Apple today announced new updates coming to Phone, FaceTime, and Messages in iOS 17 later this year.
With the new update, you'll be able to create your own custom contact poster with your photos or Memoji. This custom creation will then appear on other people's iPhones when you call them.
There's also a new Live Voicemail feature that provides live voice transcription in real time on your iPhone Lock Screen. Apple said that with this, you'll be able to make a more educated decision as to whether you want to talk to someone or not.
In FaceTime, you can now leave video messages if someone doesn't pick up your video call. They'll get a notification about the message and can watch it whenever they have time, like a voicemail.
Lastly, Messages has a ton of updates. There are new search filters, a new "catch up arrow" that quickly jumps you to the first unread message in a long conversation, and easier inline replying with swipe to reply.
Audio messages are also now transcribed right within the messages thread, and there's inline location sharing. Check In provides a way to give updates on your location within a messages thread, and if you're ever delayed it'll send an alert to friends.
Apps within Messages have been moved to a new "plus" button at the bottom left of the app. Stickers have been revamped and you can even create your own stickers and motion stickers from your own live photos.
These updates are a small portion of updates coming to iOS 17, so be sure to read more about the new iPhone software in our main post.
Sunday December 22, 2024 8:09 am PST by Joe Rossignol
iOS 19 will not drop support for any iPhone models, according to French website iPhoneSoft.fr. The report cites a source within Apple.
The report said that iOS 19 will be compatible with any iPhone that is capable of running iOS 18, which would mean the following models:
iPhone 16
iPhone 16 Plus
iPhone 16 Pro
iPhone 16 Pro Max
iPhone 15
iPhone 15 Plus
iPhone 15 Pro
...
Sunday December 22, 2024 8:33 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple earlier this month released macOS 15.2, and in doing so it accidentally confirmed new MacBook Air models coming next year.
Apple accidentally released macOS 15.2 restore files for unreleased "MacBook Air (13-inch, M4, 2025)" and "MacBook Air (15-inch, M4, 2025)" models. While it no surprise that the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models were going to be updated with the M4 ...
Friday December 20, 2024 2:22 pm PST by Juli Clover
It's looking like 2025 is going to be an important year for Apple, with the company planning to revamp the iPhone, push further into smart home products, and improve Apple Intelligence. There are tons of new products rumored for 2025, including new iPhones, M4 Macs, a smart home command center, and much more.
We've highlighted the top five Apple products that will have the biggest impact in...
Saturday December 21, 2024 4:45 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple appears to be internally testing iOS 18.2.1 for the iPhone, based on evidence of the software update in our website's analytic logs this week. The logs have accurately revealed many iOS versions before they were released.
iOS 18.2.1 should be a minor update that fixes bugs and/or addresses security vulnerabilities, but it is unclear which specific issues might be resolved. The update...
Saturday December 21, 2024 2:03 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple plans to release a new "HomePod" with a 7-inch LCD display, an A18 chip, and Apple Intelligence support in 2025, according to DigiTimes.
Google's Nest Hub
It is unclear how much the screen-equipped HomePod would cost, but Apple is seemingly aiming for a reasonable price. In a paywalled report this week, the supply chain publication said Apple has selected China-based manufacturer Tianma ...
Tuesday December 17, 2024 9:02 am PST by Joe Rossignol
The current Apple TV 4K was released more than two years ago, so the streaming device is becoming due for a hardware upgrade soon. Fortunately, it was recently rumored that a new Apple TV will launch at some point next year.
Below, we recap rumors about the next-generation Apple TV.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman last week reported that Apple has been working on its own combined Wi-Fi and...
Monday December 23, 2024 6:24 am PST by Joe Rossignol
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are still nearly two years away from launching, a new feature has already been rumored for the devices.
In a blog post today, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reiterated that the main rear camera on both iPhone 18 Pro models will offer variable aperture, which would be a first for the iPhone. The main camera refers to the 48-megapixel...
Monday December 23, 2024 7:40 am PST by Tim Hardwick
This year, Apple tweaked iPhone 16 Pro screen sizes to make them bigger than 2023's iPhone 15 Pro models, and next year we are also expecting a change in the size of the displays in the iPhone 17 lineup. Here's what we know.
Standard iPhone 17
Apple could introduce a new display size for the standard iPhone 17 model in 2025. The iPhone 17 could measure in at 6.3 inches, up from 6.1 inches,...
