Lego partners with Apple to add augmented component to physical playsets

Lego already gives creative builders the chance to physically make something only limited by their own imagination, but now your playsets are going to look a whole lot cooler with the addition of Apple’s ARKit 2.0 technology. Lego has created a new augmented reality experience that supplements your physical Lego kits with virtual buildings, people, foliage, and vehicles.

During Apple’s WWDC 2018 presentation, Martin Sanders, Lego’s director of innovation, took the stage to show off how ARKit 2.0 can be used with physical Lego sets to create something even more impressive in augmented reality. With the help of Apple ARKit 2.0, Lego has created a new augmented reality experience that supplements your physical Lego kits with virtual buildings, people, foliage, and vehicles.

With the “Assembly Square” playset placed on a table in front of him, Sanders aimed at it with an iPad and, with the press of a button, created an entire town around the physical building on his screen. Other shops, sidewalks, and grass appeared, nearly indistinguishable from the physical set.

It’s made possible through the 3D object detection in the ARKit 2.0, which allows users to add additional foliage, buildings, people, or cars. Small icons visible above certain people and objects in the world even allow you to take part in missions. These can include situations that require urgent action, such as a building catching fire (with a firetruck, you can put out the inferno). During the WWDC stage demonstration, Sanders also rescued multiple trapped citizens from the roof of a building using a helicopter.

If you approach one of the buildings with your camera and attempt to peer inside, you’ll find the buildings bustling with activity. With a quick tap, you can even peel back the outside walls of multiple buildings to observe them like you would a dollhouse.

ARKit 2.0 allows up to four players to experience a Lego world at the same time, with the changes made by one player instantly visible on the others’ screens. When you’re done playing for the day, you can save all progress and tie it to your physical set, allowing you to start from the same point when you’re ready to play again.

“When we combine physical and digital together like this, it really opens up those creative play possibilities,” Sanders said.

Lego promises more AR experiences will be available in the App Store later this year. We’re crossing our fingers for something Harry Potter- or Star Wars-themed.

Editors’ Recommendations

• ‘Lego DC Super-Villains’ turns the tables, lets you wreak havoc
• Virtual reality roller coaster ‘The Great Lego Race’ opens in Florida
• Watch a Lego robot prepare a perfect egg and bacon breakfast
• Elon Musk’s new idea involves Boring Company rock and ancient Egyptian sites
• Everything Apple announced at WWDC, from iOS 12 to MacOS Mojave

Here is everything you need to know about the Fitbit Versa

Brenda Stolyar/Digital Trends
Brenda Stolyar/Digital Trends

In March, Fitbit officially unveiled the Fitbit Versa — a product it calls a “smartwatch for all.” Featuring a style reminiscent of the Apple Watch, the Versa plants its flag as the successor to the company’s previous smartwatch releases, the Blaze and Ionic.

Here’s everything you need to know. You can check out our Fitbit Versa review for a more in-depth analysis of the smartwatch.

Price and availability

The Fitbit Versa is available for purchase worldwide via Fitbit’s own website, along with retailers in North America such as Best Buy, Amazon, Kohl’s, Target, Verizon, and Macy’s, among others. Those interested in using Fitbit Pay, however, will have to shell out a bit more for the Fitbit Versa Special Edition, which retails for $230 and is currently available for pre-order.

In the six weeks since the Versa has been available, it’s proven itself to be quite the hit among customers. On Monday, June 4, Fitbit announced that it had shipped more than a million of these new smartwatches. That makes it the fastest selling product that Fitbit has ever offered, and the Versa is also currently the top-selling smartwatch on Amazon. This likely comes as a relief to Fitbit, which has previously struggled to create a popular product in a crowded market. The $300 Ionic smartwatch, for example, didn’t do nearly as well as the Versa when it went on sale in 2017.

This is likely thanks to the more attractive price point of the Versa, as well as its wider range of functions. Fitbit, however, didn’t share much as to why it thinks its new smartwatch is doing well. It said simply that the Versa has “true mass appeal.”

Design and features

Fitbit’s wearable designs are never conventional and the brand’s official unveil of the Versa confirmed a design many were already expecting. The lightest metal smartwatch in the United States, the Versa boasts an extremely thin anodized aluminum case with an angled and slightly tapered design perfect for small or large wrists. It’s rounded square face — a shape which Fitbit calls a “squircle” — features a colorful, touchscreen display with a brightness up to 1,000 nits.

Similar to Fitbit’s Ionic, the Versa comes packed with a variety of smartwatch features, as well as the company’s signature fitness tracking capabilities. Offering notifications which alert users to text messages, app updates, phone calls, and calendar alerts, among others, wearers will have quick access to the goings on in their smartphone without reaching for their pocket.

Fitbit is currently rolling out its quick replies feature for Versa and Ionic users. Android users now have the ability to respond back to text messages via Fitbit’s quick replies feature — Apple’s ecosystem doesn’t currently allow for similar replies. Those with an Android phone will be able to send up to five custom or pre-population replies that are 60 characters or less. Android users will also be able to send these quick replies on third-party apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.

Default quick replies include: ‘Yes,’ ‘No,’ ‘Sounds Good!,’ ‘Can’t talk now — will reply later,’ and ‘Whats up?’ You’re also able to respond with a variety of emojis including the smiley face, crying with laughter face, running emoji, and more.

Compatible only with the Versa Special Edition is Fitbit Pay. For use anywhere that accepts contactless payment, Fitbit Pay currently supports more than 60 banks in 15 different countries via American Express, Mastercard, or Visa networks. Fitbit plans on expanding into more countries and banks later in 2018.

The Versa also supports phone-free music — 2.5GB of the watch’s 4GB storage is even reserved solely for tunes — and even features Pandora and Deezer access. Fitbit also upped the customization ante by giving wearers the ability to fully customize the smartwatch, offering a variety of apps like Starbucks, Strava, and Flipboard, as well as a number of custom clock faces — the brand says there’s already over 550 apps and clock faces currently available.

And what would a Fitbit wearable be without fitness tracking? Like the Ionic before it, the Versa still tracks fitness stats with the best of the company’s lineup, offering users easy access to daily, weekly, and monthly fitness data, including logged steps, calories burned, and heart rate patterns. Over time, the accumulated data helps create a more personalized approach to staying active, getting more sleep, or keeping organized. The Versa even offers fitness guidance via Fitbit Coach and allows for swim tracking, boasting a water-resistance up to 50 meters.

Female health tracking

• 1.
  Fitbit app screen for IOS showing female health and calendar

The Fitbit Versa’s most impressive new addition is the inclusion of female health tracking, and Fitbit began rolling it out for iOS and Windows on May 7 (users can access it on the Ionic as well). The new feature allows you to log your period, record symptoms, and receive push notifications two days before and on the day of your predicted period start date. For easy access, you can add the tile to your personalized health dashboard on the Fitbit app. With smartwatch integration, you can also swipe up on your watch to the Fitbit Today dashboard to check when your period is going to start or end along with your next fertile window.

As you continue to log your cycle and symptoms each month, the female-health tracking app will get smarter as it tailors to your patterns. That way, it will be able to offer more insights based on how your cycle impacts activity, weight and nutrition, sleep, and more. The app also offers an educational aspect, providing access to the Fitbit blog where women can learn about fertility, ovulation, the menstrual cycle, and common misunderstandings.

After rolling out to iOS and Windows users in early May, Fitbit announced in June that more than 2.4 million users have already begun using the new feature. This builds upon the success the app saw in its first week of availability, when 1 million users began downloading and leveraging the app. This continued success is likely due to an update that went out to Android users the week of May 14, allowing all owners of the Ionic and Versa — despite their smartphone’s operating system — to utilize the new female health tracking feature.

A variety of cases and watch bands to choose from

Fitbit’s Versa comes standard in black with a black aluminum case, gray with a silver aluminum case, or peach with a rose gold aluminum case. The Versa Special Edition is available in lavender with a rose gold aluminum case or charcoal with a graphite aluminum case — this edition also comes packaged with a black Classic accessory band.

Brenda Stolyar/Digital Trends
Brenda Stolyar/Digital Trends

To pair with your Versa, Fitbit released a variety of different watch bands — Classic, Horween leather, stainless steel, metal mesh, and more — which range from $30 to $100. The brand also teamed up with The Council of Fashion Designers of America to create a Designer collection by New York-based brand PH5. The unique accessory line will be available in the second half of 2018.

To add to its collection of watch bands, Fitbit asked for help from its customers. Up until June 1, users were able to vote on the next classic band color via the Fitbit blog. Folks had the option to vote for either a mint, denim, or orchid color and the winner will be announced on Fitbit’s social media channels on June 4. The winning color will be available for purchase exclusively through Fitbit’s website this fall.

Fitbit

Developer friendly

Fitbit also debuted the online simulator, a program which allows developers to build apps and clock faces specifically for the Versa and Ionic — without actually owning either device. Fitbit intends for this to help budding developers improve the visibility of their apps, essentially making available its entire Versa and Ionic user community located across the world.

With this program, Fitbit has partnered with health care companies to deliver a variety of new apps to help users manage medical conditions — such as cancer or diabetes — and to improve wellness. Users will have access to apps like Walgreens which allows you to access the closest Walgreens pharmacy when you need to pick up a prescription, or Sickweather which is an app that scans social networks for illness around your area. Other apps include Diplomat Pharmacy, One Drop, Fitabase, and more.

With the release of the Versa, Fitbit has also rolled out its new OS — Fitbit 2.0 — allowing all Ionic users to update to the new software.

Updated on June 4: Fitbit announces that it has already shipped 1 million units of the Versa. 

Editors’ Recommendations

• Fitbit Versa vs. Fitbit Ionic: A battle of the wearable maker’s flagships
• Fitbit Versa vs. Apple Watch Series 3: Which should you wear?
• Fitbit has already shipped a million Versa smartwatches
• Fitbit Ionic: Adidas edition will be available on March 19
• Fitbit Versa review

Addicted to sugar? Neuroscientists could soon reprogram your brain to hate it

In the quest to get ready for summer, many of us want to get in better shape by exercising a bit more and maybe losing a few pounds. But when you’re confronted with stacks of candy bars at the supermarket checkout, sometimes it can be a bit too tempting to cheat on our diet. Sure, added willpower would be nice, but wouldn’t it be great if we could just reprogram our brain to no longer crave — or even actively reject — sugar? That’s a possibility hinted at in a new piece of research coming out of Columbia University’s Zuckerman Institute.

Researchers there have identified two regions of the brain that respond to sweet and bitter tastes, and modified these areas in mice to provoke different reactions. In their study, they were able to make mice respond to ordinary water as though it was sugar, make bitterness an attractive taste, and turn sweetness into a negative experience.

“Our current study aimed to decipher how the identity and valence of sweet and bitter taste were processed at the insula cortex and amygdala,” Dr. Li Wang, a postdoctoral research scientist in the Zuker Lab and the paper’s first author, told Digital Trends. “With viral tracing tools, we labeled these sweet and bitter cortical neurons in green and red, and mapped their projections brain-wide using one of the latest whole-brain clearing and imaging techniques. It is interesting to find that sweet and bitter neurons separately projected to two different subregions of amygdala, an important brain structure for judging and assigning the value of a sensory stimulus. By switching on or off this cortico-amygdalar circuit, it is [possible] to change the valence of taste or manually assign a new valence.”

Valence in this psychological sense refers to the inherent attractiveness or averseness of a particular taste quality. That means that it could one day be possible to use this research to alter the emotional component of eating certain foods. That might conceivably be used to help people with a range of eating disorders.

“Looking from the long-term view, it [may] help to address the obesity issue, if we could have a way to change humans’ preference of sugar,” Wang said. “In the [future], we will expand our research to other brain structures and aim to unravel how these regions drive different aspects of the taste behavioral responses.”

A paper describing the work was recently published in the journal Nature.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Stimulating brains with lasers can create ‘Matrix’-like false experiences
• Scientists put a crocodile in an fMRI machine and played it Bach. Here’s why
• Shocking the brain with electricity can prompt people to remember old dreams
• Scientists figure out how to monitor the brain activity of bats in midflight
• Scientists nix Alzheimer’s-causing brain plaques in mice. Could humans be next?

Google Photos can take up less space on your phone with new mobile support

Google Photos can back up images, edit your photos, share albums — and now you may not have to download the full app to get those features. Google Photos online platform is now available as a Progressive Web App, which means the webpage has similar app features without talking up space on your smartphone for the app itself. The Progressive Web App is available on browsers that support PWAs, including Chrome on Android and Chrome OS, at photos.google.com.

Google was quiet about the change, but users spotted the update over the weekend. Inside Chrome with the PWAs enabled, Google Photo maintains more of the app’s features from the web browser. PWA webpages can also be saved as a shortcut on the home screen, which allows users to access the webpage in a process just like opening the app.

The Google Photos PWA allows users to access their images similar to the access inside the app, including creating albums, sharing photos and the assistant. Android users using Chrome may also get a popup shortcut to add the webpage to the home screen. The PWA version is missing a few things, however, including notifications and offline photos.

PWAs use less device storage than the complete apps while offering some of the same feel. Google says PWAs are also designed for a reliable and fast experience. Google Photos move to a PWA helps users access photos stored online while taking up less space on the device itself.

Google introduced PWA at the Chrome Dev Summit in late 2016. The format treats the webpages like an app rather than opening them in Chrome. And while Google Photos doesn’t appear to support notifications in PWA form yet, the format makes it possible to enable features like notifications even without the full app download. Since the launch, PAWs have been activated for Chrome Dev and Canary apps, while Safari is also adding support.

Google launched several tweaks to the Photos Platform over the last few weeks. Social reactions are arriving inside the app, while a developer program allows for third-party integrations with the cloud photo service. Last month, Google also rolled out new artificial intelligence-powered features for the app.

Editors’ Recommendations

• The 100 best iPad apps for your Apple tablet
• How to download podcasts and listen to them on Android or iOS
• Best parental control apps for your kid’s smartphone
• With developer program, Google Photos is about to become a lot more versatile
• The best iPhone apps available right now (May 2018)

Best parental control apps for your kid’s smartphone

Wavebreak Media Ltd/123RF.com

If your kids have their own mobile devices, you may want a way to track and control what they’re doing. The best parental control apps offer ways to limit time spent on the device, track usage and location, and block apps or games as necessary. Let’s take a look at the top apps that made our list. We’ve also got resources if you want parental controls for mobile game systems and gaming consoles.

FamilyTime (iOS and Android) — $1 to $2 per month

FamilyTime does a lot of everything, allowing you to customize your control options for the precise content or behaviors you want to prevent. The software gives you tools to set homework and bedtimes, or merely limit the time that your kids spend on their phones. Then it adds options for geofencing (you get alerts when that phone enters or leaves a specific area) and tracking. On top of that, you can block or control on an app-by-app basis, monitor texts, and keep an eye on contact lists.

While it’s great that FamilyTime meets so many needs, this is also a consideration for parents: The software suite may take some time to learn before you can use all the features effectively. It’s often better to get a simple control app that you know how to use rather than a complicated app that you don’t really understand, so FamilyTime may not be for everyone.

Get started at:

FamilyTime

Qustodio (iOS, Android, Kindle, Nook) — $55+ per year

Qustodio is user-friendly, efficient, and excellent for parents who are short on time. It offers a dashboard that shows you all recent mobile activity for any connected device, including time spent on specific services like Instagram or Twitter. From there you can set time limits, track texts, filter out racy sites, and set time limits for any game or app. It’s relatively noninvasive, but still effective — a great control app to use when managing devices for kids of multiple ages (it also works on the Kindle, if you want to protect Amazon devices). On the downside, the software is a little expensive at $55 annually for the five-device plan, and higher rates if you want to add more devices: You can check out our top free control software here.

Get started at:

Qustodio

ESET Parental Control (Android) — $30 per year

ESET has a collection of features that allow for more subtle control than some of the other big child security apps available. It offers app and website blocks, but allows you to choose age-based features that you can switch as kids grow up, allowing them to access a wider range of websites in the future while still keeping them protected. There’s also a parent message feature, which sends out a message that kids are required to respond to before they continue using their phones (if you prefer starting with gentle reminders). As is common, you can set time limits on device use, although ESET also allows kids to request extra time. If you are particularly invested in Android, you may want to compare this option to Google’s own Family Link control app.

Get started at:

ESET

Pumpic (iOS and Android) — $15 per month

Pumpic’s clean interface helps parents deal with the long list of tools that come with the app. You can track calls and texts, or block and limit them as you see fit. You can also monitor a variety of social media activities, along with any websites visited, with blocking options provided here as well. Pumpic also allows you to track device location and the history of where the device has been: For more direct action, you can choose to lock down or even wipe the phone at any time.

Get started at:

Pumpic

OurPact (iOS) — $2-7 per month for full services

OurPact is a streamlined app that offers core parental control services without getting too complicated (and a more affordable pricing plan to match). You can block apps or internet access, create time schedules, and control access in real time as you need to. It’s not the best choice if you want to watch everything your kid is doing online, but it’s useful for protecting younger children and working out smartphone limits early on.

Get started at:

OurPact

Net Nanny (iOS and Android) – $60 per year

From a feature perspective, Net Nanny is similar to Qustodio or PhoneSheriff: The suite of features includes an internet filter, porn blocker, time schedules, alerts about activity, and usage reports. However, there aren’t as many options to control specific app access, so games and social media get less attention with this approach. There are also a couple extra features, such as a profanity filter that allows kids to visit web pages but blocks out the bad words. Net Nanny’s knowledge sources also deserve a shout-out — the company has one of the best collections of guides and tips for parents learning more about digital security.

Get started at:

NetNanny

KidLogger (iOS and Android) — Free to $90 per year, depending on plan

KidLogger is a more aggressive option with a plethora of “spy” features for watching everything your kids do on their mobile devices. Reports include everything from web history recording and message/social media monitoring to random computer screenshots, detailed app usage, and records of all files and folders open (this extends to external storage as well). Basically, you can watch anything that goes on — as well as recording keystrokes and tracking time spent on the device. However, while it’s certainly a Big Brother approach, Kidlogger is relatively lax about actually blocking or limiting content, so it may ultimately offer more freedom for tweens and teens.

Get started at:

KidLogger

Norton Family Premier — $50 per year

Norton is a big name in the field of antivirus software, and Norton Family Premier is a solid program for restricting and monitoring your kids’ behavior online. Family Premier offers parents a variety of features and makes it easy to manage all those options thanks to its clean interface. Family Premier doesn’t limit the number of devices you can have on an account, so simply install on any iOS or Android devices (or Windows desktops) your kids will use.

Among Family Premier’s most notable features is its robust web supervision, which allows users to block sites entirely, or simply keep a log of the sites kids visit. You can also set Norton to issue warnings for sites that you may not want to ban, but would prefer your kids be careful on — for example, you want to urge them not to waste all their time browsing memes on Reddit. Norton also lets users set time limits for their kids, shutting down their devices after a certain amount of time or during specific hours of the day.

Get started at:

Norton

Final note: There are thriving teen forums online discussing all possible ways to get around parental controls, some with highly advanced and/or sneaky tactics. If you know teens, that shouldn’t surprise you, but it’s still something to prepare for. When picking a parental control app, don’t write down your password or login information (no matter how well you think you can hide it). You may also want to create a news alert for the software you choose, to help keep an eye out for any new vulnerabilities or workarounds. Some software can be bypassed with phone resets, customer service requests, and other tricks that you should know about.

Editors’ Recommendations

• The best robot kits for kids
• Save data, save money: How to reduce your data usage on Android or iOS
• The best tablets for kids, no matter their age or your budget
• Everything die-hard sports fans need to know about FuboTV
• These apps will help you make the most out of your Apple TV

iOS 12 will make your iPhone faster and less annoying. Here’s what’s coming

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

At this year’s Worldwide Developer Conference, Apple unveiled its latest operating system: iOS 12. While the final version of the new OS won’t be available until September, the company announced a ton of new features to look forward to.

Ranging from app updates to group FaceTime, ARKit 2.0, and more, here are all the new features in iOS 12.

Better performance

New iOS 12 Features

Better performance
New AR file format
Measure app
ARKit 2.0
Photos
Siri Shortcuts
A variety of app updates
Do Not Disturb at bedtime
Grouped notifications
Managing screen time
Animoji and Memoji
Group FaceTime
Apple TV in the Control Center

In particular, iOS 12 will be focused on doubling down on performance. Apple plans on delivering an operating system that’s faster and more responsive across all iOS devices. The focus has mainly been on optimizing the system when it’s underload, with load speeds up to two times faster for sheet display and app launches.

CPU performance will also be ramped up to its highest state for performance and will be ramped down just as quickly in order to preserve battery life.

New AR file format

Apple wanted to make it easier to experience augmented reality with a new file format called USDZ. Developed in partnership with Pixar, USDZ is an open file format that allows developers to create and share 3D Augmented Reality assets, all through a single and compact file format.

Measure app

With the Measure app, you can easily get direct measurements of any objects around you. By tapping the object and dragging out a line, it’ll display a measurement right on your screen. You can also extend the measurements by tapping along the edges and dragging down. You’ll also have the ability to tap on an object like a photo, and have the app automatically detect the measurements, providing you with each dimension.

ARKit 2.0

Following the release of ARKit with iOS 11 last year, iOS 12 brings along a new version. ARKit 2.0 delivers improved face tracking, realistic rendering, and support for 3D object detection. There’s also support for shared experiences with multi-user augmented reality — you’ll be able to play AR games against other users in the same virtual environment.

Photos

In the Photo app, iOS 12 brings Search Suggestions, which highlights your photos based on key events or categories such as swimming and hiking. You’ll also be able to search for places by business name or a broader category such as a museum. Photos also indexes more than 4 million events by time and place, allowing you to search for specific photos based on terms like vacation and surfing. You’ll also receive suggestions on specific things to search.

The all new “For You” tab will provide you with featured photos. Whether it’s a photo you took on the same day a few years back or effect suggestions for looping a live photo, the tab provides individual suggestions for different actions you can take with the pictures in your album.

There’s also Sharing Suggestions, which will come in handy when you see all your friends and take tons of photos together. For example, if you go out to dinner and take pictures, you’ll see suggested photos you might want to share with your friends, along with who you specifically want to share them with. Each photo is shared at full resolution in your iCloud photo library.

Siri Shortcuts

With Siri Shortcuts, Siri is capable of much more via quick actions that can all be assigned through the new Shortcuts app. For example, if you use the Tile app, you can add a shortcut to Siri such as “I lost my keys.” That way, when do lose your keys, you can let Siri know and it will automatically start ringing your Tile.

You’ll also see suggestions for apps appear on your lock screen. If you’re running late, Siri will suggest you text the meeting organizer, or remind you to call your grandmother on your birthday. Even if you’re at the movies, Siri will suggest putting your phone on Do Not Disturb.

Users will be able to use Siri Shortcuts on not only their iPhone, but also on the HomePod and Apple Watch.

A variety of app updates

The News app didn’t receive a huge overhaul — those who use it on the iPad will now have a sidebar to scroll through in order to make it easier to find stories. As for the Stocks app, there’s a new spark line that shows stock performance throughout the day. Apple News has also been integrated into the Stocks app, allowing you to see top stories right in Stocks without having to leave the app. You’ll see relevant headlines from Apple News and be able to tap on them to view the full article. Stocks will also be coming to iPad with iOS 12.

Apple has also updated the Voice Memos app with availability on the iPad. The app also has added iCloud support, allowing you to sync your recordings across all Apple devices.

Previously known as iBooks, the redesigned app also has a new name — Apple Books. New features include a “Reading Now” section that previews where you left off, allowing you to easily pick right back up again. There’s also a new “Book Store” that makes browsing for new books easier than it was before.

With CarPlay, Apple has added support for third-party navigation apps.

Do Not Disturb at bedtime

With a new Do Not Disturb feature, you’ll no longer wake up to a ton of different notifications on your lock screen. By turning this feature on, all of your notifications will be hidden until you toggle Do Not Disturb off.

For those who find themselves using Do Not Disturb often, you’ll also be able to set an end time to automatically turn the feature off whether it’s when you leave a particular location or an event ends.

Grouped notifications

Rather than seeing a long list of notifications, iOS 12 will now group them for you — not just by app but also by topic and thread. You’ll be able to tap in and look at a particular notification and then delete an entire thread with a single swipe.

You’ll also be able to tune your notifications and decide whether you want a particular app to send you ones in the future or if you want it to bypass the lock screen. Siri will even suggest which notifications you should turn off depending on the apps you don’t use often.

Managing screen time

To allow users more insight and control over how much time they spend on a device, iOS 12 will provide users with a detailed weekly activity summary. You’ll be able to see how much time you spent on your iPhone or iPad — whether it’s within a specific app, how often you’re picking up your phone, or what apps are sending you the most notifications.

Thanks to an App Limits feature, you’ll be able to set your own limits for how much time you want to spend on a specific app. You’ll then receive notifications letting you know that time is almost up and once you’ve reached your limit.

Parents will also receive a report of their kids’ phone usage and will have the ability to give them allowances. With a Downtime feature, parents will be able to choose whether they want to limit their kid’s usage by category, individual app, or unplug altogether. There’s also an Always Allowed section that gives them the ability to still make phone calls, use educational apps, and more. Parents can also limit access to movies and websites if they’d like. All of this can be managed remotely across iPhone and iPad using the Family Sharing app.

Animoji and Memoji

The new OS also brings along more Animojis — specifically the ghost, koala, tiger, and T. Rex. There’s also a new feature that allows you to add a tongue to any Animoji.

But that’s not all — Apple also introduced Memoji (which might be its response to Samsung’s AR Emoji). You’ll now be able to create an augmented reality character that resembles you — with the option to choose from different hairstyles, eye colors, and more distinct features like freckles.

Apple has also added fun effects into the iMessage camera. Users can add things like shapes, texts, filters, and stickers to their photos that they can then send within conversations. They’ll even be able to insert Animojis and Memojis into photos.

Group FaceTime

You’ll now be able to FaceTime not two or three people simultaneously, but with iOS 12, you can video chat with up to 32 people. Since it’s now integrated into iMessage, you can easily set up a group FaceTime call through the iMessage group chat window. You’ll also have the option to add fun effects like stickers and Memoji while on the FaceTime call.

The feature works on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. For Apple Watch users, you’ll be able to answer via FaceTime Audio.

Apple TV in the Control Center

For those who use Apple TV, you’ll now be able to add an Apple TV tile into the Control Center in iOS. That way, you’re able to easily access it by swiping up to the Control Center menu and tapping on the icon.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Live updates: How to watch Apple’s WWDC 2018 keynote
• Here are five new features we want to see in Apple’s iOS 12
• Apple’s iOS 13 could feature a revamped Files app and better multitasking
• Apple’s iOS 11.3 is now available for download on the iPhone and iPad
• 28 iOS 11 tips and tricks to help you navigate Apple’s latest update with ease

Everything Apple announced at WWDC, from iOS 12 to MacOS Mojave

While the dust has settled on Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference keynote, the show’s not over yet — the conference continues for the next week, and we can expect to see a lot more of Apple’s latest developments.

But the keynote always hits the major announcements for the event, and with updates announced for MacOS, iOS, ARKit, and more, there’s a lot to chew through. Here’s absolutely everything that was announced.

(Whether you’re attending or not, Apple’s official WWDC app is also available for download — providing you with the event schedule, latest news, access to the livestream sessions, and more.)

iOS 12

Well, iOS 12 is official, and it is quite shiny. The newest version of iOS is always going to be a huge part of Apple’s developer conference, and this year was no different. And Apple definitely had good reason to spend so much time on it. While iOS 11 set out to provide more customizability and accessibility options — complete with a redesigned Control Center and App Store — Apple is tailoring iOS 12 to hugely revamp performance on all iOS devices, including those from as far back as 2013. Apple has worked particularly hard to make iOS work better under heavy load, to the point where it’s seen apps load many times faster.

But it’s not all about sleek and shiny performance. There’s also an improved Do Not Disturb mode that aims to limit overexposure to our digital life. The new app Screen Time also aims to help people to use their device even more wisely, with a weekly report on how much time you spend on your iPhone or iPad — including how often you open your device. Users can also limit the time they spend in apps with App Limit.

There are also new security features on Apple’s hardware itself, with the addition of even more parental controls on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch (remember that thing?). The new OS will include extra parental control features, such as the ability to monitor how much time their kids spend on their devices, as well limit that time, or blacklist certain apps at bedtime.

But Apple is also giving us more reasons to stare at our iOS devices with an increase in Animoji options and the introduction of Memoji. Memoji allows users to create their own Animoji faces in their own image. It’s similar to Samsung’s AR Emojis, and we look forward to putting the two services head-to-head — or face-to-face.

According to Apple, Siri is the most used digital assistant in the world, and Apple is working hard to make Siri even more useful. Siri’s new “Shortcuts” feature will be able to reach into certain apps and perform specific actions or deliver information to the user, straight from Siri. Users will also be able to create some rather complex lists of actions that are activated by a single command. These will even work on your HomePod and via the new Siri watch face in WatchOS.

Messages and FaceTime are also getting some love, with the addition of stickers, filters, and Animoji, whether in single shots sent in Messages, or applied while on FaceTime calls. FaceTime is also getting even more new features, with the new ability to chat to large groups of people — as many as 32 participants. Apple has even made it easy to join a FaceTime group call thanks to support for joining a call directly from a group Messages chat.

Other features include a redesigned Stocks app with News integration, a rebuilt Voice Memos app on iPhone and iPad, and more control over notifications directly from the lock screen. There are also features that were originally supposed to be included in iOS 11 but were delayed until iOS 12. This includes an improved Photos app, a revamped News app, and multitasking features — such as tab support for apps on the iPad, split-screen view on the iPhone, and more.

Read more:

iOS 12

ARKit 2

It’s only been a year since Apple unveiled ARKit — its own framework for augmented reality apps integrated into iOS 11 — but it already feels like it’s been here forever. Placing virtual objects anywhere using your iPhone or iPad and creating the illusion that they’re in your physical space is groundbreaking, and Apple is pushing even further into augmented reality with ARKit 2.o.

The launch of ARKit 2.0 will tighten up the performance of AR, and most excitingly — will let users enter AR together, in real time. The keynote showcased a new Lego app that allowed for the insertion of characters into a simulated environment, and even let multiple users enter the same space.

Key to Apple’s approach to AR is the introduction of a new file format called USDZ. This format allows for sharing AR animations and graphics to make AR far more shareable across iOS devices — it will even let websites embed AR imagery into their web pages.

Apple also announced a partnership with Adobe, and a new AR design tool that allows users to see what they’re editing when they’re editing it. There’s also a new app called “Measure,” which lets users measure real-life items using their device’s AR.

Read more:

ARKit 2

Watch OS5

While we didn’t hear any news about a next-generation Apple Watch, we learned a lot about the next version of WatchOS — WatchOS 5.

WatchOS 5 will boast improved health-tracking features. It will allow users to challenge friends to an activity challenge every week, as well as set mile pacing and cadence while running. WatchOS 5 will even automatically detect when you’ve started and ended workouts.

One of the biggest additions in WatchOS 5 is the new Walkie Talkie feature — the ability to send short voice messages to friends straight from your Apple Watch.

Users will also be able to talk to Siri without the “Hey Siri” hot word, or just interact with her straight from the new Siri watch face. Notifications will also be even more interactive — users will be able to tap links or access app information.

Also included in WatchOS 5 is a native podcast app, even more watch faces, and the ability for students to add their ID cards to their Apple Watch.

Read more:

Watch OS 5

tvOS

Apple released tvOS 11.4 a few weeks ahead of WWDC but we still saw more updates at the keynote.

Dolby Atmos is being added to tvOS, allowing for true surround sound that moves in three-dimensional space. Dolby Atmos joins Dolby Vision on tvOS — the only place you can get both together.

Also, tvOS will support even more cable providers, and will now automatically unlock all the apps that come with your TV service — meaning there’s no requirement to sign in to access them.

Read more:

tvOS

MacOS Mojave

MacOS Mojave has been revealed, and it’s bringing some serious updates for both personal and professional users.

One of the first major features to be showcased was Desktop Stacks. Instead of a cluttered desktop, MacOS will automatically sort all icons and documents on the desktop into either preset or user-defined folders at the side of the screen.

While Apple quashed rumors that it was planning to merge iOS and MacOS, the company confirmed it was working on bringing iOS apps to MacOS. While the multiyear project is apparently still quite far away, Apple did reveal that some classic iOS apps would be coming to MacOS, with some additional features included. Stocks, News, Home, and Voice Memos are making the jump to Mac. Voice Memos will also sync with iCloud, making it even easier to access your recordings.

The Mac App Store also is getting a redesign, with helpful videos for apps and recommendations, and the addition of Office 365, Adobe’s Creative Cloud, and other big names.

Apple is also beefing up security features for MacOS, with even more parts of the Mac being protected by default from any apps run on the system. Safari will also start blocking even more web tracking by default, and will let users choose whether they want to let trackers follow them.

It’s not all about software, though — Macs will now be able to add external graphics processing units to help boost performance in games and apps. Apple is also using Metal processing to help speed up machine learning using Create ML.

MacOS Mojave will also be bringing Dark Mode, Dynamic Desktop, which changes the wallpaper based on the time of day, and a handful of quality-of-life improvements.

Read more:

MacOS Mojave

Updated June 4: We updated this article with everything that was announced at WWDC.

Editors’ Recommendations

• iOS 12 will make your iPhone faster and less annoying. Here’s what’s coming
• Live updates: How to watch Apple’s WWDC 2018 keynote
• Apple fans shouldn’t expect new MacBooks at WWDC this year
• Apple’s iOS 13 could feature a revamped Files app and better multitasking
• At WWDC 2018, Apple to show off its latest software innovations

Bye to Apple Maps, hello to Waze: CarPlay to support third-party navigation apps

Do you have an iOS device and a car with Apple CarPlay? If so, you probably love being able to run all your favorite iOS apps through your vehicular dashboard. There is one major drawback to CarPlay, though: Apple Maps, Apple’s proprietary navigation software, is just not very good. In fact, some people have developed a deep-seated hatred of iPhones because of it.

At today’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple announced that in iOS 12, CarPlay will support third-party navigational apps — including Google Maps and Waze, the two most popular options in America today. For many users who eschew CarPlay altogether in favor of phone-based navigation, this could streamline commutes and reduce transportation stress when driving to new locations.

If you’re unaware, CarPlay is a software overlay that essentially turns your car’s dashboard display (the video screen, not the part with the speedometer and gas gauge) into a second screen for your iPhone. We say “essentially” because CarPlay isn’t compatible with the full suite of iOS apps; it’s mostly limited to navigation, voice-activated communication — both calls and texts — and playing music. The list of supported third-party apps is scarce, comprising mostly just music apps like Spotify, Pandora, and Tidal.

The addition of support for Google Maps and Waze — not to mention the brevity of the announcement in the WWDC keynote and the news’ relegation to a footnote in this press release — may signal an admission from Apple that its navigational software is, indeed, inferior. Last June, Apple deployed a program, TryRating, that allowed users to test Apple Maps software and provide feedback, ostensibly in an attempt to improve the app’s accuracy.

Apple’s iOS 12 update isn’t limited to CarPlay improvements. As with each iteration of the operating system, the company has compiled a bevy of new bells and whistles to both optimize phone performance and increase capabilities. This year’s slate is headlined by some neat augmented reality features and the addition of group FaceTime calls. Other notable improvements include changes to Photos, Notifications, Apple Books, and Apple News. Head on over to our WWDC 2018 landing page to get the scoop on everything Apple announced.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Live updates: How to watch Apple’s WWDC 2018 keynote
• Behind the wheel with Volvo’s Android infotainment system
• Pioneer’s newest in-dash receivers take CarPlay or Android Auto fully wireless
• Here are five new features we want to see in Apple’s iOS 12
• Leaked internal memo warns Apple employees about the dangers of leaking

Uber will run criminal and driving history checks for every driver every year

Starting soon, Uber says it will run criminal background and driver history checks every year for all of its drivers.

Uber emailed riders about three new safety programs with the subject line, “Your safety is our priority.” The three new safety initiatives include the company’s commitment to ramped up driver screening, plus the Trusted Contacts ride-detail sharing, and 911 access from the Uber app.

Uber states that since 2009 millions of drivers have passed background and driving record screenings. According to Uber’s statement on stricter driver screening in the email sent to users, “Everyone driving with Uber in the U.S. must first pass a criminal and driving history check. Starting this year, we’ll proactively rerun those checks annually.”

In 2016, Uber agreed to pay $10 million to settle a lawsuit involving driver background checks in Los Angeles and San Francisco. In the 2014 lawsuit, San Francisco district attorney George Gascón and Los Angeles district attorney Jackie Lacey faulted Uber’s background checks.

The district attorneys claimed the procedure missed criminal records for 25 Uber applicants in the two cities in part because the background checks covered only the seven preceding years. The screening also ignored a database of about 30,000 registered sex offenders, the lawsuit claimed.

At the time, an Uber spokesperson said, “We’re glad to put this case behind us and excited to redouble our efforts serving riders and drivers across the state of California.”

The new annual driver screening program will apply to all Uber drivers nationwide.

Uber’s Trusted Contacts lets you set reminders to share trip details with up to five friends and family members. While you are on the ride, your designated contacts will be able to track your location in real time on a map. They will also know when you have arrived at your location. Assuming you have configured the Trusted Contacts feature ahead of time, you will be able to turn it on with a single tap on the Uber app screen.

Ubers’s new 911 feature makes the call with a single tap in Uber’s app. The feature displays your current location and trip details so you can tell the operator. Because not all 911 systems are alike, Uber is working with RapidSOS’ pilot programs in six U.S. cities where the app will automatically share the rider’s name and the car’s make, model, color, license plate number, and exact location.

The email Uber sent users includes multiple links to its Moving Forward website page, on which it states, “We’re listening to riders and drivers, changing our company from within, and working with cities to improve transportation.”

Editors’ Recommendations

• When is your phone getting Android 8.0 Oreo? We asked every major manufacturer
• Uber is stepping up its game on passenger safety features
• Uber adds panic button for U.S. customers, with driver button to come later
• Uber will no longer store exact pickup and drop-off locations in drivers’ apps
• Here’s every game you’ll want to play in 4K HDR on the PS4 Pro

Parkinson’s is hard to detect early, but this ingenious mobile app can help

Progressive neurodegenerative brain disorder Parkinson’s disease (PD) can be tough to spot early on. A failure to do so can mean that patients miss out on valuable time during which they could get treatment or have the opportunity to make lifestyle changes. That’s something an EU-funded project called i-Prognosis wants to change. A four-year project led by Greece’s Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, it has launched a smartphone and smartwatch app which could help diagnose onset Parkinson’s much earlier than is currently the case.

“PD is a progressive and chronic neurological disease that often begins with mild symptoms that advance gradually over time,” Professor Leontios Hadjileontiadis, coordinator of the project, told Digital Trends. “Symptoms can be so subtle in the early stages that they go unnoticed, as there are no PD-related biomarkers, such as blood tests, and findings on routine magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scans are unremarkable — leaving the disease undiagnosed for years.”

It is here that i-Prognosis aims to help, thanks to the various sensors found in modern mobile devices and some amazing insights from machine learning.

“i-Prognosis proposes a radically novel approach to capture the risk of transition from healthy status towards PD by unobtrusive behavioral sensing and large scale collection of elderlies’ data, acquired from their natural use of smart devices,” Hadjileontiadis continued.

Once a user’s consent has been gathered, the app proceeds to analyze an extraordinary amount of data on their phone. This includes (but isn’t limited to) their voice characteristics while having conversations, the steadiness of their hands while holding their device, the way they enter keystrokes, and even their facial expressions on stored photos or the emotional content of text messages. In other words, it combs through every inch of data in a way that no doctor would be able to, and uses this to predict whether you might want to see a physician. This level of detail probably doesn’t make it an app for the more privacy conscious of people, but if it is able to successfully make you aware of onset Parkinson’s the trade-off may be worth it.

For now, the app is firmly in the testing phase. Hadjileontiadis said that the models will continued to be refined through February 2020. At present, it is available in the Google Play app store for Android users, although only in Germany, Greece, Portugal, and the United Kingdom. Hopefully, a U.S. version — and possible iOS support — could follow at a later date.