Latest news with #Federighi
Time of India
6 hours ago
- Time of India
Apple SVP Craig Federighi reveals why the iPad won't become a Mac says: ‘It's a bad idea…'
Apple's senior vice president of software engineering, Craig Federighi recently answered one of the most asked questions by Apple fans, whether the iPad and Mac should ever merge into a single device. Federighi humorously answered using a memorable analogy: "We don't want to build sporks." Speaking to MacStories' Federico Viticci in an interview, Federighi explained Apple's philosophy behind not merging the two popular Apple products. "Someone said, 'If a spoon's great and a fork's great, then let's combine them into a single utensil, right?' It turns out it's not a good spoon and it's not a good fork. It's a bad idea. And so we don't want to build sporks," Federighi said. This analogy clearly explains Apple's belief that merging the two devices or operating systems will compromise the strengths of the devices and will also make the product less useful. Federighi further explained that Apple's main aim is to make both iPad and Mac excel in their respective areas and the company does not want the iPad to displace a Mac. "The Mac lets the iPad be iPad," he stated, highlighting that the existence of a robust Mac ecosystem allows the iPad to remain focused on its touch-first, immersive, and simple interface. He also said that this time the iPadOS 26 introduced many useful and improved features such as new windowing engine and desktop-like features, but these features are designed to cater to the needs of a broader range of iPad users. The main focus is to improve the capabilities of an iPad without compromising on its identity. Federighi also talked about the growth of multitasking functionality in the iPadOS. He described evolution as a multi-year journey of experimentation. He added that if Apple had introduced traditional Mac-like menu bars on the iPad, developers might have designed their apps differently, which could have compromised the iPad app ecosystem. While the two platforms can "be inspired by elements of the Mac" and vice-versa, Federighi firmly believes that a full merger would lead to a messy, confusing, and ultimately inferior user experience . Apple remains committed to its strategy of offering distinct devices optimized for different use cases, rather than a "compromise" solution that attempts to be all things to all people. AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
News18
3 days ago
- Business
- News18
Here's When Apple's Siri AI Upgrade Could Be Releasing For iPhone Users In 2026
Last Updated: Apple Siri AI was not part of the WWDC 2025 keynote event and the company is working at pace to have it ready for 2026. Apple's Siri AI got a brief mention at the WWDC 2025 earlier this month which clearly meant the company did not have anything meaningful to share at the event. Apple did tease that we could see the Siri AI-powered version release some time next year, without giving a clearer timeline. We might finally know the details about when the Siri AI could be released and offered to the iPhone users in 2026. The report from Bloomberg suggests the new Siri AI release could be part of the iOS 26.4 version that may be offered around March and April 2026 for the iPhone users. Apple has toned down its AI intelligence features, so much that the term itself did not make any trivia rounds this year. Not Going To Plan Apple's AI struggle has been widely documented in recent weeks and most of its delays are being allegedly attributed to its senior executives missing the AI bus when the competition was working on building tools to build on the hype and the demand. Craig Federighi, who is a core part of Apple's software ecosystem has reportedly been instrumental in these decisions, and that's what has made Apple a chaser rather than a follower in this chase. Apple's executives were candid in an interview with WSJ recently, where both Federighi and Joswiak faced questions that most people have restrained themselves from asking the Cupertino-based giant. Apple has been lauded for its innovation and its focus on privacy, and some of that remains true even today. But the AI push needs more impetus and an acceptance that the competition is well ahead right now. That WSJ interview did have the Apple execs puzzled about how Siri is viewed in the market, and where the AI upgrades are essential for its renaissance in the next 12 months. Apple seems to have made changes internally to get Siri and other AI tools work as per its standards, but the company needs a clear thought process to work effectively and deliver the top results, something that Apple has been renowned for since the days of Steve Jobs at the helm. First Published:
Perth Now
13-06-2025
- Perth Now
Siri, where's my AI? Clock ticks for Apple in tech race
Hundreds of app developers swarmed Apple's Cupertino campus this week, some pausing to snap selfies at the Worldwide Developers Conference signs before racing to score deck chairs in front of the event's outdoor stage. But while enthusiasm rippled through the audience before the keynote, with smartphones and hands held high, the usual cheers that greeted speakers sounded more subdued this year. Those eager to hear developments in artificial intelligence may have been disappointed: Apple revealed it needed more time to supercharge its voice assistant Siri with the technology and unveiled only a handful of AI software features. The company's announcements are proof, experts and analysts say, the tech brand is "falling behind the curve" on AI innovation, and they warn Apple may not have as much time as it thinks to close the gap on its rivals. If Apple suffers further delays, they say it could miss the next wave of AI innovation, including devices that will no longer need screens to hold our attention. Despite the company's Siri setback, Apple did not shy away from addressing artificial intelligence at its annual event. After recapping earlier AI additions, software engineering senior vice-president Craig Federighi previewed a series of AI features to work across Apple iPhones, iPads, Watches, Macs and AirPods later this year. "We're integrating features in even more places across each of our operating systems," he told attendees. An AI-powered Call Screening tool will ask unknown callers for their details before users pick up, for example, and Live Translation will interpret foreign languages across messages, video and audio calls in real time. An AI text-to-speech tool called Workout Buddy will deliver motivational messages and fitness data into the ears of Apple Watch users during workouts, and iPhone users will be able to search the web for items captured in screenshots. But the most obvious target for an Apple AI software upgrade, Siri, will not receive one imminently, Mr Federighi said, as the company needs "more time" to deliver a high-quality outcome. The omission shows Apple has "dropped the ball" when it comes to artificial intelligence, UNSW AI Institute chief scientist Toby Walsh says, particularly in comparison to its rivals. "It's not hard to criticise them for falling behind the curve compared to Microsoft or Google, Facebook or other competitors," he says. "Apple hasn't shown their ability in recent years to be innovative in this space." Part of the reason for this delay is the company's protective approach to data, Prof Walsh says. While some other firms have harvested as much public and personal information as possible to train AI models and gain an early advantage, he says, Apple is playing "a longer game" in keeping AI processing on devices and in secure environments as much as possible. The AI gap between the company and rivals including Google, Microsoft and Samsung is becoming more obvious, Telsyte managing director Foad Fadaghi says, and will put Apple under greater pressure from the market and buyers. "The innovation happening in AI is happening at a much faster rate than any previous technological innovation, including the internet and smartphones," he says. "It's not like Apple just needs to catch up, it needs to overtake and that's a difficult challenge in the current environment as many trillion-dollar organisations are going after the same AI prize." Last month, Google announced plans to create a universal personal assistant under the name Project Astra, for example, while Samsung is reportedly considering a partnership with AI search service Perplexity. Apple's upcoming AI software features will undoubtedly be appreciated by consumers, Mr Fadaghi says, but even the most loyal among them will be watching what its competition does next. "Consumers love the Apple brand and products and they'll give it some time to find its AI legs but it's going to get harder," he says. Failing to give Siri artificial intelligence skills could also affect Apple's involvement in future consumer devices, Prof Walsh says, some of which will not have traditional inputs and will rely on voice, touch and context. OpenAI is working with former Apple designer Jony Ive to develop a pocket-friendly, screen-free device with microphones and sensors, for example, and it is in this field that an AI-powered voice tool like Siri could be most useful. "I've argued for a long time that the AI interface of the future is one you talk to because that works on your devices - it works for your toaster, it works for your front door, it works for your light bulb, it works for your car," Prof Walsh tells AAP. "None of those necessarily have screens, none of them have keyboards but you can talk to those things and they could talk back to you. "If I had the resources of Apple, that's where I'd be putting my money." This AAP article was made possible by support from Apple.
Forbes
13-06-2025
- Forbes
Apple Loop: Apple Confirms iPhone's AI Failures, Finder's Uncomfortable Chain, WWDC's Successful Retreat
Taking a look back at this week's news and headlines from Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference, including Apple's explanation of its AI failure, new feaures for iOS 26, macOS 26 and iPad OS 26, an uncomfortable change for Finder, multitasking on the iPad, and what it all means. Apple Loop is here to remind you of a few of the many discussions around Apple in the last seven days. You can also read my weekly digest of Android news here on Forbes. Apple's PR team has lined up several interviews following the keynote at this week's Worldwide Developers Conference to reinforce its decisions around its approach to Artificial Intelligence, the significant promises made at WWDC 2024, and why these have not been delivered to consumers: '[WSJ's Joanna Stern] asked why Apple, with all of its resources, couldn't make it work. 'When it comes to automating capabilities on devices in a reliable way, no one's doing it really well right now,' Federighi said. 'We wanted to be the first. We wanted to do it best.' While the company had 'very promising early results and working initial versions,' the team came to feel that 'this just doesn't work reliably enough to be an Apple product,' he said. (via The Verge). There may not have been a classic 'over 200 new features' for iOS 26's launch during the WWDC keynote, but there is a significant bundle to explore. A subset of these rely on the onboard tools provided by Apple Intelligence. Tim Hardwick summarises the key iOS 26 AI features, including Apple's twist on the emoji and reaction GIFs: "New Genmoji and Image Playground Features – Enhances existing Apple Intelligence image tools with the ability to mix emoji together, customize generated characters, and access ChatGPT-powered style options including anime, oil painting, and watercolor effects.' (MacRumors). Many of these features, while new to iOS, are mainstays of third party podcast apps. That has not escaped the notice of the developers, including Overcast's Marc Arment and his slightly tongue-in-cheek response to the addition of more playback speeds: 'I'm screwed" I think this remains a humorous response, given Overcast still has its silence skipping option, minimal tracking of user data, a clean implementation of banner ads to support the service, and an incredibly loyal user base. (Mastodon). While Apple has rowed back on its generative AI ambitions from 2024, it still continues to work in the smaller elements of Apple Intelligence into its platforms, including the latest version of macOS Tahoe, announced this week: "Tahoe also has new Apple Intelligence features, such as Live Translations, improved Shortcuts, and updates to Genmoji, Image Playground, and Reminders. You'll be able to get live, automatic language translations in the Messages app — both incoming ones and outbound ones you write. And, similar to Windows 11's feature from last year, you can get translated live captions of someone speaking on a FaceTime call." (The Verge). Sometimes it is the smallest change that can create the biggest mental 'what the' reactions. And macOS 26 Tahoe has one such moment. Apple has decided to flip the colours of the Finder logo. What was blue on the left white on the right, is now blue on the right and white on the left: "The Big Sur Finder icon has been with us ever since,1 and I hope Apple reverses course here. I understand that the new icon is meant to be in sync with the new Liquid Glass user interface, but some things are just tradition… This has been filed with Apple as Feedback FB17840162. Yes, seriously." (512 Pixels via Daring Fireball). The launch of iPadOS 26 is the last of he big hitters from the event. Apple continues to walk its tablet platform towards the Mac platform, but never quite getting there. This year is no different, as Apple's Craig Federighi joked from the stage "More windows, a pointier pointer, and a menu bar? Who would've thought? We've truly pulled off a mind-blowing release!' Yet talking to Ars Technica's Andrew Cunningham afterwards, highlighted what apple felt was needed for the iPad to be a multi-tasking computer: ""We wanted to offer a new baseline of a totally consistent experience of what it meant to have Stage Manager," Federighi told Ars. "And for us, that meant four simultaneous apps on the internal display and an external display with four simultaneous apps. So, eight apps running at once. And we said that's the baseline, and that's what it means to be Stage Manager; we didn't want to say 'you get Stage Manager, but you get Stage Manager-lite here or something like that. And so immediately that established a floor for how low we could go.'" (Ars Technica). What does it all mean? Ben Thompson brings it all together under the headline of 'Apple Retreats' followed by a detailed look at an event where Apple quietly dialled down the expectations lit up by last year's WWDC and refused to offer any major hype for the coming twelve months. Thompson argues this is exactly what is needed as a course correction to find a better future: " Apple is a company that went too far in too many areas, and needed to retreat. Focusing on things only Apple can do is a good thing; empowering developers and depending on partners is a good thing; giving even the appearance of thoughtful thinking with regards to the App Store (it's a low bar!) is a good thing. Of course we want and are excited by tech companies promising the future; what is a prerequisite is delivering in the present, and it's a sign of progress that Apple retreated to nothing more than that." (Stratechery). Apple Loop brings you seven days worth of highlights every weekend here on Forbes. Don't forget to follow me so you don't miss any coverage in the future. Last week's Apple Loop can be read here, or this week's edition of Loop's sister column, Android Circuit, is also available on Forbes.
Tom's Guide
13-06-2025
- Tom's Guide
Siri 2.0 release window just tipped in new report — here's when it could arrive
An updated AI-based Siri was promised last year but has been delayed for months. After WWDC 2025, it was still unclear when the overhauled Siri would launch. Now, a report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman claims that Apple is targeting Spring 2026 to launch the upgraded Siri. Apparently, the Siri revamp will come out as part of iOS 26.4. If Apple keeps a similar schedule as iOS 18, that means we could see the public version of iOS 26.4 release at the end of March in 2026. The beta version will likely be available a few weeks before. During WWDC 2025, Tom's Guide global editor in chief Mark Spoonauer was able to sit down with Apple's Craig Federighi and Greg Joswiak and discuss the Siri delay. After some internal shuffling, Federighi has reportedly taken over development of Siri. When Apple Intelligence was introduced at WWDC 2024, Siri was supposed to get a number of enhancements, including more conversational experiences and contextual responses. According to Federighi, the company was working on two versions of Siri and found that at least one of the versions wasn't ready, while needing to upgrade the architecture. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. "We found that the limitations of the V1 architecture weren't getting us to the quality level that we knew our customers needed and we tried to push that out in the state it was going to be in, it would not meet our customer expectations or Apple standards and we had to move to the V2 architecture," he said. We found that the limitations of the V1 architecture weren't getting us to the quality level that we knew our customers needed and we tried to push that out in the state it was going to be in, it would not meet our customer expectations or Apple standards and we had to move to the V2 architecture. The problems with the two versions and the need to shift to a new "architecture" caused Apple to officially announce that Siri was delayed in March of this year, something the company rarely does. During the talk at WWDC 2025, Apple was mum on a release date. "We will announce the date when we're ready to seed it, and you're all ready to be able to experience it,' said Federighi. In the meantime, Apple has opened up its large language models to third-party developers. Previous reports have said that the company has also let its engineers tap into non-Apple AI models to help them improve Apple Intelligence and Siri. It's unclear whether Siri will become a chatbot, akin to Google Gemini or OpenAI's ChatGPT. Apple is saying that it doesn't want to build a chatbot and wants to "meet people where they are" with AI. Apple has openly struggled with Siri, and there's no guarantee that development doesn't hit snags over the next few months. Still, Siri appears to be in capable hands under Federighi's leadership, so we expect it will likely hit its internal deadlines for a spring launch. For now, Apple appears set on improving the Apple Intelligence features that are already available, like Visual Intelligence, while providing new ones that should make an impact across its suite of software including iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26 Tahoe and even the Apple Watch with watchOS 26 and the new Workout Buddy feature. According to Gurman, if things go well, a preview might appear later this fall around the time that the iPhone 17 is launched.
