iOS is Apple’s operating system for the iPhone and iPad. It’s also the basis for tvOS for the Apple TV and watchOS for the Apple Watch. It’s even beginning to infiltrate the Mac in some ways. Apple has worked hard to keep iOS private and secure, and it has a huge ecosystem of apps via its official App Store. Some have argued that it is too locked down, but the trade-off is that it’s fast and stable for most users.
iOS 18 had removed the ability to continually tap the Calculator app’s equals button to recalculate using your last solution, according to 9to5Mac, which says it’s back in the latest iOS 18.3 public beta update.
That’s good news for fans of the calculator app. Now, if only Apple would bring back the “C” button.
They address “important” bugs for iPhone and iPad owners, but Apple’s patch notes don’t explain which ones. Apple has iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3 public beta out right now, which MacRumors notes may launch in a regular release later this month.
Apple launched iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS 15.2 in December, which include ChatGPT integration, Genmoji support, and more.
The iOS app is now listed on Apple’s App Store, and is currently available in beta in “Australia and a few countries” according to TechCrunch.
This confirms rumors that started circulating in November regarding X developing a standalone app for its Grok chatbot. There’s no word yet on when a version will be made available to Android users.
[App Store]
Google is rolling out a set of shortcuts to the top of the Photos tab that take you to Favorites, Recently Added, Trash, and a recent album, according to 9to5Google.
The outlet reports spotting the change in version 7.11 of the app on iOS, though I don’t see it there quite yet. The change hasn’t made it to the Android version.
I talked to Allison Johnson about my home screen for her guide to living off the iPhone app grid. But I forgot to mention something: one reason I use iOS Shortcuts icons on my home screen is so I can remember what badly-named apps do.
Take the “Library” Shortcut below. It opens “CountyCat,” my local library’s app. Why is it called CountyCat? Who approved that? Doesn’t matter; it’s just “Library” to me.
The developer beta of iOS 18.3 (and associated updates for software on iPads, Macs, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and Vision Pro) just launched, and now they’re available in the public beta too.
However, you may not have much to try, as the only noticeable changes we’ve heard about include Genmoji in macOS Sequoia 15.3 and hints of robot vacuum support in Apple Home.
[Twitter]
The feature was recently pushed into 2025. With the feature, Apple says the Home app will support “the core functionality of robot vacuum cleaners, such as power control, cleaning mode, vacuum, mop, and charge status.” Robot vacuums will also be able to “participate in automations and scenes, and respond to Siri requests.”
Now that iOS 18.2 and Apple’s associated software updates with Apple Intelligence and ChatGPT are widely available, it’s followed up with a new round of developer betas released Monday afternoon.
iOS / iPadOS 18.3, macOS Sequoia 15.3, tvOS 18.3, visionOS 2.3, and watchOS 11.3 are all available now. The listed release notes are sparse, but 9to5Mac reports that macOS 15.3 adds Genmoji.
In iOS 18.2, Voice Memos now lets you record a second audio track over an existing recording, which is mostly meant for music demos. My colleague Owen Grove and I had some fun with it in this video, but you can only record a total of two tracks per memo and its currently only available on the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max.
After Apple announced iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 this morning, the updates are now going out widely starting at 1PM ET as they’re usually scheduled.
That also goes for new 18.2 updates for the HomePod and Apple TV, and visionOS 2.2 for the Vision Pro.
While investigating apps that let livestream viewers pay to watch child abuse, The New York Times reports that it found “more than 80 apps that advertised children” on the Apple and Google app stores.
The livestream apps downloaded from Apple and Google illustrate an even darker aspect of the social media technology boom, particularly for children living in poverty in developing countries. There, with the ease of a smartphone, parents and other adults can connect with pedophiles in the United States and elsewhere who pay to watch — and direct — criminal behavior.
Trigger warning: This Times story includes descriptions of child sexual abuse.
[The New York Times]
If you’ve changed your mind (or have a family member who accidentally backed up their entire camera roll) Google Photos now offers an “Undo device backup” option in the settings.
Images and videos will be removed from the cloud but will remain on the device and backup will be turned off. The feature is now available to iOS users, and is coming to Android soon.
The upcoming redesign teased in a (seemingly premature) video found on Samsung’s Spanish website shows off smoother animations and a revamped Quick Panel, with quick settings now packed in bubbles — just like on iOS. The pill-shaped live activities feature also shares some similarities with Apple’s Dynamic Island.
The “Default Apps” section that Apple added to the iOS 18.2 beta in October now lets you pick a contactless payment default besides Apple’s Wallet app.
The new option, which Apple promised in August, is there in the just-released iOS 18.2 public beta 3. But 9to5Mac notes the change was present in the second beta, as well.
You can now grab iOS 18.1.1, iPadOS 18.1.1, macOS 15.1.1, and visionOS 2.1.1, though all of the updates appear to be focused just on those security fixes. Apple shared more detail about some of the issues, which may have been actively exploited, in support documents.
Update: Added support documents.
I’m glad Apple Intelligence summaries exist. Because this is a beautiful mess.
And life-changing, just like Tim Cook said.
As spotted by TechCrunch, researcher Jiska Classen posted a video showing that iOS 18 will reboot your iPhone after three days of inactivity. The security feature, which 404 Media originally reported on, is apparently making it more difficult for police to break into suspects’ phones.
The Resident Evil 2 remake’s Apple App Store release is officially December 10th, Capcom announced. (Before, it was December 31st.)
It’s driven me bonkers ever since Google introduced linking to highlighted text in Chrome that I couldn’t do the same in the Safari browser. Now it seems that’s changing.
I spotted it in the most recent macOS 15.2 beta, where it appears when you right-click highlighted text. MacStories’ Federico Viticci noticed it in the iOS 18.2 beta, where you get it by long-pressing.
The feature, which was spotted by MacRumors in the second iOS 18.2 developer beta, uses Live Activities, so you’ll also see Safari download progress in the Dynamic Island (if you have an iPhone 14 Pro or later). Now give me this but for App Store downloads!
The iOS 18.2 update is expected to come in December.
