Improvements are rolling out now for Chrome for iOS
Google Lens gets improved searches
Tighter integrations with other Google apps
If you're using Google Chrome on your iPhone, you'll be interested in the four upgrades that have just been announced. They're improving Google Lens search, online shopping, and integrations with Google Drive, Google Photos, and Google Maps.
First, as outlined in the official Google blog post, we've got an upgrade for Google Lens. You can already run Google Lens searches inside Chrome for iOS using a photo from the camera or your gallery – just tap the search box, then the Google Lens icon – and the new update lets you refine those searches with extra text.
So you could, for example, type out a color to narrow down the search results if you're looking at a photo of a sweatshirt. Or maybe you have a photo of a place on the screen and want to add some text asking where in the world it is.
Second, there's a new feature called Shopping Insights, which is only for US users now. If you're looking at a product in Chrome that Google knows is available online at a discount, you'll see a "good deal now" notification in the address bar – a little blue and white icon. Tap the icon to see the product's price history over time.
Keeping it Google
Your Google Lens searches can have text added (Image credit: Google)
The other changes here improve the integration between Chrome for iOS and other Google services. You can now save files and photos to Google Drive or Google Photos, so they don't have to take up space on your iPhone – just tap the Google Drive option when saving a file, or long-press an image and pick Google Photos on the pop-up.
Then there's Google Maps: Chrome for iOS could already bring up a map pop-up without actually opening Google Maps, but the process has now been streamlined and only needs a single tap. Chrome will automatically spot and underline addresses on the web.
Like Shopping Insights, the Google Maps update will not be available everywhere right away. Google says both of these features will expand to more regions over time, so keep an eye out for them. Make sure you update Chrome for iOS to the latest version to get everything as soon as possible.
It's worth bearing in mind that all these features, or very similar features, are already available in Chrome for Android – so if you're on a phone running Google's mobile operating system, you're not missing out.
This unreleased design has haptic volume and power buttons
The unified volume button design is reminiscent of a rumored iPhone 17 Pro feature
Apple seems to have developed an obsession with buttons during the last couple of iPhone generations, specifically with changing buttons (consider the move from a mute switch to an Action button) and adding them (see the new Camera Control button).
YouTuber Apple Demo (via 9to5Mac) has shown off a prototype iPhone 14 Pro, complete with a haptic volume button. Rather than the two volume keys on current iPhones, the model in question just has a single button, and it’s a solid-state button rather than a mechanical one – meaning it won’t move when pressed, but is designed to provide haptic feedback, so you know the press has been registered.
That, then, would be different to what we see here, but with this prototype, Apple has already replaced two volume keys with a single button, so it’s partway to what this leak suggests.
Possibly still planned
Now, this iPhone 17 Pro leak doesn’t say whether a solid-state button will be used, but this is an idea Apple has seemingly spent a while exploring, with Apple Insider previously sharing images of an iPhone 15 Pro Max prototype that also had a unified, haptic volume button. On top of which, some leaks even suggested Apple might equip the iPhone 16 series with solid-state buttons.
That of course didn’t happen, and leaks suggest Apple eventually gave up on the idea due to its complexity. But given the company’s current obsession with changing up the buttons on its phones, and the aforementioned leak about a new combined button on the iPhone 17 Pro, it’s possible that Apple is still working on some version of this concept.
Of course, that doesn’t mean an iPhone 17 Pro with unified volume buttons – let alone solid-state ones – will actually launch, but it’s a possibility. And if not, then this iPhone 14 Pro prototype is still an interesting look at what could have been.
This is according to South Korean site AjuNews (via @Jukanlosreve), which claims that LG Innotek will start mass-producing the camera modules for the iPhone SE 4 in December.
The site adds that LG Innotek usually begins mass production of iPhone camera modules around three months before the launch of the phone they’re destined for, which would mean we’re likely to see the iPhone SE 4 in or around March.
Exclusive: Apple’s camera partner, LG Innotek, has decided to start mass production of the camera module for the iPhone SE4 in December. They are currently conducting tests ahead of mass production.LG Innotek typically supplies camera modules about three months before a…November 11, 2024
While we’d take these claims with a pinch of salt, this does line up with previous leaks, the most recent of which comes from Mark Gurman (a leaker with a great track record), who claimed in October that we’d see the iPhone SE 4 sometime between March and June.
A new design and plenty of power
So, there’s a good chance the iPhone SE 4 will be with us soon, and based on other leaks, we have a decent idea of what to expect from it, too.
Leaks suggest the iPhone SE 4 will have a larger 6.1-inch display than the 4.7-inch iPhone SE (2022), though there’s some disagreement over whether it will have a notch or a Dynamic Island. Either way, though, that should be an upgrade on the dated design of the current model.
It also looks likely to have a single-lens camera, and it may support Apple Intelligence, which would mean at least an A17 Pro chipset and 8GB of RAM. That would make for a significant power upgrade on the iPhone SE (2022).
Android emoji reactions now show up properly on iPhones
The change may have been made by Apple or Google
While messaging between Android phones and iPhones still isn't perfect, it's a lot better than it used to be – and users have now noticed that emoji reactions from Android devices are now showing up correctly in the iPhone Messages app.
As spotted by The Verge, Android Central, and others, if RCS (Rich Communication Services) is enabled on both Android and iOS, then emoji reactions sent from Android will now actually be stuck to the message they're responding to – rather than appearing on a separate line, which was rather confusing.
It's not clear what has changed on Apple's end or Google's end to make this happen, but the iOS 18.1 update seems to have something to do with it. Make sure you're running the latest iPhone software, and check RCS is enabled, and it should work.
The RCS option on the iPhone can be found in Settings: tap Apps, Messages, and then RCS Messaging. Your carrier needs to support RCS for the option to be visible though – you can check this from Settings by tapping General, About, then Carrier.
An improving situation
RCS is also supported in Google Messages on Android (Image credit: Google)
You may remember Apple announcing that it would support RCS messages back in November 2023, though we had to wait for the iOS 18 software to roll out in September before the functionality actually became available.
RCS is the successor to plain old SMS, adding modern features such as read receipts, group chats, and higher resolutions for photo and video sharing. It's used by default in the Google Messages app on Android.
While this doesn't solve the green bubble problem, and has a few security issues that need to be ironed out, it brings iPhone-and-Android chats closer to the level of iPhone-to-iPhone chats using Apple's own iMessage.
Of course, for a lot of users outside the US, WhatsApp is the primary messaging tool – it offers end-to-end encryption, a whole pile of messaging features, and works more or less the same on both Android and iOS.
Apple's Self Service Repair scheme launched in 2021
Parts for the iPhone 16 models are now available
Only attempt repairs if you're sure you can carry them out
For a few years now, Apple has offered a Self Service Repair scheme, which means you can source official parts direct from the company and save some money by carrying out repairs yourself – and the iPhone 16 series is now supported.
You can order both the parts and the tools needed to fit them in the US, the UK, and numerous European countries. The Apple Self Service Repair scheme isn't currently available in Australia, however.
The parts available include displays, cameras, batteries, and speakers, and these are all genuine Apple products. The tools on offer, like nylon probes and adhesive cutters, will be familiar to anyone who's ever seen a phone teardown.
To self repair, or not to self repair
Apple announced the service in 2021 (Image credit: Apple)
Apple's move to make its devices repairable by users themselves, with official Apple parts, has definitely been a positive step: it's usually cheaper than a professional repair, and means phones and laptops can be used for longer too.
However, these repairs can be quite complex – you need to be sure you know what you're doing, otherwise you run the risk of causing further damage. Have a look at the repair manuals on the Apple website (like the one for the iPhone 16) for full instructions.
Many people are going to find it more convenient, if a little bit more expensive, to get Apple or an authorized repair service to do the job instead. However, it's definitely good to have the option of carrying out a self repair.
Since the launch of the self repair service, Apple has continued to expand the number of devices covered, and you can go all the way back to the iPhone 12 series which was launched back in October 2020.
Apple, like most phone makers, puts a lot of focus on improving the cameras from one model to the next, and we now have an idea of what the next two generations of camera updates might look like.
Numerous leaks have already pointed to 48MP telephoto cameras for the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, with the whole iPhone 17 line possibly getting 24MP front-facing cameras. But with the iPhone 18 line, Apple might focus on the aperture rather than megapixels.
This is according to reputable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who in his latest post on Medium (via @Jukanlosreve) claimed that Apple will be equipping the main camera on the “high-end” iPhone 18 models with a variable aperture.
By high-end he presumably means the iPhone 18 Pro Max and likely also the iPhone 18 Pro, but he doesn’t mention the phones by name.
What Kuo does say is that this variable aperture would "significantly" enhance the photography experience. The aperture – the size of the lens opening – on most cameras is fixed, and having a variable aperture means you can control how much light reaches the sensor. This in turn gives you more control over exposure – you can open the aperture to its widest setting for better low-light shots, for example – and it also enables you to create optical depth-of-field effects to blur backgrounds, rather than relying on software processing.
So this sounds like it would be a worthwhile upgrade, and while we’d take Kuo's reporting with a pinch of salt for now – especially as this is a very early leak – he does have a great track record for Apple information.
Not the first variable-aperture phone
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra has a variable aperture (Image credit: Future / Roland Moore-Colyer)
If this claim does prove to be accurate, the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max wouldn't be the first smartphones with a variable-aperture lens. Samsung equipped the Galaxy S9 series with variable-aperture cameras way back in 2018, and also used variable aperture-cameras in the Samsung Galaxy S10 line.
We were quite taken with the tech in our Samsung Galaxy S9 review, noting that it particularly aided low-light shots, but it wasn’t something Samsung stuck with beyond the S10 series, so it presumably didn’t lead to increased sales.
More recently, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra also has a variable aperture camera, which coupled with a 1-inch sensor resulted in “fantastic low-light performance and unrivaled image quality” according to our Xiaomi 14 Ultra review.
With iOS 18.1 now available to everyone, iOS 18.2 is at the developer beta stage – and as that testing continues we're discovering more new features that are on the way, on top of the ones already spotted in the next release.
First up, there's an interesting upgrade coming to the Find My service: the option to share the location of lost items with anyone you like (via 9to5Mac). At the moment, you can only share an AirTag location with trusted friends or family.
The example Apple gives is being able to share your lost luggage location with an airline, but there are a variety of other ways this could come in handy. There's the option to stop sharing at any time, and at most the sharing link will only be live for several hours.
Another feature is a little more behind-the-scenes, with Apple giving app developers the opportunity to share what's on screen with Siri (via MacRumors). That means you'll be able to give Siri (and possibly ChatGPT) commands related to what you're looking at inside an app, whether it's documents or photos, if the developer adds this kind of support.
More camera control
iOS 18.2 beta 2 adds a new AE/AF Lock option for Camera Control pic.twitter.com/OTSYZjvJeQNovember 4, 2024
The third upgrade is to the new Camera Control button on the iPhone 16 series. As spotted by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris, a new auto-exposure and auto-focus lock option is on the way for the button – so the current exposure and focus settings would be fixed once the button is pushed.
On top of that, we've got a new double-click speed setting for Camera Control, so you'll be able to change how rapidly your iPhone expects a double click. The new options listed in the iOS 18.2 developer beta are Default, Slow, and Slower.
All this adds to the current functionality of the Camera Control, including zoom and exposure settings. As this is a beta release though, we can't be fully sure that any of these features are going to be kept once the software is pushed out for everyone.
The iPhone 17 Pro probably won’t land until September 2025, but this being a high-profile handset we’re already hearing leaks and rumors about it – along with the rest of the iPhone 17 series.
The Pro will likely slot in just below the iPhone 17 Pro Max, and just above the iPhone 17 and perhaps the rumored iPhone 17 Air or iPhone 17 Slim.
And while we don’t know loads about it yet, early rumors suggest the iPhone 17 Pro will have a new button, new cameras, and a new chipset, making this a potentially major and exciting upgrade. Below, you’ll find everything we’ve heard about the iPhone 17 Pro so far.
Cut to the chase
What is it? The next smaller Pro iPhone
When is it out? Probably September 2025
How much will it cost? Likely upwards of $999 / £999 / AU$1,849
Expect it in September
The iPhone 16 Pro (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Likely to land in September of 2025
Will probably cost at least $999 / £999 / AU$1,849
We haven’t heard any iPhone 17 Pro release date leaks yet, but based on Apple’s usual patterns we can say that it will probably be announced in the first or second week of September.
More specifically, it will probably be announced on the Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday of that week. Apple more often goes for the second week of September, leaving the most likely announcement dates as September 8, September 9, or September 10.
Pre-orders then typically open on the Friday of the announcement week, which would mean September 12, and the iPhone 17 Pro will most likely ship the following Friday, which would be September 19.
But it’s possible the various stages of the launch will happen a week earlier, or that Apple will break with its usual patterns.
There aren’t yet any iPhone 17 Pro price leaks either, but the iPhone 16 Pro starts at $999 / £999 / AU$1,849, so you can expect to pay at least that much for the next model.
Can you trust these rumors?
So far there aren't any release date or price leaks, but based on past form we're almost certain that the iPhone 17 Pro will be announced in September.
A new button and a new color
The iPhone 16 Pro (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Might include a new button
Expect the same screen size but possibly upgrades to the tech
A Teal Titanium shade is possible
The biggest iPhone 17 Pro design leak we’ve heard so far is that the volume buttons and the Action button might all be replaced by a single new key that can do the job of all those things. Exactly how it would do all those things is uncertain, but it may well have a similar design to the Camera Control button, meaning it can register different strength presses as well as swipes, and respond in different ways to each.
The iPhone 17 Pro will probably also be available in at least one new shade, with one leak suggesting Apple is considering using one of the three colors pictured below. From left to right these are Dark Green Titanium, Teal Titanium, and Green Titanium, and the source says Teal Titanium is the most likely to get used.
We fully expect the iPhone 17 Pro to have a 6.3-inch screen, since Apple only recently upped the display size with the iPhone 16 Pro. The other design and display leaks so far are worth taking with a pinch of salt though, as not many sources have weighed in.
Two upgraded cameras
The iPhone 16 Pro (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
So many sources have talked about a 48MP telephoto camera that this upgrade seems likely. We haven't heard as much about the other cameras though, including the rumored 24MP selfie snapper upgrade, so we're less sure of those specs. We also wouldn't count on the phone having a mechanical aperture, as that seems a bit niche for how much work it might involve.
The most powerful iPhone chipset yet
The iPhone 16 Pro (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Not only is an A19 Pro chipset an obvious upgrade, but it has also been mentioned by multiple sources.
Beyond that, there’s a chance that the iPhone 17 Pro will get 12GB of RAM, which would be an increase on the 8GB in the iPhone 16 Pro. However most current leaks suggest that only the iPhone 17 Pro Max will get this upgrade.
One of the few things we're almost certain of is that the iPhone 17 Pro will have a new chipset, since that's a standard yearly upgrade for Apple's phones. We hope it will also get a RAM upgrade, but so far it looks more likely to stick at 8GB.
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While we gave it plenty of praise in our iPhone 14 Plus review, the iPhone 14 Plus is apparently susceptible to a certain rear camera flaw, Apple has admitted – and if it's affecting you, you can get your handset repaired free of charge.
It's been three years since we had an iPhone service program (where Apple admits an issue and will sort it out for you), but as 9to5Mac has spotted, there's now officially one for a "rear camera issue" on the iPhone 14 Plus – which Apple still sells online.
The good news is this is only going to apply to a "very small percentage" of iPhone 14 Plus models, according to Apple. Specifically, the problem is having no preview shown on screen when you're using the rear camera on the handset.
iPhone 14 Plus handsets manufactured between April 10, 2023 and April 28, 2024 are the ones that may have the glitch: Apple has provided a serial number checker so you can quickly see whether or not your iPhone is included.
What happens next
The problem is with the rear camera on the iPhone 14 Plus (Image credit: Future)
If you do have an iPhone 14 Plus that's flagged up as problematic via the serial number checker, you can take it into any Apple Store or any Apple Authorized Service Provider to get your phone repaired, free of charge.
Alternatively, you can contact Apple about sending your phone in for repair through the post. Follow this link to find the relevant page on the Apple Support website, which gives you options for scheduling an in-store repair or sending off your handset.
If Apple determines your iPhone 14 Plus is one of the devices affected, and you've already paid to have the issue fixed, you can get a refund (follow this link for that). You can make a claim up to three years after the first purchase of the iPhone.
There are some steps to follow if you're sending your iPhone in to be repaired, whether for this or any other issue. You need to make sure everything is backed up, and turn off the Find My service, as well as removing active cards in Apple Wallet.
A new Sudoku game is now available in the iOS 18.2 developer beta
It joins three other puzzles for Apple News Plus subscribers
iOS 18.1 is rolling out to users this week
With the developer beta version of iOS 18.2 now in testing, we're getting a proper look at what it'll bring with it – and alongside some smart Apple Intelligence tricks (including ChatGPT integration), we're also getting a (gasp) new Sudoku puzzle game that appears as part of an Apple News Plus subscription.
As spotted by vlogger Chris Carley (via 9to5Mac), the new puzzle game adds to the three games that were already available to subscribers to the news app since the launch of iOS 17 last year: Quartiles, Crossword, and Crossword mini.
Apple is clearly hoping that puzzle games can help attract more users to Apple News Plus. Costing $12.99 / £12.99 / AU$19.99 (and also available as part of an Apple One bundle), the subscription gives you access to over 400 digital newspapers and magazines.
If you're not familiar with it, Sudoku gives you a 3 x 3 grid of boards, each one split up into another 3 x 3 grid. Players must fill every square with a single-digit number, ensuring that every individual 3 x 3 grid, every row, and every column has all the numbers 1 to 9 in any order. It's simple, but rather addictive.
More value for money
Sudoku is coming to Apple News Plus (Image credit: Chris Carley / Threads)
Apple clearly wants to replicate some of the success the New York Times has had with its own collection of games. That collection includes Wordle of course – you may recall the NYT paid an undisclosed sum to buy Wordle back at the start of 2022.
As you may have spotted while browsing the site, here at TechRadar we're fans of the NYT Connections, NYT Strands, and NYT Wordle games, and they all have a certain stickiness that keeps people coming back. When you're trying to sell digital subscriptions, like Apple is, that's important.
It's not clear how long beta testing for iOS 18.2 will last, but the final and public version shouldn't be too far off. This week, Apple is rolling out iOS 18.1 to users, which brings with it the first Apple Intelligence features for those in the US with compatible iPhones – including a smarter Siri and generative AI writing tools.
It looks as though we're going to know pretty much everything there is to know about the iPhone SE 4, by the time Apple gets around to launching it early next year: a full specs sheet has now leaked out, covering everything from the amount of RAM to Wi-Fi support.
This leak comes from well-known tipster @Jukanlosreve, which means it's more likely than not to be accurate – although nothing is certain until the phone is actually official. Some of these specs have leaked before, though others are new.
As previously rumored, the specs sheet lists the A18 chipset as the one powering the iPhone SE 4 (the same processor as in the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus). That's apparently going to be combined with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.
Having the same chipset and RAM as the flagship iPhones is important for one key reason: it means the iPhone SE 4 will be able to run all the AI tricks and features that are going to start to roll out next week as part of Apple Intelligence.
Screen and cameras
The current iPhone SE (Image credit: Future)
This specs sheet suggests we're looking at a 6.06-inch OLED display, running at a resolution of 2532 x 1170 pixels. That's quite a step up from the 4.7-inch LCD panel on the 3rd-gen iPhone SE (2022), and (as previously predicted) matches up with the iPhone 14.
It means the iPhone SE 4 is going to be the first in the series to ditch the home button and Touch ID, and adopt the more modern look of the latest flagship iPhones. The phone apparently weighs in at 165 grams, a little heavier than the 144 grams of its predecessor.
Other specs listed here include a single 48MP rear camera, a 12MP selfie camera, support for Wi-Fi 6, IP68-rated water and dust protection, and a battery capacity of 3,279mAh (a notable bump from the 2,018mAh on the current model).
This leak lists the starting price of the iPhone SE 4 as $499, so we might have to expect a rise from the $429 / £419 / AU$719 price point last time. The handset, together with more new iPads, is expected to show up early in 2025 (March is the month mentioned in this leak).
What’s got me pondering is the Camera Control ‘button.’ In some ways, it’s a cool new feature that uses haptics well. In other ways, it’s superfluous and not fully featured.
I’ve been trying out the iPhone 16 Pro Max for a couple of weeks now, and when it comes to capturing a photo, l try and use Camera Control as much as possible. As I’m 37 and a millennial, I still like snapping photos on my phone in landscape orientation, so having a physical button where my finger naturally sits is good for capturing a shot without messing up the framing by tapping on the screen or trying to hit the Action button – I have this mapped to trigger the ‘torch’ anyway, which is surprisingly helpful.
I also like flicking through zoom ranges with a swipe on the Camera Control without the need to tap on small icons. The exposure control is kind of cool, though swapping between the features Camera Control can control doesn’t quite feel intuitive to me yet, and often, my taps cause me to lose the precise design of a scene.
So yeah, Camera Control is interesting. But…
Did anyone really ask for it? It feels like a feature for the sake of Apple’s mobile execs to have something new to talk about at the September Apple event. It’s just about a ‘nice to have’ feature, but it’s hardly a phone photography game changer.
Not my tempo
(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
However, maybe I’ll warm to it over time. Yet, the biggest issue is the lack of AI tools at launch for Camera Control. Apple actively touts the AI features for Camera Control that can be used to smartly identify things the cameras are pointed at and serve up all manner of information. That hasn’t happened yet, with a rollout arriving post-launch when Apple Intelligence fully arrives; there's a beta option, but I'm not willing to try that on my main phone.
I’ve yet to understand that. Sure, other phone makers have touted AI features that will come after their phones are released and may be limited to certain regions, to begin with, but at least they launch with some of the promised AI suites. The iPhone 16 range launched without any Apple Intelligence features.
This is not what I expected from Apple, a company that famously doesn’t adopt new tech until it’s refined and ready for polished prime time. So, for it to launch smartphones without next-generation smarts is baffling to me. But it’s also the primary reason why I feel torn about Camera Control; if it had Google Lens-like abilities at launch, baked into a hardware format, I can see myself being a lot more positive about Camera Control.
Of course, Apple's use of such a camera button will undoubtedly cause other phone makers to follow suit. I only hope they don’t skimp on features when their phones launch.
As for Camera Control in the here and now, I’ll keep an open mind and keep using it; I’ll just cross my fingers that it'll become seriously handy once it gets its prescribed dose of AI smarts.
