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Tag: 18

  • Text effects coming to Messages in iOS 18 might be able to format individual words

    Text effects coming to Messages in iOS 18 might be able to format individual words

    You know how, when you text another iPhone user the word “Congratulations,” both you and the recipient see confetti fall from the top of the screen? Text “Happy Birthday” to another iPhone user and balloons float up from the bottom of the screen. Because any messaging between iOS users and Android users, at least until later this year, is done via SMS, Android users don’t see these effects. Once iOS supports RCS, we could see the Google Messages app show these effects to Android users.

    Now, according to unnamed multiple sources cited by MacRumors, Apple is working on a new feature for iOS 18 that will create effects with the actual texted word instead of an image that represents what the word means. For example, this feature might allow you to format a word you text by adding underlining, bold, and italics to it. And again, once the iPhone supports RCS like Apple said it would before the end of this year, the new effects would also appear on an Android device.

    RCS, aka Rich Communication Services, is a platform found on certain Android messaging apps like Google Messages that delivers features similar to those found on iMessage. Such features include the ability to view high-resolution images, receive read receipts, see typing indicators, and have messages protected by end-to-end encryption. Right now, whenever an iOS user texts an Android user, the messages are sent via old-school SMS so none of these features are available.

    But wait, iPhone owners. There’s more. MacRumors says that the iOS Messages app in iOS 18 will also offer autocompletion powered by the only two letters in the alphabet that mean anything this year, AI. This feature might not be limited to the Messages app and could also be used by Siri to complete queries being typed to the virtual digital assistant.

    We should learn more on June 10th during the WWDC 2024 Keynote which will begin at 10 am PDT/1 pm EDT.

  • Apple to add new accessibility features to the iPhone with iOS 18

    Apple to add new accessibility features to the iPhone with iOS 18

    We already know that iOS 18 is going to be one of the biggest updates in Apple’s history. New AI features including a revised Siri have many iPhone users looking forward to June when Apple previews iOS 18 during WWDC 2024. Other changes will be coming to the operating system’s accessibility features. These are features designed for those with “vision, mobility, hearing, speech, and cognitive needs” and can be found in the Accessibility app.

    MacRumors spoke with industry sources who told them about some new accessibility features expected to be added to iOS 18. Traditionally, these are announced before WWDC which makes it quite possible that Apple is wrapping up the development of these new features now which could be why they have leaked at this point in time.

    Voice Shortcuts would allow an iPhone user to connect a phrase to start a particular accessibility feature. Unlike Siri Shortcuts, no wake phrase, such as “Hey Siri,” would need to be spoken first. The rumor says that Voice Shortcuts would work with accessibility features such as VoiceOver and Voice Control. The former reads the content on an iPhone, while the latter allows you to use vocal commands to “perform gestures, interact with screen elements, dictate and edit text, and more.”

    Another change will have Apple adding font size control throughout the system. Currently, users can change the font size of an app but only if this is supported by the app, and some of Apple’s system apps do not offer such support; all of them will in iOS 18. The company also previously announced Personal Voice for Live Speech which uses AI to create a digital version of a user’s voice after running through 15 minutes of “training” with often-used phrases recorded. If someone has a disease that will cost them their speech, this feature will allow them to “talk” once he/she can no longer do so.

    We should see iOS 18 released this coming September.

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