In iOS 18.2, Apple has introduced a thoughtful new feature for the Camera Control button on iPhone 16 models that helps prevent accidental camera launches by requiring the screen to be on before the button will register clicks. Keep reading to gain more control over when the Camera app opens.
Apple located the Camera Control button to make it conveniently placed for quick access, but it can sometimes be too responsive – especially during those moments when you're not actually trying to take a photo.
Recognizing the potential for this, Apple in iOS 18.2 has added a new Require Screen On feature for Camera Control. It's particularly useful if you often find your iPhone accidentally opening the Camera app while it's in your pocket or bag. By requiring the screen to be on first, you can significantly reduce those unwanted camera launches while still maintaining quick access when you need it.
Require Screen On for Camera Control
Here's how to enable the new option to prevent accidental Camera Control presses:
Open the Settings app on your iPhone 16.
Scroll down and tap Display & Brightness.
Look for the Camera Control section.
Toggle on Require Screen On.
Once enabled, you'll need to wake your iPhone's screen before the Camera Control button will respond. This extra step adds just enough friction to prevent accidental activation while keeping the camera readily accessible when you need it.
iPhone users have largely avoided the Apple Intelligence features released prior to iOS 18.2, a new survey suggests.
A survey conducted by SellCell, a tech trade-in platform, has revealed that while nearly half of iPhone users—47.6%—consider AI an important factor when purchasing a smartphone, 73% of those who have used Apple's AI offerings feel that the features add little to no value to their experience. This sentiment is not unique to Apple; the study also found that 87% of Samsung users expressed similar dissatisfaction with the AI tools available on Galaxy devices.
Apple introduced many of its AI features in October 2024 with the release of iOS 18.1. Among the most used tools were Writing Tools, which help with text editing and summarization, and Notification Summaries, which condense key information from multiple notifications into a single view. These were used by 72% and 54% of respondents, respectively. Other features, such as Priority Messages, Clean Up in Photos, and Smart Reply, saw lower adoption, ranging from 44.5% to 20.9%. Features such as natural language search in Photos and transcription summaries were even less popular, with fewer than 15% of users trying them.
One major finding of the study was that despite the general lack of use of the current features, Apple users were more likely than their Samsung counterparts to view AI as a significant deciding factor when purchasing a phone. While nearly half of iPhone users expressed that AI is a very or somewhat important consideration, only 23.7% of Samsung users felt the same. Nonetheless, many Apple users have not updated their devices to iOS 18.1 to access these features, with 57.6% citing this as their primary reason for not using Apple Intelligence. Others mentioned they found the features unhelpful or were concerned about accuracy and privacy.
Despite AI advancements, brand loyalty among Apple users has weakened in recent years, with the survey indicating that 16.8% of iPhone owners would consider switching to Samsung if Galaxy AI features proved significantly better. This represents a marked decline in loyalty, with only 78.9% of respondents now identifying as firmly committed to the Apple ecosystem, down from 92% in 2021. Conversely, just 9.7% of Samsung users expressed a willingness to switch to Apple for better AI features, suggesting that Apple faces stiffer competition in retaining its user base.
The survey also revealed that a majority of smartphone users are unwilling to pay for AI services. Only 11.6% of Apple users said they would consider subscribing to such features, compared to a mere 4% of Samsung users. It is yet to be seen if the arrival of iOS 18.2, which introduces features like Genmoji and ChatGPT integration, could shift perceptions.
The survey was carried out in late 2024 and included over 2,000 participants aged 18 and older in the United States. The pool consisted of iPhone and Samsung Galaxy users whose devices supported AI features.
Apple today updated its free Sports app for the iPhone with several new features and changes, including a new Key Plays section within the Play-By-Play tab and pregame lineups for soccer and baseball games when available.
Other new features include enhanced league standings that track which teams have qualified for the postseason and which have been eliminated, while you can now easily schedule a Live Activity for any game on the Today tab.
What's New in Version 2.3:
League standings now include ways to track which teams have qualified for the postseason and which have been eliminated.
Quickly catch up on scoring plays and big moments in a game with Key Plays—a new Play-By-Play tab.
When available, soccer and baseball game pages now include pregame lineups.
Schedule a Live Activity for any game on the Today tab to automatically get a real-time scorecard on your Lock Screen when the action starts.
The feature allows you to temporarily share the location of an AirTag with others, including employees at select airlines. This way, if you have put an AirTag inside your bags, the airline can better help you find them if they are lost or delayed.
Apple previously announced other airlines that will support the feature "in the coming months," including British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, KLM, Lufthansa, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Air New Zealand, Austrian Airlines, Aer Lingus, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, Iberia, SWISS, Turkish Airlines, and Vueling. More airlines are "coming soon."
iPhone, iPad, and Mac users running iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 can generate a "Share Item Location" link in the Find My app. Anyone they share the link with can then view a website with a location of the item on a map. The website will automatically update with the item's latest known location.
Apple said it worked directly with airlines to put systems in place to "privately and securely" accept the "Share Item Location" links. Access to each link is "limited to a small number of people," and recipients are required to "authenticate" to view the link through either their Apple Account or partner email address. The item's location stops being shared "as soon as a user is reunited with their item," or at any time the item's owner decides. An item's shared location automatically expires after seven days.
iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS 15.2 were released last week following beta testing.
Best Buy this week has the entire 10th generation iPad lineup on sale with guaranteed Christmas delivery for most models. These deals are available to all customers and do not require a My Best Buy membership.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Prices start at $279.00 for the 64GB Wi-Fi iPad, down from $349.00. You can also get the 256GB Wi-Fi tablet for $429.00, down from $499.00. These $70 discounts are solid second-best prices on the iPad and likely the best prices we'll see before the end of the year.
If you're shopping for cellular models, Best Buy has the 64GB cellular iPad for $429.00 and the 256GB cellular iPad for $579.00. These are also $70 discounts, but this time they're all-time low prices on the iPad, and Best Buy has them in every color at these prices.
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 today shared the most downloaded iPhone and iPad apps and games of the year, localized for more than 30 countries and regions around the world.
The annual charts include the top free and paid apps and games, as well as the top Apple Arcade games, for the iPhone and iPad in the United States:
Top Free iPhone Apps
Temu: Shop Like a Billionaire
Threads
TikTok
ChatGPT
Google
Instagram
WhatsApp Messenger
CapCut - Video Editor
YouTube: Watch, Listen, Stream
Gmail - Email by Google
Top Paid iPhone Apps
Shadowrocket
HotSchedules
Procreate Pocket
75 Hard
AnkiMobile Flashcards
AutoSleep Track Sleep on Watch
Paprika Recipe Manager 3
TonalEnergy Tuner & Metronome
Goblin Tools
Forest: Focus for Productivity
Top Free iPhone Games
Block Blast！
MONOPOLY GO!
Roblox
Call of Duty®: Warzone™ Mobile
Township
Last War: Survival
Royal Match
Brawl Stars
Subway Surfers
My Perfect Hotel
Top Paid iPhone Games
Minecraft: Play with Friends
Heads Up!
Geometry Dash
Papa's Freezeria To Go!
Bloons TD 6
Five Nights at Freddy's
Plague Inc.
MONOPOLY: The Board Game
Stardew Valley
Red's First Flight
Top Free iPad Apps
YouTube: Watch, Listen, Stream
Netflix
Max: Stream HBO, TV, & Movies
Calculator - Pad Edition
Disney+
Google Chrome
Peacock TV: Stream TV & Movies
Amazon Prime Video
TikTok
Goodnotes 6
Top Paid iPad Apps
Procreate
Procreate Dreams
Shadowrocket
forScore
Nomad Sculpt
ToonSquid
Bluebeam Revu for iPad
AnkiMobile Flashcards
Teach Your Monster to Read
Endless Paper
Top Free iPad Games
Roblox
Magic Tiles 3: Piano Game
MONOPOLY GO!
Subway Surfers
Brawl Stars
Geometry Dash Lite
Block Blast！
Among Us!
My Perfect Hotel
Royal Match
Top Paid iPad Games
Minecraft: Play with Friends
Geometry Dash
Five Nights at Freddy's
Stardew Valley
Bloons TD 6
Papa's Paleteria To Go!
Five Nights at Freddy's 2
Poppy Playtime Chapter 1
MONOPOLY: The Board Game
Ultimate Custom Night
Top Apple Arcade Games
NBA 2K24 Arcade Edition
Snake.io+
Hello Kitty Island Adventure
Sneaky Sasquatch
Bloons TD 6+
Sonic Dream Team
NFL Retro Bowl '25
Disney Dreamlight Valley
Cooking Mama: Cuisine!
Solitaire by MobilityWare+
Check out this year's most downloaded iPhone and iPad apps, games, and Apple Arcade charts of 2024 for your region in the App Store's Today tab. Apple last week announced its 2024 App Store Award winners, including pro video camera app Kino, which was named iPhone App of the Year.
Apple today announced it has renewed the award-winning sci-fi series "Silo" for third and fourth seasons, allowing for the "complete story" to be told. The series is based on Hugh Howey's best-selling book series.
Apple confirmed that the fourth season will be the final season of the show.
"With the final two chapters of 'Silo,' we can't wait to give fans of the show an incredibly satisfying conclusion to the many mysteries and unanswered questions contained within the walls of these silos," said showrunner and executive producer Graham Yost.
"Silo" is currently midway through its second season on Apple TV+, with new episodes releasing each Friday through January 17.
The series follows the last 10,000 people on Earth, all of whom live in a massive underground bunker to escape the seemingly toxic and deadly world outside. The people are unaware of why the silo was built, and those who seek the truth face deadly consequences. Rebecca Ferguson stars as Juliette Nichols, an engineer who attempts to unravel the mysteries surrounding the silo following a loved one's murder.
Apple TV+ costs $9.99 per month or $99 per year in the U.S., and the streaming service is also included in all Apple One subscription bundles.
Anker brand Eufy has launched a new Apple Home-compatible 4K indoor pan-and-tilt camera, bettering its 2K offering launched back in 2020.
The Eufy Indoor Cam E30 features a 4K resolution for crisp, sharp video, and it is compatible with HomeKit. However, since Apple's Home app only supports the viewing of streams up to 1080p, users will need to use the official Eufy app to see the inside of their property in all its 4K glory.
The E30 connects via the 2.4GHz Wi-Fi band, and the PTZ camera provides a 360-degree view in the horizontal plane, as well as controls within the Eufy app to manually adjust the angle. The camera can also be fixed to ceilings with a mounting plate (included).
The E30 also includes a built-in spotlight enabling standard night vision and color night vision. Users have the option to install an SD card for local on-device recording, minus the associated monthly fees incurred by cloud-based recording plans, but Eufy does still offer a cloud-based option.
As HomeKitNews notes, Eufy has not provided information on whether the Indoor Cam E30 supports HomeKit Secure Video, so buyer beware. But given that most other Eufy models support it, there is a good chance this one does, too.
HomeKit Secure Video is encrypted and stored in iCloud and footage is viewed in the Home app. All detection is also done on-device for privacy purposes, with no data sent to Eufy. This would likely be the preferable option for users who remember Eufy's camera security controversy.
Thanks to improvements in AI, Eufy says that the camera can now distinguish between humans and pets, as well as different types of audio, making it better able to detect, identify, and track movement. The camera also has an integrated speaker, suggesting this model supports two-way audio like other Eufy models.
The Eufy Indoor Cam E30 is available directly from the Eufy website costing $69.99, and the company is currently running a $10 promotional discount using the code WSPEV2ASHVSZ.
Apple is working on a "giant" foldable iPad that unfolds into the size of two iPad Pros side-by-side, which the company aims to release around 2028, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says that Apple has been developing the foldable for a couple of years now, and is aiming for a ~20-inch display to appeal to customers who want the biggest possible display in a portable device.
Gurman says Apple's main goal is to avoid the crease that runs through the middle of the screen above the hinge when the device is in the open position. The crease has remained evident in even the current crop of foldable phones from Samsung, which has tried and failed to get rid of it since its breakout Galaxy Fold device, released in 2019.
In contrast, Apple wants its foldable iPad to look like "a single, uninterrupted piece of glass." Whether this is achievable remains unclear, though the company is said to have made progress: Gurman reports that prototypes of this new product within Apple's industrial design group have a nearly invisible crease. "It's too early to tell if Apple will be able to get rid of it altogether," notes the reporter.
As for which operating system the foldable iPad will run, Gurman admits that it's not yet clear, but he did have this to say:
My guess is that it will be iPadOS or a variant of it. I don't believe it will be a true iPad-Mac hybrid, but the device will have elements of both. By the time 2028 rolls around, iPadOS should be advanced enough to run macOS apps, but it also makes sense to support iPad accessories like the Apple Pencil.
Gurman says the majority of Apple's work on foldables is focused on the "higher-end" 20-inch device, but he maintains that Apple continues to explore the long-rumored foldable iPhone concept. Despite Apple's status as the only major smartphone maker without a foldable, Gurman does not foresee a foldable iPhone arriving before 2026 at the earliest.
Last week, MacRumors reported on a document shared on X that allegedly reveals Apple's display plans. The roadmap shows that Apple aims to use an 18.8-inch foldable screen between 2028 and 2030, and Gurman says that this "generally lines up with what I've heard about an Apple foldable computer."
Notably, a report over the weekend by The Wall Street Journalclaimed that Apple is planning two foldable devices, one of which is "intended to serve as a laptop" and "has a screen that unfolds to be nearly as large as some desktop monitors, at about 19 inches." It is not immediately clear if this and the foldable iPad reported by Gurman are one and the same, but it's a possibility.
Meanwhile, the smaller device is said to be essentially an iPhone with an inward-folding design that unfolds to a display size that would be larger than an iPhone 16 Pro Max. The WSJ report said Apple executives are pushing for a 2026 release, but the company may need another year to address technical challenges, one of which is presumably related to the crease.
Apple in iOS 18.2 has reinstated a Lock Screen feature that was unceremoniously nixed from its iPhone OS two years ago, leaving many users wondering why it was taken away in the first place.
The feature in question is the on-screen volume control slider in the Lock Screen media player interface. Prior to 2022, the volume slider was a familiar presence on the Lock Screen whenever media was playing. When Apple released iOS 16, however, it removed the control without explaining the reason.
Thankfully, Apple has brought back the control as an option in iOS 18.2. If you've updated your device, you'll find a toggle in Settings ➝ Accessibility ➝ Audio & Visual, labeled Always Show Volume Control. Enable the switch, and you'll be able to adjust volume from the Lock Screen without having to unlock your iPhone or use the physical volume buttons.
Elsewhere in iOS 18.2, provided you have a compatible device, you will find several Apple Intelligence features, including Image Playground and Genmoji. Be sure to check out our complete guide for full details on what's included.
Apple plans to release a second-generation AirTag next year with "considerably" longer range for item tracking, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said the new AirTag will use Apple's second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, or equivalent technology. The chip debuted last year in the iPhone 15 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2, and Apple said it offers up to three times the range as its first-generation Ultra Wideband chip in the current AirTag. Indeed, Gurman said the new AirTag should offer triple the range as the current model.
On the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 models, there is a Precision Finding feature that can help you to find your friends in busy places, and it offers up to approximately 60 meters (around 200 feet) range. The new AirTag could offer similar range.
Last month, Gurman said the new AirTag will be released around mid-2025. In addition to longer range, he said the new AirTag's built-in speaker will be more difficult to remove, as a stalking-related safety measure. Overall, though, he does not expect the accessory to receive any major design changes when it is updated next year.
Apple released the AirTag in April 2021, so there will have been around a four-year wait for the second-generation model.
The paywalled report published today corroborated the widely-rumored "iPhone 17 Air" with an "ultrathin" design that is thinner than current iPhone models. The report did not mention a specific measurement, but previous rumors have indicated the device could be anywhere from 5mm to 6.25mm thin, whereas the iPhone 16 lineup starts at 7.8mm. The thinnest-ever model was the iPhone 6 at 6.9mm, so the iPhone 17 Air would beat that record.
In line with previous rumors, the report said the iPhone 17 Air will be "giving up" some features available in the Pro models. For example, the report said the device will have a "simplified" camera system, but no other details were provided. Accordingly, the report said the device will be priced lower than the Pro lineup, which in the U.S. starts at $999.
Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 Air in September 2025.
Apple is also planning two foldable devices for release later, according to the report. It said one of the devices will essentially be the largest-ever MacBook with a foldable 19-inch screen, while the other is a foldable iPhone that would unfold to have an inwards-facing display that is larger than the one on the 6.9-inch iPhone 16 Pro Max.
The report said Apple is aiming to release the foldable iPhone in 2026 or 2027, while the MacBook with a foldable screen would likely debut later. Both of the devices have been rumored to be in development several times in recent years.
Apple is said to have faced major challenges with developing a foldable iPhone, including with the device's hinge and the protective layer that covers the screen. Apple apparently once considered a foldable iPhone with an outward-facing display, but it has settled on a large inner display, according to the report.
Apple is working on a redesigned Magic Mouse that will address some "longstanding complaints," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said Apple in recent months has been working on a "full overhaul" of the Magic Mouse with a design that "better fits the modern era." However, he does not expect the new Magic Mouse to be released in the "next 12 to 18 months," so it sounds like the accessory will launch in mid-2026 at the earliest.
While the Magic Mouse switched from Lightning to USB-C a few months ago, the charging port is still located on the bottom of the mouse, which prevents it from being used while charging. This is only a minor inconvenience, as charging the mouse is a quick and infrequent process, but it sounds like Apple will finally relocate the port.
"Apple is looking to create something that's more relevant, while also fixing longstanding complaints — yes, including the charging port issue," said Gurman.
He also suggested the next Magic Mouse will be more ergonomic and comfortable to use.
While no specific design details about the next Magic Mouse were shared, perhaps Apple will take some inspiration from popular alternatives for the Mac, like Logitech's excellent MX Master 3S. That mouse features an ergonomic design with a thumb rest, a front-facing USB-C charging port, precision tracking, two scroll wheels, and more.
Logitech's MX Master 3S
The overall look of the Magic Mouse has not changed much since 2009, so a redesign has been a long time coming. Notable changes over the years include the mouse switching from AA batteries to a built-in rechargeable battery in 2015, new color-matching options with the iMac in 2021, and the switch from Lightning to USB-C this year. Overall, the Magic Mouse has not received much attention from Apple over the past decade.
Will the next Magic Mouse cost more? No word on that from Gurman, yet. The current model is priced at $79 in the U.S. on a standalone basis, and it is included at no additional cost with the purchase of an iMac or a Mac Pro.
UGREEN has launched a big holiday sale on its Amazon storefront, with savings on USB-C wall chargers, portable batteries, MagSafe-compatible wireless chargers, and more. This sale includes discounts on UGREEN's popular Uno line of robotic chargers, which make great holiday gifts.
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 highlight is UGREEN's 100W 4-Port USB-C Charger, priced at $47.99, down from $59.99. We reviewed this entire line of chargers earlier this month, so if you want to find out more about how they work and what they look like, be sure to check out that review.
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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Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find during the holiday season? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
iOS 18.2 is finally here, delivering several new highly anticipated Apple Intelligence features and expanding availability to new countries.
This week also saw a number of hardware rumors including Apple itself leaking the existence of upcoming M4 MacBook Air models, plus we heard details about the next iPhone SE, the so-called "iPhone 17 Air," next-generation Apple Watch features, and updated Apple TV and HomePod mini models, so read on below for more!
iPhone 17 'Air' Expected to Be ~2mm Thinner Than iPhone 16 Pro
Apple has been rumored to be developing a slim new iPhone model for next year's lineup, and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has corroborated previous claims that the device will be around 2mm thinner than the iPhone 16 Pro, likely putting it at a little over 6mm thick.
Meanwhile, rumors about a redesign for next year's iPhone 17 Pro models continue circulate, including claims of a new rectangular camera bump.
iPhone SE 4 Said to Feature 48MP Rear Lens, 12MP TrueDepth Camera
Apple's fourth-generation iPhone SE is rumored to launch early next year, and it sounds like it'll be getting some significant upgrades.
The operating system update included references to "MacBook Air (13-inch, M4, 2025)" and "MacBook Air (15-inch, M4, 2025)," which we're expecting to be released early in the year.
Apple Watch Could Get Blood Pressure Monitoring in 2025
Apple has been putting significant effort into developing new health-related capabilities for the Apple Watch, and it sounds like blood pressure sensing may make it into the 2025 models. The feature reportedly won't provide exact pressure readings, but could alert a wearer if it detects hypertension.
Meanwhile, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is expected to debut next year with support for texting via satellite. Apple has been rolling out satellite connectivity features for the iPhone over the past few years, including the ability in iOS 18 to send texts to anyone, and it looks like that capability will be expanding to Apple's wrist-worn device.
New Apple TV and HomePod Mini Launching in 2025
There have been scattered rumors over the past couple of years about an update to the Apple TV, and a fresh report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says we can expect one to debut in 2025, seemingly at some point prior to the traditional September iPhone event.
A new HomePod mini is also in the works for 2025, and both devices will reportedly use a new Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip developed in-house by Apple, replacing a component traditionally provided by Broadcom. The Apple chip will then make its way into the iPhone 17 lineup later in the year, followed by the iPad and Mac lineups in 2026.
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.
Apple's iMac Pro launched seven years ago today, offering a high-end all-in-one desktop machine to bridge the gap between new Mac Pro models.
In April 2017, Apple uncharacteristically apologised for its approach to the Mac in recent years and pre-announced it was working on a "completely rethought" Mac Pro with a modular design, a new pro-level iMac, and a new high-end external display. At WWDC that year, Apple unveiled the iMac Pro, after years of rumors about a "Pro" iMac. The iMac Pro sought to placate many of Apple's discontented professional Mac users, coming around four years after the launch of the controversial "trashcan" Mac Pro, but two years before the current Mac Pro design, which returned to a modular tower design.
Apple presented the iMac Pro as "the most powerful Mac ever made." It featured 8-, 10-, 14-, or 18-core Intel Xeon processor options, a 5K display, AMD Vega graphics, ECC memory, and 10 Gigabit Ethernet, with a starting price of $4,999. It was also the first Mac to contain a custom T2 chip, as well as the first desktop Mac to be available in Space Gray. While it did not have a slot to easily access the memory like the 27-inch iMac, the processor, memory, and storage were not soldered in place and could easily be removed if the display was disassembled.
In March 2021, Apple announced that it was discontinuing the iMac Pro. By that time, the machine had been surpassed by the 2019 Mac Pro, a significant final update for the 27-inch iMac, and the first Apple silicon Macs. The iMac Pro's position in Apple's product lineup is now effectively held by the Mac Studio and the Studio Display.
Yet after the launch of the 24-inch Apple silicon iMac in April 2021 and the discontinuation of the 27-inch iMac in March 2022, interest in an iMac Pro with a larger display has increased. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman believed that Apple was still "working on a larger-screened iMac aimed at the professional market," a rumor supported by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, as of 2022. Yet other reports claimed Apple has no plans to release a new high-end iMac at all.
Rumors suggest that a larger-screened iMac that could be positioned as an iMac Pro will launch in 2025. In July 2024, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that Apple is still exploring a larger iMac, but it is unclear when it could be released. See our full guide for more information.
Visual Intelligence is an Apple Intelligence feature that's exclusive to the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro models because it relies on the Camera Control button. Visual Intelligence is available as of iOS 18.2, and this guide outlines what it can do.
Activating and Using Visual Intelligence
To use Visual Intelligence, you need to hold down on the Camera Control button for a few seconds to activate the Visual Intelligence mode.
Just pressing opens up the camera with Camera Control, so you do need a distinct press and hold gesture to get to it. Make sure you're not already in the Camera app, because it doesn't work if the camera is already active.
The Visual Intelligence interface features a view from the camera, a button to capture a photo, and dedicated "Ask" and "Search" buttons. Ask queries ChatGPT, and Search sends an image to Google Search.
Using Visual Intelligence requires taking a photo of whatever you're looking at. You need to snap a photo, which you can do with the Camera Control button, and select an option. It does not work with a live camera view, and you cannot use photos that you took previously.
Get Details About Places
If you're out somewhere and want to get more information about a restaurant or a retail store, click and hold Camera Control, and then click Camera Control again to take a photo or tap the name of the location at the top of the display.
From there, you can see the hours when the business is open, place an oder for delivery at relevant locations, view the menu, view offered services, make a reservation, call the business, or visit the location's website.
Summarize Text
Take a photo of text from the Visual Intelligence interface. Choose the "Summarize" option to get a summary of what's written.
The Summarize option is useful for long blocks of text, but it is similar to other Apple Intelligence summaries so it is brief and not particularly in-depth.
Read Text Out Loud
Whenever you take a Camera Control image of text, there is an option to hear it read aloud. To use this, just tap the "Read Aloud" button at the bottom of the display, and Siri will read it out loud in your selected Siri voice.
Translate Text
If text that you capture with Visual Intelligence is not in your language (limited to English at this time), you'll see a "Translate" option. You can tap it to get an instant translation.
Go to Website Links
If there's a link in an image that you capture with Visual Intelligence, you'll see a link that you can tap to visit the website.
Send Emails and Make Phone calls
If there is an email address in an image, you can tap it to compose an email in the Mail app. Similarly, if there is a phone number, you'll see an option to call it.
Create a Calendar Event
Using Visual Intelligence on something that has a date will give you an option to add that event to your calendar.
Detect and Save Contact Info
For phone numbers, email addresses, and addresses, Apple says you can add the information to a contact in the Contacts app. You can also open address in the Maps app.
Scan QR Codes
Visual Intelligence can be used to scan a QR code. With QR codes, you don't actually need to snap an image, you simply need to point the camera at the QR code and then tap the link that pops up.
QR code scanning also works in the Camera app without Visual Intelligence active.
Ask ChatGPT
You can take a photo of anything and tap on the "Ask" option to send it to ChatGPT while also asking a question about it. If you take a picture of an item with Visual Intelligence and want to know what it is, for example, you tap on Ask and then type in "What is this?" to get to a ChatGPT interface.
ChatGPT will respond, and you can type back if you have followup questions.
Visual Intelligence uses the ChatGPT Siri integration, which is opt-in. By default, no data is collected, but if you sign in with an OpenAI account, ChatGPT can remember conversations.
Search Google for Items
You can take a picture of any item that you see and tap on the "Search" option to use Google Image Search to find it on the web. This is a feature that's useful for locating items that you might want to buy.
With iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2, Apple introduced Genmoji, the feature that lets you create a custom emoji character if there's not already an emoji that exists for what you want to depict.
You can create Genmoji from the emoji keyboard in Messages, Notes, and more, and the characters work much like emoji. Genmoji, like Image Playground, have significant restrictions put in place to prevent people from creating objectionable images, and these guardrails can make it hard to make what you're looking for.
Genmoji are anything but open-ended, so I thought I'd highlight some of what you can and can't do with the custom emojis as of right now.
Humans in Poses and Generic Humans
With anything that's even vaguely humanoid, Genmoji almost always prompts you to choose a person to base the result on. You can choose yourself or a friend or family member that you have images of in Photo Library, or you can use a standard emoji character.
The requirement is aggressive and limiting because it doesn't take into account context, and it prevents the creation of generic human-adjacent items and characters.
Gingerbread man, for example, does not produce a gingerbread man. It prompts for a person and then outputs an irrelevant image that may or may not include some kind of holiday item. If you're wondering if "gingerbread cookie" produces the desired result, it sometimes will and it sometimes won't.
The requirement to add a character isn't too much of a surprise because it means Apple Intelligence cannot pick a skin tone, race, or gender on its own, so there's nothing to default to. But it does result in some restrictions on poses and getting an activity depicted that you prefer. A lot of times, Genmoji that use your image or a friend or family member default to a head and shoulders view, and it can be tricky to get a more full body pose.
This is a bigger problem with Image Playground than Genmoji, but it can still cause frustration.
Humanoid Creatures and Items
Genmoji does not like to generate humanoid creatures that aren't based on a person or an emoji. Trying to get the feature to create a simple garden gnome, for example, is a feat. I couldn't get Genmoji to make a garden gnome with any of the following phrases:
Gnome
Garden gnome
Non-humanoid gnome
Gnome statue
For all of these entries, Genmoji spat out a picture of an emoji person in an elf-style holiday hat. What did work to get a garden gnome, though, was "statue of a gnome," phrased that specific way. Later, I tried again, and couldn't get it to work even with that. But "statue gnome" worked, so it's hit or miss what you'll get.
There are instances where you can get what you're looking for with workarounds like that, but Apple has Genmoji so locked down that it's a frustrating exercise.
After not being able to make a gnome, I tried a range of mythological creatures. There wasn't a lot of consistency between what I was able to generate and what didn't work.
Creatures Genmoji Generated
Sasquatch
Yeti
Dragon
Minotaur
Unicorn
Hydra
Ogre
Leprechaun
Goblin
Phoenix
Hippogriff
Hellhound
Manticore (but not really)
Sphinx
Bunyip
Elf
Creatures That Didn't Work
Mermaid
Wendigo
Kraken (Sea monster works instead)
Wyvern
Basilisk
Cockatrice
Chupacabra
Tanuki
Jackalope
Wolpertinger
Wampus
Chimera
Ouroboros
Golem
Creatures That Required a Human Character
With creatures in this category, it prompted me to add a person. These worked with varying degrees of success. Centaur added horns, for example, but Orc basically just put the character in armor.
Vampire
Werewolf
Centaur
Orc
Fairy
Selkie (just generated a standard person)
Anubis (just generated a standard person)
Violence, Nudity, Celebrities, and Copyrights
This category won't come as a surprise. Apple doesn't allow anything that's remotely violent, and Genmoji can't be used to create any copyrighted characters or celebrities.
With Image Playground, you can actually make creations that feature celebrities by uploading a picture, but that's not an option for Genmoji.
You can generate a gun, but the gun can't shoot, even if you want it to shoot bubbles or water. Words like "shooting" are off limits in combination with words like gun.
Apple won't let you make copyrighted items, even an iPhone. Given Genmoji's tendency to warp items, it's no shock that you can't create a funny-looking iPhone.
Anatomy and Facial Expressions
Genmoji is really bad at facial expressions and emotions. It can mostly get happy and sad, but anything with any nuance likely isn't going to happen.
As for anatomy, you're not always going to get the correct number of fingers, toes, or limbs for your creations, but that's not atypical with AI.
Multiple People
Genmoji can't generate something with more than one person, and if you try, it will tell you to describe just one person.
Text
Like most image generation engines, Genmoji doesn't do well with text. Text almost always comes out looking garbled.
What Genmoji Does Really Well
Genmoji works well with animals, even animals that aren't super common. It won't get down to a species level, so you can't, for example, make an accurate swallowtail butterfly, but as long as you're not looking for that kind of specificity, you'll get an accurate butterfly.
Animals combined with objects tends to work well too, as do many objects. Objects that have a lot of parts like a saxophone or a violin can sometimes come out wonky, but for the most part, Genmoji does a good job creating different items and even merging them together.
Giving Genmoji Open-Ended Concepts
If you want to get an idea of how Genmoji works, giving it open-ended prompts that aren't a specific object is a fun exercise.
For example:
Scrumptious - Genmoji made a rainbow-colored plate with bread, a pumpkin, a tomato, and what looks like an olive. The next several images generated were cakes, and there was also a present and a plate of pasta.
Delicious - It gave me a steak on a weird pan, a cake, a donut, a cupcake, and a hot air balloon.
Cuddly - This generated a bear, a bear with flowers, a sleeping cat, a bunny in a basket, a mouse with heart eyes, and an emoji face wrapped in a blanket.
Snuggly - The first option I got was a smiling face, followed by emoji faces wrapped in blankets.
Comforting - An arm chair, a rocking chair, a sunset, and several weird emoji faces, none of which are comforting.
Horrific - A purple monster, a spider with 10 legs, an alien-like emoji face with 10 tentacles, a glowing crystal, a fanged octopus with six legs, and a snake with a fork.
With Genmoji, you're going to get something different every time you put in a description, even if you repeat a description. Images are being generated on the fly, so there is variation with every one.
Genmoji Tips
If you can't get something to work, rephrasing and rearranging words can be successful. Santa raccoon, for example, required a person, but raccoon Santa gave the desired effect of a raccoon in a red hat. Raccoon in a Santa hat works too, but simpler descriptions tend to produce the best results.
While Image Playground has a feature for adding in multiple ideas and refining as you go, Genmoji has a harder time with too much specific detail.
Apple's Genmoji Ad
Apple shared a Genmoji ad yesterday, and as AppleInsider pointed out, the ad is pretty misleading. It shows Genmoji that were not created with Apple Intelligence, and in fact it uses some phrases that simply won't work.
Below, I've listed whether or not I could get the description that Apple uses to work. Some required modifications, some I couldn't make at all, and some came out looking odd.
Apple's Genmoji Ad Keywords That Work (With Caveats)
Gnome - It worked, but with "statue of a gnome" phrasing.
Foam - It didn't have a smiley face, but I kind of got there by specifying a pile of shaving cream with eyes and a smile.
Pink comb
Skeleton made of chrome
Dog balloon - I only got a dog holding a balloon until I changed to balloon animal dog.
Tomato spy - This sort of worked when I used "a tomato dressed like a detective wearing sunglasses," but I could not get a full body tomato spy.
A horse wearing a tie
Bucatini with some peas - Most of what it generated looked nothing like pasta, but I did get a pasta-adjacent thing topped with peas.
Anemones - Just anemones gave me a flower. I had to add sea to get anything resembling Apple's, but even then it looked nothing like an actual sea anemone.
Blocks of cheese
Anemones and blocks of cheese bumping MP3s - It did generate a block of cheese and a sea anemone wearing headphones, but I had to use the "wearing headphones" phrasing. The sea anemone didn't look anything like one.
Pig in the sky - This worked a lot better when I added "winged."
Clock that can talk - This kind of worked when I asked it to make a grandfather clock with a mouth and eyes, but not with just a clock that can talk. It still didn't look like Apple's.
A furry cardigan - When I described it as a "furry cardigan that's light pink and has embroidered flowers," I got something like Apple's image.
Lasso - It generated ropes in circle shapes, but none that were exactly lassos.
Candy pile - It made candy, but they were all mostly a pile of gumballs
Can of worms - I thought this would turn out well, but it mostly made cans that had a worm on the front. My favorite was a yellow can with an emoji face that had worms coming out of the mouth.
Golden smile - Apple's image is a gold tooth. I only got an emoji face when using "golden smile," but I got a creepy gold tooth with a face when I used "gold tooth smiling."
Apple's Genmoji Ad Keywords That Don't Work
Socrates on mountain skis - Without fail, trying this made me select a person, and it came out looking nothing like Socrates. I couldn't use a historical figure at all.
12-sided die - It could not make a die that looked different from a standard die. It also would not let me use "12-sided die" at all, but at least "twelve sided die" made dice.
Chair that can walk - I couldn't get it to generate a chair that had human-like legs with shoes. It just kept making standard chairs.
A little painting of a guy in a hat - It kept adding an emoji person with just the head and shoulders. I couldn't get a nondescript "guy in a hat."
A heart-shaped tat - I only got emoji hearts. One was a realistic heart (the organ) with a pen through it that was inventive, but not what I was looking for.
Gizmo - This was a straight no. It told me to describe something different.
Little egg man throws his hands in the air going wild - This got me an emoji character of myself juggling eggs. Adding "man" triggers the person feature. Taking out man got me an egg with arms, but not a fried egg. Adding fried got me a creepy egg with a face and arms.
Sharing Genmoji with Older iPhones and Android Devices
If you make a Genmoji and send it to someone with iOS 18.1 or iOS 18.2, it'll show up like an emoji in iMessage conversations. Genmoji sent to Android users or those who have older iOS or macOS devices will see Genmoji as an image in a text message conversation.
Battery Usage
Creating a bunch of Genmoji or images with Image Playground can cause significant battery drain, because all of the processing is done on-device. An hour and a half of Genmoji creation drained my battery from over 50 percent to five percent.
Your Genmoji Experience
Let us know what you think of Genmoji so far in the comments below. Have you had issues, or is it working well? Is it a feature you're planning to use regularly?
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