Your Apple devices just got a makeover, and there’s more to it than a shiny new interface. Apple’s latest software updates bring a much smarter Siri, speedier performance, new ways to personalise your devices, and a handful of clever little upgrades that you might not notice at first, but could quickly wonder how you lived without.
Siri AI and the Next Generation of Apple Intelligence
The biggest change this year is undoubtedly Siri AI, a completely reimagined version of Siri built around the next generation of Apple Intelligence.
Instead of simply responding to individual commands, Siri AI is designed to understand more of your personal context. It can draw on information from messages, emails, and photos to answer questions and help complete tasks, while onscreen awareness allows it to interact with whatever you’re currently looking at.
There’s also a new Siri app that brings conversations together in one place and keeps them synced across your Apple devices through iCloud. That means you can start a conversation on your iPhone and pick it up later on your Mac, iPad, Apple Watch, or Apple Vision Pro.
Siri AI is being introduced gradually as a beta, starting with English, including English (Singapore). French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish are set to follow in October.
Performance Improvements Across the Board
While the AI features may grab most of the attention, Apple has also put plenty of work into making its devices feel faster and more responsive.
On iPhone and iPad, apps can now launch up to 30% faster, photos load up to 70% faster after being taken, and AirDrop transfers can be up to 80% quicker.
Mac users are getting similar improvements, with faster AirDrop transfers, quicker iCloud Photos uploads, and smoother transitions when moving between Spaces and Mission Control.
Search has also received an overhaul across Spotlight, Photos, and Mail, with improvements aimed at making results more stable and efficient. In Mail, a new ranking system helps surface more relevant messages under Top Hits, making it easier to find what you’re looking for without digging through your inbox.
A Refined Look with Liquid Glass
Apple is also giving its software a more personalised look this year with its updated Liquid Glass design.
A new slider in Settings lets users adjust the appearance of Liquid Glass, ranging from an ultra-clear finish to a more heavily tinted look. It’s a small addition, but one that gives people more say in how their interface looks and feels.
App icons have also been refined to look sharper and more defined, contributing to a cleaner and more focused overall experience.
Full-Resolution Sharing in iCloud Shared Albums
Sharing photos and videos through iCloud Shared Albums is getting a useful upgrade, too. Albums can now support full-resolution photos and videos, so shared content no longer needs to lose quality when it’s passed between family and friends.
Apple is also making it easier for people using Android and Windows devices to join and contribute to shared albums. That should make iCloud Shared Albums a little more practical for households and groups where not everyone uses an Apple device.
Custom EQ for AirPods
AirPods users are getting more control over how their music sounds with the introduction of custom EQ.
A new three-band equaliser lets you adjust the low, mid, and high frequencies directly from AirPods Settings. There’s also an interactive preview, so you can hear how your changes affect the sound before settling on your preferred mix.
It’s a welcome addition for anyone who likes to fine-tune their listening experience rather than relying entirely on a preset.
Smarter Suggestions on Apple Watch
The Apple Watch is getting smarter about surfacing the features you need, too.
The updated Smart Stack can now suggest widgets automatically based on when they’re most likely to be useful. There’s also a dynamic app grid that highlights Siri-suggested apps, helping you get to the right app without having to hunt for it.
The idea is simple: instead of making you search for the feature you need, the watch should be better at putting it in front of you at the right time.
iCloud+ Expands with Apple TV and Apple Arcade
Finally, iCloud+ subscribers in Singapore and more than 100 other countries are getting access to Apple TV and Apple Arcade as part of their existing subscription, at no additional cost.
That brings cloud storage, Apple’s original TV programming, and a library of more than 200 games together under a single subscription. The plan can also be shared with up to five family members through Family Sharing.
As part of the change, standalone Apple TV and Apple Arcade subscriptions will no longer be sold individually in these markets. Apple One will also no longer be available to new subscribers in Singapore.
This article originally appeared on Grazia Singapore.
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