O'Grady's PowerPage

Category: News

  • Apple announces dates and schedules for WWDC 2024

    Apple announces dates and schedules for WWDC 2024

    If you’re eager to learn this summer, Apple has just posted the full details as to its 2024 Worldwide Developers conference, which is set to take place from June 10 to June 14.

    Apple has stated that the standard keynote address will be held on June 10 at 10 AM Pacific Time. Apple is expected to announce iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS 15, tvOS 18, watchOS 11, and visionOS 2. At present, there have been no rumors of new hardware that might be announced at the event.

    Apple will follow the keynote with the Platforms State of the Union, and the Apple Design Awards are typically also held on the same day.

    The current schedule is as follows:

    10:00 a.m. PDT – Apple Keynote, which provides a first look at “groundbreaking updates” coming to Apple platforms later in the year.

    1:00 p.m. PDT – Platforms State of the Union, which will take a deeper dive into the latest advances across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, ‌visionOS‌, and watchOS, and new tools that will further empower Apple developers.

    The keynote speech, as usual, will be available to stream through Apple’s website, the Apple Developer App, the Apple TV app, and YouTube. The Platforms State of the Union will be available on the Apple Developer app and the Apple Developer website.

    Throughout WWDC week, Apple is hosting online labs and consultations for developers to get advice on implementing the new features that Apple plans to announce at WWDC, along with more than 100 technical sessions from Apple engineers, designers, and other experts.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via MacRumors and Apple

  • 18 new AI features cited for macOS 15, iOS 18, and iPadOS 18

    18 new AI features cited for macOS 15, iOS 18, and iPadOS 18

    AI will take center stage in Apple’s upcoming operating systems, and per Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, an array of new features will be demoed at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) next month.

    In his latest “Power On” newsletter, Gurman noted that Apple will apparently use AI to perform the following tasks in the operating systems:

    • Photo retouching.
    • Voice memo transcription.
    • Suggested replies to emails and messages.
    • Auto-generated emojis based on the content of a user’s messages, providing all-new emoji for any occasion beyond the existing catalog.
    • Improved Safari web search.
    • Faster and more reliable searches in Spotlight.
    • More natural interactions with Siri.
    • More advanced version of Siri designed for the Apple Watch, optimized for “on-the-go tasks.”
    • Smart recaps of missed notifications and individual messages, web pages, news articles, documents, notes, and more.
    • Developer tools for Xcode.
    • AI features that require less processing power will run entirely on-device, but more demanding tools will operate via the cloud. Apple will apparently tout the privacy advantages of this plan.

    Apple is also said to be marketing many of its forthcoming AI tools as a “preview” that could appear in beta versions of iOS 18 prior to its official launch in September. The previews could help express the idea that the technology is unfinished and a work in progress.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via MacRumors and Bloomberg

  • Happy Memorial Day from O’Grady’s PowerPage

    Happy Memorial Day from O’Grady’s PowerPage

    It’s Memorial Day here in the United States and the staff of O’Grady’s PowerPage will be taking the day to spend time with friends and family. Have a safe and happy holiday on your end, enjoy the day, and we’ll be back tomorrow with all the Mac, iPhone, iPad, and other mobile news, rumors, and features we can get our hands on.

    Enjoy the day, we’ll see you tomorrow, and have a safe and happy unofficial beginning of the summer.

  • Apple announces support for Tap to Pay on iPhone technology in Canada

    Apple announces support for Tap to Pay on iPhone technology in Canada

    If you’re en route to Canada, this could come in handy.

    Apple announced on Thursday that its “Tap to Pay on iPhone” feature is now available beginning yesterday via select payment platforms in the country.

    The technology allows businesses to accept contactless payments on an iPhone, with no additional point-of-sale hardware like a Square Terminal required. The feature allows customers to pay by simply tapping their iPhone or Apple Watch, contactless credit card or debit card, or other contactless payment option on the merchant’s iPhone. Payment is securely completed using the same NFC technology behind Apple Pay.

    Businesses in Canada offering the feature currently include Adyen, Monteris, Stripe, and Square. Over the coming months, Apple said Aurus, Chase, Fiserv, and Helcim will also offer the feature in the country.

    Apple has also stated that the Tap to Pay on iPhone feature will be available at Apple Store locations across Canada and at merchants such as Sephora, later this year.

    Launched in 2022, Tap to Pay on iPhone is also available in the U.S., Australia, Brazil, France, Japan, the Netherlands, Taiwan, the U.K., and Ukraine.

    If you’ve had a chance to try the feature in Canada, please let us know about your experience in the comments.

    Via MacRumors and Apple

  • T-Mobile to raise prices of some older U.S. plans starting in June

    T-Mobile to raise prices of some older U.S. plans starting in June

    If you have an older T-Mobile plan, the monthly price might be able to go up a bit.

    The wireless carrier on Wednesday revealed that it will be raising the monthly prices of some of its older plans in the U.S. by $2 to $5 per line. Affected customers will receive a message from T-Mobile warning the of the forthcoming price increase, which will take place in June. Affected plans appear to include certain T-Mobile ONE, Simple Choice, and Magenta plans.

    The company offered the following text message to customer:

    “We’re adjusting prices to respond to rising costs, but we are committed to offering low prices and the best value in postpaid wireless. We offer customers more for every dollar they spend than ever before, especially when you consider taxes & fees included.”

    In an alleged memo shared with T-Mobile employees today, the carrier said “costs and inflation have risen over the past decade,” but touted that it still offers the “lowest prices versus AT&T and Verizon” after the price increases. T-Mobile also ensured that customers on these older plans will retain all of their “benefits and perks.”

    T-Mobile did not immediately respond to requests for further comment regarding the change.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via MacRumors, @TMobileHelp, and Reddit