iPhone

As reported by AppleInsider and MacRumors, today Apple released a second developer beta for iOS / iPadOS 18.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1 updates with Apple Intelligence features.

There’s also a sixth set of developer betas for the initial updates set to hit iPhones, Macs, and other devices this fall, and an update for the AirPods Pro 2 set that’s in line for some new features.

The update reportedly brings Thanos snap mode (aka Distraction Control), improvements to the Photos app redesign, and other UI tweaks. I can’t wait to snap away some Cookies!

Anyone can download and install the public betas for iPad and iPhone, but pro tip: carry a battery pack with you — betas are brutal on your percentage.

“The bulk of Apple’s designers” are reporting directly to Molly Anderson now, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in today’s Power On newsletter. A quick US Patent Office search shows Anderson on Apple patents granted as far back as 2016.

Apple COO Jeff Williams has overseen the team since Jony Ive successor Evans Hankey left, close to two years ago.

Following yesterday’s more colorful iPhone 16 leak, we now have the Pro “dummies” showing up in three titanium colors. It’s also rumored to come in a “rose titanium” hue, as 9to5Mac points out.

In what’s become an annual tradition, we now have the non-working iPhone 16 “dummy units” — created for case and accessory makers — from perennial leaker Sonny Dickson. In addition to showing the new colors, we can also see the camera bump aligned vertically in what should be the final size and shape of the device Apple announces this fall.

The CBC is reporting that the women stranded by the wildfires while camping were safely rescued by a search and rescue helicopter team after successfully contacting help by sending a satellite text message.

Despite reduced visibility due to heavy smoke, the rescuers were able to reach the hikers who were found “exactly where the cellphone ping said they were.”

Mark Gurman reports for Bloomberg that “Apple Intelligence” features will be available for developers to beta test this week.

However, he also says the first ones won’t be released publicly until weeks after Apple’s big September updates for iPhone / iPad / Mac, etc. Rollouts for others from its WWDC showcase, like upgraded Siri, could stretch into 2025.

The discussion about what Apple will do next with the fourth iPhone slot in its lineup had a lot of agreement in the comments section, except it wasn’t exactly in favor of the rumored “iPhone 17 Slim.”

Whether it’s a Mini, a Mini Pro, or a Mini Thick with extra battery packed inside, the people have their eye on one iPhone format in particular.

iPhone owners love the feature and get up in arms when automakers resist it. Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said this week on Decoder that CarPlay can’t “leverage other parts of the vehicle experience” and takes control away from automakers.

Meanwhile, friend of The Verge, Patrick George, has the so-far unpopular opinion that while CarPlay is familiar, it’s rapidly becoming out of date.

That didn’t pan out, but if you’re curious what it could have looked like, AppleInsider published some pictures of a purported prototype iPhone 15 Pro Max with haptic buttons for the volume rocker and the power button. The report also includes some details on how the buttons might have worked.