Welcome to our Apple Breakfast column, which incorporates the entire Apple information you missed final week in a useful bite-sized roundup. We name it Apple Breakfast as a result of we expect it goes nice with a morning cup of espresso or tea, however it’s cool if you wish to give it a learn throughout lunch or dinner hours too.
Characteristic creep
What’s Apple’s most essential product? Financially, after all, it’s the iPhone, which brings in more cash than each different product class–the Mac, the iPad, and your complete wearables and companies divisions–put collectively. However when it comes to securing the loyalty of the purchasers who purchase these iPhones, there’s an argument to be made that iOS is much more essential. Individuals don’t purchase an iPhone as a result of it has one of the best specs or most revolutionary design (which is debatable, to say the least) however as a result of it affords the friendliest and smoothest expertise, which is essentially as a result of working system.
With this in thoughts, absolutely the yearly launch of a brand new full-version iOS replace must be much more eagerly awaited than the roll-outs of some new iPhone handsets which are in all probability just like those from the earlier era. Effectively, sure and no. The software program bulletins at WWDC will likely be value watching, and an particularly tasty iOS replace could make it really feel such as you’ve acquired a brand new iPhone with out spending a penny. However there’s a distinction between essential and attention-grabbing, and the uninteresting software program updates are simply as important to Apple’s well being because the shiny ones. iOS is like indoor plumbing or a cricket umpire: at its finest when invisible. If I’m compelled to consider sewage or the LBW regulation or my safety settings then you will have didn’t do your job, which is to quietly get issues carried out within the background.
This week a reputable report claimed that Apple has modified its technique for iOS 17, this 12 months’s replace, from fixing bugs to including options. What pundits had beforehand anticipated to be a “upkeep replace” specializing in bettering efficiency will now apparently boast a number of “good to have” options, together with a number of of those which have been requested most frequently. Cue cheering, basic merriment, a ticker-tape parade, and so forth.
Far be it from me to rain on anybody’s parade, however I’m not completely satisfied it is a good concept. I’d a lot somewhat have Apple focus its energies on ensuring all the things works the best way it’s speculated to than including a bunch of further stuff that may go flawed in inventive new methods. Not that iOS is very error-prone in its present type. Whereas “it simply works” is now primarily quoted satirically, Apple merchandise stay market leaders in terms of easy reliability. However there are some points, and I’d like there to be much less. (Or fewer. You see how essential it’s to get the fundamentals proper?) Take Siri. Would you somewhat have Siri achieve the power to reply a wider vary of queries, or reply the present ones extra reliably? That’s what I believed.
The issue is that, when it unveils a brand new model of iOS, Apple is attempting to please two completely different teams on the similar time: the iPhone homeowners who will find yourself utilizing the software program daily for a 12 months with out essentially figuring out something about it, and people wiseacres like the current author who preach, analyze, and obsess about all the things that’s modified. The phrase “upkeep replace” is generally used pejoratively, and an replace with out a flagship function could be met by the op-ed equal of a raspberry on all the massive tech websites. However I submit that the typical flagship new function–such because the much-hyped customized Lock Display screen in iOS 16-does much less to extend the world’s happiness than a easy tweak like SMS passcodes showing robotically above the keyboard. The primary tries to alter the best way you employ your iPhone, and the opposite tries to make your life simpler.
With this in thoughts, I’m ready to make a promise. If iOS 17 seems to be a upkeep replace, I’ll chorus from writing a scorching take complaining about it. Who’s with me?
Foundry
Trending: High tales
Welp, everybody hates Apple’s AR headset and it hasn’t even shipped but.
The Apple Watch Extremely’s Motion button is simply what the iPhone 15 is lacking.
Now you can obtain Apple Music Classical, however there are some surprising limitations.
Apple Pay Later is lastly obtainable–however solely to ‘randomly chosen’ customers within the U.S.
Apple has acquired a startup specializing in “content-aware” AI video compression.
The rumor mill
Are we about to satisfy the B1 chip? A leak claims Apple’s subsequent chip will likely be devoted to the iPhone 15 Professional’s buttons.
Podcast of the week
xxxx
You may catch each episode of the Macworld Podcast on Spotify, Soundcloud, the Podcasts app, or our personal web site.
Software program updates, bugs & issues
iOS 16.4 is out now with new emojis and important safety updates. We’ve acquired 3 causes to improve proper now, plus some superior hidden options.
The scary ‘MacStealer’ malware has gone after iCloud passwords and bank card information.
Apple has lastly patched an actively exploited WebKit flaw in older iPhones.
Excellent timing, with iOS 17 imminent: It simply acquired simpler to put in Apple’s betas.
Apple has already began testing macOS Ventura 13.4.
The primary iOS 16.5 beta has arrived with ‘minor’ modifications because the launch of iOS 17 nears.
And with that, we’re carried out for this week. In the event you’d wish to get common roundups, join our newsletters. You may also observe us on Twitter or on Fb for dialogue of breaking Apple information tales. See you subsequent Saturday, get pleasure from the remainder of your weekend, and keep Appley.
