Apple today previewed new features coming to the Messages app with iOS 18, and this finally includes bold, italics, underline, and strikeout formatting options.
iMessage has also gained all-new text effects that can be applied to individual words in a message to give them a "dynamic, animated" appearance. These effects include Big, Small, Shake, Nod, Explode, Ripple, Bloom, and Jitter.
Other new Messages app features on iOS 18 include upcoming RCS support for improved texting with Android users, an option to schedule messages to be sent later, the ability to use any emoji as a Tapback, the ability to send messages via satellite connection when Wi-Fi and cellular networks are unavailable, and more.
The first developer beta of iOS 18 is available now, and a public beta will follow in July. The update should be widely released in September.
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...
Group messages: Please only notify me if someone reacts to MY message. I don’t care if someone reacts to someone else’s message.
I'll go one further, "only notify me if someone actually sends text or a file" I don#t need numerous notifications about hearts or any other reactions, they don't give me any useful info beyond possibly thumbs up/down for agree/disagree, I might be old but I don't read emoji, to mer they are just a lot of visual noise, and sadly my ADD does not aprichiate that
