Apple Rumoured to Rename Operating Systems to Match the Year — and I Have Questions

May 28, 2025
As per Bloomberg, Apple will rename all of its operating systems this year to have the year as the suffix, so iOS 26 instead of iOS 19, watchOS 26 instead of watchOS 12 and so on. Chance Miller, writing for 9to5Mac: My first reaction to this news was confusion. The more I think about it, though, the more it makes sense. It’s always been tricky to remember version numbers across Apple’s platforms, especially when the version numbers are close, but not exactly the same (think iOS 18 vs macOS 15 vs watchOS 12). Those numbers are just close enough to make you…

German Court Rules: Cookie Banners Must Include ‘Reject All’ Button

May 25, 2025
Skye Jacobs, on Techspot writing about the German court ruling that cookie banners must offer a "reject all" button: The judgment reinforces that websites must not nudge users into agreeing to cookies or make refusal unnecessarily difficult. Instead, the option to reject all must be as prominent and accessible as "accept all." The best approach is to require users to opt in to cookies, so they are not included by default but only by giving explicit consent. This is the second-best option. I’ll take the second-best option over having to deal with 19 different toggles.

Google I/O 2025: Real AI, No Waiting

May 23, 2025
https://youtu.be/bDVpI23q8Zg?si=3p4uLW-7tBGTCIC1&utm_source=ZTQxO I just watched this recap of Google I/O. I’m currently on holiday and didn’t/couldn’t watch it live—so glad Verge does recaps like these. There are a number of really impressive features. Some are uniquely possible for Google, while others are simply exciting and innovative. A few are reminiscent of Black Mirror, evoking that famous quote from Jurassic Park: “scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should.” That said, the most impressive aspect was how many of the new products and features weren’t announced as “coming this fall,” “coming soon,”…

Goodbye, Pocket — and Thanks

May 23, 2025
Emma Roth, writing for The Verge: Mozilla is shutting down Pocket, the handy bookmarking tool used to save articles and webpages for later. The organization announced that Pocket will stop working on July 8th, 2025, as Mozilla begins concentratingits “resources into projects that better match their browsing habits and online needs.” Following the shutdown, you’ll only be able to export saves until October 8th, 2025, which is when Mozilla will permanently delete user data. Mozilla says it will start automatically canceling subscriptions as well, and will issue prorated refunds to users subscribed to its annual plan on July 8th. I've been using Pocket since I…

When Will macOS Drop Support for Intel Macs?

May 21, 2025
Stephen Hackett, writing on 512 Pixels about when Apple will drop support for Intel Macs: By the time Snow Leopard shipped in September 2009, the very last PowerPC Macs ever sold were just over three years old. If Apple holds to that precedent, the earliest the company would drop support for Intel Macs would be in next year’s macOS release. I’ve been thinking about this as well, and next year seems very plausible. The redesigned MacBook Pro models are expected next year, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the OS version that comes preinstalled on them no longer supports Intel-based Macs. There’s no direct…

iPhone 17 Air: Charging Port Still Included, a Practical Choice or a Missed Innovation?

May 20, 2025
A few years ago, there was a rumour that Apple was working on a fully port-less iPhone. This was before Apple switched to USB-C. At that time, the rumour mill suggested that Apple would never go USB-C, but the Lightning port was going to disappear, and that we were all going to get another “courage” moment where Apple kills the charging port just like it did with the 3.5mm headphone jack. Apple was supposedly figuring out a way to transfer data and charge the device without a port, signalling a future where iPhones would be completely port-free. There were even…

CarPlay Ultra Is Finally Here

May 15, 2025
Something that Apple initially demoed in 2022 has finally made its way in 2025, and I think it looks really cool. The biggest question I had about this next-gen CarPlay in 2022 was whether the carmakers would be on board. Will they want another third party (even one as great as Apple) to come in and essentially take over the UI on the car? This wasn't as simple as taking over the UI on the secondary screen or the centre console on the car, but the whole UI including the clusters on the dashboard. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQlLjVraA9g I just watched this almost…

Apple Unveils New Accessibility Features Coming to Its Platforms

May 13, 2025
Set aside the issues about Apple Intelligence or the ongoing antitrust battles. These kind of updates stand out because they go beyond the bare minimum. They’re the kind of features you build when you truly care about creating meaningful and inclusive experiences for everyone, not just checking a box that satisfies "accessibility". The Whole list of features are here, my single favourite one is the new Braille experience, Apple says: Braille Access is an all-new experience that turns iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Vision Pro into a full-featured braille note taker that’s deeply integrated into the Apple ecosystem. With a…

An Opportunity for Apple to Reset Their Developer Relationships

May 13, 2025
David Smith, writing on his blog: WWDC is just four weeks away. I’ve had the privilege of attending every WWDC since 2009, and I suspect this year will feel very different from others. This is an opportunity for Apple to reset their developer relationships and make announcements that clearly show a desire for our mutual benefit. I hope to shelve this distraction and get back to work, building wonderful products for this wonderful platform. We’ll see if Apple agrees. Enough said, but the whole article encapsulates how developers feel about this ordeal. I am linking it again and the full…