much like Gmail already offers on Android. 

Maps: new topographic maps added and which can be saved to your phone. 

Wallet: Tap to Cash introduced, a way to privately pay other Apple users in proximity. 

Journal: adds an Insights view. And use search to find entries you're looking for. 

Game Mode is coming to iPhone. Just like on Mac, Game Mode minimised background alerts. 

Photos: iOS 18 brings the biggest redesign ever to the app. It's designed to keep your library organised. The app has been unified into a single view: a single view at the top and your library at the bottom. You can use the 'months' and 'years' views at the bottom to quickly narrow down and further filter (including screenshots segregation). Collections added for Time, People, My Favorite, Trips and other selections. Recent Days brings an autoplay view at the top, and filters out screenshots, receipts and other uninteresting admin. 

AirPods upgrade

An enhanced Siri experience is coming. 

A gentle nod or shake of the head allows you to respond without needing to say anything. Great for when it busy places where you don't want to be heard. 

Voice Isolation is coming to AirPods Pro. This delivers improved call quality by removing the background noise around you.

Personalised Spatial Audio expands so games and other content. Need For Speed Mobile will be the first to feature it, coming later this year. 

Audio and visual upgrades

There are some updates coming to Apple TV, too, with a new feature called Insight showing you who's starring. It's similar to what Amazon offers with its X-Ray feature. 

With tvOS there are new audio enhancements, too, with voice enhancement processing available and more advanced subtitles options. 

Apple is also adding a 21:9 format for projectors, so if that's how you watch you'll get an as-the-director-intended view.

watchOS 11

For Apple Watch the new software adds Training Load to deliver data and insights to avoid overtraining. A feature that many competitors have offered for many years, so about time Apple added this.

Rings can now also be paused. Whether you're in recovery, taking a day off, or whatever other reason, you can continue to maintain your 'Rings closed' streak without the shame. 

Separately there's a new Vitals app, which is a way to quick view your metrics and context around your typical ranges.

iPadOS 18

The iPad version of iOS 18, ultimately, brings the same updates as mentioned for that software. But there's more, of course, as it's specifically for iPad. 

First up there's a new floating tab bar. It's a redesigned experience that works with apps across the system, making access to your favourites easier than ever. It can morph into the side bar and back to floating as needed.

SharePlay. You can tap and draw on your screen to point out what they should do on theirs. Remote control over other users' iPad or iPhone also available. 

Calculator. Yes, calc comes to iPad. It's updated to take advantage of the larger display. But this also adds Apple Pencil compatibility with a new feature called Math Notes: you can scrawl notes on page and the app will automatically work out the results in real-time -- and in your handwriting too. 

Notes: adds Smart Script for handwriting to recreate your handwriting style from your notes, but it enhances and makes it more legible as you go. You can even paste text in your handwriting style. 

macOS

'The next chapter of our journey of productivity and creativity'. But everyone wants to know what it's called, right? Well, it's Sequoia. Yep, the hardest-to-say OS name ever!

Continuity: when you use Apple products together and they automatically hand over between devices. Sequoia brings iPhone Mirroring which, as the name says, brings the iPhone into your desktop. You can also bring notifications from iPhone apps onto your Mac. Your iPhone remains locked during this process so nobody else can access it. 

Video conferencing: new Presenter Preview allows you to preview what you're about to share before you share it. 

Keychain to manage passwords: the Passwords app makes it easy to access your credentials and have them secured all in one place.

Safari browser: alleges to be 'the world's fastest browser', with improved battery life for video streaming. Highlights adds summaries and contextual additions around searches -- directions and address when viewing a hotel, for example. Viewer helps to add videos front and centre, with picture-in-picture view too. 

More games coming to Mac

Apple silicon hardware and the Metal 3 behind the scenes is gathering pace and developers are coming to Mac. 

Ubisoft is one example, with Assassin's Creed: Shadows will becoming to Mac and even iPad. Expect more AAA titles to come in the future.

'Personal Intelligence' goes beyond Artificial Intelligence

Well, much as I said 'AI' would be repeated almost never-endingly, I was wrong! Because Apple doesn't do AI, it does Apple Intelligence.

What Apple presented here, however, is similar to other systems, such as ChatGPT. The critical difference? It's embedded within Apple's ecosystem to make for a more personal and contextualised experience across its full suite of apps. 

It will look to leverage Language, Images, Actions, and Personal Context to bring AI-enhanced processes to your day-to-day.

And, as predicted, Apple is going big on Privacy, with on-device processing. That means it's aware of your personal data, but is not actually collecting your personal data or storing it elsewhere.

That's what will make Apple Intelligence stand apart from its competitors: it's a cohesive and closed system.

Many AI models run on device. But there are times when models need to be larger than a single processor can manage -- and that's when off-device cloud-based processing is required. For this Apple is introducing Private Cloud Compute. This allows Apple Intelligence to draw on larger server-based models whilst maintaining your privacy. 

A smarter Siri

Can you believe it: Siri is 13? It's a teenager already! So now it's time for Siri to evolve. 

Apple says Siri will bring a more natural, relevant, and personal experience. Contextual awareness removes the need for repetition, for example. 

Siri has a new look, too, with a glowing light that wraps around the edge of the screen that's in use when interacting. 

On-screen awareness is coming too. Siri will understand what you're looking at and how that's relevant to your queries. 

Apple Intelligence will roll out further updates, with Siri able to take actions across multiple apps. You won't be locked into a single app, allowing Siri to move through your system as you do -- by using an App Intents Framework (available as an API, so developers will be able to leverage this too).

What can Apple Intelligence do? 

In additon to email composition, tone adjustment, and summaries, Apple Intelligence will offer plenty more too. 

Apple Intelligence can create emojis using prompts. Genmoji is its name. 

Image Playground is a new way to create new images in just seconds. Choose from themes, costumes, places, accessories and more. 

Image Wand is a brand-new tool for the Notes app. Transform a rough sketch into a more sophisticated image. Circle an empty space, prompting the tool to contextually understand what surrounds that on page to create an automatic image. 

Clean Up tool will auto-identify unwanted subjects in the background of images and remove them from photos. 

Memory Movie can be created by typing a prompt.

ChatGPT is on board

It's not all Apple Intelligence specifically, though, as Siri has a tie-in with ChatGPT. That's the OpenAI link, then, and why Sam Altman was spotted ahead of the show. 

Siri will ask permission to share with ChatGPT, however, to ensure you're in control of privacy.

ChatGPT will be accessible for free, without logging in. If you're a ChatGPT subscriber, however, then you'll be able to login and gain access to paid features. 

That's a wrap

So there we have it: Apple Intelligence (AI) is coming, with a smarter Siri and contextual awareness for iOS 18 and other Apple operating systems. 

Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, has finally been released from the roof of Apple's HQ -- I was worried he was never getting down -- and, with feet on the ground, that's WWDC 2024 over and out. 

From the very first iPhone, Apple has had pretty strong views on what you should and shouldn't be allowed to do when it comes to customising your iPhone – but in the last few iOS releases it's become a little more relaxed, with iOS 17 being the most personal iOS so far. And with iOS 18 you're going to get even more control over the way your iPhone looks.

With iOS 18, Apple will enable you to position icons pretty much anywhere on the Home Screen. And a new report says you'll be able to change the way they look too. That isn't just a cosmetic thing. It can be a productivity booster and time-saver too.

What customisation is coming in iOS 18?

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, his Apple sources tell him that iOS 18 will enable you not just to put icons anywhere without being stuck to a grid, but to recolour them too. 

That's a feature that you'll occasionally find in individual apps, often limited to more premium users, and if you've got lots of time you can do it in Shortcuts. But with iOS 18 it'll be simple and system-wide – so if you don't want Just Eat to be red or Uber to be black you'll be able to change their icons to suit. Or at least, that's the hope. Some icons are trademarked logos, so it's possible that the likes of McDonalds won't let you override them. It'll be interesting to see how Apple handles that.

That could make using your iPhone (and iPad; this is likely to come to iPadOS too) a little more convenient, because coloured icons can help with recognition or get in the way of it: for some reason most of my food-related apps are red, but so are some of my social ones. That often means opening the wrong folder when I want to open a specific app. By enabling me to change the colours, for example by making food apps green and social ones red, iOS would remove a little but common irritant. 

The move makes sense: when Apple introduced the Shortcuts app, which is a pretty powerful automation app, the most excitement appeared to be over using it to customise icons. So making that option much easier and available to everyone is a worthwhile improvement. We'll see how it works when Apple shows off iOS 18 at WWDC in June 2024, although iOS 18 won't launch in its final form until September.

Last year, Microsoft said that it really wanted to bring Xbox gaming to iPhones, iPads and Android devices. And it's about to deliver just that. The Xbox mobile games store will arrive on iOS and Android this July – but despite the EU's move to make Apple open up iOS to gaming apps, it's not going to be an app.

That's according to 9to5google, reporting on Xbox president Sarah Bond's presentation to the Bloomberg Technology Summit this week. Bond confirmed that the Xbox mobile game store will launch on the two rival platforms this July, and also confirmed that "the Xbox game store won't be launching as a native app." Rather, the store will "start on the web".

So what does that mean for your mobile games?

When the Xbox game store app isn't an app

According to Microsoft, the reason for the web focus is so that it can distribute its store worldwide on "all devices". That's a not-so-subtle dig at Apple: while Apple has opened things up a little bit in Europe, it hasn't done the same in the rest of the world and probably won't without similar regulatory pressure. Microsoft, understandably, doesn't want to make an app that's only available to customers in a few countries. Hence the web.

That's the "where" of the app. What we don't know yet is the "how": how will these games be delivered? Once again the issue here is Apple, because while Apple allows sideloading on iOS it only allows it in the EU. So it seems highly likely that what Microsoft is offering here, at least to begin with, is more cloud gaming rather than stand-alone gaming apps.

For the kind of apps Microsoft is talking about, that shouldn't be a problem: I've found cloud gaming can be disappointing with bigger games, but according to Microsoft the launch line-up includes the likes of Minecraft and Candy Crush, neither of which are particularly taxing on the hardware or bandwidth fronts. However if Microsoft is going to be basing these games in the cloud, you're still going to need a pretty solid data connection in order to enjoy them. 

The iOS operating system that runs on iPhones has been with us for a very long time, but it still has some weird quirks that Apple hasn't quite eliminated. However, it looks like one of the longest-standing quirks is finally going to be sorted in iOS 18, which will release later this year alongside the iPhone 16.

iOS 18 is going to be overhauling a lot of the core iOS apps, and one of those apps is the Calendar. According to AppleInsider, it's finally going to get the integration with the Reminders app that it's been missing for so many years. The same change will also be coming to the Mac and to the iPad, and for me it can't come soon enough.

What's the problem with the Calendar?

On every iPhone, Apple gives you two organisation apps: Calendars and Reminders. You can't see your reminders in your Calendar, and you can't see your calendars in Reminders. This is enormously silly, because in a typical day you'll have a mix of time-sensitive tasks and tasks that don't need done at a particular time but do need done on that day. But iOS doesn't care. Calendars live in Calendar and reminders live in Reminders and never the twain shall meet.

First world problems, I know. But it's incredibly annoying if like me you're scatterbrained and rely on your phone to ensure you don't forget to be anywhere or do anything.

That app separation will finally change in iOS 18, with a new unified experience that will enable you to create, schedule and edit reminders from within the Calendar app. You'll be able to tag it and/or attach notes, you'll be able to set reminders for specific dates, times and locations, and you'll be able to attach high priority labels too. And presumably the changes will also be reflected in the Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets so you can get a bird's-eye view of your entire schedule in a single tile.

The current separation of Calendar and Reminders has been good news for the likes of Fantastical, whose app plugs into both apps and enables me to see content from both at once. And iOS 18 is likely to get another feature that was previously a USP for Fantastical: plain English, natural language instructions. With the increasingly AI-powered iOS 18 we should be able to have more conversational interactions with our apps, and Calendar is likely to be one of them.

iOS 18, the successor to the current iPhone operating system, is due to launch later this year – and a new leak suggests that it's going to involve some big upgrades to the user interface and to some of the apps you use every day too.

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the iOS 18 upgrade will "overhaul" some of the key iOS apps. Gurman doesn't currently have details of what that overhaul will actually entail, but says that it's going to mean upgrades to the stock Mail, Photos, Fitness and Notes app. That fits with previous leaks that suggested new voice and maths features were coming to Notes, but it's the first indication of changes to the other core apps.

iOS 18: key upgrades to apps, interface and more

We've heard multiple reports now of AI and machine learning upgrades coming to iOS 18, not just in terms of a smarter Siri – although that would be very welcome – but in all kinds of apps, for example by bringing more intelligent playlist creation to Apple Music. 

We're expecting some form of AI-based assistance in Messages, better personalisation in Health, and generative AI assistance in productivity apps including Pages, Numbers and Keynote. Spotlight search and Shortcuts, er, shortcuts have also been tipped for some AI enhancements, and Apple is believed to be running the AI features on the device rather than in the cloud so it should be pretty speedy. In addition to some AI help, Messages will also play nicer with Android users as Apple adopts the RCS messaging standard.

The other key feature – unless you're an iPad owner who's been counting the years since the tablet launched without a Calculator app; that's finally coming this year – is more customisation of the Home Screen. 

At the moment your customisation is quite limited by Apple's grid-based layout; that is reportedly changing so you'll be able to put your icons anywhere on the Home Screen and use blank space creatively too. I hope this one isn't buggy because once you've got your Home Screen just-so, you want it to stay that way.

We're expecting iOS 18 to be previewed at WWDC in May, with a launch later in 2024.

Apple has confirmed the dates for WWDC 24, its Worldwide Developers Conference that previews the upcoming OS updates for the year. Scheduled for 10th to 14th June 2024, the event will be held online with a special event at Apple Park on 10th June. 

While the event is primarily aimed at the developers who will create new apps and programmes for Apple's Mac OS, iPad OS and iOS, its keynote has become of interest to all Apple users as it typically reveals the features that are coming to the new updates later in the year. 

This time we are likely to get a preview of iOS 18 – rumoured to be a big update for the iPhone 16 – along with iPad OS 18, TVOS 18 and Mac OS 15. The Mac OS is likely to follow with another California-related name. 

This year we're also likely to see an update to Apple's Vision OS, the operating system for the Vision Pro mixed reality glasses. And hopefully an update on the Apple CarPlay platform after the final folding of the Apple Car project. 

WWDC is not usually a platform for new products, but we have seen some launches here in the past. It was the announcement of the Vision Pro that stole the show in 2023. This year we could see more information on a Mac Pro machine. My guess though is that the focus will remain heavily on the Vision Pro headset, as it is expected to launch in Europe and other markets around the same time. 

The WWDC 24 keynote taking place on 10th June will be broadcast on Apple's website as well as its developer page, YouTube channel and on Apple TV events. 

The next generation of Apple's software for iPhones and iPads, iOS/iPadOS 18, is expected to be a big upgrade over iOS 17 (pictured above) with lots of AI-powered improvements - Apple is reportedly spending serious amounts of money on the new OS. But the most useful improvement may be a bit lower-tech and a lot more useful. 

According to Mark Gurman at Bloomberg.com, the iOS 18 and iPadOS Home Screen will be "more customizable"; MacRumors has since spoken to "sources familiar with the matter" who say that in particular you'll have more flexibility with icon placement. 

What new features will be in iOS 18?

According to MacRumors' sources, your app icons will still be locked to an invisible grid but you'll have much more control over how to arrange them – so for example you may be able to insert blank spaces, blank rows and blank columns instead of the current system where the icons all slide together. 

That would be particularly useful if you use photos for your Home Screen background, because at the moment if an app icon obscures something you'd like to see – such as your loved one's face – the only way around it is to edit the image.

Apple hasn't exactly been enthusiastic about customisation, something Android users have taken for granted for years, but its attitude thawed a bit with iOS 16 and its groundbreaking – for Apple – features such as being able to slightly change the typeface on your clock display. At the moment, though, full customisation is still the job of third party apps such as Widgetsmith rather than something you can do in the operating system.

MacRumors doesn't share more details but says that iOS 18 could feature the "biggest Home Screen revamp in several years". If that's the case it'll arrive alongside other new features including improved Siri with generative AI, RCS support in Messages and possibly a design revamp too: we've previously heard that iOS 18 may share some of its design language with the visionOS currently used in the Vision Pro. 

iOS 18 will be unveiled at the annual WWDC conference, which will take place in June 2024.

Continuing its long-running fencing match with Apple, Epic Games has confirmed what everyone suspected – it is bringing a dedicated Epic Games Store app to iOS this year.

The app has been announced on Epic Games Store's X (formerly Twitter) account, and is branded with the inclusion of Android phones, too. 

In reality, the situation is a little more complicated on Android, which has already had a form of Epic Games Store that you could download directly from Epic for a while. 

However, this would suggest that Epic will have both app stores with feature parity out sometime soon.

The major asterisk attached, though, is for iPhone owners, including those with an iPhone 15, who will need to be in the EU in order for this to apply. 

After all, this app store is only possible because of Apple's new compliance with the EU's Digital Markets Act, which has brought in a whole host of regulations for it to abide by where competition is concerned.

This includes the ability for users to download third-party app stores, and apps from sources other than Apple's own App Store. 

However, for customers outside the EU, including those in the UK or US, these changes haven't come into place, as Apple isn't pursuing a worldwide rollout. 

So, Epic's plans therefore aren't quite as wide-reaching as they sound at first, although in theory the Android app store should be available globally. 

Epic has already detailed the cut it'll take from third-party apps and games downloaded through its own app store, too – 12%. This is lower than the 30% cuts that Apple and Google have been demanding for years, although Apple is also adjusting its take-homes after the DMA was enacted. 

Regardless, it looks like Apple and Epic's long duel shows no signs of subsiding – we don't have a timeline for the arrival of the new Epic Games Store on mobile, but some reports state that it should arrive in 2024. 

It'll be exceedingly interesting to see how well the platform does when it's available. While Fortnite remains one massive ace up its sleeve, whether most iOS and Android users actually want another app store remains to be seen. 

We might be six months into the current iPhone lineup, but iOS 17 just got a significant upgrade. The latest OS 17.4 update brings, not only bug fixes and security updates, but a host of useful new features that make every iPhone (from 2018 onwards) even better. 

I’ve been using the public Beta of 17.4 for some weeks now and while much of the update focuses on the new rules for Europe, there are some that add to the useability of the iPhone for all and prepare it for some really clever things in the future. 

You can update your iPhone to the latest version of iOS 17 (17.4) by going to Settings>General>Software Update. If you have automatic updates selected, your phone should update overnight the next time it’s plugged in or placed on a wireless charger. It’s not just the latest iPhone 15 models that get the update either. A total of 24 models are compatible with the iOS 17 update from the iPhone Xs onwards. 

1. Secure Messaging

For added security in messaging, PQ3 protects against hacks that harvest encrypted data with the aim of using quantum computing to decode it later. This post-quantum cryptographic protocol is one step beyond simply end-to-end encryption, which has been a selling point for iMessage for some time, and means that whatever you type is safer than ever. 

2. Cloud gaming

Gaming on the iPhone takes a massive leap forward with iOS 17.4 as it finally allows the iPhone to provide streaming game apps. Previously streaming games could only be accessed via a a web browser, but this change opens the door for developers to stream gameplay direct from their servers to apps. It’s great news for services like Xbox Cloud Gaming and Nvidia GeForce Now. 

3. Emojis

Emojis have become an important part of our written communication, especially in text messages, so adding a few more options to the list is never a bad thing. In iOS 17.4 there are new faces for nodding and shaking your head, which I have already made use of. 

There’s also a mushroom, flaming phoenix, broken chain and lime… which I haven’t, but if I ever plan on having tequila shots at the Golden Phoenix for someone’s breakup, I can probably use at least three. There are also new side profiles of people standing, walking, kneeling, walking with a cane and in a wheelchair, plus non-gender-specific family icons. 

4. Next gen Car play support 

This is where iOS 17.4 gets interesting. The update opens up the capabilities for the next generation Apple CarPlay, supporting more integrated vehicle dynamics and instrument cluster display. On compatible cars, this means that you will be able to display maps on the instrument cluster and also adds a range of new apps to the system. These include the rear camera feed, tyre pressure, charging, climate controls, door opening warnings and radio station control. 

5. Stolen device protection

The stolen device protection was something that was introduced in iOS 17.3, which adds an extra layer of security in the form of biometrics when someone tries to perform certain tasks on your phone. The original version does this when the phone is located away from your usual locations (home, office etc). In iOS 17.4  though you can select to have this active in all locations. 

Other features

There are far more new features than just those above in the new iOS 17.4. For instance, users will now get the stopwatch function to appear as a live activity, the caller ID has been improved to recognise more Apple-verified businesses, there’s a new digital city clock widget for showing other time zones, and you can get transcripts in podcasts in case you want to read what you’re hearing (kind of like... an article). 

For the Europeans… 

The big feature in iOS 17.4 is arguably the changes for those inside the European Union, which won’t be seen on UK or US devices. As required by EU law, this now allows for alternative app stores, alternative payment options, new third-party browser options, the use of the NFC chip and the ability to add web apps. It’s unlikely that these functions will be available in other markets any time soon. 

Making good on promises it's been making for a while, Epic has confirmed again that it's going to be making a loud and proud return to iOS in the near future.

We already knew straight from the horse's mouth that the massive publisher (and Fornite maker) would be coming back to the platform, but a new update suggests that it'll be sooner rather than later.

In a blog post reviewing Epic Games Store stats for 2023, there's mention of the fact that Apple has reinstated Epic's iOS developer account in the EU. 

This opens the way for the studio to realise its plans to both bring back a direct app download for Fortnite, and to bring its gaming storefront to the platform as its own app, too. 

All of this has been prompted by the EU bringing into force its new Digital Markets Act, a set of laws that have had a direct bearing on the extremely tempestuous relationship between Apple and Epic. That hinged on the fees that Apple charges developers each time a purchase or download is made through its platform. 

Apple now has to allow third-party storefronts on iOS, as a result of the Act, and Epic is swooping to take advantage after years of being effectively banned from the App Store. 

All of this is true for people in the EU, anyway – the two companies aren't tangled in lawsuits over in this jurisdiction, compared to a much messier state of affairs in the US, and with the UK's lack of EU membership, it is likely to be excluded too. 

This means that there should be an iOS Fortnite app pretty soon for EU citizens, although we don't have any sort of an actual timeline from Epic yet.

In the US, Apple and Epic have both been appealing sections of various rulings in lawsuits between them, disputing wording and some conclusions, although so far nothing has been amended or rewritten. 

Whether the two companies can actually cool down and start operating a little bit more normally together will remain to be seen. While that goes on behind the scenes, the upshot is that the Epic Games Store and Fortnite could get a decent chunk easier to find on an iPhone in the very near future. 

After biding its time, Apple has finally spoken up about the upcoming application of the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) to its mobile platforms. 

The changes are going to be pretty big in EU countries, allowing in-app subscriptions where Apple takes a smaller cut, and the return of some pretty major services and software as a result.

Epic Games has already confirmed that it will bring a native Fortnite app back to iOS for users in the applicable countries, and there's a strong expectation that we'll also see multiple alternative third-party app stores on Apple's own devices. 

However, those in the UK heralding such change should take a step or two back, the company has confirmed in a press release that it will indeed only be making the majority of changes available to users in EU countries, rather than rolling them out widely.

That means that like US, Canadian and Australian iPhone owners, Brits are also unlikely to get a sniff of them without local legislation. The UK is no longer a part of the European Union, after all.

Apple's public line is that the changes the EU is insisting upon will make iOS a less secure platform as far as payment processing and reliability is concerned. 

It says that it will make some changes to accommodate these new policies, though, including what it's calling Notarization, a new system that will seemingly require all apps to be reviewed (including by a human) to check that they're passing muster. 

Quite far down the release, there's a telling segment about new fee structures, too, which is already attracting criticism from some developers (including Epic Games' Tim Sweeney, who remains outspoken on the issue). 

One of these stipulates that developers will have to "pay €0.50 for each first annual install per year over a one million threshold", which has likely incensed Epic Games, knowing that it could result in a bill of millions of Euros if Fortnite's return to the platform is massively successful. 

It's not just the App Store, though – Safari will also get a new screen the first time you ever open it, offering you the choice of other browsers to set as your default. 

The system should all click into place just before 7 March this year, when the law comes into effect. Although if you're not a resident in an EU country, you're unlikely to notice much difference when it does. 

One of the annoying things about WhatsApp is its focus almost exclusively on phones: the desktop Mac app is a very recent development – it only arrived this August – and there's still no sign of an official app for the iPad. But a new beta of the iOS app means you can get a full-screen WhatsApp app instead of running the iPhone app in single or double-sized views.

The trick was spotted by WaBetaInfo, and to use it you'll need to install two things: TestFlight, which is Apple's app for running apps that aren't yet available in the App Store, and the latest WhatsApp beta for iOS. It has to be the beta: the feature isn't in the standard iOS app yet. And you'll need to be enrolled for the beta already, because the current beta programme is now full and isn't currently accepting new members. 

Here's how to do it.

How to get WhatsApp for iPad

First of all, you'll need to have TestFlight installed on your iPhone and have access to the WhatsApp For iOS Official Beta Program. If you do, you can then install the beta iOS version of the app through TestFlight on your iPad too. There's no way around this: if you haven't signed up for beta access, there's currently no way to run WhatsApp as an iPad app instead of as an iPhone app.    

Once you've got the beta installed on both devices, open the WhatsApp beta on your iPhone, sign in and go into WhatsApp Settings > Linked Devices. This will generate a QR code you can then scan on your iPad in order to link it to your WhatsApp account. You'll need to use the same WhatsApp account on both your iPhone and your iPad.

The reason this beta now works on iPad is because it uses what's called Companion Mode, which is a way of using more than one device for the same account. Any messages you send or receive on your iPad will be mirrored on your iPhone and vice-versa, and your messages and calls will be protected with the same end-to-end encryption.

If you don't already have access to the beta programme, don't worry: if the new feature is now in the beta, it shouldn't be long before it makes its way into the final release. WhatsApp's development tends to move very quickly so iPad compatibility should be imminent.   

Apple held its "Wonderlust" event last week, launching a swathe of new products in the process.

We got to see the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus with their new dynamic island, the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max with camera boosts and new titanium casing, plus the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2. We even got new AirPods Pro with USB-C.

They are all available for pre-order now, with the majority being shipped from this Friday, 22 September.

However, the company didn't really mention the software much at the time – just sprinkling a few feature details here and there when discussing the devices themselves.

But, after it finished, T3 was sent some press details revealing the dates Apple will make its latest operating systems available to existing iPhone and other device owners. And, the good news is that you won't have to wait long. In fact, it's only a matter of hours away now.

Apple will release iOS 17 today, Monday 18 September 2023. We expect it'll be available around 10am PT / 6pm BST, if previous years are to go by.

Here are the potential times for your region:

• US West Coast: 10:00 PT
• US East Coast: 13:00 ET
• UK: 18:00 BST
• Central Europe: 19:00 CEST
• India (New Delhi): 22:30 IST
• China (Beijing): 01:00 CST (19 September)
• Japan (Tokyo): 02:00 JST (19 September)
• South Korea (Seoul): 02:00 KST (19 September)
• Australia (Sydney): 03:00 AEST (19 September)

Will my iPhone run iOS 17?

Unfortunately, not everyone will be able to install the new software on their iPhones. Apple has published a compatibility list that starts with the iPhone Xs, so owners of the revolutionary iPhone X will not be able to run iOS 17.

Here's the entire compatibility list in full:

• iPhone 15
• iPhone 15 Plus
• iPhone 15 Pro
• iPhone 15 Pro Max
• iPhone 14
• iPhone 14 Plus
• iPhone 14 Pro
• iPhone 14 Pro Max
• iPhone 13
• iPhone 13 mini
• iPhone 13 Pro
• iPhone 13 Pro Max
• iPhone 12
• iPhone 12 mini
• iPhone 12 Pro
• iPhone 12 Pro Max
• iPhone 11
• iPhone 11 Pro
• iPhone 11 Pro Max
• iPhone XS
• iPhone XS Max
• iPhone XR
• iPhone SE (2nd generation or later)

When will iPadOS 17 be available?

Apple will also release iPadOS 17 at the same time. That means anyone with a 6th Gen iPad or better will be able to download and run the latest software today, 18 September, too.

Here is the iPadOS 17 compatibility list:

• iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2nd generation and later)
• iPad Pro 10.5-inch
• iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and later)
• iPad Air (3rd generation and later)
• iPad (6th generation and later)
• iPad mini (5th generation and later)

It's worth also noting that WatchOS 10 will also release at the same time, as well as tvOS 17.

However, macOS Sonoma will follow a week later and will be available from 26 September 2023.

Apple iOS 17 features

Apple's iOS 17 is one of the most eagerly anticipated software releases in years. It promises a smorgasbord of new features and design tweaks that should improve every compatible iPhone.

Among them include Contact Posters that enable you to choose how you appear to contacts when you call them, Live Voicemail that transcribes voice messages in real-time, and Check In, which automatically notifies loved ones when you arrive at a destination.

NameDrop will share contact information between iPhones wireless, just by tapping them together, and there will be plenty of Interactive Widgets available on the Home and Lock Screens to perform different actions without even needing to fully unlock the iPhone.

There are plenty more besides, and you'll be able to check them out for yourself very soon.

That's a wrap! Apple's Wonderlust 12 September event is done and dusted, with just shy of 90 minutes presentation revealing the iPhone 15 series and all-new Apple Watch devices (and, quietly, USB-C-toting AirPods Pro 2 too!).

There was a lot to take in: the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus with Dynamic Island design; the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max with new Titanium design; an all-new 5x zoom for the iPhone 15 Pro Max; plus a trio of watches in the Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Ultra 2, and entry-level Apple Watch SE 2 update. 

Here's a rundown of all the expanded coverage that the T3 team has concocted during the event, with links to each article below, or scroll beyond for the original live blog as it happened beat for beat:

iPhone 15 series

• Apple once again sets the iPhone 15 Pro Max apart as the king of the hill
• Here's why the iPhone 15 Pro Max's new camera is the one to beat
• iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus models show off massive new features
• iPhone 15 sounds like a photography monster
• The iPhone 15's ray tracing sounds like a every gamer's dream
• iPhone 15 Pro brings strength, action and the best camera yet to the Apple flagship

Apple Watch

• Apple Watch Ultra 2 adds new ultra-bright display, new features and more
• Apple Watch Series 9 adds double tap gesture and it's mind-blowing
• Apple Watch Series 9 comes with a much brighter screen

Original live blog follows below:

Colour me excited...

As I was writing the intro to this Apple iPhone 15 live blog it got me thinking about iPhone's colour options. As you can see from the render above there's largely expected to be a red/pink finish, plus there's already been word of a refresh of the colour palette for the iPhone 15 series with wider options.

But then I couldn't stop staring at the Wonderlust teaser animation and its swirling of silvers and blues. It could just be me imagining it, but is Apple about to drop a more pearlescent finish with a new blue hue (try saying that 15 times in a row, eh)? I know the iPhone has offered a blue finish prior to now, but this is 2023, so it's time for a fresher shade of it...

The ultimate iPhone?

Happy Apple Day! Tech Staff Writer Andy Sansom here, the iPhone Ultra of Staff Writers. What is an iPhone Ultra you ask? Well, earlier this year there was a genuine belief that there would be a mysterious fifth model that would go beyond even the Pro Max model. Dubbed the iPhone Ultra, it was supposedly the ultimate bells and whistles iPhone, but sorry to break your heart, we aren't expecting it later today.

It is instead believed that the iPhone Ultra will come with the iPhone 16 range, likely releasing about this time next year! So see you all then as well. Do stay tuned however because we have a hunch Apple has some interesting reveals in store for today. 

Made of tough stuff 

One of the most persistent rumours about the iPhone Pro models could change the look and feel of the phone forever. The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max are made from a stainless steel body, but the new phones are believed to be made of titanium. 

Titanium (atomic number 22) is both stronger and lighter than stainless steel, but also more expensive. We're hopeful that this means we could see either a significant weight reduction and/or the toughest iPhone ever. It may also however see the price go up a chunk. 

All action

It looks like we've had our first new featue confirmation of the day... kind of. Case manufacturer Spigen has been a bit cheeky and seemingly revealed the brand-new 'action button' believed to replace the mute slider.

This button above the volume controls is suspected to be a bit of a mini-marvel capable of a host of different things. Muting is of course one of them iOS 17 source code has given us clues it could also be used for "Accessibility, Shortcuts, Silent Mode, Camera, Flashlight, Focus, Magnifier, Translate, and Voice Memos."

That's one busy button. 

Up periscope

Another headline feature we expect to see is bound to bring a smile to the face of amateur photographers everywhere. The iPhone 15 Pro Max is rumoured to be getting a periscope lens camera. This will greatly improve the optical zoom capabilities of the camera, believed to be up to 6x magnification. Any camera enthusiast will tell you that optical zoom eats digital zoom for breakfast, so this would be a massive upgrade. 

The best thing about a perisocpe lens is that you get all of the improved performance without a giant lens weighing the phone down. Sounds great right! 

What(ch) else?

It may be all some of us can think about, but it's not only the iPhone 15 that we are expecting to see today. The Apple Watch Series 9 is rumoured to be revealed too, with big changes and improvements expected for WatchOS, particularly if you're a cyclist or keen hiker.

We are hopeful as well that Apple's latest wearable will include Apple's A15 chip to dramatically improve the battery life of the watch. There's also talk of AirPods news, although that may just be unveiling the move to USB-C that many expect. 

Vision Pro no show?

This gentleman may be very happy to be wearing his Apple Vision Pro, but we don't expect there to be any significant news on Apple's headset today. Revealed at WWDC 2023, the Vision Pro is set to be released in 2024 while today is more about products launching imminently. 

That being said we can always cross our fingers for snippets of how development is going. There has been talk on how an iPhone 16 Ultra could be influenced by the Vision Pro, with a camera capable of taking 3D images. 

USB-C(razy)

Unless you've been living under a rock you'll probably know that it seems almost certain that the iPhone 15 will be the first to come with a USB-C port. This standardised charger is a big deal and will save those switching from Android hassle and money. It could however be a problem for iPhone loyalists.

The iPhone 15 is expected to come with a USB-C to USB-C cable in the box (probably not quite as cool as the Nothing cable above), but not a USB-C plug.  If you're firmly ensconced in the Apple ecosystem, you might not have many handy. It may be worth investing in one, as even if the iPhone 15 gets a wireless charging upgrade, it's probably not going to be as quick as plugging in.

Base model camera bump?

While it's the iPhone 15 Pro Max that everyone expects to get the headline camera upgrade, the cheaper iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus might get the most significant. 

The talk is that the base models will swap their current 12MP sensors for a 48MP sensor provided by Sony with a 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera added to boot. That's a serious jump in specs. If you've been put off by the price of the Pro phones,  it could be a good year to try one of the more affordable offerings.  

3 nm, what does it mean?

We have seen word that the iPhone 15 Pro models could be the first phones to feature a 3nm (nanometer) processor, Apple's A17 Bionic chip. That sounds great, but what does it mean? 

Well in layman's terms, 3nm refers to the size of the transistors in the phone's chips. With smaller transistors, Apple can shove more into the phone and make it perform a lot better. It's expected that the jump to 3nm could bring 15% more speed with the same level of power consumption or up to 30% less power consumption without slowing the speed of the phone. That's a pretty hefty upgrade. 

All the action live

Hi, it's news editor Rik Henderson here. I'm taking over for a while and, first up, would like to remind you that you'll be able to watch all of tonight's action right here on T3.

The show is being streamed live online and we have the video on our dedicated "how to watch" page. You will also be able to watch it on Apple's YouTube channel and through an Apple TV or plenty of other Apple devices.

There should be a crowd this year, much like WWDC 2023, so expect plenty of hollaring, whooping and a-cheering from the most enthusiastic members of the audience. Also remember that it starts at 10am PT (local time to Apple's HQ), which is 6pm BST UK time.

One rumoured iPhone 15 display rumour has the internet outraged

It seems like one particular iPhone 15 rumour has rubbed many up the wrong way.

According to speculation, the standard iPhone 15 models will be sticking with the 60Hz refresh rate found on the existing iPhone 14 equivalents (and several other generations of Apple handsets).

That has irked the gamers out there, but our own Sam Cross isn't so bothered. As he points out, there are plenty of alternatives if you're looking for a handset to game on – phones with much higher refresh rates than is being quoted here.

He'd rather see other features implemented that will improve the day-to-day functionality of the iPhone, instead. I suspect he'll be happy with the launch tonight then.

New AirPods Pro coming too?

As well as the iPhone 15 family and possible new Apple Watch models, it's claimed that Apple will announce a new version of its AirPods Pro ANC earbuds during the event.

However, don't expect anything radically new about them.

That's because the refresh is likely only going to bring one main, new feature: USB-C charging.

At least that means that, if you've recently bought a pair of AirPods Pro 2, you won't be any hurry to upgrade (not least because they also support wireless charging, anyway). And, if you're in the market for new in-ears, you might also find the existing model cheaper post event. A win-win, really.

Sugar, we're going down...

Afternoon folks! T3's resident News Writer, Sam Cross, here to take you through the build up to the event. And we've just had a big bit of news roll in...

If you're trying to buy anything from the Apple Store right now, you might recognise the page above. That screenshot is taken from their UK site at the time of writing.

Don't panic, either – if this is your first rodeo, this is completely normal. Apple always blocks off their store a few hours before, to give them time to update it with all the new goodies we'll get a look at this evening. What are you most excited for?

Something is cooking in Cali

It's just gone 7am in California, and the sun is currently rising on the many members of the tech industry heading to Apple Park today. Of course, at 7am, I'm sure most of them are just grabbing an early coffee or a spot of breakfast.

Not Tim Cook, though, who shared this sumptuous image of the sunrise over Apple Park on Twitter a short while ago. Cook accompanied the image with the words, "It’s almost Time! See ya soon!"

Shot on the new iPhone 15? Perhaps. That's rumoured to come with a new 48MP camera, so it's possibly an early tease of that technology.

Whatever it was taken on, I hope he was wearing a harness up there...

Apple Watch Ultra 2 coming?

One grey area surrounding the event at the moment is whether or not we'll see the Apple Watch Ultra 2. Rumours have gone back and forth on that one, with the original Apple Watch Ultra only hitting the market last year.

However, T3's Active Editor, Matt Kollat, believes we just might see the Ultra 2 today. Why is he so confident? Well, he spotted a price reduction on the current model on Amazon.

Could that be a sign that Apple is clearing out some old stock to make way for the new stuff? It's certainly a plausible take, though it is – of course – something we won't know for sure before this evening.

If an Apple Watch Ultra 2 is on the cards, what would you like to see added?

Thin is in for the iPhone 15 Pro

The new iPhone 15 range isn't just marking the next generation of iPhone technology, either. Some reports have suggested that the Pro Max variant could be a record breaker.

That's thanks to some super-slim 1.5mm bezels. If that proves true, the Pro Max would have the slimmest bezels on any phone yet.

While it's not likely to make any real functional difference, it does look absolutely stunning in renders. The screen-to-body ratio is just phenomenal, with an almost endless appearance.

It's one of the rumours I desperately hope proves true.

Hell for (faux) leather

While new products coming in always mean we have to say goodbye to some others, there's one in particular which I'm really sad to see go.

Rumours have suggested that Apple will make a move away from using real leather in their products this time out – including the iconic iPhone case. And while I totally understand why they're making the move, I'm a little dubious about what they'll replace it with.

It might go further, too. Other leaks have suggested that the Apple Watch partnership with luxury fashion house, Hermès, could end, too. They supply leather bands for the smartwatch range, which might be axed as part of the switch.

Good afternoon everyone in the UK, and good morning to those lucky attendees poised to attend the Apple event in person today in Cupertino, California. It's Mat Gallagher here, T3's Editor-in-Chief taking you right up until the big event. 

So are you excited yet? I said, are you excited yet?? Of course you are! Today we are hoping to see Apple's best phones to date and some beautiful watches, and maybe something else – who knows? Is there space for a one more thing this year? I feel we're more likely to get an update on the upcoming Vision Pro, rather than something new, but Tim could have something extra up his sleeve. 

Lance Ulanoff, US Managing Editor of our sister title, Tech Radar is already inside Apple Park ready for the event. Just look at that ceiling! Apple Park really does look like it's landed from outer space, bringing with it future tech for the masses. 

I'm not at Apple Park but I am getting in the spirit here in Bath with this Apple Park T-shirt. You can only get Apple's apparel range from the Apple Store outside of the Cupertino HQ. So if you're visiting it's a very good excuse to go shopping. 

We're now less than an hour away from the main event. We're expecting another pre-filmed event today, so most of what you can see on the livestream is the same as the attendees will be seeing. 

Of all the products we're likely to see today, it's the iPhone 15 Pro models that really interest me. These are expected to come with a titanium casing and new action button. plus the Pro Max could have a superior camera array over the Pro, giving it a longer zoom.  

A lot has already been said about the iPhone's move to USB-C from Lightning connector. However, I'm expecting to Apple to play this down today. To be fair, Apple already uses USB-C for its iPads and Macs, so it no longer feels like a massive jump. 

Both the iPhone 14 and iPhone 13 models included a Lightning to USB-C cable in the box, so most users will already have some form of USB-C plug in their homes, ready for the new phone – and the cable in the iPhone 15 box is expected to be a USB-C to USB-C cable. 

There's no doubt though, user will want to stock up on USB-C power adapters, so that you can have one wherever you are. Apple is likely to be pushing it's standard USB-C adapter in addition to the dual 35W USB-C adapter. 

We could also see a new charger released to offer even faster charging to the iPhone 15. If that's the case, we can expect a big rush on them with iPhone pre-orders. 

One rumour that I hope will come to fruition is that all of the new iPhones will get the Dynamic Island treatment. There was a lot of skepticism around the Dynamic Island on the iPhone 14 Pro, as it was seen as just a clever way to disguise the punch hole camera. It was that but it was also an extremely clever new notification centre that has seen the integration into the OS increase. 

I'm a big fan of the Dynamic Island and I really hope that all iPhone 15 users get to experience what it can do. I'm also hopeful that we will see always in displays on all iPhones. Even if we don't get 120Hz on all models, the ability to lower the refresh rate could be added to allow this while maintaining battery. 

Just 10 minutes to go now and it looks like people are taking their seats in the Steve Jobs theatre. All of the T3 team are here now, ready to provide you with blow by blow coverage as each new product and feature is revealed. 

After the event we'll bring you opinions from our experts on the new devices and comparisons with existing models, all to help you device if you should upgrade, or wait a little longer. 

In the meantime, enjoy the show (you can watch it live on Apple TV, Apple.com or YouTube). Handing back to Tech Editor Mike Lowe for the main event. 

What, no music?

With minutes to go until the event proper it's myself, T3's Tech Editor, Mike Lowe, back in the Apple hot seat to bring this live blog home. I'm expecting a 6-7pm, possibly 6-8pm UK BST event runtime, so strap in!

Except right now I'm staring at the event live-stream and wondering: "Why's there no, y'know, movement or music?" Usually Apple goes big with the tunes, so it seems like a quiet beginning for this major 'Wonderlust' event. I suspect the noise is about to be turned up loud though...

Get ready for Wonder...

It's a go! The Apple Event for September 2023 is underway. So here's the thinking: expect new iPhones – although precisely which is up for question (will the Plus survive?; there's rumour of an Ultra too) – the Watch Series 9 and updated USB-C toting AirPods Pro. 

But first, but of course, it's time for a fancy pre-recorded pre-on-stage video to show off Apple's ecosystem of products and how they integrate into their users' lives (and, thanks to Emergency SOS and Crash Detection) actually saves them sometimes too...

Two essential products!

Tim Cook is hanging out on the green at Apple HQ in Cupertino and it's official: "two essential products" are coming in the shape of the iPhone 15 series and Apple Watch Series 9. So it's no longer a rumour, it's official!

Vision Pro is "on track"

Mr Cook confirms that Apple's Vision Pro is "on track" for a release date "early next year". Good to hear that we'll be getting it on schedule in 2024!

Apple Watch Series 9

"Redesigned on the inside" is the message about the Apple Watch Series 9. 

It comes with a new S9 chip that promises more power (a 30% GPU boost) for better animations and consistent battery life (to a claimed 18 hours per charge).

There's also a neural engine that delivers dictation that's "up to 25% more accurate" with this latest S9 chipset compared to the previous S8. 

It's also got much more accurate "locate my iPhone" features thanks to ultra-wideband comms. 

The Series 9's screen gets a big boost too: with variable brightness from 1 nit to 2,000 nits, it's up to double the brightness of the previous Series 8 model. Nice!

A new double-tap feature means you can click your fingers twice on your Watch-wearing hand, so you can keep your other arm completely free. Ideal if you're carrying a bag of shopping, although I do wonder if this new S9 chip will be discerning enough to not misinterpret movements.

Apple Watch Series 9 will be available "next month" in a "gorgeous new pink-aluminum case", in addition to many others.

Mother Nature in the house

Corporate responsibility and sustainability is hot topic right now and Apple's got a lot to say.

The company will eliminate all plastic in packaging by the end of 2024. 

All MacBooks, Apple TVs already use 100% recycled aluminum. 

Leather will be phased out from iPhone cases. 

Every Apple Store and Office already uses 100% renewable electricity. 

Transportation-wise, the company is shipping more by sea instead of air, reducing emissions by 95%.

The end goal? A net zero climate impact on all Apple products by 2030. All of them. 

Apple Watch Series 9 is the first Apple product that's Carbon Neutral. There's even a fancy new logo on the box to say so.

Apple Watch Ultra 2!

Say hello to the second-gen Apple Watch Ultra.

Like the Series 9, the Ultra 2 features the new S9 chip, double-tap feature, and improved display – although to a massive 3,000 nits, meaning it's 50% brighter again for ideal outdoors viewing. 

There's Watch OS 10 which brings all the latest features as per the previous Ultra model, including the cycling features that might make you throw that cycling computer out!

Battery life? That's apparently the same as it was in the original Ultra. Sounds like a serious statement given the improvement to screen brightness.

Apple Watch SE 2 and pricing info

There's also the new Apple Watch SE 2, which is also carbon neutral. That'll be priced from $249. 

The Apple Watch Series 9 is priced from $399.

Meanwhile the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the priciest of the lot, starting at $799.

iPhone 15 & Plus add Dynamic Island 

The iPhone 15 is here and, as was rumoured, the entry-level and smaller handset gains Dynamic Island and effectively ditches the notch - just like the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max models did last year.

There's more brightness, too, with a peak brightness of 2000 nits meaning it's twice as bright for high dynamic range (HDR) content compared to the iPhone 14 from last year. 

There's also the iPhone 15 Plus, if you want a bigger-screen option. 

When it comes to colours there are plenty of bright options: Pink, Yellow, Blue, Green, and Black. Told you there would be a new blue one!

The camera also gets a boost: the main camera is a 48-megapixel resolution. That's four times the resolution of the earlier iPhone 14's main snapper. That introduces a 2x zoom at 12-megapixels just by using the central pixels of this higher-resolution camera. 

'Next-generation portraits' will get richer colour, improved low-light performance, and uses a rich depth-map to introduce focus control - even after taking the shot.

Under the hood the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus will feature the A16 Bionic chip, the same as first introduced in the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max models. That means more power and better battery management. The gap is closing!

Like the Apple Watch Series 9 the iPhone series will also feature ultra-wideband connectivity for enhanced precision. Satellite features will also be available as standard for free for two years.

The USB is out of the bag

Bye, bye Lightning! iPhone 15 will use USB-C, ushering in a new era for the flagship phone series. 

It was inevitable, really, as people have been asking for it for a long time (needless to say new EU rules likely expedited this decision).

iPhone 15 Pro & Pro Max

"The most pro iPhone we've ever created," says Mr Cook. Well, the clue's in the name I s'pose. 

The headline here is an all-new Titanium design option. This incredibly strong and durable material is also lighter than previous material choices, so the 15 Pro is lighter than before. It also permits smaller bezels around the screen.

There are two Pro models to chose from: the 6.1in iPhone 15 Pro and the 6.7in iPhone 15 Pro Max. So no Ultra... yet anyway.

A new internal architecture also means iPhone 15 Pro & Pro Max are more easily repairable. 

Call to Action!

Long-rumoured, now confirmed: the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will feature an all-new Action Button. It adds additional controls beyond being used as just a silencer switch.

More performance: A17 Pro

While the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus get the A16 Bionic, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max get a new generation of Apple silicon in the form of the A17 Pro chip. 

This includes a new GPU and that is among the first to be developed as 3-nanometre (it's not technically the first, though, as MediaTek and TSMC announced this just last week - that'll be coming in the company's next-gen Dimensity chip in 2024, though, so Apple's will be first to market).

So the end of Bionic as we know it? The 'Pro' differentiator, it seems, is what Apple wants to promote for next-gen gaming, with hardware accelerated ray-tracing, variable refresh rate and dynamic lighting and effects. 

Pro camera

Onto cameras. The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max use a "more advanced 48MP sensor", which I take as meaning a new sensor choice for this generation. The sensor size is also larger than that in the iPhone 15. 

Also new for this series is a new nanoscale coating to reduce flare, better low-light performance for portraits and light mode, a 48-megapixel Pro Raw mode (and 48MP HEIF format), and the same 24-megapixel super-high resolution default output.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max goes a stage further, adding a 5X (or 120mm focal length) zoom. Impressively it has an f/2.8 aperture, which is massive for such a focal length - and made possible by using a tetra-prysm design to reflect the light four times to create the distance required for such an optical zoom - without the physical size.

In addition this camera is sat on a 3D sensor shift module, meaning it can offer advanced optical stabilisation in multiple directions for ultimate smoothness.

Sunset Tim, signing out

And that's a wrap. Tim Cook, with the sun setting on Apple Park behind him, is calling it a day. Whew.

If you're a little disappointed with Siri's features and performance, there's good news: Siri is about to get a whole lot smarter. Unfortunately it seems that you'll have to wait another year for the improvements to appear on your device. Apple is reportedly spending "millions of dollars a day" on artificial intelligence, and making Siri on iPhone and on HomePods much better is a big priority. But we're unlikely to get that smarter Siri until at least next year with the release of iOS 18.

I test a lot of smart home kit and it's becoming increasingly obvious that Siri is way behind the pack. Siri is much slower than, say, Amazon's Alexa; I've found in my home at least Siri is also much less likely to hear me and much more likely to mishear me. Even simple tasks such as adding items to my shopping lists are frustrating and often have me redoing them manually; getting Siri to turn the right lights on is often a frustrating experience.

So I'm very pleased to hear that the next generation of Siri is going to be a superhero by comparison.

Siri's still frustrating, but its future seems a bit brighter

According to The Information [paywall], one of the goals is to make Siri much more powerful when it comes to smart home automation and streamlining multi-app tasks: Apple wants you to be able to use a simple voice command to trigger multi-step actions, such as telling Siri to make a GIF from the last five photos in your Photos app and send it via iMessage to a friend. 

It sounds very much like Apple is making Siri and Shortcuts work even more closely than they do already, although it'll be interesting to see how Apple is going to make the actual process of creating automations simpler: at the moment using Shortcuts is a little intimidating if you're not sure what you're doing. With conversational AI – think ChatGPT – it should be possible to talk to Siri and get them to create the necessary shortcut for you.

By comparison, this month's launch of iOS 17 is going to be relatively disappointing in the Siri department – although one good new feature is the ability to get Siri to perform task after task without having to do the "Hey, Siri" bit each time or even having to say "hey" at all. So instead of "Hey Siri, turn the dining room on. Hey Siri, turn the living room off. Hey Siri, turn the temperature to 20" you'd say "Siri, turn the dining room on. Turn the living room off. Turn the temperature to 20". That doesn't seem like a big difference, but it's a lot less clunky when you're saying it out loud. 

I'm one of many people who got excited about Siri's potential and then frustrated with Apple's lack of innovation here: I think both Google and Amazon are way ahead. So it's good to see Apple prioritising Siri again, because it needs to: if our Mac future is more talking to the Vision Pro than typing on a MacBook Pro, Siri really needs to smarten up. 

Google has officially announced that its next Made by Google event will be held on Wednesday 4 October 2023.

It will launch the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro as well as a host of other devices, maybe even the much-rumoured Pixel Watch 2.

The event was first confirmed by an invite sent to US journalists. It states that the Made by Google show will be held in New York and is an in-person affair this time around.

"We'll introduce the latest additions to our Pixel portfolio of devices," it says.

That was followed by a post by the official Made by Google X (Twitter) account, which amusingly pokes fun at the other big phone series to be launched soon – Apple's iPhone 15.

In it, the existing Pixel 7 chats to what's obviously meant to be an iPhone while they are having a spa day together. There are several digs over how slow Apple is in introducing new features, including the USB-C connection coming with the next-gen handsets.

It's cheeky and an ideal way to announce the event.

Google won't be so happy about the picture leak that occurred yesterday though. Especially as it leaked the image of a Google Pixel 8 Pro being used on its own Google Store website.

It was quickly removed, but not before Android phone journo Mishaal Rahman managed to grab a screenshot and post it on X.

The pic shows the handset in the "porcelain" colour scheme – something that was actually mentioned in a caption on the official site.

To be honest, there's not a lot of extra detail to be gleaned from the leak, although we have learned previously that the handset will sport the new Tensor G3 processor and a 6.7-inch LTPO OLED display with a resolution of 3200 x 1800.

It's also said the flagship model will be available in a 512GB version - a bump up over the Google Pixel 7 Pro it replaces.

Certainly, it's shaping up to be one of the best Android phones around. We'll find out for sure on 4 October.

Hopefully, that'll also cue some great deals on the existing Google Pixel 7 models, which are still well worth a look at if you're budget can't quite stretch for an upgrade.