A few years ago Apple introduced the ability for a new type of application, content blockers. Content blockers are aptly named in that they will help you block content on the internet. The reason why you may want to block content can vary, and content blockers can help allow you to block exactly what you want to block.

The file format for the data for a content blocker is JSON. Each entry consists of two parts, a "trigger" and an "action".

Google has recently made a few new top-level domains, or TLDs, available for registration. The two problematic ones are ".zip", and ".mov". Bleeping Computer has a good write up on how these could be used in a malicious nature to trick users into visiting a site where they can get infected. The issue with these domains, as opposed to other domains, is that the ".zip" and ".mov" extensions are used as file type extensions and this could be the cause of confusion.

If you want to block a top level domain you can use the following code to block .zip domains, but still be able to download .zip files from other sites.

{
    "trigger": {
            "url-filter": ".*\.zip\/"
    },
    "action": {
        "type": "block",
    }
}

The reason that .zip domains are blocked, but files work is due to the " / " in the "url-filter". The ".zip" will match .zip domains. Domains will have a trailing forward slash, whereas files will not. The "url-filter" trigger above will match the trailing slash.

I am not sure how many people will do this, but I am providing the code should anyone want to block the .zip, or .mov top level domains.

For more information about content blockers be sure to check out Apple’s documentation site.

Apple has been on a yearly release cycle for their operating systems since 2011 when they released Mac OS X 10.7 Lion and iOS 5. It was not confirmed until the following year. Each year there is a bunch of new features in each of the platforms. A few years ago I would do a prediction post, in hopes of being able to figure out what Apple might end up announcing. However, over the last couple of years I have changed this to be a wish list. I mad this change because Apple is a secretive company and it is easier to come up with a list of what I would like to see instead of trying to guess what Apple might do. With that, let us look at what I would like to see from Apple, starting with the Home App.

Home App

HomeKit was introduced within iOS 8 in 2014, and HomeKit is the framework that powers all of the actions that occur within Apple’s Home app, as well as with third-party apps. When HomeKit was introduced it was originally only available through third-party apps. And it was not until 2016 with the release of iOS 10 when the Home app was made available. Over the years HomeKit, and the Home app, have both seen significant improvements, including a completely redesign for the Home app with iOS 16/iPadOS, and macOS Ventura.

There is one change that I would like to see, and that is the ability to remove devices that have a status of "Not Responding" for a length of time. As an example, I have a message within the Home app that says:

"LIVING ROOM (2) Cannot connect to Living Room (2). Make sure it is powered on and connected to the Internet."

I do not have any devices named that, there is no item in my iCloud account named that and there is no way to remove the device at all. I think the Home app should have the ability to remove devices from within the app, without needing to go to iCloud. Removing a device from the Home app could possibly also remove it from an iCloud account at the same time. One possible down side is that this could end up being used maliciously. Malicious intent could be somewhat thwarted by requiring the owner of the iCloud account to to confirm that they want to remove it before it is actually removed through the Home app.

The second thing I would like to see is the ability to not allow speciic devices to be considered "Home Hubs" within the Home app. There are some devices, like an original Apple TV HD, that I would NEVER want to be a Home Hub, but due to not being able to limit home hubs, it is possible that it could become one, which could slow down responses with Siri. I know I mentioned this on my wish list last year, and it remains there because it is still not possible.

Both of these would be nice additions to HomeKit and the Home app.

HomePod

The HomePod is a great device for being able to interact with Siri, listen to music, and even use a single HomePod, or a pair of HomePods, as the default output on a TV that has an Apple TV connected. There is one HomePod specific feature that I would like to see. All HomePods use "private" addresses, meaning that when they are connected to a network they randomize the Machine Access Code (MAC) address that is used to uniquely identify the HomePod. This address can change at any time. When it does change, it requests a new IP address from your router and for most people this is not a problem. However, it can become problematic in some situations.

I would like to see an option, even if it is under an "Advanced Settings" section where this could be disabled on a HomePod, or even a setting within the Home app that disables it entirely for all devices. I do not expect Apple to provide this, but it would be a nice feature to have and I would not have to see the IP address pool on my router be depleted because the HomePod decides to change its MAC address.

One of the tasks that you can do with a HomePod is make requests of Apple’s voice assistant Siri, and I have some wish list items for that.

Siri

In the last six months there has been much talk about Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT. While Apple is undoubtedly looking at seeing how they could improve Siri with a large language model, that is not what I am concerned about. Instead, my wish list item for Siri is when it is triggered.

Right now, there is an algorithm that makes a determination as to which devices should respond to a "Hey Siri" request. In theory this should be a HomePod most of the time, and other devices after that. However, I think this needs to be tweaked. If I have a pair of headphones on, and playing audio, and I say "Hey Siri", no other devices should respond, except for the one that my headphones are connected to.

The only exception to this would be if the headphones are in an orientation where they are laying on a surface and not actually on, or in, one’s ears. At that point, any device can respond. My experience is that the HomePod will ALWAYS respond, even if I want to skip to the next track on my headphones. This is rather annoying for those times when I cannot manually move to the next track because my hands are full.

It is situations like this that make me decide to not use Siri for requests because I cannot rely on it choosing I am currently using, like skipping a song, having just any device respond makes Siri effectively useless for voice requests.

iPadOS

Over the last few years Apple has position iPadOS as their own operating system by providing it with features that are exclusive to the iPad. This approach makes sense because some features are only possible on a larger screen. The most recent of these is Stage Manager, which is only available on larger iPads and the Mac. The iPad is not nearly as popular as the iPhone and when it comes to which platform receives feature first, iOS and the iPhone will always get new features first.

Last year with the release of iOS 16 Apple introduced widgets on the Lock Screen on the iPhone. I hope that these come to the iPad and include even larger widget options that would feel at home on the iPad, similar to the larger widgets that are available on the Home Screen. Alternatively, even just allowing more of them would be great. Along with Lock Screen widgets, I would also hope that there can be multiple lock screens that can be tied to a particular focus, just like on the iPhone. I suspect that we will get this year, but you never know because if it is not ready, then Apple will not release it.

Apple Watch

The Apple Watch is a unique device as it initially wanted to be a replacement for your iPhone, but that is not what users have determined they want from the device. Now, the Apple Watch is primarily positioned as a health tracking and notification device. One of the health features that the Apple Watch can provide is a notification for when you have not performed your one minute of standing for the current hour. There are two things related to this that I would like to see.

The first is RELIABLE notifications when you have not stood. This seems to be hit or miss for me. Sometimes it will notify me, other times it will not. It is not reliable and therefore I end up not getting credit for my standing hour because it did not notify me. Obviously, if an Apple Watch is locked or not on your wrist, you will not notice the notification, but this happens to me when the Apple Watch is unlocked, charged, and on my wrist. So this needs to corrected. One other option is to have a simultaneous notification go to the paired iPhone, so someone would possibly be able to see this notification if they do not get the Apple Watch notification. However, I still think the reliability of notifications needs to happen.

The second thing that would be nice would be the ability to change when the notification occurs. Instead of being at 10 minutes to the hour, having the ability to set it to 15 minutes to the hour would be a nice feature to have. I doubt we will see anything like this.

iPhone

If you were to see me anywhere, it is not likely that you will see me more than 10 feet away from my iPhone at any point throughout the day. I use my iPhone for just about everything from playing games (although some are better on the iPad), sending messages via Messages, and listening to audio of some sort. Sometimes I have to take phone calls and when I do if there is audio that was playing before, particularly music, one of two things will happen.

Either the music will not continue after the phone call has ended, which is a small annoyance. The second thing that might happen is that the volume on the audio will shoot up to 100% where it ends up hurting my ears. Furthermore, the volume cannot be adjusted until after I disconnect my headphones and reconnect them.

There is no rhyme or reason why this happens, sometimes it is fine, other times it is not. Sometimes this happens when connected to my AirPods, other times it is with my Beats Solo Pros. Regardless of which device, it is very painful when the volume goes to 100% and not being able to change it is clearly a bug. This is the type of bug that Apple should always make sure never occurs.

Music

Music is a very personal thing to just about everybody who listens to music. This is because tastes in music can vary wildly between two people. Originally introduced on June 30th, 2015 the Apple Music subscription service has added new features like personalized playlists, radio stations, Lossless music, and even Spatial Audio. It is this last one where I would like to see a particular change.

Right now you have an option for being able to download tracks using Spatial Audio, if they are available. Right now this is an all or nothing setting. What I would like to see is the ability to keep the option of defaulting to downloading in Dolby Atmos, but also have the ability to download an individual song, or even an album, in the standard stereo mix.

The reason I would like this is because some songs are just not good versions with Dolby Atmos. Dolby Atmos can make the vocals on some songs seem muddled and make the entire song unlistenable. In these instances, I would still like to listen to the song, but I cannot enjoy it because of the terrible quality. This could be an option on an already downloaded song that would be something like "Re-download Stereo Version" or something similar. What would be even better would be to make sure that this information is stored somewhere in iCloud so if a song is downloaded on another device, for the same user, that information is remembered.

Possible macOS Names

The last item to cover is possible names for macOS. Each of Apple’s macOS releases has a code name. From 2001 to 2013 the code names were "Big Cats". With the introduction of Mac OS X 10.9, the code names were changed to California place names. Last year’s release of macOS Ventura was the demarcation point where there have been more California place names than Big Cats. So, here are my thoughts on what the next version of macOS could be called:

• Joshua Tree
• Golden Gate
• Rancho Cucamonga
• Napa
• Laguna
• Sequoia
• Calistoga
• Mammoth - Only if it is a monumental release
• Redwood

I actually think this year’s release might be called "Redwood", but that is strictly a gut feeling. I have only been correct once before, so I am not holding out hope for getting the name correct.

Closing Thoughts

While I have covered the items that I hope to see, I do not expect Apple to announce any of the things on my wish list, except for the Widgets on the Lock Screen of the iPad. If they do not announce the Lock Screen widgets for iPadOS 17 this year, it will likely be coming in iPadOS 18, unless they are opting to not do them for iPadOS at all.

Rumors are that this year’s World Wide Developer Conference is shaping up to be a monumental one with the possible announcement of a new product category. The WWDC keynote begins at 10 a.m. Pacific time, 12 p.m. Central time on Monday, June 5th, 2023. I will have a recap of the announcement sometime after the keynote has finished.

If you have been reading this site for any length of time, it is probably evident that I replace my desktops, laptops, iPads, and iPhones a lot more often than I do my car. To illustrate my point, between my last two car purchases I have purchased the following items: three Mac Laptops, four Mac Desktops, eight iPads, and 16 iPhones. I suspect that this is similar to others, but not likely to the same degree.

After more than 18 months of research, and weighing out numerous possibilities (yes, that includes the use of a spreadsheet with various columns), earlier this month I purchased a brand new car. According to a May 15th, 2023 press release from S&P Global Mobility, the national average for the length of time that people are holding onto their cars has increased to 12.5 years, at least in the United States. The length of time between my last two car purchases is more than 15 years, so it is definitely longer than the current average.

When you upgrade from a car that is more than 15 years old, the technology upgrades can be substantial, and that is absolutely the case for me. Just a few examples of things that my new car has, that were not even possible since my last car purchase includes: blind-side monitoring, lane assist, media controls right on the steering wheel, and a rear backup camera, this last one is now required by law now, but it definitely was not an option on my old car.

In terms of more relevant technology to this post, my previous car was sufficiently old that it did have a CD-player, without a tape player, but it did not have Bluetooth nor did it even have an auxiliary jack. This meant that I could not plug in anything into the stereo to listen to audio, except via CD or using the radio. In order to be able to listen to what I wanted, I had to use a variety of different cable configurations to be able to use my iPod, Zune, or iPhone. Common among all of my usages was an FM transmitter, which would allow me to listen to music, audiobooks, or podcasts. Let us look at the various models that I had purchased over the years.

FM Transmitters

In case you are not aware, an FM transmitter works by emitting a signal on a certain FM frequency that you can choose from within a certain range. Once you have set the frequency on the transmitter, you then tune your radio to the same frequency. Once your radio is tuned you should be able to hear the audio from the device connected to the FM transmitter. This configuration should work for any FM receiver, but it the most common use case is within cars. One of the downsides of this was that because it was radio, it would be susceptible to interference from other transmitters. These transmitters could be other cars or even stores that were transmitting on the same frequency.

Over the years I have purchased a few different FM transmitters, the first was the Griffin iTrip 9871-TRP30. I do not exactly recall when I purchased this, but it was likely in 2005 when I got my first iPod mini. This was an FM transmitter that plugged directly into the dock connector, and it was powered from your iPod. You could also use a mini-USB cable to power and charge the iPod. it would not work with the iPhone, if you attempted to use it with an iPhone you would get this screen with a message that states:

This accessory is not made to work with iPhone

Would you like to turn on Airplane Mode to reduce audio interference?

You will not be able to make or receive calls.

Because it would not work with the iPhone, I eventually ended up buying a different FM transmitter. The second one I purchased was the Griffin iTrip 9501-TRIPCB. I purchased this in February of 2007 and it too was designed for devices with the 30-pin connector, and as far as I recall, this one worked with the iPhone as well as with an iPod, but I cannot be certain and none of my online research mentioned compatibility with the iPhone. I used this until it broke a couple of years later when I purchased a third version of the Griffin iTrip.

This model was the "Griffin iTrip Universal FM Transmitter and Charger", specifically the 7259-TRIPUNP. This model was different in that it had a headphone jack as the connector, and not a 30-pin connector. The "Universal" nature was due to the headphone jack connection, which allowed you to use it regardless of devices, provided the device has a headphone jack, or you can connect it to a headphone jack somehow.

I vastly preferred this last Griffin FM transmitter over the others. I bought the Griffin iTrip Universal in 2009, and I ended up purchasing no fewer than 7 of them over the years, after they kept breaking mostly due to wear and tear, or me accidentally breaking them. In fact, the last time I purchased them (in 2015), I actually bought two, one to replace the one that was flaking out, as well as a spare, just in case anything would have happened to the one replacement. I did this because it had been discontinued I was not sure I would be able to replace it again. I still have the spare, and because I had the spare I did not end up needing it. The headphone jack on the latter model made everything a bit more flexible and it did not limit you to a specific connector type like the previous ones.

My final configuration for being able to charge and listen to audio at the same time was to use a Belkin Rockstar Lightning + Charger connected to my iPhone's lightning port, a lightning to headphone adapter to the headphone jack on the iTrip, and a lightning to USB-A cable that would work for charging. This configuration allowed me to both charge my iPhone as well as listen to audio while driving. This configuration is now moot with my new car.

I only had a few requirements for my new car, and one of them was to have CarPlay in it. While other things like a sun/moon roof were negotiable, CarPlay was not. I would prefer to have wireless CarPlay, but even wired CarPlay was acceptable. Ultimately, my car only has wired CarPlay, but I am okay with this. I know I can get Wireless CarPlay dongle, but I doubt that I will be doing that, unless they significantly improve. Before I delve into my thoughts on CarPlay, let us look a brief history of CarPlay.

Brief History of CarPlay

If you were to look back to 2007 at the introduction of the iPhone, you would be hard pressed to guess how the iPhone would change things and what trajectory it would ultimately take. While it took about 3 months to sell 1 million iPhones, it has grown to be one of the most popular devices in the world. Over the last 16 years the capabilities of the iPhone have increased significantly not only to new cameras, machine learning, and millions of apps, but in also being able to provide functionality beyond the phone, like within a car using a feature called CarPlay.

In 2014 Apple announced a whole new way of using your iPhone while in your car, that feature was initially marketed as "iOS in the Car", but ultimately this got renamed to CarPlay. CarPlay effectively projects a version of your iPhone screen onto a display in your car. This can be done via a cable or wirelessly, depending on the capabilities of your car. CarPlay is not a system that just any developer can create for. They must request approval (via an entitlement) from Apple that will allow their app to be used on CarPlay.

CarPlay Capabilities

Given the environment for CarPlay, not every app is suitable for CarPlay, in fact there are really only a handful of different types of apps that can be used with CarPlay. The possible type of applications includes:

• Navigation
• Audio
• Messaging
• Calendar
• Charging Station Locators

My new car is not an electric vehicle, but I did consider purchasing one, so I do not have any experience with any of the charging station locator apps, but let us look at the other categories, starting with Navigation.

Navigation/Maps

Many cars have their own navigation systems and while these are generally good for roads that do not change, they are not easy to keep up to date. There is an adage in Illinois, there are only two season, Winter and construction". This adage is definitely correct, because there is almost always construction happening somewhere. With construction, quite often there can be new route patterns and these can change on a daily basis. Many built-in navigation systems quickly becoming out of date, and even if you are able to update the information, it is often out of date before you update. Conversely, many iOS mapping applications can provide real-time information like traffic, alternate routes, and even red light cameras, or general slowdowns that may be up ahead.

I do not often have a reason to get directions, however there are instances where it is helpful, particularly if you know of a specific location's general area, but not which turn to take to easily get to your destination. I will say that having a display to be able to easily see the route is a significant improvement over having to figure out when it is safe to glance at my phone. Even when I did use navigation I would often rely on my Apple Watch to provide haptic feedback on which direction to turn.

Audio

Right before I start driving I try to figure out what I want to listen to during my drive. Sometimes I listen to an audiobook, other times I listen to a podcast, and yet in other instances I end up listening to music. Sometimes, the distance I am going ends up making the determination of what type of audio I will end up listening to. For shorter rides it may be music, or a podcast, and for longer drives it may be an audiobook or podcast, but it all depends.

For my audio listening I use Apple Music for music, Overcast for podcasts, and Audible for audiobooks. Each of these apps works with CarPlay, so I can use any of these apps to listen to audio. Even though this is possible, I often end up just using the "Now Playing" screen. The Now Playing screen is very similar to that of the "Now Playing" widget on Apple Watch. When this is shown on screen, the current audio that is being played will be shown regardless of the app. I prefer to use this screen since it provides a consistent interface for all types of audio.

Phone/Messages

CarPlay does have the option for being able to answer phone calls or send messages. It is not likely that I will be using these because I do not think it is appropriate to interact with these while driving because they can be too distracting. I have actually disabled the "Announce Messages" and I have not enabled phone calls to be answered while I am driving.

Other Items

There are a couple of other areas that I want to highlight, but they do not fit in the items above, so they will get their own category. These items are Siri and Settings.

Siri

If you ask almost anybody, Siri is not the best voice assistant on the market. Most of the time I do not have any issues with Siri, but part of that may be because I do not use it all that often. However, while in the car Siri plays an important part in maintaining your hands on the wheel and paying attention to the road. When I have used the phrase "Hey Siri" in the car it is absolutely instantaneous, regardless of the ambient noise that may be in the background. When I ask Siri to play a song, it does not hesistate and it plays the actual song. Part of the speed may be that I typically only listen to my downloaded music, so it does not have to stream it from anywhere.

Earlier I mentioned that I have media controls on the steering wheel and one of these is a "Voice" button. If I am using CarPlay I can press the "voice" button on the steering wheel to bring up Siri. If I am not, then it will bring up the car's native voice interface, but I never use this.

Settings/App Order

One of my initial things that I was going to mention for improvement is a way to re-arrange the apps, but this is provided for by going to Settings -> General -> CarPlay on an iPhone that is paired with a vehicle. Here you can add, remove, and re-arrange the order that apps appear. I initially thought that this was not possible because it could not be done on the screen within the car, but then it occurred to me that CarPlay has to work across a variety of screens and systems, so Apple would not be able to expect the screen to be able to support re-arranging, so instead it is done via Settings. Furthermore, one should not be re-arranging apps while driving.

There is a Settings app while you are using CarPlay, and there is one option that is nice to see, Dark Mode. You do have the option of either "Automatically" having the screen show in light mode or dark mode, depending on time of day, or "Always Dark". I am a bit confused as to why "Always Light" is not an option, but this could be due to the fact that at night having a light screen may be too distracting while driving.

On the topic of improvements, let us move to things that I would like to see.

Features I would like to see

Even though I have only been using CarPlay in my car for only a short time, there are a couple of features that I would like to see added. These are additional wallpapers, improved app selection, and additional displayed information.

Wallpapers

While you are within CarPlay, if you navigate to the Settings app, there is an option for selecting a Wallpaper. These Wallpapers are the same as those available on iOS and include both light mode and dark mode variations. You can see what this looks like below.

What I would like to see is additional options, possibly even using photos from one’s Photo library. Even if this had to be done from within Settings on an iPhone would be sufficient. Additionally, it would be a welcome update even if the photo itself ended up being significantly blurred as to not provide a distraction.,Allowing people to choose a custom photo would add a bit of personalization to their CarPlay experience.

Improved App Selection

The CarPlay interface is effectively a grid of icons, and this approach makes sense because you do not want to be using the screen while driving. However, what might be nice is the ability to have your apps along the bottom of the screen, like the Dock on the iPhone, instead of along the left side of the screen. Now that I think about this, it might make more sense to keep it the way it is since the current location is closer to the driver and minimizes the amount of time the driver's hands would have to be off of the wheel.

Additional Information

On the Apple CarPlay website, there is currently a graphic that shows an example of what the Next Generation CarPlay interface may look like. In that graphic, there is a screen that shows the grid of apps, but next to it is the current weather. I would not expect the current CarPlay to be able to display this, particularly given on the size of may screens in cars today. But what might be useful would be have a spot on the screen, or even a widget, that shows the current temperature. Just like the Wallpapers, this would be helpful even if it had to be configured within CarPlay Settings on a paired iPhone.

Closing Thoughts

Overall, I like using CarPlay. My in-car infotainment system is, to put it mildly, basic. It provides Bluetooth connectivity, but that is it. There is no navigation, but I am completely okay with this. The manufacturer of my car has opted to support CarPlay. I actually appreciate the fact that there is nothing else on the system because I would not end up using the features and it would probably just add additional cost.

I would like to see a couple of additional features, like an option for custom wallpapers from one’s photo library, possibly improved app selection with a dock on the bottom, or even an option for such, and additional information like outside temperature. It is possible that we will see these additions in CarPlay in the future, but it is also possible that any additions will be limited to the "Next Generation CarPlay". As I write this we are just a week away from Apple’s World Wide Developer Conference 23 (WWDC), so if there are any improvements they will likely be announced during the keynote.

As you might have been able to surmise from my posts on this site, I primarily use Apple hardware and software. I do have a couple of linux servers, and a Raspberry Pi, but my day to day computer is a Mac . I have been using Apple products since 2005 when I purchased my first iPod, the 1st generation iPad Nano. In the interim time, I have purchased innumerable iPods, iPhones, Macs, iPads, and Apple headphones. Back in 2016 with the release of the 1st generation AirPods, I purchased a pair eventually purchased a pair of 2nd generation AirPods in March of 2019, and a 3rd generation in October of 2021.

The first and second generation AirPods had the same shape, but the 2nd generation provided things like "Hey Siri”, improved Bluetooth support and an "Announce Messages” features. In order to perform any actions wit the first and second generation AirPods you had to tap on the AirPod itself. Many found this disconcerting to do. The 3rd generation AirPods were an entirely different shape, included Spatial Audio and Head Tracking, controls on the stems instead of tapping the AirPods, and a charging case that is Qi compatible. You can read my review.

I should explain when I use which headphones. Throughout most of the day I am using my Beats Solo Pro, again you can read my review of those. I use the Beats Solo Pros because they are comfortable for all day usage, and even after 3 and half years, they still have all day battery life. Since I use the Beats Solo Pros most of the time, I have been using the 3rd generation AirPods when I go out for a walk or while I am out running errands. I do like the small size of the 3rd generation AirPods so they fit in my pocket, they are not heavy, so when out exercising it is not a problem to carry them the entire time.

One thing mentioned in my review of the 3rd generation AirPods is that they did not fit in my ears, at least when compared to the 2nd generation AirPods. Initially this was not a problem, but over time it has become increasingly annoying having to readjust the right headphone over and over. So about six weeks ago, I opted to use my 2nd generation AirPods on my walk. Immediately after putting them in my ears, I realized why I liked these better.

First, they fit better. I do not have to adjust them once I put them in, this is a big plus. Secondly, the sound is louder, including more bass, when compared to the 3rd germination AirPods when set to the same volume level. I suspect that this is due to the 2nd generation fitting better and the sound being directed into my ear canal instead of bouncing around. So, it looks like I am going to use my 2nd generation AirPods instead of my 3rd generation at least while exercising. When I am out running errands, I do still bring my 3rd generation AirPods along and use those. The reason for this is first, to still be able to use them, but secondly I do not spend a lot of time in any one store while out running errands, so the amount of time that I have to fiddle with them is minimized.

What I would like to see is Apple rename have a line of AirPods (maybe AirPods Air?) that retains the shape of the 2nd generation AirPods but includes some features of the 3rd generation AirPods, even if the only change was being able to use the stems of the AirPods to activate functions. This arrangement alone would be a nice upgrade. If Apple also had an option for a wireless case and USB-C instead of lightning, it would be a welcome upgrade. I am doubting that we will see this, but it would be nice to have, particularly for those whose ears are the wrong shape for being able to comfortably use the 3rd generation AirPods.

No product from any single company is going to be perfect for every consumer of said product. Additionally, each user is unique and not likely to be similar to any other user. Some users may need additional accomodations. These accomodations could be due to physical, cognitive, or even visual needs. In order to help their ecosystem be useable by everyone Apple has put forth tremendous effort into accessibility.

Accessibility for Apple is not just an afterthought, but it is built into every operating system that Apple ships. Furthermore, it is not a set of features that Apple adds once and does not improve upon. To celebrate Global Accessibility Awareness Day, which is May 18th, Apple has previewed a set of new accessibility features coming to its operating systems later this year. The features that will be coming are:

• Point and Speak in Detection Mode in Magnifier
• Assistive Access
• Live Speech and Personal Voice

Let us look at each of these in turn, starting with Point and Speak in Detection Mode in Magnifier.

Point and Speak in Detection Mode in Magnifier

There are those who may have vision problems and have been able to benefit from a feature called Magnifier. Magnifier will, as the name suggests, magnify the view of what is being shown on an iPhone's screen. While being able to increase the size of what is being shown this is only a first step. Later this year Magnifier will be able to have the app detect text and then it will speak it out loud to the user. This will help users be able to easily understand the text on signs, appliance buttons, and a myriad of other items.

Assistive Access

There are many people within the world who have mobility issues, either temporary issues or even permanent issues. For these users beign able to use an iPhone or iPad can be quite difficult, particularly if the touch targets are smaller and more difficult to precisely touch. For those who can benefit from it, Assistive Access can be quite useful.

From Apple's press release:

Assistive Access uses innovations in design to distill apps and experiences to their essential features in order to lighten cognitive load. The feature reflects feedback from people with cognitive disabilities and their trusted supporters — focusing on the activities they enjoy — and that are foundational to iPhone and iPad: connecting with loved ones, capturing and enjoying photos, and listening to music.

Assitive Access will create a very easy to use interface with large buttons to easily access the primary featuers that a user might need to access. As an example, Assistive Access combines the Phone and FaceTime into a single app that will allow users to easily contact someone, wheether it be via a phone or via FaceTime. This will be a boon for those with mobility issues and allow them to easily access the functions of their phone that they need to access.

Live Speech and Personal Voice

Live Speech and Personal Voice is a forthcoming feature that will allow users to type out what they want to say and have it spoken out loud. This may be during a phone calls, FaceTime calls, or even in-person conversations. For some adding this feature, as outlined above, might be enough. But it goes further. From Apple's press release:

For users at risk of losing their ability to speak — such as those with a recent diagnosis of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) or other conditions that can progressively impact speaking ability — Personal Voice is a simple and secure way to create a voice that sounds like them.

Users can create a Personal Voice by reading along with a randomized set of text prompts to record 15 minutes of audio on iPhone or iPad. This speech accessibility feature uses on-device machine learning to keep users’ information private and secure, and integrates seamlessly with Live Speech so users can speak with their Personal Voice when connecting with loved ones.

Additional Features

The items outlined above are just the beginning. Apple has also outlined a number of additional features coming. These include:

• Deaf or hard-of-hearing users can pair Made for iPhone hearing devices directly to Mac and customize them for their hearing comfort.3 Voice Control adds phonetic suggestions for text editing so users who type with their voice can choose the right word out of several that might sound alike, like “do,” “due,” and “dew.”4 Additionally, with Voice Control Guide, users can learn tips and tricks about using voice commands as an alternative to touch and typing across iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
• Users with physical and motor disabilities who use Switch Control can turn any switch into a virtual game controller to play their favorite games on iPhone and iPad.
• For users with low vision, Text Size is now easier to adjust across Mac apps such as Finder, Messages, Mail, Calendar, and Notes.
• Users who are sensitive to rapid animations can automatically pause images with moving elements, such as GIFs, in Messages and Safari.
• For VoiceOver users, Siri voices sound natural and expressive even at high rates of speech feedback; users can also customize the rate at which Siri speaks to them, with options ranging from 0.8x to 2x.

Closing Thoughts

Accessibility is a large aspect to Apple's operating systems that allow users, particularly those who need some sort of accomodation, to be able to customize their devices to work in a manner that functions best for them. In order for any operating system to be successful, Accessiblity cannot be something that is bolted on after the fact. It has to be a primary concern and should be able to help users create the best experience for their needs.

The three features highlighted above, "Point and Speak in Detection Mode in Magnifier", "Assistive Access", "Live Speech and Personal Voice" are just the latest in the line of accessibility features across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS. I suspect that we will see many more accessibility features being added in the future.


Source: Apple Newsroom.

The place within Apple's ecosystem has changed over its 13-year lifetime. It started out as a much larger iPhone, but it has progressed to its own place within the ecosystem, including its own operating system. One area where power users have indicated that the iPad has been lacking is with "Pro" apps from Apple. Today, that has changed, because Apple has announced both Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro are coming to the iPad. Both apps will be available on May 23rd, 2023 in the App Store.

Final Cut Pro

Final Cut Pro on the iPad brings an app that professionals are accustomed to right on their iPad. Final Cut Pro for iPad utilizes multi-touch gestures to allow creatives to create, record, edit, and publish all from your iPad. While editing you make frame-accurate edits with just your finger as well as with the Apple Pencil.

If you have an Apple Pencil you can use a feature called "Live Drawing" to write directly on top of video content. If you have an iPad Pro with M2 you can use the Apple Pencil hover capability to quickly scrub through your timeline to preview footage without needing to touch the screen.

The Apple Pencil is great, but sometimes you just need to use keyboard shortcuts, and that is possible if you have either a Smart Keyboard or Magic Keyboard attached (and presumably any keyboard connected with Bluetooth) to perform actions using keyboard shortcuts.

More and more videos are utilizing High Dynamic Range, or HDR, technologies to provide even better color. If you have a compatible 12.9-inch iPad Pro, you will be able to use Reference Mode on the iPad to get accurate colors for your video. Beyond this, if you have a multicam setup, you can view and edit these right on your iPad, M2 iPad users can also do all of this in ProRes on their devices.

Final Cut Pro for iPad also includes the ability to add effects, backgrounds, and soundtracks do you video. If you need to remove a background, there is a new Screen Removal Mask feature which will allow you to replace the background.

If you need to import media, this can be done using either Files or Photos. Any media you import will be saved directly within your Final Cut Pro project. Final Cut Pro on iPad can also import files from iMovie on iOS. As for exporting, you can export projects to your Mac, but you cannot import projects from your Mac to the iPad.

Requirements

Final Cut Pro requires iPadOS 16.4, or later, and will work on any iPad with an M1 or newer. This means that you will need a 12.9-inch iPad Pro (5th or 6th generation) or 11-inch iPad Pro (3rd or 4th generation) in order to run Final Cut Pro.

You can learn more about Final Cut Pro on the iPad by visiting the Final Cut for iPad website.

Logic Pro

Logic Pro is designed to allow the creation of music, sound efforts, or any other audio that one can conceive.

Logic Pro for iPad utilizes the multi-touch gestures to quickly allow you to play software instruments, interact with controls, and use standard multi-touch gestures. These gestures include pinch to zoom, swiping to scroll just like you would with almost any other iPad app.

Just like Final Cut Pro you can use the Apple Pencil with Logic Pro to do some precise editing or you can use the Apple Pencil to draw track automations to get just the right sound. Also like Final Cut Pro, if you prefer keyboard shortcuts these should also work with a Smart Keyboard or Magic Keyboard (again presumably it will work with any bluetooth connected keyboard) to perform the same actions as on the Mac.

One of the features of Logic Pro is the ability to browse the sound library. This is included with Logic Pro for iPad and you can browse everything in one location and quickly filter the list to get just the item you are looking for.

One of the more professional features of Logic Pro for iPad is the "Pro Mixer". The Pro Mixer emulates a physical mixer and provides you with faders, channel strips, pan controls, plugins, and even automation so you can get just the right sound for your tracks. And since Logic Pro utilizes multi-touch, you can move multiple faders simultaneously. Logic Pro for iPad does allow you to move projects easily between the iPad and the Mac. You can also export songs in a variety of compressed and lossless audio formats. You can even export your finished track from Logic Pro and import it into Final Cut Pro. If you have a Garageband for iOS project, you can import it into Logic Pro for iPad, but you cannot export it back out.

Requirements

Logic Pro requires iPadOS 16.4, or later, and will work on any iPad with an A12 Bionic or newer. If you have one of the iPads below, Logic Pro should work for you.

• 11-inch iPad Pro (2nd generation or later)
• 12.9-inch iPad Pro (4th generation or later)
• iPad (8th generation or later)
• iPad Air (4th generation or later)

You can learn more about Final Cut Pro on the iPad by visiting the Logic Pro for iPad website.

Pricing

One of the biggest changes with the iPad versions of Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro, as compared to the Mac versions, is the pricing. Both of the iPad versions are subscriptions, $4.99 per month or $49 per year, without any option of having a one-time purchase. The Mac versions of Final Cut Pro is $299.99 and Logic Pro is $199.99.

There has been some discussion regarding the iPad apps being subscriptions, with individuals on both sides. Some of the pushback has been due to subscription fatigue and everything being having a subscription. At the same time, some have mentioned that having the monthly subscription pricing could bring more people into using the apps, given that they can subscribe for a while and then cancel without needing to put down so much up front for an app where they might only have an need.

There is a one-month free-trial for both applications, so you can try them before you commit to a subscription.

Closing Thoughts

When someone uses "FINALLY", to signify that something has happened, it is often not an appropriate use. However, in this case I think it is appropriate for people to use it, particularly since many professional users have been wanting Apple's '"Pro" apps to be available on the iPad.

It seems as though Apple has utilized the features of the iPad to bring pretty good versions of Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro to the iPad. Utilizing features like multi-touch to allow pinch to zoom and using Apple Pencil to allow precise editing should go a long way for users.

For many creatives having either Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro available on their iPad will go a long way to helping them create, edit, and share their creations. Some may balk at the pricing, but others will welcome it as a way of being able to do what they need while on the go or just on a platform where they feel most comfortable.

I am not one who uses Final Cut Pro or Logic Pro, not even on the Mac, so I am not the target market for these. I do not think I will be downloading or subscribing, but these are definitely apps that many will use. I hope this is just the start of what Apple has planned for their "Pro" apps and the iPad. I also hope that these apps will not suffer a "set it and forget it" approach that seems to plague many of the features on the Mac, but that is a whole other topic.

Source: Apple Newsroom.

Each year Apple introduces a new Apple Watch band with matching iPhone wallpaper, and Apple Watch face, in support of the LGBTQ+ community. Today has announced its most recent band and this year it is a sport band.

Apple's press release states:

Inspired by the strength and beauty of the LGBTQ+ community, the new Sport Band design showcases the original pride flag rainbow colors and five others — black and brown symbolize Black and Latin communities, in addition to those who have passed away from or are living with HIV/AIDS, while light blue, pink, and white represent transgender and nonbinary individuals.

This year’s design integrates a joyful rainbow of geometric shapes on a white base, which are compression-molded into the final band. In the forming process, the base material flows around each individual shape, creating small variations in their layout. No two bands are exactly alike, reflecting the individuality of all members of the LGBTQ+ community.

The new Apple Watch band will be available to order on Tuesday, May 23rd, 2023 and will be in Apple stores starting on May 24th, 2023 for $49. The Pride Edition Sport Band will be available in 41mm and 45mm versions and will be compatible with Apple Watch Series 3 and later.

The accompanying wallpaper and watch face will be available next week with the release of iOS 16.5 and watchOS 9.5 respectively.

Below are a couple of screenshots of the new iOS wallpaper in dark mode.

Source: Apple Newsroom.

Starting today, Apple's previously announced "High Yield" savings account is now available. Apple has partnered with Goldman Sachs to allow users to open a High Yield savings account where they can earn interest on the money in the account.

As of this writing, the interest rate offered is 4.15 annual interest. According to the Apple press release, that is "a rate that’s more than 10 times the national average". This is not an automatic process, you must actually setup an account.

Setup

There are a number of steps needed to setup the account. These steps are:

1. Open the Wallet app.
2. Open your Apple Card.
3. Tap on the three dots.
4. Tap on "Daily Cash".
5. Under "Daily Cash Election", tap on "Savings" to begin the setup. This will open an informational screen.
6. Tap "Continue". This will open the Social Security Number screen.
7. Enter in your full Social Security number.
8. Tap the "Next" button. This will bring up the "Savings Account Terms and Conditions" screen.
9. Tap on "Agree" to agree to the terms. This will bring up a "You're Almost There" screen.
10. Confirm whether or not you are Subject to Backup Withholdings from the IRS.
11. Tap on "Confirm and Open Account". Your account will be setup.
12. Once your account is opened, you will have the option of transferring your Apple Cash balance to your savings account. tap on "Transfer to Savings".
13. On the "Transfer to Savings" screen, you can enter in amount you want to transfer. You can also choose the source.

Adding Funds

There are a couple of different ways to add funds to your Savings Account. The first is by transferring from your Bank account. The second, and more common, is to automaticaly have your Apple Daily Cash automatically transferred into the savings account.

If you want to add funds to your savings account, perform the following steps:

1. Open the Wallet app.
2. Open your Apple Card.
3. Tap on "Savings Account". This will open up the "Savings" screen.
4. Tap on "Add Money" to bring up the "Add Money" screen.
5. Enter in the amount you want to add to your savings account.
6. Select the source for the funds to be added. By default this is your Apple Cash card.
7. Double-click the side button to confirm the transfer.

Withdrawing Funds

You can withdraw funds from your Savings Account. You can transfer money to your Apple Cash account or your configured bank account.

If you want to withdraw funds from your savings account, perform the following steps:

1. Open the Wallet app.
2. Open your Apple Card.
3. Tap on "Savings Account". This will open up the "Savings" screen.
4. Tap on "Withdraw" to bring up the "Transfer Money" screen.
5. Enter in the amount you want to withdraw to your savings account.
6. Select the destination for the funds to be added. By default this is your Apple Cash card.
7. Double-click the side button to confirm the transfer.

Changing Daily Cash Destination

You can change the destination of where your Apple Daily Cash gets deposited. This can be done by using the following steps:

1. Open the Wallet app.
2. Open your Apple Card.
3. Tap on the three dots.
4. Tap on "Daily Cash".
5. Under "Daily Cash Election", tap on your preferred destination.

Things to Note

There are a couple of things to note. First, this is only available in the United States. Secondly, interest accumulates daily, but is paid out at the end of the month. Third, you can transfer money instantly between Apple Pay Cash and your Savings Account. The last thing to note is that there is a limit to the savings account balance, it does max out at the currently FDIC insured amount of $250,000, at least as of this writing.

Closing Thoughts

The Apple Card High Yield Savings Account is an easy way to allow people to save money and having your Daily Cash be automatically added does make it a bit easier to save money. Having the capability of easily transferring money in and out means that you are able to manage your money as needed.

Source: Apple Newsroom

About this time every year Apple announces the dates for its annual World Wide Developer Conference (WWDC). WWDC23 will be from Monday, June 5th to Friday, June 9th. Last year Apple held a small in-person event for some developers, they will be doing the same this year. You can apply to attend the in-person event. This needs to be done by April 4th at 9am Pacific Time. Those who are chosen will be notified by 6pm Pacific Time on April 5th.

Along with WWDC is the Student Challenge. Submissions for the Swift Student Challenge are due by April 19th. More information is availble on the Swift Student Challenge website.

Source: Apple Newsroom

Most announcements from Apple come via press release, or streamed video. But that is not the way that I found out that Apple is releasing Apple Music Classical on March 28th. Instead, I got a push notification from the Apple Music app that let me know that Apple Music Classical was coming. It is possible that a press release will be published, but as of this writing it has not.

Back in August of 2021 Apple announced that they had acquired Polyphonic, an app dedicated to classical music. According to the Apple Music Classical product page,

Get the app designed specifically for classical music. Available to Apple Music subscribers at no additional cost. Instantly find any recording in the world’s largest classical music catalog with search built for the genre. Enjoy the highest audio quality available (up to 192 kHz/24-bit Hi-Res Lossless) and hear classical favorites like never before in spatial audio, all with zero ads.

Apple Music Classical also makes it easy for beginners to get acquainted with the genre thanks to hundreds of Essentials playlists, insightful composer biographies, deep-dive guides for many key works, and intuitive browsing features.

The Ultimate Classical Experience * Get unlimited access to the world’s largest classical music catalog (over 5 million tracks) with everything from new releases to celebrated masterpieces, plus thousands of exclusive albums. * Search by composer, work, conductor, or even catalog number, and find specific recordings instantly. * Listen in the highest audio quality (up to 192 kHz/24 bit Hi-Res Lossless) and enjoy thousands of recordings in immersive spatial audio with Dolby Atmos. * Benefit from complete and accurate metadata to make sure you know exactly what and who you are playing. * Learn while you listen, with thousands of composer biographies, descriptions of key works, and more. * Listen using AirPlay on compatible wireless devices.

Requirements * Requires an Apple Music subscription (Individual, Student, Family, or Apple One). Not available with the Apple Music Voice Plan. * Available worldwide where Apple Music is offered, excluding China, Japan, Korea, Russia, Taiwan, Turkey, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Available features and content may vary by country or region. * Apple Music Classical is available for all iPhone models running iOS 15.4 or later. * To listen to music on Apple Music Classical, you must have an internet connection.

Apple Music Classical will only be available as an iPhone app at launch and it will be localized to English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish.

You can pre-order Apple Music Classical today from the Apple App Store. Apple Music Classical is included with any Apple Music subscription, so you will need to be subscribed to Apple Music in order to use the service.