The Mac version allows you to export your devices to XML for backup. On iOS/iPadOS, anything you mark as favourites should sync between devices (sadly, not with the Mac version). I wish there were a full sync as I’m using it to track what I have, serial numbers, warranty expiration dates, etc. (AFAIK, serials, coverage dates and labels are only available in the Mac version).
New hardware releases usually get added to Mactracker with a bit of a delay (for example, the latest iPads and their accessories are not there yet).
I don’t think the iOS version has the new protocol implemented just yet (the desktop versions do), but they say it’s coming soon, so something to keep on the radar.
Am I wrong in getting the sense that Apple Intelligence, including updates to Siri, are going to roll out more slowly than new features have in the past after WWDC? I get the impression Apple felt pressured to announce things that are not ready and may not be for quite some time.
Tbf, I think there are a couple of reasons for that. It’s a one-person dev, and it takes some time to gather the information that Apple doesn’t publish, such as iPhone RAM.
I’d be surprised if they don’t roll out more slowly, and if many of them aren’t partial or half-baked at first. It’s huge change, and it’s not just a bunch of new features. It’s a massive new architecture underneath that makes them possible.
“While the Siri features will be introduced at WWDC 2024 Apple reportedly does not plan to launch them in September when iOS 18 sees an initial release. Instead, Siri will be overhauled in a future iOS 18 update that’s set to be introduced in 2025.” - Macrumors.com
Mark Gurman described Apple Intelligence as “good enough” in the latest Big Technology Podcast.
That seems to be the case, and is a relief for me since I’m interested in these features but would have to upgrade everything here to get them! I’m not looking forward to that expense, but at least I don’t have to buy it all in June! And I’m “due” for the next iPhone this Fall anyway.
There are many choices, I’ve had good luck with JumpDesktop.
I like that it is a one-time purchase and has support for RDC protocol (windows desktops and servers) along with standard VNC.
Most important, the JumpDesktop proprietary “fluid” protocol supports remote audio - none of the other standard remote tools do that.
You do have to load a free “host” app first, but being able to remote into a Mac and get the audio from the local Mac app has been very useful at times.
I’ve used it to remote edit video where I needed to hear the audio in order to insert edit points at the right moments. It isn’t flawless, but it works.
iCloud’s irritating habit of offloading the file you want
Doing that automatically with no option to disable it has to be one of the dumbest product/service decisions Apple has ever made. It’s like they built in a major bug on purpose.
It does sound like you can at least download files to iCloud Drive permanently in iOS 18. That’ll be a great improvement and a step in the right direction.
My situation is a little better. I have an M1 MBP and an M4 13” iPad so those two devices are ready. But, I have the iPhone 13. At some point I’ll need to upgrade, but the battery is good and I have zero nicks or scratches making it difficult to justify an upgrade. I may wait for Apple to roll out Apple Intelligence fully before I upgrade the phone (iPhone 17 in 2025?).
After writing the above, I stumbled on this article. It may be worth waiting until 2025 to upgrade my iPhone.
There is still an iPhone coming in the Fall. I bet there will be a lot more clarity around what AI features are available then and they’ll probably show off some new stuff we don’t know about yet.
I wrote about WWDC 2024 from a perspective of blind user. The story includes some fun moments of being blind, and of course, my take on the new features and Apple’s intelligence.
Oh great, so for those of us in the EU, iOS 18 is basically iOS 17.something and a pretty much pointless upgrade. Even iPhone mirroring will not be included at launch.
