New features expected in iOS 18.2 update, M4 Max processor outperforms M2 Ultra by up to 25% in first performance test results, Apple plans to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Apple Watch, displaying the remaining time until the iPhone is fully charged in iOS 18.2, and other exciting news in On the Sidelines…

News on the sidelines Week Mar 5 - Mar 11


Update phone gram app

A new update has been released for the Fonegram app, the new update includes new tools such as an artistic style photo, as well as a photo quality enhancement tool.

The new update also improved some of the previous tools like the Convert My Photo To tool, if you didn't like the results before, try it now. And let us know what you think in the comments about the new tools.

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Top Features of Apple's iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 Beta Updates

From iPhoneIslam.com, three smartphone screens show the Genmoji app interface, showing an introduction, avatar suggestions, and customization options on a dark background. Stay up to date with the latest news as you customize your digital avatar in November.

Yesterday, Apple released public betas of its operating system updates, which include new AI features. Most notably, the Image Playground app allows you to create images based on a text description, with the ability to create characters that resemble friends and family, and can be used in Messages, Notes, and Freeform apps.

The updates also introduce the Genmoji feature, which allows users to create custom emojis based on descriptions and phrases, with the ability to take advantage of photos of people in the photo album. Additionally, ChatGPT has been integrated with Siri, where Siri can use ChatGPT to answer questions and generate text and images, without the need for a user account.

The updates also include the iPhone 16's Visual Intelligence feature, which provides information about surroundings through the camera, such as restaurant reviews and product searches, with the ability to read text and detect phone numbers and addresses. These updates are expected to be released to the public in early December.


Apple's plans to develop Apple Intelligence servers

From iPhoneIslam.com, a promotional image showing the features of iOS 18.1, with a large "18.1" icon in the middle, several iPhones displaying various app interfaces and functions on a white background, highlighting Apple's latest technology.

Apple plans to start using the M4 chip in servers Apple Intelligence Next year, according to a report from Nikkei Asia. The company has approached its main manufacturing partner Foxconn to build additional servers in Taiwan, with existing servers running on the M2 Ultra chip.

While some Apple Intelligence features rely on on-device processing, requests that require greater processing power require Private Cloud Compute models stored on Apple Intelligence servers, with the assurance that user data is not stored or shared with the company. 


Show remaining time for iPhone to charge fully in iOS 18.2

From iPhoneIslam.com, an iOS 18 smartphone shows 81% battery charge, placed on a wireless charging pad next to the keyboard, and displays iPhone battery charging options.

9to5Mac has revealed a new framework called “BatteryIntelligence” in the iOS 18.2 beta that will allow the system to calculate how much time is left before the phone is fully charged. This feature, which has not yet been activated, will let users know how long it will take for their phone to reach a certain level of charge.

This potential addition complements iOS 18’s existing battery management capabilities, which include options to limit maximum charge to 80%, 85%, 90%, or 95% to preserve long-term battery health, as well as alerts when using a slow charger. The final update is scheduled to launch in early December, but it’s not yet clear whether this feature will be part of it or saved for a future update.


Apple plans to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch

From iPhoneIslam.com, a smartwatch with a stylish black strap that displays the time "10:09" on a vibrant gradient background, perfect for keeping up with the latest news.

The iOS 18.2 beta revealed that Apple is planning to launch an Activity Challenge to celebrate the 2015th anniversary of the Apple Watch, which launched in 2014. Although the watch was announced at an iPhone event in September 2015, it didn't go on sale until April 2024, raising questions about whether the 2025th anniversary would be in XNUMX or XNUMX.

In the same context, journalist Mark Gurman had indicated in 2023 that Apple was planning a comprehensive update to the Apple Watch on the occasion of its tenth anniversary, including a magnetic strap attachment system and a thinner design. The watch did indeed receive a design update in September 2024 with larger screens and a thinner body, but it was not called the “Apple Watch X” as Gurman expected. It is also worth noting that 2025 will also witness the tenth anniversary of the Apple Music service, which was launched in June 2015.


Apple has made it possible to track the results of the 2024 US elections directly on the iPhone lock screen

From iPhoneIslam.com, Smartphone screen showing November political poll statistics: Kamala Harris and Donald Trump tied at 75, with news details about Senate and House party distributions shown below.

Apple has added Live Activities support for the 2024 US presidential election in the News app, allowing iPhone and iPad users to follow election results directly from the lock screen. The feature was rolled out to users in the US on Election Day, November 5, to provide continuous updates on the electoral count.

This feature can be enabled through the Apple News app for iPhone 14 Pro users and later running iOS 16.1 or later, or iPad users running iPadOS 17 or later. When enabled, updates will appear as an interactive widget on the Lock screen.


Apple proposes $10 million investment to lift iPhone ban in Indonesia

Apple has proposed a $10 million investment to build a factory in Bandung, near Jakarta, in partnership with its suppliers to produce accessories and components for Apple devices. The proposal comes in response to Indonesia’s decision to ban iPhone 16 sales last month after Apple’s local unit was found not to have met the country’s requirement that smartphones contain 40% local components.

The proposed investment marks Apple’s first manufacturing presence in Indonesia, a key market for the company with 354 million active mobile phones for its 280 million population. While the Ministry of Industry is currently reviewing the proposal, around 9000 iPhone 16 units have entered Indonesia through personal imports, but these devices are restricted to personal use and cannot be sold commercially under the current ban.


Share the location of lost items with airlines and trusted people in the Find My app

From iPhoneIslam.com, three smartphone screens showcase the latest Find My app updates for November, including sharing an item’s location and viewing contact information. Each screen features detailed descriptions and a “Follow” button, ensuring users stay up to date with the latest news.

In the second beta of iOS 18.2, Apple added a new feature to the Find My app that allows users to share the location of a lost item with a trusted person or airline employees. The feature works by creating a link that can be opened on any device, even if it is not an Apple device. The link expires after a week or when the lost item is recovered. The user can also see how many people have visited the link.

The update also brings a “Show Contact Info” option that lets any phone or tablet call a lost item and open a website with additional information about it, including the owner’s phone number and email address. This new feature works with AirTag devices and other devices connected to Apple’s Find My network, and it adds to the existing feature that lets you share an item’s location with saved contacts.


iOS 18.2 update reveals ChatGPT's limitations with Siri, offers upgrade option

From iPhoneIslam.com, a screenshot of the app interface from November. The left panel shows a prompt to upgrade ChatGPT Plus, highlighting its features. The right panel shows the ChatGPT extension settings with toggle buttons in the margin.

The second beta of iOS 18.2 has revealed additional details about ChatGPT’s integration with Siri, with a new section in the Settings app showing the daily limit for ChatGPT usage and offering the option to upgrade to the paid ChatGPT Plus plan. The update includes an “Advanced Capabilities” section that shows “Under Limit” for users not on the paid plan, where they can access a limited number of prompts that use ChatGPT’s advanced capabilities, before the prompts are downgraded to the basic version.

The ChatGPT Plus plan is available for $19.99 per month, offering five times the number of messages over the latest GPT-4o version, plus higher limits on image and file uploads, image creation, and web browsing, with the option to speak using advanced voice mode. Users can log in to their existing accounts or sign up directly via Settings, though the free plan is limited to two image creations per day using DALL-E 3, and free access to ChatGPT-4o requests resets every 24 hours.


iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air will come with 120Hz ProMotion displays

From iPhoneIslam.com, two smartphones hover in the air; one captivates you with a vibrant display, while the other showcases the rear camera. Both feature a sleek metal design that sets them apart from other smartphones. Stay tuned for more news when they hit the market in November!

According to a report from South Korean website ETNews, all iPhone 17 models scheduled to launch next year are expected to come equipped with low-power LTPO displays. These displays will be supplied by Samsung and LG, indicating that all models will support ProMotion technology that provides a variable refresh rate of up to 120Hz, a feature that has been limited to the Pro models since its launch on the iPhone 13 Pro in 2021.

LTPO technology is used in OLED displays to provide a variable refresh rate with low power consumption, ensuring that ProMotion does not significantly impact battery life. While this technology allows for a smoother browsing and video viewing experience, it is not yet clear whether the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air models will support lowering the refresh rate to 10Hz or 1Hz like the current Pro models. 


M4 Max processor outperforms M2 Ultra by up to 25% in first performance test results

From iPhoneIslam.com, three Apple chip designs named “M4,” “M4 Pro,” and “M4 Max” appear on a vibrant blue and purple gradient background, grabbing the spotlight in sideline news for the week of October 25-31.

The first Geekbench 6 benchmark results for the 4-core M16 Max have surfaced, showing that the processor is up to 25 percent faster in multi-core performance than the 2-core M24 Ultra. Compared to the M4 Pro, whose benchmark results surfaced on Thursday, the M4 Max appears to be up to 20 percent faster in multi-core performance.

According to the test results, the MacBook Pro with the M4 Max processor achieved a score of 26,675 in the multi-core test (the highest score), while the Mac mini with the M4 Pro processor achieved a score of 22,094, and the Mac Studio with the M2 Ultra processor achieved a score of 21,351. This makes the M4 Max the fastest processor from Apple silicon in the Geekbench 6 database.

The 4-core M14 Pro Mac mini can now be had for $1,599 and gets similar or faster performance than the 2-core M24 Ultra Mac Studio, which starts at $3,999. For up to 25 percent faster performance, you can opt for the 16-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Max for the same price.


Miscellaneous news

◉ The macOS Sequoia 15.2 beta update introduces new AirPlay options that allow users to share specific content from their Mac screen to Apple TV, such as a specific app, a specific window, or the entire screen, instead of just sharing the entire screen as in previous versions. This update is expected to be released to the public in early December, and will also include AI features like Image Playground and ChatGPT integration with Siri.

From iPhoneIslam.com, Screen sharing selection window with options: Full screen, Window or app, or Extended view. Navigation is smooth with dedicated buttons for “Cancel” and “Select view”. Always be aware of the margin while sharing your screen effortlessly.

◉ iOS 18.2 brings new support for Live Activities to track download progress in Safari, allowing users to monitor file download status directly from the Lock Screen on all iPhones, and through the Dynamic Island on iPhone 14 Pro models and later, as well as new AI features like Genmoji, Image Playground, and ChatGPT integration with Siri.

From iPhoneIslam.com, a close-up of a smartphone screen showing a download in progress: “Photos…” 16.6 MB of 39.5 MB, on a purple background, as if displaying breaking news with each byte adding November’s secrets to your digital library.

◉ The European Commission is planning to fine Apple for failing to adequately comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) requirements for the App Store, with regulators believing the company has failed to implement changes that allow developers to direct users to cheaper prices outside the store, despite Apple amending its rules in August to allow EU developers to promote off-store offerings while charging them a fee. While it’s not yet clear when or how much the fine will be announced, the EU could impose a fine of up to 10% of Apple’s annual global sales, having previously fined the company $2 billion earlier this year for anti-competitive behavior against third-party music services.

◉ Developer Aaron Perris revealed that there are indications in the first beta of tvOS 18.2 that four new screen saver categories will be added soon: Snoopy, TV & Movies, Music, and Soundscapes. The new screen savers are expected to appear in a later beta of the update, with Snoopy and TV & Movies options set to be available in late 2024, followed by Music and Soundscapes. Some of these options, including Snoopy, will require a second-generation Apple TV 4K or later, with the update set to be released to the public in December.

◉ A new report suggests that Apple is developing a 90Hz display technology for future Studio Display, iPad Air, and 24-inch iMacs. According to an anonymous source who contacted the Upgrade podcast, the company is developing “a higher refresh rate LCD display with a fixed fluid motion panel at around 90Hz,” with the technology expected to debut first in the next-generation iPad Air in early 2025, before expanding to other products. This comes after display analyst Ross Young reported in April 2023 that Apple had abandoned plans for a 27-inch display with mini-LED and ProMotion technology with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz.

◉ Apple has released the first beta of tvOS 18.2 to developers, adding a new feature that lets Apple TV automatically detect the best aspect ratio for your TV or projector. The update includes multiple aspect ratio options such as 16:9, 21:9, 2.37:1, 2.39:1, 2.40:1, DCI 4K, and 32:9, and includes an option to show or hide audio feedback from external devices such as speakers. The new Snoopy screensavers are not included in this update.

◉ Apple has stopped signing iOS 18.0.1, preventing iPhone users who updated to iOS 18.1 from rolling back to the previous version. 

◉ Apple has released the first developer beta of visionOS 2.2, which adds the long-awaited “wide” and “ultrawide” modes to the Mac Virtual Display feature. This feature allows you to use your Vision Pro glasses as an external display for your Mac, with ultrawide mode providing an experience similar to having two 4K displays side by side on your desk. The update now comes in three sizes: regular, wide, and ultrawide, and is expected to be released to the public in December alongside iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and other updates. Apple has yet to provide public betas of visionOS.

From iPhoneIslam.com, In a modern living room, a person wearing a virtual reality headset navigates through large virtual computer screens, staying up to date with the latest news.


This is not all the news that is on the sidelines, but we have brought you the most important of them, and it is not necessary for the non-specialist to occupy himself with all the incoming and outgoing. And help you with it, and if it robbed you of your life and got busy with it, there is no need for it.

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