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The Information reported that Apple plans to incorporate large language models into Siri to let users automate complex tasks, a feature that would involve deeper integration with the Shortcuts app. The report said this feature is expected to be released in an iPhone software update coming in 2024, which would likely be iOS

Article Link: iOS 18 Potentially 'Biggest' Software Update in iPhone's History
This will get lots of talk about a better Siri, but it’s really about the deep integration. Sentence completion, paragraph completion, “Do you want me to enhance that paragraph we just wrote?" Do you know what we will be getting? And I’m not saying it’s a bad thing, but it’s truly going to be:

Super Clippy!!
 
Huh? Can you explain more? Are you suggesting there’s security issues in the camera app that allow the phone (or its data) to be accessed via the Lock Screen?

At this point in time it's difficult not to at least ponder the possibility that this 'feature' in some way facilitates entry via some kind of plugin exploit maybe. I'm making no accusations, it's merely speculation on my part, but it's such a massive, gaping security hole that I struggle to believe Apple isn't aware of it.

For the avoidance of doubt, my issue is that any bad actor can de facto upload unsolicited images to my iCloud account. The fact that Apple, of all companies, thinks this is ok, leads me to the notion that they're actually not allowed to give us the option to disable it. We'll likely never know the truth.
 
I used to be excited about these updates, but now I get nervous.

My first thought is what devices are they dropping support for next? I mean Apple is the best when it comes to updating old OSes, I mean they had an update for IOS 12 last year. But still it essentially means those devices are still being left behind. It would help if Apple clearly laid out what support they will over devices over time like other manufacturers do. I don't care about new features on old devices, security is what's important to me.
It’s pretty easy to predict; which ever phone was the eldest to still get iOS17, that’s the one which probably wont get iOS18. My XR got 17, but it probably wont get 18, but if it does what a nice surprise.

Old devices get security updates even if they dont get the OS so no worries there.

But if you don’t care about new features on old devices, there is no reason to worry about which old devices will get iOS18.
 
I’m worried Apple will cripple this new Siri to avoid any controversy and as a result make her dumb again.
The gatekeeping on generative AI has been eye opening. Dalle 3/Bing creator is beyond prudish into completely crazy cannot generate things that any wierdo ever in history maybe thought could be construed as lewd which in practice means mostly it cannot do things. The LLMs similarly take great pains to let you know that everything is controversial and cannot be commented on. What a waste of AI to have it so encumbered.
 
You know what would be BIG? Making it more stable again.
These recent operating systems are very stable for me. Some glitches with the betas, of course, but otherwise they never crash, really very good. And they run fast on the latest phones.
 
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My only complaint is that Siri has no brain. APPLE needs to work on creating a brain for Siri. 12 years I’ve been with Siri and she still doesn’t understand me, as in the words I’m saying.
If siri doesn't understand you words in the dictation sense no one has an answer for this. What LLM can do is make it so once siri gets the right words the LLM can make sense of the most likely interpretation and enable carrying on the conversation until you get what you wanted.
 
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I mean, wasn’t the same said for ios17? And if I include 17.4…

Regardless, RCS will be good but not a reason to upgrade for me, and Siri? Has gotten improvements for a decade and I still don’t use it.

I know that if/when I get a new iPhone I’ll get the latest iOS, but all the rumors. Thus far makes me want to not update my 13PM this fall…
 
They said that about 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17.

As to their iphones, I would like to see Apple:

1. Bring back the Fade-In button for the alarms so the alarms can little by little get louder. Do the same with phone calls.

2. redesign the notification center. It's ridiculous. At the very least add a "Clear All" button that comes up immediately, even if there's only one notification.

3. Apple needs to change that when you tap on the phone notifications WILL NOT automatically dial back whoever called. It needs to only go into the phone app just like it does on all other apps.
All other notifications take you to the app that is notifying you.
Be consistent Apple. People are constantly dialing back spam and robo callers.

4. make it possible to dismiss Calendar and any notification from any app if you're in another app.
This goes for Calendar, News, Timers...whatever the app, you shouldn't have to go to the lock screen or be forced to tap the notification to get into the app sending it in order to simply dismiss a notification if you're in another app when it comes in just put a dismiss button there and it should be gone.

5. give us an LED visual on the front of the phone for notifications in addition to sound and vibration. Allow us to change the colors of the LED light based on what the notification app is.
The fine folks who like things the way they are can just leave this off and everything will be as is.

6. bring back the same intensity (or more) of the haptic feedback as it was when iOS 16 was first released.
Ever since then Apple has been reducing it to a point where you can barely even feel it.
Why not just make it possible for people to adjust the haptic feedback.
Right now it's almost imperceptible.
Those who are concerned with battery or simply don't like haptic feedback can leave it off.

7. make it possible to adjust volume for independent apps and settings and not this general thing they're doing.
Separate volume control for keyboard volume, music volume, ring volume, system volume, You Tube, notifications, emails.
I, for example, would love for the keyboard clicks and the lock sounds to be much louder than they are in relations with the rest of the volume in the phone and without it affecting the volume on the entire phone or the ring and notifications volume. It's silly of Apple to force it to be like this.

8. add suggestions from the address book as you start entering a phone number.

9. make it possible to customize the texting app in every conceivable way. Font size, bubble size shape color etc.

10. make it possible to schedule a text message to be sent at a certain time/date. This is a basic feature. Compose your message now and schedule it to be sent out when the time is right.

11. use an OS-wide clipboard to cut or copy multiple entries each ready to paste long pressing, at least the last 10 cut/copies should be possible. Also make cut and copy not expire until we, the users, clean it.
Also stop with the auto cleaning the cache, you should be able to copy text now and paste it tomorrow if you want to.

12. in Mail give us the option to NOT go to the next email when you are deleting an email but to go back to the inbox. Those who want to keep things the way they are should be able to turn this feature off.

13. make it possible to move the icons on the desktop anywhere you want to.

14. make it absolutely mandatory for app makers that they have to have a swipe from left to right in EVERY app throughout the app to navigate back. Having a tiny arrow button at the top left to go back and being able to swype back in other apps is pure nuts.

15. and my goodness Apple... allow us to cancel snooze before it comes on if we want to, and make it possible to have any snooze time we want in the alarm. Not just 9 minutes.

This. An iOS update that would concentrate on useability improvements like that would be a big upgrade for me. Arguably that should be the focus of all new iOS versions.
 
At this point in time it's difficult not to at least ponder the possibility that this 'feature' in some way facilitates entry via some kind of plugin exploit maybe. I'm making no accusations, it's merely speculation on my part, but it's such a massive, gaping security hole that I struggle to believe Apple isn't aware of it.

For the avoidance of doubt, my issue is that any bad actor can de facto upload unsolicited images to my iCloud account. The fact that Apple, of all companies, thinks this is ok, leads me to the notion that they're actually not allowed to give us the option to disable it. We'll likely never know the truth.
Edit, I gave false info by accident.
Bike directions for The Netherlands?
Do they bike in the Netherlands? 😂
 
Doesn’t sound like much of an upgrade to me if those are the headlining features. How about fixing the keyboard first… when I try to edit my comment here and I tap in between words, half the time it inserts the text cursor and the other half it selects an entire word. So frustrating.
This is driving me crazy multiple times every day. I'm sick of Apple thinking they know better. Typing and navigation experience is overall so much worse than on Android. iOS has such a potential to dominate the market but for some reason Apple choose to ignore power users need.
 
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