News
Apple Intelligence is upon us
Supported Apple devices are about to get a boost
When the iPhone 16 Series was launched, it came with a promise of an elevated neural processing experience called Apple Intelligence. Yes, the initials are exactly what it suggests. Coming in the last week of October are iOS 18.1, macOS Sequoia 15.1. and iPad OS 18.1 which will bring about a smarter experience across the Apple ecosystem.
So, what can you expect from the fruit company’s take on this 2024 trend?
Write smarter
Wish you had a way with words? Well, wish no more. With the new Writing Tools you can write as you normal would and ask Apple Intelligence to make it more interesting and it will. Other than that, you can summarize an entire lecture in seconds, get the short version of a long group thread, and minimize unnecessary distractions with prioritized notifications.
The feature will be available will be available in Apple and 3rd Party Apps that use standard text controls. For the rest, Writing Tools API will be made available so they can incorporate these improvements.
Genmoji and more fun with images
Also showcased during the iPhone 16 Series launches, Genmoji are AI generated emoji that are “truly personal to you.” These can be made directly with your likeness.
If you love bringing things to life visually, you can use the Image Wand on a sketch or illustration and Apple Intelligence will generate the image for you. Apple fans won’t want to hear this, but the function is quite similar to Galaxy AI’s Sketch to Image.
There’s plenty more you can do here through the Image Playground. That’s also exactly what it suggests. If you have played around with any of the AI Image generators available on Copilot, Gemini, ChatGPT, and more, that’s basically what this is conceptually.
You can make images through text prompts, sketches, or even an image from your Photos library. The cool thing that Apple added here is letting you apply these images in different illustrations and animations directly on the Image Playground app.
You can also make a custom memory movie on the Photos app. Enter a description, and Apple Intelligence finds the best photos and videos that match. It then crafts a storyline with unique chapters based on themes it identifies and arranges your photos into a movie with its own narrative arc.
A brand-new Siri
First off, Siri gets a new look. Apple’s virtual assistant now comes with an elegant, glowing light that wraps around the edge of your screen.
With a double tap on the bottom of your iPhone or iPad screen, you can type to Siri from anywhere in the system when you don’t want to speak out loud.
Siri is much improved thanks to Apple Intelligence. Now aware of your personal context, Siri can take action in and across apps, and product knowledge about your devices’ features and settings, Siri will be able to assist you like never before.
What about Privacy?
Yes, it’s the thing that everyone should care about but don’t really want to think too much about. Fret not because Apple has done all the thinking for us.
Apple Intelligence is integrated into the core of your iPhone, iPad, and Mac through on-device processing. With Private Cloud Compute, Apple Intelligence can draw on larger server-based models, running on Apple silicon, to handle more complex requests for you while protecting your privacy.
Other features to come soon after the update next week are:
- Siri: Personal Context and In-app Actions
- Genmoji creation on macOS
- Create a Memory Movie on macOS
- Priority Notifications
- Additional languages to come in 2025. These include: Chinese, English (India), English (Singapore), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Vietnamese, and others.
For those who want to test these features pronto, developer betas of iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 are already currently available.
Sony PlayStation will stop producing physical game discs for all new PlayStation titles starting January 2028.
The company says the move reflects changing consumer habits. More players now buy games digitally instead of on disc.
Games released before January 2028 will not be affected. Those titles will continue to receive physical editions as planned.
After the transition, all new PlayStation games will launch in digital format only. Players can buy them through the PlayStation Store or from retailers selling digital game codes.
Sony says the shift will help it focus on digital distribution. It also wants to give players more ways to purchase games while continuing to improve the gaming experience.
The move also signals a major change for the industry.
Players will no longer be able to buy physical copies of new PlayStation games after January 2027. That could reduce the second-hand game market since digital purchases cannot usually be resold.
Collectors may also see fewer special editions that include game discs. Future collector’s editions could instead bundle digital download codes with physical merchandise.
The transition also makes reliable internet access more important. Every new game will need to be downloaded, and players may need to upgrade their storage as game sizes continue to grow.
For Sony and game publishers, the move could lower manufacturing and shipping costs. It also gives them greater control over pricing, distribution, and digital sales.
While the company did not mention game preservation, some players may also raise concerns about long-term ownership. Unlike physical discs, digital games depend on online storefronts and account access.
Sony thanked players for their continued support and said it remains committed to delivering a world-class gaming experience as the industry continues its shift toward digital.
Accessories
Nothing confirms Ear (3a) is coming this month
It launches alongside the Phone (4b) on July 7.
From being told to not expect anything this year, Nothing fans suddenly have a lot to look forward to. The brand already launched the Phone (4a) series earlier this year, and the new Phone (4b) is likewise coming this month. Now, the Ear (3a) has also been announced.
Through an official teaser on X, Nothing announced that the Ear (3a) is launching alongside the Phone (4b) on July 7. Unfortunately, the short teaser doesn’t spill what the earbuds will look like. However, it does confirm that there will be four colorway options: White, Black, Yellow, and Pink.
Despite being under a relatively new brand, the Ear series carries a lot of history for Nothing. It is, after all, the brand’s first consumer-ready product which came out before the Phones. Since then, the earbuds typify Nothing’s iconic transparent designs. Now, there’s no indication that the Ear (3a) will depart from this tradition, but we’ll see a lot more color, at least.
The Ear (3a) isn’t the only spotlight in this teaser. Nothing also says that the video was shot with the upcoming Phone (4b). Though the video doesn’t spoil the phone’s camera hardware, it’s clear that it can shoot decent videos under relatively low-light conditions. (Of course, we’ll need a better look to confirm that.)
The Phone (4b) and the Ear (3a) are scheduled to launch worldwide on July 7.
News
Samsung is working on the Galaxy Ring 2
It will have better health tracking and a longer battery life.
Though the wearable launched with a lot of promise, the Samsung Galaxy Ring never really took off. That said, Samsung isn’t giving up. The company is already working on a Galaxy Ring 2.
In a new Forbes interview (via SamMobile), Dr. Hon Pak, head of Samsung’s Digital Health, has confirmed the development of the wearable’s sequel. The Galaxy Ring 2 will reportedly feature better health tracking and a longer battery life. Additionally, it will add support for iPhone pairing.
Because of its form factor, the original Ring comes off as a convenient health tracker for those who don’t prefer the larger nature of a smartwatch or a fitness band. However, it did have issues including a relatively short battery life and an incident where it swelled over a man’s finger.
Currently, there is no timeline for the upcoming Galaxy Ring 2. For reference, the original wearable launched all the way back in 2024. A follow-up is a reasonable ask at this point, but it’s still good that Samsung decided not to make the Ring an annual release.
Besides the Galaxy Ring 2, Samsung has a lot of tricks up its sleeve. Just today, the brand finally teased its first wide foldable phone. It’s also set to launch the Galaxy Glasses soon. On top of all this, Samsung is also experimenting with the trifold market via the Galaxy Z Trifold.
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