Android devices and iPhones have traditionally gotten along as well as oil and water, but recent developments, such as OPPO’s O+ Connect app, are slowly bridging the file-sharing divide. Now, Google has some welcome news to share — its Pixel 10 smartphones will allow users to share data with Apple devices, including iPhones, iPads, and Macs of any variety, via Quick Share.

To do so, owners of the Apple device are required to change their AirDrop settings to “Everyone for 10 Minutes”, with support documentation confirming two-way functionality. Per the announcement post on Google’s security blog, the feature is “direct and peer-to-peer, meaning your data is never routed through a server, shared content is never logged, and no extra data is shared.”

The tech juggernaut also highlighted that Apple wasn’t involved in the process, with a company spokesperson telling WIRED, “We accomplished this through our own implementation. Our goal is to provide an easy and secure file-sharing experience for our users, regardless of who they are communicating with.”

Cross-platform compatibility is big news for non-Apple users, considering how Quick Share has only worked between Android devices up until now. AirDrop support rolls out today to Google’s latest-gen series, comprising the Google Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Pro Fold, with plans to expand it to older models sometime in the future.

There’s no word on whether the feature will eventually be available on other Android phones, but fingers crossed.

Si Jia

Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.

The post Google Pixel 10 Phones Roll Out AirDrop Support For Quick Share appeared first on Geek Culture.

Almost 10 years on from the release of the first Apple Watch in 2015, WhatsApp is finally launching its own dedicated app on the wearable, letting users access various core messaging features straight from their wrist.

WhatsApp’s launch on Apple Watch follows shortly after the messenger app’s arrival on the iPad back in May this year, and according to its announcement blog post, will help users “stay on top of your chats without needing to pull out your iPhone.”

Apart from the basic functionality of reading and responding to messages, with end-to-end encryption remaining enabled for all personal messages and calls, like other platforms, WhatsApp on Apple Watch will also support a host of other features, including:

• Call notifications: Allows users to identify who is calling without needing to refer to their phone.
• Full messages: Enables the viewing of even lengthy messages in full directly via the Apple Watch app.
• Voice messages: Users can record and send voice messages for more efficient communication.
• React to messages: The ability to send quick emoji reactions to received messages.
• Chat history: Users can view more of their chat history on screen when reading messages.

The WhatsApp Apple Watch app is available on the Apple Watch Series 4 or later, and requires devices to be running watchOS 10 or above. To access the standalone app, ensure that your Apple Watch fits the requirements listed above, and make sure that WhatsApp on the paired iPhone is updated to its latest version, and the app should automatically show up on the Apple Watch’s app list.

Kevin Low

Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race gamer with a penchant for franchise “duds” like Darksiders III and Dead Space 3. He has made it his life-long mission to play every single major game release – lest his wallet dies trying.

The post WhatsApp Brings Voice Message & Media Support To Apple Watch appeared first on Geek Culture.

Adobe’s annual MAX Sneaks event on the second day of Adobe MAX 2025 returned with flair, humour, and a lineup of prototypes that are not yet available to the public, but will serve as inspiration for future product features. Hosted by Adobe’s own Paul Trani, and Emmy-nominated comedian Jessica Williams, the session spotlighted ten experimental projects developed by Adobe Research, each offering a glimpse into what might soon be made possible across Adobe’s Creative Cloud suite of products.

You can watch each of the ten project demos from the MAX Sneaks showcase below, and be prepared to have your minds blown by the potential for creatives in the future. Here’s a breakdown of each innovation:

• Project Motion Map – this gives users the ability to type in prompts to utilise AI (artificial intelligence) to auto-animate vector designs in Adobe Illustrator.
• Project Clean Take – this enables users to edit a video transcript’s text, while the AI is able to replace words spoken without the need to reshoot. It also detects and separates out the various audio tracks in a video, and gives the user full control on what noises/distractions or sound effects to mute, or dial down in volume.
• Project Surface Swap – with this, users can do a selection of an entire surface of an object and replace the texture or colour, within Photoshop.
• Project New Depths – this allows users to make modifications to their photos by using AI to identify the various depths and layers within the photo, and place new objects automatically in front or behind various elements within a 3D environment constructed from multiple photos taken at different angles.
• Project Light Touch – this enables users to control the lighting within an image after having taken the picture.
• Project Scene It – the Ai is able to generate a 3D mesh of an object from just one image of it, and place it in any AI-generated scene with realistic lighting applied.
• Project Trace Erase – this enables users to simply select an object to remove and the AI will auto detect and remove every trace of it from the image, even when it casts a shadow or reflection.
• Project Frame Forward – this enables users to edit videos as easily as if it was a single image.
• Project Sound Stager – this uses AI to auto-generate scenes and sound effects just from analysing a video.
• Project Turnstyle – this uses AI to convert any flat image or 2D object into a 3D object with just a click of a button, allowing the user to change the angle facing the subject at any time, with no loss in image quality.

Yonk

Yonk is a geek who is fortunate enough to have an equally geeky Star Wars fan for a wife, who owns a LEGO Millennium Falcon encased in a glass coffee table as their home’s centre-piece.

The post Adobe MAX 2025: Ten “Sneaks” That Glimpses Into Future Of AI-Powered Tools appeared first on Geek Culture.

At Adobe MAX 2025, the world’s premier creativity conference, Adobe and Google Cloud unveiled a major expansion of their strategic partnership aimed at transforming the future of AI-powered creative technologies. The collaboration merges Adobe’s deep-rooted creative expertise with Google’s cutting-edge AI models Gemini, Veo, and Imagen, to unlock new possibilities for creators.

Under the new partnership, Adobe users, from business professionals, content creators, to enterprise teams, will gain direct access to Google’s advanced AI models within flagship Adobe applications such as Firefly, Photoshop, Adobe Express, and Premiere. These integrations promise to deliver richer visuals, sharper video content, and more precise creative control.

Enterprise customers will also benefit from enhanced capabilities through Adobe GenStudio and, in the near future, Adobe Firefly Foundry. These platforms will allow businesses to customise and deploy brand-specific AI models, enabling scalable, on-brand content generation powered by Google Cloud’s Vertex AI. More importantly, Google Cloud has committed to strict data privacy standards, ensuring customer data remains protected and is not used to train its foundation models.

Adobe and Google Cloud plan to jointly promote these innovations through a coordinated go-to-market strategy, aiming to broaden global access to AI-enhanced creative tools. The partnership reinforces Adobe’s open model strategy, giving users the flexibility to work with top-tier AI models within its trusted ecosystem.

“Our partnership with Google Cloud brings together Adobe’s creative DNA and Google’s AI models to empower creators and brands to push the boundaries of what’s possible, from Adobe Firefly and Creative Cloud to Adobe Firefly Foundry,” said Shantanu Narayen, Adobe’s CEO.

Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, echoed the sentiment: “By integrating Google’s models directly into Adobe’s trusted creative ecosystem, we’re giving everyone, from creators and creative professionals to large global brands, the AI tools and platforms they need to dramatically speed up content creation and realize creative concepts that were previously impossible.”

The announcement also follows Adobe’s recent partnership with YouTube, designed to help creators produce standout content and grow their audiences. A new feature, Create for YouTube Shorts, will soon launch in the Premiere mobile app for iPhone, allowing users to edit, publish, and share videos directly to YouTube Shorts, thereby streamlining the creative process for short-form video content.

Together, these partnerships mark a significant leap forward in democratising creativity and equipping users with the AI-powered tools to bring their boldest ideas to life.

Yonk

Yonk is a geek who is fortunate enough to have an equally geeky Star Wars fan for a wife, who owns a LEGO Millennium Falcon encased in a glass coffee table as their home’s centre-piece.

The post Adobe MAX 2025: Google Cloud & YouTube Partnership Brings Gemini AI To Creative Tools appeared first on Geek Culture.

Adobe kicked off its annual Adobe MAX conference today with a bold showcase of AI-powered tools designed to transform the creative process from ideation to production. With over 10,000 creative professionals, marketers, and storytellers gathered in Los Angeles, the company unveiled a wave of innovations across its Firefly, Creative Cloud, and GenStudio platforms, cementing its position at the forefront of AI-driven creativity.

At the heart of Adobe’s announcements is a commitment to democratising creativity through AI. The company introduced new studio-quality generative audio and video tools within Adobe Firefly, enabling creators to produce end-to-end video content with features like Generate Soundtrack and Generate Speech (both in public beta), as well as a new AI-powered timeline-based video editor (private beta).

Creative professionals using Photoshop, Illustrator, Lightroom, and Premiere will benefit from a suite of new AI tools that offer pixel-level precision and time-saving automation. Highlights include:

• Generative Fill with model selection in Photoshop for text-to-image creation.
• Generative Upscale using Topaz Labs’ tech to enhance images to 4K.
• Harmonize for seamless AI-assisted compositing.
• AI Object Mask in Premiere (public beta) for isolating subjects in video.
• Assisted Culling in Lightroom (public beta) to streamline photo selection.

For high-volume production needs, Adobe introduced Firefly Creative Production (private beta), allowing teams to edit thousands of images simultaneously, replacing backgrounds, applying color grading, and cropping with a no-code interface.

Adobe also debuted conversational AI assistants powered by agentic AI, which allow users to generate content simply by describing what they want. These assistants are being integrated into Adobe Express, Firefly, and Photoshop, with previews shown for third-party chatbot platforms.

In a move to give creators more control, Adobe expanded access to a wide range of generative AI models:

1. Adobe Firefly Models – Commercially safe models for video, audio, imaging, vectors, design, and 3D, including the new Firefly Image Model 5 (public beta) with 4MP resolution and photorealistic quality.
2. Industry Partner Models – Integrated models from Google, OpenAI, Runway, Luma AI, and new partners ElevenLabs and Topaz Labs, offering flexibility across Adobe apps.
3. Firefly Custom Models (private beta) – Personalized models that creators can train using their own reference assets to generate content in their unique style.

Adobe also introduced Firefly Foundry, a new offering that enables businesses to build proprietary generative AI models tailored to their brand. These models, trained on existing IP and built atop Firefly’s commercially safe foundation, support all major asset types such as image, video, audio, vector, and 3D to accelerating campaign delivery and unlocking new creative possibilities.

Adobe MAX 2025 continues through October 30, featuring keynote speakers like filmmaker James Gunn, YouTube innovator Mark Rober, and actress-comedian Jessica Williams. The event blends inspiration, education, and entertainment, underscoring Adobe’s mission to empower creators of all skill levels.

“Our AI at Adobe is made to create and built for the creators who paint the world with their imagination,” said David Wadhwani, Adobe’s President of Digital Media. “We believe every creator should be able to harness the economic and artistic opportunities flowing from generative AI and the exploding global demand for creative content.”

With these announcements, Adobe reaffirms its vision of AI as a creative co-pilot (not a replacement) designed to amplify human imagination while respecting creators’ rights.

Yonk

Yonk is a geek who is fortunate enough to have an equally geeky Star Wars fan for a wife, who owns a LEGO Millennium Falcon encased in a glass coffee table as their home’s centre-piece.

The post Adobe MAX 2025: Adobe Goes All In With AI Use Across Ecosystem appeared first on Geek Culture.

Privacy and security are integral to the smartphone experience, and nobody knows this better than Apple. Going beyond basic features like two-factor authentication and face or fingerprint unlock, the tech giant’s efforts have been recognised as one of the best, or even the leader, in the industry, and the recent rollout of iOS 26 – following the launch of the iPhone 17 series – will only serve users better. 

The update adds several new safeguarding features, complementing existing ones that may have gone unnoticed, including Stolen Device Protection and Privacy Report on Safari, as well as Face ID, which continues to offer intuitive and secure authentication using facial recognition. Designed to automatically adapt to appearance changes, such as wearing make-up or growing facial hair, it has less than a one-in-a-million chance to be unlocked by a random individual’s face (according to Apple, at least). 

Here are five data protection measures on the iPhone to ensure safety from prying eyes, both old and new, starting with Call Screening – introduced during a time when scam calls are on the rise in Singapore and beyond. 

1) Call Screening

Building on the Live Voicemail feature, Call Screening automatically answers calls from unknown numbers, intercepting potential scam calls before users can get to them. It works by asking the caller for their name and reason for making contact, then sharing the response with the user, who can decide whether to pick up or reject it. Due to the extra hassle, scammers would typically hang up during the verification process, but in the case of more persistent callers, the back-and-forth acts as a second deterrent, and once it ends, a transcript of the call is generated. 

Marking an unknown individual as known will prevent future calls from being sent to the Unknown Callers list, with users also given the option to silence calls from unsaved numbers and send them to voicemail. To toggle Call Screening, tap the Settings app and select Apps, then Phone, and choose between Never, Ask Reason for Calling, and Silence. Nine languages are currently supported: Cantonese, English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese, and Spanish.

2) Stolen Device Protection

Stolen Device Protection safeguards accounts and personal information in the event of theft through two ways: implementing biometric authentication for certain actions, such as erasing all content and settings, using passwords or passkeys saved in Keychain, or turning off Lost Mode; and a security delay that forces users to wait an hour before making changes to critical settings or the rightful owner’s Apple Account.

While the feature only takes effect when the iPhone is away from familiar locations by default, there’s an option to change its enforcement status to “Always” (Settings > Face ID / Touch ID & Passcode > Stolen Device Protection > Require Security Delay). It should be noted, however, that users will have to enable two-factor authentication, Location Services, Find My, a device passcode, and Face ID or Touch ID first.

3) Hidden/Locked Apps

In situations where a little gatekeeping or privacy is needed, the iPhone allows users to lock or hide an app – except certain pre-installed ones like Calculator, Camera, Clock, Contacts, Find My, Maps, Shortcuts, and Settings. Information inside a locked app won’t appear in other locations, including CarPlay, Spotlight, and notification previews, requiring Face ID, Touch ID, or the user’s passcode to open. 

As for hidden apps, the functionality only works for apps downloaded separately from the App Store, and prevents others from seeing or accessing them, but their names are still visible in some places (Screen Time, Battery Usage By App in Settings, and App Store purchase history). Once activated, the app(s) will disappear from the Home Screen and relocate to the Hidden folder at the bottom of App Library, accessible via biometric authentication. 

4) Safari Private Browsing + Privacy Report

Information is readily available in this digital age, making privacy a much sought-after commodity, and Safari Private Browsing looks to change that. More secure than Incognito mode on Google Chrome, which doesn’t fully prevent tracking, it blocks known trackers from loading on pages and removes tracking added to URLs during the browsing process, bringing an extra layer of protection. Visited websites, searches and completed forms won’t be saved, either, keeping browsing activities out of everyone’s reach. 

Privacy Report translates all that into data, offering a summary of trackers that have been encountered and blocked on the current webpage. iCloud+ subscribers can expect even more privacy, with iCloud Private Relay encrypting the traffic leaving their iPhone and sending it through two separate internet relays, preventing websites from viewing their IP address and exact location. 

5) Hide My Email

For users who are uncomfortable sharing their email, want to use a proxy address, and the like, Hide My Email generates unique, random email addresses that automatically forward to their personal inbox. It works no differently from standard practice, allowing them to read and respond directly without exposing their personal contact details. 

Si Jia

Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.

The post Call Screening, Hidden Apps, And More: 5 Apple iPhone Security Features That You Should Know About appeared first on Geek Culture.

The debut of the Apple Watch Series 11 introduced a host of new health and wellness features, from Sleep Score to hypertension notifications, but the latter wasn’t available in Singapore at launch. Following clearance from the Health Sciences Authority (HSA), the feature has now been rolled out, alerting users if signs of chronic high blood pressure are detected.

Backed by scientific research, it works by analysing data from the optical heart sensor over 30-day periods to detect a pattern of hypertension, the leading modifiable risk factor for heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease. Here’s how to turn it on:

1. On your iPhone, open the Health app.
2. Tap your profile icon in the upper corner.
3. Under Features, tap Health checklist.
4. Tap Hypertension Notifications.
5. Confirm your age, and if you’ve ever been diagnosed with hypertension, then tap Continue.
6. Tap Next to follow the onscreen prompts to learn how the notifications work.
7. Tap Done.

It should be noted that hypertension notifications are not intended to diagnose, treat or aid in the management of the condition, and that users must be 22 years or older, not pregnant, and have not been diagnosed with hypertension. Those who receive an alert are recommended to log their blood pressure for seven days using a third-party blood pressure cuff and share the results with their healthcare professional at their next visit.

The feature is available on Apple Watch Series 9 or later, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later, with watchOS 26, which includes the Liquid Glass language redesign, two new watch faces, Flow and Exactograph, a new one-handed wrist flick gesture, Smart Stack Hints, Live Translation in Messages, and more. An iPhone 11 or later with the latest version of iOS is also required.

The Apple Watch Series 11 comes in 42mm and 46mm sizes in jet black, rose gold, silver, and space grey aluminium finishes, as well as natural, gold, and slate for the polished titanium iterations. Both start at S$599 and S$1,049, respectively.

Si Jia

Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.

The post Apple Watch Series 11 Brings Hypertension Notifications Feature To Singapore appeared first on Geek Culture.

Experimenting with AI just got a whole lot easier with Opal, Google Labs’ new no-code tool that turns simple prompts into fully functional mini-apps. Whether you want to prototype an idea, showcase a proof of concept, or build a custom AI workflow to boost productivity, Opal makes it possible with no coding experience required. The platform is currently in public beta in the U.S., giving early adopters a first look at what Google hopes will be a game-changer for creators.

Getting started is straightforward. Users describe what they want their app to do in plain language, and Opal transforms those instructions into a visual workflow. Each step represents an action, from user inputs to AI model calls and outputs, and can be tweaked, added to, or rearranged through a drag-and-drop interface. For those who prefer to type their way through changes, Opal also supports conversational mode, letting you update workflows with natural-language commands. Once finished, your mini-app can be shared with friends or colleagues via a link, allowing them to test it with their own Google account.

For inspiration, Opal features a gallery of starter templates, ready to use as-is or remix to your liking. It’s a perfect way to jump in without getting bogged down, while still giving power users full creative control. Google positions Opal as a tool to accelerate AI prototyping, streamline workflows, and even explore new productivity hacks.

The app arrives during a surge in interest around AI-powered creation tools, joining competitors like Canva, Figma, and Replit, all of which aim to make app-building accessible to non-technical users. AI Developer Karim Chaanine commented, “Interesting positioning against Microsoft’s recent moves. Opal feels like Google’s answer to Power Platform + Copilot Studio, with natural language app building and Gemini models underneath.” Venture capitalist Nabeel Hyatt added, “Interesting experiment in the AI apps workflow builder category.”

Whether you’re a developer, designer, or simply curious about AI, Opal lets you bring your ideas to life visually, quickly, and collaboratively. It’s an inviting playground for creativity, offering a fun, low-pressure way to experiment with AI applications without needing coding skills.

Google Opal is now available in public beta for U.S. users.

Ting Wei

Conversation with Ting Wei is like chatting with a weird AI bot programmed only with One Piece lore and theories, sitcom quotes and other miscellaneous pop culture references. When he’s not sleeping, he’s highly likely reading manga. In fact, the only thing he reads more than manga is the Bible, and it’s honestly pretty close.

The post App Of The Month: Google’s Opal (Aug 2025) appeared first on Geek Culture.

Say goodbye to downloading unverified apps outside of the Google Play Store soon. As part of its efforts to tighten security measures around sideloading, the act of installing software obtained from a third-party source rather than an official retailer, Google will remove anonymity for developers who distribute their apps on Android devices.

Under the new requirements, they are required to provide the tech juggernaut with personal details like their legal name, address, email, and phone number. The change only affects developers who launch their apps on other app stores or a direct-download platform, as identity verification is already in place for Google Play.

The decision comes after Google’s own survey highlighted “over 50 times more malware from internet-sideloaded sources than on apps available through Google Play.” However, it emphasises that the verification process won’t prevent developers from distributing their apps elsewhere, likening it more to “an ID check at the airport” instead of a full review of its contents.

“By making Android safer, we’re protecting the open environment that allows developers and users to confidently create and connect,” said the company in an announcement post. “Android’s new developer verification is an extra layer of security that deters bad actors and makes it harder for them to spread harm.”

The update will begin rolling out in late 2026, with Singapore included in the first wave alongside Brazil, Indonesia, and Thailand. A global release is planned for “2027 and beyond”, while a new in-development Android Developer Console seeks to keep the platform open for student and hobbyist developers by placing restrictions on the number of apps and installs.

Si Jia

Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.

The post Google To Block Unverified Android App Sideloading, Singapore Among The First appeared first on Geek Culture.

Spotify is adding a new way for listeners to connect without leaving the platform. The streaming giant has announced the launch of Messages, a direct messaging tool that lets users share music, podcasts, and audiobooks straight through the app. The feature begins rolling out this week in “select markets,” and will be accessible on mobile to both Free and Premium subscribers aged 16 and above.

According to the music streaming service, Sharing works directly from the Now Playing screen. By tapping the share icon, listeners can send a track, podcast, or audiobook to friends within Spotify. Eligible recipients include people on the same Spotify plan, as well as users connected through Jams, Blends, or Collaborative Playlists. Once sent, all exchanges appear in the new Messages inbox, located under the profile picture in the top-left corner of the app. This hub allows users to revisit content recommendations without having to dig through texts or third-party apps.

The system is designed to simplify the recommendation process, which Spotify notes already happens across multiple platforms. Messages support 1:1 conversations, text replies, and emoji reactions, with all exchanges protected by “industry-standard encryption” to keep chats secure.

User safety tools are also built in. Message requests can be accepted or rejected, and anyone can be blocked or reported. Content moderation will extend further, with Spotify confirming it will “proactively scan Messages for certain unlawful and harmful content” and manually review flagged reports. To make reporting simple, users can hold down on any message to flag problematic accounts or material.

At launch, it remains uncertain whether artists will be able to interact with fans using Messages. For now, Spotify emphasises that the feature is not meant to replace existing communication channels, but rather to complement them. As explained, Messages was designed to “complement” sharing via Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, Snapchat, and TikTok, acknowledging that users already recommend music and podcasts through those platforms.

The arrival of direct messaging marks a notable step in Spotify’s evolution beyond streaming. By giving even free users access to this social layer, the company may be setting the groundwork for richer person-to-person interaction in the future.

Ting Wei

Conversation with Ting Wei is like chatting with a weird AI bot programmed only with One Piece lore and theories, sitcom quotes and other miscellaneous pop culture references. When he’s not sleeping, he’s highly likely reading manga. In fact, the only thing he reads more than manga is the Bible, and it’s honestly pretty close.

The post Spotify Rolls Out Direct Messaging Feature appeared first on Geek Culture.

Apple has brought its Detailed City Experience in Apple Maps to our shores, as Singapore marks the first country in Southeast Asia to receive its updated UI elements, featuring more detailed road markings and navigation tools, alongside 3D landmarks for some iconic locations.

With the new Detailed City Experience update, iconic landmarks such as Gardens by the Bay, Lau Pa Sat, Victoria Theatre and Victoria Concert Hall come to life on screen as custom-designed 3D landmarks, which serves not just as a purely aesthetic change, as this will better help tourists or those unfamiliar with the surrounding areas to easily identify where they are if they get lost.

The update isn’t just for the frills either, as the newly added details for elements like road markings, land cover, trees and public transit routes also assist navigation for both drivers and those taking the bus, with helpful additions like clearer turn lanes and easily identifiable bus and crosswalks to further prevent confusion while on the road.

In addition, drivers can also access windshield view when approaching complex interchanges, which shows a road-level view, to make it easier to see upcoming traffic conditions or the best lane for an approaching exit, enhancing safety and easing their commute.

Finally, nighttime navigation has also been elevated, as the app will automatically switch to night mode, illuminating its UI with a moonlit glow, with 3D landmarks even adjusting accordingly for extra immersion. Apple Maps will be updated with the Detailed City Experience for Singapore today, so users can head in and check out its new features right now.

Kevin Low

Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race gamer with a penchant for franchise “duds” like Darksiders III and Dead Space 3. He has made it his life-long mission to play every single major game release – lest his wallet dies trying.

The post Apple Maps Debuts First Southeast Asia Detailed City Experience In Singapore appeared first on Geek Culture.

Apple has released the first public beta for its newest unified OS 26, allowing early adopters access to its new Liquid Glass user interface (UI) alongside other improved AI features across iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac, with a wider public release later in the year.

Announced during Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, the Liquid Glass UI redesign marks the most notable visual change since iOS 7, and features a transparent theme to elements such as buttons, screens or other in-app controls. This UI change will be integrated throughout the device, spanning key apps such as Safari, Camera and Music, to essential systems like the home screen, the lock screen and notifications.

Apart from Liquid Glass integration, the public beta will also include a further redesigned lock screen for iPhone and iPad, which will feature a 3D photo effect, updated app icons and a dynamic clock, all of which can be customisable to a user’s preferences.

The implementation of several AI features also marks a major improvement available in the public beta, introducing tools such as real-time live conversation translation, updated Visual Intelligence for image searches online, poll suggestions in the Messages app, and AI-powered shortcuts.

Other notable new features include a dedicated gaming app on iPhone, which will serve as the new games hub and home of Apple Arcade, a revamped, more intuitive windowing system for multitasking on the iPad, the Spotlight feature for Mac devices, which uses AI to anticipate searches and suggest actions based on user activity, Workout Buddy for Apple Watch that provides an AI-powered fitness assistant, and the ability to seamlessly switch user profiles on tvOS 26 devices. For more, check out our top 10 unified OS 26 features.

The public beta is now available via the Apple Beta Software Program across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS, HomePod software, and AirPods.

Kevin Low

Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race gamer with a penchant for franchise “duds” like Darksiders III and Dead Space 3. He has made it his life-long mission to play every single major game release – lest his wallet dies trying.

The post Apple Launches iOS 26, iPadOS 26 & MacOS 26 Tahoe Public Beta With Liquid Glass, Improved AI Features appeared first on Geek Culture.

With the dangers of unfiltered content targeting minors and teenagers, Apple is rolling out a new suite of parental control features aimed at protecting the young, including expanding age brackets to five categories – 4+, 9+, 13+, 16+, and 18+, up from 17 from before. 

As part of the new Communication Limits, which are part of Apple’s Child Accounts created when setting up a new device for a child, parents can have tighter management over who their children communicate with across Messages, FaceTime, calling and iCloud contacts, as children must now send a request when they want to connect with a new phone number.

With the new update, children must now seek parental approval whenever they contact a new phone number, and parents must either approve or decline a request. These new features will be made available to developers, who can choose to introduce a similar feature into their apps, allowing the young to chat, follow, or friend users through third-party apps.

Introduced earlier this month at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), the updated features will be part of the upcoming rollout of updated operating systems across Apple’s host of hardware devices – iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, watchOS 26, visionOS 26, and tvOS 26.

Apple’s parental controls and Child Accounts, managed via linked devices through Screen Time and Family Sharing, allow parents to monitor and limit their child’s device by managing screen time through app limits, restrict access to content and app access, limit inappropriate content, control app purchases, and manage communication settings. Child Accounts are required for children under 16, and available for children up to 18.

In a slightly more proactive mode, Apple’s Communication Safety tool will also be updated to “intervene” when it detects nudity in FaceTime calls, and also blur nudity in shared albums in the Photos app.

The company has been constantly updating its parental controls to meet the increasing dangers posed by technology, most recently updating the way parents can access these controls via a PIN code. To prevent children from discovering and using their parents PIN code, parents will now be alerted whenever the PIN code is used on their child’s devices, thereby warning parents of any unauthorised access.

With the expansion of age ranges, parents can also protect their child’s privacy by applying their child’s age range within the apps used, in a manner that does not disclose a minor’s birth date while accessing age-appropriate content and apps. 

And to better protect families, Apple App Store will now reflect when developers indicate that their apps offer user-generated content, messaging, or use advertising models. Apps that exceed the age-appropriate range will also not appear anywhere on the App Store.

HSALS

Hsals needs more space in his house, and more money in his bank account to pay for all the toys, collectibles and other geek related items that companies are churning out. Free-time? Girlfriend? Who’s got time for those?

The post Expanded Apple Parental Controls Offer More Granular Controls, Including Permissions To Text New Numbers appeared first on Geek Culture.

Concerned with short attention spans and the need for instant gratification among the younger generation, 16-year-old St. Joseph’s Institution student Jatin Rakesh opted to submit a concept app that focuses on keeping people’s attention span. 

What he didn’t expect was to not only win Apple’s Swift Student Challenge and be among one of 50 Distinguished Winners globally, but he also received an invitation to attend the recently concluded Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), and got noticed by Apple CEO Tim Cook in the process.

”I wasn’t expecting to meet Tim Cook as part of our tour, but was pleasantly surprised when he joined the Distinguished Winners’ group photo next to the iconic rainbow arch at Apple Park,” remarked the excited student of his week-long experience visiting Apple Park in Cupertino, California.

”I had butterflies in my stomach when he decided to stand next to me and put his arm around me for the photo! Meeting someone as respected and inspiring as Tim is a true bucket list moment I will never forget.”

And he has his mother to thank for this journey, as she was the one who pushed him to start his coding journey, which began when he was just 11 years old, with block coding and subsequently, syntax coding with the help of a private tutor. These two coding structures are concepts that even the average adult will struggle to comprehend, but it was his mother who encouraged him to do so.

“At first, I joined reluctantly,” Jatin recalls, “but as I went through the stages of coding, I learnt that coding is so much more than clacking keys – it made me realise how it can empower people’s lives.”

And that empowerment led him towards Apple’s Swift Student Challenge, a prestigious international competition that began in 2020 with the goal to support and recognise young coders and their creative ability. 

His winning concept app was among the 350 winning global submissions for the year, with his exceptional work further earning him an invite to Apple Park.

His winning entry, Attention Tractor, is a short story-based simulation game featuring a hamster named Theo who has trouble focusing. The app playground, which refers to conceptual prototypes that are not full apps, includes a series of mini-games alongside its simple narrative that encourage the fostering of positive habits to improve one’s attention span, such as setting an early bedtime, exercising active listening, as well as the importance of healthy eating and meditation.

On a personal level, the idea stemmed from wanting to help his generation of peers focus, tackling an apt problem faced by many in this fast-paced digital age of short-form content like 30-second TikToks. It also hit closer to home, of wanting to help his younger sister after witnessing its negative effects first-hand.

“My entry was inspired by the insight that my generation tends to have low attention spans.” he explains, “With the proliferation of social media, and according to my research, this can negatively impact long-term focus, concentration, and mental health, and can worsen if left unaddressed over time.”

”I also wanted to address this issue because I wanted to see how I could help my younger sister manage her short attention span, as I’ve seen it affect her in various ways.“

After two previous attempts at participating in the Swift Student Challenge, he took the opportunity to kill two birds with one stone and following two months of hard work, his efforts earned him an all-expenses-paid trip to WWDC 2025, where he made connections with global app creators and shared in their experiences.

“I was able to learn more about accessibility and how the user experience on Apple’s ecosystem can make people’s lives better.” says the young developer, “The experience really showed me the diversity of the global developer community and reminded me of what we all have in common – to make people’s lives easier and more efficient through code and the apps we create.”

“Being around experienced developers and other Distinguished Winners, we discussed ways to improve our apps, share goals, and learn more from each other about Apple’s technologies,” adds the former Kranji Secondary School student, who has quickly taken in the feedback received on his code, along with ideas that have made him rethink how he presents himself and his apps. While studying at Kranji Secondary School, Jatin, along with three of his friends, developed a travel planner app, Journify.

“That’s what makes being part of the developer community so amazing – you know you are not alone, and that there will always be other smart people with better capabilities and ideas to help you out, because we all share a vision of using technology to make people’s lives better.”

While his coding and app creation journey has only just started, Jatin is fast realising that coding can play a big role in his future. “My passion for coding has continued to grow – programming a website is only bound by my imagination, and the freedom of coding has given my life a whole different meaning and allowed me to get creative.”

So, what’s next for the budding app developer? For now, exams are his main priority, although he hopes to continue working on Attention Tractor, evolving it from an app playground to a full-fledged app that can benefit countless others. 

“There is one thing I’m certain of, though, and that is making a positive impact in another person’s life and building apps that help the community benefit and grow. My biggest goal in life is to be a good human being and be remembered as someone who used technology to empower people and help others in their daily lives.”

Kevin Low

Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race gamer with a penchant for franchise “duds” like Darksiders III and Dead Space 3. He has made it his life-long mission to play every single major game release – lest his wallet dies trying.

The post Singapore Student Wins Apple’s Swift Student Challenge With Focus App Concept, Is Invited To WWDC, Gets Attention Of Tim Cook appeared first on Geek Culture.

Its legacy with games might be spotty, but no one can blame Apple for trying, as the company has announced Apple Games, a new app streamlined specifically for all the video games you’ve ever played on Apple’s family of hardware, from iPhones to MacBooks. It’s landing on iPhone, iPad and macOS later this year, alongside the debut of Apple’s upcoming updated operating system, iOS 26, iPad OS 26 and macOS Tahoe 26.

Once released, the Apple Games app will be pre-installed on all new Apple devices, represented by a red icon featuring a rocket ship in flight, and provide a unified library for gamers across the Apple ecosystem. This makes it easier for players to keep tabs on all their games in one convenient place, or to see what’s happening in their games across all devices.

It’s to be noted that the introduction of the Apple Games app will not render the current Game Center obsolete, and instead serve as an evolution of Game Center, which was previously used to provide social features such as leaderboards to mobile gamers.

From competing with friends and family, to keeping tabs on your friends’ high score, and discovering the new games that they seem to enjoy playing, here are 5 things you need to know about the Apple Games app:

1. It’s like Netflix, but for gaming

Upon launching the Apple Games app, users will be greeted by its Home tab, which gives a detailed overview of all a user’s gaming library at a glance, collating data and allowing players to see all the games they have ever downloaded from the App Store via a Library tab, including downloads across iPhone, iPad and Mac devices.

At the top of the page, a rotating carousel will feature editorial collections to help players find new games and recommend the latest Apple titles in store. Below that, a Continue Playing section lists all of the user’s downloaded games organised based on which title was last played, allowing easy access to a player’s favourite title and allowing them to quickly get back in the game. 

Even if you’re on an iPhone and that copy of Civilization VII is for your iMac, Apple Games will reflect that, and you can tell which of your friends also dabble in global domination.

2. See what games are played by friends and family

Additional sections of the Home tab feature what games a user’s Game Center friends are playing, including Top Played Games based on App Store rankings, and curated recommendations which suggest similar titles to the games a user has played.

Users will be able to sort their list of games either alphabetically or based on the most recent title played, with additional filters available that let users list only installed games, those that work with controllers and Apple Arcade titles. 

Additionally, the Library screen also features an Updates and Events button, where users can keep track of any relevant events for their owned games, like upcoming seasonal content or competitive tournaments, while the Achievements button lists the various Game Center achievements users have racked up over the years across all titles.

3. An easier way to play together

Within the app’s Play Together feature, users can now keep track of their friends’ gaming activities by integrating features on the Game Center app, listing out all their friends and created groups in one place to easily enjoy games together.

Apart from listing out their shared gaming history, users can also compare game achievements or send game invite links or party codes right from the app without the need for external software, making the process of multiplayer gaming more streamlined.

The Games app also features challenges — a new way to spark friendly competition through score-based contests. Developers with Game Center leaderboards can create tailored challenges for smaller groups of friends, transforming solo gameplay into a shared experience with friends, allowing for more ways to rally a group, crown a winner, and have a rematch. Players can invite friends to challenges by selecting their friends or contacts.

4. The semi-new home for Apple Arcade

The Apple Games app will also serve as a hub for Apple’s gaming subscription service, Apple Arcade, with a dedicated tab for the feature. Functioning similarly to the Home tab, users will be able to subscribe to the service, discover new titles to play, or launch their Apple Arcade games directly, all from one convenient location.

5. An additional Game Overlay feature for iPad and Mac

The Apple Games app also adds a handy Game Overlay feature for iPad and Mac, which will show over the top of games when pulled out. This tool allows users to quickly adjust system settings on the fly, like audio and screen brightness, manage Bluetooth devices like controllers, switch on Low Power mode to extend gaming sessions and maximise battery life, or turn on Game Mode for enhanced system performance, all without leaving the full-screen app.

Additionally, players will also have access to a social tab within the Game Overlay, giving quick access to the Game Center and their friends list, making it easy to start a chat even while gaming. This feature supports both portrait and landscape modes, with navigation possible using a controller.

Kevin Low

Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race gamer with a penchant for franchise “duds” like Darksiders III and Dead Space 3. He has made it his life-long mission to play every single major game release – lest his wallet dies trying.

The post Apple Games: 5 Things To Know About The Gaming App appeared first on Geek Culture.