News

iOS 13 goes official with Dark Mode, newer apps, and faster performance

Coming to your iPhones soon

Published

June 4, 2019

Daniel Morial

As expected, Apple introduced iOS 13 during the keynote of this year’s WWDC. The exciting preview of the new iOS version included a dramatic new look thanks to Dark Mode and redesigned apps. Plus, Apple promises its new mobile operating system to be faster and more responsive.

Probably the biggest feature of iOS 13 is Dark Mode. With a system-wide dark color scheme, newer iPhones with OLED displays look better and easier on the eyes, especially in low-light environments. For now, Dark Mode works great in native apps, but it’ll come to third-party apps before iOS 13’s final release later this year.

Another major feature of iOS 13 is Sign In with Apple. With growing concerns regarding privacy, Apple is banking on its customers’ trust with a new login option. Using a user’s Apple ID, Sign In with Apple is a more private way to quickly sign into apps and websites. What sets this apart from Facebook and Google’s method is the unique random email address sent to apps to keep the user’s personal email safe from spam and abuse.

Apple Maps continues to become better in iOS 13. The new Maps experience has broader road coverage, better pedestrian data, more precise addresses, and more detailed land cover in select cities and states. It’ll roll out across the US by the end of 2019 and to other countries next year.

Additionally, photo browsing and editing are more comprehensive and intuitive in iOS 13. The updated Photos app uses on-device machine learning to curate the entire library and hide clutter like duplicate images and bad shots. Also, Portrait Lighting can now be manually adjusted to virtually move the light closer or farther, just like when you’re in a real studio.

Enhancements are also done in the Reminders app. It has a new look and intelligent ways to create and edit reminders. It also now has deeper integration with Messages to easily remind you while you’re messaging with a tagged person.

Speaking of Messages, it can now automatically share a user’s name and photo to avoid missing contacts in your phone. Users can use Memoji to keep things fun with new hairstyles, headwear, makeup, piercings, and accessories.

Under-the-hood improvements in iOS 13 promise faster Face ID unlock, reduced package iPhone apps on the App Store, and two times faster launch times. Apple’s new iOS also has fresh features for Siri, CarPlay, HomePod, AirPods, Voice Control, Health, Location Services, CarPlay, and many more. If you wish to learn more about iOS 13, Apple’s has listed all the new features here.

The developer preview of iOS 13 is now available, while a public beta program will be open for users later this month. Expect to get the final iOS 13 software this fall for the iPhone 6S and newer models. The features of iOS 13 are also coming to the new iPadOS for the iPad Air 2 and later, all iPad Pro models, iPad fifth-gen and later, and iPad mini 4 and later.

Enterprise

TikTok finally gets a buyer in the United States

The deal targets a closing date in late January.

Published

December 19, 2025

Luigi Leonardo

The year started with a ban. A day before Donald Trump started his second term, TikTok went dark, in anticipation of an impending ban. The platform quickly went back online, leading to an ultimatum that saw TikTok hunt for an American buyer to full stave off a definitive ban in the United States. Now, as the year ends, a buyer is finally here.

Via CNBC, TikTok has reportedly inked a deal to finalize a deal in the United States, as stated in an internal memo from CEO Shou Zi Chew. The memo, which was sent just this week, details a plan that will see the deal close by January 26, 2026.

Fifty percent of TikTok’s newly restructured U.S. arm will be held by a collection of American investors including Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX. Meanwhile, already existing investors of TikTok will hold 30.1 percent. Finally, ByteDance will retain 19.9 percent.

Additionally, TikTok’s algorithm in the United States will be retrained with American data. The American arm will also handle the country’s “data protection, algorithm security, content moderation, and software assurance.” Oracle will be the “trusted security partner” in charge of making sure the company keeps within regulations in the country.

With a deal pushing through, the long-running TikTok saga in the United States might finally come to a close.

Gaming

Silksong is getting its first major expansion next year

The expansion is called Sea of Sorrow.

Published

December 16, 2025

Luigi Leonardo

I still can’t believe that Hollow Knight: Silksong came out this year. After years of just waiting for the mythical title, it’s surreal to have it in my library. Now, barely waiting to catch their breath, Team Cherry is already working hard towards the next content drop, starting with Silksong DLC.

Just like the original Hollow Knight, Silksong is getting free DLCs to expand its story. The upcoming Sea of Sorrow DLC will be the game’s “first big expansion.”

The expansion’s trailer barely shows anything about the new content, besides vague allusions to what’s coming. At the very least, Team Cherry has confirmed, both via the announcement and the accompanying poster, that Sea of Sorrow will be nautical-themed.

It will feature new locations, new tools, and new enemies. By itself, Silksong is already a huge game. Adding more content then is a massive undertaking. Plus, Team Cherry says that this is just the first expansion, hinting at more coming in the future.

Sea of Sorrow will launch in 2026.

Besides the new expansion, the studio is also working on a Nintendo Switch 2 update for the original Hollow Knight. It will add higher framerates, resolutions, and more graphical effects. PC players will also get some upgrades to support larger screens.

The Switch 2 update, which will be free for those who already own the original game, will also launch next year.

Entertainment

Supergirl gets its first teaser trailer

Milly Alcock stars as the titular character.

Published

December 12, 2025

Luigi Leonardo

Before the new year starts, it’s already fair to assume that Supergirl might be one of the most anticipated movies of 2026. Premiering a year after the globally successful Superman, Supergirl will see the adventures of Clark Kent’s superpowered cousin, Kara Zor-El. Now, the next film in the sage finally has a teaser trailer.

As James Gunn mentioned previously, Supergirl will be based on Tom King’s Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. Off traveling to other planets to party, Kara finds herself thrust back into the role of being a hero after a young girl named Ruthye Mary Knoll asks her for help.

Though the teaser trailer is mostly a montage of scenes, we already know what we can expect. According to Gunn, Supergirl will be tonally different from Superman, and we see this in the trailer.

However, we can still see influences from Gunn including the usage of “Call Me” by Blondie for the trailer. Also, the film’s space scenes look like they can fit right in with Guardians of the Galaxy.

Still, that’s what we have, and we’re excited. Supergirl will premiere on June 26, 2026.

The film will be directed by Craig Gillespie (Cruella). Milly Alcock plays the titular character. Meanwhile, she will star alongside Eve Ridley as Ruthye Mary Knoll.