The MacRumors Show The MacRumors Show

This episode is sponsored by Notion. Try Notion for free by visiting https://www.notion.com/macrumors

On this week’s episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss some of the latest rumors about iOS 18 such as deeper Home Screen customization, AI-generated emojis, and more.

With ‌iOS 18‌, Siri is expected to undergo a substantial overhaul with improved natural language processing, enabling more conversational interactions and proactive intelligence. The assistant will apparently understand and perform more complex tasks within apps. These tasks range from moving notes between folders and deleting emails to summarizing articles and recent notifications.

Spotlight search will also allegedly see similar enhancements, integrating deeper with system-wide information to provide more intelligent and relevant results. In Messages, AI will suggest responses and create custom emojis based on message content. The Photos app will incorporate AI-powered retouching tools and Apple Music will offer auto-generated playlists and smoother song transitions.

‌iOS 18‌ is also expected to introduce a more customizable ‌Home Screen‌. Users will have the freedom to place app icons anywhere on the grid and change app icon colors.

Safari is expected to gain an Intelligent Search option, summarizing key topics and phrases on web pages, and a new Web Eraser tool, which allows users to remove unwanted portions of websites. The Calculator app will be redesigned to include recent calculations and better unit conversion tools, becoming a universal app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Apple Maps will introduce custom routes and topographic maps, enhancing navigation and outdoor activities.

Accessibility is another focus area for ‌iOS 18‌ with new features like Eye Tracking, which uses the front-facing camera to navigate the interface, and Vehicle Motion Cues, designed to reduce motion sickness. Music Haptics will provide tactile feedback in sync with music, and Vocal Shortcuts will enable users to assign custom phrases for ‌Siri‌ to execute complex tasks.

The adoption of the Rich Communication Services (RCS) standard should improve messaging between iPhones and Android devices with support for higher resolution photos, audio messages, typing indicators, read receipts, and improved group chat functionality.

‌iOS 18‌ is expected to be compatible with all iPhones that support iOS 17, including models as old as the ‌iPhone‌ XR and ‌iPhone‌ XS. However, iPadOS 18 may drop support for older models such as the first-generation 10.5-inch iPad Pro and the second-generation 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌, focusing instead on more recent devices.

On this week’s episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss Apple’s new iPad Air and iPad Pro models, the latest rumors about an all new iPhone 17 “Slim” model, and the newly announced Sonos Ace over-ear headphones.

We talk through first impressions of the new ‌iPad Air‌ and ‌iPad Pro‌ models, including their pricing and the state of the iPad lineup as a whole, giving attention to the reduced price of the tenth-generation ‌iPad‌, which now costs just $349, which is $250 less than the starting price of the ‌iPad Air‌. We also examine the recent wave of rumors about the ‌iPhone‌ 17 “Slim,” an all-new ‌iPhone‌ model expected to sit above the ‌iPhone‌ 17 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 17 Pro Max in Apple’s 2025 smartphone lineup with a higher price tag.

The device will reportedly feature a 6.55-inch display, a significantly thinner design with an aluminum chassis, an “A19” chip, 8GB of RAM, a rear camera array relocated to the center, a 24-megapixel front camera, and a 48-megapixel telephoto camera. Simultaneously, Apple is expected to discontinue its “Plus” model to make way for the “Slim,” although it may not actually be called this when it debuts in the fall of next year. Meanwhile, Sonos just announced its "Ace" over-ear headphones with active noise cancelation, soundbar integration, a more lightweight design, and longer battery life, so we look at how they compare to the AirPods Max. 

00:00 - iPad Pro Thoughts & Ad Controversy 
28:06 - iPhone 17 Slim???
44:41 - Sonos Ace: AirPods Max Killer?

After one hundred episodes of The MacRumors Show, we delve into a wide range of queries submitted by our audience over the past few weeks, such as whether we wear our Apple Watches overnight, our favorite third-party apps, our biggest disappointments and surpassed expectations with Apple devices, and our desk setups, as well as a mix of more personal questions. Thank you for listening!

This episode is sponsored by Notion. Try Notion for free by visiting https://www.notion.com/macrumors.

This episode is sponsored by Arena Club. Visit https://arenaclub.com/mac for 10% off your first purchase.

On this week's special episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss Apple's newly announced iPad Pro, iPad Air, Apple Pencil Pro, and revamped Magic Keyboard accessory.

We explore the updates to the iPad Pro's hardware, such as the introduction of the M4 chip, OLED displays, a landscape front-facing camera, an Adaptive True Tone flash, and a thinner design. The iPad Air is now available in a larger, 13-inch display size option and offers the M2 chip, a landscape front-facing camera, and ‌Apple Pencil‌ hover.

The Magic Keyboard for the ‌iPad Pro‌ now features an aluminum top case, a new trackpad with haptic feedback, and a function row, while the Apple Pencil Pro introduces the squeeze gesture, barrel roll, haptic feedback, and Find My integration. We evaluate these new products and discuss the potential implications of the upgrades for users, including professionals who rely on the iPad out in the field.

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss the possibility of the next-generation iPad Pro featuring the M4 chip and what else to expect at Apple's "Let loose event."

While Apple's upcoming ‌iPad Pro‌ models have been expected to feature the M3 chip for over a year, recent reports have unexpectedly suggested that the new devices will instead contain the as-yet-unannounced M4 chip and that a key new feature of the processor will be an upgraded Neural Engine optimized for AI tasks. Introducing the M4 chip in an iPad and only six months after the previous chip generation would be unprecedented moves, but there is evidence to suggest that it is a plausible possibility.

Apple's "Let loose" event is expected to focus on the unveiling of redesigned ‌iPad Pro‌ models with OLED displays, two new iPad Air models, a high-end Magic Keyboard accessory, and a new Apple Pencil. We also talk through the three other announcements that Apple could have in store for the event. The special event will take place on Tuesday, May 7 at 7 a.m. Pacific Time (10 a.m. Eastern Time), with a live stream to be available on Apple.com and on YouTube as usual.

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss the announcement of Apple's upcoming "Let loose" event, where the company is widely expected to announce new iPad models and accessories.

Apple's event invite shows an artistic render of an Apple Pencil, suggesting that iPads will be a focus of the event. Apple CEO Tim Cook has also alluded to the Apple Pencil in relation to the event and a series of Apple logos appear to hint at upcoming illustration capabilities. Apple has not released any new iPads since October 2022, so this event has been a long time coming. Apple is expected to announce new iPad Pro and iPad Air models, along with updated ‌Apple Pencil‌ and Magic Keyboard accessories. 

Apple's upcoming special event will take place on Tuesday, May 7 at 7 a.m. Pacific Time (10 a.m. Eastern Time), with a live stream to be available on Apple.com and on YouTube as usual. The event invitation does not mention an in-person component, with Apple inviting the media to watch online alongside the general public. It will take place just over a month before Apple's annual developers conference WWDC, which runs from June 10 through June 14.