BTTR Roundup #45: What Would Destroy Culture (WWDC) in 2025? AI, of course

Apple's WWDC conference was the big news this week, a time when Apple unveils a whole heap of features you won't get to use for at least three months.

One thing that's really struck me this year is the commentary that Apple is falling behind, because it isn't shoehorning AI into every announcement in the same way Google did at IO.

I argue why that's a misguided argument bit at the end of this newsletter for paid subscribers, but I'm keen to hear your thoughts – are Apple's plans to delay some of its AI products (predominantly an upgraded version of AI Siri) a good business move, or proof that Apple is falling behind?

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This week's new tech news

Is it just me, or has this week been a wild rollercoaster? There was a lot out of WWDC, so let's start there:

• As expected, Apple renamed all its software versions to align with the year, so the next version of iOS, watchOS, tvOS, visionOS, iPadOS and macOS will all be "26". I'm not a fan.
• The big theme this year was the new "Liquid Glass" design language. Apple describes it as: "a new translucent material that reflects and refracts its surroundings, bringing greater focus to content, and delivering a new level of vitality across controls, navigation, app icons, widgets, and more." Basically, it makes things look like glass on the screen. Good, I guess? Except for when it makes text hard to read. [Apple]
• I know I give AI a lot of shit, but Call Screening is an AI feature worth paying for. It basically demands all unknown callers justify why you should answer the phone, and it means a lot of scammers are going to have a harder job ripping people off. Big fan of this idea. [Apple]
• (The useless AI features like Genmoji and Image Playground are getting updates too, but they'll still be useless.) [Apple]
• Apple Intelligence is coming workouts for the Apple Watch, and will talk to you to either inspire you or motivate you to keep pushing during a workout. It will need you to pair your headphones to your watch and have your Apple Intelligence-enabled phone nearby, though. [Apple]
• The iPad is getting multi-window multitasking, making it much more like macOS than iOS. It makes a lot of sense, really, that the iPad is heading this way, but not sure if it's a system-seller. [Apple]
• The Journal app is coming to macOS. Finally! There's also a big update to Spotlight, which should make it easier to find files and then do something with that file, like sending it in an email or playing a podcast.[Apple]
• There's a new dedicated Games app for iOS, iPadOS and MacOS (but not tvOS, where it would be most useful IMO). It acts as a launcher, social platform and achievements tracker. [Apple]
• visionOS still exists, and people are working on it to give it features like Widgets and eye scrolling. I'm not sure why, though. [Apple]
• For parents, Apple is simplifying parental controls, with more granular age ratings on the app store, better communication and easier screen time management. [Apple]
• Apple is giving up its support for Intel-based Macs. This isn't a surprise, but the upcoming macOS Tahoe will be the last major OS update for any Mac that's not powered by Apple Silicon. There will still be three years of security updates though.
• There's still no updated Siri. This isn't really a surprise, but I'm not too phased. While there's a heap of commentary about how Apple is falling behind in AI, I for one appreciate the focus on trying to ship a product that actually works.

Beyond WWDC, there was a bunch of other news this week too:

• Life360 and Tile are now fully consolidated into the Life360 app. If you want to track your loved ones or important possessions, Tile is a solid option with a range of form factors, though the subscription cost does add up. The Tile app is still around for the moment, but it's only a matter of time before it's all handled through the Life360 app. [Life360]
• If you own an iPhone 13 or later and are a Telstra customer, you can now send SMS messages via satellite. [Telstra]
• Hisense may have launched one of the best budget 4K TVs I've ever tested with the U6QAU, but it's also got your bigger screen needs catered to with the new M2 Pro short throw projector. Priced at $2,499 in Australia, it offers 4K pictures up to 200 inches in size (on the diagonal), with AI image improvement and support for Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual: X. [Hisense]
• Hisense has also confirmed Aussie details of the HT SATURN home theatre system. 4.1.2 surround sound, with both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support and tri-band Wi-Fi support. RRP is $1,199. [Hisense]
• One of my favourite pairs of headphones, the Sonos Ace, has received a nice update this week. One of the features I wanted to see at launch was the ability for two pairs of Sonos Ace headphones to swap audio with a Sonos soundbar, so you can watch in silence with your partner. Now you can! The update also brings the company's TrueCinema sound tuning to the headphones, so the acoustics are calibrated to your room, while ANC gets a bit of a boost for different types of situations, like wearing glasses with the headphones. All in all, a solid update. [Sonos]
• The latest trailer for Apple TV's F1 movie has a special version for iPhones that uses haptics to create a really cool immersive experience. Honestly, I have zero interest in F1, but I thought this was cool. Now, we just need a full movie experience with this level of immersiveness. [Apple]
• Did you think the Nintendo Switch 2 was going to flop? Or were you firmly in the "best console ever" camp? After four days, Nintendo confirmed it had sold 3.5 million units worldwide, smashing previous records. Previously, it took three weeks for the OG Switch to sell 2.7 million units, while the Ps5 sold 3.4 million in 4 weeks. It looks to me like the "best console ever" camp might have been onto something. [Nintendo]
• Microsoft has finally unveiled an Xbox handheld gaming console, but it's not quite the company's version of the PS Vita. Working with ASUS, the company is launching the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X, essentially Xbox-centric versions of ASUS's ROG Ally portable gaming PC handhelds. It will use Xbox's experience rather than a full Windows experience, with different specs and capacities across the two models. Pricing and availability to come. [Microsoft]
• Fujifilm has announced the new X-E5 camera, designed for aspiring photographers. 40.2 MP sensor, 6.2K video at 30 fps, 4K video at 60 fps, 1080p at 120 fps. It also has a special film simulation dial with three customisable recipes for letting you create your own style. RRP is $2,699. [Fujifilm]
• Razer has dropped some big updates to its Razer Kishi lineup or mobile gaming controllers. There are three new models: the Kishi V3 ($189.95), Kishi V3 Pro ($269.95) and Kishi V3 Pro XL ($349.95), and offer HD haptics, TMR thumbsticks with swappable caps and USB-C passthrough charging. Considering the Kishi Ultra is probably my favourite gaming controller right now, these sound promising. [Razer]

(Photo by Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash)

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