Articles about iOS

At WWDC today, Apple took the wraps off iOS 18, a major update to the iPhone operating system that offers a wealth of new customization options, a comprehensive redesign of the Photos app, improved communication tools, and the introduction of Apple Intelligence, the company's "personal intelligence" system.

With iOS 18, users gain greater control over their Home Screen, Lock Screen, and Control Center. Apps and widgets can be arranged in any open space on the Home Screen and users can customize buttons at the bottom of the Lock Screen. The redesigned Control Center offers quick access to frequently used controls, such as media playback, Home controls, and connectivity options. Users can also add controls from supported third-party apps.

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Almost three times as many phishing, malicious, deny-listed, and offensive links have been delivered to mobile devices than a year ago, according to a new report from Lookout.

The Lookout Mobile Threat Landscape Report is based on data derived from the Lookout Security Cloud that analyzes data from more than 220 million devices, 325 million apps and billions of web items.

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Apple has released iOS 17.4, with the company pointing to the arrival of podcast transcripts as the highlight. There are also new emoji, improvements to CarPlay, and a number of bug fixes, but things are rather more interesting for users in the European Union.

With the EU's Digital Market Act coming into force today, March 6, Apple has delivered different versions of iOS 17.4 to this market compared to the rest of the world. And by different, we mean better.

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This time last year, Google announced a series of new features for Google Maps which it said would be rolling out in the months that followed. While most saw the light of day, others started to feel like vaporware -- notably, the intriguing "glanceable directions".

A full 12 months on, the glanceable directions feature is finally being made available to iOS and Android users. It shows directions on the lock screen of a handset, so there's no need to constantly unlock the device for updates.

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There is some shocking and sad news that will impact Authy users globally. You see, Twilio has announced the end-of-life for its desktop applications on Windows, macOS, and Linux platforms, slated for March 19, 2024. This move highlights a change in the company's strategy, emphasizing the transition towards mobile-centric security solutions.

Authy has been a staple for users seeking an extra layer of security beyond traditional passwords. The desktop applications have provided a convenient way for users to manage their authentication tokens directly from their computers. However, with the upcoming discontinuation, Authy is urging its user base to migrate to its mobile applications.

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Less than a year after adding Bing Chat AI to SwiftKey, Microsoft is now in the process of replacing the implementation with Copilot. SwiftKey is a popular virtual keyboard solution for Android and iOS.

Microsoft acquired SwiftKey more than eight years ago. The third-party keyboard solution had over 300 million users on Android and iOS at the time.

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Google's chat-based AI tool Bard, launched last year, has been rebranded as Gemini. Google says that this is the most capable of its AI tools to date. So what does the change from poet to star sign deliver?

The Gemini Pro 1.0 model is available in over 40 languages and more than 230 countries and territories. Thee are also two new additions -- Gemini Advanced and a mobile app-- to make it easier to collaborate with Google AI.

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iOS 17.3 has been one of the more eagerly awaited iOS updates from Apple in some time, and now it is finally here. This is a significant update that brings, among other things, major new security features.

One of the biggest additions is Stolen Device Protection which makes a stolen phone more difficult to use by adding extra security when the handset is in non-typical locations. It will not, however, stop someone from stealing your iPhone in the first place. Other new features include collaborative playlists and the arrival of AirPlay hotel support.

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Nearly 87 percent of Android and 60 percent of iOS apps request access to device functions unrelated to their performance, according to new research by NordVPN.

Researchers analyzed the most popular mobile apps globally in 18 categories. They found that up to 14 percent of apps collect more unnecessary than necessary data for the apps' performance and only eight percent collect no unnecessary data. On average, every fifth requested permission was not actually needed for the app’s functionality.

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It can be frustrating to buy a new phone only to discover that there is an OS update to install before you can start using it. For iPhone users this could soon be a thing of the past thanks to an innovative new system developed by Apple.

The recently released iPhone 15 suffered with an overheating issue that was later fixed with a software update, putting the onus on owners of new devices to download and install the patch. But a new "proprietary pad-like device" will allow Apple Stores to install the latest software on handsets without the need to open the box.

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Microsoft Lists, the company's task manager app, has been made available to anyone who is looking for a way to manage a range of projects. Now three years old, Lists was originally limited to business and enterprise users, but Microsoft has taken the decision to open it up to everyone.

The move comes after the company conducted a limited test with several thousand consumer-level users. During its time as a business/enterprise-only app, Microsoft Lists gained a reputation for ease of use, an intuitive workflow and an impressive range of templates for managing a variety of tasks on iOS, Android and the web.

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Apple has acknowledged a flaw in its Screen Time software that means children may be able to access their iPhones and iPads longer than their parents would like.

A bug in the Downtime feature can cause Screen Time settings to reset so unlimited access is possible. Apple has confirmed that it is aware of the issue and it working to "improve the situation". But users may have doubts about the importance the company is placing on developing a fix; the bug has existed for months, and has persisted through a patch that was supposed to address the flaw back in May.

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Apple has come a long way since the introduction of its first mobile operating system back in 2007. With each iteration of iOS, the tech giant has revolutionized the mobile experience, and introduced a wealth of new features and experiences.

At its World Wide Developer Conference (WWDC) on Monday, the company revealed some of the many changes it is preparing to deliver in iOS 17 later this year. To celebrate that, YouTube channel Nobel Tech has put together a visual guide to the changes that Apple has made over the years to its mobile operating system.

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Microsoft today announces the expansion of its Phone Link feature, finally allowing iPhone users to connect to -- and interact with -- Windows 11 PCs.

Microsoft Phone Link for iOS on Windows 11 is beginning to roll out today in 39 languages across 85 markets, with the process expected to be completed by mid-May.

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Google has released an important update for its Authenticator app. The latest versions of Google Authenticator for iOS and Android can now synchronize one-time codes to the cloud.

In offering Google Account synchronization, the 2FA tool is now easier to use across multiple devices. This is something Google points out as being useful in the case of a lost or stolen device.

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