If you’re about to upgrade to a new iPhone 16 or Apple Watch Series 10, you're going to need a power bank to keep them charged, especially in the run-up to Christmas.

Earlier this month, Anker launched several accessories for its new MagGo range. This is the company’s effort to offer products that quickly charge multiple devices at once, wherever you are. These include:

• Anker MagGo Wireless Charging Station (3-in-1, Foldable Pad)
• Anker MagGo Wireless Charger (Stand)
• Anker MagGo Power Bank (10K, 35W, For Apple Watch)
• Anker MagGo Power Bank (10K, Slim) out October 5
• Anker MagGo Magnetic Case with Stand (360° Ring Stand, For iPhone)

A Foldable Winner

While the power banks explain themselves, the 3-in-1 Wireless Foldable Charging Station looks to be the highlight of the new MagGo range. When folded, the 3-in-1 is the size of an Apple Watch — but when unfolded, three Qi chargers appear, each with a respective label to help you tell which device to place on them.

I've been able to try out the 3-in-1 foldable, and I've already found it to be incredibly useful and compact. I've had it in the back pocket of my jeans when I was on a commute at the weekend that required me to be on multiple trains. Plugging the foldable into the mains with its USB-C port, followed by placing my iPhone and AirPods Pro 2 on them for a quick charge was very useful.

However, while the 3-in-1 foldable has already helped me on my travels, there are some other products in the new MagGo range that are also worth mentioning, available now:

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Apple's long-running list of concessions in the European Union continues, as the company has confirmed users will be able to install apps via third-party app stores on iPad starting tomorrow, September 16.

That's the same day as iPadOS 18 releases, meaning it's a big day for users of Apple's tablet lineup.

Announced via a post on Apple's developer site, starting on September 16 "Users in the EU can download iPadOS apps on the App Store and through alternative distribution."

"As mentioned in May, if you have entered into the Alternative Terms Addendum for Apps in the EU, iPadOS first annual installs will begin to accrue and the lower App Store commission rate will apply."

"Apple also says alternative browser engines can be used in iPadOS apps" as it relinquishes at least some of its grasp following the arrival of the Digital Markets Act (DMA).

iPad users could get Fortnite, and much more, in the EU

In many ways this is the logical next step after the same principles have already been applied to the iOS platform, but it's still noteworthy as this means iOS, iPadOS and (as always) macOS will now allow sideloading - at least in Europe.

Apple was given six months to ensure iPadOS would be DMA compliant, and the company confirmed it would oblige in May of this year.

Epic Games' storefront is available for EU users, meaning they can install Fortnite on iOS, but the developer has expressed an interest in bringing it back to iPad, too.

More from iMore

• Popular iPad design app Procreate slams generative AI and promises no plans to offer it — "We're never going there"
• More affordable iPad Magic keyboard in the works
• Plans to give free iPads to 'digitally excluded' Scots have been axed so the money can be given to council workers instead

The iPhone 16 reveal event, Glowtime, might be tomorrow, but a new report has suggested we won't have to wait long for another Apple event.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman is reporting that the company will reveal M4 versions of its Mac lineup as early as October, including the MacBook Pro, Mac Mini, and iMac.

While we've known for a while Mac models with M4 were coming, including a redesigned Mac Mini, it seems we'll hear more about them next month - but that's not all.

Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Gurman notes "there are also new iPads in the works, including an upgraded mini."

Mac and iPad event leaked for October

Last year, Apple's "Scary Fast" event revealed the M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chips, as well as new versions of the iMac and MacBook Pro.

It's a little different this year as the iPad Pro debuted the M4 chip earlier this year, meaning we'll be getting variants of those chips but not a whole new generation being revealed.

The promise of an iPad Mini is an interesting one, however. The iPad Mini sold today is the 2022 model, meaning it's getting a little long in the tooth. If it was to gain the M4 chip (or any M-series chip), it could go some way to becoming the ultimate ultra-portable computer I've been hoping it would in the past.

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• Here's how to use Window Tiling on macOS Sequoia
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With just days to go before Apple is expected to announce its iPhone 16 lineup, a popular accessory maker has announced a new line of charging devices.

UGREEN is launching a new charging lineup called Uno, designed specifically for iPhone users. This collection stands out by telling users when their devices are charged through a friendly robot aesthetic. Some of the products can be bought right now, while some will be available to buy later this month. This new lineup includes the following:

• Uno Charger 100W
• Uno Magnetic Wireless Power Bank 10000mAh 15W
• Uno 2-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charger 15W
• Uno Power Bank 10000mAh 30W
• Uno 6-in-1 USB-C Hub
• Uno USB-C to USB-C Cable 100W

While many of the above are self-explanatory, the one that intrigues us the most is the Uno Charger 100W. Together with the 6-in-1 USB-C Hub, they adapt a mini-robot that can show off different emojis.

UGREEN calls this 'The Groovy', showcasing different expressions to tell you when it's charging your iPhone. "The Groovy, unique robot appearance can be both cool and cute, serving as an attractive figurine on the desk even when not charging. During the charging process, as the charging status changes, the TFT Screen could support the display of more cute emojis."

The Uno Charger 100W will be available from September 16 priced at $59.99 — which puts it just before the rumored release date of September 20, when the iPhone 16 lineup is expected to launch.

Getting ready for the next vacation — iMore's take

You've likely returned from a vacation and you're about to get ready for the Back to School season, which means plenty of moments involving battery packs and wires to keep you and your family's devices charged up. I found myself in a similar situation a few weeks ago, grateful to keep my iPhone 15 Pro Max and Nintendo Switch powered on thanks to some accessories.

Much like Anker, I've always been a fan of UGREEN and its innovative products, especially how the company makes a concerted effort to make it fun to charge up your devices. I'm intrigued by the Uno Charger 100W with its 'Groovy' emoji. So much so, that I'm considering it as a Christmas present for my niece. UGREEN proves with its new Uno series that charging doesn't have to be a chore.

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• FineWoven cases have been selling so poorly that it looks like Apple will discontinue them
• This gaming case could be the perfect accessory for your iPhone 16

Apple's iPad 9 is getting a bit long in the tooth, but it'll give you the quintessential iPad experience for a fraction of the price of Apple's iPad Pro or even the iPad Pro. 

While it might have been supplanted by the iPad 10, the iPad 9 boasts all of the great features that make the iPad fantastic. It comes with iPadOS and Apple's App Store, giving you access to thousands of apps and games for entertainment, productivity, and more. 

More importantly, it's the last iPad you can buy that still has a Home Button and a headphone jack. The former is perfect for a more tactile experience you might want for a young child or a senior relative, the latter is ideal for those long car journeys where you want to keep the kids occupied. 

Get the iPad 9 right now for an all-time low price of $199. 

The best iPad price yet

• iPad deals: Amazon | B&H Photo | Best Buy | Walmart

While you might not be able to use the likes of Apple Intelligence when it comes out, most of the other new features in iPadOS 18 are going to be accessible. It might now be over 3 years old, but that does not mean it's a slouch — if you're looking for the perfect comic book companion, web browsing monster, or something for some light gaming, then the 9th gen iPad is going to fill your needs perfectly.

Just because it's cheap doesn't mean you should skimp out on protection, of course — so make sure you pick up one of the best cases for the iPad 9th gen while you're at it.

The latest version of the Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro and iPad Air 6 models is a sumptuous symphony of metal, clicky keys, and premium typing. It's also, unfortunately, incredibly expensive, presumably thanks to its materials and size.

Thankfully, if you're looking for a new Magic Keyboard to match your new iPad without needing to spend loads, it looks like Apple has something in store that will make things more affordable. According to Mark Gurman's latest Power On email, the firm is working on a cheaper, 'Low-end' Magic Keyboard for iPad.

Tappety-type for less?

There where a range of improvements that came with the Magic Keyboard that was recently released. The biggest was the larger trackpad, making the connected iPad more like a MacBook than ever.

Gurman reports that "suppliers are hard at work on a new iPad keyboard for next year". It looks like its going to be primarily for the lower-end iPads, such as the 11th generation or the iPad Air models, and it will likely forgo the likes of the metal palm rest to make it more affordable.

Gurman reckons that the keyboard could have some new features as well, such as a function row. As yet there's no official news to tell us more about the keyboard, so it's all down to best guesses at this point.

As for when we can expect to see the new keyboard? Gurman says that it's looking like a mid-2025 release date "if all goes to plan". That could match up with new iPads, such as a new base model to replace the 10th gen, or even refreshed versions of the M2 iPad Airs. Given that the previous models of Magic Keyboards have launched alongside their requisite iPads, this would make sense.

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• 11-inch iPad Pro Magic Keyboard review: Is small big enough?
• Magic Keyboard Folio for iPad review

Apple is in talks to invest big bucks into OpenAI as part of an upcoming funding round.

According to sources at the Wall Street Journal, OpenAI — known for its AI assistant ChatGPT — has been in talks with Apple, Nvidia, and Microsoft about a funding round that could value the company at $100 billion. The article also highlights how Microsoft, already a major partner of OpenAI, is looking to invest even more in the company. 'It couldn’t be learned how much Apple or Microsoft will invest into OpenAI this round. To date, Microsoft has been the primary strategic investor in OpenAI. It owns a 49% share of the AI startup’s profits after investing $13 billion since 2019."

The timing of this impending funding round is curious. ChatGPT is set to be integrated into Apple's assistant, Siri, as part of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1 when these are released as part of Apple Intelligence later this year. Once available, Siri will prompt the user if they want to use ChatGPT to help answer a query.

If Apple goes ahead with this investment into OpenAI, we could see ChatGPT be part of Siri for the foreseeable future, potentially leading to new features in the coming years.

How will ChatGPT work in iOS 18?

Showcased at WWDC in June, Apple's yearly developer conference, ChatGPT won't require users to create an account in order to use it with Siri. Instead, OpenAI's assistant will appear when Siri needs help with answering a query.

But that's not all that this integration will offer. Apple Intelligence will include Writing Tools, enabling users to rewrite an email or a report into distinct styles, such as casual or professional. ChatGPT will help with this through an overlay that will let you choose between these styles.

Although the latest betas of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1 come with Apple Intelligence to test, ChatGPT integration is not yet available. However, it's expected to arrive with these updates later this year.

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• ChatGPT upgrade for Mac now better than ever for productivity

iPads are great — they're useful, great for watching your favorite TV shows in bed without reaching for your laptop, and, depending on which model you select, colorful. They're also, however, quite expensive, so when a deal on one crops up it's well worth paying attention.

Indeed, it's well worth paying attention to this deal in particular, which chops $50 off the full price of the 10th gen iPad, returning it to its lowest price ever. If you've been looking for the perfect iPad for school, light gaming, or other less intensive tasks, then you might've just found the perfect iPad.

Save on a new iPad today

• iPad deals: Amazon | B&H Photo | Best Buy | Walmart

With a plethora of colors available from Yellow to Pink, the 10th-generation iPad brings fun to the iPad line. It's not the most powerful iPad in the lineup, but it's got plenty of juice to play some Genshin Impact or other less intensive games without worrying about any slowdown. Grab a keyboard case for it and you've got a great option for students who want an iPad for lectures and class — unless you're learning how to edit massive video files, in which case you might want something more potent, like one of the best MacBooks.

Either way, this $50 saving is a great way to nab yourself a great deal on a great tablet — and it's on most of the colors too, so you don't have to lump it with a color that you don't like. Unless you want the yellow, which for some reason you can buy for $20 more.

In order to work properly, generative AI (like Apple Intelligence) needs to pull from 'training information'. That can be gained from a range of sources, although if you want to make sure that as few people as possible are cross about your artificial intelligence model, then you'll need to make sure that the date used is 'ethical'.

That means you need permission from those range of sources so that you can use the data without concern. Otherwise, you end up in a mire of copyright infringement issues and legal trouble — as many are doing. Or, if you're Google, then you petition governments so that copyright law doesn't apply to you, and you can use whatever data you want to train your AI without needing permission, or to pay.

Because you're special. 

Apple reckons, however, that it does need to pay for the data it uses to train Apple Intelligence, although it's finding its own issues — namely, that a whole bunch of some of the largest publishers on the internet want nothing to do with the AI that it has created.

Publishers give a resounding 'No'

According to Wired, lots of publishers such as the New York Times and even Facebook have used a feature that stops Apple from scraping their content when training Apple Intelligence. It's called, imaginatively, 'Robot.txt', a text file that tells Apple's scraping bot to avoid the content at hand.

Apple's offer to pay for the data hasn't stopped 25% of websites from blocking the scraper, a number which could rise as the official launch of Apple Intelligence gets ever closer. AI is something that the publishing world is becoming increasingly aware and wary of — particularly when you remember that the New York Times is currently suing the largest generative AI model, ChatGPT, over its use of NYT content to train itself.

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• I downloaded the Apple Intelligence beta for my primary iPhone — here's why you shouldn't
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Apple Music subscribers can now transfer their playlists to Google's YouTube Music service free of charge.

According to a new support document, users can log in with their Apple Account to a Data and Privacy page, where a new 'Transfer a copy of my Data' option allows users to move playlists from Apple Music to YouTube Music. However, Apple has made it clear that only playlists will be transferred, not the actual music tracks. This limitation is likely due to rights agreements that Apple and Google have with record companies. In addition, Google is also offering a tool to transfer playlists on YouTube Music back to Apple Music if you feel like you've made a mistake.

At present, there are no options to transfer playlists from Apple Music to other music services, such as Spotify and TIDAL. For now, YouTube Music is the only choice. Nevertheless, it's a handy feature for those who have been using YouTube's music service instead of Apple Music and want to save time by transferring a bunch of playlists over.

How to switch

Transferring your Apple Music playlists to YouTube is a simple affair. All you need to do is the following:

• Go to Apple's Data and Privacy page, then sign in to your Apple ID account.
• Select 'Transfer a copy of your data'.
• Follow the onscreen instructions to complete your transfer request. To start the transfer, you’ll need to sign in to your YouTube Music account.
• If done correctly, you'll receive a confirmation email from Apple, and your playlists will appear in YouTube Music in the Library tab.

And voila! All of your playlists will now appear on YouTube Music. You'll have to re-download the songs for offline play, remember. YouTube Music will try to match up any songs that are on its service, but if there's a track in a playlist that's not there but is available on Apple Music, it won't be included.

Once the transfer is complete, you'll be able to browse and edit your playlists in no time.

However, it's important to mention again that, if you want to go back to Apple Music with your playlists (mostly) intact, Google offers its own tool to do just that.

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Game developer Capcom released a new patch on August 27 for several Resident Evil games for Apple devices, requiring them all to be connected to the internet in order to be played.

The patch doesn’t explain why this requirement has been added. Capcom’s website only states the following: “Due to changes to the startup process, an internet connection is now required when starting this app.“ When you next start up Resident Evil 4, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, and Resident Evil Village on the best iPhones, iPads, and Macs, you must ensure your device has an active internet connection. 

It’s a baffling move, as these single-player games don’t need to be online — they never needed to be when they were all originally released on gaming consoles, starting with Resident Evil 7 in 2016. Indeed, users on social media site X are expressing many frustrations about the patch. One example is AppleGamingCat, making the good point that this will limit users from playing the games in places that don’t allow an internet connection, such as airplanes.

iMore has reached out to Capcom for further comment as to why this requirement has been rolled out.

Expect this to be the norm for future releases from Capcom

Let’s not forget that Capcom is planning on bringing another entry in the Resident Evil series to Apple devices soon. Originally released in 2019, the Resident Evil 2 Remake is coming to compatible iPhones, iPads, and Macs later this year. It’s a fantastic game that honors the original sequel from 1998 in a modern way. But with this remake likely to have this internet requirement in order to play, it could spoil the experience before users reach the title screen.

With Capcom blaming ‘changes to the startup process’ for this patch, perhaps it’s something involving Apple’s upcoming software updates of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, all rumored to arrive next month. If this is the case, then it’s something that Apple should look into. It’s patches like these that go against recent efforts to bring games like Resident Evil to its products. Hopefully, we can soon see a reversal of this patch to let users play these games wherever they want, without an internet connection.

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Social media camera app Snapchat has come to Apple’s best iPads in a new update, but it’s locked in Portrait orientation for now.

Released on August 26, the new update explains that, “Snapchat now offers native support for iPad! This means that Snapchat will fill an iPad’s full screen, providing a larger canvas when capturing Snaps and allowing you to see more friends on the 2nd and 4th tabs.” This means that whether you own an M4 iPad Pro or an iPad mini, you can now take advantage of the bigger screen to flick through snaps, play with filters, and watch different Stories from friends and family.

Since its debut in 2011, Snapchat has found a niche in sending and receiving photos and videos, known as Snaps, to other users with the best iPhones. But it was in 2013 when the app introduced a new feature called ‘My Story’, enabling users to share snaps into a chronological timeline as if to tell a story to their followers. This feature eventually ‘inspired’ other apps like Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn to roll out their own ‘Story’ feature. While Snapchat was previously available on iPads anyway thanks to the app running in compatibility mode, using the app on an iPad’s full screen with the updated native app will be massively appealing to those who use the app daily. 

You can download Snapchat for compatible iPhone and iPad devices running iOS 13 and above.

The best iPads to use Snapchat on

With Snapchat now updated to take advantage of compatible iPads, we’ve found some great deals on iPads that you can buy right now to use Snapchat with.

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The 6th generation iPad mini has been out since 2021. Despite featuring Apple's new design language for the iPad, the tiny but mighty tablet is certainly due for — at the very least — a spec bump. Thankfully, it seems that might be what Apple has in mind for this fall.

In a tweet, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman pointed out that Apple is running dangerously low on iPad mini stock. According to Gurman, "Many Apple stores are low on stock of the iPad mini in several configs, while the device is considered “constrained” internally within Apple, I’m told. That *could* be a sign a new one is coming. It hasn’t been updated since 2021. Wouldn’t be surprised to see it updated for AI."

What could we get with a new iPad mini?

The obvious upgrade for the next generation of the iPad mini is a new processor. With Apple Intelligence on the horizon, you can be sure that the company wants to ensure every device possible will work with its artificial intelligence features. With that in mind, there's a very good chance that the next iPad mini is going to feature an M-Series chip to support Apple's AI ambitions.

Outside of a chip bump, it's likely that the next iPad mini will feature quite modest upgrades to the cameras, storage, and connectivity hardware. Personally, I'd love to see Apple bring that beautiful OLED display from the M4 iPad Pro to its tiny tablet, but I think we're at least one more generation from such a thing actually happening.

Apple is set to host its "It's Glowtime" event on September 9th. The company is expected to announce the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro, Apple Watch X, and AirPods 4. The event is set to kick off on September 9th at 10:00 AM PST. If we don't see a new iPad mini there, expect the company to throw out a press release announcement in October.

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Plans to offer free iPads to people who are "digitally excluded" have been axed so that the money can be funneled into a plans to fund new council pay deals.

The project was originally set up during the COVID pandemic has handed out more than 61,000 iPads and Chromebooks to people who would otherwise not have access to the online world. However, a new report explains that Finance Secretary Shona Robison has said that the plans to ditch the Connecting Scotland digital devices program will help save £10 million.

This move comes after ministers offered council workers a new deal that would see them receive an extra £77.5 million and cancel plans for strikes.

No iPad for you

While it's doubtful that the iPads handed out would be the latest M4 iPad Pro, there is no doubt that there is the potential for savings here. But iPads aren't the only way savings will be made. The BBC Scotland reports also notes that a further £2 million will be gained by changing plans for extended school meals while £26 million will be diverted from a program that sought to deal with potential flood risks.

The finance secretary said diverting the funding was "not a decision we have taken lightly," the BBC reports. Unions are still considering the new proposals and it's unclear whether the cuts will be enough to avoid worker strikes.

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Procreate is one of the most popular design apps for the best iPads. Amidst other design programs, including Adobe Photoshop, adding AI features, Procreate promises that it will never introduce AI.

So far this year, lots of design tools have come under fire for adding AI features. Many believe that creating art with the use of AI is no longer art. Adobe has come under fire for even going as far as to change its terms of use. Sections 2.2 and 4.1 have been updated to state, “We may access, view, or listen to your Content through both automated and manual methods, but only in limited ways, and only as permitted by law.” And, for the most part, it's in the name of training AI. Figma has come under similar criticism, as have many other programs.

But not Procreate! Procreate has declared that they’re not interested in following the shiny trend of generative AI. The brand put out an official post on X clarifying that "we are never going there."

CEO James Cuda is not a fan of AI in design tools. In a video posted to X, he came out guns blazing. “I really f****** hate generative AI,” he stated. And to drive the point home, he added, “Our products are always designed and developed with the idea that a human will be creating something.”

Other design tools you can use

The announcement has, unsurprisingly, struck a chord with digital artists who’ve been feeling more than a bit uneasy with how AI is creeping into their creative spaces. With other platforms like Clip Studio Paint being forced to backpedal on AI tools after user backlash, and Adobe navigating PR nightmares about AI training on users' content, it’s clear that Procreate’s stance isn’t just a marketing ploy. Rather, it’s a genuine reflection of a growing concern within the artist community.

Here at iMore, we all use different apps that suit our needs without using Adobe’s offering.  For example, Pixelmator is a powerful photo-editing app that’s used by our News Editor, Stephen Warwick. He explained in February how he loves the app’s automated features. “The thing I love the most about Pixelmator Pro is that it’s photo-editing on autopilot. You don’t need to know the first thing about white balance, hue (whoever he is), saturation, sharpness, or anything else for that matter.”

But that’s not all — Affinity Photo is another great app that won’t lock you out from using it if you avoid its terms and conditions, but you do have to accept them regardless. However, if you need to edit something in a hurry, Photopea is a fantastic alternative that can be used in a web browser.

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AltStore PAL, a popular third-party app store for EU iPhone users, is now free to download, thanks to a significant grant by Epic Games.

Announcing the news on Threads, AltStore PAL — the third-party app store created by developer Riley Testut of Delta emulator fame, is removing its annual $1.50 subscription fee, meaning existing subscribers will not need to pay extra. “For innovation in app distribution, Epic Games has granted us a MegaGrant grant that we plan to use to cover Apple’s Core Technology Fee going forward. If you’re an existing subscriber, there’s no need to do anything — you will NOT be charged upon your renewal date.”

This is all thanks to a grant by game developer Epic Games, which uses its ‘Epic MegaGrants’ program to “sponsor the development of exciting projects that may not otherwise have enough funding to fully realize. They’re specifically meant for smaller teams, solo developers, and innovators who are using our technology to bring bold, challenging, and insanely creative dreams to life.”

AltStore hasn’t revealed the terms of the MegaGrant, nor what it meant in another Threads post of wanting to show its appreciation in a future update. iMore has reached out for further comment.

Convenient timing?

The timing of Epic Games’ grant to AltStore PAL is suspiciously good. The developer recently submitted its own third-party storefront, the Epic Games Store, as well as Fortnite and Rocket League Sideswipe for approval on Apple’s App Store. In addition, Epic announced in July that Fortnite will soon be available on AltStore PAL.

All of this suggests that Epic Games is gearing up for a huge relaunch of Fortnite to Apple’s best iPhones and iPads in the coming months, once Apple approves the developer’s submissions. Some of the iMore team are looking forward to playing Fortnite on their devices again without having to use streaming services like GeForce NOW. But what about you? Are you eager to play Fortnite on your iPhone and iPad soon? Let us know in the iMore Forums.

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The iPad has always been a bit of an enigma for me. I remember when Steve Jobs unveiled the iPad for the first time. In the keynote, he talked about how the world had gotten used to the computer and the smartphone — the Mac and the iPhone in his mind, of course.

Then, Jobs asked if there was room for a third device. Not a computer, and not a phone, but a third device that would sit in the middle of the two. That’s when he announced the iPad, Apple’s take on the tablet.

Well, it’s been almost 14 years since the iPad was originally released to the world and, after more than a decade with a heck of a lot of different iPads, I think I’ve figured out that, at least for me, there is room for a third device — it’s just not the iPad.

I’ve had a mixed experience with the iPad

I’ve owned a lot of iPads over the years. In fact, I’ve owned every model of the iPad. At one point or another, I’ve owned the base model iPad, iPad Air, iPad Pro, and iPad mini. I’ve owned them all! And, after trying all of them, I never really found a solid enough use case for the iPad to keep it around.

I’ve tried to use the iPad for a lot of different things, too. With the base model iPad, I tried to use it as a consumption device for watching movies and television shows and playing games. However, I always found myself either using my iPhone or my Apple TV more. I also found that — despite Apple really wanting to get in the gaming industry — the iPad was no replacement for an Xbox, PlayStation, or Nintendo Switch.

With the iPad Air and iPad Pro, I tried the whole “what is a computer” game and paired both with the Magic Keyboard to see if I could replace my Mac altogether with the iPad. That didn’t pan out either time I tried it. While it COULD work, it just wasn’t as good as using my MacBook Air for writing, which is the thing I use my Mac for the most.

The last iPad I tried was the iPad mini. Since I ruled out the iPad as an entertainment and productivity device, I figured that Apple’s tiny iPad might do something else for me: get me back into reading. And you know what? It worked. I started reading my articles and magazines in Apple News+ and, more importantly, I started reading more books using Apple Books and Libby, the app that enables you to rent ebooks from your local library.

However, while I was reading more books, the iPad mini still felt quite chunky to hold for a while, still felt too bright when reading at night before bed, and completely crapped out when I tried to use it outside in the sunlight.

It was right when I was experiencing those pain points that the Kindle Paperwhite showed up to blow up the iPad as my third device.

The Kindle Paperwhite is my third device

As much as Steve Jobs wanted the iPad to be every Mac and iPhone owner’s third device, the Kindle Paperwhite has become the third device for me. After using it side by side with the iPad mini for a few months now, my iPad mini has sat in a drawer unused.

The first reason for this is the weight. While the iPad mini is Apple’s lightest iPad, it’s still a bit of a chunk, especially when you have Apple’s Smart Folio attached to it. The Kindle Paperwhite, in comparison, is at least one-third lighter and even more so without its own (also lighter) case from Amazon. If I’m reading for a while, the Kindle is much more comfortable to hold for long periods compared with the iPad.

The second reason is the difference the screen makes at night. While the iPad mini certainly has a more capable screen — being color and LED instead of black and white and E-Ink — that color and LED screen doesn’t really help put me to sleep at night. The black and white E-Ink display, however, makes reading at night much better. Not only is it more pleasant for the eyes, but it doesn’t keep me awake like the iPad mini screen did. I read a few pages on the Kindle and I fall right asleep — exactly what I want it to do.

The third reason also has to do with the screen but, instead of talking about how it performs at night, I’m talking about how it performs during the day. While the iPad mini looks fine indoors, that LED screen is no match for the sun. I took it once to the beach and could barely see the screen through the glare. The E-Ink display on the Kindle, however, looks clear as day, regardless of the sun that’s beating down on it. I’ve used it at the pool, at camp, and at the beach and it’s performed wonderfully at all of them.

The last reason I chose the Kindle over the iPad is because it’s a single-use device. While it was easy to get distracted with messages or jump to the YouTube app with the iPad, the Kindle’s only job is to give you books to read. I’ve grown to appreciate having a device that only does one thing, especially when that thing is to encourage me to read more.

Maybe Apple will make an E-Ink iPad

The only thing I could think of that could get me to go back to the iPad as my third device after experiencing the Kindle is if the company made a waterproof iPad mini with an E-Ink display. Just imagine how bonkers it would be to see the company make something like that, but that’s what I’d need to swing back.

However, I certainly doubt that the company would make such a device (there’s a reason I just called it bonkers), so I think I’m going to be sticking with the Kindle Paperwhite for a while now.

That is unless Kobo gets me to jump from Amazon to their E-Ink tablet. That’s worth looking into, but I’ll stick with the Paperwhite for now.

After several rejections by Apple, iDOS 3, a retro PC emulator, is now available on the App Store, enabling users to play classic DOS games from the early 90s on iPhone and iPad.

Developer Chaoji Li confirmed the news in a blog post, stating, “It has been a long wait for common sense to prevail within Apple. As much as I want to celebrate, I still can't help being a little bit cautious about the future.“

iDOS was previously rejected by Apple in April and June as the app allegedly didn’t comply with a rule change in April that allowed retro gaming emulators like Delta and Gamma on the App Store. In July, Apple changed the rule again to allow PC emulators, which meant apps like UTM could be approved, which can run Windows XP and more on iPhone and iPad. This rule change also meant that iDOS could finally be approved.

iDOS 3 uses DOS (disk operating system), which relies on a disk storage medium to play whatever’s stored on a CD-ROM or floppy disk. This operating system was widely used before graphical operating systems came along, such as Windows 3.0 in 1990. DOS lasted throughout the 90s, supporting plenty of games. With the iPad and iPhone able to support mouse and keyboard peripherals, users can relive some of their favorite games from their childhood thanks to iDOS 3.

iDOS 3 is available to download for $0.99 for the best iPhones and iPads.

What can you play with iDOS 3?

Lots. What made DOS popular with developers was its simplicity. All users had to do was insert a Floppy Disk or CD-ROM, enter a couple of commands, and the game would play. The same almost applies to iDOS 3. Once you’ve found a game you want to play, place it into the iDOS folder within the Files app, and the emulator should find the game.

If you’re stuck for choice, we recommend the following classics:

• Lemmings
• James Pond
• Tomb Raider
• Championship Manager 2
• Monkey Island
• DOOM
• Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis
• Grand Theft Auto
• Prince of Persia
• Jazz Jackrabbit
• WORMS

Every one of these games is a classic from the MS-DOS era, and iDOS 3 only showcases these in their best light.

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• Here are 10 great free games you can legally play on Delta Emulator for iPhone

Sandisk has announced a groundbreaking 8-terabyte SD card that raises the ceiling for portable external storage, though the release date and pricing are yet to be determined.

Western Digital, the parent company of Sandisk, revealed this high-capacity SD card in a press release but didn’t share details on its price or release date. It’s worth mentioning that Sandisk previously announced the first 4TB SD cards in April, with an expected release date of next year. It’s possible the 8TB version may arrive around the same time. For context, 8TB of storage can hold up to 2,000 hours of high-definition video or 2 million high-resolution photos — making it unlikely that you’ll run out of storage anytime soon.

However, it’s important to note that any SD card that’s over 2TB has an SDUC (Secure Digital Ultra Capacity) tag. This means that devices need to support SDUC otherwise these cards won’t work, which currently excludes every Apple device available. We may have to wait for the rumored M4 Macs to add support for these SDUC SD cards. In the meantime, if you need something with a lot of storage right now, you can buy a 1TB SD card on Amazon right now, which works with the best Macs, iPads, and iPhones.

Don’t wait for an 8TB SD card

Yes, an 8TB SD card sounds great in terms of both storage and size, but you can currently buy some of the best external hard drives that roughly offer the same amount of storage.

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• I installed Windows XP on my iPad just to play Pinball and Mario 64 at the same time, and the internet went mad
• iPad Air and iPad mini next on the list for OLED screen upgrade

If you’ve been holding out for a non-Pro iPad model with a vibrant OLED display, you might be in luck — even if the wait might prove tortuous.

According to The Elec, Apple is planning to use a ‘lower-spec’ OLED display panel from Samsung for the next iPad Air and mini tablets. The report explains: “Apple plans to apply a lower-spec panel to Air than the iPad Pro to increase OLED iPad Air sales. If the specifications are low, the manufacturing cost is low. Air sales were higher than those of the pros on the existing LCD iPads.”

The above aligns with a leak from July that revealed an OLED iPad mini, but this is the first time we’ve heard about an OLED iPad Air. Although details are light on what the rumored Air may feature apart from a new display, there’s speculation that the new iPad mini could feature an A17 chip. This would be a massive upgrade from the A15 Bionic chip found in the iPad mini 6.

In our review of the M2 iPad Air in May, Editor-in-Chief Gerald Lynch praised the tablet for its simple yet solid upgrade. “The M2 iPad Air isn’t all that much different from the M1 one that came out two years ago. But it knows what it is, what it can offer, and what you’ll probably want it for.”

Nevertheless, if you’re prepared to wait for an OLED display in a new iPad Air or iPad mini, don’t expect them until 2026.

Why wait?

Although an OLED iPad mini sounds enticing, the current model, along with the M2 iPad Air, are both great purchases right now. Whether you’re going back to school later this year or even considering some Christmas presents already, these tablets are well worth considering.

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iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 are adding two new background sounds to their impressive accessibility features that help mask any unwanted noise, allowing you to focus on the task at hand.

Background Sounds, a fantastic feature that debuted in iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 back in 2021, can be found in Settings > Accessibility > Background Sounds. Here, you can play six different ambient noises on the best iPhones and best iPads to help you concentrate or relax. Later this year, iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 will expand this feature to include Fire and Night sounds. Currently, the list includes:

• Balanced Noise
• Bright Noise
• Dark Noise
• Ocean
• Rain
• Stream

In our testing with iOS 18 Beta, we found the Fire sound to be very soothing, with the crackles and pops of an open fireplace. The Night sound includes the faint swooshing of brisk wind with crickets chirping on occasion. It’s worth mentioning that, thanks to the redesigned Control Center in the newest iOS update, you can change these Background Sounds at any time via a new widget.

Apple says that iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 will arrive later this year for compatible iPhones and iPads.

What else is new in iOS 18?

iOS 18 introduces a collection of small but significant improvements that are scattered across the iPhone’s operating system. For example, Control Center, the menu that appears when you drag your finger from the top-right of an iPhone’s display, has been redesigned. You can now resize widgets and add multiple pages of them, as well as add third-party widgets, thanks to developers now having access to Control Center.

‘Distraction Control’ is another new feature that’s in Apple’s Safari web browser. This allows users to hide distracting objects as they browse the web, such as sites that display sign-in banners that cover the entire browser window.

Overall, iOS 18 is shaping up to be a fantastic update with plenty of useful features. If you want to try it out on your iPhone right now, we’ve got you covered with a guide on how to download iOS 18 beta.

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When Apple announced the new OLED iPad Pro earlier this year, it did so by also debuting the M4 chip for the first time. Alongside this, the top-tier slate thinned down to the slimmest it's ever been, moved the front-facing camera, and trimmed down the bezels. It's made it one of the best iPads you can buy. And that's not just my opinion – consumers seem to agree.

According to a fresh report from CIRP, the latest data for the June quarter in the US shows the iPad Pro pulling ahead as the Apple's most popular iPad model, leaving its siblings eating dust.

The newest iPad Pro's allure was apparently too irresistible. CIRP's report, titled “iPad Refresh Looks Like It’s Working”, showcases the market share of each iPad model from June 2023 to 2024, and it's clear the iPad Pro's new refresh has struck a chord with buyers.

In 2023, the race was very close, with the iPad Pro leading by a mere 3% over the entry-level iPad. Fast-forward to 2024, and the new M4 iPad Pro has flexed its muscles, capturing a solid 43% of the market share – a 5% increase from last year. Meanwhile, the humble entry-level iPad held steady at 35%, maintaining its position but not gaining any ground.

The iPad Air and iPad mini, on the other hand, didn't fare as well. The iPad Air saw its market share drop by 3%, and the iPad mini slipped by 2%. It seems the mid-range and smaller tablets just couldn't keep up with the Pro's powerful performance and flashy features.

Who's buying the M4 iPad Pro?

CIRP suggests this spike in iPad Pro sales is likely driven by early adopters – those tech enthusiasts who are always on the lookout for the latest and greatest. Probably someone like yourself, if you've found yourself reading this. Much like bees to honey, these eager consumers have swarmed to the high-end, most expensive models.

This proves once again that in the Apple ecosystem, premium is king. We've seen a similar thing happen when the newest iPhone comes out. Typically, the Pro model gets the most sales, with consumers again opting for the more premium option.

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Though it’s starting to get a little long in the tooth, at three years old, the iPad mini 6 still has a dedicated user base, thanks to its extra small size and still quite capable processing power. Still considered one of the best iPads to this day, it’s not quite as impressive as the iPad Pro M4 but, at a fraction of the price, the value it offers is practically unmatched. 

Right now at Amazon, you can pick up an iPad mini 6 at just $379, $120 cheaper than its retail price, and the best we’ve ever seen it at. You will want to act fast though, as we don’t know how long this deal will be sticking around. 

A mini iPad and a big deal

If you plan on producing music or editing videos, we’d recommend going for something a bit beefier (like the iPad Air 6 which is also on sale at Amazon) but it should perform pretty much everything else with few hiccups. Thanks to its very small size, this can be paired with an Apple Pencil 2 (which is also on sale at Amazon) to make it the perfect note-taking/drawing device. It can easily fit in a backpack, to get drawing on the go. 

All iPad mini 6 colors (Starlight, Pink, Purple, Space Grey) are on sale at the same price, and the 256GB model is also on sale at $529.99. There’s a chance we could see an iPad mini refresh at some point over the next year, though, at this price point, you won’t regret the purchase even if it does. 

If you’re about to go on vacation like I am, or getting ready to go back to school, you’ll be pleased to know that premium accessory maker Anker has announced a bunch of updated accessories to help keep your Apple devices charged.

Today (August 7), Anker is launching several new accessories to its Prime series. This is the company’s high-end range of accessories designed to quickly charge multiple devices at once. All of the updated products can be bought right now, which are:

• Anker Prime 250W GaNPrime Charging Station
• Anker Prime 200W GaN Charging Station
• Anker Prime 160W Charging Docking Station
• Anker Prime 100W GaN Wall Charger
• Anker Prime USB-C Charging Cable

While the 100W GaN Wall Charger and the Charging Cable are self-explanatory, the charging stations have seen some big improvements over their previous models. In particular, the 250W GaNPrime Charging Station includes extra controls to monitor voltage for connected devices, as well as a clearer LCD display to check this information at a glance. I’ve been using these charging docking stations for the past couple of weeks and I’ve come away impressed. I’ve been using the 250W GaNPrime Charging Station for my desk specifically, which lets me cycle through different bits of information to see how much power is being sent to certain devices, such as my iPhone.

As I’m going on vacation in a few weeks, I’m highlighting how these updated Prime accessories could be useful if you’re also planning on being away from home for several days.

Charge them up!

If, like me, you travel with a lot of devices, you likely pack in multiple chargers and power banks to make sure everything stays charged. Fortunately, the hotel I’m going to for my vacation later this month has plenty of wall sockets, so I’m planning on packing fewer power banks and more of these Anker Prime accessories.

As mentioned earlier, the 250W GaNPrime Charging Station is perfect for my desk, but for vacation, I’m going to be bringing the compact 200W GaNPrime Charging Station instead. With four USB-C ports and two USB-A ports, this smaller station means that my MacBook, Nintendo Switch, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and a backup power bank will all be charged as I sleep or have breakfast.

I’ve always been a fan of Anker’s products. They’ve always felt high-quality, and what I’ve bought, such as power banks and chargers, have never let me down. So, I’m not surprised that I’m impressed by these latest offerings in its Prime series.

If you’re starting your vacation soon, or even planning for the Christmas holidays, take a look below at what’s now available.

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The latest batch of iPads are pretty incredible mobile devices but one recent report suggests it’s even better for gaming than we once thought.

The team over at Digital Foundry is responsible for some of the best in-depth technical research in the games industry. From the latest graphics cards to the biggest console releases, it is one of the leading authorities when it comes to technical tests and research. 

Digital Foundry’s latest report calls the best iPad right now an “extremely finely engineered, ultra-premium device with some of the best mobile hardware on the market.” 

Starting with the bad

Before getting into the gaming performance, Digital Foundry tries using the iPad Pro for its productivity capabilities. In the report above, it says that, though the M4 iPad Pro has tonnes of power, its OS and software limitations don’t make it as capable a productivity device as a standard laptop. 

Digital Foundry writer Oliver Mackenzie says that Stage Manager “doesn’t feel fully baked” and claims it is poorly integrated. In our iPad Pro review, we echo this sentiment, saying “iPadOS is simply frustrating to use when attempting to do any significant multitasking work, and Stage Manager remains at the heart of this frustration.”

Onto the good

Matching my own thoughts on the Assassin’s Creed Mirage iPhone 15 Pro port, the above report claims it performs poorly, regularly dropping below 20 frames. However, “on the M4 iPad Pro, these issues are totally resolved.” It continues “The experience is just vastly improved, to the point where Mirage feels quite comfortable on iPad hardware.”

With other big hitters like Resident Evil 4 and Death Stranding, both games are locked at 30 fps, with very stable performance. When comparing the device to console experiences, the report says “It's not going to replace a PS5 or Series X, but it is capable of a decent experience in last-generation console games.”

Though the iPad Pro M4 more or less requires you to be a dedicated Apple user to get the most out of it, thanks to its OS and the Apple ecosystem, the M4 range of iPad Pros offers a great gaming experience, Digital Foundry’s report shows. 

If you’ve been wanting a good mobile gaming device, and are unconvinced by the power of the best iPhones, the latest iPad Pro may just be the one for you. 

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If you’ve been holding out for a foldable iPad, you may have to wait until 2026 before it's available to buy.

According to an investor note by Jeff Pu (via MacRumors), Apple’s rumored iPad Fold is reportedly set to arrive in 2026, a year later than what was previously expected. Pu cited ‘display durability issues’ as part of a ‘pushout’ factor in this delay. This could indicate challenges in manufacturing the product at scale, as well as solving issues that may be taking longer than Apple expected to fix, which could relate to the display.

A big part of a foldable device, such as Samsung’s Galaxy Fold Z 6, is the hinge mechanism that allows the device to open out (to a vibrant 7.6-inch display in the case of the Fold Z 6). However, even when the device is being used in this tablet mode, a crease in the middle of the screen is still noticeable. Apple is likely focused on eliminating this crease for its iPad Fold, which could explain these reported ‘pushout’ issues.

Despite these challenges, expect to see Apple’s first foray into the foldable space within the next couple of years, possibly alongside an iPhone Flip.

How could an iPad Fold benefit?

A big, beautiful foldable iPad sounds very appealing. Imagine being able to fold up Apple’s tablet to easily fit into a bag to save space, or to use one half of its display as a virtual keyboard and the other half to show a productivity app like Ulysses or Final Cut Pro.

Rumors haven’t been clear on what screen size this iPad Fold may feature. However, one that’s the size of an iPad mini at 8.3 inches, which could fold out into a 14-inch model, almost akin to an M4 iPad Pro, could be a perfect form factor for many. One example use case could be using the ‘mini’ size to read a comic, and then unfolding the tablet to attach a Magic Keyboard in order to use a couple of productivity apps in Stage Manager.

Indeed, a news report from February alluded to the iPad mini being replaced by an iPad Fold, so we may be onto something here. Regardless, an iPad Fold is an interesting concept, and we’re intrigued to see what Apple does with this form factor.

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I’ve only recently joined the iPad fold, but now that I have, I can’t stop using it to watch TV, browse my photos, and read comic books. There is only one thing that annoys me about iPad use, and that’s the hand strain that comes with holding a fairly weighty 13-inch diagonal slab of metal and glass. Does it stop me from using my iPad? No, not even remotely — but it has made me search out new and innovative ways to not hold it with my hands while I use it.

I’ve tried propping it up on pillows, setting it up against piles of heavy books — even fashioning a makeshift stand for it with lollipop sticks. None of them worked particularly well, so you bet my fingers went straight to the keyboard when Lululook let us know about the new stand for the M2 iPad Air and M4 iPad Pro. I don’t think I’ve grabbed something so quick, and now that I’ve been using it for a solid month I think I’ve found the perfect companion to my iPad Air, and you might’ve as well.

Price and availability

You can head directly to the Lululook website and nab yourself a 360 stand, and it will cost you $129 for the 13-inch version that I’ve got here. That’s the same price for the Air and Pro stand, and it still doesn’t change for the 11-inch version. Given the square cutout for the camera on my stand, I suspect that the Pro version is going to be much the same as what I’ve got here.

That does make it a fairly costly iPad stand, but you’ve got to bear in mind that this one is not just made out of metal, but contains all the electrical gubbins needed to charge your iPad as well. That adds a whole bunch more value to the package, and more than justifies the higher price.

What I like

I’ve used plastic stands for iPhones and other devices before, and they are, by and large, terrible. So when I pulled the 360 out of its box, the reassuringly cold and weighty metal frame was both a joy to hold and unfold. It lends a sturdiness to the stand that invokes more confidence, especially when you remember it has to hold an iPad’s worth of metal, glass, and circuitry.

Once out of the box (and suitably hefted about with impressed ‘hms’, ‘yeahs’, and ‘wow, that’s heavier than I thoughts’), you’ll find a large, heavy metal base with a standing arm jutting out of the top. That arm allows you to tilt and pan your iPad at a whole range of heights and angles, the bottom raising and lowering the height and the top pivot chatting the angle.

There’s a further swivel on the top that changes the orientation of the iPad, from portrait to landscape, and vice versa. All of the swivels and angle adjustments are tight as can be, although you’ll want to keep the iPad above the final quarter of the height adjust — towards the end it starts to sag, which we’ll touch briefly on later. 

The base also rotates on a clicking rubber plinth, which keeps the whole thing rooted to the desk while providing more adjustment and swivel. The clicks are obnoxious, but they’re easy enough to ignore after a while.

The iPad itself attaches to the stand on a large panel that uses the magnets in the back of the tablet for a secure fit. It is about as secure as they come — while I wouldn’t recommend it, you could very easily lift the entire assembly by the iPad. Again, don’t, but they are strong enough that you could.

On the magnetic backing plate,you’ll also find some contacts for the smart connector on the iPad. This feeds power to the battery in your tablet, so you don’t have to worry about charging the iPad separately or even plugging in the iPad itself. It’s a very useful and well-implemented feature, and it means that if you want to use the iPad at a better angle on a desk with a keyboard and have something else plugged into the USB-C port on the bottom (like an SSD, for example) then you can.

What I don’t like

That charging is powered by a USB-C port on the back of the main panel, and it’s not in the best place. When the stand is in portrait mode and standing slightly tighter against the back panel, the cable that you’ve plugged in can become worryingly squished by the stand arm itself. It’s not massively concerning, but it could well mean that the cable you’re using will have its life cut short by a lack of space to bend properly.

The other issue is the stiffness of the arm itself if you plonk your iPad at a lower height. The arm has a habit of drooping at that point, and sometimes the already weighty stand doesn’t feel like quite enough to handle the weight of the iPad and topples over. It’s only slight, and for most people, it’s not going to be an issue — but if you want your iPad at a low height for drawing and want it floating and not resting on a table, then you might be better off with something else.

Finally, there are those obnoxious clicks. I never found myself swiveling the iPad all that much, given that I basically only needed it to be facing me while in use, but the noise the thing makes while spinning it on its base sounds like an old engine about to explode. It might be there to make the swivel feel more premium, perhaps, but it is a noise. Your mileage may vary, of course, but to me, it was like nails on a chalkboard.

Competition

There are a plethora of different iPad stands that we’ve used out there. Similar to the 360 is the Benks Infinity Pro, which looks almost identical but lacks the charging element of this model. If you want something more foldable then you can go pick up Lululook’s Foldable magnetic stand, although the hinges on that model are unreasonably stiff. Finally, if you want something to hold your iPad a little higher, then there’s the super-premium MagFlott Pro stand — which is our pick for best iPad stand in 2024. 

All in though, the 360 presents very well against the competition, especially taking into account the charging addition in the back.

Should you buy one?

You should buy one if…

• You want a stand that will charge your iPad
• You want loads of adjustment
• You have one of the latest iPad models

You shouldn’t buy one if…

• You want a silent stand
• You need extra height

Verdict

The Lululook 360 stand is a great iPad stand, even with its few foibles. Sure, that clicking is grating and it would be nice if the lower height levels were sturdier. Overall though, the charging more than makes up for the issues and the stand still feels like a premium product that justifies its price tag.

That, and it makes it super easy to read comic books in bed.

When Craig Federighi revealed Apple Intelligence back in June the AI-sceptic in me was incredibly excited by Apple’s first major step towards an AI-fuelled future. The company is known for not doing things first but doing things right and a first look at the AI features built with the end user in mind piqued my interest. 

After news began to circulate earlier this week that Apple Intelligence won’t be ready to launch alongside the iPhone 16 in September, so did rumors of the release date for the first developer beta to include Apple Intelligence. Now, nearly two months later I’ve finally got my hands on an, albeit very early, version of Apple Intelligence and I can’t wait to see what the future of this software holds.

My first experience with Apple Intelligence

I’m based outside the US, so the first thing I had to do to even gain access to Apple Intelligence was change my iPhone 15 Pro Max’s language and region. After that, I restarted my device, made a cup of tea, and joined the Apple Intelligence waitlist ready for a long wait before accessing the new AI powers.

Merely a minute later, with an iPhone as hot to the touch as my freshly brewed chamomile tea, I was in — Apple Intelligence had entered my world. Now, before I give my thoughts on the AI features I’ve tried over the last 48 hours, I want to preface that this incredibly early build of Apple Intelligence is missing quite a lot of what people are excited to try. In fact, my colleague James has written about everything missing in the Apple Intelligence beta. Instead, I’m going to focus on the handful of AI features that do work on the best iPhones right now.

Summarize this. Rewrite that.

Apple Intelligence’s summary tool is pretty damn cool. It’s completely built into iOS 18.1 and can be used at any point simply by selecting text. The tool functions differently depending on the app, for example, in Safari if I find an article and open Reader, I can then summarize the text to make it easier to digest. In Mail, on the other hand, every email has a summarize button at the top that quickly gives me the key information of the message.

None of this is new to those heavily invested in AI already but having it directly embedded into iOS, iPadOS, and macOS is going to prove very useful. Obviously, there’s an ethical debate here, and I’m not really a fan of summarizing content myself, but using the tool in the Mail app could quickly become one of the best Apple Intelligence features, especially for quickly skimming key information.

Alongside the ability to summarize are the new proofreading and rewriting options. Time will tell whether this creates a weird utopia where every iPhone user communicates in the exact same tone of voice but as it stands tools like Grammarly should be quaking in their boots. With just a press of a button, Apple Intelligence reads what you’ve written and makes sure it’s grammatically correct — ideal for quickly working on the go. The rewrite feature gives you different tones of voices to choose from and while It’s going to prove useful for many, I find it deeply concerning. Just for a test I went onto iMore and copied text from one of my articles to see if Google could pick up on its origin. Pasting the text brings up the article in question but using Apple Intelligence’s rewrite feature before searching for the text doesn’t find anything from iMore’s domain. I know like the summary tool this isn’t anything new, but the fact that millions of iPhone users will gain access to these tools embedded in iOS 18.1 freaks me out for the future.

A better Siri, but still not the one we want

Siri’s had a complete redesign in iOS 18.1 with the voice assistant now a gorgeous full-screen animation that beams around the edges of your device. You can also activate “Type to Siri” by double tapping the bottom of your iPhone’s display, perfect for times when you want to discreetly ask something in public. Siri is going to be at the core of the Apple Intelligence experience but we’ll need to wait until 2025 to get access to Siri 2.0. The updated Siri will have awareness of personal context and the applications on your display so you can use it to get the most out of Apple Intelligence. In the WWDC keynote, Apple used an example of the AI capabilities pulling information from a poster of an event to determine whether or not someone could move their meeting and still make their daughter’s theatre performance. Apple Intelligence was able to know who the person’s daughter was, the event in question, and on top of all that contact those involved and create new calendar events. Seriously impressive stuff. In this beta, however, Siri has none of those capabilities and while it can answer more prompts than before, often opting to provide an answer rather than sending you a list of Google links, it’s still not smart enough to feel the true power of AI.

I love the new Siri animation and the flexibility of options on how to activate it, but Apple Intelligence as a whole feels a bit disjointed without the major update to everyone’s favorite (yeah, right) voice assistant.

A lack of cohesion, but that will change

Alongside the features I’ve mentioned above, Apple Intelligence can also make Movie Memories in the current iOS 18.1 developer beta, although for whatever reason it won’t work on my device. There’s also a neat feature that lets you transcribe phone calls to Notes and from my brief testing it works very well.

That said, however, as it stands Apple Intelligence feels like small enhancements to iOS that at present are nowhere near their potential. That’s obviously to be expected as iOS 18.1 isn’t expected to release until October but it does raise some questions about the future of Apple’s AI tools. My main concern is the iPhone 16 at launch, especially if Apple Intelligence’s arrival in October won’t bring with it the next generation of Siri which is core to the experience. The features on offer today, combined with headline features like Genmoji and Image Playground will be a welcome addition to the iPhone experience, but without the personal assistant aspect of Siri 2.0, I fear that we’ll quickly forget these tools are even baked in.

I literally play Apple Arcade for a living. From this column to being iMore’s gaming expert, I need to make sure I know what is going on with Apple gaming every week. Part of that is playing the latest Arcade releases, to see if they’re worth talking about here at Pips and Pixels. Though it’s almost always easy to recommend a game or two every week, I can’t help but stare over with envy at every other gaming subscription on the market, in the hopes we get something similar. 

Amazingly, just last week, I even grew jealous of Netflix’s new commitment to its own Stories games with over 80 games in development. This isn’t even an independent subscription — you get Netflix games with a Netflix paid account. Though I can’t imagine I’ll be playing the next Love is Blind Choose Your Own Adventure, the clearly choreographed commitment given to fans of the show is great, and something Apple could benefit from watching. I want to know something is in the works, and here’s how I think Apple should do it. 

What Apple Arcade could do next to justify that subscription cost

Resident Evil Village, Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Death Stranding. Though I wasn’t a huge fan of Mirage’s performance, there’s an undeniable effort being put into making AAA games run on iPhone 15 Pro, yet nothing on Apple Arcade takes advantage of it. You could make the argument that Apple doesn’t want to alienate its own user base by paying for games that some owners can’t even run, but then Apple Vision Pro has exclusive titles on the platform like What the Golf? and Game Room. 

Apple Arcade increased from $5.99 to $6.99 at the latter half of last year and, while I still like the service, I don’t feel like the rise in quality games has really matched that increase. We recently saw some excellent titles like Dicey Dungeons and Vampire Survivors but no big hitters like you find in PlayStation or Microsoft’s offering. These are, of course, quite different markets but even Amazon Luna Plus, which is only a few dollars a month, offers a wider, more impressive catalogue of games. 

It might be a bit of a long shot but Assassin’s Creed Shadows, which has already been extensively showcased on Apple devices, would make me feel like my monthly subscription is worth that price and would leave me quite content for a few months at that cost. It doesn't even necessarily need to be new games to make Apple Arcade feel like a more complete service. If Resident Evil Village or Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal made its way to the service, it would help round out a subscription that is already packed to the brims with more casual titles. 

It is likely, looking at the most popular titles right now, that Apple gamers just haven’t really spent much time digging into the less casual titles on the service. In the “Top Arcade Games” section of Apple Arcade, the top five are made up of Football Manager, Solitaire, Crossword Jam, Outlanders 2, Snake.io, and Bloons TD 6. These are good in their own right but don’t take time to fully get into and can be effectively played in five-minute intervals if that’s all you have. Though this makes some sense given the portability of the best iPhones, iPads and Macs are a slightly more stationary affair so it’s a shame we don’t see some of the service’s more complicated games in there. Ultimately though, this is a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Unless Apple starts to launch bigger and more “AAA” like experiences on the platform, we won’t see their potential popularity on the service. 

Fundamentally, as Apple’s pricing structure starts to approach the cost of the more “hardcore” gaming services, it needs to pick up those bigger titles or exclusives to match. I haven’t seen a justification for that price increase yet. 

Calendar: July's Big Game Releases

• Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure is a Mac-compatible adventure game that just launched on Steam. In it, the entire world is set on a tile that moves as you do. It's a puzzle game with a fantasy aesthetic, where you have to manipulate items like in 2048 or threes to beat enemies. 

Level Up — Gaming accessories on our radar

The best Macs need a good mechanical keyboard to get the most out of them. For both gaming and working, I’ve found a nice sturdy low profile keyboard is a good choice, as it is easy to type on for hours at a time, and tends to not take up too much space on a desk. If it can have a unique aesthetic, all the better. 

Hitting the Arcade — What to play on Apple Arcade

Apple Arcade is filled with tons of exclusive experiences and fantastic games. However, with so many out there, it can be hard to decide what to play. Here’s what I've been testing out this week:

Grindstone has been on Apple Arcade for years now, being a launch title for the service, yet I’ve only recently had the chance to properly dig into it. It takes the most moreish elements of a match-three game and infuses it with enough charm to stand out five years later. Playing an adventurer, you have to connect enemies of the same color in a small box to make high combos. With a big enough combo, a grindstone appears, which allows you to swap between colors in a combo. If you plan out your moves right, you can stack up huge combos… and suddenly two hours have passed. This is a perfect winddown game just before bed. 

Have you played any great games this week or seen some interesting Apple gaming news we've missed? Let us know in the comments!

Apple Intelligence is finally here (well, at least the first beta is), and you can try it out today. Some of Apple’s new AI features have been included in the iOS 18.1 developer beta so you can give features like proofreading, summarization, and rewriting a try. 

In this guide, we’ll show you how to install the Apple Intelligence beta on your iPhone so you can test out the new features before the official release later this year.

From installing the developer beta to joining the Apple Intelligence waitlist we’ve got you covered. So grab your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, and let’s get started.

Apple Intelligence compatibility

To use Apple Intelligence early you’ll need to own a compatible device. Apple’s AI features are currently available on the best iPhones, best iPads, and best Macs. So if you own one of the following you’re in luck:

• iPhone 15 Pro
• iPhone 15 Pro Max
• iPad Air (M1 and later)
• iPad Pro (M1 and later)
• MacBook Air (M1 and later)
• MacBook Pro (M1 and later)
• iMac (M1 and later)
• Mac mini (M1 and later)
• Mac Studio (M1 Max and later)
• Mac Pro (M2 Ultra)

Spot your device on the list? Keep reading. If not, you’ll need to upgrade to a newer device now or wait until the iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro releases in the Fall.

How to install the Apple Intelligence developer beta

To access Apple Intelligence beta today you’ll need to install the iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, or macOS Sequoia 15.1 developer beta on your compatible device. We highly advise you not to do this on your daily drivers as developer betas are buggy and can cause performance and battery issues.

How to install iOS 18.1 developer beta

1. Open Settings
2. Tap General, then Software Update
3. Enable Beta Updates
4. Select iOS 18.1 developer beta 1

How to install iPadOS 18.1 developer beta

1. Open Settings
2. Tap General, then Software Update
3. Enable Beta Updates
4. Select iPadOS 18.1 developer beta 1

How to install macOS Sequoia 15.1 developer beta

1. Open Settings
2. Click General, then Software Update
3. Enable Beta Updates
4. Select macOS Sequoia 15.1 developer beta 1

Now that you’ve installed the latest developer beta, read on to find out how to join the Apple Intelligence waitlist and use the new AI tools.

How to join the Apple Intelligence waitlist

To access the Apple Intelligence beta you’ll need to join the waitlist. Luckily, it’s really easy to do and shouldn’t take too long for you to gain access (I only had to wait a couple of minutes). You’ll need to live in the United States of America to use the new features but if you’re not there’s a way to access Apple Intelligence from outside the US.

1. Open Settings
2. Choose Apple Intelligence & Siri
3. Select Join Waitlist

You’ll get a notification when you’ve been accepted into the Apple Intelligence beta, from there toggle on Apple Intelligence in the same Settings tab from above. You’ll now have access to the first Apple Intelligence beta as well as Siri’s new redesign.

Apple Intelligence is here

The Apple Intelligence beta is pretty limited at launch but you can expect more features to be added as we grow closer to the release in October. You’ll now have access to proofreading tools like Grammarly, rewriting tools, better quick replies in Mail and Messages, the ability to summarize any text from articles or emails, and you can even record phone calls to a note.

Generative AI capabilities like Genmoji or Image Playground are not available as of yet and neither is the next-generation Siri which is set to launch in 2025. That said, Apple Intelligence is finally here and it’s an incredibly exciting time to be an Apple fan.

After game developer Epic Games announced that Fortnite will be coming to iPhone and iPad later this year, the company has followed this up with plans to bring the game to multiple third-party stores for EU users, including AltStore.

In a short blog post on July 25, Epic Games announced more details. “Fortnite will be returning to iOS in the European Union soon, and the Epic Games Store will be coming to Android worldwide and iOS in the European Union bringing all developers great terms: a store fee of 12% for payments we process, and 0% on third party payments.” In a surprising twist, Epic also announced that Fortnite will be available on AltStore, another third-party app store. “Our mobile games will come to AltStore on iOS in the EU, and we expect to announce support for at least two other third-party stores soon.”

AltStore, created by developer Riley Testut of Delta emulator fame, is a third-party store that launched in April for EU users. On Mastodon, Testut confirmed the news, saying that there’ll be more to share soon. iMore has since reached out to him for additional comment.

Fortnite was removed from the App Store in August 2020 after Epic Games added a payment method that circumvented Apple’s own. This was announced as part of the 'Fortnite Mega Drop', which was a 20% reduction on all of its purchases across all platforms that Fortnite was available on, which also introduced a new Epic direct payment feature for iOS. Shortly after, Apple removed Fortnite from the App Store in response to this violation of its payment method policies.

With Apple approving Epic’s Games Store for iOS earlier this month, EU users may soon be able to finally play Fortnite again on the best iPhones and iPads.

A refreshingly selfless act

Since Apple announced plans for third-party stores for EU users in January, many wondered what Epic Games would do. This announcement followed months of advocating for it from Epic’s CEO, Tim Sweeney, who had been pushing for changes like these from Apple on X with numerous tweets.

Although Apple approved Epic’s Games Store for iOS, the company didn’t specify whether Fortnite would be available through its own third-party store or others. Now we know.

It’s surprising that Epic is offering Fortnite to other stores like AltStore, because it doesn’t need to. Epic Games is a huge company, which was established in 1991 and is responsible for creating the Unreal Engine. This set of tools has powered countless games since the mid-90s, such as Unreal Tournament, Gears of War, Final Fantasy VII Remake, and many more.

Epic could have simply made Fortnite available on its own Games Store for iOS and left it at that. Instead, third-party stores like AltStore will be able to host Fortnite with terms that developers have been hoping to see from Apple for years. This move only showcases great confidence in third-party stores and could inspire other developers to bring their games to Epic and AltStore in the coming months and years.

More from iMore

• The first iPhone torrenting apps are now available, but you'll need to live in the EU to install them
• Here's your first look at installing apps in the EU on iPhone without the App Store
• Play the best Delta emulator games on your iPhone and iPad with these 12 picks

The iPhone 15 Pro Max, the best iPhone right now and my favorite mobile gaming device, is fast approaching its 1st birthday. In that time, a handful of very big titles have been released and it has started to get more support as a gaming platform. However, Assassin’s Creed Mirage performed pretty poorly for me and I would like to see a bigger gaming commitment to the iPhone as a gaming platform from mainstream publishers.

The A17 Pro chip is capable of hardware-accelerated ray tracing, which leaves room for some very impressive gaming in the future but much of the developments that need to be made are on the software end. Luckily, the iPhone 16, expected to launch later this year, is set to come with improved hardware and software. With this in mind, here’s how I think the next iPhone could make mobile gaming better. 

How mobile gaming could get better with iPhone 16

The iPhone 16 is reportedly skipping the A17 chip, which was previously expected to be in the device, and will instead jump straight to the A18. This will allow the regular iPhone and Pro models to share the same basic chipset going forward. Not only does this unify the language around chips but the jump can help cement the iPhone’s use with Apple Intelligence, the company’s set of AI features that will be coming to iOS 18. From what we know so far, Apple Intelligence is unlikely to affect how gaming is powered, though the better chip will certainly come in handy for AI tasks. 

Staying on the hardware side, the iPhone 16 is expected to get a memory upgrade of 8GB of RAM which, compared to the 6GB featured in iPhone 15, should help make the device even more capable when it comes to gaming. As well as this, if the iPhone 16 gets a minimum storage bump (like the iPhone 15 Pro did), this won’t help run games any better but will make downloading them a much more pleasant experience.

Though these hardware upgrades are sure to slightly improve gaming in regards to graphical capabilities it’s the software upgrades I’m looking forward to. Following on from the Game Mode feature for Mac that was launched in macOS Sonoma, iOS 18 is introducing Game Mode for iPhone. This will minimize background activity, allowing the device to utilize the hardware for higher framerates and more consistent gameplay. This will also allow for lower latency connections for  Bluetooth controllers and AirPods when playing music. If you own an iPhone 13, 14, or 15, you will still benefit from this new mode in iOS 18.

If you want a more immersive gaming experience, iOS 18 also launches with personalized Spatial Audio, allowing games to implement audio in more natural ways. If you have a compatible audio source, such as AirPods Pro 2, this will make all that sound feel more dynamic and three-dimensional.

Perhaps the most exciting part of the iPhone 16 is something that has already been launched. The A18 chip and better RAM can further unify the next iPhone line, making Game Porting Toolkit’s mobile porting tool easier to use for developers. Game Porting Tool Kit, as the name implies, is a framework that helps developers port games to Apple devices.

GPTK2, which launched during WWDC this year, added support for iPad and iPhone devices. As more users will be able to buy cheaper iPhones in the future which will surely include A17 chips capable of hardware-accelerated ray tracing and above, it will become far easier for more games to be ported for gamers. The iPhone 15 Pro line has been Apple’s biggest push into mobile gaming for some time, and the refining of that push with the iPhone 16 makes it an even more viable gaming machine.

Calendar: July's Big Game Releases

• Though it doesn't run natively on Mac, Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is getting very strong reviews like 4.5 out of 5 from our friends over at TechRadar. In their review, they said it is "a beautiful adventure that transcends genres for a highly memorable experience with all the makings of an instant classic."

Level Up — Gaming accessories on our radar

AAA games are too large to fit on most of the best Macs out there comfortably and end up hogging all the storage on my consoles too, like Baldur’s Gate 3 which sits at over 150GB. Since I’ve been testing out an external hard drive that works with both, I can finally play all those games I’ve been putting off until I have the room. It might not let me get through my backlog but I tell myself I’ll make a dent in it someday. 

Hitting the Arcade — What to play on Apple Arcade

Apple Arcade is filled with tons of exclusive experiences and fantastic games. However, with so many out there, it can be hard to decide what to play. Here’s what I've been testing out this week:

Zen Koi Pro+ recently launched on Apple Arcade and it’s a very relaxing experience. In it, you play a Koi fish, who has to eat other fish to complete objectives and level up, allowing you to swim faster, make prettier Koi, and grow the size of your small pond. With simplistic gameplay and a very chill soundtrack, this is one of those games you put on when you relax in the evening. 

Have you played any great games this week or seen some interesting Apple gaming news we've missed? Let us know in the comments!

Up until only recently, game streaming apps have been banned from the App Store as Apple couldn’t personally check and verify content for flagging purposes. If you wanted to peruse the catalog of Xbox Game Pass or GeForce NOW games to play on your best iPhone, you had to add the page to your Home Screen with a shortcut and play over the web. Though this works fine, it doesn’t allow for consistent update rollout and is a little more time-consuming to get right. 

Over the last week, I’ve been testing out Antstream Arcade, the first-ever game-streaming app on iPhone, and it’s a good blueprint for what other companies should emulate going forward. A retro streaming app with 1,300 old-school games from Amiga to NES, to C64, it’s a particularly good choice for a nostalgic gamer. 

If my time with it is anything to go by, it could prove both consumers and companies wrong and suggests game streaming could get much better in the future. 

My time with Antstream

Starting with the strangest parts of the experience, even at a solid 75Mbs download speed, Antstream did have some small technical inconsistencies for me. As well as this, the app has a currency system in gems, that can be spent to enter tournaments to battle other users for a high score. This feels like a leftover part of the free experience you can get on a web browser and doesn’t feel fully thought out on iOS. 

However, once I got past these growing pains, I saw an app bursting with potential. The sheer volume of games available is incredible, with a huge array of consoles and genres. Though the gams system seems not fully fleshed out just yet, tournaments are a great idea that feels reminiscent of taking turns on PacMan trying to beat your friend’s high scores. If you are a bit older than me or had an uncle who was a little too obsessed with retro games (also like me), you may recognize some of the games I tested out like: 

• Zombies Ate My Neighbours
• Bubble Bobble
• Double Dragon
• Hogs of War
• Pong
• The Secret of Monkey Island

This is not only a need bit of nostalgia but a great way of introducing people to some classic titles. It’s especially great to take out and about and play without taking up any of your iPhone’s precious internal storage. All this made me wonder “Why aren’t others doing this?” Game companies have the green flag from Apple to put their services on the App Store but haven’t yet. Perhaps Apple taking a cut of proceeds puts them off, or maybe it’s not worth the extra dev time to get on the App Store? 

When I asked GeForce about this a little while ago, it would not confirm if it had plans for an official app and, when asked for clarification, told me “We’re currently focusing our improvements for Apple users on the PWA (progressive web app) experience”

Hopefully, Antstream Arcade coming to the App Store will prove to other companies why they should put their services on it too. The ease of access is super convenient and the ability to manage it through Apple subscriptions only makes it better. 

Calendar: July's Big Game Releases

• Though I was looking forward to Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn, this review from our buddies over at PCGamer makes me a little less excited for it. It's a souls-lite RPG based on frenetic combat and gunplay. If you like the idea of Dark Souls and Elden Ring but want something a little less punishing, this is worth paying attention to. 

Level Up — Gaming accessories on our radar

Though desktop speakers have a classic look and can work well to round out sound on a desk, I've recently become a soundboard convert thanks to how easy they are to use, and how good they can sound. Luckily, one I've been testing is now on sale. 

Hitting the Arcade — What to play on Apple Arcade

Apple Arcade is filled with tons of exclusive experiences and fantastic games. However, with so many out there, it can be hard to decide what to play. Here’s what I've been testing out this week:

Outlanders 2, the follow-up to popular strategy game Outlanders, has finally landed on Apple Arcade. Tasking you with building towns and keeping villagers safe and fed, it has a much more cutesy aesthetic than the first game but is just as approachable. If you’ve found yourself running dry on content playing the first game, this is a worthy follow-up. It also comes with campaigns based on characters, that allows the game to tell more intentional stories. This is a great way of adding more to a world I’m quite familiar with. 

Have you played any great games this week or seen some interesting Apple gaming news we've missed? Let us know in the comments!

Apple, from its super fast Apple Silicon chips to its excellent screens, has managed to carve a bit of a name for itself among artists. There are so many wonderful devices for the modern creative out there, but Apple’s suite of devices and its fantastic ecosystem means every accessory you buy can work together in interesting ways. If you have been thinking of picking something up to add to your iPad and Apple Pencil Pro, you've picked the perfect time.

Prime Day is finally here on Amazon and with that comes huge reductions on every facet of the site. As someone who picked up an iPad in a fantastic Black Friday deal last year, I can attest to just how much a good accessory helps. Here are some of the best Prime Day deals for a budding artist. 

Adding to your iPad

• iPad deals: Amazon | B&H Photo | Best Buy | Walmart

For MacBook

If you're looking to also get creative with your Mac, Wacom does a range of great drawing tablets, including one that has a great reduction right now.

• MacBook deals: Amazon | B&H Photo | Best Buy

Looking for a new iPad? This might be the best iPad Prime Day deal we see this year! Amazon's shopping extravaganza has begun and you can grab the iPad 10th generation for $299.99.

This entry-level iPad with 64GB of storage usually retails for $349 and comes in a variety of colors including Blue, Pink, Silver, and Yellow. This is the lowest price we've ever seen for this model, so if you're looking for a new iPad why not treat yourself today? 

With iPadOS 18 set to release later this year, the iPad 10th generation's A14 Bionic chip will give you plenty of power to run the newest software and breeze through simple tasks like browsing the web, reading comics, and replying to emails.

Prime Day has only just begun but this might be the best deal we see over the course of the two day shopping event. 

An awesome iPad deal for under $300

• iPad deals: Amazon | B&H Photo | Best Buy | Walmart

We love the iPad 10th generation at iMore as it can do most of the things you want a tablet to do without breaking the bank. It might not be as cutting edge as the M4 iPad Pro or as snappy as the M2 iPad Air, but for under $300, it's a brilliant product that is a joy to use.

If you're looking for one of the best iPads but are on a strict budget, this iPad deal is the perfect way to kickstart your Amazon Prime Day 2024 shopping spree.

The iPad mini is now, officially, the oldest iPad that Apple still makes — and that means one thing as the launch of a new one seems closer and closer. Incredible price drops over the likes of Prime Day, just like the one we've got today!

The Prime Day sales have begun today, and with the launch of Apple's sale has come the best price we've ever seen on the smallest iPad model. That's an incredible $120 saving on full price for the iPad mini on all the different color options, so you can choose exactly the iPad you want. At this price, it looks like the iPad could sell out quickly, so we'd recommend speed if you want to make sure you don't miss out on one of the best iPad Prime Day deals we've ever seen.

iPad mini lowest price ever in Prime Day sale

• iPad deals: Amazon | B&H Photo | Best Buy | Walmart

The iPad mini is one of the best iPads for reading, with its clear screen and supremely manageable display size. It's also perfect for students who want to take notes at lectures and classes, and combined with an Apple Pencil, it's the perfect drawing companion. We're big fans of the iPad mini and its diminutive size, and we'd recommend anyone pick one up in a heartbeat — especially at this price.

“An iPad Pro to an iPad Air M2? Surely that means a downgrade!” Put down your pitchforks readers and I’ll explain why a recent Prime Day deal has got me thinking.

I’ve owned an iPad Pro since 2018, back when the first major redesign was released. This featured a near-bezel-less display, Face ID, and a 120Hz ProMotion display. In 2021, I upgraded to the newer model just so I could have the M1 chip and brighter display. I’ve been happy with it since, but my needs for the tablet have changed.

Initially, I’d use the iPad Pro for most of my tasks at work, both during the day and during the evenings for other projects like books. However, as the years passed, I found myself relying more on my MacBook Pro than my iPad Pro. The restrictions of iPadOS, such as the inability to record a whole podcast and the confusing mess of Stage Manager, Apple’s latest attempt at fixing multitasking on the tablet, drove me further away.

In 2024, a few changes to the App Store have led me to use the iPad Pro more frequently — only instead of a productivity device, It's now become a retro gaming machine. I currently use Delta and RetroArch, two retro gaming emulators that can run old consoles and handhelds such as the Nintendo Game Boy and Sony PlayStation. As these apps support the iPad Magic Keyboard, controlling these games is a breeze, saving me the bother of having to touch the iPad’s display. Over the weekend (July 14), another app called UTM appeared on the App Store, allowing me to install Windows XP on my iPad, enabling me to play a pinball game, and I love it.

It’s these apps, combined with spotting a great deal on an iPad Air M2 on the eve of Amazon Prime Day, that have made me consider a downgrading dilemma: Why have an iPad Pro when an Air can run all of these apps with no drop in performance?

• iPad deals: Amazon | B&H Photo | Best Buy | Walmart

Levelling up to M2?

Yes, moving to an iPad Air M2 to use these apps, as well as using the tablet to read a bunch of comics through Marvel Unlimited, is a tempting prospect. I could also look into an Apple Pencil Pro, which works with this latest Air model but not with my iPad Pro M1. It's worth noting that Delta can emulate the Nintendo DS handheld, which came with a stylus that could let you interact with certain games like Brain Age and WarioWare. I’ve realized that I can use Apple’s latest drawing pen with the emulator, similar to the DS stylus. This way, I can play these games with the Apple Pencil Pro to make the retro experience even more authentic.

I’ve spotted the drawing pen available for $10 off on Amazon, so I might buy that with the iPad Air M2.

Whatever the case, my need for having an iPad is markedly different from what it was three years ago. On some days, I used the iPad Pro M1 for my old job, writing up press releases and transcribing interviews. On other occasions, I’d use it to browse the web and talk to friends through Discord or Twitch streams. In 2024, I now use the tablet for Delta and UTM, which isn’t a good enough reason to keep an iPad Pro anymore.

Instead, I want to use the smaller iPad Air M2 for emulation, for reading comics, and for occasional web browsing. At $559, it’s a great price to help justify what I’ll be using an iPad for going forward, and I’ll have no regrets about downgrading soon.

2004 was a seismic year for many. Facebook launched in February, music artist Usher released his now-iconic single "Yeah!", Shrek 2 came out in May, and Spider-Man 2 followed in June. For me, though, 2004 marked the first time I built a PC.

I still remember the specs: 120GB storage, a GeForce 5600 graphics card, 512MB memory, and a 17-inch TFT Monitor. The main aim of this PC was to play Half-Life 2 once it was released in November. Fun fact: I even emailed Gabe Newell, CEO of Valve, the company behind Half-Life, to ask if my PC would run the game well. He assured me it would, and indeed it did.

Fast forward to 2024, and an app called UTM is now available for iPhone and iPad. It allows you to install old operating systems like Windows XP on your iPhone or iPad, and then install apps and games from that era. After a few hours, I was able to load up and use Microsoft’s operating system on my iPad, replicating how I used to with my old PC. Thanks to Stage Manager,  I was also able to play Super Mario 64 DS through Delta, a retro gaming emulator that was recently updated to support the iPad and its divisive multitasking feature, at the same time.

It’s only been a day, but I love that I’ve revived the ghost of my gaming habits and my very first PC from 2004 thanks to UTM and Delta.

Causing a riot on Threads

Post by @daryleebaxter

View on Threads

Installing Windows XP on my iPad was an easy affair. After installing UTM, I downloaded a disk image of Microsoft’s operating system and selected it through Apple’s Files app so that UTM could start the installation process.

I managed to find my very old product key for Windows XP, and after an hour, I was brought to the familiar desktop. Everything worked as expected, from internet access to sound. What I loved to see was the ability to play Space Cadet Pinball, a game that came pre-installed with Windows XP. As shown in the Thread post above, I was playing Pinball while Delta was running Super Mario 64 DS, and I loved every second of it. Hundreds of Thread users seemingly agreed as well — since posting that image on the site, I’m still being asked about how I got Windows XP to work on my iPad.

I’ve experienced no slowdown on my M1 iPad Pro using these apps side by side. I spent the rest of the day trying to browse the web within Windows XP, with no success — the internet has moved on since the days of using Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 6 web browser. Nevertheless, I’m still in awe that an operating system that once required the power of the first PC I ever built is now contained within an app.

That’s not the end of my time with UTM though. There’s potential to see if games can directly work within Windows XP as well — such as DRM-free games from vendors like GOG. These games can be downloaded and stored for however long you want. However, some games require Windows 10 at a minimum, so I’m currently looking into installing that operating system onto my iPad next. I’m curious to see if I can play games like Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness and Second Sight on the tablet with no issues.

Using Windows XP to play Space Cadet Pinball is just the start of my experiences with UTM. With Amazon Prime Day about to start on July 16, this app only gives you another compelling reason to consider buying Apple’s tablet if you also want to relive part of your childhood.

More from iMore

• Apple just approved retro PC emulator UTM SE for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Vision Pro
• How to play retro games on Delta Emulator for iPhone
• Delta retro game emulator comes to iPad and Apple silicon Macs after a false start

After a false start, Apple has approved an update for Delta, the retro game emulator that’s been available for iPhone since April. Version 1.6 supports iPad and Apple silicon Macs, as well as adding in some useful features such as Stage Manager and Handoff support.

Apple initially rejected this new update because it featured a link to the app’s Patreon page. The link was removed and Apple quickly approved Delta 1.6. Soon after, developer Riley Testut announced the news on X, listing a huge amount of fixes and new features included in Delta 1.6.

Firstly, native iPad support means that every controller skin, which helps you to control a game, has been redesigned to fit an iPad’s display. Delta also supports Stage Manager, the latest multitasking feature that came to iPad with iPadOS 16. If you wish, you can have multiple instances of Delta running when Stage Manager is enabled while browsing the web in Safari or as you watch one of the best shows on Apple TV Plus.

The updates don’t stop there. Handoff, Apple’s feature that lets you start something on one device app and continue on another, is now available in Delta. For example, you can start playing a Super Nintendo game on your iPhone on the bus and then continue on one of the best iPads when you arrive at a coffee shop. Another highlight is a new ‘core’ for the Nintendo DS handheld. Cores are Delta’s method of emulating certain systems. This new core has the useful benefit of not needing BIOS files to function. If you’re not sure what BIOS files are, we have a guide that explains all the definitions for using a retro gaming emulator like Delta.

You can download Delta for free right now on your iPhone, iPad, or Apple silicon Mac.

Multiple Delta windows are unhinged, but I love it - iMore’s take

Post by @daryleebaxter

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I’ve never liked Stage Manager. I’ve found the feature to be clumsy, buggy, and slow. While iPadOS 17 improved it slightly by allowing you to drag an app’s window into a less restrictive grid, it hasn’t been enough to make me use Stage Manager more often.

Imagine my surprise when I started using it again because of Delta. I’ve shared the above Thread before, but that’s genuinely how I use my iPad most days. When I need some inspiration, I usually turn to a game. That would have usually been on my iPhone or my PS Vita handheld that’s always in my backpack. Now, I fire up at least two Delta windows and switch between them while having Google Docs open in Safari on one-half of the iPad’s display. This way, I can have two of the free Delta games running at once on the other half of the display.

Yes, it’s unhinged. Yes, it likely makes no sense to you. But to me, it does, and I love it.

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If, like me, you’ve been using the Delta Game Emulator, a new 1.6 update is rolling out that adds iPad support, and it’s perfect timing with Amazon Prime Day starting on July 16.

We’re seeing a bunch of great Prime Day Apple deals already, and we’ve just spotted a great deal on an iPad Pro 11-inch Magic Keyboard that gives you a $50 saving.

I’ve been playing retro games on emulators for years — way before Apple allowed them onto the App Store in April this year, and using Delta through the App Store was the icing on the cake.

As a Patreon subscriber to Delta’s page, I’ve had access to Delta 1.6 for several months now. This update introduces iPad support, bug fixes, and more. What I didn’t know, until I accidentally stumbled upon it, was that I could play all my retro games through Delta on the Magic Keyboard. Playing these free Delta games with Apple’s accessory has been a lot of fun, and saves me from covering the iPad with my fingerprints as I try to play a Nintendo 64 game with the on-screen controls.

• iPad deals: Amazon | B&H Photo | Best Buy | Walmart

The Magic Keyboard is not only a great controller for Delta, it’s also great as a keyboard. The keys have great travel, are also backlit for use in dark environments, and there are plenty of angles to adjust the iPad at when it’s connected.

When you’re done, you can fold the Magic Keyboard up which will make the iPad’s display automatically switch off, protecting the tablet from any sudden drops. We should mention that if you’re looking to mimic the experience of using a Nintendo DS even more on your iPad, consider the Apple Pencil 2, currently discounted to $79 at Walmart. Apple’s drawing pen can be used similarly to the stylus that came packaged with the DS handheld, so playing games like Brain Age and WarioWare with the Pencil could help bring back an even bigger wave of nostalgia for you.

Delta, the fantastic retro-gaming emulator available for iPhone since April, is now available for iPad in a new update.

Announced on Mastodon, Delta now supports Stage Manager, the iPad’s multitasking feature. This means you can have multiple instances of the emulator running on the tablet while using another app like Safari or YouTube. In addition to iPad support, Delta now uses a new ‘core’ for the Nintendo DS handheld. Cores are the app’s way of emulating certain systems. A benefit of this new core is that there’s no need to use the BIOS files. If you’re unsure what BIOS files are, we have a helpful guide that runs through all the definitions for using an emulator like Delta. From now on, it’s a matter of loading up a game and playing as you may have done with the other systems featured on Delta. There’s a lot more available in Delta 1.6, which EU users can download right now.

However, for everyone else in the world who has downloaded Delta from the App Store, Apple has rejected this new update. The app’s developer, Riley Testut, posted on Mastodon that the reason was due to the app featuring a link to his Patreon — which has been present on Delta since it was made available on the App Store in April. It’s a baffling rejection, and hopefully, the now-ten-million users who have downloaded Delta will be able to take advantage of 1.6 soon.

iMore’s Take — Apple, you’re getting the basics wrong here

Post by @daryleebaxter

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I’ve been a Patreon supporter of Delta and Testut's work for a few years now, which means I’ve been using Delta 1.6 for a few months. Using the emulator on my iPad has been fantastic, especially since I realized early on that I could use Delta with the iPad Magic Keyboard. Playing some free Delta emulator games with this method has been so much fun.

However, Apple has shot itself in the foot by rejecting Delta 1.6 because of a Patreon link. For those unaware, Patreon lets anyone set up a profile that can host podcasts, creative drawings, and more behind a paywall. Delta’s Patreon allows users to download preview versions of Delta, as well as read about any insights that Testut may have about the app or anything else.

Apple’s decision is nonsensical. I’m hoping it’s a genuine error made by its App Store approval team so that Delta 1.6 can be made available worldwide soon.

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A delighted iPad Pro user on Reddit has revealed that you can successfully install and run the classic post-apocalyptic RPG Fallout 2 on Apple’s tablet, with just a bit of Github know-how. 

User Party-Leadership-522 took to Reddit to share their creation with the simple caption “Fallout 2 on the iPad Pro. A dream come true.” While they didn’t share the rundown of how to get this delightful hack working, some helpful commenters have revealed it’s most likely been made possibly by way of Github and some sideloading. 

Fallout 2 “Community Edition” is “a fully working re-implementation of Fallout 2, with the same original gameplay, engine bug fixes, and some quality of life improvements.” The project even supports some total conversion mods, and apparently works “(mostly) hassle-free on” various platforms including 

Fallout 2 on iPad 

To get Fallout 2 up and running on iPad, you’ll need to own a copy of the game, either on Steam or GOG. You can actually use this Github application to install Fallout 2 on macOS too, and it’ll run natively on Apple silicon and any of the best MacBooks. On the iPad, things are a touch more complicated. You’ll need to use a sideloading application such as AltStore or Sideloadly to install the game, and there are a couple of tweaks you’ll need to make before the game is up and running. 

But if you’ve found yourself with the nuclear RPG bug after watching Fallout on Amazon, this is a perfect and very fun way to enjoy the game on iPad or Mac. 

Released in 1998, Fallout 2 is the sequel to the incredibly popular original Fallout Game, and the forebear of the inimitable Fallout 3 and its other subsequent titles. The second iteration boasted similar mechanics and graphics to the original, with the story taking place 80 years after the events of Fallout.

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The Apple Pencil USB-C is the company’s cheapest iPad stylus, and now it just got an even friendlier tag in several European countries. 

First unveiled in October last year, the Apple Pencil USB-C brings much of the basic functionality of the Pencil (drawing, writing, sketching, etc) to users in a much cheaper format than either the Apple Pencil 2 or the new Apple Pencil Pro. To that end, it’s also been reasonably priced at $79/£79. If that’s still too much, you can now pick one up at a discount from Apple’s refurbished store. 

The Apple Pencil USB-C is now available refurbished in the UK for the price of £69, as well as a host of other countries in Europe at a similar discount. 

Should you buy a refurbished Apple Pencil? 

While you might have some reservations about buying a refurbished Mac or iPhone, buying a refurbished Apple Pencil seems to be a no-brainer at first glance. Each one has been tested by Apple, repaired with replacement parts from Apple, cleaned, and repackaged in a new box. Anything from Apple refurbished comes with Apple’s one-year warranty, too. 

The only thing that might give you pause, is that Amazon’s Prime Day Apple deals are just around the corner, and the best Prime Day iPad deals feature savings on Apple Pencil, including the USB-C model. 

The USB-C model isn’t discounted in the UK right now, but it is likely to see a discount in the next few days. If you’re in the U.S. (where the refurbished option isn’t currently available), you can snag a brand-new one for the same price as Apple’s refurbished offering. So why wait for Apple to offer refurbs if you can buy a new one for the same price?

The USB-C Apple Pencil works with all of Apple’s most recent tablets including its best iPad, the new M4 iPad Pro. It’s also compatible with the M2 iPad Air, as well as the previous M2 iPad Pro and M1 iPad Pro models, and the iPad mini 6. 

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If you’ve been waiting to buy a new iPad, Amazon is currently offering the fantastic iPad mini 6 for less than $400.

With a week to go before Amazon Prime Day begins on July 16-17, we’re already seeing a bunch of great Prime Day Apple deals that are well worth looking into. This latest bargain is no exception. We should also mention that, while you can buy the 64GB iPad mini 6 model for $399 thanks to this deal, you can also save $100 on the 256GB tablet.

Released back in September 2021, the iPad mini 6 was redesigned to resemble its bigger counterparts, such as the iPad Air and iPad Pro. Packed with an A15 Bionic chip, a USB-C port, Touch ID on the power button, and much more, all within an 8.3-inch display, it’s the best iPad mini currently available.

Size doesn’t matter when it comes to deals like this

• iPad deals: Amazon | B&H Photo | Best Buy | Walmart

Apple’s smallest tablet is perfect for reading comics, consuming videos, and playing games, especially emulators that allow apps to mimic certain systems or handhelds. If you fall into any of these use-case categories, an iPad mini could be the perfect purchase!

If you’ve decided to take advantage of this deal, why stop there? There are a bunch of accessories you can grab to help protect your new iPad. If you like to be creative with Apple's tablets, consider the Apple Pencil 2, which works perfectly with this iPad mini. Walmart is offering the drawing pen for $79.99, a saving of $50.

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We're still months away from Apple unveiling its latest generation iPad models. The company usually does so during an event held in October or sometimes even November — and occasionally will roll out in a press release if it feels they aren't worthy of an event.

Whatever form the new iPads are being announced, Apple isn't going to get to wait until this fall to show them to us for the first time. As reported yesterday, a new leak revealed 3 new iPads from the company including an 11th generation base model iPad, an iPad Pro with a yet-unannounced M5 chip, and the iPad mini 7 (it's happening!).

While a new base model iPad and iPad Pro are always great, I'm personally most excited about the 7th-generation iPad mini. Apple's smallest tablet is the one I personally run now and, after enjoying the 6th-generation redesign for a while, I'm ready for what's next for the iPad mini.

While the leak says we can expect the new iPad mini to feature the A17 processor and both Wi-Fi and Cellular configurations (no surprise there), there's one feature that is going to be a requirement if I'm going to consider making an upgrade.

The iPad mini needs an OLED display

There's plenty of things that could make the new iPad mini exciting, including upgrades to the processor, cameras, and base storage (we should definitely be rocking at least 128GB of storage in 2024). However, the display is the only thing I care about with the iPad mini 7.

And no, I'm not talking about the iPad mini getting a ProMotion display and running the screen at 120Hz — that's not happening people. There's a reason that it's called ProMotion. That performance is reserved for Pro models. However, a display technology that could — and should — come to the iPad mini is an OLED display.

I've been a sucker for an OLED display ever since I got my first iPhone with an OLED display. I've since picked up two OLED televisions and, when I had to decide which Nintendo Switch model to buy, that became an easy decision: the Nintendo Switch OLED.

While there are plenty of screen technologies out there that try to compete, there's still nothing like the color and contrast performance you get from an OLED display. Now that Apple has brought its new Tandem OLED display to the iPad Pro, the technology coming down to the non-Pro models is the next move.

But wait, OLED — like ProMotion — is supposed to be reserved for the Pro models! Not true. The base model iPhone has already gotten the OLED upgrade and both the regular iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models, for example, both run OLED displays.

So, will the iPad mini 7 get an OLED display? Honestly, I doubt it. Being that the company had to invent a completely new screen technology and M4 processor in order to bring OLED to the iPad Pro, I think OLED is going to be reserved for the Pro model for now. The MacBook Pro isn't even expected to get an OLED display until 2026.

While I think it's an inevitability, I think we have a bit of a wait to get there. So, while I'd certainly recommend the iPad mini 7 to anyone who has a 5th generation model or older when Apple announces it later this year, I don't think I'll be upgrading from my 6th generation iPad mini.

I think we're going to have to wait until the iPad mini 8 before Apple can get the technology affordable enough to get it into the $499 tablet. So, keep appreciating that iPad mini 6, everyone! We'll get OLED eventually.

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The M1 iPad Air might have just been replaced by the M2 iPad Air, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider the older model — especially given that it’s just received a monster discount. 

Thanks to a Best Buy deal, it returns to its lowest price ever — $200 off to make the price $399, a price we can’t see being beaten any time soon. You’ll want to act quickly with this one as well, as stock of the older iPad seems to running out at a range of retailers (including Amazon), and Best Buy could well be next. $200 off the M1 iPad Air is better than any early Prime Day iPad deal we've seen thus far and could be one of the best Prime Day Apple deal counters, with retailers often trying to one-up Amazon in the run-up to the event. 

$200 off iPad Air M1

• iPad deals: Amazon | B&H Photo | Best Buy | Walmart

The iPad Air M1 might not have a 13-inch screen option or the M2 chip of the newly released models, but it’s certainly no slouch. The M1 chip at its core is plenty powerful for even some lighter work tasks like short-form video editing, and the screen on the front is exactly the same as the 11-inch version of the newer M2 model.

It’s also a great way to save money — as the iPad Air M1 has aged, the price has gone down and we’ve now reached this all-time low. That’s actually only $50 more than you’d pay if you bought the weaker 10th gen iPad at Apple, and you are by far and away getting the better tablet if you opt for this deal. 

If you must have the latest M2 model then there are also savings to be had, albeit only $50 off the 13-inch model at Amazon:

With Apple’s brand new M4 iPad Pro still fresh out of the oven, we’ve just seen a leak that confirms Apple is already planning an M5 upgrade for its best iPad, alongside big chip upgrades for its iPad mini 7 and a new 11th generation iPad. 

New device identifiers uncovered in the backend of Apple software earlier this week served up confirmation that the iPhone 16 will arrive in four different models with an A18 chip, now the same source seems to point to three exciting future iPad upgrades and two canceled projects. 

As posted on X by @aaronp613, the uncovered identifiers reveal three new upcoming iPads: the iPad mini 7, the iPad 11, and a brand new M5 iPad Pro. Perhaps the most surprising inclusion is the M5 iPad Pro, given that Apple’s M4 model is barely three months old. The leak could point to Apple’s transition to a more regular, yearly upgrade cycle for iPad, which reflects the current iPhone schedule and its plans for the Mac lineup too. The iPads, listed as 17,1 through 17,4, point to 11-inch and 13-inch models, both available in either Wi-Fi or Cellular configurations, just like the current version.  

iPad leaks galore 

The leaked identifiers also indicate Apple is planning to unveil a new 11th-generation iPad in both Wi-Fi and Cellular models, identified as 15,7 and 15,8. According to the leak, the iPad will ship with the A16 chip that debuted in the iPhone 14 Pro in 2022. That might make it a two-year-old chip, but it’s no slouch and more than enough to power Apple’s base model tablet. What’s more, it’s a hefty jump on the iPad 10’s A14 Bionic chip. 

More information from the leak indicates that the iPad mini 7 is also coming in both Wi-Fi and Cellular configurations replete with the A17 chip. Whether that’s the A17 Pro from Apple’s best iPhone, the iPhone 15 Pro, or a slightly dumbed-down A17 remains to be seen, but packing all that power into such a tiny tablet will reap immense rewards for processing and multitasking. Perhaps more importantly, it’ll give tremendous efficiency and great battery life, likely retaining the crown as the best iPad for reading. 

We'd expect both of these tablets to debut before the year is out. 

Three new future products to look forward to, the leak also reveals two interesting cancelled products. The first is an A14 iPad. With that chip already present in the aforementioned iPad 10 and the fourth-generation iPad Air, it’s hard to tell which canceled device this could be, save perhaps a different size of base model iPad that never saw the light of day. Much more obvious is the reference to an iPad 15,3 through 15,6, which appears to be a canceled M3 iPad Pro. Apple’s M2 iPad Pro came out in October 2022, so this could indicate that Apple was planning to launch an M3 replacement late last year, but skipped over M3 to push out M4 early. We can’t know for sure why Apple made this decision, but a likely bet is the burgeoning presence of potent AI chips on the market. It’s possible Apple brought up the M4’s timeline to prove it has powerful AI hardware in the pipeline, a move that would also explain why the chip debuted in an iPad, rather than one of Apple’s new MacBooks. 

Can't wait for a new iPad?

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Adding an Apple Pencil to your iPad accessories bundle is always a good plan, particularly if you want to take handwritten notes or do any kind of drawing with your tablet. This deal over at Amazon makes the second-generation Apple Pencil a whole lot more affordable than if you were to head straight to the Apple Store to buy one so that you can get writing or illustrating for less.

Apple Pencil 2 $50 off

• iPad deals: Amazon | B&H Photo | Best Buy | Walmart

The Apple Pencil line is a confusing one to say the least, and it's important to know whether your iPad is going to work with the Apple Pencil 2. First off, if you've just bought an iPad Air 6 or one of the new iPad Pro M4 models, you're out of luck — you'll need a fresh new Apple Pencil Pro or one of the less expensive USB-C Apple Pencils.

Here is the full compatibility list for the Apple Pencil 2 (according to the official Apple help page):

• iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th generation)
• iPad Pro 11-inch (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th generation)
• iPad Air (4th and 5th generation)
• iPad mini (6th generation)

Once you're sure that your iPad is going to work with the Pencil 2, then you're away. It'll open up loads of new possibilities with your iPad, and it's got some powerful features built-in as well like tilt and pressure sensitivity, magnetic charging, and more.

If you're an artist looking to take their art to the next level, then an Apple Pencil is the way to go — and it just got a whole lot cheaper to get hold of one.

In a cocktail of nostalgia, and the desire to gamify my exercise, I’ve recently downloaded Pokémon Go again after eight years. After struggling to remember my account name and password, I managed to get access to my account, complete with all my Pokémon and items. In the three or so weeks since picking it up again, it’s a much more complete game than the one I remember, yet it feels like it outgrew many of its initial mechanics. 

See, many things have happened since I last played the game. I myself have become an adult, gained a degree, and moved countries. My tastes have changed and so has the amount of free time I have. I half expected to entirely bounce off it and not enjoy the experience as I once had but it’s a winning formula that became even more fun when my partner started joining me on outings. However, its monetization system hasn’t gotten any nicer, and the world has just gotten bigger. I have more options than ever before in Pokémon Go yet I feel limited in what I can actually try. 

Here’s how my time with Pokémon Go has gone so far. 

How has Pokémon Go changed?

I was hit with notifications constantly at the start of my time with the game. There was an event on, I had apparently farmed some items since I last played the game, and a whole new quest tab had popped up. In this new quest section, I found that I could tick away boxes by doing simple activities like catching Pokémon, taking on gyms, and more. Suddenly, the game gave me a lot more to play with than I otherwise thought, and I didn’t necessarily need to walk to get some gameplay out of it. This is presumably an effect of the 2020 pandemic, and subsequent lockdowns — a game entirely reliant on getting out of the house needed a reason for people to play even when they couldn’t. The quest tab does a good job of rewarding you for many different aspects of play and I have felt constantly encouraged to do even small actions from the start. However, I’ve already started to notice it all slowing down. 

These quests allowed me to sprint into the game then, suddenly, I stopped gaining levels as fast and rare Pokémon became even rarer. Though the introduction of raids, events, and Team Rocket make it a much more engaging experience, there are issues that were present in 2016 when it comes to its in-game currency that feel even more restrictive now. You start with space in your inventory for 300 Pokémon and 300 items. When there was only a single generation of Pokémon, Totalling 151 to catch, this meant you could technically “catch ‘em all” without spending 200 coins (or about $2) to upgrade to a larger inventory. With over 800 species in the game now, you will need to spend at least at least 2000 coins ($20) to just get the space to house them all. From here, you also need to buy more inventory space for items, to hold all the berries, Pokéballs, and whatnot to do all the timed events and quests. After all of this, you may also want to spend money on passes, incubators, and incense (though they’re not as good as they used to be) to get what you want quicker. 

Right now, you can technically earn those coins through holding Gyms but, if you’re in a rural area or don’t want to wait a week for a single upgrade at some points, spending money is the only viable way to avoid running out of space and removing items you might want later.  Given you want to hang onto potions and revives for battles, Pokéballs and berries for catching Pokémon, and raid passes for a mixture of both, you are often forced into only playing aspects of the game when you have a limited inventory. 

The game has got a lot bigger since 2016 and that space for holding items and Pokémon has managed to stay the exact same. I don’t want to spend any money on Pokémon Go and, at this point, that may just stop me from actually playing it. 

Calendar: July's Big Game Releases

• Zenless Zone Zero, the follow-up to Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail, was shown off at Apple's iPad event this year, and that M4 chip is sure to get the most out of it. It's free-to-play, looks gorgeous, and is out this week. 

Level Up — Gaming accessories on our radar

If you’re looking for a nice keyboard to pair with one of the best Macs, 8BitDo has launched a gorgeous new mechanical keyboard that is at a great price too. It may be missing some Mac-specific controls, but makes up for it with a fantastic look, awesome sound, and some nice macro controls.

Hitting the Arcade — What to play on Apple Arcade

Apple Arcade is filled with tons of exclusive experiences and fantastic games. However, with so many out there, it can be hard to decide what to play. Here are a few choices I've been testing out this week:

I’ve spent some time testing out Tomb of the Mask+, a version of the classic iOS game on Apple Arcade. In it, you have to swipe, to throw your character from wall to wall, in order to collect coins and get to the end of a mission. It’s still decent fun on Apple Arcade but the game has a noticeable lack of microtransactions that are used in the free version. You can pay coins earned by playing to revive, rather than replaying a level so this meant I often felt intentionally slowed down without any in-game system to speed it up. It’s worth playing for the nostalgia but comes with a little frustration. 

Have you played any great games this week or seen some interesting Apple gaming news we've missed? Let us know in the comments!

Amazon Prime Day 2024 starts on July 16, but that hasn’t stopped Apple’s latest M4 iPad Pro tablets falling to their lowest-ever price. Released in May, these new iPads feature the brand new M4 Apple silicon chip, an Ultra Retina XDR OLED display, and a much thinner design. With iPadOS 18 coming later this year, you could take advantage of this deal and reap the benefits of what this new software update will bring, such as Apple Intelligence and a brand-new Calculator app!

With both the 11-inch model at $71 off and the 13-inch model at $101 off, the time could be now to look into one of the best iPads currently available. Granted, if you want a smaller iPad with less of bells and whistles, there are plenty of Prime Day iPad deals you can grab right now. But if you want an iPad that’s currently the best in the tablet’s lineup at its lowest-ever price, we recommend looking at the following deals...

Go Pro for less

• iPad deals: Amazon | B&H Photo | Best Buy | Walmart

If you’ve owned an iPad in the past or currently have a recent model, it may be worth looking into an upgrade to one of these M4 models, especially if you use your iPad for creative purposes. With support for the Apple Pencil Pro, now could be a perfect time to look into this drawing stylus as well.

However, keep in mind that this may be the beginning of some great iPad savings, as well as other Prime Day Apple deals before the event officially starts on July 16.