iOS 27 will include a custom wallpaper generator and an option to automatically create shortcuts using AI, reports Bloomberg.
When choosing a new wallpaper, users will have the option to generate something custom using the Image Playground app. Image Playground is used for generating custom emoji and images that can be used throughout iOS, and it is set to get an upgrade in iOS 27.
Apple is testing models that produce more lifelike images, so the version of Image Playground that's used for generating custom wallpapers could be different from the current version.
Shortcuts is also getting a major update, with users able to use natural language to ask Siri to make a shortcut. There is an option for users to tell Siri what they want to accomplish with a shortcut to have the workflow created using AI.
Bloomberg says the Shortcuts app has a prompt that says "What do you want your shortcut to do?" with a text field to enter a description. Shortcuts that are created using AI are then automatically installed and immediately available for use.
Shortcut creation is largely done manually now, and it is a tool that has remained out of reach of many casual iPhone users. A Shortcuts app that's able to work with natural language capabilities will see the app getting more widespread use.
The new Shortcuts app and the wallpaper generation tool will be previewed at the WWDC keynote that's set to take place on June 8.
iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 will include a revamped AI chatbot version of Siri with new capabilities, but Apple is also planning to introduce new Apple Intelligence features across the operating system, reports Bloomberg.
Apple is testing an expanded version of Writing Tools that will do more rewriting and text generation than the current version. There is a "Write With Siri" toggle at the top of the keyboard, along with a "Help Me Write" option that comes up when Siri is activated while a text field is open.
Apple is planning to introduce a dedicated AI grammar checker for Writing Tools that will work like Grammarly. When writing in Messages, Mail, and other apps there will be a translucent menu that slides up from the bottom of the iPhone's screen, and it will show suggested revisions next to the original written text.
Users can go through the suggestions and accept or reject them one by one, approve all of the changes at once, or ignore all of the changes. Apple has an option for pausing grammar checking and for moving between different flagged sections of text. Apple already has a spellchecking feature, but the new feature will add grammar suggestions.
The updates to Writing Tools will be unveiled at Apple's June 8 WWDC keynote. Apple is also planning AI updates for the Photos app, Camera app, and more, with details available in our iOS 27 roundup.
In preparation for the 2026 Worldwide Developers Conference that is set to begin on June 8, Apple today announced its finalists for the 2026 Apple Design Awards. Apple picks top apps and games annually, and announces winners at WWDC.
The Apple Design Awards recognize apps with innovation, ingenuity, and technical achievement in app and game design.
Delight and Fun - Apps
Blippo+
Metaballs
Grug
Delight and Fun - Games
PowerWash Simulator
Is This Seat Taken?
Ball x Pit
Inclusivity - Apps
Guitar Wiz
Hearing Buddy
Structured
Inclusivity - Games
Sago Mini Jinja's Garden
Pine Hearts
Civilization VII
Innovation - Apps
Detail: AI Video Editor
NBA: Live Games & Scores
D-Day: The Camera Soldier
Innovation - Games
TR–49
Blue Prince
Pickle Pro
Interaction - Apps
The Outsiders: Athlete Tracker
Moonlitt: Moon Phase Tracker
Tide Guide: Charts & Tables
Interaction - Games
TR–49
Sago Mini Jinja's Garden
Grand Mountain Adventure 2
Social Impact - Apps
Primary: News in Depth
Katha Room
Harvee
Social Impact - Games
Consume Me
Despelote
Spilled!
Visuals and Graphics - Apps
Tide Guide: Charts & Tables
Caradise
(Not Boring) Camera
Visuals and Graphics - Games
Cyberpunk 2077 Ultimate Edition
Arknights: Endfield
SILT
One app and one game will be chosen in each category, with Apple to announce winners during the 2026 Worldwide Developers Conference. Winners will receive a physical award and hardware to help them continue to create apps and games.
Apple today provided a schedule for its 2026 Worldwide Developers Conference, which starts on June 8 and ends on June 12. Apple also sent out invites to members of the media who have been invited to attend an in-person keynote viewing at Apple Park.
Both the invites and schedule confirm that the keynote will begin at the standard time, 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time or 1:00 p.m Eastern Time.
Apple says the keynote event will be available to stream on Apple.com, the Apple TV app, and the Apple YouTube channel. We'll also be providing live coverage at MacRumors.com for those who are unable to watch.
Apple also plans to host the Platforms State of the Union for developers at 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time, and video sessions and guides will start coming out after the keynote event. Group Labs and Q&A sessions will be hosted by Apple engineers and designers throughout the week, providing more insight into the new software coming at WWDC 2026.
WWDC 2026 will see Apple unveil iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, and more. An updated version of Siri that's smarter and more like a ChatGPT-style chatbot will be unveiled, along with multiple design changes to accommodate Siri's new abilities. We have an in-depth look at what's coming in iOS 27 in our dedicated roundup.
The Apple Watch Ultra 4 could feature a complete redesign and blood pressure monitoring, according to DigiTimes.
Apple will apparently add a new high blood pressure notification feature to the Apple Watch that uses the optical heart-rate sensor on the back of the device to analyze how blood vessels respond to each heartbeat, sending alerts when an abnormal pattern is detected. The feature is said to be under FDA review.
It is not entirely clear how it differs from the Hypertension Notifications feature Apple introduced with watchOS 26 last fall, which itself uses the optical heart sensor to analyze blood vessel responses over 30-day periods. DigiTimes says that earlier Apple Watch models already had some blood-pressure sensing capabilities, and the new feature appears to represent a more refined or clinically validated implementation of that underlying hardware.
After this, Apple's next health monitoring capabilities are expected to focus on noninvasive blood-glucose monitoring, a capability Apple has been pursuing for a number of years, pending government approval.
The report is largely consistent with a DigiTimes report from last year, which said at least one new Apple Watch model would feature a "significant redesign," with supply chain sources pointing to exterior design changes including eight sensors arranged in a ring pattern on the back of the device. Today's update describes the changes more forcefully, calling it a "full redesign" alongside a "significant upgrade to sensing functions."
According to market observers cited by the report, the redesign could boost Apple Watch shipments by 20% to 30% compared to 2025. The sensor upgrades are expected to be a major boost for Taiwan-Asia Semiconductor (TASC), Apple's exclusive supplier of sensor components, with large-volume orders anticipated as early as July.
Apple Watch Ultra 4 is expected to be announced alongside the Apple Watch Series 12, iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and foldable "iPhone Ultra" in fall 2026.
Apple today launched a new promotion offering new Apple Card holders the chance to earn back the cost of AirPods Pro 3 through monthly cash rebates, but there is a recurring spend requirement attached.
Customers who open a new Apple Card account and purchase AirPods Pro 3 directly from Apple by June 15 will qualify. Starting July 1 and running through April 30, 2027, cardholders can earn $25 in Bonus Daily Cash each month, up to $250 total, but only in months where they make at least ten purchases on the card. Each qualifying purchase must be at least $0.01, and the AirPods Pro 3 purchase itself does not count toward the monthly ten-purchase threshold.
The offer is open to new Apple Card applicants only, and is not available to existing cardholders or anyone with a pending application. The AirPods Pro 3 purchase must be made directly from Apple, either online or in an Apple Store. Refurbished products, purchases through third-party retailers, international transactions, and business bulk orders are all excluded. The AirPods Pro 3 purchase cannot be made entirely with an Apple Gift Card or Apple Account balance.
All Apple Card payment options are eligible, including paying in full or financing via Apple Card Monthly Installments, and any trade-in applied to the purchase does not affect eligibility. Returning the AirPods Pro 3 purchase may result in forfeiture of the offer.
The AirPods Pro 3 are priced at $249 and were introduced alongside the iPhone 17 lineup in September 2025.
Anker's new Prime 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station has been marked down to $104.99 on Amazon, down from $149.99. This is one of Anker's newest accessories, and Amazon's sale today is a match of the all-time low price.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
The Prime 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station features Qi2.2 support, which lets a compatible MagSafe iPhone charge at up to 25W. It's the same speed as Apple's MagSafe charger, and it is 10W faster than the standard Qi2 MagSafe chargers. You can also simultaneously charge an Apple Watch and AirPods with the device.
There are plenty of other Anker discounts happening on Amazon this week, including Anker's Prime 14-in-1 Docking Station for $339.99, down from $399.99. Below you'll find a list of the best Anker discounts on Amazon this week, also including wall chargers, portable chargers, and more.
If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2026? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Trial production of Apple's long-anticipated foldable iPhone, likely called the "iPhone Ultra," has run into a significant engineering hurdle centered on hinge reliability, according to a known leaker.
The leaker known as "Instant Digital" posted on Weibo that the foldable device's hinge is consistently failing to meet Apple's quality control standards under conditions of prolonged, high-frequency opening and closing. The leaker described the mechanical wear issue as one that "must be resolved with absolute perfection; otherwise, progress will simply have to be stalled for the time being."
The hinge has been a key focus of Apple's foldable development for years. Supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuofirst reported that the device would use Liquid Metal components in the hinge mechanism, with Dongguan EonTec serving as the exclusive supplier of the amorphous alloy. Instant Digital subsequently elaborated that the material, also known as metallic glass, features a disordered atomic structure that is more resistant to bending and deformation than traditional metals, and more durable than titanium alloy. This makes it suitable for a foldable's hinge.
Apple has previously used the material only in small components such as SIM ejector pins, so the iPhone Ultra would mark its first major use in a critical mechanical part. A subsequent report in January corroborated the liquid metal hinge plans, noting that Apple has been exploring the material for over 15 years, tracing back to a 2010 licensing deal with Liquidmetal Technologies.
Screen creasing is a concern that has followed the foldable smartphone category since its inception. Instant Digital says Apple has essentially accepted some degree of crease as inevitable, but that test results have demonstrated the device can maintain a visually crease-free state over the long term. That aligns with previous reporting: leaker "Fixed Focus Digital" reported in February that production orders had been placed with a crease depth under 0.15mm and a crease angle under 2.5 degrees. Apple has reportedly pursued eliminating the crease "regardless of cost," with engineering solutions including a dual-layer ultra-thin glass structure designed to spread mechanical stress across multiple layers, and advances in optically clear adhesive to keep display layers in precise alignment.
A follow-up post from the leaker suggested the hinge difficulties are unlikely to push back the device's expected release window somewhat, noting that there is still ample time remaining. That is broadly consistent with earlier reporting: DigiTimes reported in April that production was running roughly one to two months behind schedule, but that a fall 2026 launch remained on track, with mass production planned to begin in July. Apple is expected to announce the foldable iPhone alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models at its September event, though some reports suggest customer availability could slip as late as December.
In a third post, Instant Digital offered a note on the device's experience, suggesting that despite its larger form factor the foldable feels like an iPhone rather than an iPad when in use. The leaker added that the screen size offers limited practical utility for a stylus, casting doubt on whether Apple Pencil support would be a meaningful feature for the device.
AMC+ has kicked off a major new discount this week, offering 74 percent off your entire first year of the service via Amazon channels. This knocks the price of AMC+ Premium down to $29.99 per year, down from $109.99 per year.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
This is the Premium tier of the subscription service, allowing you to stream without ads (with limited exceptions), access to six live TV channels, and the ability to download and watch programs on the go. It also features full access to Shudder, BBC America, and Sundance Now.
To get the deal, you can follow this link on Amazon and click "select plan" under the AMC+ Premium tier option. From there, you can select the Annual option to add the AMC+ Premium subscription to your channels list for just $29.99 for one year.
Shoppers should note that the price will increase to $109.99 per year at the end of your first year unless canceled. This discount is expected to expire on May 25, so be sure to lock in the sale soon if you're interested.
If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2026? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Sony's latest noise-canceling headphones have been leaked. Images of the 10th anniversary models, called 1000X "The Collexion" Edition, were shared online today by OnLeaks. They're expected to launch tomorrow, coming just a year after the company's WH-1000XM6 series.
From what we can tell based on the leaked materials, the changes are largely design-based. The new cans have a thicker leatherette padding than their predecessors, as well as larger ear cups, while the buttons are more separated and the microphone grilles get more breathing room. But it's the headband stems that stand out. Depending on the color choice, they're glossy black or chrome-on-white. The touch control surface has also been moved to the side and rear of each cup.
The biggest difference though is said to be a more robust design. Durability was reportedly a recurring complaint with the XM6's, so Sony has reinforced the stems by making them a single piece of polished metal rather than a fork. A purse-style carry case comes along for the ride, as does a headphone cable, but a USB-C charging cable may not be included (the leaked materials are contradictory on this point).
Battery life on a single charge sounds roughly comparable to the XM6's, with up to 24 hours of playback with acoustic noise-canceling enabled and 32 hours with ANC off. There's also a five-minute quick-charge feature that gets you 1.5 hours of battery life.
Sony says it has partnered with three world-class mastering studios for the driver tuning, including Battery Studios, Sterling Sound and Coast Mastering.
The new headphones will be available on Tuesday for $649 in the United States – $200 more than the cost of the XM6 headphones at launch, suggesting they are being marketed as a luxury product. It's only a short step up from the category occupied by Apple's $549 AirPods Max, which received a refresh earlier this year with a H2 chip.
Woot today has Apple's first generation AirTag 4-Pack for $45.59 with the code SAVETWENTY, down from $99.00. This code works on numerous products sitewide this week on Woot, taking 20 percent off for existing customers and 30 percent off for new customers. This means that if you've never purchased anything at Woot, you can get the AirTag 4-Pack for around $40 this week.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Woot. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
The AirTag 4-Pack is in new condition and comes with a 90-day Woot limited warranty, and the sale is set to last for four more days. Be sure to check out the rest of the products that you can use the SAVETWENTY code on, including monitors, video game accessories, smart home products, apparel, and much more.
If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2026? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Apple wants users to look again at their use of generative Genmoji in iOS 27, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Genmoji is an Apple Intelligence feature that lets you use AI to generate all-new emoji characters based on text input. All Genmoji generation happens directly on-device, but the feature has had a rocky run.
Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says that the generated images often looked nothing like Apple's polished marketing examples, and the underlying models were demanding enough to heat up iPhones and drain their batteries.
Apple has apparently made some tweaks so that no longer happens, while also adding a new supplementary feature.
"Suggested Genmoji" will reportedly offer you custom emoji ideas automatically based on your media and text history, rather than you having to think them up yourself. The feature is said to be optional in the next iPhone and iPad software update.
Gurman says a new toggle in the Keyboard settings of iOS 27 reads: "Suggested Genmoji are created from your photos and your commonly typed phrases."
iOS 27 will be previewed at WWDC next month, with a public release expected in the fall.
Apple in iOS 27 will include an enhanced Siri with a dedicated app that gives users options to keep conversations in memory for a limited time, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says that Apple is keen to market its privacy credentials as a key advantage in the way it is implementing AI across its software compared to rivals.
Cognizant of the perception that it has fallen behind other companies in the race to integrate AI into its operating systems, Apple will lean into privacy as a core tenant of its approach – starting with giving users options to auto-delete chats.
In the Settings panel for the new Siri app, "users will be able to choose to keep conversations for 30 days, one year, or forever," says Gurman, based on his sources. A similar feature can already be found in the Messages app's Settings.
"Most leading AI chatbots today rely heavily on histories and memory systems to personalize responses and improve future interactions," says Gurman. "But Apple will place tighter limits around how memory works, including restrictions on what information can persist and how long it can be retained."
Gurman also mentions that users will be able to decide if the Siri app opens showing either a grid of prior conversations or a new chat screen.
Apple's enhanced Siri will be powered by Google's Gemini models, but Apple apparently won't emphasize this, given that Google is historically known as an ad-driven business that farms users' data.
Another interesting tidbit in Gurman's latest newsletter is that the new Siri app will be labeled "beta," despite being the culmination of two years of delays. Apple recently agreed to pay $250 million to settle a U.S. class action lawsuit over delayed Siri features, with eligible iPhone users able to receive up to a $95 payout.
Amazon this weekend has brought back a major sale on the M4 iPad Air, with a trio of all-time low prices on the tablet. This includes both 11-inch and 13-inch models of the brand new 2026 M4 iPad Air.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Specifically, the 128GB Wi-Fi 11-inch M4 iPad Air has dropped to $519.99, down from $599.00, beating the previous low price by about $40. You'll also find low prices on the 256GB Wi-Fi 11-inch model and 256GB Wi-Fi 13-inch model, both of which we're only tracking on Amazon.
The new iPad Air features the M4 chip, C1X modem, and N1 networking chip, which brings support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. In terms of design, the 2026 models are identical to the 2025 iPad Air tablets, with an edge-to-edge display, slim bezels, and aluminum chassis.
If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2026? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
The best Apple deals this week include AirPods Max 2 for $40 off, 2026 MacBook Pro for up to $216 off, and Apple Watch Series 11 for up to $130 off. You'll also find Anker's best charging accessories on sale on Amazon right now, including the new Prime 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Anker
What's the deal? Save on Anker charging accessories
Anker's new Prime 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station has been marked down to $104.99 on Amazon, down from $149.99. This is one of Anker's newest accessories, and Amazon's sale today is a match of the all-time low price.
Amazon this week has a record low price on the AirPods Max 2, now available for $509.00, down from $549.00. This sale is available in three colors of the headphones.
MacBook Pro
What's the deal? Take up to $249 off M5 Pro/M5 Max MacBook Pro
Amazon has all-time low prices on the Apple Watch Series 11 this week, with up to $130 off numerous models of the smartwatch. A highlight of the sale is the 46mm cellular model at $130 off, which is a match of the all-time low price.
If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2026? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
WWDC is less than a month away, so the focus of the Apple world is turning toward what we might see in the next major operating system updates, but we're also looking ahead to the busy hardware update season in the fall.
This week also saw a significant change to Apple's education pricing program in some countries, while a new commemorative U.S. coin featuring Steve Jobs made a brief appearance, so read on below for all the details!
Despite cost pressures from industry-wide memory shortages that are forcing some Android smartphone manufacturers to raise prices, one analyst believes Apple will be "aggressive" on pricing with the iPhone 18 Pro models.
The headline features in iOS 26.5 include a beta of end-to-end encryption for RCS messages exchanged between iPhone and Android users on supported carriers, a new "Suggested Places" section in the Maps app for recommendations based on your location and recent searches, and a new Pride Luminance wallpaper option.
macOS 27: Two More Changes Leaked Ahead of WWDC Next Month
macOS 27 will have a "slight redesign" compared to macOS Tahoe, according to the latest word from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter this week, Gurman said the design changes will help to improve the readability of macOS Tahoe's Liquid Glass interface.
In addition, Gurman said macOS 27 will have a new Safari feature that can automatically organize browser tabs into groups. This feature, previously revealed by MacRumors, is also expected to be available on iOS 27 and iPadOS 27.
macOS 27 and Apple's other major operating system updates will be revealed during the WWDC keynote on June 8.
Apple Watch Series 12 and watchOS 27: What to Expect Later This Year
Apple Watch Series 12 and potentially Apple Watch Ultra 4 models are expected to be released in September, and we recently recapped some of the key rumored hardware and software changes. A new Apple Watch SE is not expected this year, as that model was just updated last year and it typically goes two to three years between refreshes.
Touch ID is one interesting rumor that has been circulating based on leaked Apple code, but one leaker recently claimed it won't be coming to the next-generation Apple Watch models, so we'll have to wait and see whether it makes an appearance. Otherwise, it seems battery life improvements, new Apple Intelligence and satellite features, and a few other quality-of-life improvements are likely.
Apple Now Requires UNiDAYS Verification for Education Discounts in U.S. and Canada, Adds Apple Watch
Apple has long offered discounted pricing on an array of products to educational customers, but in the U.S. and Canada this has largely been on the honor system outside of the occasional audit.
On the positive side, Apple Watch is now eligible for education pricing in a number of countries, delivering a roughly 10 percent discount compared to regular pricing.
Steve Jobs U.S. Commemorative $1 Coin Goes on Sale, Immediately Sells Out
The $1 Steve Jobs Coin features a young Steve Jobs in a turtleneck, jeans, and sneakers, sitting in front of the Northern California landscape. Jobs is said to be "captured in a moment of reflection," in which "his posture and expression reflect how this environment inspired his vision to transform complex technology into something as intuitive and organic as nature itself."
The coin is part of the American Innovation $1 Coin Program that has been graudally honoring groundbreaking innovations and innovators from every U.S. state, territory, and the District of Columbia for nearly a decade.
MacRumors Newsletter
Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.
Over the years, the iPhone's operating system has gotten complicated. Apple adds new features with every version of iOS, and many of them aren't always obvious, leading to hidden iPhone capabilities you might not be aware of.
The tips below assume that you have iOS 26 or later installed.
Turn an App Into a Widget
You can turn most app icons into widgets right from the iPhone's Home Screen. Just long press on an app icon, and select one of the squares from the top to choose a widget size. It works with any Apple or third-party app that has a widget option. Long press again and select the top left icon with four squares to turn it back into a standard app icon.
See Where You've Been
In the Maps app, you can look back at your location history to see places that you've visited. It's useful if you've been on a weekend trip, found a great restaurant, and want to remember where it was the next time you visit.
You can get to this feature by opening up the Maps app, tapping on your profile, selecting Places, and then choosing Visited Places. Places are organized by category like leisure or shopping, and by city.
You can clear your history by scrolling down to the bottom of the interface, or select a period of time for visits to be kept. Go to Settings > Maps > Location > Visited Places to turn it off entirely.
Set Custom Vibrations
You probably know you can set custom sounds for people that call or text, but you can also do the same thing for vibration patterns if you keep your iPhone on silent all the time, as civilized people do.
Important people you message can each have a different vibration pattern, so you know who is texting without having to look at your phone.
To set a vibration pattern for someone, open up the Contacts app and select them. Tap Edit in the upper right corner, then tap on Text Tone or Ringtone. Tap on Haptics and then select Create New Vibration. From there, you can use taps and presses to make your own vibration patterns.
Customize Your Lock Screen Buttons
Your Lock Screen buttons don't have to open up the Flashlight and the Camera app. You can set them to any Control Center option, including those from third-party apps.
To do so, go to the Lock Screen and long press. Tap on Customize if you want to edit your current wallpaper and Lock Screen, or the "+" button to make a new one. From there, tap on the "-" button on the apps at the left or right of the screen to remove them, and then tap on "+" to choose something new to add.
Back Tap Gestures
Back Tap has been around for a long time, but it's easy to forget it exists. You can use it to set a tap on the back of the iPhone to do whatever you want, from snapping a screenshot to activating the flashlight. It even works with Shortcuts you've created.
Go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch and then scroll down to Back Tap to set it up. You can set actions for a double tap or a triple tap.
Screenshot a Webpage
When you press the side button and volume buttons to take a screenshot, the default is a capture of what's currently on your display. If you want to screenshot a whole webpage or a PDF, there is a way to do it. Take the screenshot as normal, then tap it (if you have full-screen previews off). Select "Full Page" at the top of the interface, and then choose where to save your extra long screenshot.
Hide Apps
If you have apps that you don't want to show up on the Home Screen, you can hide them one by one by long pressing and tapping the Face ID option, or you can hide a whole app page at once. To hide an app page, long press on the Home Screen to enter jiggle mode.
Tap on the dots at the bottom of the display, and then select the app page you want to hide from view. Apps hidden this way don't show up in the Hidden folder in the App Library. You can still find them through Spotlight Search and they're visible in their appropriate App Library category. To unhide a page, follow the same steps and tap the checkbox to bring it back.
Quick Set a Timer
If you add the Timer option to Control Center, you can long press on it to get an easy slider that lets you select an amount of time you want to set it for.
In Control Center, tap the "+" button and then choose Add a Control. Select the Timer icon to add it to Control Center. Long press on the timer, choose an amount of time from the slider, and then tap Start. Times range from two hours to one minute.
Remove Photos Location Data
If you're sending a photo to someone, you might want to remove metadata like location first. To do so, select an image in the Photos app, swipe up, and tap on Adjust Location. From there, you can choose No Location.
Alternatively, when you go to share a photo, you can turn off metadata there. Select a photo, and tap on the Share button. Tap on Options, and toggle off Location.
Use a Timer to Turn Off Media
You can use timers to control how long music, podcasts, audiobooks, and other media play for, which is useful if you only want to listen for a short period at night.
In the Clock app, tap on Timers. Set a time period, and then tap on the When Timer Ends option. Scroll down and select Stop Playing. When your timer goes off, any media you have playing will stop.
More Tips
Have a favorite iPhone tip that most people don't know about? Let us know in the comments below.
SwitchBot today debuted the SwitchBot Lock Vision and the Lock Vision Pro, two Matter-enabled smart locks that include facial recognition technology for quick door unlocking.
With Matter-over-WiFi, the locks are compatible with HomeKit and they support NFC, so you can use them with an Apple Home setup. SwitchBot also included "advanced 3D structured light" facial recognition that's able to recognize approved lock users in under one second.
SwitchBot says the facial recognition is comparable to 3D facial recognition used by "flagship smartphones," and it can't be spoofed with photos or videos, even when wearing glasses, hats, or makeup. It uses more than 20,000 infrared dots to create an accurate 3D facial map that SwitchBot says is capable of millimeter-level recognition.
The locks also include multiple other unlocking methods, including NFC, passwords, iPhone app controls, the Apple Watch, Siri-based voice commands, geofencing, and physical keys. The Pro version of the lock adds palm vein and fingerprint access too, for even more ways to get into your house. Palm vein detection works without touching the lock, even if hands are wet or dirty.
SwitchBot's Lock Vision and Lock Vision Pro have 12-month battery life and emergency backup power options. They are meant to replace a standard deadbolt, and include mmWave radar detection to determine when someone is approaching the door. No hub is required for the locks, and biometric data is stored on-device.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Woot. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
