Sources: Apple made generative AI a tent-pole project after Craig Federighi and John Giannandrea spent weeks testing ChatGPT and found Siri to be antiquated — Apple plans to announce that it will bring generative A.I. to iPhones after the company’s most significant reorganization in a decade.
Nothing much has been said beyond earlier reports, but the reality of it coming so soon has me stoked.
Most iPhone users are familiar with the way iOS throws up a prompt to turn on Low Power Mode when the battery reaches 20%. Low Power Mode can also be turned on manually at any time by going to Settings -> Battery and toggling on the switch next to Low Power Mode.
If you find yourself constantly having to turn on Low Power Mode late in the day, you can save some time by setting it up to run automatically when your battery is depleted to a specific custom level. This can be done in the Shortcuts app, as the following steps show.
Been doing this on my iPad for years – 30% is my trigger point.
Apple unveiled their new line of iPads yesterday in a pre-recorded video titled “Let Loose.” As with the previous “Scary Fast” MacBook Pro launch video, “Let Loose” ends with a tag proclaiming “Shot on iPhone” — this time adding “Edited on Mac and iPad,” and the fine print: “All presenters, locations, and aerial footage shot on iPhone.”
During the live stream I actively wondered if the iPhone acquisition of “Scary Fast” had been a one-time thing. “Let Loose” looks great, as all Apple videos do, but some shots featured a shallower depth-of-field than is possible with an iPhone-sized lens and sensor combo. At the end of the event, I wondered publicly on Threads about this.
Great details from Stu as usual, and an awesome look at how to soup up your iPhone with extra gear.
What’s almost as exciting as our new iPad Pros and iPad Airs? Why, of course, new iPad Pro and iPad Air product bezels for your designs available as PSDs, PNGs and in the @Sketch product bezel library in all colors!
Best phone addiction change I’ve made lately is creating a shortcut to my watch later YouTube playlist (instead of having YouTube app on home screen)
YouTube long form is consistently my favorite platform to consume on. I constantly run into new ideas. I save almost 10videos a day to my watch later playlist. Feels refreshing after watching for 30-60mins. Doesn’t make me feel like a dopamine addicted wacko.
I’ve been using this method since way back in 2019 – except I keep it in my Shortcuts widget.
My update for Elite Hoops with an emphasis on iOS features is out now! I’d love it if you checked it out, even if you aren’t a coach or the target market.
The widgets, especially, turned out fun. And you may dig some of the animations and stuff from the “What’s New” screens.
Elite Hoops is such a cool app, I wish I could use it coach a rag-tag team of up-and-coming basketball players at my local community center to victory at the Big Game – but for real, check it out.
Inspired by @rafa’s https://docktor.site, I created Squircle – a free Mac app that adds the correct corner radius, padding, and shadow to square app icons following Apple’s design guidelines. Just drop the square icon in and out you get a single png or an appiconset for Xcode.
Take a regular icon, drop it into this app to get the right style, and then use Get Info on an Application and drop the PNG into the icon on the top left – once you launch it again on your Mac, the icon will update.
I’ve just added a new folder to the Shortcuts Library — my set of Accessories shortcuts to toggle your HomeKit accessories and scenes with the hidden Toggle Accessory action in Shortcuts (used in the Home widget).
For individual devices or accessories, select the device from the Toggle Accessory action. For complete rooms, set up a scene to control all the lights, then add the scene to your shortcut.
Get the shortcuts:
Toggle Living Room lights: Activates a Home scene set to control all the lights in my living room, turning them on/off depending on the current state.
Toggle Family Room lights: Activates a Home scene set to control the lamps in my family room, turning them on/off depending on the current state.
Toggle Studio lights: Activates a Home scene set to control multiple lights in my studio, turning them on/off depending on the current state.
Toggle Office lights: Activates a Home scene set to control multiple lights in my home office, turning them on/off depending on the current state.
Toggle Studio Key Light: Turns my Eve Switch on/off depending on its current state, which controls the large 42” softbox in my studio for filming.
Toggle Studio Fill Light: Turns my second Eve Switch on/off depending on its current state, which controls the secondary softbox in my studio space.
Toggle the Sound Machine: Turns my Eve Switch on/off depending on its current state, which controls the sound machine we have in our bedroom for drowning out little noises and providing a constant background sound to sleep to.
I first discussed the hidden Toggle Accessory action in my stream with Stephen Robles back in April (starting at the 26:02 mark).
On Friday, April 12, on the The MacRumors Show podcast, I had the pleasure of joining hosts Dan Barbera and Hartley Charlton to talk about Shortcuts and what could happen with App Intents at WWDC:
Matthew Cassinelli, one of the minds behind Workflow, joins us on this week’s episode of The MacRumors Show to talk Apple Shortcuts and potential improvements and AI features coming to the app in iOS 18. Workflow was a unique iOS app that allowed users to create macros for executing specific sequential tasks on their device. In 2017, Apple acquired Workflow and, the following year, it was rebranded as “Shortcuts.” Shortcuts have since become a key part of Apple’s ecosystem and can be used for a huge range of powerful, automated actions. Matthew was present at Workflow throughout its transition to Apple and now offers his own library of complex Shortcuts, which you can access over on his website.
Last year, a report from The Information claimed that iOS 18 will introduce some major AI features to Siri and the Shortcuts app. Apple apparently wants Siri to be able to help users automate complex, multi-step tasks with voice-based commands and have much deeper integration with Shortcuts, such as by potentially helping users build them. We break down Apple Shortcuts for beginners and look at some of the many use-cases for the app, as well as consider where it could go next with AI.
With a built-in 9” screen, you can use Prompter to display video scripts, stream chat, or even mirror any window or app from your computer automatically.
I mostly use the Prompter in Display Mode to mirror my whole desktop and pull up specific windows like Zoom or Ecamm when I want to look directly into the lens.
I want to try Stream Mode with Twitch chat while gaming later this year, but I haven’t found a good workflow for Text Mode and video scripts just yet…
I’ve just added a new folder to the Shortcuts Library — my set of QuickBooks shortcuts for accessing the most important parts of the QuickBooks Self-Employed experience.
Add your banks and transactions, stay on top of quarterly taxes, and view your reports as your business grows:
Open QuickBooks Self-Employed: Opens the homepage for QuickBooks Self-Employed on the web. If not signed, will redirect you to the login page.
Log transactions: Opens the Transactions page in QuickBooks Self-Employed so you can view, update, and tag transactions as needed.
Manage bank accounts: Opens the QuickBooks page for connecting your bank accounts – use this to set up new accounts or update your connection if it falls out of sync.
Log mileage with QuickBooks: Opens the QuickBooks mobile app so you can log mileage for business trips directly in the app.
Check miles logged: Opens the Milage Log of QuickBooks Self-Employed so you can track how many miles you’ve travelled as business expenses.
Check business taxes: Opens the Tax page of QuickBooks Self-Employed so you can stay on top of tax bills, due dates, and other notices.
Check quarterly taxes: Opens the Quarterly tab of the Tax page for QuickBooks Self-Employed so you can view and file your quarterly taxes (to avoid paying in one big lump-sum the year after).
Show QuickBooks reports: Opens the Reports page of QuickBooks Self-Employed so you can track and visualize your progress.
Import transactions: Opens the page for importing transactions into QuickBooks Self-Employed (for anything that can’t be handled directly through your bank).
Manage Intuit account: Opens the account manager for QuickBooks Self-Employed on Intuit’s site.
With the help of the Apple Support website, users can find a lot of information about the Apple devices they own. This includes things like technical specifications, guides, and support articles. However, all this information used to be spread across multiple pages – but Apple is changing that with a new “Documentation” page.
We’re far out of the Apple Vision Pro hype cycle and WWDC tickets are in developers’ inboxes already – however, iPad rumors are still swirling for May as well.
iOS 17.4 has been released, which brought new actions to Shortcuts for the Action button, as well a general stability that’s been much needed – there are still Feedback reports to file for 17.5, however.
In the Shortcuts Catalog, I’ve been going deep on entertainment shortcuts, plus Mac window management on the livestream. Plus, I linked to many videos, app updates, and stories worth checking out.
Smart Profiles are the key way I’m using Stream Deck with Shortcuts – with profiles for most of my apps, I can always access my shortcuts when I open the app on my Mac.
Smart Profiles work on all Stream Decks, but I also use them for the Pedal as they show in the video – when Safari is open, I can tap the left or right bumpers with my foot to switch tabs. 😎
On Thursday, April 4th, I hosted an episode of Shortcuts Live with special guest Stephen Robles to discuss how the iOS 17.4 update makes Action button shortcuts more dynamic, Stephen’s latest videos, and what’s coming at WWDC.
Throughout the discussion, we also covered special techniques for If statements, potential improvements to the Podcasts actions, and future ChatGPT integrations, as well as filed “verbal Feedback” on issues we want to report to Apple.
I have both the Stream Deck XL and Stream Deck Mini, and both are fantastic purpose-driven designs. The big one is best for having all your buttons visible, while the mini is best for having the right buttons nearby.
I have all my main commands spread out on the XL, but always have the mute switch, scene switcher, or media controls on the Mini ready to go.
