MacRumors

The highly anticipated developer beta of Apple Intelligence is finally here, with an early limited set of AI-based features in iOS 18.1 and related updates that will expand over time.

The new iOS 18.1 beta also includes call recording and transcription, while macOS Sonoma 14.6 that was released to all users this week rolls out previously promised support for dual external displays on the 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro, so read on below for all the details!

Apple Intelligence Now Available in iOS 18.1 Beta and More

The first Apple Intelligence features are now available to test in the iOS 18.1 developer beta, released earlier this week. The beta and features are limited to the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

This means that iOS 18.0 and iOS 18.1 are now in beta testing simultaneously, with the public launch of the first Apple Intelligence features now delayed until iOS 18.1, which is likely to be released in October.

The first features available to try include new writing tools, suggested replies in the Messages app, email summarization, and more.

See Apple Intelligence in Action

As mentioned, Apple Intelligence is now available in the iOS 18.1 developer beta, as well as in the iPadOS 18.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1 developer betas.

We have shared a video that provides a quick demonstration of some of the first new Apple Intelligence features available on the iPhone, so be sure to give it a watch for a closer look. Also be sure to check out our list of all of the Apple Intelligence features available so far.

All of the Apple Intelligence Features Not Included in the iOS 18.1 Beta

Apple Intelligence includes a wide range of new features for the iPhone, but not all of them are available to test in the first iOS 18.1 developer beta.

For example, while Siri has a new design when invoked, the assistant does not yet have features such as deeper in-app controls, on-screen awareness, and personal context for the user. Apple said these additional features will roll out over the course of the next year.

iOS 18.1 Beta Includes Call Recording and Transcribing

Included within the first set of Apple Intelligence features in the iOS 18.1 beta is the ability to record phone calls, complete with transcriptions.

This feature, exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max, notifies everyone on the call that it is being recorded through an audible message, so it is clear to all participants. After the call, you can play back its audio or read a transcription of what was said.

macOS Sonoma 14.6 Adds Dual External Display Support to 14-Inch MacBook Pro With M3 Chip

Apple earlier this year said that it would add support for dual external displays in clamshell mode to the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M3 chip, and that functionality has now arrived in macOS Sonoma 14.6, released to the public earlier this week.

This means the latest 14-inch MacBook Pro model now works with dual external displays when the laptop's lid is closed, just like the latest MacBook Air models.

The MacRumors Show: Apple Intelligence Beta is Here

With an early set of Apple Intelligence features now available to developers, we're getting our first taste of how well they work in real-world settings as Apple looks toward a public release later in the year.

On the latest episode of The MacRumors Show podcast, hosts Dan Barbera and Hartley Charlton discussed the unusual move of having both iOS 18.0 and iOS 18.1 in beta testing and shared their early thoughts on the new Apple Intelligence features. Listen to the podcast through Apple Podcasts or your preferred podcast platform, or watch on YouTube.

MacRumors Newsletter

Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!

Major changes are coming to the Messages app with iOS 18, with Apple adding several fun Apple Intelligence features, new formatting, updated effects, satellite support, better texting with green bubble people, and tons more.

This guide highlights everything that's new in the ‌iOS 18‌ Messages app.

Send Later

‌iOS 18‌ adds the option to schedule an iMessage to be sent to someone at a later time or date. If you know someone's birthday is coming up, for example, you can schedule a happy birthday text to them ahead of the date so it's ready to go.

Scheduling a message can be only be done in conversations with other iMessage users, and it is not an option when texting with an Android user. It works in both individual and group chats, as long as all participants have an Apple device and access to iMessage.

To schedule a message, follow these steps:

1. Open up a conversation in the Messages app.
2. Tap on the "+" button on the left side of the text box.
3. Tap on More.
4. Choose Send Later.
5. Type in your Message.
6. To change the send time, tap on the blue bubble that defaults to Tomorrow 9:00 am. From there, you will have a slider that lets you input a date and a time.
7. With your time selected and your message typed in, tap on the blue arrow to schedule it.

Messages can be scheduled up to 14 days in advance, so if it's August 1, for example, you can schedule up to August 15. Messages are sent even if your iPhone is offline without a Wi-Fi or cellular connection.

Scheduled messages are displayed at the bottom of a conversation. If you want to change the time of a message or cancel it, tap on the "Edit" button. You will have options to edit the time, delete the message, or send it immediately.

Tapback Reactions

Tapbacks are those little characters you can use to respond to a message by long pressing on it, so you don't need to type out a whole response to something that can be answered with a thumbs up or a heart. ‌iOS 18‌ has two key updates for Tapbacks.

Updated Design

The six standard Tapback icons now feature color and more detail. You can see the new look when long pressing on a text to respond, and in the Tapbacks that you receive.

When you tap on a Tapback you've received on a message, you can now see who sent what, which is useful if you are in a group chat and get multiple Tapback responses.

Emoji Support

Along with the six classic Tapback responses, you can now choose any emoji character when using Tapback. After long pressing to respond to a message, swipe to the left to see common emoji responses or tap on the generic emoji icon thought bubble to bring up the emoji picker.

You can choose any emoji, but you can also select from your stickers or your Memoji. Tap on the Memoji icon at the bottom left to get to Memoji, or the sticker icon to see your sticker selections. To add one as a Tapback, just tap on your selection.

Stickers can be hard to see at the small size of a Tapback, but most emoji characters and Memoji work well.

RCS

RCS, or Rich Communication Services, is a new text message protocol replacing SMS and MMS. You'll see it when texting people who don't have iMessage, such as Android users. ‌RCS‌ has nothing to do with iMessage conversations, aka the conversations you have with other Apple device owners (blue bubbles), but it does improve texts with green bubble Android users.

‌RCS‌ is a more modern technology than SMS, and it allows for more feature parity in ‌iPhone‌ to Android text message conversations. Many of the frustrations you might have encountered when texting someone with an Android device are resolved with ‌RCS‌, such as errors sending photos and videos.

Here's what you'll get with ‌RCS‌:

• Support for higher resolution photos and videos.
• Support for larger file sizes and file sharing.
• Audio messages.
• Cross-platform emoji reactions.
• Real-time typing indicators.
• Read receipts.
• Ability to send messages over cellular or Wi-Fi (SMS is cellular only). There is no cost to send an ‌RCS‌ message over Wi-Fi.
• Improved group chats.

Again, ‌RCS‌ only comes into play when you're texting someone who has an Android device. iMessage is still the default for conversations between Apple device owners, and blue bubbles and green bubbles are not changing.

We have a full guide on RCS if you want to know more about what to expect.

Messages via Satellite

Messages via satellite is a new feature that lets you send texts even when you don't have a Wi-Fi or cellular connection, leveraging the satellites that Apple uses for the Emergency SOS via satellite feature.

Messages via satellite is available on the iPhone 14 or later, and you can send and receive both iMessage and SMS messages, so you're not limited to texting with just ‌iPhone‌ users.

Right now, Messages via satellite is free, just like Emergency SOS via satellite. Apple offers two free years of satellite access with an ‌iPhone 14‌ or later, but the company has expanded free access for the ‌iPhone 14‌ until November 2025. Apple has not provided any insight into how much it will eventually charge for satellite access.

Smart Replies (Apple Intelligence)

Using Apple Intelligence, your ‌iPhone‌ can analyze the content in a message that you've received, suggesting Smart Reply options that you can tap for a quick response.

If someone asks a question like "Do you want to go to the movies?" Messages will suggest responses like "Sure!" or "Sorry, busy tomorrow." Smart Replies aren't an option for every message that you receive, but Apple often has a suggestion.

Smart Replies show up at the top of the keyboard, where suggestions have been in prior versions of iOS. Smart Replies are similar to suggestions, but are more intelligent and are often complete phrases and responses rather than word suggestions that pop up as you type.

To use a Smart Reply, just tap it and it'll populate the text box so you can send it. If you don't care for the suggestion, just ignore it, and type in your own response. You'll still see suggestions once you disregard a Smart Reply.

Writing Tools (Apple Intelligence)

Writing Tools aren't specific to the Messages app, but are a systemwide option anywhere you can input text. In Messages, you can write out a text and then select it with a tap and drag gesture to bring up the Writing Tools interface.

Here's what Writing Tools can do for a text message:

• Proofread what you've written for spelling and grammar errors, including word choice and sentence structure.
• Rewrite with a different tone, with options that include Friendly, Professional, and Concise.
• Summarize what you've written. You can get a quick summary, pull out key points, create a list of topics, or make a table.

You can tap on the various options to use the Writing Tools, and you can preview changes and decide not to use them or swap them in for what you've written.

Notification Summaries (Apple Intelligence)

If you have multiple notifications from the Messages app, Apple Intelligence will summarize them for you so you can catch up at a glance and see what's most important without having to read through everything.

This works for both individual conversations and group conversations, and you can see the summaries on the Lock Screen.

Emoji Design Updates

When you send a single emoji to someone in ‌iOS 18‌, the emoji now appears much larger than before so the detail is easier to see. Emojis in other quantities are still displayed at the same size.

Apple has also updated the emoji picker. Emoji are displayed larger and with more space between them, plus the Sticker and Memoji interfaces have been integrated into the emoji window.

Tapping on the two icons on the bottom left of the emoji picker will take you to Memoji and Stickers, respectively. You can create Memoji and make new stickers directly from the two sections that are in the emoji picker. For stickers, select the sticker section and tap on the blank sticker icon. For Memoji, tap into the Memoji section, tap the three dots, and then choose New, Edit, or Duplicate.

Stickers and Memoji as Emoji

Stickers and Memoji have new dedicated sections in the emoji picker because you can now use a sticker or a Memoji just like an emoji. If you add a sticker when typing a text, for example, it is added to the end of your text rather than sent as a separate image.

You can still send a full-size sticker as long as you send it separate from text.

Stickers and Memoji sent as emoji only display as emoji on devices running ‌iOS 18‌, iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia, visionOS 2, and watchOS 11. On earlier versions of iOS, stickers are sent as separate images as before.

Text Formatting

You can enhance your text messages with new formatting options. After typing something, tap on the "A" icon above the keyboard. What you've typed is selected, and you can add bold, italic, underline, or strikethrough formatting.

To add formatting to just one word, double tap on the word to select it and then tap on the "A" icon. You can also use the Text Effects option from the popup menu. Formatting can be used with emoji, but the bold and italic options don't do anything.

Text Effects

Along with the bold, italic, underline, and strikethrough formatting, there are new animated text effects that can be applied to your entire message, a single word, a phrase, or even an emoji or sticker.

Just select the text that you want to add an effect to with a double tap and then tap on the "A" icon to get to the text effects interface.

Options include Big, Small, Shake, Nod, Explode, Ripple, Bloom, and Jitter.

In a conversation with someone running ‌iOS 18‌ or one of its sister updates, the text or emoji that has an effect applied to it will continually animate when viewed. These effects do not work on earlier versions of Apple's operating systems and simply don't show up.

Math Notes

The systemwide Math Notes feature that lets your ‌iPhone‌ solve equations for you works in Messages. To see it in action, type in an equation and you'll get an immediate answer when you add in an equals sign.

Math Notes also works for conversions in the Messages app, including currency conversions, temperature conversions, measurement conversions, and more. You can use it by typing in your conversion, such as "20 euros to dollars" and then adding in an equals sign to get the result.

Link Card Update

Apple tweaked the design of link cards in the Messages app, and the cards now have colorful backgrounds that match the color of the main image in the link, if available.

You can see link card previews before a link is sent, and if you long press, you can get customization options. Link cards can be converted to a simpler card style or transformed into a text link that only shows the hyperlink with no preview at all.

Image Playground (Coming Later This Year)

Image Playground is an upcoming Apple Intelligence feature that is designed to let you create images using text-based prompts, much like you can do with other AI image generation platforms.

Apple is integrating Image Playground into the Messages app, so you can create and send images without having to swap over to another app. Apple Intelligence can glean the gist of your conversation from the Messages app and come up with suggestions for images that you might want to send.

Image Playground can even incorporate images of your friends and family, so if you're chatting with a friend, you can create a silly image that uses the friend's contact photo. Apple adds a style to each image, so there is no option to generate something that could be mistaken for a real photo.

You can choose from Animation, Illustration, and Sketch styles, and all image generation is done on-device.

Genmoji (Coming Later This Year)

Based on Image Playground, Genmoji lets you create custom emoji with a text prompt. Have you always wanted an emoji of a mint chocolate chip ice cream cone? It can be made with Genmoji.

Need a cat made from pizza, or a flower that's not a rose or a sunflower? Genmoji will make it possible. With the Genmoji interface, you can describe a Genmoji and Apple Intelligence will generate several options for you to choose from.

You can even create an emoji based on the contact image of a friend or family member, similar to Image Playground.

Genmoji behave just like emoji and can be used in place of emoji.

Read More

Additional information on new features that Apple has added in ‌iOS 18‌ can be found in our iOS 18 roundup.

The United States Department of Justice today sued TikTok and its parent company ByteDance for violating the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). COPPA makes it illegal for websites to collect, use, and disclose data from children under the age of 13 without parental consent.

The lawsuit [PDF] alleges that from 2019 on, TikTok has knowingly allowed children to create TikTok accounts and to create, view, and share videos and messages with adults and others on the TikTok platform. TikTok is accused of collecting and retaining personal information from children without consent from their parents. Data was collected even from accounts created in Kids Mode.

Millions of children under 13 have used the regular TikTok app, which the DoJ says has subjected them to "extensive data collection" and allowed them to "interact with adult users and access adult content." TikTok is also accused of making it difficult for parents to get their child's account and data deleted.

The Department of Justice is seeking civil penalties for every COPPA violation and injunctive relief that would prevent TikTok from continuing to collect data from children.

TikTok is already embroiled in a lawsuit with the U.S. government over a bill that requires the social network to be sold off to a non-Chinese company or face a ban in the United States. TikTok parent company ByteDance has until January 19, 2025 to find a buyer for TikTok, but a sale is unlikely because the Chinese government would need to approve the divestiture, and it has said that it would "firmly oppose" any effort to sell TikTok.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Dyson recently announced new OnTrac over-ear headphones with ANC, and at $500, OnTrac is a direct competitor for Apple's AirPods Max. Dyson smartly did away with the unpopular air purifying mask design that it used for its prior-generation headphones, and the new model boasts a more traditional look with exceptional battery life.

Dyson's OnTrac headphones come in four metallic colorways, including CNC Aluminium, Copper, Ceramic Cinnabar (with a ceramic-feel painted finish), and Black Nickel, plus there are interchangeable ear caps and cushions in a range of colors for customization.

The headphones have "high-grade foam cushions" covered in microsuede, and multi-pivot gimbal arms that are meant to relieve ear pressure. There's also a headband with a battery inside, which Dyson says evenly distributes weight. With the metal build and the multiple batteries that Dyson has included, the headphones weigh 451 grams, making them heavier than the ‌AirPods Max‌ (385 grams).

The ‌AirPods Max‌ are too heavy for some users, and weight has been a complaint. With the OnTrac, weight is indeed well distributed and not all in the ear cups like the ‌AirPods Max‌, but we found that they still get uncomfortable over time, so for many people, they likely won't be ideal for all-day use. For comparison, Sonos recently came out with the Ace headphones that weigh 312 grams, and they're more comfortable than both the ‌AirPods Max‌ and the OnTrac.

In terms of design, these are not subtle headphones, and you're going to stand out when wearing them. The OnTrac headphones are huge, but well-built and sturdy. The left ear cup has a power button and USB-C charging port, while the right ear cup has a joystick for music playback and Siri activation when used with an Apple device.

Dyson focused on battery life with the OnTrac. With Active Noise Cancellation turned on, the headphones last for up to 55 hours, more than double the battery life of the ‌AirPods Max‌ (20 hours with ANC). Dyson could have cut some weight with less battery capacity, but if you're off grid and need headphones that are going to last for a good three days with heavy listening, the OnTrac has you covered.

Dyson says the headphones have 40mm, 16-ohm neodymium speaker drivers and advanced audio signal processing with sub-bass you can feel. While the sound quality was good, the OnTrac is not notably better than the ‌AirPods Max‌ or the Sonos Ace. Active Noise Cancellation and transparency are both solid, and the OnTrac does a good job cutting out ambient noise. Dyson says they can reduce noise by up to 40 decibels.

You can adjust the ANC and sound through the app, so there is some customizability, but you are limited to three EQ levels, enhanced, bass boost, and neutral. On-ear detection is available for pausing music when removing the OnTrac, but these are Bluetooth headphones and don't work as seamlessly as the ‌AirPods Max‌ with Apple devices.

Dyson plans to start selling the OnTrac headphones on August 12, and they will be available from the Dyson website.

Apple today issued an apology to Thailand for the way the country was portrayed in a July "The Underdogs" short film, and the video has also been removed from Apple's YouTube channel. In the ad that was released on July 18, the underdogs design team traveled to Bangkok and Rayong, Thailand for a project and were depicted traveling in a tuk-tuk and staying in a rundown hotel.

Thai residents found the depiction of Thailand offensive, and took to social media to criticize Apple for portraying the country with outdated stereotypes. The video made Thailand look "low-tech and underdeveloped" due to the faded, sepia tone and focus on dilapidated architecture, according to the Bangkok Post.

Thai House of Representatives Committee on Tourism spokesperson Sattra Sripan called for a boycott on Apple over the video. "Thai people are deeply unhappy with the advertisement," he said. "I encourage Thai people to stop using Apple products and change to other brands." He said that the tourism committee planned to invite Apple representatives and state agencies to discuss the ad.

Apple in a statement to Bangkok Post this morning said that it was sorry that Thailand was inaccurately portrayed, and confirmed that the ad had been taken down.

Our intent was to celebrate the country's optimism and culture, and we apologize for not fully capturing the vibrancy of Thailand today.

Apple worked with Thailand-based film production studio Indochina Productions on the video, and it was shot entirely in Thailand. Since 2019, Apple has released several videos that star the underdogs as part of an "Apple at Work" ad campaign.

This is the second ad that Apple has pulled this year. When the M4 iPad Pro models came out in May, Apple showed a video of a hydraulic press crushing an array of creative tools, which was not well received by creatives. Apple pulled the video, apologized, and said that it had "missed the mark" with the ad.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

This week we saw a huge collection of discounts hit both the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, with as much as $500 off select models of these computers. We're also still tracking record low prices on the M4 iPad Pro as we head into the weekend, as well as a few AirPods deals.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

AirPods

• What's the deal? Take up to $69 off AirPods
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

AirPods deals were in abundance earlier this week, and they're all still available today. You can get the AirPods 2, AirPods 3, and AirPods Pro 2 all for solid second-best prices on Amazon right now.

iPad Pro

• What's the deal? Take up to $150 off M4 iPad Pro
• Where can I get it? Best Buy
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Best Buy is hosting a massive sale on the M4 iPad Pro this week, including record low prices on both Wi-Fi and cellular tablets. You can find a bigger list of all the iPad Pro models on sale in our original post, and note that most of these require a My Best Buy Plus or Total membership to see the final deal price.

MacBook Air

• What's the deal? Take up to $250 off MacBook Air
• Where can I get it? Best Buy
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

MacBook Air discounts this week include all-time low prices on the M2 MacBook Air and the M3 MacBook Air, starting at just $799.00 for the former model.

MacBook Pro

• What's the deal? Take up to $500 off M3 MacBook Pro
• Where can I get it? Best Buy
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Finally, Best Buy and Amazon have notable markdowns on Apple's 14-inch and 16-inch M3 MacBook Pro this week, with up to $500 off select models.

Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.

Apple CEO Tim Cook on Thursday said that ChatGPT will be integrated across iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia "by the end of the calendar year." He shared this timeframe during Apple's quarterly earnings call with analysts.

Apple first said that ChatGPT integration was coming to the iPhone, iPad, and Mac later this year during its WWDC keynote in June, and Cook's comment indicates that this timeframe remains on track as of the first week of August.

"ChatGPT is integrated by the end of the calendar year," said Cook, in response to a question about the timing of Apple Intelligence features.

With user permission, Siri will be able to show ChatGPT answers directly in response to questions and other prompts. ChatGPT will also be an option for Apple's system-wide Writing Tools feature, allowing users to generate text and images. Apple said ChatGPT will be powered by OpenAI's latest GPT-4o model on its platforms.

iPhone, iPad, and Mac users will be able to use ChatGPT for free, without creating an account, and ChatGPT Plus subscribers will be able to connect their accounts to access paid features on these devices. Apple said OpenAI will not store ChatGPT requests made from its devices, and it said users' IP addresses will be obscured.

Apple Intelligence features started rolling out to developers for testing in the iOS 18.1 beta earlier this week, but ChatGPT integration is not available yet.

Apple Intelligence features require an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max, or a Mac or iPad equipped with an M1 chip or newer. The device's language must be set to U.S. English, with support for additional languages to roll out over the next year.

The full suite of Apple Intelligence features is expected to be available by time iOS 18.4 is released to the public around March 2025. These features will enable users to summarize text, prioritize notifications and emails, generate custom emoji and images, and more. The technology will also power a smarter version of Siri with richer language understanding, deeper per-app controls, on-screen awareness, and personalized context.

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss Apple's unusual iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1 betas that introduce Apple Intelligence for the first time.

The beta versions currently available are exclusive to developers, providing them with a first hands-on look at Apple Intelligence. Apple continues to beta test iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15 separately.

One of the most prominent aspects of Apple Intelligence is its Writing Tools, which allow users to proofread text for spelling and grammar errors and rewrite content to change its tone. Users can also summarize any text, creating paragraphs, lists, or tables, which are accessible anywhere text input is possible across the operating system.

The revamped version of Siri is another key feature of Apple Intelligence. The voice assistant now boasts a new design with a glowing edge around the display when activated, indicating when ‌Siri‌ is listening. There is also a Type to ‌Siri‌ option, which allows users to interact with ‌Siri‌ via text instead of voice commands. ‌Siri‌ has been enhanced to maintain context between requests and follow along if the user stumbles over words. Additionally, ‌Siri‌ can now answer a wide range of questions about Apple devices, leveraging Apple's extensive product knowledge and support database.

Several other features included in the beta release are designed to improve communication and media management. For example, users can record, transcribe, and summarize phone calls, which are then stored in the Notes app. The Mail and Messages applications now feature Smart Replies, offering quick, context-based responses. In the Photos app, the new Memory Maker feature allows users to create memory movies from photo collections using natural language descriptions. This feature automatically selects relevant photos and music, although users can customize their creations further.

Some features have been postponed to later releases. The Image Playground app, which offers image creation tools, is not yet available. Genmoji, a tool for creating custom emojis, and the Image Wand feature, which inserts contextually relevant images into Notes, are also missing from the current beta. Additionally, Priority Notifications, which prioritize important alerts, and advanced Mail categories for sorting incoming messages are not yet implemented. Other postponed features include the ability to remove unwanted objects from photos with a single tap, enhanced ‌Siri‌ capabilities such as on-screen awareness, and ChatGPT integration, which should significantly expand ‌Siri‌'s conversational abilities.

Apple has indicated that these additional features will be rolled out progressively throughout 2024 and 2025. The current Apple Intelligence beta is limited to U.S. English and is not accessible to developers in the European Union or China. Apple Intelligence is supported by the iPhone 15 Pro and ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ Max, all Apple silicon iPads, and all Apple silicon Macs. The public will have access to the first Apple Intelligence features upon the official release of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.1 later this year.

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If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up for our discussion on all of the latest rumors about the iPhone 17 "Slim" – a whole new kind of iPhone coming next year.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Kevin Nether, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Jon Prosser, Sam Kohl, John Gruber, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

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All four iPhone 17 models expected to launch next year will feature an upgraded 24-megapixel front-facing camera, according to Apple analyst Jeff Pu.

In a research note today for investment bank Haitong, obtained by MacRumors, Pu shared a chart indicating that the iPhone 17, the tentatively-named iPhone 17 Slim, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max will each be equipped with a 24-megapixel front camera with six plastic lens elements. By comparison, all iPhone 15 models are equipped with a 12-megapixel front camera with five plastic lens elements.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also claimed that at least one iPhone 17 model would be equipped with a 24-megapixel front camera with a six-piece lens back in January, so this upgrade has now been rumored by multiple sources, making it more likely. Kuo said these changes will "significantly improve the image quality."

With a higher 24-megapixel resolution, photos can maintain their quality even when cropped to a greater degree, providing more flexibility in post-processing. A six-piece lens would also slightly enhance image quality, as each element is designed to correct for various aberrations and distortions, leading to clearer, more accurate photos.

iPhone 17 models are expected to launch in September 2025, so they are still over a year away. Rumors about the two-generations-away iPhones always begin quite early, as Apple develops and prototypes products well before they are released.

Apple's first foldable device may not hit its previously expected 2025 schedule for mass production, based on new comments made by Haitong analyst Jeff Pu.

In a note to investors seen by MacRumors, Pu said that he continued to expect enhanced Apple product power driven by the likes of the iPhone 17 and Apple Intelligence, but this came despite some "pushouts" seen for Apple's foldable iPad.

When investors or analysts use the term "pushout" in relation to product releases, they typically mean the expected release date has been moved further into the future, either because there's a delay in the development or manufacturing process, or the company has decided to postpone the launch for other reasons.

In a May report, Pu said Apple's first foldable devices would reach mass production in 2025 and 2026, following increasing evidence of foldable devices in Apple's supply chain. At the time, the analyst said Apple would likely release a large-screen foldable iPad or MacBook in that timeframe before launching a higher-volume foldable iPhone in late 2026.

Pu had said one Apple foldable with a 20.3-inch display would start production in late 2025, which was sooner than previously expected. However, Pu now thinks Apple will join the foldable market in the second quarter of 2026 due to "display durability issues."

Apple is putting pressure on Tencent and ByteDance to make significant changes to two of China's most popular apps in order to remove loopholes that circumvent Apple's typical 30% commission, Bloomberg reports.

The loopholes are linked to mini-apps that allow users of Tencent's social-messaging app WeChat and ByteDance's short-video app Douyin to play games, hail taxis, and make online purchases without leaving the app.

Apple reportedly told both companies they need to prevent mini-app creators from including links to outside payment systems that circumvent its commission system. Apple said it would not approve future updates to WeChat or Douyin until the companies complied.

Apple also has asked Tencent to disable in-game chats between developers and users, because they can also be used to send links, according to Bloomberg. Tencent has reportedly pushed back against the idea due to the negative impact it would have on the game experience.

The report characterized the moves by Apple as "unusually aggressive" in China, suggesting they may inflame tensions at a time when its business practices are under scrutiny by antitrust regulators around the world.

An Apple spokesperson who contacted Bloomberg cited its guidelines that the sale of all digital goods must go through its system, and that its review team may reject app submissions that violate that policy.

Support for Apple Account Cards in the Wallet app has gone live in Canada and Australia, over two years since it first launched in the United States.

The change means users can use the Wallet app to add an Apple Account Card, which displays the Apple credit balance associated with an Apple ID. If you receive an App Store or Apple Store gift card, for example, it is added to an Apple Account that was previously visible in the ‌App Store‌ and ‌Apple Store‌ apps.

Support for the feature in Canada and Australia requires iPhone users updating to iOS 17.6, as spotted by Nicolás Álvarez. Prior to today, support for the feature was thought to be limited to Japan and the US.

To add an Apple Account Card, open up the Wallet app and under "Available Cards," tap on "Add Apple Account." As long as you have an Apple Account balance, you'll be able to add the card.

Once added, you can view your Apple Account balance right from the Wallet app and use it to purchase Apple products, apps, games, and music. It works in the same way as any other card in the Wallet app when at an ‌Apple Store‌. The Apple Account Card replaces the iTunes Pass that used to be available a long time ago.

The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are rumored to feature bigger battery capacities compared to previous-generation models, but it looks like the smaller iPhone 16 Pro device could see the biggest improvement, according to new details.

Chinese Weibo-based leaker Instant Digital today posted the mAh (milliampere-hours) figures for the iPhone 16 Pro (3,577 mAh) and iPhone 16 Pro Max (4,676 mAh), with only the larger model capacity lining up with previous leaked figures.

The mAh is a measure of battery capacity, or the amount of electric charge that a battery can store. The higher the mAh rating of a battery, the more charge it can hold, and the longer it can power a device. The following table shows the battery capacity comparison between the iPhone 15 Pro models and iPhone 16 Pro models.

	iPhone 15 Pros (2023)	iPhone 16 Pros (2024)	% Change
Pro	3,274 mAh	3,577 mAh	+9.25%
Max	4,422 mAh	4,676 mAh	+5.74%

The change in capacity of the iPhone 16 Pro over the previous Pro model shows the most marked difference, with an over 9% increase (303 mAh). Meanwhile, the iPhone 16 Pro Max, while not as dramatic as its smaller sibling, gets an over 5% increase (254 mAh). Combined with efficiency improvements, the increases should see both devices offer more sustained real-world usage on a single charge.

According to one rumor, this year's ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max will boast a 30-hour-plus battery life (compared to 29 hours for the iPhone 15 Pro Max). Not only that, the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are expected to use stacked battery technology for increased energy density and prolonged lifespan.

• 5 Biggest Changes Rumored for iPhone 16 Pro Max

Both devices are also rumored to support 40W wired fast charging and 20W MagSafe charging. For comparison, iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models are capable of up to 27W peak charging speeds with an appropriate USB-C power adapter, while official MagSafe chargers from Apple and authorized third parties can wirelessly charge the iPhone 15 models at up to 15W.

Apple today held an earnings call for the third fiscal quarter of 2024 (second calendar quarter), with Apple reporting its best June quarter to date, with revenue higher than expected. Apple CEO Tim Cook and Apple CFO Luca Maestri provided some insight into Apple's performance, iPad sales, services growth, AI plans, and more.

We've highlighted the most interesting tidbits from the Q3 2024 earnings call.

iPhone Performance

Apple CEO ‌Tim Cook‌ said that the iPhone 15 models did better than the iPhone 14 models. The install base hit an all-time high during the June quarter.

As for the iPhone 16, Apple CEO ‌Tim Cook‌ said that the company is "very excited" about Apple Intelligence and the level of value that Apple will provide to users. Cook said that Apple Intelligence presents "another reason for a compelling upgrade."

Apple Intelligence

On Apple Intelligence, Cook said that Apple can't wait to see what kind of amazing things developers do with Apple Intelligence. Cook expects that developers will adopt Apple Intelligence in their apps on a broad basis, with features that are applicable to many types of apps.

He confirmed that Apple is planning a staggered rollout of the Apple Intelligence features. There are some functions that will come over the course of the year, and languages beyond U.S. English will not be available at launch.

ChatGPT integration with Siri is expected before the end of the calendar year.

Apple is investing more in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, with plans to increase that on a yearly basis.

iPad Sales

Apple saw a sharp increase in ‌iPad‌ sales thanks to the launch of the M4 iPad Pro and the M2 iPad Air during the quarter. ‌iPad‌ revenue was at $7.2 billion, up 24 percent from $5.8 billion in the year-ago quarter.

Services Revenue

Apple saw a steep increase in services revenue at $24.2 billion, up from $21.2 billion a year ago and a new all-time revenue record. Paid subscriptions hit an all-time high, and Apple has more than one billion paid subscriptions across services. Apple set new records in advertising, cloud, and payment services.

Apple CFO Luca Maestri said that Apple is seeing continued growth in the level of engagement that customers have with its ecosystem. Maestri also said that Apple is doing a "very good job" improving the quality of its services and improving the amount of content available. Apple plans to continue to add new Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade content.

Other Product Revenue

iPhone revenue dropped one percent ($39.3B), Mac revenue was up two percent ($7B), and Home, Accessories, and Wearables fell two percent ($8.1B).

Digital Markets Act

Maestri said that Apple is continuing to discuss its DMA compliance with the European Commission. Apple has seen "a good level of adoption" from developers on the changes, and in general, results for the services business and for the App Store have been "pretty good until now."

Maestri once again reiterated that the ‌App Store‌ is responsible for seven percent of the total revenue that Apple earns in the European Union.

Cook said that Apple is working to understand the regulatory requirements it is subject to before introducing Apple Intelligence in the European Union. Apple Intelligence features will not be available in the EU when iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia launch.

September Quarter

Apple said that it expects September quarter revenue to grow year over year at a rate similar to the June quarter. Services revenue is expected to grow double digits, similar to the rest of this year. Gross margin is expected to be 45.5 and 46.6 percent.

Mac will have a challenging compare from a year ago, according to Maestri, as there was the full quarter impact of the 15-inch MacBook Air in fall 2023. There have been rumors that we could see refreshed M4 MacBook Pros before the end of the year, but if Apple is expecting Mac revenue to fall, that may not happen.

Apple today announced financial results for its third fiscal quarter of 2024, which corresponds to the second calendar quarter of the year.

For the quarter, Apple posted revenue of $85.8 billion and net quarterly profit of $21.4 billion, or $1.40 per diluted share, compared to revenue of $81.8 billion and net quarterly profit of $19.9 billion, or $1.26 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter.

Apple set new June quarter records for both revenue and earnings per share, while the Services category set an all-time revenue record. The iPad category also saw a notable increase in revenue thanks to the introduction of new iPad Pro and iPad Air models.

Gross margin for the quarter was 46.3 percent, compared to 44.5 percent in the year-ago quarter. Apple also declared a quarterly dividend payment of $0.25 per share, payable on August 15 to shareholders of record as of August 12.

"Today Apple is reporting a new June quarter revenue record of $85.8 billion, up 5 percent from a year ago," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "During the quarter, we were excited to announce incredible updates to our software platforms at our Worldwide Developers Conference, including Apple Intelligence, a breakthrough personal intelligence system that puts powerful, private generative AI models at the core of iPhone, iPad, and Mac. We very much look forward to sharing these tools with our users, and we continue to invest significantly in the innovations that will enrich our customers' lives, while leading with the values that drive our work."

As has been the case for over four years now, Apple is once again not issuing guidance for the current quarter ending in September.

Apple will provide live streaming of its fiscal Q3 2024 financial results conference call at 2:00 p.m. Pacific, and MacRumors will update this story with coverage of the conference call highlights.

Conference call recap ahead...

➜ Click here to read rest of article...

Apple today refreshed its App Store Guidelines created for developers, modifying the emulator rules to include express permission for PC emulators to download games.

Guideline 4.7 has been updated to state that PC emulator apps can offer to download games. The guideline previously said that console emulator apps could include the option to download games, but it did not explicitly cover PC emulators.

The rule change comes following Apple's App Store approval of PC emulator UTM SE, which lets users emulate old versions of Windows, macOS, and Linux to use classic software and games.

Apple initially rejected UTM SE in June, even though it started allowing retro game emulators back in April. Apple told the app's developers at the time that it violated the ‌App Store‌ guidelines because a "PC is not a console." The developers behind UTM SE were able to make some technical changes, and Apple ultimately approved the app.

UTM SE was the first PC emulator app to be allowed on the ‌App Store‌, but the guideline changes today will streamline the approval process for similar apps.

Apple has also updated its separate guidelines for app notarization, which applies to third-party apps that are submitted for distribution outside of the ‌App Store‌ in the European Union. ‌App Store‌ guidelines 4.7, 4.7.2, and 4.7.3 are now applicable to the notarization process.

The 4.7 guideline allows for mini apps, mini games, streaming games, chatbots, plug-ins, and game emulators. 4.7.2 prevents apps from extending or exposing native platform APIs to the software without Apple's permission, and 4.7.3 says that apps may not share data or privacy permissions to any individual software offered within an app without user consent. Prior to today's update, these guidelines were not part of the EU notarization review process.

Apps distributed outside of the ‌App Store‌ are not subject to all of Apple's rules, but to receive notarization from Apple, third-party apps do have to adhere to some guidelines. Apple created the notarization process for EU apps distributed outside of the ‌App Store‌ on the iPhone and iPad, and an app must have Apple approval to run on an Apple device.

Apple today filed a motion to dismiss its ongoing lawsuit with the United States Department of Justice, a standard step in the litigation process. In its motion to dismiss, Apple argues that the government's complaint has not demonstrated anticompetitive conduct, anticompetitive effect that harms consumers, or that Apple is a monopoly power in the U.S. smartphone market. The government needs to prove all three of these claims for a successful antitrust lawsuit.

For the anticompetitive allegation, the DoJ lawsuit focused on third-party access to Apple services and features, but Apple argues that there is longstanding Supreme Court precedent that companies can set the terms and conditions of their third-party dealings. Apple claims that the DoJ is attempting to force it to spend money to develop tools for big business competitors, which could have a "chilling" effect on innovation. The DoJ suggested, for example, that Apple should have developed an iMessage app for Android.

iMessage is Apple's proprietary, innovative messaging service that Apple created to competitively differentiate iPhone. Under the Government's view, companies like Apple should face antitrust liability for not expending the resources, cost, and time to develop versions of proprietary products and services for competitors' devices.

Apple points out that the DoJ's complaint does not explain how Apple's alleged limiting of "super apps," cloud streaming apps, digital wallets, messaging apps, and competing smartwatches has harmed consumers or impacted consumer choice about which smartphone to purchase. For a successful antitrust lawsuit, the DoJ needs to prove that Apple's actions hurt consumers and stifle competition, and the DoJ argues that Apple has "locked" customers into its ecosystem.

It is implausible to claim, as the Government does, that Apple has deterred any customers from switching to Google or Samsung because of its policies with respect to "super apps," cloud gaming, smartwatches, or anything else. The opposite is much more plausible: Users unhappy with Apple's reasonable policies on third-party access can and do switch away to competitors' devices, where those limits do not exist.

Apple argues that it is not a monopolist because it faces competition from companies like Google and Samsung, preventing the government from establishing the "typical hallmarks of monopoly power." Apple does not have enough U.S. smartphone marketshare to make the monopoly claim easy for the government to establish. The DoJ has compared Apple to Microsoft, but Microsoft had a 95 percent share of the operating system market when it faced an antitrust lawsuit, while Apple's is closer to 65 percent.

Apple further suggests that the DoJ is aiming to have the court establish a "new theory of antitrust liability" that no prior court has recognized and that would provide "unprecedented authority to control Apple design choices." Apple says that the DoJ is targeting the very features that distinguish iPhones from competing devices, and if the DoJ ultimately wins the case, courts would need to "oversee product-design and policy choices," which they are not equipped to do.

A motion to dismiss limits the information that Apple can provide to dispute the DoJ's claims, and rulings often favor plaintiffs. The allegations that the DoJ made are assumed to be true at this stage, and Apple needs to prove that the claims fail as a matter of law. For this reason, the lawsuit is likely to progress, though claims could be narrowed and there is a chance for dismissal.

If the court rules in the Department of Justice's favor on the dismissal, there will be many future chances for Apple to sway the court because this is a legal battle that will span years.

After Apple's motion to dismiss, the government has until September 12 to file an opposition brief. From there, Apple will file a reply brief on October 10, and there could be a possible hearing after that. A ruling on the motion to dismiss is expected in late 2024 or early 2025.

Should the government win, Apple will file an answer to the initial complaint, leading to a discovery period where both parties provide documents, expert testimony, and depositions, which can last for over a year. A summary judgment will follow, which is where Apple can make a stronger case, and that might not happen until 2027. Should the case ultimately go to trial, a trial could take place sometime in 2028, or even later.

For a refresher on the DoJ's antitrust claims against Apple, we have a dedicated guide that highlights everything you need to know about the U.S. vs. Apple legal fight.

Google today announced three new AI features that are coming to its Chrome browser, with Google taking advantage of the latest Google AI and Gemini models.

Google Lens is now available for the Chrome desktop browser, allowing users to search for what they see on the browser screen with a quick drag and search gesture. Google says that Chrome users can select anything on the page to search for visual matches, including text and images.

Searches can be refined by color, brand, and other details, and follow up questions are available for a deeper dive into a topic.

Tab compare is a new feature that is designed to let users see an AI-generated overview of products from across multiple tabs in one spot. Google says that this is useful for comparing reviews, prices, and other elements of multiple products when deciding what to purchase.

Google is also introducing a natural language search option for Chrome browsing history, allowing Chrome users to quickly find a site that they visited in the past with a phrase like "What was that ice cream shop I looked at last week?" Conversational search is optional, and can be turned on or off in the Chrome settings. It will not include data from incognito mode.

The AI-powered Google Lens feature will be available with the latest Chrome update that's rolling out over the next few days, while the other two features will be available in the next few weeks. Tab compare and the browser search option will both be rolled out in the U.S. to begin with.