Welcome to our Apple Breakfast column, which incorporates all the Apple information you missed final week in a useful bite-sized roundup. We name it Apple Breakfast as a result of we expect it goes nice with a morning cup of espresso or tea, nevertheless it’s cool if you wish to give it a learn throughout lunch or dinner hours too.

Function creep

What’s Apple’s most essential product? Financially, after all, it’s the iPhone, which brings in extra money than each different product class–the Mac, the iPad, and the whole wearables and providers divisions–put collectively. However when it comes to securing the loyalty of the purchasers who purchase these iPhones, there’s an argument to be made that iOS is much more essential. Folks don’t purchase an iPhone as a result of it has the very best specs or most progressive design (which is debatable, to say the least) however as a result of it gives the friendliest and smoothest expertise, which is basically as a result of working system.

With this in thoughts, certainly the yearly launch of a brand new full-version iOS replace needs to be much more eagerly awaited than the roll-outs of some new iPhone handsets which are in all probability just like those from the earlier era. Properly, sure and no. The software program bulletins at WWDC will probably be price watching, and an particularly tasty iOS replace could make it really feel such as you’ve bought a brand new iPhone with out spending a penny. However there’s a distinction between essential and attention-grabbing, and the uninteresting software program updates are simply as important to Apple’s well being because the shiny ones. iOS is like indoor plumbing or a cricket umpire: at its greatest when invisible. If I’m compelled to consider sewage or the LBW legislation or my safety settings then you will have did not do your job, which is to quietly get issues carried out within the background.

This week a reputable report claimed that Apple has modified its technique for iOS 17, this yr’s replace, from fixing bugs to including options. What pundits had beforehand anticipated to be a “upkeep replace” specializing in enhancing efficiency will now apparently boast a number of “good to have” options, together with a number of of those which were requested most frequently. Cue cheering, common merriment, a ticker-tape parade, and so forth.

Far be it from me to rain on anybody’s parade, however I’m not fully satisfied it is a good thought. I’d a lot somewhat have Apple focus its energies on ensuring every thing works the way in which it’s speculated to than including a bunch of extra stuff that may go mistaken in artistic new methods. Not that iOS is very error-prone in its present type. Whereas “it simply works” is now primarily quoted satirically, Apple merchandise stay market leaders in relation to easy reliability. However there are some points, and I’d like there to be much less. (Or fewer. You see how essential it’s to get the fundamentals proper?) Take Siri. Would you somewhat have Siri achieve the flexibility to reply a wider vary of queries, or reply the present ones extra reliably? That’s what I believed.

The issue is that, when it unveils a brand new model of iOS, Apple is making an attempt to please two completely different teams on the identical time: the iPhone house owners who will find yourself utilizing the software program each day for a yr with out essentially realizing something about it, and people wiseacres like the current author who preach, analyze, and obsess about every thing that’s modified. The phrase “upkeep replace” is usually used pejoratively, and an replace with no flagship function could be met by the op-ed equal of a raspberry on all the large tech websites. However I submit that the common flagship new function–such because the much-hyped customized Lock Display screen in iOS 16-does much less to extend the world’s happiness than a easy tweak like SMS passcodes showing robotically above the keyboard. The primary tries to alter the way in which you employ your iPhone, and the opposite tries to make your life simpler.

With this in thoughts, I’m ready to make a promise. If iOS 17 seems to be a upkeep replace, I’ll chorus from writing a sizzling take complaining about it. Who’s with me?

Foundry

Trending: High tales

Welp, everybody hates Apple’s AR headset and it hasn’t even shipped but.

The Apple Watch Extremely’s Motion button is simply what the iPhone 15 is lacking.

Now you can obtain Apple Music Classical, however there are some surprising limitations.

Apple Pay Later is lastly accessible–however solely to ‘randomly chosen’ customers within the U.S.

Apple has acquired a startup specializing in “content-aware” AI video compression.

The rumor mill

Are we about to fulfill the B1 chip? A leak claims Apple’s subsequent chip will probably be devoted to the iPhone 15 Professional’s buttons.

Podcast of the week

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Software program updates, bugs & issues

iOS 16.4 is out now with new emojis and vital safety updates. We’ve bought 3 causes to improve proper now, plus some superior hidden options.

The scary ‘MacStealer’ malware has gone after iCloud passwords and bank card information.

Apple has lastly patched an actively exploited WebKit flaw in older iPhones.

Excellent timing, with iOS 17 imminent: It simply bought simpler to put in Apple’s betas.

Apple has already began testing macOS Ventura 13.4.

The primary iOS 16.5 beta has arrived with ‘minor’ adjustments because the launch of iOS 17 nears.

And with that, we’re carried out for this week. In the event you’d wish to get common roundups, join our newsletters. You may as well comply with us on Twitter or on Fb for dialogue of breaking Apple information tales. See you subsequent Saturday, get pleasure from the remainder of your weekend, and keep Appley.