Skip to main content

What's new in iOS 11.4

https://ift.tt/2ITH5pT

Apple's newest iOS update is out and chock full of little updates and surprises.

After a long beta period, iOS 11.4 is now out in the world. It brings with AirPlay 2, stereo pairing for HomePod, Messages in iCloud, and more.

Here's our rundown of what's new in iOS 11.3. Peruse it at your leisure.

AirPlay 2

Originally announced at WWDC 2017, AirPlay 2 is Apple's latest spec for streaming audio and video from an iOS device or Mac to compatible receivers. AirPlay 2 represents a major step forward for the technology, allowing you to play audio through multiple AirPlay 2 speakers at once.

Apple's own HomePod speaker will gain support for AirPlay 2 and multi-room audio with iOS 11.4 as well, which will be required in order to update the HomePod's software. Other speaker makers, including Bose, Bowers & Wilkins, and Libratone will be offering AirPlay 2-compatible speakers soon, as well as software updates to bring the technology to compatible older products as well.

Messages in iCloud

This one gets a big old Finally from me. Another feature originally announced back at WWDC 2017, Message in iCloud securely stores your Messages, be they iMessages or standard SMS texts, in iCloud, preserving and syncing your Messages history between your iOS and macOS devices.

In addition to keeping everything in sync, Messages in iCloud has a couple of other benefits. First, you only have to delete a message thread once. No more deleting on every individual device you have. Also, when setting up a new device, all of your messages will be there for you, whether or not you want to restore from a backup.

HomePod improvements

iOS 11.4 supports some new HomePod-specific improvements.

Also available with iOS 11.4 is the ability to link two HomePods as a stereo pair. This will allow an even larger soundscape for your audio, as well as more immersive audio for those of you who want to pair your HomePods with your Apple TV for use with your other entertainment.

You can now create and interact with calendar events using Siri on your HomePod as well.

Other updates

  • Teachers can now assign reading activities to their students in iBooks using the Schoolwork app
  • Fixes for CarPlay audio distortion
  • Fixes for problems encountered when trying to access files in Google Drive, Docs, and Gmail in Safari.

Found any other cool iOS 11.4 features?

Anything we missed? Let us know in the comments!



from iMore - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch blog https://ift.tt/2vjyqmp

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

How to Get a MacBook or MacBook Pro Keyboard Repaired Free Under Apple's Service Program

https://ift.tt/2tocBCJ Apple has initiated a new worldwide service program offering free repairs of MacBook and MacBook models equipped with low-profile, butterfly mechanism keyboards, after the company determined that "a small percentage" of the keyboards may develop one or more of the following issues: Letters or characters repeat unexpectedly Letters or characters do not appear Key(s) feel "sticky" or do not respond in a consistent manner Apple or Apple Authorized Service Providers will service eligible MacBook and MacBook Pro keyboards free of charge. Apple says the process may involve the replacement of one or more keys or the whole keyboard. The following MacBook and MacBook Pro models are eligible for the program: MacBook (Retina, 12-­inch, Early 2015) MacBook (Retina, 12­-inch, Early 2016) MacBook (Retina, 12-­inch, 2017) MacBook Pro (13­-inch, 2016, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports) MacBook Pro (13-­inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports) MacBook Pro...

How to like, comment, and add subscribers to shared photo albums on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or PC

https://ift.tt/2q570On With iCloud Photo Sharing, you can share, like, and comment on photos and videos with friends and family around the world — no social media account needed. Making or subscribing to a shared photo album on iCloud is just the beginning: Once you're part of a shared album with your friends, family, or co-workers, you can add comments, like photos, invite more pals into the fray, and more. iCloud Photo Sharing: The ultimate guide If you want the social media experience without having to plaster your images across the internet, iCloud Photo Sharing offers some great tools for it. Here's how you can like your friends' images, add new people to an existing shared album, and add comment threads to photos and video. How to share albums with people who don't use iCloud How to add someone to a shared photo album How to remove someone from a shared photo album How to let other people add photos and video to your shared photo album How to like...

The Instant Pot Craze and How it's Disrupting Kitchens Everywhere

http://ift.tt/2InTBKj Pressure cooker? Slow cooker? Rice cooker? The Instant Pot is all of these things and more! The Canadian-designed Instant Pot is essentially a roided out slow cooker for half the price of most decent slow cookers on the market. There are several iterations of the Instant Pot, and it may just be able to replace every imaginable kitchen appliance you have. So what's the hubbub? Is the hype real? Let's take a look! See at Amazon What does it do? I think, in terms of kitchen capabilities, the better question is what doesn't the Instant Pot do? The lower-end versions have 6-in-1 functionality, while the Ultra, for example, can be a slow cooker, pressure cooker, rice cooker, yogurt maker, cake maker, egg cooker, sauté cooker, steamer, warmer, and sterilizer. Oh, and the 6-quart Ultra model is only $150 ... Somehow… Basically, the Instant Pot could be your tool for cooker just about everything. With many programmable cooking options, for everyt...