ICYMI: the week's 6 biggest tech stories from the disappointing iOS 18 launch to ChatGPT messaging first being 'fixed'
This week we published all of our reviews of the new Apple tech so you can find out precisely what we think of it, were disappointed by the Apple Intelligence-less iOS 18 launch, and downloaded 40 free games for our Steam Deck through our Amazon Prime membership.
All of that and more is covered in our ICYMI round-up below.
Next week you can look forward to Meta Connect 2024 which we expect will be full of XR (a catchall for VR, AR and MR) and AI goodies. We'll be sure to catch you up to speed on everything you need to know from the event.
With the arrival of this year's new iPhones, we've also got a new version of iOS to play around with – iOS 18. It's coming to every iPhone launched after the iPhone XS – including the 2nd-gen SE – and introduces several new features.
There's improved home screen customization, so you can finally move apps around to reveal more of your wallpaper. Messages has been overhauled to add text effects and RCS support, and smaller changes like your Photos app and the Control Center are getting a redesign.
Unfortunately, Apple Intelligence – iOS 18's headline tool – isn't quite here yet. It'll start to roll out with US English support in update 18.1 in October. Still, other English variants aren't coming until December, and major tools like Genmoji, Image Playground, and Siri's on-screen awareness aren't expected to arrive until much later in iOS 18's lifespan. A scattered introduction that has certainly put a dampener on things.
It's Apple availability week, and TechRadar is the place to be for our in-depth reviews, encompassing our full thoughts on all the kits from the Cupertino-based company. Starting off, our Editor-at-Large Lance Ulanoff handled the iPhone 16 Pro Max and called it a "beautiful, intelligent beast." Read his full review to learn more about the impact of a bigger screen – 6.5 inches to 6.7 inches – a faster processor and new cameras that make a difference.
Of course, there's also the standard iPhone 16, which got a significant glow-up, and TechRadar's Jacob Krol tackled the review on it, noting that it's more Pro than ever before thanks to a zippy-quick A18 chip, the arrival of two buttons, and vibrant colors. He also reviewed the Apple Watch Series 10, noting it's "more than meets the eye from every angle," alluding to the larger displays on both models and improved viewing angles all housed in a smaller build.
TechRadar also has full thoughts on the iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation.
It wasn't a great week to be the owner of an Anker power bank – or at least, one of the three models the company had to recall this week due to the discovery of a potential fire risk.
If you own an Anker 334 MagGo Battery (PowerCore 10K), Anker Power Bank or Anker MagGo Power Bank, you should stop using it now and fill out Anker's recall form to get a replacement.
The cause is apparently a manufacturing defect in some models that causes overheating. Anker says it's now changed suppliers and that owners of its other batteries have nothing to worry about. But the news was an unwelcome addition to the 'to do' lists of those unfortunate enough to buy one of those three batteries.
For a few days, it looked like ChatGPT had been upgraded in a way no one had expected – it was messaging users first. Apparently, it could do this because it was following up on a conversation it had previously had with users who had mentioned they were starting school in a few days or were trying to discuss medical symptoms.
Some were skeptical about the situation, even suggesting ways it could have been faked, but OpenAI had the last word. It revealed that ChatGPT messaging first was a bug, not a new feature, adding that it had been fixed.
Given the level of excitement generated by the possibility of ChatGPT following up on its own, we wouldn't be surprised to see the tool launch at some point for real.
DJI announced its first action camera with the 'Pro' monicker, which delivers a raft of impressive new features, including an industry-first 4nm chip, four-hour battery life – that's double that of the GoPro Hero 13 Black – 20 m waterproofing (which is again double that of its rivals), and bigger and punchier twin OLED screens.
We've already r eviewed the flagship action camera , and there are many areas where it steals GoPro's crown, but it's not a one-sided battle. While the Osmo Action 5 Pro has industry-leading 4K image quality and low-light performance, it can't shoot 5.3K video like the Hero 13 Black or 8K video like the Insta 360 Ace Pro, nor does it have GoPro-style lens accessories for different looks.
However, there's plenty going for DJI's unique take on action cams that will aptly satisfy content creators with an eye for detail, and it appears that DJI is making the most headway in this space.
Listen up if you're an Amazon Prime member and a Steam Deck user. As long as you have an active membership, you can enjoy over 40 free of the best Steam Deck games – though act fast, as some are already starting to leave.
There is a caveat to note – these versions of the games aren't directly available on Steam. Instead, you'll need to acquire them through Epic Game Store, Amazon Games Store, or GOG. Though, you can rely on the Heroic Games Launcher and shortcuts to help you simplify the process of playing them on Steam Deck.
