WWDC, June 10-14, 2024, to be 'A(bsolutely) I(ncredible)' — Keynote Discussion Here!

Hap

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Password manager extensions can finally populate OTPs? That was one of the last points of friction with using 1Password on iOS. Now if only they would implement extension support in macOS instead of requiring you to use their shitty browser extension.
They could already, but only if the webpage coded for it. I have a couple of sites it just works on, but only a couple. Hell, some sites STILL block password paste.
 

kenada

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They could already, but only if the webpage coded for it. I have a couple of sites it just works on, but only a couple. Hell, some sites STILL block password paste.
Do you have any examples? I have 1Password configured as the only credential provider in iOS, but I only ever get prompts to fill OTPs for sites I’ve set up in Apple’s password manager. The only way I can fill OTPs from 1Password is by manually copying them from the app or by using 1Password’s Safari extension. If I’m understanding correctly, 1Password should be able to fill OTPs in iOS 18 using the native UI once it’s updated to implement the new API (and also in macOS 15 should 1Password ever implement it, though they’ve been pretty resistant supporting the extension API so far even though it makes the Passkey experience worse on macOS).
 
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Jonathon

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Still catching up on today's announcements, but the big standout to me so far has to be iPhone mirroring-- I've wanted that for ages, and it'll get near-daily use once it's available. (Now let me mirror my iPhone on iPad, too, please... or, better yet, let me mirror anything to anything else-- I'd love a first-party Screen Sharing client on iPad that has the "magic stuff" Mac Screen Sharing does on Sonoma.)

Otherwise... it feels very much like the AI push is sucking resources away both from end user and developer features in all the OSes-- haven't seen the Platforms SOTU or been able to dig into it myself yet, but I'm seeing reports that actual developer-facing changes are unusually minimal this year. I hope this all works well out of the gate and it turns out to be worth it, because it feels like Apple's kind of betting the company on it with how pervasive it seems to be.
 

Hap

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Do you have any examples? I have 1Password configured as the only credential provider in iOS, but I only ever get prompts to fill OTPs for sites I’ve set up in Apple’s password manager. The only way I can fill OTPs from 1Password is by manually copying them from the app or by using 1Password’s Safari extension. If I’m understanding correctly, 1Password should be able to fill OTPs in iOS 18 using the native UI once it’s updated to implement the new API (and also in macOS 15 should 1Password ever implement it, though they’ve been pretty resistant supporting the extension API so far even though it makes the Passkey experience worse on macOS).
I just remember being surprised by it a couple of times. I'll see if I can figure out which sites.
 
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GoodOnYaMate

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Probably. I don't really see why the Neural Engine in the A16 is so much worse than the one in the A17 Pro. Sure, it's faster …
Look at the RAM specs. A16 has only 6GB. Models are large, very large. There are papers written on how to shrink models down so they can possibly squeeze into a phone’s memory.
 

VirtualWolf

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and 1PW just got sherlocked.
I realise I'm way late to this (I wasn't going to be up at 3am my time to watch the keynote :p), but they've added a lot more stuff than just strict password management to 1Password in recent years (probably because they fully realised that they were very ripe for a Sherlocking): https://developer.1password.com/

It's really nice, I use the SSH agent heavily, as well as the integration with a bunch of developer CLI tools, and being able to have Ansible playbooks dynamically look up items stored in 1Password is lovely.
 

dal20402

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Still catching up on today's announcements, but the big standout to me so far has to be iPhone mirroring-- I've wanted that for ages, and it'll get near-daily use once it's available. (Now let me mirror my iPhone on iPad, too, please... or, better yet, let me mirror anything to anything else-- I'd love a first-party Screen Sharing client on iPad that has the "magic stuff" Mac Screen Sharing does on Sonoma.)

What I really want now is iPad mirroring on Mac. Entirely because my employer allows iOS/iPadOS connections to all corporate resources and mostly does not allow them from Macs, it would be a game changer for me.

Even iPhone mirroring is going to be quite useful.
 
Looks to me like they're nailing it. Sure, implementation will be key, but the fundamentals as outlined below are most essential, everything else will be build upon evolutionary.

It's a sight to behold when Apple goes in on a big push across all their assets. I think of details like being able to respond to Siri's questions via nodding or shaking the head with your AirPods on.

Also the humorous self-awareness made the whole presentation go from borderline cringe to light-hearted fun.

Good stuff.

We’ll see how the implementation is, but so far it sure feels to me like Apple Intelligence is checking all the boxes I had for it coming in:
  • Private
  • Context Aware
  • Memory of prior queries
  • Tolerance for idiosyncratic language in requests
  • Able to take actions across multiple apps
  • 3rd party extensible
  • Mostly on device
  • Build into actual features, not just AI showrooms (though they did add one of those)

This feels like a totally predictable outcome and also pretty great from where I’m sitting.

Also I kinda love how every macOS name reveal is a joke about Apple’s marketing people being stoners. It started with High Sierra and they’ve made a variation on that joke every year since. Whimsy in a 3 trillion dollar company - I approve.
 
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JimCampbell

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The scenario that they described was that your iPhone is in another room.

Is it that onerous to go get it? Do people here live in mansions or something, it would be a trek to go get it?
Frankly, I object to having to pick it up when it's sitting right next to me on my desk. :D
 

wrylachlan

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I don’t get why iPhone mirroring is such a big deal for many.

The scenario that they described was that your iPhone is in another room.

Is it that onerous to go get it? Do people here live in mansions or something, it would be a trek to go get it?

The one device which is most-likely to be always on hand would be your phone?
You should think of the iPhone notification mirroring and iPhone mirroring as one feature. I think the real utility comes from being able to quickly respond to notifications without your hands leaving the keys/trackpad.
 

nimro

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From Apple's page on it's model training:
We train our foundation models on licensed data, including data selected to enhance specific features, as well as publicly available data collected by our web-crawler, AppleBot. Web publishers have the option to opt out of the use of their web content for Apple Intelligence training with a data usage control.

We never use our users’ private personal data or user interactions when training our foundation models, and we apply filters to remove personally identifiable information like social security and credit card numbers that are publicly available on the Internet.

So, they never use their users' private personal data... unless their web crawler hoovers it up. Same scummy opt-out data vacuuming that every other shitty corporate AI play is relying on.

There goes all hope of I had Apple doing it "better". It's the same trend-chasing consent-disregarding crap everyone else is doing they're just late to the party.
 
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Hap

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I don’t get why iPhone mirroring is such a big deal for many.

The scenario that they described was that your iPhone is in another room.

Is it that onerous to go get it? Do people here live in mansions or something, it would be a trek to go get it?

The one device which is most-likely to be always on hand would be your phone?
The only way that mine maintains cell signal (needed for SMS - yes, I do get a fair amount) is to stay upstairs in a very particular place in my office. Removing it from that location means I miss SMS, many from Doctors. Now SMS forwarding works fine as long as I leave the phone up there and I have a Mac and iPad, so almost never need to get the iPhone, but the convenience is undeniable for me.
 
Something that occurs to me is that if Apple wants Apple Intelligence to be available on all new iPhones the next SE will be a huge upgrade, as it would be really odd to launch a new phone that can't run the main new software features. Maybe not using the A17 Pro, but perhaps an A18 with the newer NPU architecture, and 8 GB to allow local models to run. Mind you even 8 GB is pushing it for current models, that's going to potentially cause a lot of problems with devices in future.
 

wrylachlan

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From Apple's page on it's model training:


So, they never use their users' private personal data... unless their web crawler hoovers it up. Same scummy opt-out data vacuuming that every other shitty corporate AI play is relying on.

There goes all hope of I had Apple doing it "better". It's the same trend-chasing consent-disregarding crap everyone else is doing they're just late to the party.
yeah, thats a bit disappointing to be sure. Undoubtedly there will be more deep dives on this issue in the coming weeks.
 

wrylachlan

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Something that occurs to me is that if Apple wants Apple Intelligence to be available on all new iPhones the next SE will be a huge upgrade, as it would be really odd to launch a new phone that can't run the main new software features. Maybe not using the A17 Pro, but perhaps an A18 with the newer NPU architecture, and 8 GB to allow local models to run. Mind you even 8 GB is pushing it for current models, that's going to potentially cause a lot of problems with devices in future.
Traditionally the SE has gotten the top of the line SoC in a bottom of the line package. So a mid-2025 SE with an A18 would be exactly what you would expect based on prior SEs.
 
Traditionally the SE has gotten the top of the line SoC in a bottom of the line package. So a mid-2025 SE with an A18 would be exactly what you would expect based on prior SEs.

You are quite right, and apart from the SE 2020 they have the same memory as the preceeding base iPhone. So spring 2025 probably with the A18 and 8 GB RAM to do all the AI bits of iOS 18. That phone is going to sell really well.
 

ZnU

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The on-device model is 3B parameters quantized to ~3.5 bits, so it should be < 1.5 GB. Storage is fast enough on modern iPhones that even if the model has to be purged from RAM, it can be loaded again in about a second. In most cases it should be possible to cover that by speculatively loading the model as soon as the user takes a UI action that implies it might be needed soon.
 
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wrylachlan

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You are quite right, and apart from the SE 2020 they have the same memory as the preceeding base iPhone. So spring 2025 probably with the A18 and 8 GB RAM to do all the AI bits of iOS 18. That phone is going to sell really well.
It’s going to be interesting to see how they place it in the lineup. Up until now the SE has been in a noticeably “lesser” shell. With the move to a FaceID SE it will be harder to differentiate from the new iPhones. Price it too low and there will be substantial cannibalization.
 
It’s going to be interesting to see how they place it in the lineup. Up until now the SE has been in a noticeably “lesser” shell. With the move to a FaceID SE it will be harder to differentiate from the new iPhones. Price it too low and there will be substantial cannibalization.

I suspect Apple might not mind selling a bumper load of SEs if it gets a lot of people using their AI sooner.
 
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The on-device model is 3B parameters quantized to ~3.5 bits, so it should be < 1.5 GB. Storage is fast enough on modern iPhones that even if the model has to be purged from RAM, it can be loaded again in about a second. In most cases it should be possible to cover that by speculatively loading the model as soon as the user takes a UI action that implies it might be needed soon.

What happens when the model grows?

Apple has simply been too cheap with RAM on their devices for many years, and now they are running head first into a use case where capacity and bandwidth really matter.
 

Jonathon

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You should think of the iPhone notification mirroring and iPhone mirroring as one feature. I think the real utility comes from being able to quickly respond to notifications without your hands leaving the keys/trackpad.
Exactly. It's one less mental context switch if I don't have to switch devices (even if the phone's sitting right beside me on my desk).

And I can use an actual keyboard, if whatever I'm doing requires typing.
 

Bonusround

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It’s going to be interesting to see how they place it in the lineup. Up until now the SE has been in a noticeably “lesser” shell. With the move to a FaceID SE it will be harder to differentiate from the new iPhones. Price it too low and there will be substantial cannibalization.
It won’t cannibalize too badly because they‘ll release the SE in the Spring, well after the new models and holiday shopping season.
 

jklein

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It’s going to be interesting to see how they place it in the lineup. Up until now the SE has been in a noticeably “lesser” shell. With the move to a FaceID SE it will be harder to differentiate from the new iPhones. Price it too low and there will be substantial cannibalization.
I would love it if Apple kept TouchID as the differentiator between the SE and other models. I'd stick with it forever if that were the case. I have FaceID on my iPad Pro and really don't like it nearly as much as TouchID on my 2022 iPhone SE. Memory is my biggest complaint, I'd say.
 

jaberg

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I don’t get why iPhone mirroring is such a big deal for many.

The scenario that they described was that your iPhone is in another room.

Is it that onerous to go get it? Do people here live in mansions or something, it would be a trek to go get it?

The one device which is most-likely to be always on hand would be your phone?
For me, this feature might not be the biggest of deals, but it is welcome none-the-less.

On any given day there’s a better than even chance that the iPhone will sit on its charger next to the bed until I leave the house. At the very least, it will be there until I get dressed…because pockets are requisite for carrying the phone around. (I have need of my hands for other tasks.) Care for my senior father has broken of me of my life-long morning routine which included dressing first thing in the morning.

In terms of the trek — it would have been more of one in my previous home, a (small) Victorian mansion where I was frequently working in an adjacent carriage house. Here it’s not the distance but rather the likelihood of being side-tracked by The Elders anytime I leave the sanctity of my office/studio area. Or that I’ve forgotton the phone in the car, and will ultimately be calling upon Find My to locate it. Both risk my losing the flow of whatever task I needed the phone for to begin with.

Not having the phone on my person is made possibile because I’ve been able to answer the phone from Mac or iPad for some time now. Having full access to the phone from the desk, in the basement, is absolutely something that will be useful and helpful to me.

What I don’t get is why we contestantly need to reiterate NOT FOR YOU ≠ NOT FOR ANYONE.
 
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cateye

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I don’t get why iPhone mirroring is such a big deal for many.

There's an element of "one coherent command center" to it. I plop my iPad on a stand next to my Cinema Display and MacBook Pro when I'm working and make use of Universal Control to push my mouse pointer onto the iPad when I need to access something on it. Is this strictly necessary? Of course not—the iPad is right there. I could just grab it and poke at it as I do any other time. But there's a tiny amount of friction that's removed for me to context switch from Mac to iPad without even having to change my form of input that's one of those "well that's pleasant" experiences. "Mirroring," then, goes a step forward and instead puts the device right there on your screen, along with everything else. Again—minor, no question, but nice.
 
Is it still the case that you can't sign into an AppleID in a virtualized macOS?
Apparently now you can – but only if both the host and guest OS are MacOS 15 or later...


Still, a very welcome change – now I can finally and safely investigate some weird configuration bugs I have in Mail.app at the moment – not honouring the "do not load remote objects" setting, probably due to me upgrading to Sonoma in place all the way back from High Sierra or so... ;-)
 
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Honeybog

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Just trying to think up some cases where mirroring would be useful:

  • Ordering food through a delivery app. (You could go through the browser, but why bother if you’re logged in on the app and have your information saved?
  • Other apps where it’s faster to open the app and use saved credentials rather than find the URL and login: banking, insurance, etc.
    • With banking specifically, I’d always rather go through the app than a browser, for security alone.
  • Messaging apps that aren’t on your Mac/don’t want anywhere near your Mac (Hi l, WeChat!)
  • HomeKit stuff: Airplaying from an iPhone to a HomePod seems more stable than from a Mac to a HomePod.
  • Finally a way to control an AppleTV from a Mac.
  • Testing mobile views for web, certain apps, and documents.
  • (Maybe) you could have a pretty sweet light box set up assuming you can trigger the camera. Including the use of third party apps, unlike with the current capture options.
  • I could see playing some games like the Times crossword in the app.
 
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jaberg

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Titles? Smart Albums?
Just downloaded the Developer Beta of iPad OS 18 to my iPad Mini. Opened Photos first thing and sadly, I can confirm that, at least as of now, my practice of using the Caption field for titling…until I sit down at a Mac…will continue. No sign of smart albums either — though I was called away before I could do a deep dive.

I’ll live…but I am disappointed.
 
According to the release notes for beta 1, it can fail, but you can work around it by installing the latest beta of Xcode.
Somebody elsewhere mentioned that you only have to install a few (or just one) very small system packages from the Xcode 16 beta, not the whole shebang:

Xcode-beta.app/Contents/Resources/Packages

I already installed the whole Xcode beta, but my Sequoia VM still works after deleting the Xcode beta app (I was glad to reclaim some disk space).

Works in UTM, yet have to try in Eclectic Light's Viable (which I usually prefer, it's a bit leaner to run).
 
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Gandhim3

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The market is either underwhelmed or they're selling on the news, the stock is down, as the initial reaction but it had run up in the past week or two in anticipation of this announcement.
Market certainly likes what they saw after they had time to digest the information Overnight
 

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stevenkan

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I would love it if Apple kept TouchID as the differentiator between the SE and other models. I'd stick with it forever if that were the case. I have FaceID on my iPad Pro and really don't like it nearly as much as TouchID on my 2022 iPhone SE. Memory is my biggest complaint, I'd say.
Yup. My elderly parents will never, ever, ever grok a phone that lacks a Home button. If the Home button goes away on the new SE, I might have to buy two current-get SEs just to squirrel away in case we have a hardware failure and need to replace.
 
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