iOS Today (Audio)

By TWiTTechnology

iOS Today (Audio) episodes

June 19, 2025iOS 757: Apple Design Awards 2025 - CapWords, Feather, Taobao, & more!
Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard go over Apple's 2025 Design Award winners, exploring groundbreaking apps that showcase the best of Apple's platforms. From AI-powered language learning tools to visually stunning adventure games, these winners represent the pinnacle of mobile innovation and design excellence.
Delight and Fun Category
CapWords - Revolutionary language learning app that transforms everyday objects into interactive stickers, supporting nine languages with AI-powered photo recognition

Balatro - Award-winning poker-inspired deck builder that cleverly teaches poker fundamentals while delivering addictive gameplay across multiple platforms
Innovation Category
Play - Developer-focused app enabling interactive SwiftUI prototype creation with seamless cross-device syncing between iPhone and Mac

PBJ, the Musical - Quirky Shakespeare adaptation telling Romeo and Juliet with condiments as characters, featuring original soundtracks and creative storytelling
Interaction Category
Taobao - Pioneering Apple Vision Pro shopping experience with photorealistic 3D models allowing users to visualize furniture and products in their actual spaces

DREDGE - Atmospheric horror fishing adventure with seamless gameplay continuity across iPhone, iPad, and Mac platforms
Inclusivity Category
Speechify - Accessibility-focused text-to-speech app supporting 50+ languages and hundreds of voices, designed for users with dyslexia, ADHD, and low vision

Art of Fauna - Beautiful wildlife puzzle game featuring vintage-style artwork with full voiceover support and innovative block-based puzzle mechanics
Social Impact Category
Watch Duty - Critical wildfire tracking app providing real-time evacuation updates and emergency information faster than traditional services

Neva - Emotionally resonant adventure game exploring environmental themes through the relationship between a girl and her wolf companion
Visuals and Graphics Category
Feather - Intuitive iPad app enabling users to transform 2D designs into stunning 3D models using touch and Apple Pencil interactions

Infinity Nikki - Visually spectacular open-world adventure game featuring magical outfits, whimsical creatures, and breathtaking rendering quality
Shortcuts Corner
New "Use Model" action in Shortcuts enables cloud, local, or ChatGPT model integration for AI-powered automation

Apple's Shortcuts Gallery now features dedicated Apple Intelligence examples including leftover recipe generation and PDF summarization

App Caps
Mikah's Pick: Gigapixel
AI-powered photo upscaling app that enhances image resolution and quality using sophisticated machine learning models

Features standard and low-res enhancement modes plus specialized face recovery for portrait photographs

Particularly useful for printing older photos or enlarging images without quality loss
Rosemary's Pick: Dark Noise
Premium white noise app enabling custom sound mixing with extensive library of ambient sounds

Supports audio layering with other apps, iCloud sync across devices, and Siri Shortcuts integration

Includes whimsical features like "unnamed goose mode" and developer-friendly privacy controls

These show notes have been truncated due to length. For the full show notes, visit https://twit.tv/shows/ios-today/episodes/757

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard
37 min
June 12, 2025iOS 756: WWDC 2025 - Apple unveils iOS 26 & iPadOS 26!
Apple just dropped the biggest design overhaul since iOS 7, and hosts Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard dive deep into everything announced at WWDC 2025, from the stunning "liquid glass" interface to game-changing iPad features that finally make it feel like a real computer.
Liquid Glass Interface - Biggest visual redesign in many years! Translucent elements, enhanced lighting effects, and improved visual hierarchy

Design Principles - Built around hierarchy, harmony, consistency, layering, depth, and vitality for a more expressive user experience

Visual Effects - Enhanced Control Center with peek-through background visibility and ghostly transparent aesthetic
Apple Intelligence Levels Up
Live Translation - Real-time translation in Messages, FaceTime, and Phone calls running entirely on-device for privacy

Visual Intelligence Expansion - Now works with screenshots and integrates with third-party apps like Etsy for product searches

ChatGPT Integration - Enhanced Image Playground functionality with ChatGPT support across the platform
Carplay & Music Updates
Message Improvements - Tapback support directly in CarPlay without needing CarPlay Ultra

Widgets Integration - CarPlay now supports widgets for enhanced navigation and app experiences

Apple Music Features - Auto Mix with crossfade and beat matching, plus lyric translation for foreign language songs
Phone App Overhaul
Call Screening - System asks unknown callers for their name and reason before connecting you

Hold Assist - Automatically waits on hold and notifies when a human agent returns to call

Unified Interface - Streamlined call history and contact management in a single interface
Gaming & Social Features
Apple Games App - New dedicated hub for Apple Arcade with recommendations and social "Play Together" features

Game Library - Comprehensive view of installed games with play history and activity tracking
Messages Upgrades
Built-in Polling - Native poll creation with expandable voting options and visual participant tracking

Custom Backgrounds - Personalized chat backgrounds, including AI-generated options through Image Playground

Group Payments - Apple Cash support for splitting expenses in group chats

Smart Filtering - Automatic separation of unknown sender messages into a dedicated folder
Apple Watch Enhancements
Gesture Controls - New wrist flick gesture to dismiss notifications and return to watch face

Configurable Widgets - Enhanced customization options for watch complications and widgets

Integration Features - Seamless connection with iPhone's hold assist and other new iOS features
Accessibility Advances
System-wide Reader - Enhanced reading experience across all apps and interfaces

Braille Improvements - Better support for connected Braille displays on iPhone

Enhanced Features - Updates to Live Listen, background sounds, and Personal Voice capabilities
iPadOS 26
Mac-Style Windows - Red, yellow, green window control buttons finally come to iPad

Default Apps - Set specific applications to open different file types automatically

Preview App - New system app for viewing and annotating PDFs and images

Folder Customization - Color-coded folder system across Files app (also coming to Mac)

Background Processing - Computationally intensive tasks can run in the background

Shor

These show notes have been truncated due to length. For the full show notes, visit https://twit.tv/shows/ios-today/episodes/756

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard
55 min
June 05, 2025iOS 755: Planning a Day Out - Please Don't Rain, Mercury Weather, Citymapper, & more
Ready to make your next day out absolutely perfect? Mikah and Rosemary share their favorite apps and strategies for planning the ultimate outdoor adventure, from weather tracking to transit navigation and everything in between.
Please Don't Rain - Rosemary showcases this specialized weather app designed for theme park visits and outdoor activities, featuring location-specific rain forecasts and customizable measurement units for international travelers

Fantastical - Mikah explains how this premium calendar app provides 10-day weather forecasts directly within your schedule, making it easy to plan events around weather conditions

Mercury Weather - Advanced weather app with trip planning features that automatically adjusts forecasts based on your travel destinations, plus widget support for seamless integration

WidgetSmith - David Smith's popular widget creation tool gets highlighted for its countdown timers and custom widgets that help keep upcoming events and trips front-of-mind on your home screen

Apple Maps Custom Guides - Creating and sharing location guides for group trips

CityMapper - Comprehensive look at the ultimate public transportation app, covering everything from platform positioning to accessibility options and multi-modal journey planning across walking, cycling, and transit

Pedometer++ - Rosemary shares real-world examples from her Glasgow trip (28,000+ steps!) and explains how tracking your daily activity can help you understand why you're exhausted after big days out
News
Capsule Medication Tracker - Rosemary announces her new collaboration with Snailed It on a medication tracking app that's more user-friendly than Apple Health, featuring customizable notifications, privacy options, and support for tracking medications for family members and pets! Capsule isn't quite ready yet, but we invite everyone to join the TestFlight in the meantime!
App Caps
Secure Shellfish - SSH client app for iOS that enables server access and file management, particularly useful for managing home servers like Homebridge setups with Files app integration

Finch - Tamagotchi-style app that gamifies self-care and habit building by letting you care for a virtual pet that grows stronger as you complete real-world goals and tasks

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard

Contact iOS Today at [email protected].

Download or subscribe to iOS Today at https://twit.tv/shows/ios-today

Want access to the ad-free video and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.
46 min
May 29, 2025iOS 754: Document Editors - Apps for editing PDF files on iOS!
Document editors take center stage as Mikah and Rosemary show viewers the best apps for editing PDFs and plain text files on iOS devices. The hosts emphasize practical solutions for common document editing needs while showcasing both free built-in tools and premium third-party options for power users.
Built-in PDF tool in Notes - Demonstrates how to attach PDFs to Notes documents, use Quick Look for basic annotation, highlighting, and form filling, plus collaborative editing features

PDF Expert - Rosemary showcases advanced PDF editing capabilities including text editing, image replacement, adding clickable links to table of contents, redaction tools, and custom stamps

Documents - Mikah highlights the comprehensive file management app with PDF tools, conversion options, page management, form filling, and multi-cloud storage integration

Textastic - Rosemary gets technical with this specialized plain text editor supporting syntax highlighting for HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Python, and other programming languages, plus SSH terminal access and live preview features
News
WWDC 2025 announcement - Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference runs June 9-13, with keynote streaming available and exclusive Club TWiT live coverage planned for members
Shortcuts Corner
Follow-up from episode 751 - Dave from Ohio shares success creating an Apple TV remote shortcut button for his iPhone home screen using Rosemary's previous tutorial
App Caps
Wipr 2 - Simple, effective Safari content blocker that blocks ads and trackers without overwhelming features, created by solo developer Kaylee Calderolla

Tatami - Addictive number puzzle game where players connect numbered blocks in lines and rectangles, free to play with $4.99 unlock option, also by developer Kaylee Calderolla

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard

Contact iOS Today at [email protected].

Download or subscribe to iOS Today at https://twit.tv/shows/ios-today

Want access to the ad-free video and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.
40 min
May 22, 2025iOS 753: Voice Tools - Voice Memos, Notes recordings, & more
Discover powerful voice recording and transcription apps that can transform how you capture ideas, take notes, and create content on your Apple devices. Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard explore essential voice tools while sharing exciting news about CarPlay Ultra's debut in Aston Martin vehicles.
Voice Memos app - Built into iOS with live transcription capabilities, allowing users to record, edit, search transcripts, and enhance audio quality with features like silence skipping.

Just Press Record - Popular third-party app offering automatic transcription in multiple languages, customizable file formats, and the ability to share recordings as text, audio, or video.

Ferrite Recording Studio - Professional-grade podcast production tool for iPhone and iPad with multi-track editing, effects, automation, and advanced audio manipulation capabilities.

Otter - Voice transcription service that has evolved to include enterprise features like AI summaries, meeting integrations with Zoom and Teams, and action item extraction.

Notes app recording feature - Built-in audio recording in Apple's Notes app that synchronizes with typed or handwritten notes, providing searchable transcriptions.
News
CarPlay Ultra announced - Apple's next-generation car interface is debuting in Aston Martin vehicles with support for instrument clusters and customizable displays; coming soon to Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. The new CarPlay Ultra works with devices as old as iPhone 12 running iOS 18.5, making the technology accessible to more users.
Shortcuts Corner
New Shortcuts features in iOS 18.4 - Latest update includes actions for Clock app (add/remove cities), Messages app (open specific conversations), and settings controls for various apps.

Safari settings shortcuts - New ability to toggle pop-up blocking, change search engines, and adjust tab behavior through shortcuts, allowing customized browser experiences.

Creating profiles - Using the new settings shortcuts to create pseudo-profiles for different contexts like work and personal use on iOS and iPadOS
App Caps
Partiful - Free event planning app with features like date polling, RSVP tracking, photo sharing, playlist integration, and "chip in" payment options for collecting money from attendees.

Moft Dynamic Folio - iPad case offering several viewing angles with innovative folding design, available for multiple iPad models and starting around $40.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard

Contact iOS Today at [email protected].

Download or subscribe to iOS Today at https://twit.tv/shows/ios-today

Want access to the ad-free video and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.
57 min
May 15, 2025iOS 752: Print Out Your Photos - Social Print Studio, Shutterfly, Mpix, & more
Looking to transform your iPhone photos into tangible keepsakes? Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard explore various apps and services that help you print your digital photos in different formats, from traditional prints to magnets, books, and even wine glasses!
Social Print Studio - A versatile app offering various print options including photo magnets with water-resistant coating and classic square prints on archival paper

Mpix - Features integration with the Mac Photos app and offers a Print Club subscription

Google Photos Premium Print Series - $7/month for 10 4x6 prints that Google selects from your library, with option to have postcard-style backs for mailing

Shutterfly - Best for bulk printing and uniquely customized items like photo water bottles and wine glasses, though print quality may not be as high as other services

Boots Photo - The app for the UK pharmacy store, where users can obtain their printed pictures
Shortcuts Corner
A user named DiAnna requested help moving the last word of ebook filenames to the front, and Rosemary created a shortcut solution without using regular expressions!
App Caps
Rosemary's pick: Eco-Worthy 12-volt foldable solar panel (100W) - A portable, waterproof solar panel for camping that can recharge battery packs like Jackery, with adjustable angles and no magnetic connectors

Mikah's pick: Days - An event countdown app that creates customizable widgets for upcoming events with photo backgrounds, different font styles, and countdown formats that can display in days or hours

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard

Contact iOS Today at [email protected].

Download or subscribe to iOS Today at https://twit.tv/shows/ios-today

Want access to the ad-free video and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.
22 min
May 08, 2025iOS 751: Video Editing on iPhone - Edits, CapCut, iMovie, & more
Ready to transform your iPhone into a video editing studio? Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard dive into the best video editing apps available for iOS, comparing features from Meta's new Edits app to Apple's own offerings. Plus, discover Apple's new Snapshot website, handy shortcuts for Apple TV remotes, and power solutions for your next outdoor adventure.
Meta's Edits app - New social-focused video editor from Instagram that shot to #1 in the App Store; includes features like text overlay, captions, cutout effects, and direct sharing to social platforms

Apple Clips - Apple's free social video editor offering multiple aspect ratios, poster templates, effects, filters, and live subtitles with an easy-to-use interface

iMovie - The classic video editing solution with the "Magic Movie" feature that automatically creates professional-looking videos from selected photos and clips with various style templates

CapCut - Popular social video editor mentioned as an alternative option, though it comes with pricey subscription plans
News
Apple Snapshot - Apple launched a new website (snapshot.apple.com) that creates hub pages for artists, actors, and athletes, showing where they appear across Apple platforms like Apple TV+, Apple Music, and Apple Podcasts
Shortcuts Corner
Apple TV Remote Shortcut - Rosemary demonstrates how to create a simple one-action shortcut to add the Apple TV remote directly to your iPhone home screen

Close Safari Tabs Shortcut - A three-action shortcut that finds and closes all Safari tabs containing a specific URL, perfect for clearing out accumulated tabs after shopping or research
App Cap
Rosemary's Pick: Jackery Explorer 240 v2 - A 256Wh portable power station perfect for camping, power outages, or charging devices on the go with USB-C, USB-A, and AC power output options

Mikah's Pick: Puffies - An addictive Apple Arcade game where players reconstruct sticker sheets by placing cutout stickers in their correct positions, with daily challenges and different themed packs

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard

Contact iOS Today at [email protected].

Download or subscribe to iOS Today at https://twit.tv/shows/ios-today

Want access to the ad-free video and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.
45 min
May 01, 2025iOS 750: Coffee & Cocktails - Highball, FourSix, Just Timers, & more
Brew the perfect cup or mix the ideal cocktail with these iOS apps! Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard dive into specialized apps for creating beverages, from precision coffee timing to cocktail recipe management. They explore how these apps can enhance your drink-making experience while sharing Apple's latest privacy-focused AI developments.
AeroPress Timer ($4.99) - A specialized app for AeroPress coffee brewing that includes recipes from competitions and roasters worldwide, with detailed timing for each brewing step and voice shortcut support

FourSix Coffee Timer (Free with IAP) - Designed for pour-over coffee brewing with timing for each stage of the process

Just Timers (Free with IAP) - A flexible interval timer app that lets you create custom named timers with different colors, alerts, and even the ability to open URLs when timers expire, perfect for any brewing process

Highball (Free) - A beautifully designed cocktail recipe app from Studio Neat that allows you to create, customize, and collect drink recipes with visual representations of glass types and garnishes
News
Apple's Privacy-Focused AI Research - Apple published research on their approach to improving AI features like Genmoji while preserving user privacy through differential privacy techniques. Apple detailed how they create and refine synthetic data to train text generation models without accessing real user emails, instead using anonymous device feedback to identify common message patterns

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard

Contact iOS Today at [email protected].

Download or subscribe to iOS Today at https://twit.tv/shows/ios-today

Want access to the ad-free video and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.
33 min
April 24, 2025iOS 749: Daily Utility Apps - PDF Expert, Canon PRINT, Soulver 3
Discover essential utility apps that solve everyday problems with your Apple devices! Hosts Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard walk you through a collection of must-have apps that address common pain points throughout your day. From document scanning to printing solutions, they demonstrate how the right apps can make your digital life significantly easier.
Simple Scan by Agile Tortoise - A powerful document scanning app that lets you choose your destination (email, messages, files) and quality settings, making it easy to digitize paper documents and manuals.

Yoink - A clever "shelf" app that serves as a temporary holding place for files you need for a short time but don't want to save permanently.

Printer Apps (Canon PRINT, HP, etc.) - Manufacturer-specific printer apps can help troubleshoot connection issues, perform maintenance, and sometimes succeed at printing when AirPrint fails.

PDF Expert - The free version offers scaling options for printing that aren't available in most standard print dialogs, allowing you to adjust document size to fit perfectly on different paper sizes.

PCalc- Goes beyond basic calculations to offer extensive conversion capabilities for length, area, currency, cooking measurements, and much more.

Soulver 3 - A powerful math app for "back of the envelope" calculations with annotations, perfect for budget planning or working through complex math problems.

Drafts - An incredibly versatile text capture tool that works via widgets, serves as a digital post-it system, and helps clean up long URLs from sites like Amazon before sharing.
News
iPadOS Updates Coming - Mark Gurman of Bloomberg reports that Apple plans to make iPadOS more like macOS at WWDC this year, focusing on productivity, multitasking, and app window management.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard

Contact iOS Today at [email protected].

Download or subscribe to iOS Today at https://twit.tv/shows/ios-today

Want access to the ad-free video and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.
36 min
April 17, 2025iOS 748: Accessories & Gizmos - Cactus Leather, MX Keys Mini, WiFiMan Wizard, & more
Looking for tech accessories that will enhance your Apple experience? Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard showcase their favorite gadgets and devices that pair perfectly with your Apple products. From keyboards and remote controls to innovative cases and water bottles, this episode highlights practical and useful accessories you might want to add to your own tech collection.
Logitech MX Keys Mini - Rosemary shows off this compact keyboard that connects to three devices and features USB-C charging with nicely dimpled keys for better typing.

Otterbox Statement Series Cactus Leather Case - Mikah discovered this premium case made from sustainable cactus leather that offers a great feel while avoiding the bulk traditionally associated with Otterbox products.

Satechi R2 Bluetooth Multimedia Remote Control - This metal remote features both multimedia and presentation modes, making it perfect for controlling media playback or presentations when traveling.

LARQ PureViz Bottle - This high-tech water bottle features UV lights in the lid to kill bacteria, tracks water intake with sensors, and offers an optional filtration straw for cleaner water on the go.

Sony SRS-NB10 Wireless Neckband Speaker - A comfortable alternative to headphones that sits around your neck, delivering personal audio without blocking your ears, perfect for audiobooks or conference calls.

Ubiquiti Wi-Fi Man Wizard - This phone-attachable spectrum analyzer works with the Wi-Fi Man app to create AR maps of your home's Wi-Fi coverage, helping identify dead zones and optimize router placement.

Orbit Key 2-in-1 Tech Accessory Pouch - A versatile carrying case with elastic pockets, pen loops, and space for cables, chargers, and other tech essentials, plus a compartment for an AirTag to track your gear.

dBrand "Touch Grass" Skin - An April Fools product that's actually real, featuring AstroTurf-like coverings for phones, laptops, and other devices.
News
WWDC 2024 Announced - Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference will be held the week of June 9th, with rumored major redesigns coming to Apple's operating systems!

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard

Contact iOS Today at [email protected].

Download or subscribe to iOS Today at https://twit.tv/shows/ios-today

Want access to the ad-free video and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.
40 min

About iOS Today (Audio)

From the publisher's feed

Join Rosemary Orchard and Mikah Sargent for iOS Today, TWiT.tv's podcast for all things iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and more! From app reviews to helpful tips and tricks, from the latest news to the coolest accessories, Rosemary and Mikah will help you make the most of all your iOS devices.

Submit your Apple device and shortcut queries through email at [email protected] or via TWiT's social media. You might hear your question answered on the show!

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