iOS 18 - This is a Surprise!

iOS 18 - This is a Surprise!

Brandon here, and welcome back to another edition of Apple Weekly! In this episode, we dive deep into the newest iOS 18 features and changes, debunk the claims about Apple stealing data, discuss why the iPhone 16 may not sell as expected, reveal which iPhones the FBI can't unlock, share a thrilling AirTag story, and more. If staying updated on all things Apple excites you, hit that subscribe button!

New iOS 18 Features and Changes

The first public beta of iOS 18 was released this week. Upon inspecting, you'll notice the build number ends with 'I'. It's a re-release of developer Beta 3 which had an 'F'. Generally, the closer to 'A', the more stable the build. Interestingly, the public beta might be less stable than the original.

Messages and Emoji Keyboard

In the messages app, Apple reverted to the original emoji keyboard look. The beta 3 version with larger icons might return in Beta 4. A noteworthy feature allowing users to search for specific emoji stickers has also been temporarily removed.

Camera App Update

Now includes a 5-second timer option, adding to the original 3 and 10-second options.

Books Application

An often overlooked app gets significant updates. The 'line guide' feature allows readers to focus on specific lines, and you can now adjust margins by 10% increments.

Health Widgets

New widgets for lock screen vitals are now functioning better in Beta 3.

Battery Update

A new tidbit shows if a software update is finishing in the background, alongside a section detailing device setup and update usage.

iOS Performance

Many users report that the public beta has worse performance than the original Beta 3. Geekbench scores confirm a slight decline in performance metrics.

Next Expected Apple Updates

Brandon speculates that the next iOS 18 Beta (developer Beta 4) will be released in the week of July 29th. Historically, Apple has released betas on either Mondays or Tuesdays.

Apple News

Debunking Apple Data Theft

Recent headlines claimed Apple was stealing YouTube subtitles to train their AI. Investigations reveal Apple used a third-party dataset for research purposes. The Open Elm model is not powering any of Apple's machine learning features.

FBI and Mobile Forensics

After an attempted assassination on Trump, the FBI unlocked an Android phone quickly but can't do the same for iPhones running iOS 17.4 or later and Google Pixel 6, 7, or 8.

iPhone 16 Sales

Ming-Chi Kuo suggests that the iPhone 16 won't see a significant sales increase, contrary to earlier optimistic reports.

Crazy AirTag Story

In Memphis, stolen AC units were tracked down using AirTags, leading to the arrest of a suspect.

Stay tuned for our next episode of Apple Weekly!

Keywords

• iOS 18
• Apple
• iPhone 16
• FBI
• Data Theft
• AirTags
• Public Beta
• iPhone SE4

FAQ

Q: What new features are in the iOS 18 public beta? A: The new iOS 18 public beta includes updates to messages and the emoji keyboard, a 5-second timer in the camera app, features in the Books application, and new health widgets.

Q: Are the claims about Apple stealing YouTube data true? A: No, those claims are false. Apple used a third-party dataset for research purposes to train the Open Elm model, which isn't being used in any of Apple's machine learning features.

Q: Which iPhones can't the FBI unlock? A: According to leaked documents, the FBI cannot unlock iPhones running iOS 17.4 and later, as well as Google Pixel 6, 7, and 8.

Q: How has iOS 18 public beta performance been? A: Many users report that the public beta has worse performance than the original developer Beta 3, which is confirmed by a slight decline in Geekbench performance metrics.

Q: When is the next iOS 18 Beta expected? A: Brandon speculates that the next iOS 18 Beta (developer Beta 4) will be released in the week of July 29th.

Q: What unique use of AirTags was mentioned this week? A: AirTags were used to track down stolen AC units in Memphis, leading to the arrest of a suspect.

Q: What’s new with the iPhone SE4? A: The iPhone SE4 is rumored to have the same backplate manufacturing process as the iPhone 16, and it's expected to be released in the spring of next year.