With the Meta Quest 3 virtual reality headset releasing tomorrow, it seems like Meta is looking to follow in Apple’s footsteps with the Apple Vision Pro. In a race to dominate the VR scene, Meta may have course-corrected earlier marketing and design plans for its follow-up headset (currently codenamed Ventura – a slightly ironic name…) in response to the Vision Pro, possibly even removing the headset controllers to reduce costs.
According to Mark Gurman via his Power One newsletter, a person within Meta suggested that Meta “is in the ‘afraid of Apple stage’” and that Meta is investing a lot of time and effort to improve its VR products as well as shifting focus away from the metaverse.
The Verge notes that Meta’s big goal with the Ventura headset is to cut costs as much as possible and offer a lower asking price for a good headset. The Quest 3 is already much cheaper than the Vision Pro, and according to Gurman Meta may be ditching controller bundling to help cut down the price even further for its next headset.
Does Meta have the right idea?
Gurman suggests that users will be able to decide to use just hand gestures or purchase the controllers separately. For comparison, Apple’s headset doesn’t actually come with dedicated controllers – it relies solely on gesture controls tracked via its external cameras, although you can always connect a third-party controller or another Apple device (like a MacBook Air) for control input.
If you can throw yourself back in time a little and remember the original reveal of the Apple Vision Pro, you’ll probably remember thinking “surely they’re not charging that much for the headset?!”
So, the fact that Meta is prioritizing affordability with the Quest 3 is a smart move to get ahead of the curve. If the company is able to make the Ventura headset (Quest 4? Quest Neo? Who knows) massively more affordable than the Vision Pro – and ensure that it can perform competitively against Apple's offering – then Meta actually has a very good shot at securing the top spot in the VR world.
Nearby Share on Android has received a major upgrade, giving you the ability to send entire folders to other devices.
This feature was recently discovered by industry insider and tech journalist Mishaal Rahman who shared his findings on X (or Twitter, if you prefer the older, less obtuse name). Rahman states you’re able to transfer folders from one Android phone to another as well as to Chromebooks and Windows PCs via the Files by Google app. He says that all you have to do is long-press any folder within Google Files and then select the Nearby Share icon on-screen. From there, you will see all of the connected devices which can accept the transfer. Pretty simple stuff.
Neat: You can send an entire folder from your Android device to other Android devices, Chromebooks, or Windows PCs from the Files by Google app! Just long-press on any folder in the Files app and then tap the Nearby Share icon in the top right. pic.twitter.com/yk7epVxojhJuly 31, 2023
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There are some limitations to be aware of. Tom’s Guide states in their report, “Nearby Share has a 1,000-file limit”, so folders can’t be too big. Another piece from Android Police reveals the upgrade is exclusive to Google Files as it doesn’t seem to work properly with Samsung’s own file manager. Files will still be shared on Samsung's app, but it won’t retain the folder structure, according to Rahman.
What’s interesting is there’s a good chance you already have this feature if your device has Google Files. Rahman says that Nail Sadykov, another notable industry insider, claims “the earliest he saw someone mention it was back in May” of this year. It’s just that no one knew about it until very recently. Apparently, Google didn’t give anyone the heads-up.
So, if you have Google Files on your phone and haven’t updated it in a while, we recommend downloading the patch to get the boosted Nearby Share.
Closing the gap
Admittedly, it’s a small update, but an important one as it allows Nearby Share to close the gap a bit between it and Apple’s AirDrop. Android users will save a lot of time since they won’t be forced to transfer files one by one. It’s a function iPhone owners have enjoyed for many years now. It’s hard to say exactly when AirDrop first gained the ability to send folders to Macs. The oldest instance we could find was one of our How-to guides from 2015.
However, Nearby Share still has a long way to go before it can be considered a proper rival to AirDrop. For iOS 17, Apple plans on further enhancing its wireless file transfer tool by introducing new features like Contact Posters for friends plus improved security for unsolicited images.
We knew that getting our hands on the Apple Vision Pro would be a challenge – unless you happen to have a spare $ 3,499 (around £2,800 / AU$ 5,300) lying around that is. But even if you're able to afford the super-expensive VR headset you might still be out of luck, as new reports suggest Apple will produce limited numbers this year.
That’s according to a report from Bloomberg, which cites a paywalled Financial Times article claiming that Apple is having to rethink its sales targets for the Vision Pro, as it likely won’t be able to make as many as originally planned.
Apple had apparently hoped to sell one million headsets in 2024, but sources from Apple and Luxshare, which is currently the sole manufacturer of the headset, say they'll struggle to produce 400,000, while suppliers of key Vision Pro components have suggested that Apple may only be able to make around 150,000 with the parts it's requested.
It's worth nothing that these latest reports are based on uncorroborated leaks, and while Apple may be struggling to hit its targets now, that situation could change, and Apple and Luxshare might be able to speed up production. What’s more, if the Apple Vision Pro doesn't prove hugely popular with consumers, 100,000 units could be all Apple needs to meet demand; low production numbers would only become a problem if the headset sells like hotcakes.
What could be causing Apple’s production problems?
Apple’s VR headset may struggle take the VR crown from Meta (Image credit: Apple)
So how is Meta able to produce millions of VR headsets a year while Apple is reportedly struggling to make a fraction of that? We don’t know for certain, but there are a couple of possible and reported reasons for the Vision Pro’s rumored production problems.
For one, Meta has been in the VR game for a while now, and as a result it has well-established production pipelines, and it also has a better grasp of how popular its gadgets will be thanks to sales data that goes back to 2016, when the original Oculus Rift launched. Apple is flying blind to some extent – this is its first foray into XR tech (a catchall term for virtual, augmented, and mixed reality), and it doesn’t yet know how things will pan out. By limiting production there’s a much lower risk that it’ll wind up with warehouses full of a gadget no one wants to buy.
Also, Apple’s Vision Pro isn’t like other VR headsets – and this isn’t simply because of the ethereal ‘Apple difference’ that makes its tech so attractive fans. The Vision Pro has features we haven’t really seen before in VR headsets – especially not all packaged together. It has dual micro-OLED displays that boast a higher resolution than the current best VR headsets, an outer display that can show off the headset wearer’s eyes via its EyeSight tech, a 3D camera for mapping a person’s face or an object, and a bevy of other sensors to facilitate next-generation hand-tracking, to name just a few.
Cramming all this into the headset is a challenge, according to insiders familiar with the situation, causing the Vision Pro to have low production yields – read: it’s slow to produce, and a number of Apple’s headsets may have defects that mean they can’t be sold.
As we've mentioned, we won’t know how easy it will be for would-be buyers to get our hands on the Apple Vision Pro until it launches sometime in 2024. When it does go on sale, you’ll want to make sure you’ve read our Apple Vision Pro hands-on review, and checked out the competition (like the Meta Quest Pro) to know if you want one or not – as you may need to move quickly if you want to order one before stock runs out.
If you plan to upgrade to macOS Sonoma later this year but also happen to make use of legacy Mail plug-ins, you're going to be in for a bad time. That's because the update will remove support for those plug-ins for the first time.
Plug-ins can be used for a variety of things, like bulk email management and automation. They can often be used by businesses and power users and now it appears that they're going to have to consider upgrading to something newer or ditching those plugins and their features altogether.
With Apple now putting the macOS Sonoma update through what is sure to be months of beta tests proper to a September or October launch, there is plenty of time for those decisions to be made. One other option is to just not update yet, but that's less than ideal and no use at all if there are new macOS features that you could make use of.
Legacy Mail
As MacRumors points out, Apple confirmed that it would kill off legacy Mail plug-ins previously, but didn't say when that would happen. The warning was given when macOS Monterey was released in 2021, and there was even a replacement for legacy plug-ins announced at the same time.
That replacement is the MailKit framework and developers have been tying into that ever since. However, there is still a good chance that some legacy plug-ins haven't been updated, leaving their users in a difficult position.
Some developers are already aware that Apple is deprecating legacy Mail plug-ins and are working to get their projects ready for the big day.
PSA: Confirmed in WWDC labs that legacy Mail plug-ins are NOT supported on macOS Sonoma. MailKit-based extensions are the only supported method going forward.AltServer’s Mail plug-in will no longer work once you update, but we’re working on a new method we hope to release soon.June 14, 2023
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However, while MailKit extensions can be more secure than their legacy counterparts, they don't have the same level of access which could impact the features they offer. As a result, it's also possible that some legacy plug-ins simply won't make the move over to MailKit at all.
Apple announced the macOS Sonoma update during the WWDC event on June 5, but it was far from the only update previewed. The new iOS 17, iPadOS 17, tvOS 17, and watchOS 10 updates were also shown off for the first time — they're all now available in beta and should be ready for the public this September.
That was just the software, too. Apple announced the first non-Intel Mac Pro, an updated Mac Studio, and the first 15-inch MacBook Air during the same event. The biggest announcement was undoubtedly the arrival of the Vision Pro AR/VR headset, however.
Windows 11 has implemented a major change for those who use a stylus, allowing for writing directly in the operating system’s interface and menus – though this is still in testing right now.
The move comes in preview build 23481 in the Dev Channel, where Windows Ink has been bolstered to allow for writing with a pen directly into, say, the search box in Windows 11.
The eventual goal, Microsoft notes in its blog post introducing the preview build, is to make it so you can write anywhere in Windows 11 with your pen. A further change has been applied to increase the accuracy of handwriting recognition, and also to bring in a ‘scratch out’ gesture to allow you to quickly edit (delete) text.
The catch is that so far this feature only supports English (US), but Microsoft assures us more languages are in the pipeline.
On top of this, build 23481 tweaks File Explorer to remove a bunch of outdated folder options. This is part of cleaning up this section of the interface ahead of a major revamp which is inbound for File Explorer, as you may have seen.
Finally, Microsoft has introduced a new Focus Session widget which allows users to quickly trigger (or halt) a session from the widget panel. And naturally, there’s the usual raft of minor tweaks, fixes, and known issues with this preview build as detailed in the full blog post.
Analysis: Playing catchup with Apple
The ability to write directly in the interface throughout Windows 11 is obviously going to be a major boon, but it’s a feature that is very much playing catchup with Apple. You may recall that Apple brought in its similar Scribble functionality with the Apple Pencil in iPadOS 14, which was released three years ago – so Microsoft has been slow to come to parity in this respect.
Not every Windows 11 tester will see the new Windows Ink capability either, as it’s a limited rollout to begin with, as Microsoft gauges early feedback. There are a number of known issues with the feature right now. (If you want to turn it on, you’ll find it in Settings > Bluetooth and devices > Pen and Windows Ink, where there’s a ‘Shell Handwriting’ option – though not for everyone yet, as noted).
Speaking of phased feature rollouts, preview build 23481 witnesses the completion of a few of these. That includes ‘never combined’ mode for the taskbar, and the ability to tear out (or merge) File Explorer tabs, both of which are now available to all Windows Insiders in the Dev channel.
Apple is testing out a new subscription payment system for iOS devices that would let developers automatically charge a higher subscription-renewal price rather than ask for explicit acceptance, so long as the user is notified ahead of the renewal price increase and given the chance to cancel their subscription.
While this is a fairly common practice with subscription services, this isn't the way this is supposed to work on iOS. From Apple's developer documentation:
“When you increase the price of a subscription, Apple informs affected subscribers via email and push notification and asks them to agree to the new price. On iOS 13.4 and iPadOS 13.4 and later, affected subscribers are also notified through a price consent sheet that automatically displays in your app… If they don’t agree, their subscription expires at the end of their current billing cycle.“
iOS biz people… Subscription price increase as mere NOTICE instead of having to confirm, else subs expires.Is this new behavior for everyone or exclusive to Disney+? pic.twitter.com/zt7c15QcTAMarch 24, 2022
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The issue appears to be limited to the Disney+ app for now and only seems to affect a limited number of users as part of a pilot test of a new iOS payment system.
Apple told TechRadar that the company is “piloting a new commerce feature we plan to launch very soon. The pilot includes developers across various app categories, organization sizes, and regions to help test an upcoming enhancement that we believe will be great for both developers and users, and we’ll have more details to share in the coming weeks.”
It's not clear whether this system, if implemented, would be open to all developers on the iOS platform, or whether only a selection of developers would be granted the ability to auto-charge for a price increase.
Analysis: while it could be worse, this is still a terrible idea
One of the worst things about subscription-based models is that they require a lot of management and juggling on the part of the user. Who among us hasn't completely forgotten that some subscription charge was due on a certain date and only realized it once we suddenly had a lot less money in the bank than we thought we had?
This is especially problematic when you're dealing with an annual subscription, which is a large chunk of money and is much more likely to be forgotten by the user (making it more unlikely that it will be cancelled ahead of the renewal charge). Subscription services are a very appealing model for businesses for that reason, and a major headache for users.
Apple's current system is about as good as you can expect, all things considered. It can't save you from forgetting about a looming renewal and over-drafting your bank account as a result, but at least it requires you to explicitly accept a higher price after an 'introductory' rate expires and automatically cancels the subscription if you don't do anything.
We would much rather see Apple stick with that system than let a company automatically bill users a higher rate if they don't take action on it. On the plus side, it appears that the renewal-price increase notification is very obvious and there is at least a link for users to review the subscription and cancel it if they so choose.
There's no getting around the fact, though, that this could open the door for ne'er-do-well developers to take advantage of users by starting off at a very low price and then jacking it up considerably for the renewal. While most users would immediately move to cancel if they saw that kind of scammy behavior, even with the new notification system, there's going to be some small subset of users who misread, misunderstand, or just miss the notification and find themselves getting hit with a higher-than-expected charge out of the blue.
Given that potential nightmare scenario, it's likely that only certain large developers would be allowed to automatically charge you an increased price in this way, which raises a different problem. This would give bigger players in the industry special treatment that puts smaller, legitimate developers at a disadvantage, with no obvious benefit to the user.
Given Apple's generally good track record on user protections, this feels like a big step back and is disappointing to see. If the big fish in the App Store pond do get special privileges, we should stop pretending that Apple's platform is as fair as the company claims it is.
Since this appears to be a small pilot test, we hope Apple comes to see how valuable its current subscription payment model is for its users and doesn't break what is already working well.
Apple has announced its developer conference for June 6, where it's expected to announce iOS 16, macOS 13, and more for its iPhone, iPad, Watch, and Mac products.
The keynote conference where these updates will most likely be announced will also most likely be on June 6, which we'll be covering to give you all the updates as they arrive.
Similar to the last two years, WWDC will be going remote for the first week of June, but there are sure to be some surprises in store for both users and developers.
Unlike Google, Apple moved its WWDC conference to be a fully online event in 2020 due to the pandemic, rather than canceling it. Some were hoping to see a mix, similar to this year's Google IO of remote and in-person events, but Apple is understandably playing it safe for 2022.
We suspect Apple's CEO Tim Cook will kick off the keynote at 9AM / 6PM GMT on June 6 as before, which we expect will be free to stream.
It’s one of my favorite times of the year! #WWDC22. Can’t wait for June 6th. 🥳 pic.twitter.com/98gag4zGeIApril 5, 2022
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We won't know officially until the June 6 keynote what Apple intends to show off, but that's not stopping us from contemplating what we hope and expect to see from the company. Below, we'll predict Apple's software and hardware lineup for WWDC 2022, and explain how the virtual event will work.
LATEST NEWS
Apple’s WWDC 2022 is announced as an online-only event, similar to 2020 and 2021.
Cut to the chase
What is it? Apple’s yearly developer conference
When is it? June 6 – June 10, 2022
How can I register / how much does it cost? Free for everyone to watch throughout the week.
(Image credit: Apple)
What are the WWDC 2022 dates?
Apple revealed that its developer conference would take place from Monday, June 6 through Friday, June 10. Apple regularly schedules its annual five-day conference for June, so it wasn't a surprise to expect to see WWDC around this time again.
(Image credit: Apple)
Is WWDC 2022 online-only?
Apple normally holds WWDC and its subsequent developer sessions across the week in physical gatherings at the San Jose Convention Center in California, where COVID-19 restrictions on large events are slowly being lifted across the country.
But with WWDC 2021 repeating the same plan as 2020, many had assumed that WWDC 2022 would follow in the same vein. This has turned out to be true, as you will be able to attend sessions and watch the keynote remotely.
How WWDC 2022 will work
In previous years, you could buy a pass to attend Apple's keynote on Monday, alongside being able to attend developer sessions, one-on-one demos with Apple engineers, and other events for professionals or hobbyists arranged by Apple enthusiasts around the event.
This year, most of those events look to be virtual and free again, with Apple announcing more details as the event gets closer, most likely through its WWDC app.
Some WWDC 2022 sessions will be free to all and rewatchable on-demand, as in previous years. But there will be other events that will be in person, and if you're there, will most likely require you to reserve a slot due to its popularity.
(Image credit: Apple)
What to expect at WWDC 2022
Based on Apple's annual product and software calendar, plus all the leaks and rumors we've heard about, we have a general idea of what Tim Cook, Craig Federighi, and other Apple execs will discuss during the WWDC 2022 keynote on June 6. Here are the highlights:
(Image credit: Apple)
iOS 16
Apple will almost certainly be introducing iOS 16 at WWDC, the next iteration of what powers the iPhone. Usually, a preview for developers is released the same day as it's made official, with a public beta for you to try a month later.
While we've spoken of our hopes to see some better customization options and a dedicated app to manage our AirTags, AirPods, and other peripherals, it seems like 2022 could be a maintenance year for iOS.
Cleaning up some corners of the software to make it leaner and faster would be a great angle for iOS 16, especially with rumors swirling about different designs that the iPhone 14 Pro could be showcasing soon.
(Image credit: Angelo Libero Designs)
macOS 13
Every year since 2012, Apple has announced a new version of the software that powers its Macs, and we expect the same for WWDC.
macOS 13 will be the next version, with another name to match the trend of naming previous versions after Californian landmarks. Our money is on 'Mammoth' for this year's version, especially as Apple trademarked the name, alongside Monterey at the start of 2021.
macOS gets the short straw in features compared to iOS, as it usually plays catchup – dark mode and a new look arrived in macOS Big Sur, one year after iOS gained these. Shortcuts also arrived in 2021, while it's been in iOS since 2019.
We expect the same to occur here, with widgets hopefully moving out of a sidebar, and onto your Mac desktop instead, alongside a hope for the fantastic Weather app from iOS 15 to see an appearance on macOS 13 as well.
(Image credit: Wikimedia Commons)
'M2' Apple Silicon
Users were caught off-guard at Apple's March event, where another M1 variant was announced, the M1 Ultra, which is available to be used in its Mac Studio.
But WWDC 2020 was when Apple announced the move from Intel chips to Apple Silicon, and with the company making sure to mention in March that the M1 Ultra was the last chip of M1, the M2 looks all but certain to appear.
Expect the M2 chip to be more optimized compared to the M1, with a focus on better battery life and more cores for its GPU.
There are rumors that we could see it appear on a redesigned MacBook Air that could mirror the 2021 iMac, but whether we will also see this laptop at WWDC remains to be seen.
(Image credit: Apple, with modification by TechRadar)
Less likely: Apple VR Headset and iCar
As WWDC is focused on developers, we don't expect to see new hardware appearing. Rather, we do see a better chance of the software for its rumored VR/AR headset to be showcased in some way, instead.
We've spoken of a rumored 'rOS' before that could power this wearable, and to demo what it's capable of for developers, before it's available to customers, could be a good opportunity to load up its App Store before it's available to buy.
(Image credit: Future)
Apple's car project has been one of its longest-running rumors in recent memory, allegedly called 'Project Titan' by the company.
There's still next to nothing that's leaked out, but Apple is at least investing millions into an automobile. It still feels too early for Apple to publicly acknowledge this project for 2022 – expect to hear something towards the end of the decade instead.
Apple has announced its developer conference for June 6, where it's expected to announce iOS 16, macOS 13, and more for its iPhone, iPad, Watch, and Mac products.
The keynote conference where these updates will most likely be announced will also most likely be on June 6, which we'll be covering to give you all the updates as they arrive.
Similar to the last two years, WWDC will be going remote for the first week of June, but there are sure to be some surprises in store for both users and developers.
Unlike Google, Apple moved its WWDC conference to be a fully online event in 2020 due to the pandemic, rather than canceling it. Some were hoping to see a mix, similar to this year's Google IO of remote and in-person events, but Apple is understandably playing it safe for 2022.
We suspect Apple's CEO Tim Cook will kick off the keynote at 9AM / 6PM GMT on June 6 as before, which we expect will be free to stream.
It’s one of my favorite times of the year! #WWDC22. Can’t wait for June 6th. 🥳 pic.twitter.com/98gag4zGeIApril 5, 2022
See more
We won't know officially until the June 6 keynote what Apple intends to show off, but that's not stopping us from contemplating what we hope and expect to see from the company. Below, we'll predict Apple's software and hardware lineup for WWDC 2022, and explain how the virtual event will work.
LATEST NEWS
Apple’s WWDC 2022 is announced as an online-only event, similar to 2020 and 2021.
Cut to the chase
What is it? Apple’s yearly developer conference
When is it? June 6 – June 10, 2022
How can I register / how much does it cost? Free for everyone to watch throughout the week.
(Image credit: Apple)
What are the WWDC 2022 dates?
Apple revealed that its developer conference would take place from Monday, June 6 through Friday, June 10. Apple regularly schedules its annual five-day conference for June, so it wasn't a surprise to expect to see WWDC around this time again.
(Image credit: Apple)
Is WWDC 2022 online-only?
Apple normally holds WWDC and its subsequent developer sessions across the week in physical gatherings at the San Jose Convention Center in California, where COVID-19 restrictions on large events are slowly being lifted across the country.
But with WWDC 2021 repeating the same plan as 2020, many had assumed that WWDC 2022 would follow in the same vein. This has turned out to be true, as you will be able to attend sessions and watch the keynote remotely.
How WWDC 2022 will work
In previous years, you could buy a pass to attend Apple's keynote on Monday, alongside being able to attend developer sessions, one-on-one demos with Apple engineers, and other events for professionals or hobbyists arranged by Apple enthusiasts around the event.
This year, most of those events look to be virtual and free again, with Apple announcing more details as the event gets closer, most likely through its WWDC app.
Some WWDC 2022 sessions will be free to all and rewatchable on-demand, as in previous years. But there will be other events that will be in person, and if you're there, will most likely require you to reserve a slot due to its popularity.
(Image credit: Apple)
What to expect at WWDC 2022
Based on Apple's annual product and software calendar, plus all the leaks and rumors we've heard about, we have a general idea of what Tim Cook, Craig Federighi, and other Apple execs will discuss during the WWDC 2022 keynote on June 6. Here are the highlights:
(Image credit: Apple)
iOS 16
Apple will almost certainly be introducing iOS 16 at WWDC, the next iteration of what powers the iPhone. Usually, a preview for developers is released the same day as it's made official, with a public beta for you to try a month later.
While we've spoken of our hopes to see some better customization options and a dedicated app to manage our AirTags, AirPods, and other peripherals, it seems like 2022 could be a maintenance year for iOS.
Cleaning up some corners of the software to make it leaner and faster would be a great angle for iOS 16, especially with rumors swirling about different designs that the iPhone 14 Pro could be showcasing soon.
(Image credit: Angelo Libero Designs)
macOS 13
Every year since 2012, Apple has announced a new version of the software that powers its Macs, and we expect the same for WWDC.
macOS 13 will be the next version, with another name to match the trend of naming previous versions after Californian landmarks. Our money is on 'Mammoth' for this year's version, especially as Apple trademarked the name, alongside Monterey at the start of 2021.
macOS gets the short straw in features compared to iOS, as it usually plays catchup – dark mode and a new look arrived in macOS Big Sur, one year after iOS gained these. Shortcuts also arrived in 2021, while it's been in iOS since 2019.
We expect the same to occur here, with widgets hopefully moving out of a sidebar, and onto your Mac desktop instead, alongside a hope for the fantastic Weather app from iOS 15 to see an appearance on macOS 13 as well.
(Image credit: Wikimedia Commons)
'M2' Apple Silicon
Users were caught off-guard at Apple's March event, where another M1 variant was announced, the M1 Ultra, which is available to be used in its Mac Studio.
But WWDC 2020 was when Apple announced the move from Intel chips to Apple Silicon, and with the company making sure to mention in March that the M1 Ultra was the last chip of M1, the M2 looks all but certain to appear.
Expect the M2 chip to be more optimized compared to the M1, with a focus on better battery life and more cores for its GPU.
There are rumors that we could see it appear on a redesigned MacBook Air that could mirror the 2021 iMac, but whether we will also see this laptop at WWDC remains to be seen.
(Image credit: Apple, with modification by TechRadar)
Less likely: Apple VR Headset and iCar
As WWDC is focused on developers, we don't expect to see new hardware appearing. Rather, we do see a better chance of the software for its rumored VR/AR headset to be showcased in some way, instead.
We've spoken of a rumored 'rOS' before that could power this wearable, and to demo what it's capable of for developers, before it's available to customers, could be a good opportunity to load up its App Store before it's available to buy.
(Image credit: Future)
Apple's car project has been one of its longest-running rumors in recent memory, allegedly called 'Project Titan' by the company.
There's still next to nothing that's leaked out, but Apple is at least investing millions into an automobile. It still feels too early for Apple to publicly acknowledge this project for 2022 – expect to hear something towards the end of the decade instead.
The popular podcast app Overcast has been updated for iOS, bringing the first steps of a redesign to the home screen, alongside custom playlists, choices for different playback colors, ways to filter podcasts in three ways, and more.
Created by developer, writer, and podcaster Marco Arment, it's been the go-to podcast app for many who haven't been entirely happy with Apple's Podcast app. While Apple recently added some updates to help users manage their subscribed shows, Overcast has other features that make it a great alternative.
Called 2022.2 for this latest update, it lets you pin podcasts to the home screen and mark podcasts as played, which can save you from wasting cellular data downloading episodes you've already listened to.
With Overcast's significant update, we're wondering what Apple's own Podcasts app must do to stay competitive.
Apple's Podcast app has always felt like a catch up
(Image credit: Apple / Future)
Podcasts have always felt as though they've been around as long as we've been able to send emails to one another. While they first appeared as a new medium in the early 2000s, podcasts arrived on Apple's platform in 2005 with iTunes 4.9. It was a way of subscribing to shows on Windows and macOS machines back then, which we would then connect our iPods to sync up our favorite podcasts.
That year, Steve Jobs, Apple's co-founder and then CEO, gave an impromptu demo of the feature at one of The Wall Street Journal's early All Things D conferences.
Once the iPhone arrived in 2007, podcasts would be part of the original Music app, but at the time, it was still a challenge to subscribe and download new podcast shows.
Finally, a dedicated app arrived in 2012 from Apple, and while there have been regular updates to it, alongside a macOS version that debuted in 2019, it's still playing catch up in features, especially when you compare it to Overcast.
Arment's app has long had an innovative feature called smart speed, where the app identifies silent pauses and speeds the episode up at those points. Once the host or guests speaks again, the playback speed returns to normal.
(Image credit: TechRadar)
Having used the Overcast 2022.2 update on an iPhone 13 Pro, being able to pin podcasts, and, at last, change the colors of the controls, it's clear Apple has its work cut out for it.
Apple has introduced subscriptions and the ability to track listens for podcast creators to its own app, but the app still feels as though it's playing catchup.
Apple's take of a podcast app has the basics covered, but you can't pin shows, there's no smart speed, and links in show notes still don't show correctly. There's no hook from Apple here to tempt you to use its app – everything looks and feels run of the mill, a podcast app that does the basics, and that's it.
There's no killer feature like smart speed to tempt you away from Overcast, and in a way, that's only good news for Arment's alternative, especially in the last decade of Apple's Podcast app being available to download.
To catch up, Apple could buy Overcast – it won't – or shift how it updates the app and move from annual major updates to a once-every-few-months cadence. In this way, Apple's Podcasts app could build on what listeners and podcasters want.
For now, though, this is all wishful thinking. Overcast has been updated with a great redesign, and there are further plans to look into redesigning the Now Playing screen. While you can download Overcast for free, there is a yearly fee of $ 9.99 / £8.99 / AU$ 10.99 to get rid of ads and use a dark-themed icon. Apple's Podcast app is free.
With this substantial 2022.2 update, we can confidently say that it's worth the price if you're a heavy podcast listener.
The popular podcast app Overcast has been updated for iOS, bringing the first steps of a redesign to the home screen, alongside custom playlists, choices for different playback colors, ways to filter podcasts in three ways, and more.
Created by developer, writer, and podcaster Marco Arment, it's been the go-to podcast app for many who haven't been entirely happy with Apple's Podcast app. While Apple recently added some updates to help users manage their subscribed shows, Overcast has other features that make it a great alternative.
Called 2022.2 for this latest update, it lets you pin podcasts to the home screen and mark podcasts as played, which can save you from wasting cellular data downloading episodes you've already listened to.
With Overcast's significant update, we're wondering what Apple's own Podcasts app must do to stay competitive.
Apple's Podcast app has always felt like a catch up
(Image credit: Apple / Future)
Podcasts have always felt as though they've been around as long as we've been able to send emails to one another. While they first appeared as a new medium in the early 2000s, podcasts arrived on Apple's platform in 2005 with iTunes 4.9. It was a way of subscribing to shows on Windows and macOS machines back then, which we would then connect our iPods to sync up our favorite podcasts.
That year, Steve Jobs, Apple's co-founder and then CEO, gave an impromptu demo of the feature at one of The Wall Street Journal's early All Things D conferences.
Once the iPhone arrived in 2007, podcasts would be part of the original Music app, but at the time, it was still a challenge to subscribe and download new podcast shows.
Finally, a dedicated app arrived in 2012 from Apple, and while there have been regular updates to it, alongside a macOS version that debuted in 2019, it's still playing catch up in features, especially when you compare it to Overcast.
Arment's app has long had an innovative feature called smart speed, where the app identifies silent pauses and speeds the episode up at those points. Once the host or guests speaks again, the playback speed returns to normal.
(Image credit: TechRadar)
Having used the Overcast 2022.2 update on an iPhone 13 Pro, being able to pin podcasts, and, at last, change the colors of the controls, it's clear Apple has its work cut out for it.
Apple has introduced subscriptions and the ability to track listens for podcast creators to its own app, but the app still feels as though it's playing catchup.
Apple's take of a podcast app has the basics covered, but you can't pin shows, there's no smart speed, and links in show notes still don't show correctly. There's no hook from Apple here to tempt you to use its app – everything looks and feels run of the mill, a podcast app that does the basics, and that's it.
There's no killer feature like smart speed to tempt you away from Overcast, and in a way, that's only good news for Arment's alternative, especially in the last decade of Apple's Podcast app being available to download.
To catch up, Apple could buy Overcast – it won't – or shift how it updates the app and move from annual major updates to a once-every-few-months cadence. In this way, Apple's Podcasts app could build on what listeners and podcasters want.
For now, though, this is all wishful thinking. Overcast has been updated with a great redesign, and there are further plans to look into redesigning the Now Playing screen. While you can download Overcast for free, there is a yearly fee of $ 9.99 / £8.99 / AU$ 10.99 to get rid of ads and use a dark-themed icon. Apple's Podcast app is free.
With this substantial 2022.2 update, we can confidently say that it's worth the price if you're a heavy podcast listener.
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