MacRumors

Apple today released iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1, the first major updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 updates that came out in September. iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 come six weeks after the release of ‌iOS 18‌ and ‌iPadOS 18‌.

The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update.

Apple Intelligence is the main draw in iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1, and some of the first ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features are available on the iPhone 15 Pro, ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max, any iPhone 16 model, or any iPad with an M-series or A17 Pro chip. Note that ‌Apple Intelligence‌ is launching in a beta capacity, and there will be a short waitlist initially. To opt in to ‌Apple Intelligence‌, you'll need to open up the Settings app, go to ‌Apple Intelligence‌ and Siri, and toggle it on.

There are multiple ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features available:

• Writing Tools - You can use Writing Tools for proofreading text, rewriting what you've written, and getting summaries.
• Siri - ‌Siri‌ has a new look, a Type to ‌Siri‌ feature, and Apple product knowledge for answering support-related questions. ‌Siri‌ can also maintain better context between requests and keep up if you stumble over your words.
• Summaries and Smart Replies - In Mail and Messages, there are summarize and Smart Reply features, and for all apps, you'll get notification summaries. In Safari, you can get summaries of webpages, and you can also get summaries of transcripts in the Notes app, including from phone calls.
• Photos - Photos has "Clean Up" for removing unwanted objects, and Memory Movie for creating slideshows from your images with just a phrase.
• Focus - There's a Reduce Interruptions Focus Mode that only shows you important notifications that need your attention.

For more on all of the ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features available today, we have a dedicated guide.

There are also other new additions in iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1, which will be of particular interest to those who do not have an ‌Apple Intelligence‌ device.

Apple has refined Control Center so you can now split out more connectivity controls, access the Measure app, and more, plus you can record phone calls. To record a call, just tap the button in the left hand corner while the call is in progress. Everyone will be notified, and it'll be added to the Notes app, where you'll get a transcript of what was said.

NFC access is being opened up to third-party apps, allowing for all kinds of new capabilities, including contactless payments that aren't Apple Pay. Apple's full release notes for iOS 18.1 are available below.

Apple Intelligence (All iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max)

Writing Tools
- Writing Tools are available nearly everywhere you type, allowing you to rewrite, proofread, and summarize text right in the app you’re working in
- Rewrite suggests different versions of your text so you can choose which combination of flow and wording you like best
- Proofread lets you view suggested improvements to what you’re writing, like grammar fixes and language refinements
- Summarize allows you to select text wherever you’re writing and generate a high-quality summary

Siri
- A new look and feel includes a glowing light that wraps around the edge of your screen, animates responsively to the sound of your voice, and lets you keep scrolling or typing while you talk to Siri
- Type to Siri when you don’t want to speak a request out loud by double tapping at the bottom of the screen
- Richer language understanding enables Siri to follow along if you stumble over your words or change your mind mid-sentence
- Conversational context is maintained over the course of a session, so you can refer more naturally to something you said in a recent request or something Siri mentioned in a recent response
- Product knowledge helps you get answers to thousands of questions about the features and settings on your Apple products
- Voice enhancements make Siri sound more natural, expressive, and clear

Photos
- Photos search lets you find photos and videos simply by describing what you’re looking for
- Clean Up removes distractions in your photos
- Memory movies can be created by describing the story you want to see

Notifications
- Notification summaries make it easy to catch up on your notifications with a glanceable summary of the most important information
- Reduce Interruptions is a new Focus that ensures the most urgent notifications get through to you while silencing potential distractions

- Smart Reply in Mail and Messages help you quickly respond to messages with suggested responses
- Priority messages in Mail understands the content of your messages and prioritizes those that require your attention, displaying them at the top of your inbox
- Transcription summaries in Notes give you an intelligently created summary of the transcript from your audio recording or call recording

Phone
- Call recordings and transcriptions let you record live calls and transcribe them in the Notes app, with an automatic announcement that the call is being recorded

Camera
- Camera Control can quickly switch to the front TrueDepth Camera (iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max)
- Spatial photo capture, along with spatial video capture, is available in a new Spatial camera mode (iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max)

AirPods
- Hearing Test feature provides scientifically-validated hearing test results from the comfort of home (intended for users 18 years or older)
- Hearing Aid feature provides personalized, clinical-grade assistance that is automatically applied to sounds in your environment as well as music, videos, and calls (intended for users 18 years or older with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss)
- Hearing Protection feature helps users minimize exposure to loud environmental noise across listening modes (available in the United States and Canada)
- Features require AirPods Pro 2 with firmware version 7B19 or later. All features may not be available for all countries or regions, for more information visit: https://apple.com/airpods-pro/feature-availability/

This update also includes the following improvements and bug fixes:
- Control Center has new options to add connectivity controls individually and reset your configuration
- RCS Business Messaging lets you connect with businesses over RCS (requires carrier support)
- App Store search lets you use natural language to find what you’re looking for more easily
- Game Center friend invites can be sent directly from the Contacts app and Friend Suggestions, and receivers can see the invites in the inbox in Settings
- Fixes an issue in Podcasts where unplayed episodes are marked as played
- Fixes an issue where videos recorded at 4K 60 while the device is warm could experience stutter while scrubbing the video playback in Photos
- Fixes an issue where digital car keys may not unlock or start a vehicle with passive entry after restoring from a backup or transferring directly from another iPhone
- Fixes an issue where iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro models may unexpectedly restart

Some features may not be available for all regions or on all Apple devices. For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website: https://support.apple.com/100100

Note that some ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features like Genmoji, Image Playground, and the much smarter ‌Siri‌ won't be coming until later.

Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.1, the first update to the ‌macOS Sequoia‌ operating system that was released in September. ‌macOS Sequoia‌ comes six weeks after the launch of ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.

Mac users can download the ‌‌macOS Sequoia‌‌ update through the Software Update section of System Settings.

‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.1 introduces the first Apple Intelligence features for Macs that are equipped with an M-series chip. Not all ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features are available, but the update includes support for Writing Tools, a new Siri design, AI-powered Focus modes, smart replies, and summaries.

Writing Tools can be used across the operating system wherever text can be selected and edited, and the feature supports spell checking, correcting grammar, rewriting your work with a new tone, and summarizing text.

‌‌Siri‌‌ has been updated with a new design that includes a subtle glow around the display, and Type to ‌‌Siri‌‌ means you don't have to speak to ‌‌Siri‌‌ to get answers. ‌‌Siri‌‌‌ can follow along if you stumble over your words, and can maintain context between requests. Safari can summarize articles, and there's a new Reduce Interruptions Focus Mode that intelligently highlights only important notifications.

Smart replies are available in Messages and Mail, plus the Mail app surfaces priority time sensitive messages and puts them at the top of your inbox. Photos has a Memory Movie feature for creating slideshows based on text descriptions, and there is a Clean Up tool for unwanted objects in your photos. Apple's full release notes for the update are below.

This update introduces the first set of features powered by Apple Intelligence, the personal intelligence system that unlocks powerful new ways to communicate, work, and express yourself, all while protecting your data with an extraordinary step forward for privacy in AI. This release also includes drag and drop support for iPhone Mirroring and other features, bug fixes, and security updates for your Mac.

Apple Intelligence (Mac with M1 and later)

Writing Tools
- Writing Tools are available nearly everywhere you type, allowing you to rewrite, proofread, and summarize text right in the app you're working in
- Rewrite suggests different versions of your text so you can choose which combination of flow and wording you like best
- Proofread lets you view suggested improvements to what you're writing, like grammar fixes and language refinements
- Summarize allows you to select text wherever you're writing and generate a high-quality summary

Siri
- A new look and feel includes a glowing light that wraps around the edge of your screen, animates responsively to the sound of your voice, and lets you keep scrolling or typing while you talk to Siri
- Type to Siri when you don't want to speak a request out loud
- Richer language understanding enables Siri to follow along if you stumble over your words or change your mind mid-sentence
- Conversational context is maintained over the course of a session, so you can refer more naturally to something you said in a recent request or something Siri mentioned in a recent response
- Product knowledge helps you get answers to thousands of questions about the features and settings on your Apple products
- Voice enhancements make Siri sound more natural, expressive, and clear

Photos
- Memory movies can be created by describing the story you want to see
- Photos search lets you find photos and videos simply by describing what you're looking for
- Clean Up removes distractions in your photos

Notifications
- Notification summaries make it easy to catch up on your notifications with a glanceable summary of the most important information
- Reduce Interruptions is a new Focus that ensures the most urgent notifications get through to you while silencing potential distractions

Additional Features
- Smart Reply in Mail and Messages help you quickly respond to messages with suggested responses
- Transcription summaries in Notes give you an intelligently created summary of the transcript from your audio recording

iPhone Mirroring
- Drag and drop support lets you seamlessly move files, photos, videos, and more between your Mac and iPhone

AirPods
- Hearing Protection feature helps users minimize exposure to loud environmental noise across listening modes (available in the United States and Canada)
- Features require AirPods Pro 2 with firmware version 7B19 or later. All features may not be available for all countries or regions, for more information visit: https://apple.com/airpods-pro/feature-availability/

This update also includes the following improvements and bug fixes:
- Option to automatically download and install games and apps to an external disk drive
- Game Center friend invites can be sent directly from the Contacts app and Friend Suggestions and receivers can see the invites in the inbox in Settings

More information on all of the new ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features in ‌macOS Sequoia‌ 15.1 can be found in our Apple Intelligence guide.

Apple today released watchOS 11.1, the first major update to the operating system that runs on the Apple Watch. watchOS 11.1 comes one month after Apple released watchOS 11. watchOS 11.1 is compatible with the Apple Watch Series 6 and later, all Apple Watch Ultra models, and the Apple Watch SE 2.

watchOS 11.1 can be downloaded on an iPhone running iOS 18.1 by opening up the Apple Watch app and going to General > Software Update. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery and it needs to be placed on a charger.

According to Apple's release notes, watchOS 11.1 adds improvements and bug fixes, including a fix for an issue with writing breathing disturbances data to HealthKit for some users.

More of the features available in watchOS 11 can be found in our watchOS 11 roundup.

Apple today released tvOS 18.1, the newest version of the tvOS 18 operating system that came out in September. tvOS 18.1 comes over a month after Apple released tvOS 18, and it is available for the Apple TV 4K and the ‌Apple TV‌ HD models.

tvOS 18.1 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the ‌‌Apple TV‌‌. Open up Settings and go to System > Software Update to get the new software. ‌‌Apple TV‌‌ owners who have automatic software updates activated will be upgraded to tvOS 18.1 automatically.

tvOS updates are often minor in scale, and tvOS 18.1 doesn't seem to be an exception.

Apple still hasn't added the 21:9 aspect ratio for projectors or the new Snoopy screensavers that it promised at WWDC, but those features were not in tvOS 18.1 during the beta testing process, and we don't know what's new.

Apple shares release notes for tvOS in its tvOS support document, which is updated after each new version of tvOS comes out, so that should give us some insight into what's included in tvOS 18.1.

Apple today released visionOS 2.1, the first update to the visionOS 2 operating system that came out in September. visionOS 2.1 comes a month after the launch of ‌visionOS 2‌, and eight months after the release of the Vision Pro headset.

visionOS 2.1 can be downloaded on all Vision Pro headsets by navigating to the Settings app, selecting the General section, and choosing the Software Update option.

To install an update, the Vision Pro headset needs to be removed, and there is a software progress bar available on the front EyeSight display.

According to Apple's release notes, visionOS 2.1 includes bug fixes and security updates, and the software is recommended for all users.

More information on the Vision Pro and ‌visionOS 2‌ can be found in our roundup.

Alongside the new iMac, Apple announced updated versions of the Magic Mouse, Magic Keyboard, and Magic Trackpad. The accessories are now equipped with USB-C charging ports, whereas the previous models used Lightning. Apple includes the Magic Mouse and Magic Keyboard in the box with the iMac, and the Magic Trackpad is an optional upgrade.

"Every iMac comes with a color-matched Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse or optional Magic Trackpad, all of which now feature a USB-C port, so users can charge their favorite devices with a single cable," said Apple, in a press release.

There does not appear to be any other changes to the Magic accessories beyond the switch to USB-C. Yes, that means the Magic Mouse's charging port remains located on the bottom of the mouse, as confirmed in Apple's video for the new iMac.

Some of the Magic accessories with USB-C ports are also sold separately:

• Magic Mouse in White or Black
• Magic Keyboard
• Magic Keyboard with Touch ID
• Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad in White or Black
• Magic Trackpad in White or Black

Apple also continues to sell the older Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad with a Lightning charging port, but it lacks a Touch ID button. All other Lightning-based Magic accessories appear to have been discontinued today.

The updated accessories can be ordered today.

Apple today announced that it has updated the 24-inch iMac with the M4 chip, which debuted in the iPad Pro earlier this year. This upgrade comes around one year after the previous iMac with the M3 chip was released.

As expected, the M4 chip in the iMac is available with up to a 10-core CPU and up to a 10-core GPU. Apple says the iMac with the M4 chip is up to 1.7x faster for daily productivity tasks, and up to 2.1x faster for demanding workflows like photo editing and gaming, compared to the iMac with the M1 chip. In the iPad Pro, the M4 chip is up to 25% faster than the M3 chip, and this year-over-year improvement should be similar for the iMac.

All variants of the M4 chip have a faster 16-core Neural Engine that boosts the performance of Apple Intelligence, but keep in mind that Apple Intelligence is also available on previous-generation iMac models with the M1 and M3 chips.

The new iMac comes with a minimum of 16GB of RAM, compared to 8GB for the previous base model, which likely confirms a rumor that 16GB of RAM will be the new minimum for many or all new Macs going forward. The computer can be configured with up to 32GB of RAM, and it continues to be available with up to 2TB of SSD storage.

Apple has upgraded the iMac with a 12-megapixel front camera with Center Stage support that keeps you centered in the frame. There is also a Desk View feature that shows your face and an overhead view of your desk at the same time.

While the iMac has not received any major design changes, Apple has introduced new color options for the all-in-one desktop computer, including "fresh shades" of green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, and blue, alongside the classic silver. In addition, the iMac can now be configured with a nano-texture display, which has a special coating that better scatters light to further minimize glare on the screen. Apple had previously offered the 2020 model of the Intel-based 27-inch iMac with a nano-texture display option, but this is the first time it has been offered for an Apple silicon version of the computer.

All four rear USB-C ports on higher-end iMac configurations with the 10-core M4 chip now support Thunderbolt 4, compared to two Thunderbolt 3 ports and two USB-C ports on the previous model. The base model iMac with the 8-core M4 chip has two Thunderbolt 4 ports.

When configured with the M4 chip with a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, the new iMac supports up to an 8K external display at 120Hz, or two 6K displays at 60Hz.

Alongside the new iMac, Apple announced updated versions of the Magic Mouse, Magic Keyboard, and Magic Trackpad. The accessories are now equipped with USB-C charging ports, whereas the previous models used Lightning. Apple includes the Magic Mouse and Magic Keyboard in the box with the iMac, and the Magic Trackpad is an optional upgrade.

The new iMac is available to pre-order starting today, and it will be available beginning Friday, November 8. In the U.S. pricing starts at $1,299.

Apple today adjusted some of its Mac trade-in values, with some increasing and others decreasing depending on the model. These changes come just ahead of Apple's promised exciting week of Mac-related announcements, with the company expected to unveil new MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac mini models with the M4 family of chips.

Apple's latest trade-in values are listed below.

• MacBook Pro: Up to $875 (vs. up to $865)
• MacBook Air: Up to $445 (vs. up to $465)
• MacBook: Up to $90 (vs. up to $90)
• iMac: Up to $305 (vs. up to $315)
• iMac Pro: Up to $420 (vs. up to $420)
• Mac mini: Up to $365 (vs. up to $385)
• Mac Studio: Up to $1,170 (vs. up to $1,190)
• Mac Pro: Up to $700 (vs. up to $730)

More details are available on Apple's trade-in page.

Apple recently confirmed that iOS 18.1 will be widely released to the public this week. The software update includes the first Apple Intelligence features for iPhone 15 Pro models and all iPhone 16 models, a set of hearing health features for the AirPods Pro 2, phone call recording on the iPhone XS and newer, and more.

Ahead of iOS 18.1 being released, Apple is already advertising Apple Intelligence as being "here" in a Reddit ad, hinting at the update's imminent availability.

Here are some of the key Apple Intelligence features coming with iOS 18.1:

• A few Siri enhancements, including a new appearance with a glowing light that wraps around the edge of the screen, and improved understanding for both follow-up requests and when you stumble over your words
• Writing tools for rewriting, summarizing, and proofreading text
• Notification summaries
• Suggested replies in the Messages and Mail apps
• A new "Clean Up" tool in the Photos app that can remove unwanted people or objects from photos and use generative AI to fill in the background
• The ability to create a "Memories" movie in the Photos app by typing a description
• Transcription summaries for phone call recordings
• A new Focus mode called Reduce Interruptions that surfaces important notifications only

See our full list of Apple Intelligence features included in iOS 18.1 for even more.

Apple Intelligence will gain more features and support for additional languages on a gradual basis between iOS 18.2 and iOS 18.4. iOS 18.2 is already in beta, and it adds Apple Intelligence features such as Genmoji, Image Playground, Image Wand, and ChatGPT integration for Siri, as well as Visual Intelligence exclusively on all iPhone 16 models. iOS 18.2 is expected to be widely released to the public in December.

iOS 18.1 supports the same iPhone models as iOS 17 does, but Apple Intelligence requires an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or any iPhone 16 model. On iOS 18.1, Apple Intelligence is available in U.S. English only, with more localized English languages for the U.K., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa coming with iOS 18.2. Additional languages like German, Italian, and Korean will follow next year.

Nintendo on December 2 will release Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Complete, a paid offline version of the iOS game that existing users will be able to play after the original is shut down.

Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp is a freemium app that Nintendo has regularly been adding new content to over the last seven years, so there are players with money invested in the game. There are no more events or updates, with the Pocket Camp service set to be discontinued on November 29, but the paid offline version will allow saves to be transferred over.

The new paid version includes all the content added since the free online version of Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp was released in 2017. The gameplay is virtually identical to the previous version, but without in-app purchases or the ability to interact with other human players. Existing users can transfer their saved data from the previous version to the offline variant until June 2, 2025. Transferring a Pocket Camp save to the new app requires linking to a Nintendo Account.

The offline version will include new content, including the ability to create a Camper Card for players to introduce themselves to other players. The cards can be scanned for collecting and exchanging. There is also a new location to visit, called Whistle Pass, where players whose cards have been scanned come to visit. Nintendo says this is an alternative to the existing online mode, where players visit each other's camping spot.

Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Complete can now be pre-ordered in the App Store and is a one-time $9.99 purchase until January 31, 2025, when the price will go up to $19.99. The game will be playable from December 2, 2024, while the online servers of the existing free game will close on November 29.

Update: December 3 was the launch date originally given in Nintendo's marketing materials, but a press release published this morning on behalf of the company states that the game will be released on December 2. This article has subsequently been updated.

Apple is "deep" into the development of an entry-level 11th-generation iPad, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The reporter now claims that the model is scheduled to be released around the same time as the new iPhone SE 4 and iPad Air in the spring.

"It will have roughly the same design as the current version from 2022, while getting a speed boost," said Gurman, writing in his latest Power On newsletter. The reporter's prediction has changed from last week, when he said that the iPhone SE is expected to gain Apple Intelligence features in March 2025, with the entry-level iPad following "later in the year."

The current 10th-generation ‌iPad‌ has an A14 chip that was first used in the iPhone 12 lineup. The logical choice for the next ‌iPad‌ is the A16 that was used in the iPhone 15 models, but if Apple Intelligence support is coming as expected, an A17 Pro chip or A18 chip would likely be necessary.

Apple earlier this month launched the latest iPad mini with Apple Intelligence support via a standalone press release. The company also lowered the price of the existing iPad 10 and stopped including a charger with the device in Europe. Both changes are strong indicators that a new iPad won't play a part in Apple's upcoming announcements across this week.

Apple has been blocked from selling iPhone 16 models in Indonesia after it failed to meet the country's domestic investment requirements (via Bloomberg).

According to a statement dated October 25 from the Indonesian Ministry of Industry, the phones cannot be marketed domestically because local unit PT Apple Indonesia failed to fulfill the country's 40% local content requirements for smartphones.

Apple has invested approximately 1.5 trillion rupiah ($95 million) in Indonesia, but it committed to an investment target of 1.7 trillion rupiah. Apple's focus has been on building developer academies in the region instead of establishing local manufacturing facilities, according to the report.

The setback comes at a time when Apple has seen strong iPhone sales globally, especially in China. Indonesia in particular is a significant market for Apple – the country's $1 trillion economy has over 350 million active mobile phones among its 270 million residents.

Approximately 9,000 iPhone 16 units have entered Indonesia through personal imports by passengers, crew members, or postal delivery, but these devices are strictly limited to personal use and cannot be sold commercially, according to ministry officials.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

A federal jury Friday ruled that Masimo's smartwatches infringed on Apple Watch patents, but awarded Apple just $250 in damages, which is the statuary minimum amount Apple could seek while it pursues a jury trial rather than a court trial over Masimo's alleged infringements.

According to Bloomberg Law, jurors found that the original design for Masimo's W1 Freedom and health module, plus its charger, willfully infringed on Apple design patents. However, Masimo said that the ruling only applied to a discontinued module and charger. The distinction undermines Apple's claim of irreparable harm, so while the company won damages, the decision essentially removed Apple's chance to block Masimo's current products.

"Apple primarily sought an injunction against Masimo's current products, and the jury's verdict is a victory for Masimo on that issue," a Masimo spokesperson said in a statement.

The trial came about due to Apple's countersuit in its ongoing legal battle with Masimo, which previously won an import ban on certain Apple Watch models over pulse oximetry patents. The infringement forced Apple to disable blood oxygen monitoring features in Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 models sold in the US. The feature is also lacking in the US version of the Apple Watch Series 10. The Apple Watches remain fully functional outside of the country.

During the trial, Apple attorney John Desmarais claimed that monetary compensation wasn't the company's goal, telling jurors: "We're not here for the money. We want them to stop copying our design."

An Apple spokesperson defended the company's position, saying: "Teams at Apple worked for years to develop Apple Watch," while "Masimo took shortcuts, launching a device that copies Apple Watch and infringes our intellectual property."

Electronics repair website iFixit this weekend shared an iPad mini 7 teardown video, and it adds some mystery to the device's "jelly scrolling" improvements.

"Jelly scrolling" refers to screen tearing, which can cause text or images on one side of the screen to appear to be tilted downwards because of a mismatch in refresh rates. It can cause one side of the display to look as if it is responding faster than the other side, resulting in a visual disturbance that is hard to ignore once noticed. Some customers noticed the effect on the iPad mini 6 when the device was used in portrait orientation, leading to complaints over the past three years, but not everyone noticed it or was bothered by the effect.

Despite an Apple spokesperson once stating that "jelly scrolling" was "normal" behavior for iPads with LCD displays, it appears the company still felt inclined to reduce the effect on the iPad mini 7. Many reviewers said that "jelly scrolling" was less noticeable or not noticeable at all on the latest iPad mini, and it seems that Apple vaguely told some of these reviewers that it made display-related changes to address the matter.

It was speculated that Apple might have rotated the display controller inside the iPad mini 7 to make "jelly scrolling" less visible in portrait orientation, but interestingly, iFixit said that the display controller's position has not changed compared to the iPad mini 6. The website concluded that Apple has done some unknown "trickery" to reduce "jelly scrolling," so it still remains unclear exactly what Apple has done to mitigate the issue.

The teardown video also revealed that the iPad mini 7's rear Apple logo can be removed, but otherwise the device's internal design is similar to the iPad mini 6.

Apple released the iPad mini 7 last week, with key features including the A17 Pro chip, Apple Intelligence support, Apple Pencil Pro support, and more.

Apple on Friday announced it will be rolling out access to its new Genmoji, Image Playground, and Image Wand features to users who are on the iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 developer betas "over the coming weeks."

The full text of Apple's news article, shared on the Feedback Assistant website:

With the iOS & iPadOS 18.2 and macOS Sequoia 15.2 betas, you can join the waitlist for early access to Image Playground, Genmoji, and Image Wand in order to test and help improve these features.

You can request access within any one of these experiences:

- Image Playground app
- Image Playground integration in Messages or Freeform
- Genmoji integration in the emoji keyboard, or
- Image Wand within the Apple Pencil tool palette in Notes

We will roll out access to Image Playground, Genmoji, and Image Wand over the coming weeks. When the features are ready for you to test, you will be notified. After you receive access, you can tap the thumbs up or thumbs down that appear with each result in Image Playground, Genmoji, and Image Wand in order to provide feedback.

As mentioned by Apple, the features have a waitlist. Some users received access to the features within minutes of Apple releasing the betas, but others are still waiting, so Apple's announcement provides clarity to those who are still waiting.

Genmoji, Image Playground, and Image Wand are some of the new Apple Intelligence features introduced in the iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 developer betas, with others including ChatGPT integration for Siri, Visual Intelligence on all iPhone 16 models, and the ability to describe custom tones for text in Writing Tools.

Genmoji can generate custom emoji based on your description, Image Playground can generate cartoon-like images based on your description, and Image Wand can transform a rough sketch into a proper image in the Notes app.

The first Apple Intelligence features are launching to the public with iOS 18.1 next week, in U.S. English only. Those features include Writing Tools, notification summaries, suggested replies in the Messages and Mail apps, a "Clean Up" tool in the Photos app for quickly removing objects from the background of photos, and more. iOS 18.2 should be released to the public in December with Genmoji, Image Playground, and the additional features.

iOS 18.2 and the other betas also expand Apple Intelligence to localized English spoken in the U.K., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, with additional languages like German, Italian, and Korean to follow next year.

Apple Intelligence on iOS requires an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or any iPhone 16 model.

Apple has several new smart home products in development, and with rumors about the initial low-cost smart home control device ramping up over the past few months, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has fleshed out a few new details in the latest edition of his Power On newsletter.

According to Gurman, the smart home device is planned to launch sometime next year and will feature a hemispherical base with a small screen positioned at an angle on the base, making it resemble the iconic G4 ‌iMac‌ design from two decades ago.

Following up on previous rumors that the device will include a "squarish" display, Gurman indicates the screen and overall device may be smaller than many have expected, with the screen being "about the size of two iPhones side by side."

The small size is reportedly part of Apple's effort to keep pricing down, allowing users to scatter multiple units in different rooms around the house.

As previously described, the smart home device will run a number of iPad-like apps that make sense for its intended purpose, including FaceTime, Notes, and Calendar, as well serving as a hub for smart home controls and being able to display photo and video slideshows. Gurman says it's "possible" that there will be speakers in the device's base, allowing it to serve as a HomePod-like device as well.

Beyond this initial smart home device, Gurman has previously described a more ambitious product with a larger screen mounted on a robotic arm that would be able to identify users and automatically track them as they move around a room. That higher-end product will likely retail for around $1,000 and won't launch until 2026 at the earliest.

Apple's flurry of activity to close out October is well underway, led on the hardware side by the launch of the new iPad mini and Apple uncharacteriscally teasing some Mac updates for next week even without an announced event.

On the software side, Apple Intelligence is ready to make its debut in iOS 18.1 and related updates next week, but Apple has already begun beta testing further AI features in iOS 18.2, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more!

Apple Teases M4 Mac Announcements Next Week

We've long been expecting several Mac launches to happen around the end of this month, and Apple has now essentially made it official with marketing chief Greg Joswiak teasing an "exciting week of announcements" coming up centered around a Mac theme.

Check out our overview of everything we're expecting to see next week, with the most notable Mac update being a redesigned Mac mini.

Hands-On With the New iPad Mini 7

Following last week's press release announcement of the seventh-generation iPad mini, the latest version of Apple's smallest tablet is now available and we've had a chance to go hands-on with it.

While the new iPad mini looks nearly identical to its predecessor, it does include a number of internal improvements, led by the A17 Pro chip that brings support for Apple Intelligence.

Apple Seeds iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 Release Candidates With Apple Intelligence

Apple is rumored to be releasing iOS 18.1 and related operating system updates this coming Monday, October 28, and things certainly seem to be lining up for that to happen as Apple this week seeded release candidate versions of the updates to developers and public beta testers.

The updates bring the first Apple Intelligence features for compatible devices, as well as a number of other additions and tweaks. Also included are new hearing health features for the AirPods Pro 2, and we went ears-on with the hearing test that can determine whether you're experiencing hearing loss and configure the AirPods Pro to serve as a hearing aid.

Apple Releases First Betas of iOS 18.2 and More With Genmoji, Image Playground and ChatGPT Integration

iOS 18.1 hasn't even been officially released yet, but Apple is already moving forward with developer beta testing of iOS 18.2 and related updates for devices that support Apple Intelligence.

iOS 18.2 brings a number of highly anticipated Apple Intelligence features including Image Playground, Image Wand, Genmoji, ChatGPT integration, Visual Intelligence for iPhone 16 users, and more. There are plenty of non-Apple Intelligence changes as well, so make sure to check out our overview of everything new in iOS 18.2. Dan and Hartley also tackled the iOS 18.2 changes in this week's episode of The MacRumors Show.

Tim Cook Admits Truth About Vision Pro Following Lackluster Sales

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal this week, Apple CEO Tim Cook acknowledged that the Vision Pro headset is "not a mass-market product" given its $3,500 starting price, but argued that it's an early-adopter product for "people who want to have tomorrow's technology today."

The interview comes as a new report from The Information claims that Apple has abruptly reduced production of the Vision Pro and could halt production of the current version entirely by the end of the year, as it may have enough units on hand at that point to satisfy expected future demand.

iPhone SE 4 Mass Production Timeframe Revealed as Launch Gets Closer

Mass production of the fourth-generation iPhone SE is expected to get underway sometime in December, setting the stage for an anticipated launch in the first part of 2025. The update will bring a more modern design based on the iPhone 14 but with enough beefed-up internal specs to support Apple Intelligence.

That's not the only Apple product expected to see a launch in the first half of 2025, however, with production of M4-based MacBook Air models also expected to begin soon. Updates for the iPad Air and entry-level iPad are also expected, with new Mac Studio and Mac Pro models to follow.

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.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!

iOS 18.2 includes the first image generation technologies that are coming to Apple Intelligence, including Image Playground. Image Playground is Apple's dedicated image creation app that can build cartoon-like pictures based on text descriptions.

This guide highlights everything that you need to know about Image Playground, from its limitations to where you can use it, and we'll provide updates as Image Playground evolves.

The Image Playground App

Updating to iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, or macOS Sequoia 15.2 adds a "Playground" app to the Home Screen or desktop, denoted by an icon featuring a white cat/dog/bear creature in a 3D style.

Tapping into the app brings up a splash screen with instructions on how to use Image Playground, but it's straightforward. There's a text bar at the bottom that instructs you to "Describe an image."

As soon as you type in a word or phrase, Image Playground starts working on generating an image for you. You can essentially type in anything, like "crocodile wearing a tutu" or "skunk hula hooping on top of an elephant."

You can modify the result with additional word descriptions, or use one of Apple's suggestions. You'll get several possible images for each description, and you can swipe through them to choose what you want. You can add and remove words and phrases until you refine the generated image to exactly what you want.

Image Playground is very much in beta right now, so Apple is soliciting feedback. There are thumbs up and thumbs down icons you can use to submit feedback. Thumbs up doesn't require additional input, but thumbs down goes to an interface where you can select what's wrong with an image and provide additional written details.

After you've created your ideal image, you can tap on the Done button to save it to your Image Playground library. Items saved in the Image Playground library can be edited again later, deleted, or shared with the standard Share Sheet. There are also built-in tools for copying, sharing, or saving an image during the creation process.

Personalized Images Based on People

You can start an Image Playground creation with a person. People that are saved in your People album in the Photos app will show up as an option (yourself included), and you can select a specific photo of a person to use as the base for a new image.

Each photo of a person will look different because Image Playground is pulling in the specific angle, lighting, and look of a particular image rather than of an aggregate, so you can swipe through to see which image of a person looks the most like them when converted to an animated form.

You are limited to individuals that are saved to your People album, so AI isn't going to understand if you ask for an image of Tim Cook or Taylor Swift, but for this use case, you can import a photo.

You can also create a generic look to use as a base using the built-in "Appearance" option in the Person interface. That setting lets you select a skin tone and feature set, which can be refined further with image descriptions.

Image Playground Suggestions

If you don't know where to start with an image creation or you need inspiration for details, Apple has a range of suggestions that you can tap to add to your image.

There are themes like adventure, disco, summer, party, sunset, and fantasy, along with places like city, space, desert, park, prairie, and forest. Apple suggests costumes that include artist, chef, hiker, mage, robot, and superhero, and there are accessories you can select from like sunglasses, beanie, top hat, party hat, and flower crown.

These are just a jumping off point, of course, and you can choose any location or setting and add any objects and accessories you want using text descriptions.

Suggestions in the Image Playground app aren't contextual, but when you use Image Playground in Messages, you might see suggestions based on what you've been talking about.

Animation Style

You can't make photorealistic images with Image Playground, and that's by design. Apple doesn't want to generate images that can fool someone, so you're limited to two styles: Animation and Illustration.

Animation is a 3D-looking style that looks like something out of a Pixar movie, while Illustration is a flatter, 2D image that's simpler.

When Image Playground was first announced in June 2024, Apple said there would be three styles, including Animation, Illustration, and Sketch. It's not clear if sketch is still planned and will be coming at a later date.

Base an Image on a Photo

You can take a photo or import a photo from the ‌Photos‌ app to use as inspiration for an Image Playground creation. If you want an Image Playground image with ‌Tim Cook‌, using a photo is the way to go.

Any photo works to serve as inspiration for a creation, and you can use a photo for the main subject of an image or for the background.

Image Playground in Messages

You can create images in the Image Playground app and share them in Messages, but you can also do it directly from the Messages app. In a conversation, tap on the "+" button and then choose Image Playground from the list.

The Messages mini app works like the full app. Just type in a description of an image and use the same steps to get it to where you want it. When you're finished, tap on Done, and it'll show up in the send field of your conversation so you can text it to whoever you're conversing with.

Sharing Image Playground Creations

To share an Image Playground image in a text message, you can use the built-in Image Playground mini app in Messages, which is the quickest route.

You can also go to the Image Playground library or create a new image in the app and then use the Share Sheet to AirDrop it, send it via Messages, email it, or save it to the ‌Photos‌ or Files app. Anything you've saved to ‌Photos‌ can be uploaded to a social media app.

The Share Sheet is like the Share Sheet anywhere else in iOS, so if you have an app like Instagram installed, there is a Share Sheet option to upload an Image Playground creation directly to Instagram. The same goes for other social networks that support the Share Sheet.

Image Playground Limitations

Image Playground is in beta right now, and Apple says that users can see unexpected results depending on the descriptors that are used. Sometimes words that seem like they should produce a simple result end up making something unexpectedly odd, such as the banana split images below.

The AI has some limitations to be aware of, and there are also built-in guardrails that restrict the content that you can create.

Size and Scope

One noticeable limitation involves Image Playground creations that use photos of people. You can only get portrait-style photos that show the top half of a person, with no option for a full-body pose. So if you wanted to generate an image of your friend Eric roller skating, it's hard to depict that activity accurately because Image Playground will only generate a chest-up image.

This limitation doesn't apply when generating images of animals and creatures, but it's an issue when you want to depict an activity that needs more than a head and shoulders.

This also impacts images that you might want to generate with a secondary object, like a cat or another person. Image Playground doesn't always do a good job with multiple subjects in a photo at this time. The more descriptors you have, the more it struggles with this kind of thing.

Words

As with most image generating tools that are available, Image Playground struggles with text. Text tends to be non-sensical.

Restricted Phrases

Apple learned some lessons from other tech companies that have introduced image generation tools, and there are plenty of built-in restrictions. When Google debuted Pixel Studio in August, people were able to use it to generate images with drugs, alcohol, Nazis, and more, and Apple's not allowing any of that.

When a word isn't allowed, you'll see the following message: "Unable to use that description" with an undo button you can use to remove it.

There are other phrases that Image Playground will kind of ignore. If you use "blood" or "bloody" for example, you'll get a red-tinted background, but no actual blood. You can't use words like murder or dead or their synonyms, and while gun and pistol are okay, AK-47, machine gun, and shotgun are not.

Concepts that could be used to generate a political image are likewise banned. You can't add country-specific flags, or countries like United States, Mexico or Germany. Words related to drugs or drug paraphernalia don't work, and there are a lot of descriptors that Image Playground will just disregard, even if you don't get a message that it's explicitly forbidden.

It's clear that Apple put a lot of work into preventing Image Playground from generating inappropriate images, and the company has made it clear that improvements will be made and that there's still a possibility of unexpected results during the beta.

People Requirement

When ‌Apple Intelligence‌ is having trouble applying a word, it often requires you to select a person to add to your image, even if you didn't want to add a person. It can be frustrating, and you'll need to add the person, change your phrasing, and remove the person to get to what you really meant.

Copyright

Likewise, Apple doesn't allow you to create images of copyrighted characters, so there won't be any option to use Image Playground to create compromising photos of Bluey and Mickey Mouse.

Security

Image generation for Image Playground is done on-device, so nothing that you're typing in is sent to a cloud server or shared, though it is worth noting that Apple is collecting feedback on it right now.

Availability

Image Playground is only available in the iOS 18.2 beta, and the beta is limited to developers at the current time. There is no word yet on when a public beta might be released.

Waitlist

You need to opt in to a second waitlist to get access to Image Playground, Image Wand and Genmoji in iOS 18.2, which can be done by requesting access in the Settings app, in Image Playground, or through the emoji keyboard.

Apple says that it is rolling out access to the feature set "over the coming weeks," so some users may need to wait for a week or two to be able to use the image generation capabilities. Apple will send a notification when the features are ready to test.

Apple Intelligence Feedback

Apple is collecting feedback from developers who have access to Image Playground, ‌Genmoji‌, and ‌Image Wand‌. Feedback can be sent by tapping the thumbs up or thumbs down icons that appear with each result

Public Launch

iOS 18.2 with Image Playground and other ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features will be coming in December.