After years of steady, iterative updates to watchOS, last year, Apple dropped one of their most significant releases in years with watchOS 10. The design language was updated for all of their first-party apps, watch faces were upgraded to take full advantage of the larger screens on current models, and the Smart Stack was introduced to make glanceable information much easier to access. To make way for the Smart Stack, Apple also reassigned the Digital Crown and side button to new functions. These changes, along with the usual updates for health and fitness, made for a release that every Apple Watch user took note of.
The awkward recalibrating of muscle memory aside (I still very occasionally swipe up on my watch face to try and reveal the Control Center), it was an excellent update. My only worry coming out of it was that Apple would dust off their hands, reassign lots of their talent to something else, and go back to the usual, iterative, health- and fitness-focused updates with watchOS 11.
Thankfully, that was far from the case. Not only has Apple made some solid updates to the Apple Watch hardware line this year, but they’ve also enhanced and added to the software in ways that signal they are far from done.
The question is, are these changes going to enhance your daily use of Apple’s most personal device, or are they just, well, changes?
I’m excited to dive into this question in my first watchOS review for MacStories, but before I do, I want to thank Alex for his years of excellent watchOS coverage. I hope I can live up to the standards he set.
A short time ago, Federico published his annual iOS and iPadOS 18 review. As in past years, we’re releasing a wide variety of perks exclusively for Club MacStories members throughout the week, but this year, the perks are a little different – just like the review.
First of all, we’re releasing this week’s episode of AppStories+ to everyone who listens to the show for free.
AppStories+ is the extended version of our flagship podcast that’s typically released a day early and ad-free in high-bitrate audio. The show is part of a Club Premier or AppStories+ subscription, but this week, everyone gets the extended version of the show. If you’re not a subscriber, you’ll still get an ad with the episode (we do have bills to pay), but you’ll also get the full extended version of the episode in high bitrate audio, just like subscribers. It’s our way of saying thanks to everyone who has listened to AppStories through the years and share why this year’s review is not just different, but part of an editorial evolution of MacStories.
As Chris explains in his video, we have an eBook version of the review for all Club members. We’ll also publish a special making-of edition of MacStories Weekly, our Club newsletter, on Saturday.
If you’re not already a member, you can join Club MacStories for $5/month or $50/year using the buttons below:
Now more than ever, an indie publication like MacStories depends on income from members who want to directly support what we do and our ability to collaborate with people like Scout and James more often. As always, though, we aim to provide as much value as we can to Club members, so we have more details after the break, for anyone who wants to learn more about this year’s perks and Club MacStories before joining.
There are two versions of iOS 18 coming out this year.
Or, think about it this way:
Inside Apple, there are two versions of iOS 18. The version I’ve been able to test since June, and which will be the focus of this review, is the debut of iOS 18, which emphasizes user customization and smaller app updates. The other one – and, arguably, the version most are anticipating since WWDC – is iOS 18.1, which will mark the launch of Apple Intelligence in the United States later this year as well as the beginning of a process to roll out more AI features over time.
Technically, iOS 18.1 is going to be a major update to iOS 18.0, which will introduce the first slate of AI features on iPhones and iPads; in spirit, it might as well be the version of iOS 18 that is going to steal the spotlight and become The Conversation in our community for months to come.
However, due to a mix of legal and political reasons, as an Italian citizen, I won’t be able to participate in that discourse just yet. Thankfully, there’s plenty to like in iOS 18 even without Apple Intelligence, especially if, like yours truly, you’re the kind of MacStories reader who cares about apps, minor system tweaks, and making your Home Screen look nice.
This is what my review will focus on this year. There are two versions of iOS 18: I’m going to cover the fun, nerdy one.
I’ve been writing annual reviews of iOS (and later iPadOS too) for ten years now. During this time, I’ve seen my fair share of mobile OS trends, and I’ve observed how Apple judiciously iterated on their post-iOS 7 design language and stoically ignored the majority of the tech industry’s fads, staying the course of their vision for what their ecosystem of devices and OSes should empower people to do.
Never have I been in the position to witness the company finding itself unable to ignore a major industry shift. That’s exactly what is happening with AI. As we saw back in June, Apple announced a roadmap of AI features that will be gradually doled out to users and developers over the iOS 18 cycle. Most of them won’t even be launching this year: I wouldn’t be surprised if we see them just in time before the debut of iOS 19 at WWDC 2025.
What’s even more fascinating is realizing just how much of a priority Apple Intelligence must have been for the iOS, iPadOS, and macOS teams. Let’s face it: if it weren’t for the handful of additions to iOS, which are also cross-compatible with iPadOS, I wouldn’t have much to cover today without Apple Intelligence. This is quite apparent in macOS Sequoia: as John will cover in his review, with no Apple Intelligence, there are only two main features worth analyzing in detail.
Thus, dear reader, don’t be surprised if this will be my shortest annual iOS review to date. Plus, it’s not like I was particularly looking forward to Apple Intelligence anyway.
In any case, as I argued in my preview story back in July, the smaller features that found their way onto iOS and iPadOS this year are still interesting enough to justify a “traditional” review. And it’s not just that these are good features: they’re also my favorite kind, for they’re primarily about customization and apps. From more flexible Home Screens to Control Center finally becoming extensible with third-party controls, some big improvements to Notes and Journal, plus a brand new Passwords app, how could I not be excited about iOS 18?
This intrinsic duality of iOS 18 is the reason why I’ve never felt so ambivalent about a new version of iOS. Or, think about it this way:
Inside me, there are two takes. I fundamentally dislike generative AI tools and, from what I’ve seen so far, I don’t think I’m ever going to take advantage of Apple’s features that modify text or create images. At the same time, I’m excited about the prospect of a smarter Siri that is better integrated with apps; and today, with the version of iOS 18 that is shipping to customers, I think there are plenty of smaller features worth appreciating, especially if you’re into customization.
Today, we don’t need to reconcile those two takes. We don’t have to be grownups for this one. We’re just going to dive into what makes iOS 18 a smaller update than previous years, but a fun one nonetheless.
If you haven’t heard of Copilot yet, it’s time to check out Apple’s Editors Choice award-winning money tracker app. Copilot makes it simple to monitor your finances while providing valuable insights.
Their native iPhone and Mac apps can do it all: you can track your spending, budgets, investments, and net worth all in one place, allowing you to drill into the details without losing sight of the big picture.
In the Apple community, Copilot is known for staying in sync with new iOS launches, from responsive widgets to tinted icons ready for iOS18. Beyond beautiful design and functionality, Copilot’s mission is to build a future where everyone has a clear picture of their finances, without all the anxiety. Where anyone can reclaim their data from the banks to build their own plan for achieving their goals — with confidence and trust in their tools for doing so.
Copilot’s new Cash Flow section brings them closer to that vision. It focuses on three key areas: income, spending, and net income. You can easily compare your progress over different time frames to see how your financial habits stack up month-to-month or even week-to-week.
For a limited time, MacStories readers can get a special two-month free trial by using the code MACSTORIES when signing up. Visit their website to learn more and download Copilot from the App Store to get started today.
Our thanks to Copilot for sponsoring MacStories this week.
Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:
Sigmund and Devon break down the exciting announcements from Apple’s It’s Glowtime event and grade their event predictions.
It’s all challenge this week as the gang brings (and defends) their phone home screens. Rules were followed by all, but of course there’s a little twist this time as well.
This week, as we approach the release of Apple’s updated OSes, Federico and I check in on where our reviews stand and the one distraction we’ve both allowed ourselves in the final stretch.
Next week is going to be fun. Not only is every OS being updated on Monday, but Apple is opening up the iPad to alternative app marketplaces and browser engines in the EU according to a post by the company on its developer news site.
You may recall that in April, the European Commission has added iPadOS to the products and services subject to the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Before then, the DMA only applied to the iPhone, meaning that, if you live in the EU, changes to iOS, like browser default choices and alternative app marketplaces, are currently only available on your iPhone. That changes on Monday, according to Apple:
Starting September 16:
Users in the EU can download iPadOS apps on the App Store and through alternative distribution. As mentioned in May, if you have entered into the Alternative Terms Addendum for Apps in the EU, iPadOS first annual installs will begin to accrue and the lower App Store commission rate will apply.
Alternative browser engines can be used in iPadOS apps.
Historical App Install Reports in App Store Connect that can be used with our fee calculator will include iPadOS.
It’s good to see this change happening alongside the update to iPadOS. The App Store and browser experiences on iOS and iPadOS are effectively the same, and having that be different based on which platform users were on didn’t make much sense. It may have taken a nudge by the EC to make it happen, but it’s the right call for Apple’s EU customers.
Apple’s Craig Federighi was interviewed by Wired about the company’s Private Cloud Compute infrastructure that will handle Apple Intelligence requests that can’t be handled locally on-device. Federighi told Wired’s Lily Hay Newman:
What was really unique about the problem of doing large language model inference in the cloud was that the data had to at some level be readable by the server so it could perform the inference. And yet, we needed to make sure that that processing was hermetically sealed inside of a privacy bubble with your phone. So we had to do something new there. The technique of end-to-end encryption—where the server knows nothing—wasn’t possible here, so we had to come up with another solution to achieve a similar level of security.
Still, Apple says that it offers “end-to-end encryption from the user’s device to the validated PCC nodes, ensuring the request cannot be accessed in transit by anything outside those highly protected PCC nodes.” The system is architected so Apple Intelligence data is cryptographically unavailable to standard data center services like load balancers and logging devices. Inside a PCC cluster, data is decrypted and processed, but Apple emphasizes that once a response is encrypted and sent on its journey to the user, no data is retained or logged and none of it is ever accessible to Apple or its individual employees.
PCC is a complex system that leverages technologies that Apple has developed like the Secure Enclave, Secure Boot, and Trusted Execution Monitor to ensure customer privacy. Those technologies are backstopped by making every PCC server publicly available for inspection and verification by third parties. That said, Wired spoke to security researchers and cryptography experts who told the publication that although PCC looks promising, they hadn’t spent significant time studying it yet.
Cloud-based privacy is a tough problem to solve. I’m keen to hear what independent researchers think of Apple’s solution, once they’ve had more time to evaluate it. If PCC is as robust as Apple claims, it’s the sort of thing I could see Apple turning into a standalone product as worldwide regulation pushes tech companies to offer better privacy protections for their customers.
Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:
This week, Federico and John finish their tour of the apps they use for work and play to be productive.
On AppStories+, Federico has an iPad surprise for John.
This episode is sponsored by:
Memberful – Help Your Clients Monetize Their Passion
This week, Anbernic comes through with another retro handheld, PC makers announce new Windows handhelds, an iPhone case built for the Delta emulator, and Federico declares his love for a gaming pillow.
Apple’s presentation moved fast yesterday, and since the event concluded, more details have emerged about everything announced. We’ve been combing Apple’s product pages, social media, and other sources to learn more about everything announced, which we’ve collected below:
Another detail reported at MacRumors by Clover: Beats has entered the iPhone case business for the first time with a polycarbonate case that comes in four colors with support for MagSafe and the iPhone 16’s new Camera Control button.
Apple released an update to its Human Interface Guidelines for the iPhone 16’s new Camera Control button UI.
Neil Long, writing for mobilegamer.biz, rounds up the games that Apple touted as AAA iPhone gaming experiences during the event, which included some that struggled on the iPhone 15 Pro models.
