All the AI headed to iPhone, Mac and iPad

Here's how Apple will incorporate AI into its products.

Author

Leander Kahney
May 21, 2024

Presented by

TechCrunch produced an amusing video summary of the Google I/O event last week, reducing the two-hour keynote to a stream of mentions of the word “AI.”

Even Google got in on the game, using its own Gemini AI to summarize the event. According to Gemini, “AI” was mentioned no fewer than 120 times.

Microsoft, too, is all over artificial intelligence. On Monday, the company introduced a new line of laptops and Surface tablets heavily infused with AI-powered features.

And, of course, Apple will be getting in the game at WWDC in less than a month’s time, with a raft of AI additions to its products and software platforms. Here’s what to expect from Apple on the AI front.

Also in today’s newsletter:

  • I love my Sonos speakers. And if I had a spare $450, I’d be all over these new Sonos Ace headphones, which look, well, pretty ace. They should give AirPods Max a run for their money.

  • If you get a lot of spam calls these days, join the club! I have a spam-killer app on my iPhone, but a better way is to cut spam off at the source. Incogni is a state-of-the-art data-erasure service that combats spam calls, and it’s 55% off only for Cult of Mac readers with this code: Apple55.

  • The longer Apple’s Top 100 best album countdown goes on, the more I disagree with the choices.

  • The new StreamSaver bundle of Apple TV+, Netflix and Peacock is a good deal at $15 a month. (If only Hulu and Disney+ were included as well! Oh, and Max too!)

— Leander Kahney, EIC.

All the AI features headed for iPhone, Mac and iPad

Stay ahead of the AI developments coming to iOS and macOS. Find out how Apple plans to incorporate AI technology into its operating systems.

StreamSaver bundles Apple TV+, Netflix and Peacock for $15 a month

Combine Apple TV+, Netflix and Peacock at 35% off with the new StreamSaver streaming bundle for cord-cutters.

First Sonos headphones blast away at AirPods Max

A top speaker brand finally put out its first cans -- Sonos Ace headphones. And they look like potential AirPods Max killers.

A message from Incogni

Tired of iPhone spam calls? Here's how to make them stop.

If you’re sick of annoying robocalls, cut them off at the source with Incogni, a state-of-the-art data-removal service that actively deletes your personal data from the web, fights data brokers, and protects your privacy. Incogni also removes your information from “people search” sites, where anyone can access your personal information from the web. Incogni protects you from identity theft, spam calls, raised health insurance rates and more. Only for Cult of Mac readers: Get 55% off the annual plan using promo code Apple55.

How to make stickers from personal photos for fun group chats

Custom photo stickers are a blast to send in group chats. Find out how to make stickers from photos and tweak them with effects on your iPhone.

Mac Studio and Mac Pro with M3 Ultra may have been axed

Mac Studio and Mac Pro models updated with M3 Ultra that had previously been expected soon have reportedly been canceled.

iPhone SE 4 could get a price hike

The next-gen iPhone SE 4 could get a 10% or higher price bump, though Apple won't sell the phone for more than $499.

A message from the Cult of Mac Deals team

1TB flash drive connects via USB-C and USB-A to save you time and hassle

If your device's hard drive is full, or you want to transfer files quickly, this 1TB USB-C flash drive (with USB-A option) comes in handy.

Save hundreds on a bundle of Microsoft's best software

Get lifetime access to Windows 11 Pro, Microsoft Office, Project and Visio in this heavily discounted Microsoft software bundle deal.

Apple Wallet masters Paris transit ahead of Olympics

With French Open tennis and the Summer Olympics descending on Paris, Apple Wallet makes public transit easy with new tap-to-ride functionality.

Pop that cork for season 2 of wine-soaked ‘Drops of God’ on Apple TV+

You don't need to be an actual wine snob to love the high-stakes family drama of "Drops of God" (though it doesn't hurt).

Apple Music 100 best albums countdown continues: 11 to 100 [Updated]

See Apple’s penultimate picks for the controversial list.

Today in Apple history: Apple's 'Get a Mac' campaign comes to an end

On May 21, 2010, Apple quietly ended its award-winning "Get a Mac" ad campaign starring Justin Long as a Mac and John Hodgman as a PC.

Tweetz o’ the day

One more thing ...

❝

You know how you see a show car, and it's really cool, and then four years later you see the production car, and it sucks? And you go, ‘What happened? They had it! They had it in the palm of their hands! They grabbed defeat from the jaws of victory!’ What happened was, the designers came up with this really great idea. Then they take it to the engineers, and the engineers go, 'Nah, we can't do that. That's impossible.' And so it gets a lot worse. Then they take it to the manufacturing people, and they go, 'We can't build that!' And it gets a lot worse.

— Steve Jobs, 1997.

Today’s poll

Is the StreamSaver bundle a good deal?

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Results from yesterday’s poll: What kind of phone calls do you get these days?

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