Chance Miller

While new AI features will steal the show at WWDC this week, Apple has a number of other changes planned for iOS 18. This includes new home screen customization options, design changes, and more. Head below for a roundup of some of the non-AI features rumored for iOS 18 this year.

If you’re a fan of retro iPhone and Mac wallpapers, Apple has a few surprises in store for you this year. Bloomberg reports today that iOS 18 and macOS 15 will include new wallpaper packs that harken back to old school icons, slogans, and artwork.

iOS 18, macOS 15, and iPadOS 18 will include a dedicated Passwords app for the first time, according to a new report from Bloomberg. The new app will make it “easier for customers to log in to websites and software” and comes after years of Apple showing users their passwords via the Settings app instead of a dedicated app.

Rivian today unveiled its second-generation R1S and R1T vehicles, which our friends over at Electrek have covered in-depth. For Apple users, however, there are two new features worth calling out. While Rivian still doesn’t support CarPlay, it has added support for Apple’s car key platform as well as Apple Music with Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos.

Benjamin and Chance run down the WWDC expectations, and debate whether reality will match the hype. There’s certainly a lot expected, with major new features for the iOS 18 home screen, Control Center, and a veritable AI infusion across Apple’s platforms. We give our thoughts on what we are most excited to see announced. Plus, Apple accidentally miscounted the number of GPU cores in the M2 iPad Air, and the Apple TV app may finally be coming to Android. 

And in Happy Hour Plus, Chance embarked on a 3,500-mile road EV trip to his new house, and loves CarPlay more than ever before. He also updates us on how good the Vision Pro is as a travel holiday computer, and his smart home plans. Subscribe at 9to5mac.com/join.

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Apple has made a notable change to its repair and standard warranty policies for iPhone and Apple Watch this month. According to multiple sources, Apple is no longer covering “single hairline cracks” under the standard warranty for the iPhone and Apple Watch. Instead, these repairs are now being processed as “accidental damage” claims, and users are required to pay.

Ahead of WWDC kicking off on Monday, the Apple Developer app on Vision Pro has been updated with a new Environment. This marks the first Environment available in the Apple Developer app, and it plays on Apple’s artwork for WWDC 2024.

Stop me if you’ve heard this before: a streaming service is getting more expensive. This time, Max (the streamer formerly known as HBO Max) is increasing the prices of its ad-free plans. The standard ad-free tier will increase from $15.99 to $16.99 per month, while the 4K ad-free plan will increase from $19.99 to $20.99 per month.

Netflix has announced that it is dropping support for select older generations of Apple TV. In an email sent to subscribers this week, Netflix said that it is “sunsetting support” for the Apple TV (2nd generation) and Apple TV (3rd generation) on July 31.

Over the weekend, we reported that Apple had updated its website to say the new iPad Air’s M2 chip features a 9-core GPU, despite originally advertising it as a 10-core GPU. An Apple spokesperson has now confirmed this change to 9to5Mac, while also saying that all performance claims remain accurate and were based on a 9-core GPU.

Apple is out with three new YouTube videos today, touting the Mac and the “power of Apple silicon.” The 30-second ads take a dramatic approach toward highlighting MacBook battery life and multitasking capabilities.

Apple has made a quiet update to the tech specs of the M2 iPad Air, which first launched last month. Despite originally touting the iPad Air’s M2 chip as featuring a 10-core GPU, the company now says it features a 9-core GPU.

Alongside the launch of the Solo 4 headphones last month, Apple’s Beats brand also announced a very intriguing new Beats Solo Buds product. The company has now confirmed that Beats Solo Buds, with their remarkable 18 hours of battery life, will be available for order on June 18 for $79.99 and launch on June 20.

We’re just two weeks away from WWDC, where Apple will showcase iOS 18 with new AI features, home screen customization updates, and more. According to a new report today, one of the new “standout AI features” will allegedly be the ability to use artificial intelligence to “create custom emojis.”

Earlier this week, Apple released iOS 17.5.1 to address a rare problem where deleted photos would reappear on a user’s device after installing iOS 17.5. In the release notes, Apple said this was caused by “database corruption.” The company has now confirmed a few additional details to 9to5Mac to further clarify the situation.

We’re less than three weeks away from WWDC, where Apple will announce iOS 18 and its array of new AI and new home screen customization features. A new rumor today suggests that Apple is also working on updates to Apple Music crossfade for iOS 18…

Thanks to teardowns and durability (bend) testing, we’re learning a lot about the new ultra-thin iPad Pro’s design. Now, the folks at iFixit have performed their in-depth teardown, revealing a big internal change that could save “hours on repair times.” The video also offers our first look inside the new Apple Pencil Pro.

A bug in iOS 17.5 is allegedly resurfacing photos that were deleted years ago for some iPhone users, according to posts on Reddit. The affected iPhone users say that after updating to iOS 17.5 – which was released on Monday – there are a number of pictures in the Photos app that were deleted years ago.

May 17, 2024 update below…

Spotify is being accused of engaging in “direct infringement by hosting unlicensed musical works in its lyrics, videos and podcasts” by the National Music Publishers Association. In a new letter sent to the music streaming service this week, the NMPA alleges that Spotify “distributes music videos and podcasts using musical works without the consent of or compensation.”

As we rounded up last night, the first M4 iPad Pro reviews are here, with most focusing on the new OLED screens, the M4 chip, and the ultra-thin design. If you’ve been on the hunt for an in-depth look at the new nano-texture glass option, a new video from Tyler Stalman has you covered.