Software – Geek Culture https://geekculture.co We are geeks, and proud of it. This is the place where we share all things geeky, and by visiting this page, you declare yourself one of us! Wed, 16 Oct 2024 18:39:25 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2 https://geekculture.co/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/cropped-gc-512-32x32.png Software – Geek Culture https://geekculture.co 32 32 Adobe MAX 2024: Nine Exciting “Sneaks” Offer Glimpse Into Future Of Creativity https://geekculture.co/adobe-max-2024-nine-exciting-sneaks-offer-glimpse-into-future-of-creativity/ Wed, 16 Oct 2024 18:39:15 +0000 https://geekculture.co/?p=304316

This year's MAX Sneaks was co-hosted by award-winning actress Awkwafina.

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Every year at Adobe MAX, one of the main highlights apart from the day 2 inspiration keynote with guest creators, is always the “MAX Sneaks”, where Adobe’s engineers and research scientists showcase a slew of cutting-edge innovations that may or may not eventually come to Adobe’s Creative Cloud apps. This year at Adobe MAX 2024 in Miami, the “Sneaks” was co-hosted by award-winning actress Awkwafina.

Here are the 9 latest early-stage innovations and exciting advancements across photography, video, audio, 3D and design shared during this year’s MAX Sneaks:

Project Perfect Blend makes it easier to add people or objects into another image while automatically adjusting colour, lighting, and shadows to naturally blend it with the image.

Project Clean Machine removes unwanted flashes from things like photo flashes or fireworks, as well as objects briefly blocking the camera. These distractions can easily be removed from photos or videos with just a click of a button.

Project In Motion uses generative AI to turn a custom shape animation into a video just by describing what you want. It uses generative AI to convert text into animation based on an initial After Effects project. You can even add a style reference image to mix and match styles with your prompt for a unique touch.

Project Know How envisions the future of content provenance by demonstrating the durability of Content Credentials across both digital and physical spaces. Through fingerprinting and watermarking, users can quickly trace the origins of videos and images to their original source, even when visible Content Credentials metadata has been stripped.

Project Turntable enables you to easily rotate 2D vector art in 3D, and it will still look like 2D art from any new angle. Simply click a button and drag a slider to spin your graphics around, much like manipulating a 3D object.

Project Super Sonic allows you to generate sound effects for your video simply by using a prompt. You can even control the timing of these sounds with your voice, or layer sounds directly in the timeline, mix background and foreground effects, and choose from variations of prompts to get just the right sound.

Project Scenic makes 2D image creation easier by letting you build a 3D scene layout with a copilot prompt.

Project Remix A Lot makes it super easy to turn a sketch into a polished design but starting with a rough idea and then refine it using an inspiration image. The tool uses generative AI to guide you through the creative process, letting you adjust your design to fit various shapes and sizes, even irregular ones.

Project Hi-Fi can capture any part of your screen and use it as a guide to quickly create high-quality images with AI. These images can then be easily brought into Adobe Photoshop for further editing.

Ending off the “Sneaks” session was a surprise announcement that the next Adobe MAX would be held in Tokyo, Japan on 13 February 2025.

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Adobe MAX 2024: Over 100 New Creative Cloud Features Enabling Single Creators & Large Teams https://geekculture.co/adobe-max-2024-over-100-new-creative-cloud-features-enabling-creators-and-teams/ Tue, 15 Oct 2024 02:34:54 +0000 https://geekculture.co/?p=304127

Generative AI is here to stay.

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Creative software company Adobe has announced key upgrades and innovative improvements across its suite of multimedia tools including Photoshop, Illustrator and Lightroom, and in its continued push towards adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI) to aid in the creation of content, will introduce text to video for its generative Adobe Firefly software, which can now also fill in any gaps in video footage.

Announced this week at the opening keynote of the world’s largest creativity conference, Adobe MAX 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida, from 14 to 16 October, over 10,000 creative professionals watched as Adobe introduced over one hundred new Creative Cloud features, including major updates across Adobe Premiere Pro, Firefly, Express, Frame.io and more, that are immediately available for users to try out.

“We’re giving the creative community a powerful new brush to paint the world by putting unprecedented power, precision and creative control in their hands. With the demand for content projected to grow exponentially, we’re empowering creators to scale the use of their content across marketing, HR and sales teams,” said David Wadhwani, president, digital media at Adobe.

Aside from supporting individuals, the company also rolled out enterprise capabilities for Adobe Express, its cloud-based design platform that provides access to those within the organisation to use the tools. Here are some of the standout updates that got us most excited about, and we can’t wait to try them out over the next few months:


Adobe Photoshop

Adobe is rolling out a major update to the Distraction Removal in the Remove Tool. Distraction Removal now automatically detects and removes unwanted elements such as wires and people and replaces the background with AI-generated content.

Photoshop’s Generative Fill and Generative Expand are now powered by the latest Adobe Firefly Image Model 3, so users can count on getting realistic, lifelike results, with more levels of detail across lighting, composition and colour. Additionally, the new Generate Similar feature enables users to create more variations of generated images for that perfect fit. These features are available now on both the deskop app and Photoshop on the web.

Two new features have also been introduced to Adobe Photoshop (Beta). First, Generative Workspace lets you explore more ideas in less time with generative AI. Most AI image generators limit and slow your process as they only produce a few results and only allow you to submit one prompt at a time, requiring you to wait before you can further refine your prompt or try a different one. With Generative Workspace, you can brainstorm multiple concepts concurrently, using text prompts to quickly generate sets of images. You can search and reuse text prompts and images and generate new sets of images while previous sets are still generating. Once you get the resuts you like, you can easily import and refine your generated images in Photoshop. Second, the Adobe Substance 3D Viewer (Beta) is a new way to view and edit 3D files within Photoshop by simply adding them as Smart Objects.

Both features are now available in the Photoshop (Beta) app. Learn more about all the updates in Adobe Photoshop via Adobe’s blog post.


Adobe Firefly

Users can soon generate videos with the Firefly Video Model (beta), which enables creators to generate video from text and image prompts, extend video clips as well as deeper integration with Premiere Pro. Transforming ideas into video clips, pitching ideas, b-roll and visual effects is easier than ever before. On top of that, the latest evolution of Firefly Image 3 Model generates images four times faster.

Just check out this AI-generated video from the following prompt: Macro shot of a tiny baby dragon made out of lava scuttling around inside a volcano.

Firefly is also designed to be safe for commercial use, and is only trained on content where Adobe has permission, such as Adobe Stock and public domain content where copyright has expired, and never on Adobe users’ content. It has already been used to generate more than 13 billion images and counting. During the beta stage, only a limited number of users will be granted access, so be sure to sign up for the waitlist here.


Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Illustrator’s new Objects on Path enables users to quickly attach, arrange and move objects along any type of path. Enhanced Image Trace lets users convert hand-drawn images and raster graphics into editable vectors with more accurate image tracing and greater editability. The Mockup feature is now available too, so designers can create mockups for brand and apparel designs by placing your artwork on images of real-life objects. Illustrator will automatically adjust your artwork to fit the curves and edges of the object.


Adobe Project Neo (Beta)

Project Neo, a completely new approach to creating 3D content via a web-based app is available now and in beta. It is an app built for designers who typically work in 2D design apps like Photoshop and Illustrator. With Project Neo, you can create and edit 3D shapes and artwork in your web browser. Neo lets you quickly edit and refine endless variations of a design, non-destructively. Your Project Neo creations can then be opened in Adobe Illustrator as vectors, so you can continue to edit your artwork and add them to your design compositions. You can even share your designs via a link to your artwork to invite team members to collaborate within the browser.

You can read more about Project Neo via Adobe’s blog post, or try it out for yourself if you have an active Creative Cloud subscription.


Adobe Express

Adobe Express is a quick and easy create-anything app that’s available on web and mobile, that allows users to create social media posts, videos, flyers and more, at no additional cost, since it’s included in most Creative Cloud membership plans. And now, it is armed with several new capabilities to make it even easier to use than ever.

AI-powered Resize and with Expand resizes designs for multiple social media channels and enlarges images to fit new sizes, while Bulk Create generates variations of images, videos and copy, enabling users to easily adapt content for different seasons or products, in just a few clicks. Animate All allows users to add motion to an entire design and AI emphasizes the most important parts, like headlines and buttons.

One-click Apply Brand and On-brand Recolor allows users to apply all brand elements, including designs, images illustrations or brand colors across multiple pages for one-click brand and visual consistency. When working with text, users can now use Rewrite to shorten or change the tone of copy instantly and Translate text into 46 languages, choosing between formal and informal tones. Contextually aware translation capabilities keeps messaging intent intact.

There’s plenty more features added to Adobe Express, check out the comprehensive full list via Adobe’s blog post.


Frame.io

Having acquired Frame.io almost three years ago, Adobe has since then been working hard to evolve and integrate the industry-leading creative collaboration platform with its Creative Cloud apps. And today, Frame.io Version 4 is out of beta, completely redesigned to be faster and more intuitive, with new features made for asset and workflow management, along with enhancements for reviewing and approving design work. Frame.io now has a direct connection to Adobe Lightroom, enabled through Frame.io’s Camera to Cloud (C2C) integrations that allows photographers to automatically transfer all images uploaded via Frame.io’s C2C into their Lightroom account.

And finally, Frame.io has further expanded its C2C camera ecosystem by partnering with Canon, Nikon and Leica, to be expected in forthcoming integrations.

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Free Adobe Content Authenticity Web App Helps Creators Protect & Attribute Their Work https://geekculture.co/free-adobe-content-authenticity-web-app-helps-creators-protect-their-work/ Wed, 09 Oct 2024 03:06:06 +0000 https://geekculture.co/?p=303590

Building trust in the digital space.

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With the advancement in AI-generated content over the last couple of years, there is a growing concern over misinformation and AI-generated deepfakes, so there is a need to help protect and attribute creators’ works. Since founding the Content Authenticity Initiative in 2019, Adobe has championed the widespread adoption of Content Credentials as the industry standard for transparency in digital content, currently supported by over 3,700 members.

Now, with Adobe’s newly announced free Adobe Content Authenticity web app, it bringing the full potential of Content Credentials, beyond Adobe’s own apps, for all creators to use, and to protect their work from misuse or misrepresentation.

“Adobe is committed to responsible innovation centered on the needs and interests of creators. Adobe Content Authenticity is a powerful new web application that helps creators protect and get recognition for their work. By offering creators a simple, free and easy way to attach Content Credentials to what they create, we are helping them preserve the integrity of their work, while enabling a new era of transparency and trust online. The Adobe Content Authenticity web app will not only benefit creators but also help consumers navigate the digital ecosystem with greater clarity,” shares Scott Belsky, Chief Strategy Officer and Executive Vice President, Design & Emerging Products at Adobe.

According to Adobe, the web app was developed in close collaboration with creators, incorporating their feedback at every stage, through one-on-one listening sessions, group discussions, user experience testing and more, to ensure it is truly built by and for creators.

Content Credentials are already supported in popular Adobe Creative Cloud apps such as Photoshop, Lightroom and Firefly. The web app will eventually integrate with these Creative Cloud apps and others, serving as a centralized hub for managing Content Credentials preferences. Here’s a quick look at the key features of the web app:

  • Easily Apply Content Credentials: Creators can easily apply Content Credentials in batch to digitally sign their work, across images, audio and video files. For a start, creators will be able to attribute their website and social media accounts. Name attribution and other options will be added in future.
  • Set Generative AI Training and Usage Preference: Creators can use Content Credentials to signal if they do not want their content used by or to train other generative AI models on the market.
  • View and Inspect Content Credentials Easily: Adobe will release a Content Authenticity extension for Google Chrome and the Inspect tool within the web app will help to recover and display any Content Credentials associated with the content, including edit history when available.
  • Durable Content Credentials: Content Credentials applied with the web app stay securely connected to the creator’s work throughout the content lifecycle and can be recovered even if the provenance information is removed or when someone takes a screenshot of the content. This is possible through the combined use of digital fingerprinting, invisible watermarking and cryptographically signed metadata, helping to ensure that Content Credentials remain intact and verifiable across the digital ecosystem.

The free public beta of the Adobe Content Authenticity web app will be available in Q1 2025. Creators can join the waitlist now and be notified when the beta is available. A free beta of the Content Authenticity extension for Google Chrome web browser is out now.

Adobe will also preview the web app at its booth (#424) at this year’s Adobe MAX, happening from 14 to 16 October in Miami Beach, Florida.

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App Of The Month: Finch (September 2024) https://geekculture.co/app-of-the-month-finch-september-2024/ Fri, 04 Oct 2024 08:35:40 +0000 https://geekculture.co/?p=303011

Let a little finch help you with your mental health.

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It seems that self-care has found a new ally in technology. Finch, a self-care widget pet, emerges as a novel tool to assist individuals dealing with various mental health challenges, from anxiety and depression to ADHD. This innovative app centres around a charming virtual bird, which users can accompany on daily adventures, encouraging both the avatar and the user to grow and heal.

Upon commencing your journey with Finch, the app prompts you to set personal goals, which can range from simple daily tasks like getting out of bed to more involved activities such as meal prepping. The goals are suggested with empathy, recognising that everyone’s capabilities and challenges are unique, thus removing any judgment about the ‘difficulty’ of the goals. Users can customise their virtual bird and even name it, adding a personal touch to the experience.

What sets Finch apart is its interactive features that foster a community-centric approach to mental health. Users can connect with friends and family, sharing ‘good vibes’ like virtual hugs or high-fives, enhancing the communal support system.

Additionally, the app offers a plethora of activities aimed at personal growth. From focus timers with ambient sounds to breathing exercises and gentle yoga, these features are occasionally integrated into the user’s routine, promoting mindfulness and self-reflection, and offering rewards in the form of in-game currency. This currency can be used to acquire new accessories for the pet, enhancing the gaming aspect of the app.

The journaling feature is particularly robust, allowing users to document their thoughts and activities freely or in response to prompts. The app analyses these entries to offer insights into emotional patterns, sometimes with amusing inaccuracies, yet often providing valuable reflections on one’s mental state.

Finch provides a weekly summary that attempts to conclude user-inputted data, offering an automated yet insightful look at one’s emotional well-being over time. Users can also opt for the paid version of Finch (Finch Plus), which opens all of the self-care features on the app. A subscription of S$14.98 a month/S$99.98 for 12 months is required to unlock over 100 exercises, access mailbox content, and change tag emojis, among others.

While not a substitute for professional mental health care, Finch offers a unique blend of game-like interaction and mental health support, making it a delightful addition to anyone’s daily routine. This app is recommended for those seeking a sprinkle of joy and digital companionship through a charmingly animated bird, enriching their path to self-care and mental wellness.

Finch is available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store for free, with an optional membership plan available. More information about Finch can be found on the website.

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Apple’s iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia, watchOS 11, tvOS 18 & visionOS 2 Now Available https://geekculture.co/apple-ios-18-and-more-now-available/ Tue, 17 Sep 2024 07:08:30 +0000 https://geekculture.co/?p=301764

Time to update all your Apple devices!

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Apple users, it’s time to update your ecosystem of devices once again. Today, Apple has rolled out its highly anticipated iOS18 for iPhone devices, iPadOS 18 for iPads, macOS Sequoia for Mac computers, watchOS 11 for Apple Watches, tvOS 18 for Apple TV devices, and visionOS 2 for the Apple Vision Pro headset.

iOS 18 is available now for iPhone Xs and later. It includes more ways for users to customise their Home Screen such as choosing how the app icons and widgets are presented (in light, dark or with a coloured tint). App icon sizes can now be adjusted too. The Control Centre is redesigned to be more flexible than ever too. Photos has been redesigned to include new collections like Recent Days, People & Pets, and Trips automatically keep the library organised with on-device intelligence, so users can spend less time searching and more time enjoying their memories. Users can personalise their experience with a customisable layout that reflects what is most important to them and pin favourite collections to keep them easily accessible. Passwords is a new app built on the foundation of Keychain that makes it even easier for users to access their passwords and see all their credentials — like passwords, passcodes, and verification codes — all in one place. Read more on the full list of iOS 18 updates here.

iPadOS 18 is available now for iPad Pro (M4), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later), iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and later), iPad Air (M2), iPad Air (3rd generation and later), iPad (7th generation and later), and iPad mini (5th generation and later). Similar to iOS 18, the iPadOS update includes the same level of customisation for the Home Screen and Control Centre, along with the Photos app redesign. The Calculator app now delivers a new way to solve with Math Notes and Smart Script utilises the power of the Apple Pencil to enable greater editing of handwritten text. Read more on the full list of iPadOS 18 updates here.

watchOS 11 is available now for Apple Watch Series 6 and later, and requires iPhone XS or later running iOS 18. The update comes with a new Vitals app which allows users to quickly check in on key health metrics at a glance and gain better context on their health. Three new watch faces are added: The new Photos face helps users select their best photo options by using machine learning, the Flux face features a bold graphic design that fills the screen second by second and the Reflections face features a distinctive shimmering dial that reacts subtly to user movements. The Smart Stack and Photos face use intelligence to offer a more individualised experience, and Check In, the Translate app, and new capabilities for the double tap gesture come to Apple Watch for more convenience and ways to stay connected.

Lastly, tvOS 18 is available now for Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD, while visionOS 2 is available now for Apple Vision Pro.


The first set of Apple Intelligence features will be available in beta next month as part of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1, with more features rolling out in the months to come. It will be available on iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and iPad and Mac with M1 and later, with device and Siri language set to U.S. English. Additional languages and platforms are coming over the course of the next year. Later this year, Apple Intelligence will add support for localised English in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the U.K. In the coming year, Apple Intelligence will expand to more languages, such as Chinese, French, Japanese, and Spanish.

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App Of The Month: Mindvalley (August 2024) https://geekculture.co/app-of-the-month-mindvalley-august-2024/ Fri, 30 Aug 2024 04:00:00 +0000 https://geekculture.co/?p=300054

Mindvalley offers over 100 curated wellness programmes designed to elevate your life.

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Discover a new frontier of personal development with Mindvalley, a transformative learning platform that’s revolutionising the way we approach self-improvement. Whether you’re looking to enhance your mental health, boost your career, or enrich your personal relationships, Mindvalley offers over 100 meticulously curated wellness programmes designed to elevate every aspect of your life.

mindvalley

As August’s App of the Month, Mindvalley stands out with its programmes, each meticulously tailored to improve your body, mind, soul, career, and entrepreneurial skills. Users can dive into specific categories like mental health, where they can select programmes focused on enhancing happiness or life quality. Basic meditation techniques and complex psychological concepts are also offered to help users unlock their full potential. From the comfort of their home, users can access a wealth of knowledge that empowers them to step into their greatness.

The app also offers a unique feature where users can fine-tune their objectives, ensuring the recommendations perfectly align with their personal growth goals. Users can engage with an array of meditations led by world-class experts like Sadhguru, and absorb wisdom from top entrepreneurs like Mark Cuban.

Mindvalley’s interface is user-friendly, making it simple to navigate through an extensive catalog of quests and lessons. Each programme is presented with detailed descriptions of the curriculum and instructor, ensuring you know exactly what to expect. The platform is also equipped with cutting-edge machine-learning technology that enhances your educational experience by adapting to your learning pace and style.

mindvalley

Moreover, the platform’s social features allow you to connect with fellow users, sharing insights and experiences that foster a supportive learning environment within the community. Whether you’re a seasoned professional looking to sharpen your skills or someone starting their personal development journey, Mindvalley offers something for everyone.

Mindvalley is available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store for free, with an optional membership plan available. More information about Mindvalley can be found on the website.

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After OpenAI ScarJo Fiasco, Meta Is Offering Millions To Hollywood Stars For Voice Rights https://geekculture.co/after-openai-scarjo-fiasco-meta-is-offering-millions-to-hollywood-stars-for-voice-rights/ Tue, 06 Aug 2024 05:47:52 +0000 https://geekculture.co/?p=298806

Get ready to chat with stars like Awkwafina.

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In light of OpenAI‘s simulation of Scarlett Johansson’s voice, Meta is pivoting to secure voice rights directly from Hollywood stars, potentially involving substantial financial deals. The move follows criticism from Johansson, who felt “shocked and angered” by the use of a voice eerily similar to hers in AI demonstrations.

OpenAI Meta

This controversy highlights the growing tension between AI advancements and the creative industries, with concerns about copyright infringement becoming increasingly prevalent.

Meta’s previous venture into celebrity-styled chatbots, announced at last year’s Connect Conference, allowed users to engage with AI models of celebrities via direct messages. However, the novelty quickly wore off, and the tech giant has begun phasing out these chatbots due to low user engagement.

Meta announced at the 2024 Meta Connect conference that they will be integrating the voices of renowned celebrities like Awkwafina, Judi Dench, and Keegan-Michael Key into their AI products. This initiative aims to elevate the user experience of its digital assistant, MetaAI, by infusing it with a touch of star power.

Meta is swiftly finalising agreements with top talent from Hollywood, ensuring these new voices are ready for a grand reveal in September. The intent is to create a more engaging and personable interaction between users and their digital assistants, spanning various platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses.

As the digital landscape evolves, Meta’s initiative could redefine how we interact with AI, turning routine commands into engaging conversations. Whether it’s getting directions from Judi Dench or receiving social media notifications through Awkwafina’s distinctive voice, Meta is set to add a layer of star power and functionality to our digital routines.

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App Of The Month: Wanderlog (July 2024) https://geekculture.co/app-of-the-month-wanderlog-july-2024/ Tue, 30 Jul 2024 04:00:00 +0000 https://geekculture.co/?p=297335

Wanderlog’s your new best friend if you’re bitten by the travel bug.

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Summer is synonymous with travel, and Wanderlog is here to enhance your travel experience. This comprehensive travel planning app is perfect for anyone looking to organise trips effectively, offering a suite of tools designed for everything from road trips to group adventures. Wanderlog makes it easy to craft detailed itineraries, organise flights, hotels, and car reservations, set your budget, and manage every detail of your journey, all within a user-friendly interface.

Wanderlog’s real-time collaboration feature stands out, allowing friends to plan together much like they would in Google Docs. You can set permissions for editing or viewing, ensuring that planning is a collaborative effort. Moreover, all your plans are accessible offline, which is particularly useful for road trips or international travels where internet access may be limited.

Wanderlog

For road trip enthusiasts, Wanderlog offers robust tools that allow you to add unlimited stops, optimise your route, and view the distance and estimated travel times between locations. This helps ensure that your travel plans are both realistic and enjoyable. The app displays your route on an interactive map, with lines connecting each destination for easy visualisation.

Integration is also seamless with Wanderlog. You can automatically import reservations by forwarding confirmation emails or connecting your Gmail account. Each destination in your itinerary is detailed with descriptions, user ratings, opening hours, and contact information, sourced from top travel guides and platforms like TripAdvisor and Google Travel.

Additionally, the app not only helps you organise your trip, but also inspires your next adventure. Wanderlog features a rich selection of travel guides and user recommendations, enabling you to discover popular attractions and hidden gems. With just one click, you can add suggested activities directly to your itinerary, enriching your travel experience.

Wanderlog

Whether travelling solo or with friends, managing finances is crucial. Wanderlog provides tools to set a budget, track every expense, and even split bills among your group, simplifying financial management throughout your trip. After your journey, you can create and share a travel guide to inspire other travellers, making Wanderlog not just a planning tool but also a platform for sharing experiences.

Wanderlog is available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store for free, with an optional Pro subscription that offers additional features such as exporting trips to Google Maps and linking your Gmail account.

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Apple Maps Launches Public Beta For Web Browsers https://geekculture.co/apple-maps-launches-public-beta-for-web-browsers/ Thu, 25 Jul 2024 03:21:52 +0000 https://geekculture.co/?p=297811

More than a decade later, Apple Maps is now available on select browsers.

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Apple Maps is making a significant leap by finally launching on web browsers, aiming to compete directly with Google Maps.

Available through the beta.maps.apple.com site, users can access driving and walking directions easily. They also can view ratings and reviews, explore cities, order food, and find business information, all from their desktop or mobile browser. Apple also says it will launch additional features, like Look Around, in the coming months.

Bad news, though, Firefox users. This new web-based version, currently in English, is only compatible with Safari and Chrome on Mac and iPad, and Chrome and Edge on Windows PCs. But all isn’t lost, as Apple plans to expand support to additional languages, browsers, and platforms in the future. This move enhances the functionality of Apple Maps, bringing it closer to feature parity with Google Maps. The latter has long been accessible via web browsers.

Since its debut on the iPhone in 2012, Apple Maps has steadily added features like detailed city maps, multi-stop routing, cycling directions, EV routing, and offline navigation. This official web version marks a significant expansion. It was previously only available through developer tools like MapKit JS, which allowed integration into third-party websites such as DuckDuckGo.

Overall, Apple Maps’ web launch is a major step in enhancing its accessibility and functionality, potentially shifting user preferences.

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Apple Safari’s Unmatched Privacy Features: Cross-Site Tracking Prevention, Location Protection, & More https://geekculture.co/apple-safaris-unmatched-privacy-features-cross-site-tracking-prevention-location-protection-more/ Tue, 16 Jul 2024 16:00:00 +0000 https://geekculture.co/?p=297022

An Apple a day keeps the trackers away.

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Apple has recently released a short film aimed at increasing public awareness about the pervasive nature of online tracking, highlighting the vulnerabilities present when browsing with various web browsers. This educational film is part of Apple’s ongoing effort to advocate for greater online privacy and inform users of the protective measures available through their Safari browser.

The film outlines several concerning behaviours associated with other browsers, which include tracking users across multiple websites, unauthorised collection of location data, invasions of privacy through web extensions, and the limited effectiveness of private browsing modes.

In contrast, Safari offers a suite of robust privacy features designed to safeguard user information actively:

  • Cross-Site Tracking Prevention: Apple has been a leader in privacy innovation, being the first to block third-party cookies in 2005 and moving to block all third-party cookies by 2019. The company introduced Intelligent Tracking Prevention, which utilizes machine learning to detect and block trackers aggressively. This technology not only blocks known trackers but also purges tracking data to prevent companies from building profiles based on user behavior.
  • Location Data Protection: Safari stands out by not sharing location data with search engines, which is a common practice in other browsers. It provides users with precise control over their location data, only sharing it upon explicit user approval and for a limited duration, ensuring that such sensitive information is guarded against unauthorized use.
  • Privacy-Preserving Web Extensions: Safari supports a range of web extensions while ensuring comprehensive user privacy. Before enabling an extension, Safari informs users about the data the extension will access. Users can then restrict this access to certain websites or for limited periods, thereby maintaining control over their personal data.
  • Enhanced Private Browsing: Safari was the pioneer of Private Browsing, and it has continuously evolved to offer robust protections against modern privacy threats. Beyond local privacy measures, Safari’s Private Browsing now aggressively counters trackers and removes trackers from URLs to prevent link tracking. Advanced fingerprinting protections disrupt trackers’ attempts to identify users based on their device configurations.
  • Innovations Against Fingerprinting: To combat fingerprinting, Safari presents a simplified version of the system configuration to websites. This approach makes it difficult for data companies to single out individual devices for tracking, providing a significant privacy shield for users.
  • Commitment to Continuous Improvement: Apple consistently updates Safari’s privacy features, responding to emerging threats and exploiting new technologies to enhance user privacy. Each update aims to fortify the protections that keep users’ data private and secure from unauthorized access and tracking.
apple safari privacy

As part of its broader commitment to user privacy, Apple ensures that Safari users can browse with confidence, knowing that their personal information remains protected. These efforts place Apple at the forefront of privacy protection in the tech industry, setting a high standard for what private browsing should entail.

For detailed information about all the privacy features Safari offers, users are encouraged to visit Apple’s official website or explore the Safari Privacy Report, where they can see a comprehensive list of the tracking attempts blocked by the browser. This transparency and commitment to user privacy underline why Safari continues to be a leader in secure browsing.

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Microsoft Windows Notepad Finally Gets Spellcheck https://geekculture.co/notepad-finally-gets-spellcheck/ Tue, 09 Jul 2024 06:29:04 +0000 https://geekculture.co/?p=296426

It only took 40 years!

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After 40 years, Notepad users can finally rest easy knowing their typos won’t haunt them like a persistent paperclip (no offence, Clippy!).

Microsoft has finally rolled out spellcheck and autocorrect for its beloved Notepad app in Windows 11. This simple text editor, first introduced in 1983, is finally catching up with the times.

Windows Notepad

The spellcheck feature works much like it does in Word or Edge, highlighting misspelt words with a red underline. But there’s a twist — right-clicking on a misspelt word doesn’t automatically show corrections. You’ll need one extra click to see your options. It’s a small quirk, but we’ll take it.

You can enable or disable spellcheck on a file-by-file basis, making it flexible for different types of documents. Autocorrect is also part of the package, automatically fixing those pesky typos. The ability to toggle the feature on and off is much appreciated, as many preferred Notepad as a simple text editor for batch files or scripts, which does not require a spell checker.

Microsoft has been giving Notepad a makeover with new features like character count, dark mode, tabs, and even Copilot integration. Just in time too, as WordPad is set to be removed from Windows 11 later this year.

So, whether you’re jotting down notes or coding away, Notepad’s new spellcheck and autocorrect are here to make your life a little easier. Finally, typos won’t stand a ghost of a chance.

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No App Yet, But Singapore Student, 18, Wins Apple’s Developer Awards Twice, Meets Tim Cook & Visits Apple HQ In U.S. https://geekculture.co/singapore-student-wins-apple-developer-awards/ Wed, 19 Jun 2024 03:19:46 +0000 https://geekculture.co/?p=294862

The two-time champ has got game, without actually releasing one.

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Eighteen-year-old Raffles Institution student and games developer Jiang Tongyu has a secret.

In the last two years since she started developing games on Apple, the relatively shy musician, who plays the piano, guitar and samba, has developed two concept Playgrounds for Apple’s Swift Student Challenge, both of which were among the 350 winning global submissions for that year’s challenge. Named after Apple’s programming language Swift, the international competition, launched in 2020, is designed to support students to showcase their coding skills and creativity by developing app playgrounds. 

Jiang Tongyu with Tim Cook.

The first, City Nights, was a short game about mental health and the hustle of city culture. Her most recent submission, Tambourine Story, made it as one of 50 Distinguished Winners of 2024’s challenge, and for the first time, these 50 students were invited on an all-expenses paid three-day trip to Apple Park in Cupertino, California to join in the company’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), where the students met other like-minded global app creators and developers.

While the trip was a highlight, Tongyu was also one of the rare few who was able to personally present her winning app to Apple CEO Tim Cook, when he was in Singapore for a visit in April, to the Apple Developer Centre in Singapore’s One North. There was a moment when Cook listened to her explain the game’s concept, of an interactive game that is a tribute to music and collaboration, and even grabbed hold of the iPad to have a go at the game.

But unlike the majority of her peers on the Distinguished Winners list, her secret is that she still hasn’t launched any apps on Apple’s App Store, and it’s not for lack of effort.

apple developer
Tambourine Story.

She only started work on Tambourine Story last December, and initially developed the music game based on a little girl who wanted to join her elder brother’s band.

“The idea came when I was 16, and I wanted to sign up for a talent show with my friends, so we created a band. During the first practice session, when we played together for the first time, I thought the feeling of playing together with everyone else was so amazing, because it felt like you could be a part of something special and a part of something greater than yourself,” recalled the developer, who also plays video games with her brother.

The idea of playing together as a group was first explored in City Nights, where players got overwhelmed by different things they had to manage, from doing homework to catching up on notifications, and realised they had to rely on friends along the way.

City Nights.

“So the app Playground that I made was inspired by that feeling. I actually started with a much bigger scope, as I already had access to like five different instruments. But since it’s for Swift Student Challenge, there was a deadline, so I had to like cut down to make it.”

She settled on the tambourine and a single character, which also mirrored her own effort in single-handedly writing the music, coding the game, and drawing the art, and was eventually able to submit a three-minute concept by mid-February 2024.

“I combined a rhythm game, the story, as well as the usage of core motion, which allows the game to know the rotation and acceleration of the device, to create my game.”

So will we ever see a full version of Tambourine Story on the Apple App Store? The desire is there, but while she jokingly hopes that that new Apple Intelligence, or AI, announced at WWDC 2024, can help turn her submission into a full-fledged game, Tongyu has another A she has to deal with first – her upcoming A Levels examination.

Tambourine Story.

“I’m struggling to think about how I should expand this game,” she admits. 

“I’m a bit torn between, for example, uploading what I have right now to the App Store or waiting until after A levels to expand on it, and make it longer,” she explains. 

“Since the start of June, I’ve been more focused on my A levels. I’m hoping to, since university only starts in the later half of next year, I have a gap year in between. And I hope to work on more projects, like more games.”

apple developer

And the trip to WWDC 2024 has inspired her to do more, especially since Tongyu discovered that of the 50 Distinguished Winners, only four are from Asia, of which two others are female, and have done more than she has, by already releasing their own apps. 

Indonesian BINUS University student, Nadya Tjandra, 21, is a first-time Swift Student Challenge participant and her winning Playground, Circuit Craze, invites players to interactively learn about series and parallel electricity circuits. The educational tool was inspired by her childhood memory of her father who experienced a similar challenge. Prior to her win, she developed other apps, including Tiati, an app with Internet of Things integration to Apple Watch that can deliver alerts to drivers if they start nodding off when driving. 

Thailand student Patcharada Tawaditap, 17, from The Prince Royal’s College School, submitted app Playground Homo Sapiens, which teaches human evolution to children aged 8 to 12. The app, which contains five levels, uses a text-to-speech function to assist children in pronouncing the name of each evolutionary stage.

And in a reflection that leans in somewhat to her first game City Nights and the theme of mental health, Tongyu is both inspired and in awe of the other young student winners.

City Nights.

“I managed to win Distinguished Winner with this, which I’m really honored to have gotten. And of course, it was also really cool to meet all the different Distinguished Winners from all over the world. It just feels really inspiring. I would say that it feels really unreal,” she expresses, before adding, “And sometimes I’m not sure whether, how to say, you know, imposter syndrome.”

“Sometimes I feel like I shouldn’t be here, because some people’s apps have super complex technologies, and I feel like most of the selling points of my apps are usually the games.”

Immediately though, she reverts to her positive self and starts planning for the future.

“I think that it’s super inspiring to see everybody else around me as well. It’s like some people tell me that when they see my projects, they feel inspired by me. And I feel the same way when I see other people’s projects. So I think it’s a really nice community to have.

So what’s next? It’s exams first, before moving into app development.

“I have some game ideas that I’m working on with friends. And next for the Playground, I also want to incorporate different kinds of technology into the game because I always felt that video games have this unique kind of potential to be really immersive with the technology that it uses.”

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WWDC 2024: Apple Intelligence Isn’t AI As You Know It, But It’s More Useful For Everyone https://geekculture.co/wwdc-2024-apple-intelligence/ Wed, 12 Jun 2024 23:53:31 +0000 https://geekculture.co/?p=294517

AI is here to stay.

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For a company that has politely abstained from using the term ‘Artificial Intelligence’ in describing the machine learning and generative text, audio, and visual software that has captured the attention of the tech landscape in the last two years, Apple has certainly found a way to cleverly co-opt the AI acronym.

Apple Intelligence, announced at the company’s annual Worldwide Developer’s Conference (WWDC) in its Apple Park headquarters, is the new suite of AI features for the iPhone, iPad and Mac machines running the upcoming iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia. Instead of a mere app or series of hardware that will inject AI into Apple’s ecosystem, think of Apple’s generative AI deployment as a series of tools and features, ranging from AI-generated emojis (Genmoji), an enhanced Siri that will also tap on the world’s leading learning model, ChatGPT, through a partnership with its designer OpenAI, to image generation, either via on-device or cloud-powered generative AI models, that device users can use to enhance their daily lives.

Apple Intelligence

It’s like using spellcheck or grammar tool on a document – there’s no need to turn anything on and if there is a spelling error or grammar recommendation, the software can flag it without the need for the user to know the proper spelling or understand how it is happening. From screening composed emails to offer contextualised writing recommendations, to having digital assistant Siri be able to understand a more conversational tone during voice interactions, to simplifying photo editing and even searching in your library of hundreds, if not thousands of images, Apple Intelligence effectively does away with the more mundane manual steps that define tasks. By focusing on the results and experience by working seamlessly in the background, users don’t consciously think of it in action, even though it’s clearly present. 

Apple Intelligence

Say you want to identify a photograph of a person taken in the park on your phone, and want the image enhanced before adding it to that individual’s contact card on your phone – you can now ask Siri to identify the image on your phone, have the necessary edits made, before the final image is added to your contact card.

Searches via Siri are now less contingent on having precise verbal instructions and are more contextual instead, so you can do follow-up queries that the software will now recognise as being associated, such as locating a restaurant, getting a reservation and then putting a calendar block for the event.

Remember that document, file or photo that your colleague sent you last week? Was it over email, WhatsApp or Telegram? Just ask Siri instead of trying hard to recall where is sits.

For those using Apple Pencil on the iPad, the software recognises handwriting and can clean up scribbles or misspellings, and even make edits following the user’s writing style.

All of this is enabled by the power of Apple silicon, to use machine learning to understand and create or improve on written language, take actions across apps, and simplify tasks. While the rollout is contingent on the latest device software operating systems, there is also a hardware element.

For Mac machines and the iPad, you need to be using the new M family of processors, and on the phone, it needs to be powered by the A17 Pro processor, which is currently only on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models.

This requirement is hardly surprising, as the newly introduced features tend to only work on the latest iteration of hardware but Apple’s announcement is notable in several aspects.

The first M1 chip debuted in 2020, which means any Mac or iPad bought from that year will be able to tap on Apple Intelligence. Compare this to Microsoft’s rollout of its Copilot generative AI. It’s available on Bing and Edge, and for subscribers of Microsoft 365, though not for the one-off installed version. Then there is Copilot+ on Windows laptops but these are for a new series of Windows PCs that can perform tasks that other Windows PCs cannot, which technically infers that current laptops aren’t capable nor worth the investment.

And like Google Gemini or Meta AI, the generative model itself becomes the focus of attention, instead of the support it brings, including for things it fails on. Known as AI hallucinations, these errors happen because AI models simply collect information without verification, which is why Google Bard told users to add non-toxic glue to bind cheese on pizza, because it has been referenced sarcastically online. AI generative models are an expanding software model that’s still learning, building and growing, but as massive as the tool itself can be, is it really necessary? It’s like buying a workshop simply because you need to use a screwdriver and Apple Intelligence isn’t meant to be the be-all and end-all of AI – it just needs to be useful with some things.

Apple Intelligence

It’s also free, or rather, users don’t have to pay more for a feature that’s so heavily integrated. There are free versions of Copilot, Gemini and even ChatGPT, but the business model being touted is that generative AI is the new income generator for tech companies. But Apple is rolling it out for free (though some would argue that the Apple ecosystem already has a higher built-in adoption cost).  

Apple Intelligence also has one significant advantage over all its competitors, and that is the recorded history between you and your Apple device. Already, your iPhone has your contact list of friends and family, and photos of your family, friends and colleagues. It knows your holidays and travel history, and what your schedule will be from your calendar. With it, you can tell Apple Intelligence to group your holiday photos with your partner, or night out with your friends, or activities within a certain time frame. Meanwhile, Google Bard or Meta AI has no clue as to my children’s names, what they look like, or the photos that were taken in Seoul last year, or at the mall last week.

Apple Intelligence

And for those who argue that Apple Intelligence is merely a subset of real AI offerings, by simplifying AI’s potential, arguments can also be made that AI models are also fractured and don’t offer everything either, simply because of limitations. For more detailed and vibrant AI images, the recommendation isn’t for Microsoft’s model, but to use Midjourney, Dall-E 3 or Stable Diffusion. Given AI hallucinations, the recommendations for using AI for research purposes, complete with citation of sources, are for the likes of Perplexity or Scite – it’s about finding the right tool with the proper offerings that best suit your needs.  

This level of intimacy and knowledge might seem scary at first glance, but it is what allows the company its extensive level of offerings, to create Genmoji that look like you, or your friends as a cartoon character, or sift through your library of images. Aside from the integration with ChatGPT, much of Apple’s AI deployment is dedicated to producing an overall impact on the user, and not be as task-focused as the AI touted by Apple’s peers, including Google, Microsoft, and Facebook. It’s also putting in extra efforts on privacy as AI models use existing data to improve, and artists, authors, talents and originators of content are pushing back against companies that are using their works to build a better AI model.

Apple is keeping things simple by putting privacy first and its use of ChatGPT taps on cloud computational capabilities, but under Apple’s own Private Cloud Compute which it can control and manage. In other words, Apple Intelligence can do some of the things other AI models can, with outside help, but it’s also factoring in a new standard for privacy in AI, that other companies might not be so focused on. This means information on your friends and family, which are on your devices, can be used to serve your needs, but it won’t be shared to improve any AI model because that information is yours. Apple also made it very clear that it will not share user data with OpenAI, or allow OpenAI to train its models with user data.

The flip side is that some elements can benefit the majority. Imagine if Apple took all the handwritten notes globally, especially those of doctors, and collectively processed them so that users anywhere can simply take a photo of doctor’s notes, and immediately know what was written down.

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WWDC 2024: Top 5 Features On iPadOS 18 & macOS Sequoia https://geekculture.co/wwdc-2024-top-5-features-on-ipados-18-macos-sequoia/ Tue, 11 Jun 2024 04:25:06 +0000 https://geekculture.co/?p=294352

Calculator app finally comes to the iPad.

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The wait is over for a calculator app on the iPad, as iPadOS 18 finally brings the long-awaited app with upgraded features, which was announced at WWDC 2024. macOS Sequoia introduces iPhone mirroring, a redesigned Safari, and even more new ways to use your device. Here’s a roundup of the best features of the iPadOS 18 and the macOS Sequoia!

iPadOS 18 Features

Calculator

The Calculator app finally comes to the iPad, and it’s even better than you imagined. A new function allows users to write out their math problem, and the calculator will solve the problem based on your input, from simple addition to complex quadratic equations. Updated for the large iPad display, the basic and scientific calculators also introduce new tools like history and unit conversion.

Smart Script

Smart Script introduces a new way to take notes with the Apple Pencil, using artificial intelligence to make your handwriting more legible, which is useful when you’re taking notes on the go. It can also detect and correct spelling errors and create images out of your handwriting.

Screen Sharing

Wondering if your friends are on the same page when you’re screen sharing? The improved screen share feature lets you draw on your screen to let your friends or colleagues know where to click or take control of devices remotely to navigate to where you want them to be.

Navigation

Finding your files and searching for features in apps is also easier with a new navigation bar and refreshed files, so you can find what you’re searching for with just a tap. The navigation bar works with various apps, and Files is also more intuitive with search queries.

Safari

macOS sequoia

Safari will automatically detect relevant information on a page and highlight it as you browse, which displays helpful information like directions and quick links to learn more about people, music, movies, and TV shows.

macOS Sequoia Features

iPhone Mirroring

macOS sequoia

When using your Mac device, you can now control your iPhone remotely from the display, which lets you move files, photos, and videos between your iPhone and Mac. Notifications from both devices will also appear on the display, and iPhone apps will work on the device.

Easy window tiling

macOS sequoia

Need to split your screen? The new macOS also offers easier window tiling, so you can effortlessly arrange them into side-by-side tiles on your desktop, or place them in corners to keep even more apps in view.

Hands-free Siri Interactions

macOS sequoia

Say yes with a nod, and no with a shake of your head, and Siri will get it. Hands-free interactions mean you can subtly reply to messages using Siri, and control features with gestures, making it even more convenient for instances when you can’t talk.

Passwords App

From passwords to verifications and security alerts, find them all securely stored in the Passwords app, which syncs across devices. Its privacy features ensure your passwords won’t get stolen, so you can store them without worrying.

Apple Intelligence

macOS sequoia

On Mac models with Apple silicon, macOS Sequoia introduces Apple Intelligence, which draws on your personal context to give you intelligence that’s most helpful and relevant. New writing tools and language capabilities help you write, summarize longer text, and prioritize notifications, and you can even generate emojis with AI technology.

With the iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia set to overhaul the Apple experience, which feature are you looking forward to the most?

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WWDC 2024: Top Five Features In iOS 18 https://geekculture.co/wwdc-2024-top-five-features-in-ios-18/ Mon, 10 Jun 2024 18:04:45 +0000 https://geekculture.co/?p=294247

iOS 18 is packed with even more customization and new features.

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WWDC 2024 announced iOS 18, which will be the biggest software refresh in iOS history as Apple revolutionizes its software and brings enhanced features to its devices. Here are the top five features you can expect from iOS 18 when it launches.

Upgraded Visual Look & Feel

iOS 18

iOS 18 upgrades the visual look and feel of Apple devices with even more personalisation features, which lets you frame your apps around your wallpaper, tint the colour of your app icons, and app icons switch colours between light and dark modes.

New Privacy Mode

A new Privacy Mode lets users hide apps, lock apps, and notifications which can only be unlocked with Face ID or a passcode for even more privacy. When you’re letting someone else use your phone, they can only open apps you authorize access to,

Tapbacks, Scheduled Messages and Text Effects

Tapbacks have become one of the most used Messages features, and previously users could only respond to messages with certain emoji reactions. In iOS 18, you can tapback with any emoji, allowing you to react with emojis that fit the situation. A new scheduled message feature will also come to Messages, as well as text effects to emphasize your texts.

Messages via Satellite

In a pinch and unable to access data networks? You can text via satellite in iOS 18, which supports iMessage and SMS texts, as long as you connect to a satellite. Satellite texts are end-to-end encrypted, though it’s unclear if the feature will be available in all Apple markets.

Other Features

iOS 18

Other notable features include a new tap-to-cash feature, which lets users exchange Apple cash between devices, so you can pay friends back for dinner with just a tap. Maps gets even more improvements with topographical maps and detailed trail maps in US National Parks. Categorize your emails with Mail’s new categorization feature, streamlining your correspondence. Photos will get an overhauled look, making it even easier to find old photos, A new Game Mode minimizes background activity to deliver an optimized gaming experience, keeping frame rates high.

With plenty of new features and customization to look forward to, iOS 18 brings even more convenience and enhancements to the iPhone.

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