After you get your third stimulus check, you'll receive a letter in the mail signed by President Joe Biden confirming your payment. Here's why you want to keep it -- and what to do if you didn't.
Is Apple AirTag a facile tool --- albeit an unwitting one --- for stalking and surveillance?
An investigative test report of sorts by a The Washington Post columnist suggests that it indeed is the case.
The report by Geoffrey Fowler goes as far as to say that the AirTag is a "new means of inexpensive, effective stalking." The safety features in the AirTag to curb motivated misuse may not be enough, suggests the report.
It should be noted here that AirTag, on whatever it is fastened to or put in, can track it.
Fowler got his colleague Jonathan Baran to keep track of him for a week using the Apple AirTag placed inside his (Fowler's) backpack. What emerged from this simple study was a bit startling.
The new Apple device gave details about where Fowler was every few minutes with a near precise accuracy. When he was at his home, AirTag apparently purveyed his exact address.
The AirTag did intimate Fowler that the device was following his movements through iOS notifications and a sound alert on AirTag's speaker. But the audible alert rang after three days. In any case, it was "just 15 seconds of light chirping".
Also, alerts aren't currently available to Android users. Also, the 'Find My network' feature currently limited to iOS, Android users will not be able to realise that an AirTag is 'traveling' with them.
As Fowler noted: "I got multiple alerts: from the hidden AirTag and on my iPhone. But it wasn't hard to find ways an abusive partner could circumvent Apple's systems. To name one: The audible alarm only rang after three days -- and then it turned out to be just 15 seconds of light chirping. And another: While an iPhone alerted me that an unknown AirTag was moving with me, similar warnings aren't available for the roughly half of Americans who use Android phones."
Safeguards in AirTags are "industry-first": Apple
As we said, the Apple AirTag is a wireless location-tracking device whose location can be monitored on Mac and iOS devices via the Find My app. Small and circular, it's designed to slip into a wallet or a bag, or be attached to keys and other items.
In the report, Fowler had an Apple Vice President say that the safeguards in AirTag "are an industry-first, strong set of proactive deterrents. It's a smart and tunable system, and we can continue improving the logic and timing so that we can improve the set of deterrents."
The VP did not elaborate on whether Apple had consulted domestic abuse experts when creating the AirTag. But said: "Apple is open to hearing anything from those organizations."
The Washington Post investigative study agrees that Apple has done more to prevent AirTags from being misused than other Bluetooth tracking devices.
But that may not be enough, apparently.
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Apple’s annual WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference) event is fast approaching, with WWDC 2021 set to kick off on June 7. This is where we expect to get our first official look at the next major software updates for iOS, watchOS and more.
Below you'll find full details of the WWDC 2021 dates, which Apple has now confirmed - and as with last year, the event will be online-only.
We know a few things Apple won't show off – because the company revealed them during its April Spring Loaded event, including the new M1 chipset-packing iMac and iPad Pro models, as well as the Tile-like AirTags tracker. That leaves Apple free to focus on software during WWDC 2021.
Further down we’ve highlighted all the software updates you can expect to see there, from iOS 15 to macOS 12 and beyond. It’s worth noting that the finished versions of these updates won’t land until later in the year, but beta versions of many of them may launch at or around WWDC.
And beyond software there’s a chance we’ll even see some new Apple hardware. That’s harder to predict, but we’ve included some possibilities below.
Apple has now confirmed that WWDC 2021 will run from June 7 to June 11, and that as with last year the event will be held purely online. While we don't know the schedule yet, most of the announcements will probably happen on the first day.
Those are exactly the dates we'd previously guessed, as it’s always held in June, and usually covers the first full week of June, which this year would mean June 7 – 11.
What to expect at WWDC 2021
WWDC is all about software, with the next versions of all Apple’s major operating systems typically shown off. That means we have a good idea of what we’ll see, even if we don’t know much about what all the updates will entail. Below we’ve listed what you can expect.
iOS 15
Apple's phones will get another big software update this year(Image credit: Future)
We’d expect it to bring updates and improvements to Apple’s core apps and services, like Siri and Maps, but beyond that it’s unclear right now. iOS 14 brought some major new features like an App Library and home screen widgets, but whether iOS 15 will be packed with fundamental changes too or more focused on improving what’s already there remains to be seen.
It’s worth noting that while iOS 15 will almost certainly be announced at WWDC 2021, it probably won’t actually launch until September. That said, there will likely be a developer beta as soon as it’s announced, with a public beta following not too long after.
iPadOS 15
The iPad Pro 11 (2018)(Image credit: TechRadar)
Alongside iOS 15, we’re also expecting Apple to unveil iPadOS 15 at WWDC 2021. We’ve heard nothing at all about this so far, but based on past form we’d expect it to have many of the same features and improvements as iOS 15, though there may be some tablet-focused updates too.
As with iOS 15, we’d also expect a developer beta to start soon after the announcement, with a public beta following that and a full launch in or around September.
watchOS 8
An Apple Watch 6 running watchOS 7(Image credit: TechRadar)
It’s not just phones and tablets that we’re expecting to see new software for at WWDC 2021 – wearables are also expected to get in on the action, with watchOS 8 almost certainly set to be announced there.
There’s not much in the way of information about it yet, but it’s expected that every Apple Watch model that got watchOS 7 (meaning the Apple Watch 3 and newer) will likely support watchOS 8.
We’d also expect there will be new watch faces, and there’s a good chance the Health app from iOS will make it across – but that’s just speculation.
tvOS 15
tvOS 13(Image credit: Apple)
Based on past form, tvOS 15 will probably also make an appearance at WWDC 2021, especially as tvOS was name-checked in the WWDC 2021 date announcement made by Apple.
According to The Verifier, this may have a refreshed design, along with a children’s mode complete with full parental controls and screen time management tools. However, we’d take all of this with a pinch of salt for now.
macOS 12
macOS 11 Big Sur(Image credit: Apple)
Apple will also probably unveil the next generation of macOS software at WWDC, namely macOS 12. Details on what to expect from this are light at the moment, but as with the other software being unveiled, this probably won’t hit computers in finished form until near the end of the year.
New devices
While WWDC is primarily about software, we do sometimes see hardware at the event too. There’s no real news about what we might see, and indeed there’s no guarantee that there will be any hardware on show, but some possibilities include a new iPad Pro (though rumors suggest that might land as soon as March), new Mac hardware, or maybe just a new Mac chipset.
Are you missing any of the three stimulus checks? We'll explain what you need to do to get in touch with the IRS to have the agency track down your money.
iOS 15 is a long way off yet, but we’re already hearing the first early leaks and rumors about it, all of which you’ll find below. Beyond that, we also have a good idea of when it'll arrive – as well as which devices will support it. Expect it to arrive alongside the iPhone 13.
Further down, we’ve also included a list of some key improvements we want to see from iOS 15, since the latest available version of iOS 14 isn’t without its issues, despite how much it overhauled the operating system. Several updates have come since, incrementally patching out flaws and debuting new features.
The sizeable iOS 14.5 update is now live, adding a slew of new perks, including a mask-friendly way to unlock your iPhone, though only for Apple Watch owners. It's the biggest update since iOS 14 launched, so we probably won't get anything new before we see the first preview of iOS 15 at WWDC 2021.
(And while older phones will be left out of the iOS 15 fun, Apple released a small update – iOS 12.5.3 – with fixes and security patches for handsets as old as the iPhone 5S.)
We’ll also be updating this article whenever we hear anything new about Apple’s next big iPhone software update, so check back regularly for all the details.
Latest news
A new report suggests iOS 15 will introduce a redesigned Control Center for current iPhones, as well as support for dual biometric authentication via Face ID and Touch ID on the iPhone 13.
Cut to the chase
What is it? The next big update for iOS
When is it out? Probably September 2021, following a June 7 unveiling
How much will it cost? It will be free
iOS 15 release date
New versions of iOS typically land in mid-September. Generally they’re accompanied by a new iPhone launch, so we could see iOS 15 land alongside the iPhone 13, but Apple delayed the iPhone 12 to October of 2020 while still launching iOS 14 on September 16, so with or without a new iPhone, September 2021 looks very likely for iOS 15.
However, while that date is when the finished version will probably hit phones, Apple will almost certainly announce iOS 15 a whole lot earlier. New versions are generally unveiled at the company’s WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference) in June, so expect to see iOS 15 at WWDC 2021, which Apple has now confirmed runs from June 7-11.
A developer beta will probably land at the same time, with a public beta likely arriving later in the month – so if you don’t mind bugs, you might be able to try iOS 15 for yourself by late July.
Of course, while we’re talking about iOS 15 here, iPadOS 15 will almost certainly follow the same trajectory. Before all that, we'll get iOS 14.5, which is set to debut on the week of April 26.
While the source of this information (a site called The Verifier) has a mixed track record, it’s a very believable claim, as Apple usually drops the oldest generation with each new software update, and in fact it was expected that the iPhone 6S wouldn’t even get iOS 14, so the phone has had no shortage of updates in its lifespan.
We've heard similar from a different source, as well, claiming that the iPhone 6S will be the device to miss out on the next iPhone update this year. Some will be upset about this, but it's in keeping with Apple's normal update schedule.
We're also fairly confident that Apple's next iOS update will indeed be called iOS 15. References to the next versions of iOS and macOS were recently spotted in a WebKit code – giving us the best sign yet that they’ll be called iOS 15 and macOS 12, respectively.
Naturally, the WebKit code gives little away as to what to expect from the upcoming version of iOS, but at least it looks to be following previous OS generations with an expected numeric title.
Perhaps most interestingly, though, a recent report suggests iOS 15 will introduce a redesigned Control Center for iPhones and iPad, as well as support for dual biometric authentication via Face ID and Touch ID.
It suggests the new Control Center will borrow design ideas from macOS Big Sur, featuring support for drag and drop customization as well a more compact aesthetic. While the report doesn’t detail any images, we’ve previously seen jailbroken iPhones (via WCCFTech) using Mac-inspired Control Centres, and we would expect iOS 15 to introduce a similar-looking design.
As for dual biometric authentication – which essentially means needing to pass two stages of identification before unlocking certain iPhone functions – the report suggests this feature would be exclusive to the iPhone 13, implying that Apple's next flagship phone will indeed arrive with a much-rumored under-display fingerprint scanner.
What we want to see
iOS 14 was a big update that came with lots of improvements, but there are still a number of things that iOS 15 could do better.
1. Support for all devices that got iOS 14
The iPhone 6S probably won't get iOS 15(Image credit: Future)
Apple tends to support devices for a long time, so we can’t really begrudge the company when it stops supporting old ones, but we’d love to see support last even longer, which in this case means all the devices that got iOS 14 also getting iOS 15.
Really, then, we’re talking about the iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus and original iPhone SE, since they’re next on the chopping block, and indeed are rumored to not be getting iOS 15. We expect they won’t, but it would be a nice surprise if they did.
2. Smarter Siri
Siri gets better with each new version of iOS, and while it’s pretty good now, there’s always room for improvement, especially as it still arguably trails Google Assistant.
Most of all, we simply want Siri to get even better at understanding us, and accurately and usefully answering our questions. We’d also like less reliance on web results and more bespoke answers, instead.
3. Expanded Apple Maps cycling directions and Guides
(Image credit: Apple)
Apple Maps is a lot better than it once was, and two recent features have improved it further. We’re talking about cycling directions and Guides, the latter being recommendations of things to see and do.
But neither of these features are available everywhere. In fact, at the time of writing, they’re mostly limited to a handful of major cities. Cycling directions, in particular, we’d like to see offered as widely as possible. These show you routes that include bike paths, bike lanes and the like, and allow you to choose routes that avoid hills.
4. A wish list for the App Store
The App Store used to have a wish list feature that allowed you to make a list of the apps and games you were interested in. This was particularly handy for things that cost money, as you might not have been sure you wanted to pay for them just yet, but still wanted to ensure you didn't forget about them.
Sadly, Apple removed this feature years ago, so we’d really like to see it make a return with iOS 15.
5. More languages in Translate
With iOS 14, Apple added a Translate app to its mobile operating system, giving you a slick way to translate other languages. But at launch it only supported 12 languages, which is far, far less than Google Translate and some other rival apps and services.
So, we want to see big improvements to this with iOS 15. We’d think it’s something Apple will keep working on, and new languages may well arrive even before the new version of iOS does, but there’s a lot of work to do if Apple wants the best translation app on the block.
Twitter 'crop', sometimes relished and sometimes reviled, is now gone.
The social media platform, all these days, would automatically crop uploaded images, unilaterally changing the aspect ratio based on whatever was uplinked by the user.
Twitter has now thrown that system out. Users can now upload images on their Twitter timeline and there won't be any automatic cropping. What they upload with their iOS or Android device is what they and you see.
Further, users can also preview a pic before uploading it.
"No bird too tall, no crop too short. Introducing bigger and better images on iOS and Android, now available to everyone," Twitter said in an official tweet announcing the new tweak.
The Twitter image crop had its fans and critics. Those who hated it were mostly artists and photographers, who were cut up by the, well, cut up images. Many felt that their works were misrepresented or disfigured on the timeline.
And then there was also the controversy over alleged 'racist bias' in Twitter image cropping. Twitter had to apologise after it was found that the image crop automatically focused on white faces over black ones (see the embedded tweet).
Trying a horrible experiment...Which will the Twitter algorithm pick: Mitch McConnell or Barack Obama? pic.twitter.com/bR1GRyCkiaSeptember 19, 2020
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While many artists welcomed the Twitter tweak to take away image crop, there was also a section that rued the fact that a popular trend on twitter 'open for surprise' is now practically eliminated. The 'open for surprise' memes played on what Twitter timeline showed and what it hid.
But apparently, Twitter's web client still crops image. So the purveyors of 'open for surprise' can move there.
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New audio-only chat app Clubhouse has blown up in popularity, but like any popular club, you need an invite to get off the waitlist. And unfortunately for Android phone owners, they've had to wait outside while millions of iPhone users cut the line.
Accessible on iOS only (for now), Clubhouse made a big initial splash as celebrities like Oprah, Elon Musk and Tiffany Haddish flocked to its audio chatrooms, where users could ask them questions directly. The app also lets users moderate their own discussions and invite other members for interviews.
Android users have waited a long time for their turn, and that patience will hopefully be rewarded soon. Here's when you can expect Clubhouse for Android to arrive.
We learned on May 4 that Clubhouse devs had begun a 'rough beta version' of the app on Android, only distributing the version to a 'handful of friendly testers'.
According to a recent blog post, parent company Notion plans to 'welcome more Android users to Clubhouse over the coming weeks'. So it's possible that an open beta will arrive in early summer after this initial beta ends.
As for the final Android release date, we don't have a hard date. But based on the timeline of the app's progress, we can make a reasonable estimate.
In its January 2021 blog, Clubhouse announced that it would 'begin work on our Android app soon.' Then CNBC reported in late February that Clubhouse had hired Android developer Mopewa Ogundipe – who tweeted that she was there to 'bring the party to Android' – to kickstart the process.
A month later, Clubhouse co-founder Paul Davison said in a March Townhall meeting that the team was working 'really hard' on the Android app, but that it would take 'a couple of months' for it to arrive (via TechCrunch)
Don't trust any 'Clubhouse' apps you find on the Play Store(Image credit: Future)
That gave us an ETA of late May or later. Given that the app only entered a rough beta in early May, that estimate may have been optimistic. Mid-summer (June or July 2021) seems more likely at this point. Once we have a firmer release date, we'll update this page.
One other important point: there are several fake Clubhouse apps on the Google Play Store, plus Android malware disguised as Clubhouse invites making the rounds. Until Clubhouse officially announces its Android port, don't use any of these fakes or tap on any suspicious links. They're not workarounds; they're traps.
Clubhouse Android alternatives
It's fair to say that Android users won't want to wait until July (or buy an iPhone 12) to access Clubhouse. But if you just want audio-only chatrooms with friends or famous people, other popular Android apps have started to add the feature.
Twitter Spaces is the first of these. It lets Twitter users create voice chat rooms and invite followers to chat on various topics. As of early May, any Twitter user with more than 600 followers can create their own audio chatroom for followers, including the option to charge people to join. Spaces is missing Clubhouse features like co-hosting and scheduling, however.
Your other Android alternative is Discord, which launched its new live audio rooms on March 31. Discord lets anyone and everyone talk in voice chat, but now Community servers can create Stage Channels where only certain members have permission to talk and everyone else is listen-only by default.
As for future competitors, Facebook is building a Clubhouse rival according to the New York Times; TechCrunch confirmed that LinkedIn is building a tool for audio networking; and Spotify acquired sports audio app Locker Room in order to repurpose its tech and let musicians and podcasters 'connect with audiences in real time.'
We don't know when these new Clubhouse rivals will arrive, but they could give Android users some exciting alternatives for chatting with famous people or strangers who share their hobbies.
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Twitter has today begun rolling out a new feature that it hopes will prevent hostility on the social platform by warning users to reconsider when they are about to post a reply containing "potentially harmful or offensive" language.
The feature was trialled around a year ago, but a company blog post has revealed that the feature will be rolling out to iOS and Android app users from today, starting with accounts that have English-language settings.
If a Twitter user types out a reply with any of the language that the company has deemed harmful, they'll see a warning message asking "Want to review this before tweeting? We're asking people to review replies with potentially harmful or offensive language."
Below the message, users will be given the option to delete, edit or continue tweeting their reply.
Throughout the testing process, Twitter has refined its detection algorithm in order to "capture the nuance in many conversations and [...] differentiate between potentially offensive language, sarcasm, and friendly banter."
The system also takes into consideration the frequency of interaction between the user and replier in question, acknowledging that they may "have a better understanding of preferred tone of communication". It also should be able to detect when "language may be reclaimed by underrepresented communities and used in non-harmful ways".
This is far from the first time that the micro-blogging site has attempted to curb hostility on its platform, with efforts to ban racism and other forms of hate speech, and introduce protection methods (such as a 'safety mode') for users that are being targeted.
Like all successful social media platforms, there's often a debate over where the responsibility lies in censoring, controlling and moderating the millions of users that frequent it – after all, the site itself isn't responsible for the hostility, but rather the people that use it.
With that said, the general consensus among both governments is that the tech companies that run such platforms need to have some degree of accountability for moderating their users' interactions due to the sheer ubiquity of social media. Among the larger of the companies, Twitter has seemingly been one of the more conscious of this responsibility.
Uncropped Twitter images
no bird too tall, no crop too shortintroducing bigger and better images on iOS and Android, now available to everyone pic.twitter.com/2buHfhfRAxMay 5, 2021
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Another, unrelated, announcement from Twitter today sees the company starting to roll out support for larger, uncropped images on both iOS and Android.
While previously, images would be viewed as a 16:9 crop of the original file, now the mobile app will be able to view both 2:1 and 3:4 aspect ratios as previews, without having to expand them.
