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  • Easier camera controls on iPhone 16 for faster photos

    Easier camera controls on iPhone 16 for faster photos

    The iPhone 16’s new Camera Control button is a great addition, but the default settings might not suit everyone. By tweaking a few options in the Settings app, you can make it quicker and more reliable for capturing photos. Here’s how to simplify and speed up your photography experience.

    Launch the Camera Instantly

    In the past, iPhones like the iPhone 11 Pro Smart Battery Case and the iPhone 15 Pro Action Button offered handy camera shortcuts. The iPhone 16 takes it further with a dedicated shutter button, but its default setup requires multiple presses: one to wake the screen, another to open the camera, and a third to snap a photo.

    Luckily, Apple introduced a fix through a software update. To speed things up, go to Settings > Display & Brightness and turn off Require Screen On under Camera Control. Now, one press launches the Camera directly, just like older tools.

    Make Camera Control Simpler

    If you find the light-press feature too sensitive, you can disable it. Light-press gestures can sometimes cause accidental swipes or missteps, so turning them off helps you maintain control.

    To adjust this, head to Settings > Camera > Camera Control > Accessibility and switch off Light-Press under Controls Gesture. While swipes remain active for accessing camera settings, disabling Light-Press minimizes unintentional actions.

    If you still want to lock focus and exposure, you can enable it separately. This feature works by lightly pressing and holding, offering precise control without interfering with basic camera functions.

    Final Thoughts

    After tweaking these settings, Camera Control becomes much faster and easier to use. You can launch the camera with a single press and avoid unnecessary delays. While swipe gestures let you adjust settings like zoom and exposure, many users may prefer the simplicity of the touchscreen for such tasks.

    For those who value simplicity, you can even turn off swipe gestures entirely. This turns Camera Control into a straightforward shutter button while keeping advanced features accessible through the main camera interface. With these adjustments, the iPhone 16’s Camera Control is not just functional—it’s effortless.

  • iOS 18.4 Expected in April: Rumored features you should know

    iOS 18.4 Expected in April: Rumored features you should know

    As reported by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is expected to release iOS 18.4 in April. While the beta testing phase hasn’t begun yet, a few exciting updates are rumored to be part of the new version.

    Big Updates to Siri

    iOS 18.4 may introduce significant improvements to Siri, marking a new step forward with Apple Intelligence. Three key upgrades are expected:

    • Personal Context: Siri will better understand your preferences and habits.
    • On-Screen Awareness: It will respond more effectively to what’s displayed on your device.
    • App Integration: Siri could interact with apps in smarter ways to perform tasks for you.

    These changes aim to make Siri more personalized and intuitive.

    Expanded Language Support

    When iOS 18.2 launched, Apple hinted at adding new language options for Apple Intelligence in 2025. With the April update, the list may grow to include languages like Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Korean, and more. English variants for regions such as India and Singapore are also part of the plan. Additional languages will roll out throughout the year.

    New Emoji Additions

    As in previous spring updates, Apple is likely to introduce new emojis with iOS 18.4. The Unicode Consortium has already revealed this year’s batch, which includes:

    • Fingerprint
    • Face with bags under eyes
    • Harp
    • Root vegetable
    • Leafless tree
    • Splatter
    • Shovel

    These emojis will enhance communication with more creative options. While Apple hasn’t officially confirmed these updates, the anticipated features hint at a more dynamic and user-friendly experience with iOS 18.4. Stay tuned for more details as the release approaches!

  • iPadOS features you might miss but should use

    iPadOS features you might miss but should use

    I’ve shared before that my iPad Pro is my go-to device for work, even though I have a Mac Mini. The hardware is stunning, and the way it handles single apps is just perfect. With iPadOS 18, Apple introduced tons of new features that make this love affair even stronger. Let’s dive into some lesser-known but super useful features.

    1. Easy Unit Converter

    iPadOS 18 finally brought a calculator app to the iPad, but it’s the built-in converter that’s a game changer. Whether you need to change centimeters to feet, Pascals to Bar, or dollars to Rupees, it’s all there. Plus, it works offline, so no internet? No problem!

    2. Sharing Wi-Fi with a QR Code

    Sharing Wi-Fi with friends is now easier, even if they don’t have an Apple device. The new Passwords app lets you create a QR code for your Wi-Fi:

    • Open the Passwords app.
    • Click on Wi-Fi.
    • Select your network.
    • Tap ‘show QR code’.
    • Let your guest scan the code. They’re connected!

    3. Formatting Drives

    This was a big one for me. Now, you can format drives or SD cards right from the Files app:

    • Connect your SSD to your iPad.
    • Long press the drive in the Files app.
    • Tap ‘erase’.
    • Choose your format.
    • Tap “erase” again. Done!

    4. Turn Apps into Widgets

    Customizing your home screen just got easier. Now, you can turn any app into a widget directly:

    • Long press an app icon.
    • If it has a widget, you can change it right there without going into settings.

    5. Hide Unwanted Web Content

    Safari’s new feature lets you hide annoying parts of web pages:

    • Go to any page in Safari.
    • Tap the three dots in the URL bar.
    • Choose ‘Hide Unwanted Content’.
    • Tap what you want to hide.
    • Click ‘hide’. It’s gone until you decide otherwise!

    These features really make your iPad experience smoother and more tailored to your needs. Check out these hidden gems and make your iPad work even better for you.

  • iPhone 17 Dynamic Island stays the same size

    iPhone 17 Dynamic Island stays the same size

    Apple’s new iPhone 17 phones coming out this year will keep the Dynamic Island the same size, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

    Kuo shared on social media that he doesn’t think the Dynamic Island will change much on any of the iPhone 17 models. This goes against what people thought before, as there were whispers about making it smaller.

    Last year, another analyst, Jeff Pu, talked a lot about Apple using something called a “metalens” for the Face ID system in the iPhone 17 Pro, which would make the Dynamic Island thinner. But now, it seems that might not be happening.

    The Dynamic Island was first seen with the 2022 iPhones, and it hasn’t really changed since. People have been hoping Apple would make it smaller to give more space on the screen, but it looks like that’s not going to happen just yet.

    Even though the Dynamic Island isn’t changing, Apple has other plans for the iPhone 17’s design. They’re introducing a very thin model called the “iPhone 17 Air”, which will be the first big design update in a while. Both the iPhone 17 Air and the Pro versions are expected to have new camera setups arranged horizontally.

    For more details on what’s new with the iPhone 17 series, check out our summary on the iPhone 17.

  • 76% of recent iPhones now have iOS 18

    76% of recent iPhones now have iOS 18

    The latest numbers show that iOS 18 is doing just as well as iOS 17 did last year. According to Apple, 76% of iPhones released in the past four years have iOS 18 installed, and 63% of iPads from the same period are now using iPadOS 18.

    Looking at all iPhones, 68% are running iOS 18, while 53% of iPads have iPadOS 18. However, there are still 19% of iPhones on iOS 17, and 13% on even older versions. On the iPad side, 28% are still on iPadOS 17, with 19% on older software.

    This is the first time Apple has shared these stats for iOS 18 since it came out last September. For comparison, by February 5 of the previous year, 76% of iPhones released in the last four years had iOS 17, with 66% of all iPhones updated. Meanwhile, 61% of recent iPads and 53% of all iPads were running iPadOS 17.

    The adoption rate for iOS 18 is similar to iOS 17, but Apple released these figures a bit sooner this year. With updates like iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3 coming next week, more people might choose to update their devices.

    Also, expect some big Siri updates in the iOS 18.4 update coming in April, which could boost the number of users even more. iOS 18 supports iPhones up to six years old, starting from the iPhone XS/XR. However, the fancy new Apple Intelligence features are only for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16, which might make some people with older phones think twice about upgrading.

  • New iPhone 17 Pro: 7 exciting updates coming soon

    New iPhone 17 Pro: 7 exciting updates coming soon

    Get ready for an exciting year for iPhone fans! Alongside the new iPhone SE 4 in spring and the sleek iPhone 17 Air in autumn, Apple’s top-tier Pro models are set to dazzle with these seven new features coming this September:

    Better Selfie Camera

    The selfie camera is getting a major upgrade. Instead of the 12MP we’ve seen, the iPhone 17 Pro will sport a 24MP front camera, bringing selfie quality much closer to the prowess of its back cameras.

    New A19 Pro Chip

    Apple is keeping its tradition of upgrading the chip alive with the A19 Pro, reserved only for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max. This means the best performance will be exclusive to these models, while the iPhone 17 Air gets the standard A19.

    More Memory with 12GB RAM

    With AI becoming more central to our devices, Apple’s upping the ante by doubling the RAM to 12GB for the Pro and Pro Max models, the highest ever in an iPhone. This jump from 8GB in the previous models ensures smoother AI operations.

    Homegrown Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Chip

    Apple has been working on its own chips, and now they’re ready. The iPhone 17 Pro models will feature a new combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip. However, only the iPhone 17 Air will get Apple’s custom 5G modem, while Pro models continue with Qualcomm’s.

    Bigger Camera Bump

    The camera setup on the iPhone 17 Pro models will see a larger, rectangular bump, possibly for enhanced photography features. The design includes an aluminum top for strength and a glass bottom for wireless charging.

    Switch to Aluminum Frame

    Moving away from titanium, the iPhone 17 Pro will now feature an aluminum frame. This change from last year’s material choice is intriguing, and we’re eager to learn why Apple made this switch.

    Enhanced Cooling

    AI and high performance need good cooling, so Apple’s adding a vapor chamber and graphite sheet specifically to the iPhone 17 Pro Max to keep things cool under pressure.

    These updates make the choice tougher between sticking with the Pro for top features or going for the slim and stylish Air. Hardware might be peaking, but Apple seems determined to push the envelope further with these innovations.

  • Siri’s super bowl slip-up: gives eagles 33 fake wins

    Siri’s super bowl slip-up: gives eagles 33 fake wins

    In a recent test, Siri showed it still has trouble with basic facts. One Foot Tsunami’s Paul Kafasis checked how well Siri knew Super Bowl history, and the results were not great. Siri only got it right 34% of the time, correctly naming just 20 winners out of 58 Super Bowls.

    The most surprising mistake was Siri saying the Philadelphia Eagles won 33 Super Bowls. In reality, the Eagles have only won one. Siri’s answers were all over the place, sometimes talking about the wrong Super Bowl or giving unrelated football info.

    Siri did okay for a little while, correctly answering for Super Bowls V to VII, but then it went off track, getting 15 answers wrong in a row from XVII to XXXII. When asked about Super Bowl XVI, Siri even suggested asking ChatGPT, which gave the right answer, showing Siri’s knowledge isn’t up to par.

    This test was done on iOS 18.2.1 with Apple’s new smart tech, and the same problems were seen on the latest iOS beta and macOS. Kafasis put all the results into a spreadsheet you can look at.

    Daring Fireball’s John Gruber also tested Siri with sports questions and found it did worse than other search engines and AI like ChatGPT, Kagi, DuckDuckGo, and Google. Interestingly, the old version of Siri was better at admitting when it didn’t know the answer by showing web links, which at least gave a chance at finding the right answer.

    Gruber was quite critical, saying:

    “New Siri, with Apple’s smart tech and ChatGPT help, gives answers that are completely but believably wrong, which is the worst kind of mistake. It’s also inconsistent in its errors — I asked the same thing four times and got four different wrong answers.”

    Siri’s performance has been criticized before, but these tests show how it can confidently give wrong information. Apple is working on a smarter Siri using advanced language models, hoping to make it as good as other chatbots like ChatGPT. They plan to show off this new Siri in 2025 but won’t release it until spring 2026 with iOS 19.

  • How much does your iPhone lose value each year?

    How much does your iPhone lose value each year?

    Buying a new smartphone, especially an iPhone, can be quite expensive. If you’re thinking about getting the newest model, trading in your old one can help lower the cost. But don’t wait too long before you trade it in because the value drops quickly.

    No Clear Pattern in Value Drop

    The data comes from Back Market, a site where you can sell your used devices or buy refurbished ones. According to their records, how much an iPhone loses value each year isn’t predictable. You might expect a steady decrease, but that’s not the case.

    For example, an iPhone from 2016 is now valued at $16, while the 2017 model, just a year newer, is worth $38. Some models lose value faster than others; the 2020 iPhone saw a 49% drop in value, compared to only a 25% drop for the 2019 model. This seems odd because the iPhone 12, released in 2020 with a new design, didn’t hold its value much better than the iPhone 11.

    On average, Back Market says an iPhone loses about 36% of its trade-in value after one year. If you’re eyeing the latest iPhone 17 series after using an iPhone 16 Pro Max, it’s wise to trade in soon rather than later.

    The Problem of Unused Devices

    When you upgrade your tech, what do you do with the old stuff? Trading in phones is straightforward, but not so much for other gadgets. Back Market found that 81% of people have at least one piece of tech they’re not using anymore, and 55% have three or more. Surprisingly, 72% of people have an old smartphone lying around.

    Not everyone knows how to go about trading in their old tech. Plus, there’s the issue of safety; stories of people getting robbed during meet-ups are common. Also, the trade-in values from companies might not seem fair compared to what you might get elsewhere. Still, it’s better than letting your devices sit unused, losing value every year.

  • Samsung’s New Galaxy S25: Borrowing over a dozen iPhone traits, claims Macworld

    Samsung’s New Galaxy S25: Borrowing over a dozen iPhone traits, claims Macworld

    Macworld argues that Samsung’s latest Galaxy S25 has taken inspiration from over a dozen iPhone features. From the phone’s sleek, straight-edged design to how its AI assistant displays, Samsung seems to have borrowed quite a bit from Apple.

    Macworld’s Mahmoud Itani highlights this, starting with the AI features. The Galaxy S25 has integrated AI similar to Apple’s, allowing users to connect with third-party chatbots like Google Gemini, just as Apple does with ChatGPT in its system. When activating Gemini on the Galaxy S25, users see a text box with a colorful, glowing border, which looks a lot like Siri’s interface on iPhones. Additionally, the text selection tool in Samsung’s phone mimics Apple’s Writing Tools, offering options to proofread or transform text into tables.

    Itani goes on to mention other features like the ability to record and summarize calls, perform natural language searches in the photo gallery, and a photo editing tool that resembles Apple’s Image Playground. There’s also a new feature similar to Apple’s Live Activities, called the Now Bar, and enhanced audio features for video recording akin to Apple’s cinematic audio.

    9to5Mac’s Viewpoint
    It’s clear that Samsung often looks to Apple for inspiration. Their strategy seems to involve quickly bringing to market features similar to those rumored or leaked for upcoming iPhones, aiming to beat Apple to the punch. However, Apple isn’t innocent of copying either, as both companies tend to adopt similar technologies once they’re mainstream.

    Ultimately, this mutual borrowing is beneficial. The competitive pressure drives each company to innovate and perfect their offerings, leading to better products for consumers.

  • Unlock two key benefits with your iPhone’s new thread radio

    Unlock two key benefits with your iPhone’s new thread radio

    Apple began introducing Thread radios into its devices towards the end of 2023, starting with the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. While Apple has been relatively quiet about this new feature, a recent interview sheds light on its benefits.

    Understanding the iPhone’s Thread Radio Advantages

    An insightful interview was published by The Verge, featuring three major contributors to Matter, the new standard for smart home devices. Among them was Vividh Siddha, who serves as both President of the Thread Group and Director at Apple.

    In the discussion, Siddha explained the purpose behind incorporating Thread radios into iPhones. He highlighted two main advantages:

    • Simplifying Smart Home Automation: For those new to smart homes, like someone buying a smart bulb or switch from a store, automating these devices can be tricky without additional equipment. The Thread radio in your iPhone allows for these automations directly, making life easier for early adopters.
    • Maintaining Access During Power Outages: If you lose power, and thus your Wi-Fi or other network systems are down, the Thread radio can still function. This means you can still use important smart devices like your front door lock, ensuring you can enter your home even in emergencies.

    Siddha’s dual roles give him a unique perspective on how Thread can revolutionize home automation, emphasizing these benefits are just the beginning.

    Thread Radios: A Step Forward for Apple’s Smart Home Vision

    The smart home landscape can be confusing, but with Matter, Apple aims to streamline this. Moreover, Apple’s recent push into smart home gadgets could change the game. In the coming months, expect new devices like the ‘HomePad’, followed by updates to the Apple TV 4K and a new HomePod mini. By 2026, Apple plans to launch smart doorbells and cameras.

    While the inclusion of Thread radios in the latest iPhones might not show immediate effects, over time, this technology is poised to enhance Apple’s smart home ecosystem significantly.

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