Apple in the iOS 13.5 beta introduced a new Group FaceTime feature that's designed to disable the option that automatically enlarges the tile of the person who is speaking.
Group FaceTime, by default, has a dynamic view with a tile for each person. The person who is speaking at the current time has a larger tile, while tiles for people who are not talking fade into the background, a layout that's not always ideal.
In the FaceTime section of the Settings app, there's now an "Automatic Prominence" section with a "Speaking" toggle. Turning off the "Speaking" toggle makes it so the tile for the person who's talking in FaceTime won't get larger, allowing tiles for all people to remain the same size. Enlarging a person's tile can be done by tapping it, as noted by The Verge.
A grid with static image sizes for all participants is perhaps preferable for meetings and events where multiple people are talking at once or right after one another, and it mimics layout options available in Zoom and other video chatting apps.
The iOS 13.5 beta also makes it easier to unlock an iPhone with a passcode when wearing a mask by bringing up the passcode interface more quickly and it lays the foundation for the introduction of the exposure notification API that Apple plans to release for health apps in May.
Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026.
"I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld.
The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld.
Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by Juli Clover
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do.
The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up.
Upgraded Architecture
The next-generation...
Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by Joe Rossignol
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April.
Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far.
iOS 26.3
iPhone to Android Transfer Tool
iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
The iPhone 18 Pro Max will feature a bigger battery for continued best-in-class battery life, according to a known Weibo leaker.
Citing supply chain information, the Weibo user known as "Digital Chat Station" said that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will have a battery capacity of 5,100 to 5,200 mAh. Combined with the efficiency improvements of the A20 Pro chip, made with TSMC's 2nm process, the...
During this trying time, I‘m using Zoom daily. I will likely use Microsoft Team in near future. FaceTime, well not at all and I’m all in on Apple ecosystem. FaceTime is increasingly becoming irrelevant and so is iMessage. Alternatives not only exist but are forcing people within the wall garden to use them.
THANK GOD! This is the number one reason it doesn’t get used by my family and friends. Constant moving tiles of a group of people having a laugh is migraine inducing. This has been a long time coming!
I agree the toggle should be in the FaceTime app. Also, there should still be some visual indication of who’s talking, like how other apps highlight the outline of the person’s box.
Okay great. Now we just need wide shots instead of square. If it is just facetime with one person it works, but family to family cuts off the side people.
