Table of contents for 203 in iPad & iPhone User

Apple has announced the dates for its annual Worldwide Developers Conference, which is always held in early June. This year is no exception, with the WWDC24 event taking place on 10 to 14 June. That’s a week later than is typical, but not outside the usual time frame. While the event focuses on developers and how they can use Apple’s latest tools and technology to make apps, services and accessories for Apple products, the highlight for most of us is the opening Keynote. The focus of WWDC this year is expected to be on Artificial Intelligence. After years of using AI in its products, but shying away from promoting it using that term, and having seemingly fallen behind other tech giants in the new ‘generative AI’ race, Apple is expected…

Every time we think the iPhone SE is dead, a new rumour comes out to remind us it’s not. This time it’s about the display – and reportedly Samsung won’t make them. According to ZDNet Korea (via ITHome), Samsung has declined the opportunity to supply Apple with iPhone SE 4 displays due to price issues. The report claims Apple wants to pay around $25 per display while Samsung is looking to get $30. While early reports claimed Apple would stick with an LCD screen for the iPhone SE 4 (like the iPhone 11), recent rumours claim it will have an OLED screen, which can be significantly more expensive. Samsung has been supplying OLED panels to Apple since the first iPhone with an OLED display: iPhone X. Apple released the iPhone…

Price: £799 from fave.co/49jvO9U Every autumn Apple releases four iPhones, but this excess of choice seems less intimidating once you realize that there are really just two phones wearing different clothing. The iPhone 15 Pro Max is essentially a bigger version of the iPhone 15 Pro – same processor, same camera set-up, same features – while the iPhone 15 discussed in this article is a shrunk-down version of the 15 Plus which we previously reviewed (iPad & iPhone User 198). In this article, I’ll be focusing on the areas where the iPhone 15 differs from the 15 Plus: namely portability, the screen and battery performance. I’ll sum up our findings in the other departments as well, but for a fuller rundown read my in-depth review of the larger model. DESIGN…

It’s hardly breaking news that the next high-end iPhones will have a new processor that’s faster and more capable than the current A17 Pro. But a new rumour claims it will have a new design that’s specifically geared toward AI applications. According to Haitong International Tech Research analyst Jeff Pu (via 9to5Mac, fave.co/3VCxZC9), there is “growing demand” for Apple’s A18 chip. That’s not a surprise, as Apple is expected to release two versions of its iPhone chip for the first time, with the A18 joining the A18 Pro. That means Apple will be making twice as many chips this year compared to the last two cycles, so it makes sense to start production earlier than usual. More interesting is Pu’s note about Apple’s new process. As he explains, Apple’s A18…

Has your iPhone slowed down and stopped acting the way you expect? Is your calendar suddenly full of spam appointments? Have you heard about the latest security hole in iOS? Or did you see a social media post indicating that your data isn’t safe? If you answered yes to any of those questions you will no doubt be asking the question: can iPhones get viruses? The good news is that Apple products like the iPhone are regarded as being safer from threats than devices from other manufacturers. This is partly because Apple has what is described as a ‘walled garden’ – which means iOS software can only be downloaded from the iOS App Store after being vetted by Apple. However, your iPhone is only as safe as you make it…

There are two main reasons why someone might want to install a VPN on an iPhone. One important reason is to protect their privacy and increase their security. Another key reason is that a VPN can be used to make it look like you are based in a different country, which can unlock content that wouldn’t be available where you actually are. If you are concerned about how secure the data on you iPhone is a VPN may be a solution that could give you peace of mind. We have a selection of VPNs for iPhone that we recommend below. But first we’ll quickly address why you might, or might not, want an VPN to protect the data on your iPhone. Apple talks a lot about how secure iOS is…

The iPhone comes with a number of ringtones you can use, but it’s your iPhone, why not use a custom ringtone for specific contacts? That way, when a certain someone calls you, you can immediately know who it is. For example, you can set a song that’s special to you and your spouse, so when your spouse calls, you’ll hear the song and know who it is. You can make a custom ringtone right on your iPhone with GarageBand or use your Mac, as long as you know the steps. Here’s how it works. MAKE AND INSTALL RINGTONES FROM SONGS ON YOUR MAC If your music library is on your Mac, you can create ringtones using Apple Music. However, you must own the physical song file – streamed songs cannot…

The United States Department of Justice, joined by 16 state and district attorneys general, has filed a civil antitrust lawsuit against Apple for monopolization or attempted monopolization of smartphone markets in violation of Section 2 of the Sherman Act. You can read the full text of the filling here (fave.co/43J0PTp). The government alleges that Apple used contractual restrictions and technological restrictions to limit developers in such a way that it is more difficult for them to compete with Apple’s own products and services, and more difficult for iPhone users to switch to Android. “Apple undermines apps, products, and services that would otherwise make users less reliant on the iPhone, promote interoperability, and lower costs for consumers and developers. Apple exercises its monopoly power to extract more money from consumers, developers,…

Google is just as excited about RCS on the iPhone as we are – so much so that it can’t wait to tell Android users about it. In a new website (fave.co/3J3DHFw) promoting the benefits of Google Messages, Google accidentally teased the arrival of RCS on iOS “in the fall of 2024”. The since-deleted reference is a thinly veiled reference to iOS 18, which will arrive in September alongside the new iPhones. When Apple announced in November that RCS was coming to the iPhone “later next year”, we all assumed that meant it would arrive as an iOS 18 feature and now we have some confirmation of that. The main question that remains is whether Apple will allow it on all iOS 18 phones or just the iPhone 16 models.…

Every year, Apple announces the new version of iOS at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June. It then enters a beta testing period (first for developers only, then for the public) before being released in September, around the time the new iPhones go on sale. We don’t expect the process or timeline to change this year, but that’s about the only thing we can count on being the same as years past. When it comes to iOS 18 itself – its features and changes – the rumours and leaks point to what might be one of the most consequential iPhone software updates in years. What follows is a summary of rumours, but bear in mind the final product may not quite resemble what you read here. Information about upcoming Apple…

According to the Wall Street Journal (fave.co/49mstXF) and others, shares of Baidu are up today on reports out of the Chinese media that Apple is in talks to license AI services from the Chinese tech giant. Baidu operates ERNIE Bot, a generative AI based on a large language model based AI similar in concept to ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini. Apple was also reported to be in talks with Google on licensing Gemini for use in iOS. It’s not clear what the business arrangement looks like, or where or how exactly Baidu’s AI technology will appear in Apple’s products. Neither Apple nor Baidu have confirmed the reports, but that’s par for the course – Apple tends to keep such things secret until the products are announced. Google’s Gemini and OpenAI’s ChatGPT…

VPNs are designed to keep your identity, location and data secure when you’re using the web, but are they something you should be using on your iPhone or iPad? We take a look at what VPNs offer and whether they are safe to use on your iPhone or iPad. WHY USE A VPN VPN stands for Virtual Private Network, which is a pretty decent description of what these products aim to do. Basically, the software creates a secure connection across the internet through which all of your data travels to the server at the other end. This is achieved by encryption, which prevents hackers and malicious software from being able to read your data or work out your location. Normally, when you’re online, the information you send from your computer…

A VPN is an essential tool for iPad users wanting to watch streaming services in other countries, such as Disney+, Netflix or BBC iPlayer, with some content not being available at every location. This is handy if you’re travelling abroad, but missing out on your favourite shows, as you can connect to a server in your own country and carry on watching as if you were at home. Plus, when you’re browsing the web using your iPad, your online activity is visible to your Internet service provider (ISP), your government, and potentially others. But because a VPN changes your real IP address for a different one and encrypts the data going to and from your iPad, it makes it practically impossible to spy on you. The new IP address can…

Text messages have a reputation for being informal and inconsequential, but you might have critical information in there. So, if you’ve deleted some texts to clear up space on your iPhone and accidentally got rid of one that’s important, or wiped your iPhone and discovered your messages were not longer there when you recovered it, don’t panic. There’s a chance you can retrieve your deleted text messages on iPhone. The process has six potential avenues that we cover below: you might be able to restore the lost text or iMessages from the Recently Deleted folder; you can restore your iPhone from a backup made before the message was deleted; you might be able to contact your wireless provider for a backup if you don’t have one; and you may be…

When Apple released iOS 17.4.1 last month, it only provided the vaguest of descriptions, saying the update contains “important bug fixes and security updates and is recommended for all users”. Even the security update page, which provides details on which flaws were patched, was conspicuously blank. In March, however, we found out why. Apple released macOS Sonoma 14.4.1, which contains several important bug fixes for nagging issues affecting Mac users, and published the CVE (common vulnerabilities and exposures) entries for a pair of critical issues. Apple also updated the iOS 17.4.1 page with the same patches, as well as visionOS 1.1.1 and macOS Ventura 13.6.6. Here is how Apple describes them: CoreMedia Impact: Processing an image may lead to arbitrary code execution. Description: An out-of-bounds write issue was addressed with…

The AI race shows no signs of slowing down. We’ve reported about how iOS 18 is expected to build in many different AI features throughout the OS, and Apple is racing ahead with its AI research and development, publishing new research papers and code several times per month. But all that internal development doesn’t mean the company won’t also the approach of Microsoft, whose Copilot features in Windows are built with licensed OpenAI technology. If the latest report from Bloomberg is true, iOS 18 may have one or more AI features powered by Google’s new Gemini AI. Mark Gurman cites “people familiar with the situation” in claiming that Apple is in talks with Google to license Gemini to power “some new features coming to the iPhone software this year.” Gemini…

With less than two months to go until WWDC, the annual developer get-together where Apple announces major changes coming to its various software platforms, we’re starting to get a better idea of what to expect. Such as the upcoming version of iOS, which multiple sources suggest will alter the experience for iPhone owners more radically than any previous update. In a recent edition of his Power On newsletter (fave.co/3DhI7qd), Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman predicts that among the new features in this year’s iOS 18 update, iPhone users will get a new home screen that’s significantly more customizable than in the past. Apple has gradually allowed customizable elements to creep into the iPhone over the years – such as home-screen widgets in 2020’s iOS 14 – but Gurman’s comments suggest this…

Apple Vision Pro is clearly a first-gen product. Expensive, flawed, limited and impressive. Much of what it needs to really become a mass-market device will need new hardware that is lighter, more affordable, and more fully featured. But that’s not to say that Apple should be content with aiming its next big push at Apple Vision Air or Apple Vision Pro 2. There are so many software changes that would make this a much better overall product, some of which can be done in the next few weeks or months, others that might need to be a part of visionOS 2. Apple has already released visionOS 1.1, but its improvements are minor at best, and don’t address some of the biggest pain points and missed opportunities of Apple’s new headset.…

Even if you know next to nothing about VPNs, using one on your iPhone and iPad is utterly simple. Although you may have spotted the VPN menu in Settings, there’s no need to venture in and configure settings: modern VPN apps do it all for you. Obviously, we don’t need to tell you how to install an app on your iPhone or iPad, but there are a few details we’ll share that will make your first experience of a VPN completely fuss-free. HOW TO GET A VPN Assuming that Apple’s iCloud+ Private Relay doesn’t offer what you need, you will need to register for a VPN service, download and install their app, and set it up on your iPhone. Some VPNs have a good deal for the first one or…

Portable power banks that charge your phone are popular, but wireless battery packs using Apple’s MagSafe technology offer a simpler and smarter cable-free solution for iPhone 12, 13, 14 and 15 users. Phone batteries are prone to run dry just when you’re heading away from a power source, so having a portable charging source is one of today’s necessities. Annoyingly, most power banks require you to carry around a cable, too. Wireless power banks do away with cables but come with their own major limitation – the inefficiency of wireless charging means you need a high-capacity power bank to fully charge a drained iPhone. I use one as a quick bedside iPhone charger so I can charge and use the phone at the same time without having to worry about…