One of the big new features coming to the iPhone this Fall in iOS 18 is the integration of AI. When Apple released the beta version of iOS 18.0 in June for developers to start to work with, Apple's most significant new AI features—including stuff that the company is calling Apple Intelligence instead of artificial intelligence—were not in the beta. This week, Apple released a developer beta of iOS 18.1. Not 18.0; 18.1. And it contains Apple Intelligence. This indicates to me that we will see Apple release iOS 18.0 and the 2024 versions of the iPhone around mid-September, but then we will have to wait another month or two for Apple to release iOS 18.1, which will have some of the first parts of Apple Intelligence. Thus, for those of us who do not run beta software on an iPhone, that means that we will not be able to start to use Apple Intelligence in September, but perhaps we will see some of it in October or November, with even more features added in 2025. And now, the news of note from the past week:
- Apple released iOS 17.6 this week for the iPhone and similar updates for numerous other platforms. But there are no new features; these are just bug fixes and security updates.
- Massachusetts attorney Bob Ambrogi of LawSites reports on a new ethics opinion from the American Bar Association that addresses AI. It is Formal Opinion 512 (July 29, 2024). The opinion says that lawyers don't have to become experts in AI but they are ethically required to have a reasonable understanding of the capabilities and limitations of whatever specific AI technology that the lawyer uses.
- Julie Clover of MacRumors reports that if you live in Ohio, you can now put your state driver’s license in the Apple Wallet app. I knew that this was true even before I saw that report because my podcast co-host Brett Burney lives in Ohio and he texted me a picture of his license in the Wallet app. In Louisiana where I live, a digital driver’s license is supported but not in the Apple Wallet app; instead, you need to use a special app called LA Wallet that I first reviewed in 2018. I can tell you that after using this app for over five years, I really love knowing that if my iPhone is with me (and it aways is) then my license is also with me, even if I forgot to put my wallet in my back pocket.
- Ryan Christoffel of 9to5Mac provides a first look at Siri with Apple Intelligence based on what is currently available in the beta software.
- Juli Clover of MacRumors describes all of the AI features that are included with the first beta of iOS 18.1.
- While some AI features will definitely be useful and helpful, there can be a fine line between what seems great and what seems somewhat creepy. For example, check out this new video for an upcoming $99 product called Friend, a necklace that you can wear and talk to as if it is a, well, a friend. It responds to you via text message.
- This week, Apple announced that the fantastic Apple TV+ Sci-Fi show Silo will return for Season 2 in November, as reported by Benjamin Mayo of 9to5Mac.
- To use an Apple Vision Pro, you have to be able to use your eyes to look at items on the screen and use your hand to pinch or touch to select items. But what if you have ALS and cannot use your hands? David Snow of Cult of Mac shares the fascinating story of how a company called Synchron came up with a way for someone to just think about selecting an item and then trigger a selection, meaning that they don't need to use their hands. I recommend that you watch the video linked in the story. It's pretty incredible.
- In a post for Six Colors and Macworld, Jason Snell wonders if Apple should release a smart ring if it wants to go beyond the health features available with and Apple Watch.
- Braden Newell of Pocket Lint recommends Apple Vision Pro apps for getting work done.
- San Antonio reporter Priscilla Aguirre notes that former basketball player Sean Elliott is recovering after A-Fib treatment that he first learned was necessary because of his Apple Watch, even though he wasn’t seeing any symptoms.
- If you need a power strip, there is a big sale on Amazon on one made by Anker that my wife has used for years: it is currently under $15. It has a unique design, shaped like a cube, and with three sides offering additional outlets and one side offering USB-C and USB-A outlets. And for a few dollars more, you can get a version with a long cord (10 feet). My wife keeps this one at her mother’s house so that she can charge all of her devices when she visits.
- William Gallagher of Apple Insider reports that Apple's Emergency SOS via Satellite feature on the iPhone saved the lives of four hikers who were cut off by wildfire in British Columbia.
- And finally, here is a silly video in which Jake Gyllenhaal & Nana Mensah of the Apple TV+ show Presumed Innocent try (horribly) to provide definitions for common legal terms. My main reason for including this video is to note that I just finished watching this show and I thought it was great. I would like to tell you more about why it was great, but I cannot do so without spoilers, so just trust me on this one. If you like a good courtroom drama with suspense and twists and turns, this one is for you.
