Apple's website continues to state that the first vehicle models with support for next-generation CarPlay will "arrive in 2024," but with less than three weeks remaining in the year, time is running short for the company to meet that objective.
One reason to remain optimistic is that a similar situation played out last year. Apple said the first vehicles with next-generation CarPlay would be previewed in late 2023, and while that seemed more and more unlikely as the year-end approached, Aston Martin and Porsche finally shared some dashboard concepts on December 20. Just in time!
That's all we have, so far, though. Concepts, leaks, and promises.
Aston Martin last year said next-generation CarPlay would be available in its DB12 sports car, but it has not shared any specific plans. Meanwhile, Porsche told us it had no imminent plans to launch next-generation CarPlay as of late November.
Apple has not publicly commented on next-generation CarPlay in a long time, but it has continued to make preparations behind the scenes. Last month, for example, a few redesigned next-generation CarPlay icons appeared in iOS 18.2 code. However, iOS 18.2 was released earlier this week, and there is still no sign of the new CarPlay.
When it first announced next-generation CarPlay a few years ago, Apple promised deeper integration with the instrument cluster and climate controls, support for multiple displays across the dashboard, a dedicated FM radio app, widgets, and more. The interface would be tailored to each vehicle model and automaker's brand identity.
Next-generation CarPlay is expected to be available in new vehicles only. It will not be an update for standard CarPlay.
Here is how Apple describes it:
This next generation of CarPlay is the ultimate iPhone experience for the car. It provides content for all the driver's screens including the instrument cluster. This ensures a cohesive design experience that is the very best of your car and your iPhone — with designs for each automaker that express your vehicle’s character and brand. Vehicle functions like radio and temperature controls are handled right from CarPlay. And personalization options ranging from widgets to selecting curated gauge cluster designs make it unique to the driver.
During its initial announcement, Apple said committed automakers included Acura, Audi, Ford, Honda, Infiniti, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Polestar, Porsche, Renault, and Volvo. Aston Martin was announced later. It is unclear if that list remains accurate, however, as some automakers have since expressed hesitation about ceding the in-vehicle software experience to Apple. That doesn't guarantee that next-generation CarPlay is dead in the water, but the list of partners could end up being smaller.
Apple has not responded to our several requests for comment about next-generation CarPlay this year, but as of now its website still promises a 2024 launch. Apple and car makers have 19 days remaining to pull off the feat within that timeframe.
Do you think Apple will ever launch next-generation CarPlay, or are you convinced it is vaporware? Let us know in the comments section.
Apple today updated Pages, Numbers, and Keynote for Mac and iOS with support for Apple Intelligence features like ChatGPT Siri integration, Writing Tools, and Image Playground that were largely introduced in iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2.
All three apps support Writing Tools for proofreading, summarizing, rewriting, and composing text, with the latter feature relying on ChatGPT. Siri is able to use ChatGPT to answer questions about what's in presentations, documents, and spreadsheets.
Pages, Numbers, and Keynote also offer Image Playground support, so there is now an option to create original images that can be used in iWork documents.
All of the new Apple Intelligence features require a device that's capable of Apple Intelligence. That includes the iPhone 15 Pro models, all iPhone 16 models, Macs with an Apple silicon chip, iPads with an Apple silicon chip, and the iPad mini 7.
Apple's iWork apps for iOS devices and Macs are free to download and use.
Anker recently kicked off a big holiday sale, which is set to run through Christmas day. This sale includes notable discounts on portable chargers, USB-C hubs, cables, and more.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Anker. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
There are a few bonus offers during this event as well, including festive gift bundles aimed at family members, friends, and co-workers. If you enter your email on the sale's landing page, you can unwrap a mystery gift that includes either a portable battery or up to a 20 percent off coupon.
This sale also includes some Amazon discounts, with a new all-time low price on the popular 60,000 mAh Power Station with Smart Digital Display and Retractable Lighting. You can get this accessory for just $79.99 with an on-page coupon this week, down from $139.99.
Note: You won't see the deal price until checkout.
Finally, it's worth noting that MacRumors readers can still get 20 percent off Anker accessories through the end of the year. Anker's current holiday event beats this discount most of the time, but if you find a product not on sale it will be worth entering our code at checkout.
In order to get this deal, head to Anker's website and add an accessory to your cart, then enter the code akmacrumors20ch at checkout to see the discount. Our exclusive 20 percent off code works on most accessories sitewide, including Anker's new line of MagSafe-compatible products. Our code does not stack with any existing offers, including the holiday deals.
If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.
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Apple plans to refresh both the Apple TV and the HomePod mini in 2025 as part of a major push into refreshing its smart home product offerings, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In a report on an upcoming Apple-designed Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chip, Gurman says that the chip will be introduced in a new Apple TV and HomePod mini that are "scheduled" for 2025. While there is no exact timeline included, Gurman separately mentions that the chip will be included in iPhones "later next year," which suggests it will come to the HomePod mini and the Apple TV before the September timeframe.
The component will support Wi-Fi 6E, though Apple may not be able to match all of Broadcom's chip capabilities with the first-generation in-house Wi-Fi chip.
Adopting a custom-designed Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip will allow Apple's upcoming smart home devices to work better together and perhaps "synchronize data more quickly."
Apple is also working on a home hub "Command Center" that's set to come out in 2025, but it's not clear if that device will use the custom chip. The Command Center will have a 6-inch display with a built-in speaker and camera, and it will be able to control smart home devices, make video calls, and more.
Apple is switching over to a new Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chip that it designed in-house starting in 2025, reports Bloomberg. The combined Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chip will replace components from Broadcom, allowing Apple to reduce its reliance on the company.
The chip, referred to as "Proxima" internally, will be introduced in Apple products starting in 2025. It will come to the iPhone 17 models, the Apple TV, and HomePod mini to begin with, and to the iPad and the Mac in 2026.
Apple's Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chip is distinct from the 5G modem chip that Apple is also designing, but eventually, Apple wants to combine these into a single component. The overarching goal is to create a wireless setup where the components are tightly integrated and more energy efficient, allowing Apple to cut down on the battery use of cellular, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth technologies.
Apple will also be able to create thinner devices and new wearable technology with the custom chips that it is creating.
Like Qualcomm, Broadcom is a company that has long supplied components to Apple for its devices. Apple does not want to continue to rely so heavily on parts from either Qualcomm or Broadcom, and it will also start phasing out Qualcomm modems in 2025. The iPhone SE, low-end iPad, and iPhone 17 Air are set to adopt Apple's custom 5G modem.
Apple won't be able to stop using components from Broadcom entirely, and it will still use a Broadcom-designed radio frequency filter for modems. Apple is also working with Broadcom on future cloud server chips.
ResMed, a company known for medical devices like CPAP machines, today announced the launch of the Kontor Head Strap, a new accessory designed for the Vision Pro.
The Kontor Head Strap was created to balance softness and support for extended wear time when using the Vision Pro. ResMed says that it uses "ultra-premium" materials that are gentle on the skin, with the device offering six modular counterweights to better balance the Vision Pro's weight on the head.
"Over the last 35 years, our team has constantly pushed the innovation boundaries to create life-changing health technologies that people love," said Justin Leong, Chief Product Officer for ResMed. "With our deep knowledge in engineering head-worn products, we are excited to bring our expertise to designing lightweight and comfortable facial interfaces to the Apple Vision Pro community through the Kontor Head Strap."
The Kontor Head Strap was created from thousands of 3D head and facial scans to provide comfort and stability to Vision Pro wearers. It is available in two sizes, including standard for users that wear a medium or large Dual Loop Band, and small for users who wear a small Dual Loop Band.
Apple last updated the Mac Pro with the M2 Ultra chip in June 2023. Below, we outline when to expect the high-end desktop tower to be updated next.
In short, the latest rumors about the Mac Pro indicate the computer will be updated with an as-yet-unannounced M4 Ultra chip in the second half of 2025.
Mac Pro: Timing
When was the current model released? June 2023
When is a new model expected? The second half of 2025, likely October to December
Mac Pro: What to Know
Apple last updated the Mac Pro with the M2 Ultra chip at WWDC in June 2023, but the desktop tower's overall design remains unchanged since 2019.
A new Mac Pro will launch in the second half of 2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. If so, it seems likely that Apple will announce the next Mac Pro at some point from October through December next year. October is a common month for Mac announcements, and the Mac Pro has been updated in December twice since 2013.
Gurman said the new Mac Pro will be equipped with an M4 Ultra chip, which should offer significant CPU performance improvements over the M2 Ultra chip. The Mac Pro would also gain hardware-accelerated ray tracing for improved graphics rendering in games, a technology that was introduced with the M3 series of chips. Plus, Gurman said the next Mac Pro could support up to 512GB of RAM, up from the current limit of 192GB.
No other major upgrades or design changes have been rumored for the next Mac Pro yet.
For several years, it has been rumored that Apple has explored a high-end, so-called "Extreme" chip for the Mac Pro. This chip would effectively be a "quadrupled" version of the Max chip for Macs. For example, a 16-core CPU would become a 64-core CPU. However, Gurman said Apple canceled plans for an "M2 Extreme" chip a few years ago, and The Information recently reported that Apple abandoned plans for another "quadrupled" chip this "past summer." While we reported that this could make an "M4 Extreme" chip unlikely, Daring Fireball's John Gruber made a good point about how there is a long, multi-year gap between Apple designing and shipping new chips, so it is possible the latest chip canceled actually would have been an "M5 Extreme" chip or later if development was only recently ended.
If there ends up being no "Extreme" chip for the next several years, then the Mac Pro might continue to lack major differences compared to the Mac Studio, which is also expected to be updated with the M4 Ultra chip next year. As of now, the Mac Pro is essentially a larger, more expensive version of the Mac Studio with PCIe expansion slots.
If you are currently in the market for a Mac Pro, we certainly recommend waiting for the new model, as the M4 Max chip in the latest 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models is up to 25% faster than the M2 Ultra in the current Mac Pro.
MacRumors Buyer's Guide
Check out our MacRumors Buyer's Guide to keep track of when Macs and other Apple products were released, and when they are likely to be updated next.
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. As noted by one of our readers Jack, the feature also launched in Puerto Rico this week.
Below, we outline which U.S. states and territories offer the feature, and additional states that have committed to rolling it out in the feature in the future.
In September, Apple announced that the following two states had "signed on" to adopt the feature in the future, but it did not provide a timeframe:
Montana
West Virginia
West Virginia launched a mobile ID app on the iPhone this week, and said its mobile ID will expand to digital wallets in the "near future."
In March 2022, Apple listed other states that were committed to offering the feature, and some have followed through since then. The remaining ones:
Connecticut
Kentucky
Mississippi
Oklahoma
Utah
The feature will also work with Japan's My Number Card in the future, according to Apple.
Participating Airports
Apple Wallet app IDs can be used at select TSA checkpoints within select U.S. airports:
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
Denver International Airport (DEN)
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport (CVG)
John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH)
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC)
Los Angeles International (LAX)
Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL)
Des Moines International Airport (DSM)
Eastern Iowa Airport (CID)
Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ)
Lea County Regional Airport (HOB)
Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (SJU)
Apple says travelers should refer to TSA checkpoint signage to confirm availability of the feature, and the TSA's website offers more details.
In addition to participating TSA checkpoints, Apple in September announced that users would soon be able to present an Apple Wallet ID for CLEAR member enrollment at airports. Apple Wallet IDs can also be used to show proof of age or identity at select businesses and venues in the U.S., although Apple does not maintain a list of specific locations for this.
Amazon is taking $80 off a huge collection of Apple Watch Ultra 2 smartwatches this week, including the new Black models. You can get these devices for $719.00, down from $799.00, and many have guaranteed Christmas delivery on Amazon.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
The sale includes models with the Ocean Band, Trail Loop, and Alpine Loop, and you'll also find a few of the Natural case color as well, all priced at $719.00. If you're interested in the model with the Milanese Loop, it's on sale for $819.99, down from $899.00.
Keep up with all of this week's best discounts on Apple products and related accessories in our dedicated Apple Deals roundup.
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Health Canada on Wednesday issued Apple licenses for the hearing aid and hearing test features available on the AirPods Pro 2. Apple is now permitted to launch these features in Canada, and that will likely happen in the coming months.
With the clinical-grade hearing aid feature, AirPods Pro 2 can amplify the sound around you. The feature is intended for adults with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss, according to Apple. There is no additional cost to use the feature in countries where it is available, as it is rolling out through free software updates.
Meanwhile, the five-minute hearing test allows adults to identify if they have hearing loss by measuring their ability to hear different frequencies of sound. Afterwards, the results will show a hearing loss classification and recommended next steps.
The hearing health features first launched in the U.S. and select other countries in late October. The just-released iOS 18.2 update for the iPhone expanded the hearing test feature to France, Italy, Luxembourg, Romania, Spain, Cyprus, Czechia, and the UK, and both the hearing aid and hearing test features to the United Arab Emirates.
There is also a hearing protection feature on the AirPods Pro 2 that is already available in Canada.
All of the hearing health features on the AirPods Pro 2 require firmware version 7B19 or newer. Firmware updates are installed automatically on AirPods while they are charging and in Bluetooth range of an iPhone, iPad, or Mac connected to Wi-Fi.
The hearing aid and hearing test features could launch in Canada with the release of iOS 18.3 in January, or with iOS 18.4 in April.
Apple's staggered release of iOS 18 features is reportedly causing delays in the development of iOS 19, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Historically, Apple has unveiled new software features at WWDC in June and then released fully complete software updates in September alongside new iPhone models. However, thanks to the gradual rollout of Apple Intelligence features in iOS 18, iPhone users look set for a long wait before they get to use many of the new iOS 19 features that Apple will inevitably promote at WWDC 2025.
In a new post on X (Twitter), Gurman said that he continues to hear that engineers who would typically be transitioning to work on the next major iOS version are still occupied with implementing features for iOS 18 updates through iOS 18.4, expected in the spring.
Gurman reports that this extended rollout of iOS 18 features through various point releases is creating a cascading effect on iOS 19's development timeline. The situation is unfortunately expected to result in a similarly staggered deployment of features in the next iOS cycle that is likely to frustrate many Apple users.
The latest development follows a report from Gurman last month that iOS 19 will include a significant Siri upgrade powered by large language models, making the assistant more conversational and similar to ChatGPT. Apple is expected to preview this enhancement at WWDC 2025 in June, but it won't be available until iOS 19.4 in the spring of 2026.
The current focus on iOS 18 updates appears to be affecting more than just the Siri upgrade, though. Gurman in November said that "a larger-than-usual number of features" initially planned for iOS 19's release are now postponed until iOS 19.4.
I continue to hear that the gradual rollout of features across iOS 18 to iOS 18.4 is leading to delays of some features scheduled for iOS 19. That will lead to a long term rollout of features next cycle as well. Engineers are stuck working on iOS 18 projects when they’d usually…
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) December 12, 2024
Apple on Wednesday released iOS 18.2, introducing several new Apple Intelligence features that it has been advertising since September when the iPhone 16 series launched. iOS 18.2 is the last iOS update of 2024, with iOS 18.3 and iOS 18.4 set to bring on-screen awareness to Siri, deeper per-app controls, and several other enhancements.
Next year's iPhone 17 Pro models will reportedly feature a major redesign, specifically centering around changes to the rear camera module, and now new supply chain information appears to confirm the striking change, according to a Chinese leaker.
iPhone 17 Pro concept render
Late last month, The Information's Wayne Ma claimed that the rear of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature a "rectangular camera bump made of aluminum rather than traditional 3D glass," while the bottom half will continue to be made of glass to support wireless charging. The report also said the "iPhone 17 Air" currently has a "large, centered camera bump on its back" with a single camera.
Concept renders like the one pictured above have been making the rounds ever since The Information report. However, this morning, Digital Chat Station, a Weibo user responsible for a range of details about the camera technology of upcoming iPhone models, claimed that supply chain materials they have seen appear to confirm the major camera module change.
"The details of the camera arrangement are unclear, but the module is of this elongated oval shape," said the leaker, commenting on the concept render image. "Many new Android phones next year are also expected to adopt a similar design," the leaker added.
If accurate, the Google Pixel-style module redesign would be one of the most significant changes to Apple's signature square iPhone camera bump since September 2019 when the iPhone 11 debuted.
The iPhone 11's square camera module was a marked shift from previous models, which featured a more traditional vertical camera layout. Apple's decision to switch to a square design was mainly driven by the need to accommodate a third camera in the form of a new Ultra Wide lens, along with improved sensors and optics. The introduction of the square bump set a new aesthetic standard for subsequent models, influencing the design of later releases right up to today's iPhone 16.
Commenting on the rumor, Ice Universe, another well-known Weibo-based leaker, noted that such an external change would require the internal structural design to undergo a "major overhaul — much like redesigning the layout of an old house," that would require a significant amount of time for validation. "Would Apple really take such an aggressive approach?" they added.
As always, the look of the devices is based on scraps of information at this point, and Apple's plans could always change. Regardless, what do you think of the rumored new redesign for the iPhone 17 Pro models? Let us know in the comments.
Apple's new Mail sorting features in iOS 18.2 are notably absent from both iPadOS 18.2 and macOS Sequoia 15.2, raising questions about the company's rollout strategy for the email management system.
The new feature automatically sorts emails into four distinct categories: Primary, Transactions, Updates, and Promotions, with the aim of helping iPhone users better organize their inboxes. Devices that support Apple Intelligence also surface priority messages as part of the new system.
Users on iPhone who updated to iOS 18.2 have the features. However, iPad and Mac users who updated their devices with the software that Apple released concurrently with iOS 18.2 will have noticed their absence. iPhone users can easily switch between categorized and traditional list views, but iPad and Mac users are limited to the standard chronological inbox layout.
Noting the disparity, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman suggests that engineering resources might be behind the selective rollout, rather than technical limitations. Indeed, implementing the feature on iPad in particular shouldn't require significant additional development effort.
Definitely an odd omission that the new Mail sorting is available in iOS 18.2 but not on iPad/Mac. It doesn’t seem there would be any reason to make it iPhone exclusive other than engineering resources - and I’d assume, at least on the iPad, cross compatibility isn’t that big of…
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) December 12, 2024
Apple typically strives to maintain feature parity across its ecosystem, particularly for core applications like Mail, so it remains a curious state of affairs, and Apple has not provided any updated timeline for when the new Mail features might expand to other platforms.
If you're concerned about hearing loss and own AirPods Pro 2, Apple's latest iPhone and iPad software offers a convenient new clinical-grade Hearing Test that's easy to use. Here's everything you need to know about checking your hearing health with this new feature.
Apple on December 11 released iOS 18.2, which expands the Hearing Test feature on the AirPods Pro 2 to nine additional countries, including Cyprus, Czechia, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Romania, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. The feature first launched in the U.S. and select other countries in late October with iOS 18.1.
Note that Apple's Hearing Test feature is not available in all regions due to differing regulatory laws. Apple maintains a list on its website of regions and territories where the test is available. If your location isn't on the list, you can still take the test – see the last section of this article for details.
What You Need
AirPods Pro 2 updated with the latest firmware
iPhone or iPad running iOS/iPadOS 18.1 or later
A quiet environment
About 5 minutes of uninterrupted time
The Hearing Test requires that you listen for a comprehensive range of tones at different and sometimes very low volumes. For this reason, it's important to take the test in a quiet environment for the full duration of the test, free from intermittent noise, people talking, or loud air conditioning or fan systems nearby.
Taking the Hearing Test
Make sure your AirPods Pro 2 are sufficiently charged before taking the test.
Put your AirPods Pro 2 in your ears.
Open Settings on your iPhone.
Tap your AirPods Pro name at the top of Settings.
Under "Hearing Health," tap Take a Hearing Test.
Answer the preliminary questions about your age and recent loud noise exposure.
Follow the fit test to ensure your ear tips create a proper seal.
When the test begins, tap the screen each time you hear a tone.
Complete the test for both ears (the test will automatically switch sides).
Understanding Your Results
The test measures your hearing in dBHL (decibel hearing level) and provides an easy-to-read classification:
Up to 25 dBHL: Little to no hearing loss - can hear normal conversation easily
26-40 dBHL: Mild hearing loss - can hear normal speech at close range
41-60 dBHL: Moderate hearing loss - requires raised voices to understand speech
61-80 dBHL: Severe hearing loss - can only hear very loud speech or shouting
Tap "Show Details" to see a frequency-by-frequency breakdown of your hearing ability. This graph shows how well you hear different pitches, from low (250 Hz) to high (8 kHz). This detailed view can help identify specific types of hearing loss and is the same format audiologists use, making it easy to share with healthcare providers.
You can access your test results anytime in the Health app. Tap Browse ➝ Hearing, then tap Hearing Test Results to view your history. To share your results with healthcare providers, tap Export PDF at the bottom, or tap the Share button to email or save the audiogram.
After the Test
The results of your test can be used to unlock additional AirPods Pro 2 features and options including Media Assist and Hearing Aid mode.
Media Assist
If mild to moderate hearing loss is detected, you can enable Media Assist to optimize audio for your hearing profile:
Go to Settings ➝ your AirPods Pro
Scroll down to Hearing Health
Tap Media Assist.
Toggle Media Assist on.
Choose Use Hearing Test Results to apply your recent test data, or Custom Setup to manually adjust settings.
Media Assist will then automatically adjust music, videos, and calls to enhance frequencies you have trouble hearing.
Hearing Aid Mode
Your AirPods Pro 2 can function as basic hearing aids, amplifying conversations and environmental sounds. You can enable this feature in the Settings app under Accessibility ➝ Hearing Devices.
Bear in mind that the Hearing Aid feature isn't available everywhere. Apple maintains a list of regions and territories in which the feature can be accessed.
Taking the Hearing Test in Unsupported Regions
As we mentioned at the top of this article, Apple's Hearing Test feature isn't available in all regions and territories at the time of writing this, but that doesn't mean you can't take the test.
After taking the test using this method, your results will be available in the Health app. Just bear in mind that you won't be able to access Apple's other hearing health features like Media Assist and Hearing Test unless they are officially available in your region.
Apple Intelligence is what Apple is calling its artificial intelligence feature set, previewed at WWDC in June 2024. The first Apple Intelligence features launched with iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1, and additional features came in iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2. There's still more to come, though, and the rest of the Apple Intelligence features are set to come in 2025.
Proofread text checks for spelling and grammar errors, including word choice and sentence structure. You can accept all suggestions with a tap or go through them one by one with explanations.
Rewrite cleans up what you've written and shifts the tone without impacting your content. Options include Friendly, Professional, and Concise.
You can select text and get a summary of it with Apple Intelligence. You can choose to create a paragraph, pull out key points, make a list, or create a table. Summaries are available in Mail, Messages, and more.
As of iOS 18.2, there is an open-ended Writing Tools option that lets you describe a change you want to make to something you've written. You can choose any mood or writing style that you want, with varying degrees of success.
Also in iOS 18.2, Writing Tools has a "Compose" feature that uses Siri ChatGPT integration. With this option, Siri can leverage ChatGPT to compose writing from scratch rather than just rewriting text.
You can select any text on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac and use Apple Intelligence to access Writing Tools for summaries and other features.
There's a new glow around the edges of the display when Siri is activated, applicable to iPhone, iPad, and CarPlay. On Mac, the Siri window can be placed anywhere. The glow animates responsively to the sound of your voice so you can tell when Siri is listening without interrupting other things you're doing.
A double tap at the bottom of the display brings up the Type to Siri interface so you can type requests instead of speaking them. On Mac, you need to press the Command key twice to bring up Type to Siri. Type to Siri includes suggested requests so you can get your questions answered faster.
Siri can maintain context between requests so you can ask a question and then reference it in a second reply. If you ask about the temperature in Raleigh, for example, and then follow up with "what's the humidity?" Siri should know you mean in Raleigh.
If you stumble over your words when speaking to Siri, or change what you're saying mid-sentence, Siri will follow along.
Siri has Apple's product knowledge and support base for answering questions about your device's features and settings, and can even find settings when you don't know the exact name by using natural language search.
Mail
There is a summarize button for summarizing any of your incoming emails, plus you will see a brief summary of an email in your inbox list rather than the first few lines of the email.
Mail surfaces time sensitive messages first when applicable, putting them at the top of your inbox so you see what's important right away.
Smart Reply provides quick-tap responses to emails that you've been sent, with contextual options based on what's in the email.
Multiple notifications from Mail will be summarized on your Lock Screen so you can see what's in an email without opening the app.
Messages
Messages has Smart Reply options for incoming texts, which analyze the content of messages to offer suggestions of what you might want to say.
Multiple Messages notifications are summarized on your Lock Screen.
You can use all of the Writing Tools features in the Messages app for proofreading and refining what you're planning to send.
Photos
You can create a Memory Movie with just a description, such as "My cat in 2024," or "Orlando in the summer." The feature automatically picks relevant photos and chooses songs, but you can tweak through the Memory Mixes feature or choose a mood to guide the direction of the audio. You can also add in specific scenes and images you want to see throughout the memory when you're creating the prompt.
Natural language search is available in Photos, so you can just describe what you're looking for, such as "Eric rollerskating while wearing green."
Search can also find specific moments in video clips.
Search offers up smart complete suggestions for narrowing down what you might want to find.
Clean Up
The Photos app also includes "Clean Up," a feature that lets you remove unwanted objects from your photos. The Clean Up tool in the Photos app is able to automatically detect objects in an image that might not be wanted, but you can also tap, circle, or brush over an unwanted object to remove it.
Zooming in on an image can help with using a finger as a brush to remove smaller blemishes and issues with an image, and it is intelligent enough not to remove part of a person even if a person or main subject is selected.
Clean Up works on all images in the Photos library, including older images and images captured by other devices like a point and shoot camera or a DSLR.
Transcription Summaries
In Notes and other apps, you can record audio and get a transcript along with a summary of your transcript, which is useful for recording lectures and other audio. Transcription isn't an Apple Intelligence feature, but summaries are.
Focus Modes
There is a dedicated Reduce Interruptions Focus Mode that only shows you important notifications that need attention while filtering out everything else.
When customizing an existing Focus mode or creating a new one, there is a new toggle to turn on Intelligent Breakthrough and Silencing. This option allows important notifications to interrupt you, while muting notifications that are not important, which is the same thing that the Reduce Notifications Focus does. You can override the notification settings for specific apps and people, which is how it worked prior to iOS 18.1.
Notification Summaries
Your incoming notifications are summarized so you can see what's new for each app at a glance.
Summaries of transcriptions generated from your phone calls are supported in iOS 18.1. The iOS 18.1 update adds the option to record a phone call and get a transcription, which is not an Apple Intelligence feature. What does require Apple Intelligence, though, is getting a summary from that transcription without reading through the entire thing.
Note that you can start a recording by tapping on the record button in the upper left corner of the display when on a phone call. All participants are notified that the call is being recorded before the recording starts.
Recorded phone calls are stored in the Notes app, where you can tap in to view a transcript and get a summary generated from that transcript.
Safari
When reading an article in Reader Mode, there is an option to have Apple Intelligence summarize the article for you.
Apple Intelligence Features Coming in iOS 18.2
The next set of Apple Intelligence features will come in iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2, and this is when Apple plans to release Image Playground, Genmoji, and ChatGPT Siri integration. These features are being beta tested right now.
Apple has a waitlist for Image Playground, Genmoji, and Image Wand, and these features will be rolling out to developers over the coming weeks so that Apple can collect feedback and make improvements to the image generation capabilities before a public launch later this year.
Image Playground
Image Playground can be used to generate images in cartoon-like styles using a text-based prompt. Apple has built-in suggestions and concepts that you can choose from, like costumes, locations, items, and themes.
While Image Playground is a standalone app, it is also integrated into the Messages and Notes app. In these apps, Apple can use context from what you've typed for image generation suggestions.
For inspiration, you can upload or take a photo, and then get a cartoon AI version of it, and you can also use images of friends and family members pulled from the People album in the Photos app.
You can start with a base suggestion or photo and then continue to add to it until you get what you want. You can remove suggestions at any time, and save your favorite creations for use in other apps. Anytime you create something with Image Playground, you'll get multiple options so you can choose the best one.
There are only Animation and Illustration styles for Image Playground, so there is no option for creating photorealistic images.
Image Wand is basically the same thing as Image Playground, but in the Notes app. When you have notes that you've taken, you can circle an empty spot or some text and Image Wand will add a contextually relevant image.
So if you have notes on photosynthesis, you can add in an image of a plant under the sun. Image Wand isn't able to generate complex images, so if you want a picture of the internal structure of mitochondria, you're out of luck, but it can make a stylized image featuring the organelle.
On an iPad, you can draw a rough sketch of what you want to add to your notes with an Apple Pencil, and then use Image Wand to generate something more polished.
Genmoji are custom emoji characters that you can create using a text-based description. If there's an emoji you can't find but need, like a duck eating a sandwich or an alligator skateboarding, Genmoji can make it for you.
Genmoji aren't too far off from Image Playground images, but the generation system tends to want to add a person for a lot of requests. You can choose yourself or a friend or family member, or just use a generic emoji character as your base.
In Messages and other apps, Genmoji behave like emoji, but they're not going to display properly for anyone running an operating system earlier than iOS 18.1, or on an Android device. In iOS 18.1 and iOS 18.2, they work like emoji, but Genmoji are displayed as a blank box and an accompanying full-size image on other versions of iOS.
If you have iOS 18.1 and iOS 18.2 and someone sends a Genmoji, you can long press on it and tap the "Emoji Details" button to see what prompt was used to create it, plus you can add it to your own Genmoji/sticker collection to use.
To create a Genmoji character, tap into the Emoji keyboard and tap on the Emoji with a "+" button next to the search bar. From there, you can type in your idea.
Siri ChatGPT integration lets Siri hand requests over to OpenAI's ChatGPT. ChatGPT is off by default, but you can turn it on in the Apple Intelligence and Siri section of the Settings app.
If ChatGPT integration is enabled, Siri will consult ChatGPT for complex requests. Complex requests might include creating an image, generating text from scratch, making recipe ideas based on what's in your refrigerator, describing what's in a photo, and more.
Siri will analyze each request to see if it's something that needs to be answered by ChatGPT, but you can also automatically invoke ChatGPT for a request by using a request like "Ask ChatGPT to give me a chocolate chip cookie recipe."
Siri will ask your permission before querying ChatGPT, but there is an option to turn off that extra permission step by toggling off "Confirm ChatGPT Requests" in the ChatGPT section of Settings.
You don't need an account to use ChatGPT, and it is free, but if you have a paid account, you can sign in. If you're not signed in, OpenAI does not store any of your ChatGPT requests, nor is your information used for training ChatGPT. If you sign in, ChatGPT can save a copy of your queries. Apple does not store ChatGPT queries.
ChatGPT can be used with Siri, but it is also integrated into Writing Tools and Visual Intelligence. With Writing Tools, ChatGPT can generate text, and with Visual Intelligence, ChatGPT can answer questions about what the Camera sees.
Visual Intelligence
Visual Intelligence is an iPhone 16 feature that uses the Camera Control button. If you long press it, you can get into Visual Intelligence mode, where the Camera app can be used to identify what's around you.
If you point the camera at a store, for example, you can see ratings, hours, and other information. If you take a photo of an object, you can get more information about the object from ChatGPT, or use it with Google Search to find similar images. The Google Search feature is a good way to search for products that you want to find.
Other Visual Intelligence features include reading text out loud, detecting phone numbers and addresses to add them to the Contacts app, copying text, and summarizing long passages of text.
Writing Tools
Writing Tools is in iOS 18.1, but in iOS 18.2, you can make more open-ended changes to what you've written. You can come up with your own tone changes, so if you want something to be more flowery or elaborate, Writing Tools can make it happen. You can also ask for your text to be converted into a different format, like a poem.
Writing Tools also has ChatGPT integration in iOS 18.2 so if you want to generate text from scratch, you can do so with ChatGPT.
Additional Languages
In iOS 18.2, Apple Intelligence supports localized English in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland, and the UK in addition to U.S. English.
Apple Intelligence Features Coming Later
There are additional Apple Intelligence features that will be coming in updates to iOS 18 in 2025.
Priority Notifications
Priority notifications will show up at the top of your notification stack, so you can get to what's most important first.
Siri
Some initial Siri updates are available in iOS 18.1, such as Siri's new glow that encompasses the edges of the display, and ChatGPT integration is coming in iOS 18.2, but we'll need to wait for iOS 18.3 and iOS 18.4 for additional Siri capabilities. Apple is working on onscreen awareness, personal context, and the ability to take more actions in and across apps.
Onscreen awareness will let Siri take actions when you ask something about what's on your display. If you're looking at a photo and want to message it to your friend Eric, you'll be able to tell Siri to "Send this picture to Eric," and Siri will understand and do it.
Personal context will let Siri do more with your personal data like emails and messages. This is an on-device feature, and it will let Siri learn more about you, who you're communicating with, and how you use your device. Personal context will let you do things like ask Siri to find a specific message, or remind you when you took a photo that you're looking for.
The Siri option to take more actions in and across apps will drastically improve what Siri is capable of. You'll be able to move files from one app to another and control app functions with Siri that you never could before. It'll work in third-party apps as well as Apple's own apps.
macOS Features
Memory Maker is in iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1, but not macOS Sequoia 15.1. Genmoji is in iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2, but not macOS Sequoia 15.2.
Apple plans to release Memory Maker and Genmoji for macOS Sequoia at a later time.
When to Expect More Apple Intelligence Features
More Apple Intelligence features will come in iOS 18.2, iOS 18.3, and iOS 18.4.
We'll get iOS 18.2 in December, likely around the middle of the month. Apple is already testing iOS 18.2 with developers.
In late January or so, we'll get iOS 18.3, which could potentially have some new Siri features.
iOS 18.4, which isn't expected until around March 2025, will have the bulk of the Siri Apple Intelligence features. We're also expecting to see Apple roll out support for additional languages in 2025.
Apple Intelligence Device Requirements
Apple Intelligence requires a device with one of Apple's newest chips and 8GB RAM. Eligible models are listed below.
When you first install iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1, you have to go to the Settings app and join the Apple Intelligence waitlist. Apple uses a waitlist mechanic to ensure that behind the scenes downloads go smoothly and that the system isn't overloaded.
While on the waitlist, Apple devices download necessary files for on-device processing, and the waitlist should only take a few hours at most. The waitlist is on a per-account basis, so you only need to sign up for it on one device to have access on multiple devices.
Image Playground, Genmoji, and Image Wand in iOS 18.2 require a second waitlist, but that's only relevant if you're running the iOS 18.2 developer beta. If you are, note that Apple is rolling out access to these features over the coming weeks.
Apple Intelligence Settings
In the Privacy and Security section of the Settings app you can access an Apple Intelligence Report that lets you export your Apple Intelligence data as part of Apple's promise for transparency around Apple Intelligence. Biometric authentication is required to access and export Apple Intelligence data.
You can also disable Apple Intelligence by toggling off the setting under the Apple Intelligence and Siri section in the Settings app.
Apple Intelligence Availability
Apple Intelligence is only available in U.S. English at this time, and it is not available to in the European Union (iPhone and iPad) or China. Device region and language need to be set to the United States.
In iOS 18.2, localized English in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the UK is supported in addition to U.S. English.
Apple plans to add support for additional languages in 2025, like Chinese, English (India), English (Singapore), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Apple Intelligence will launch on the iPhone and the iPad in the European Union in April 2025.
Apple today shared a new Apple Intelligence ad that promotes Genmoji, a feature that became available today with the launch of iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2.
The spot features a custom song called "Anything You Like" by The Dare, and it runs through a list of rhyming Genmoji creations like gnome, foam, pink comb, and skeleton made out of chrome, showing each Genmoji as it's mentioned in the song.
Genmoji can be created on an Apple Intelligence-capable iPhone or iPad running the latest version of iOS or iPadOS. Genmoji are crafted in the Messages app from text-based descriptions, and can be shared with friends and family in text messages.
iOS 18.2 is the second major update to iOS 18, and it brings the first Apple Intelligence image generation features, ChatGPT integration with Siri, and plenty more changes and bug fixes.
This guide highlights everything that's new in iOS 18.2.
Apple Intelligence
There are several new Apple Intelligence features in iOS 18.2, including Image Playground and Genmoji. It's a more fun update than iOS 18.1 thanks to the image generation features.
Image Playground - There's an Image Playground app and Messages integration for creating stylized images based on prompts and images of you and your friends.
Image Wand - Image Wand is for adding images to what you've written in the Notes app. On iPad, you can use the Apple Pencil to make a rough sketch and have Image Wand turn it into something nicer.
Genmoji - With Genmoji, you can create custom emoji. It's similar to Image Playground, but on a smaller emoji-sized scale. People that have iOS 18.1 installed will see Genmoji and can even get information about them, but they can only be created in iOS 18.2. In earlier versions of iOS and on Android devices, they show up as an image.
Siri ChatGPT - Siri can now hand over requests to ChatGPT, a feature that's entirely opt-in. You don't need an account, and anything you ask Siri can be sent to ChatGPT if you want. ChatGPT has more advanced info than Siri and can also generate images and text. If you want to make it simpler to turn requests over to ChatGPT, you can toggle off the Ask Every Time setting so Siri doesn't always need your permission to contact ChatGPT. Siri with ChatGPT integration supports on-screen responses, so you can do things like ask "what's in this photo?" when you're looking at an image.
Visual Intelligence - On iPhone 16, Visual Intelligence can be used to identify objects and places around you. Long press the Camera Control button to get to Visual Intelligence, and then point your iPhone at something. You can get hours and reviews if the camera is looking at a restaurant, copy text, get text read aloud, search for items on Google, ask ChatGPT questions about objects, and more.
Writing Tools - The Rewrite Writing Tools feature is no longer limited to three styles. You can describe the tone or content that you want, such as adding more dynamic words or turning an email into a poem.
Languages - With iOS 18.2, Apple Intelligence supports English in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the UK in addition to U.S. English, so if you're in Canada, you no longer have to set your iPhone to U.S. English to use Apple Intelligence.
We have a much more in-depth Apple Intelligence guide that goes over all of the available features, which is well worth checking out. We also have individual guides on the new additions in iOS 18.2.
For iPhone 16 users, there's now an option lock your auto exposure and auto focus settings with a light press. The AE/AF Lock toggle can be turned on by going to Settings > Camera > Camera Control.
There is also an option to adjust the double click speed of Camera Control. Options include Default, Slow, and Slower. The adjustment options join prior options to tweak the double light press speed and the light press force.
As mentioned above, Camera Control now supports Visual Intelligence.
The update also adds a new setting for the Camera Control button. In the Settings app under Display & Brightness, there is now a toggle for "Require Screen On." When this setting is turned on, you can only launch the Camera app or a supported third-party camera app with the Camera Control button when the iPhone's screen is turned on.
Mail App Categorization
In the Mail app, there are new built-in categories for separating out important emails, deals, newsletters, transaction emails, and more.
The Mail app includes bigger pictures for contacts and businesses, and all emails from a single person or source will be pooled together.
You can swap between categories (the new option) and List View (the non-categorization standard view) by tapping on the three dots in the upper right corner of the app. In the Mail section of the Settings app, you may need to go to Notifications > Customize Notifications > and toggle on All Unread Messages if you're using list view, because the other setting only shows you unread messages categorized as "Primary," which can be confusing.
Tweaked Video Player and More in Photos App
Apple added a tweaked video player that takes up more of the screen in iOS 18.2. This change eliminates the thick borders around videos that appear on earlier iOS 18 versions, meaning you no longer have to tap on a video for full-screen playback.
It's now possible to scrub through a video frame-by-frame, plus there is a setting to turn off auto-looping video playback in the Photos section of the Settings app.
When using the Collections views in the Photos app, you can swipe right to go back to the previous view, plus the Favorites album now appears in the Utilities collection along with the Pinned Collections section.
You're also now able to clear Recently Viewed and Recently Shared album history.
Safari
In the Safari section of the Settings app, there's a new "Not Secure Connection Warning" toggle that lets you know if you're visiting a website that does not have a valid SSL certificate for an encrypted connection. It is not advised to send passwords or other sensitive data on a site that pops up a "Not Secure" warning.
Apple's "Not Secure Connection Warning" toggle is not turned on by default. Apple says that HTTPS Priority will upgrade URLs to HTTPS whenever possible.
The Settings app has a new section for managing website data and history, with options for Clear History and Website Data. The Website Data section includes options for exporting data from Safari and importing data from another app into Safari.
Apple added new background images for customizing the Safari start page.
Safari Downloads
The progress of Safari downloads can now be tracked on the iPhone's Lock Screen and Dynamic Island.
Voice Memos
With Voice Memos, two tracks can be layered on top of one another. There's also an option to separate layers and edit layer mixes.
Two-track projects can be imported directly into Logic Pro on the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Find My
Find My has a new option to Share Item Location with an "airline or trusted person" that can help you locate something that you've misplaced. Choosing the Share Item Location option creates a link that lets someone view the location of a lost item when they open the link.
The link can be opened on a non-Apple device, so an iPhone or Mac is not required to provide someone with your item's location. Links expire after a week or when you're reunited with your lost item.
There's also an option to Show Contact Info, which lets any phone or tablet connect to an item to view a website with more information about it, including the phone number and email address of the owner.
Apple Music
Apple Music now supports natural language search. You can search for genres, moods, activity, decades, and more. Examples include "songs about cats," "songs with a vibe," "relaxing songs," "artists similar to Taylor Swift," "sad 80s songs," and "songs about food."
Apple Music now displays the disc number in some albums.
Apple TV
In the Apple TV app, you can also use casual language search terms to find exactly what you're looking for, typing in genres, actors, and moods. Searches like "movies about natural disasters," "movies with cats," "movies with Zendaya," and "exhilarating movies" all bring up relevant results.
The navigation bar in the TV app can be customized, with options to add different apps and Library categories. Existing options like MLS and Apple TV+ cannot be removed.
Podcasts
You can favorite categories in the Podcasts app in iOS 18.2, and see categories in the library for a new way to navigate through shows and episodes.
A new personalized search page in Podcasts suggests the most relevant categories and editorially curated collections tailored to your listening preferences.
Apple News+
For Apple News+ subscribers in the United States, iOS 18.2 adds daily sudoku puzzles. The sudoku puzzles join existing the Crossword, Crossword Mini, and Quartiles offerings. There are three difficulty levels to complete each day, including easy, moderate, and challenging.
Stocks
In the Stocks app, there are now pre-market price quotes for tracking NASDAQ and NYSE tickers prior to when the market opens.
AirPods Pro Hearing Test and Hearing Aid Expansion
The AirPods Pro 2 Hearing Test feature is now available in Cyprus, Czechia, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Romania, Spain, United Arab Emirates, and the UK.
The Hearing Aid feature is available in the United Arab Emirates.
Apple Arcade
In the Apple Arcade section of the App Store, the "All Games" section has a new drop down filter menu and the option to turn off game previews.
EU App Changes
In the European Union, users can now delete core apps that include the App Store, Safari, Messages, Camera, and Photos.
Third-party browser apps in the EU will be able to create web apps for the iPhone's Home screen using their own custom engines when iOS 18.2 launches.
iPadOS 18.2 requires selecting a Default Browser when opening Safari. This is a Digital Markets Act requirement, with Apple adding an updated interface that will let users select a default web browser of their choice from a list of options.
Apple already implemented this change in iOS 18.
Default Apps Section
In the Settings app under "Apps," there's a new "Default Apps" section that can be used to manage your default apps for the iPhone.
There are Default App settings for Email, Messaging, Calling, Call Filtering, Browser App, Passwords and Codes, and Keyboards. In the U.S. and other countries, you can use this section to choose your preferred Email, Call Filtering, Browser, and Passwords, and Keyboard apps. In the EU, there are more options for choosing non-Apple calling and messaging apps.
Volume Limit
In the Sound and Haptics section of the Settings app, there's a new Volume Limit option with a "Limit Maximum Volume" toggle to control how loudly the iPhone speaker can play audio like songs, movies, and other media.
It does not impact phone calls, FaceTime calls, alarms, and other sounds.
Control Center
In Control Center, there's a new quick access option for Type to Siri. Apple has also removed the Satellite control from the Connectivity section, and changed the icon for Adaptive Audio.
Adjusting Camera Control can be done by opening Settings and going to Accessibility > Camera Button.
Settings App Icons
In Dark Mode, the icons in the Settings app have a new, darker look that shows color on a black background rather than icons that are a solid color with white accents.
iPhone Mirroring With Hotspot
iOS 18.2 allows you to use iPhone Mirroring while your iPhone's hotspot connection is being shared with your Mac. Having your Mac connected through Personal Hotspot previously did not allow you to use iPhone Mirroring.
Fitness Shortcut Actions
There are new Fitness app Shortcut actions that you can use when creating a Shortcut, including Open Fitness Settings, Open Award, Open Session History, and Open Trophy Case.
Lock Screen Volume Slider
In iOS 18.2, there's a new option to force the volume control bar to always be visible on the Lock Screen when adjusting sound.
The feature can be enabled in the Accessibility section of the Settings app. Accessibility > Audio and Visual > Always Show Volume Control.
Vehicle Motion Cues
There's an option see Vehicle Motion Cues in the Dynamic Island when the feature is activated. Vehicle Motion Cues are designed to cut down on motion sickness while riding in a vehicle.
Mac Connection
When connecting to a Mac or PC, you can use Face ID to trust a device.
iMessage Reporting
Children in Australia have access to a tool to report iMessages that contain nude photos and videos. Reported images will be reviewed by Apple, and actions could be taken such as disabling the sender's Apple Account or reporting the incident to law enforcement.
The feature will expand globally in the future.
Music Recognition
In iOS 18.2, the Music Recognition feature in the Control Center has a Musical Memories feature that shows you where you were when you identified a song. You will need to long press on the Music Recognition toggle in Control Center, tap on History, and then allow location access to use the feature.
AirDrop
The AirDrop icon in the share sheet now appears dark in Dark Mode, rather than staying white.
Web Restrictions in Utah
Utah residents under the age of 17 will be opted in to web content restrictions that block adult content in iOS 18.2. This is required by Utah law.
Bug Fixes
There are fixes for a couple of notable bugs in iOS 18.2. The update addresses an issue that could cause captured photos to not immediately appear in the All Photos grid.
It also fixes a bug that could cause Night mode photos to appear degraded when capturing long exposures, a problem that impacted the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Security Updates
iOS 18.2 addresses multiple security vulnerabilities, which means it's a good idea to update as soon as you can.
A full list of the vulnerabilities fixed can be found on Apple's website, but it includes updates for the kernel, Passwords, Safari, WebKit, VoiceOver, and more.
Read More
For more detail on the Apple Intelligence features in iOS 18.2, we have a dedicated guide. Our iOS 18 roundup has a list of all of the features in iOS 18 if you want a recap.
The iOS 18.2 update that Apple introduced today brings layered Voice Memos recordings to the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max for the first time, making it easier for musicians to flesh out song ideas and experiment with new ideas.
Apple teamed up with Canadian singer songwriter Michael Bublé, country star Carly Pearce, and record producer Greg Wells to demonstrate the feature. The trio recorded Michael Bublé's new song "Maybe This Christmas" with vocals recorded using the Voice Memos app on an iPhone 16 Pro.
"I don't think people realize the critical role Voice Memos on iPhone plays in the creation process for musicians," said Bublé. "And now with Layered Recordings, if an artist has a moment of inspiration, being unencumbered by the traditional studio experience becomes the advantage, not the limitation. It's so typically Apple to build something we didn't know we needed -- and now won't be able to live without."
Once installing iOS 18.2, iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max users can layer a vocal track on top of an existing instrumental recording, with no headphones needed. Instrumental compositions can be played through the iPhone's speaker while vocals are recorded at the same time using the iPhone 16 Pro microphones.
Apple says that this feature is powered by the A18 Pro chip, using advanced processing and machine learning to isolate the vocal recording. Voice Memos is able to create two individual tracks so users can apply additional mixing and production in apps like Logic Pro.
A variety of background instrumentals like acoustic guitar or piano can be used as the first layer for a recording, and using Logic Pro, artists and producers can send an instrumental music mix as a compressed audio file directly to Voice Memos for layering vocals on top.
Michael Bublé's "Maybe This Christmas" song can be streamed on Apple Music in Spatial Audio.
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