from MacRumors Staff
It's all set for a big Halloween week for Apple, with the company's next operating system updates reportedly coming early in the week, with a hardware launch coming a few days later.
Ahead of those hardware launches, we recently saw what appears to be one of the most significant physical product leaks in years, while some of the new features in Apple's latest software updates have turned heads for their usefulness, so read on below for all the details on those stories and more!
Apple Set to Release iOS 18.1 With Apple Intelligence on October 28
iOS 18.1 has been in beta testing since before iOS 18.0 was released, as Apple has been hard at work improvements to the first Apple Intelligence features to be included in the update, and it looks like we now have a release date for iOS 18.1 and related updates: Monday, October 28.
Apple Intelligence features will be rolling out gradually, so be sure to check out our roundup of everything we expect to see for Apple Intelligence in iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1, as well as a look at future Apple Intelligence features coming in later updates.
Apple could be facing its biggest leak since the iPhone 4 was left at a bar
Over the past week or two, there have been a growing number of leaks about upcoming M4 MacBook Pro models, and despite the box showing the same wallpaper as the current models, it’s looking increasingly likely that these leaks are genuine.
Following the first blurry photos of a claimed box of one of the machines, a Russian YouTube channel has shared an unboxing video of the M4 MacBook Pro that shows a number of improved specs over the current M3-based model. Aside from the apparent faster speeds, RAM and port upgrades, and the potential Space Black color option that will come to the base M4, it looks like the machine could also support two external displays in addition to the internal one for the first time on a base M-series chip.
Gourmet: Apple to Launch First M4-Based Macs, Possibly iPad Mini 7 on November 1
So when can we expect the M4 MacBook Pro and other new devices? Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says at least some of the proposed products are scheduled to launch on Friday, Nov. 1, possibly following an unveiling earlier this week.
In addition to the full range of 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with varying M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chip configurations, we're also expecting an updated Mac mini with M4 and M4 Pro chip variants, an M4 iMac, and a seventh-generation iPad mini, though it's not confirmed if they'll all be available at the same time on November 1.
Apple Watch users report Vitals app detects illnesses before symptoms appear
watchOS 11 has a new Vitals app that's impressing some users with its ability to potentially detect illnesses days before noticeable symptoms appear.
The Vitals app aggregates a number of key health metrics that are measured while you sleep, and can notify you when one or more of those metrics fall outside your usual ranges, which could be a sign that you're getting sick.
It won’t detect every illness, and it won’t be able to diagnose or help treat any specific conditions, but it looks like it can provide a small warning in some cases to help users be more aware of changes in their health.
iOS 18: Send messages without Wi-Fi or cellular service
After two major hurricanes hit the southeastern United States in recent weeks, knocking out power lines and cellular service, a new feature of iOS 18 is getting special attention: satellite messaging.
While the iPhone 14 and newer models were already able to use the SOS and roadside assistance feature via satellite, iOS 18 expands those satellite capabilities to include standard iMessages and SMS text messages, offering a way to contact friends and family even when traditional networks are unavailable.
Apple says it’s obsoleting the latest iPod Nano and iPod Shuffle
Apple discontinued the latest iPod nano and iPod shuffle models back in 2017, meaning Apple now considers them obsolete and therefore unable to be repaired at Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers.
Both the iPod shuffle and iPod nano were introduced in 2005 as smaller, cheaper music players in Apple's iPod lineup, and both have undergone significant form factor changes over the course of their lives, with the latest models debuting in mid-2015 before being discontinued two years later.
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