Have someone flying in to visit this summer? No more tracking them online or trying to figure out if they’ve been delayed if you use this hack.
Apple Intelligence coming to your phone (maybe)
WWDC is Apple’s annual conference during which they talk about all things software. Day 1 is always the biggest, and I watched all hour-and-a-half-plus of the event to update you on what’s new.
Come this fall, you’ll see … a new Passwords app that works across your Apple devices, better iPhone customization options, easier texting with your Android pals, and the ability to reply to all texts and iMessages with emojis. (Can’t wait to reply to Barry with an eye roll. Sorry, honey.)
OK, those are neat upgrades, but the real changes are all about AI.
Introducing AI
Not artificial intelligence — Apple Intelligence. No joke, that’s what they’re calling it. Personalization and making your life easier are the big focuses. Some of the highlights:
- Create original, personalized animations and images to use in chat.
- Find things with natural commands, like, “What did Barry ask me to pick up at the grocery store?”
- Get alerts if there’s a conflict, like when someone adds a meeting to your schedule.
- See a quick summary of emails you receive and the ones you write.
- A new Rewrite feature can clean up anything you write across any app. That includes adjusting your tone, if need be. I’d be scared if I ran Grammarly …
- Turn rough sketches into polished images with the tap of a button.
If privacy comes to mind, yep, you’re smart. Apple says almost all its AI will run on your device only and never make it to their servers. Some will, and that’s where Private Cloud Compute comes in.
🔐 These are servers used for just AI purposes, and I’m willing to bet they’ll put the entire might of Apple behind securing them.
That AI powers the new Siri
- When Siri is active in iOS 18, the entire edge of your screen will illuminate. Whoa, earth-shattering!
- Describe a feature you can’t find and Siri will do it for you, like, “Siri, make the text on my phone bigger.”
- Edit photos with your voice: “Siri, make the picture brighter.”
- Get info without having to provide all the specifics. Ask Siri, “When is my trip to New York?” to pull up the flight info from your emails and planning texts with a friend.
One more thing: The bad news
All the shiny, new AI features require the latest and greatest Apple devices — the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and iPad and Mac with an M1 or later chip.
🫧 Green chat bubbles aren’t going away: When you text from an iPhone to someone on an Android device, there’s a setting you can enable for better image and video quality — plus, no more “Kim liked a photo” responses to emoji reactions. On iPhone (iOS 18 only), go to Settings > Apps > Messages > RCS Messaging. On Android, open Google Messages, then tap your profile pic > Messaging settings > RCS chats.
Do you text like an old person?
Gen Z’s texting style is a whole new world compared to everyone else’s. Here’s your guide to staying in the loop.
Apple’s losing big money to the carriers … so things are changing. Apple just committed $1.5 billion to Globalstar to pay for new satellites and ground infrastructure, putting them in direct competition with the big wireless carriers. Globalstar is behind the iPhone’s emergency satellite texting.
There’s a new theory making the rounds on TikTok all about generational texting. The claim is that your texting technique is a solid tell for your age. So, how does Gen Z text? Is it with … A.) One thumb, C.) Two thumbs, C.) Two thumbs and an index finger, or D.) An index finger?
15% to 21% decrease
In texting when drivers were offered $50. Well, that’s one way to make people safer on the road. A seven-week trial offered payouts, and it really worked to get folks off their phones. PSA: Parents, bribe your kids to not text and drive.
I use dictation on my phone all the time: It makes texting and jotting down quick thoughts easier. On your phone (iPhone or Android), find the microphone icon on the keyboard. Tap that and start talking. It works with any app with a text field. On Windows, hit the Windows key + H. On a Mac, enable here: System Preferences > Keyboard > Dictation.
Rich Communication Services: RCS is the new texting standard replacing plain ol’ SMS. It’s built into Apple’s iOS 18 and makes texting your Android pals a lot better. Go to Settings > Apps > Messages. Scroll down, and if you don’t see the RCS option, it means your carrier likely isn’t supporting it yet.
Over 2 million American teens vape: “This is Quitting” is a free texting program that offers clinically proven advice from experts and other young people who’ve quit. It’s effective, too — 35% of kids who enrolled were more likely to give up the habit after seven months. Pass it on: Text DITCHVAPE to 88709.
💳 Don’t fall for it: Scammers pretending to be bank employees are phoning and texting with fake account fraud warnings. They’ll tell you to cut up your credit cards, leaving the chip inside intact. They then send someone to pick it up. With just that chip, they duplicate your card. A friend of mine started chanting in Latin the last time a scammer called. The man screamed, “No, don’t put a curse on my family!”
🏎️ A Ferrari exec slammed the brakes: A Ferrari C-level exec got a text from his CEO, who wanted to chat on WhatsApp. They were texting about possible mergers when the CEO said, “Let’s talk.” And they did. The C-level exec said it was someone posing as the CEO (paywall link). He tested the caller, asking for the name of a book the actual CEO had recommended the exec read the week before. Surprise, the scammer hung up.
🚨 Hide and C:/Seek: Hackers grabbed the personal info of more than 400,000 Life360 users, including names, phone numbers, emails and more. Life360’s location-sharing app is used primarily to help parents keep an eye on their kids. More bad news: Life360 owns tracker company Tile, which hackers also breached, nabbing not only personal info, but also device IDs. Don’t wait to change your passwords, and be on alert for phishing, phone and texting scams.
That’s not quite right: You’re texting with your voice and it went all wrong. To delete the last word you dictated, say, “Delete the last word.” To delete the last sentence, say, “Clear sentence.” If you want to get rid of everything you just said, say, “Clear all.”
💔 Grieving woman texts her late dad and receives a reply: After her dad passed away, a woman thought texting his cell number might help her cope. For months, she messaged. Then one day, she got a reply: “I’m sorry,” it said. “They gave his number away.” She switched to messaging him on Facebook.
Don’t use this word when texting: Replying with only the word “sure” in a text is now seen as sarcastic, rude or dismissive. The younger crowd expects a bit more enthusiasm in those replies. It’s safe for agreeing to errands, but for invites? Try “Absolutely!” Bonus points for adding emojis. 😃 Fo shizzle!
🎶 She’s working 9-to-5: Don’t even think about DMing, texting or calling Dolly Parton. She’s a faxing kind of gal. Dolly says it saves her time and keeps things simple with so many people trying to reach her. Miley Cyrus says Dolly faxed her to ask for a collab. Speaking of … My friend, Joe, recently started the Dolly Parton diet. It’s really made Joe lean, Joe lean, Joe lean, Joe le‑e‑e‑a‑a‑a‑an.
Plateaus are the highest form of flattery: The New York Times is suing geography game Worldle for causing confusion and piggybacking on its hit game, Wordle. Worldle’s creator says many games have similar names — e.g., Quordle, Nerdle and Heardle. (Btw, some people say “crane,” “slate” and “crate” are the best three words to start with for Wordle.)
This makes me so angry: A Michigan woman is facing reckless driving charges after she killed a 63-year-old woman by blowing through a red light. She first told cops she was looking at her GPS. Phone records show at the time, she was really texting and watching a movie. Now, a family is grieving over a senseless tragedy.
Human voice notes are the rage: Ah, the sweet spot between texting and calling (paywall link). Voice notes mean less screen time, and they’re easier than typing and keep your communication personal without the phone call commitment. Just hit the mic icon in your messaging app and start talking. And if your friend likes to ramble, listen at double speed.