Trouble focusing?

New AI-powered Focus mode in iOS 18 may help

Author

Leander Kahney
October 18, 2024

In partnership with

I’ve played around with Focus modes on my iPhone, but setting them up and customizing them can be a bit of work.

For many Focus modes, you have to select which contacts or apps you want to silence, and which to allow. It gets tedious fast.

But now in iOS 18 there’s a new Focus mode that eliminates all this work.

Reduce Interruptions is like Do Not Disturb, but smarter.

Like it says, it reduces interruptions, but allows some through. Cleverly, it uses Apple Intelligence to figure out — on the fly — what messages or calls to allow.

In our tests, it works pretty well — but it’s not perfect. It requires a little bit of training to get it just right. Here’s how to set up Reduced Interruptions and get the most out of it.

Also in today’s newsletter:

  • After a couple of years using a regular-sized iPhone, I’ve now got a Pro Max model. I’d forgotten about the almost never-ending battery life. Others though, haven’t been so lucky. Hopefully it’s a software bug that’ll soon be fixed.

  • Benchmarks reveal that the new iPad mini is not just faster, it has double the RAM.

  • Microsoft’s Visual Studio Pro is a popular way to code, and we have it for less than $30, it’s lowest price ever.

  • Today’s featured setup revolves around a versatile microphone that’s good for streaming, podcasting and recording.

— Leander Kahney, EIC.

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One more thing ...

❝

There’s some notion that because I was abandoned, I worked very hard so I could do well and make my parents wish they had me back, or some such nonsense, but that’s ridiculous. Knowing I was adopted may have made me feel more independent, but I have never felt abandoned. I’ve always felt special. My parents made me feel special.

— Steve Jobs, 2011.

Today’s poll

Do you use Focus modes?

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Results from yesterday’s poll: How much do you use Apple Pay these days?

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