Technologies

With iOS 17, Apple ‘Catches Up’ to Rivals in the Messaging Wars

Commentary: There’s one new Messages feature that should be mimicked by Apple’s competitors pronto.

Apple’s iOS 17 plans to overhaul the Messages app, bringing some of the best features we’ve already seen on WhatsApp, Signal, Google Messages and other rivals to iMessage. And in a move that takes the Messages app forward, Apple is also bringing a new Check In feature — to help alert friends or family when you get home — which could very well be the next feature we see get copied back by other texting apps.

More from WWDC 2023

Even if some of these new-to-Messages features are already familiar for someone who juggles multiple texting apps and group chats, wider adoption will only make communicating on phones better, regardless of your preferred chat app. On top of that, some of iOS 17’s new features will indirectly assist you when texting in a non-Apple chat app — such as the updates to autocorrect keyboards that’ll contextually recognize if swearing is a regular part of how you speak.

It’s worth noting that while these iOS 17 improvements are certainly welcome, there are definitely a few areas Apple could still improve for a better universal chatting experience. Chief among them are the infamous green bubble-blue bubble conflicts. So far Apple hasn’t announced any SMS conversation improvements, but there are features that are also on other messaging services and apps that are worth taking a closer look at.

A Check In message in a chat — iOS 17 comes with a new location sharing tool called Check In.

Apple

Check In is the new Messages feature that should get copied

Apple’s upcoming Check In feature takes a very common request and makes it easier to honor. There’ve been many times after a gathering with friends or family when we’ve asked each other to text after getting home. It’s so common in my life it’s practically part of the goodbye ritual, just to get assurance that everyone’s arrived safely by subway or car. Despite that, it’s also very common to forget to send that text.

Apple’s Check In could fix that problem. Though CNET has yet to test the feature, theoretically it could be turned on right as friends or family ask for that «made it home» message. Then it could automatically send the ping when I’ve walked through my door. That way, if the hour’s late or I’m just too tired from the journey, the status update still goes out.

Check In builds on a location-sharing tool for friends and family members that Apple has had in Messages for years, and the new feature makes that tool far more automated. Check In takes things a step further by allowing for notifications when a delay could be holding up someone. For friends and family who want that kind of safety check, it could be an additional tool that helps loved ones look out for each other.

There are currently other ways to set up a similar ping, using navigation apps like Google Maps, but the version Apple previewed during WWDC shows an easy way to get these notifications directly in the Messages app. Hopefully other chat apps find their own ways to mimic this idea, whether it’s through integration with a maps service or through improvements to an already-existing location sharing feature.

A text message screen with the Catch Up arrow highlighted. — The Catch Up arrow in iOS 17 shows where you left off in a group chat.

Apple

Catch Up will make group chats much easier to follow

Apple’s Catch Up feature for group chats caught my eye when it was revealed. An arrow indicates where you left off in a busy group chat that carried on while you were away from your phone.

This is a feature that’s quite common in other chat apps, and I didn’t realize Apple lacked it until the company pointed it out. The unread label in WhatsApp, for instance, helps me when I check in with a neighbor group chat I have for my apartment building within that app. This is a group chat I don’t participate in actively — and I often mute it — but on days when I do want to check it, a label for unread messages helps me with finding the last part of the conversation I looked at.

Currently there’s an unread filter in the iPhone’s Messages app, but the Catch Up arrow should make it clearer what messages you missed. The adoption of Catch Up in iOS 17 could be an indirect sign that Apple is bridging the gap between iMessage group chats and an SMS/MMS chat that includes other types of phones. Though we’ll have to wait for iOS 17’s release this fall to confirm, a simple indicator that helps with organizing any conversation only serves to help when chatting with friends or family.

A screenshot showing a transcribed audio message in iOS 17 — You’ll see transcriptions of audio messages in iOS 17.

Apple; screenshot by CNET

Audio message transcription brings a great Pixel feature to the iPhone

Google’s Pixel phones have included various audio transcription features for years, with the Pixel 7 series adding the ability to transcribe any audio message that’s received within the Google Messages app. Now Apple plans to bring the feature across its iPhone line using iOS 17.

New audio messages received in the Messages app will be transcribed automatically, and that’s a boon for accessibility. For someone who prefers to do audio messages, the gist will immediately be available for the receiver, and at times that transcription could be more than enough.

Until the transcription feature gets adopted into more services though, anyone who frequently sends audio messages should please remember to be patient while waiting for others to get a chance to listen.

Swipe to reply in iOS 17 — Apple is adding a swipe-to-reply feature to its Messages app.

Apple

Swipe to reply fits right (or left) in

I’ve been using Signal a lot lately, and like Telegram it offers the ability to quickly reply to messages with a swipe. It’s faster than pressing and holding on a message, and then tapping a corresponding option.

Swipe to reply could streamline the menu of options that pop up when you press and hold on a message. Apple’s Messages app already includes shortcuts for emoji reactions, reply, copy, Translate and a «More…» option for selecting multiple texts. By moving this into a swipe action, Apple could eventually decide to tack additional features onto this menu, or simplify the menu down to basics.

In an unrelated organizational move, Apple moved iMessage apps from a row above the keyboard in the Messages app to a list that pops up when you tap a plus-sign icon. It shows that Apple is trying to declutter where it can, and make replies faster.

A screenshot of voice typing in Apple's messaging app — Apple says voice typing is improving in iOS 17.

Apple; screenshot by CNET

iMessage improvements (hopefully) still to come

While we wait for iOS 17’s final version, which comes out this fall, there’s the possibility that even more Messages features will be added as Apple continues development. For instance, the XDA Developers website says the iOS 17 developer beta keeps a number of iMessage features available for group chats with Android phones. Should this indeed make it into a public release, it could be a relief for iPhone users who still want to use threaded replies and message edits. XDA’s report notes, however, that non-iPhone participants might not see any of these Messages changes.

We’ll ultimately have to sit tight for iOS 17’s official release to see whether all these iMessage features announced at WWDC make it, or whether some get pushed to a later release. For instance, iOS 15’s SharePlay missed the September launch of that year’s operating system but arrived a month later. But the fact that these Messages improvements are in the pipeline shows that substantial improvements to iPhone texting are on the way.

Technologies

Porsche Has Released Its First All-Electric Macan GTS. How Fast Does It Go?

The electric Porsche Macan GTS delivers plenty of speed and classic GTS attitude to rival the Tesla Model Y Performance.

Technologies

November Nights Will Dazzle with Three Meteor Showers. Here’s How to Watch Like a Pro

You won’t need binoculars or a telescope, but you will need to get away from urban and suburban lights.

Get ready for an active November, skygazers. The month features three annual meteor showers — the Northern Taurids, the Southern Taurids, and the Leonids — two of which are already active. Northern Taurids started on Oct. 20, and Southern Taurids — one of the longest meteor showers of the year — began on Sept. 20. Leonids are expected to start on Nov. 6.

Even though two of these meteor showers are already in progress, the best parts of each are still to come. All three showers peak during November. And while these showers aren’t as prolific as the biggest ones, including August’s Perseids and January’s Quadrantids, you can still marvel at meteors with a bit of luck and some tips we’ll provide.

Not everyone understands what a meteor shower actually is, but it’s fairly simple. Shooting stars are a common occurrence in space around planet Earth. According to NASA, 48.5 tons of meteoritic material hit Earth’s atmosphere every year. Sometimes, enough of that material comes from the same spot, and we humans refer to those as meteor showers.

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Southern Taurids: The longest one

The Southern Taurids shower lasts for two months, making it one of the longest meteor showers of the year.

Southern Taurids is scheduled to peak on the evening of Nov. 4 into Nov. 5, and should spawn upwards of five meteors per hour during that peak. Southern Taurids is known for its increased chance of fireballs, which are meteors that are brighter than most. According to some reports, these fireballs can be brighter than the planet Venus when they streak across the night sky.

All meteor showers are named for the constellations where they appear to originate, a spot known as the radiant. For the Southern Taurids, the radiant is in the Taurus constellation near the Pleiades star cluster, so that is where you’ll want to look for them. Taurus will be visible in the eastern sky shortly after sunset and end its evening in the western sky as the sun rises.

Northern Taurids: Peaks later than its sibling

The Northern Taurids meteor shower is set to peak on Nov. 11 and 12. It’s identical to the Southern Taurids, only with a later peak date. The origin point will be the Taurus constellation, producing an average of five meteors per hour with an increased chance of fireballs.

Leonids: The most active

Of the three November meteor showers, Leonids should be the most active. It is fed by the Tempel-Tuttle Comet, which can produce some dense debris clouds, resulting in very strong showers. Leonids is set to peak on Nov. 16-17.

Some sources say as many as 15 visible meteors per hour is possible, while NASA estimates a more conservative three per hour under dark skies. It’s impossible to know for sure how active this shower will be until the peak occurs..

As the name implies, Leonids will appear out of the Leo constellation. Leo is visible in the eastern sky between midnight and 1 a.m. local time.

Per the American Meteor Society, Leonids has produced some intense meteor showers as recently as 2002, but isn’t scheduled to do so again until 2031, 2064, and 2099 as the comet returns to the solar system. During these rare meteor storms, NASA says that it’s possible to see upwards of 1,000 meteors per hour.

Tips for watching meteor showers

Here are some tips and tricks that will help increase your odds of spotting a meteor in November.

Get away from light pollution

This is the most important guideline to follow. Simply put, city lights make meteors harder to see.

«Light pollution will definitely hamper your viewing of meteors,» Michelle Nichols, director of public observing at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, told CNET. «The more light pollution you are under, the fewer meteors you’ll see.»

Nichols says that unfavorable conditions can reduce the number of meteors you see by upwards of 75%.

Head to the countryside and find a spot that is as dark as possible. (There are other sources of light pollution that humans can’t do anything about, like the moon.)

The Southern Taurids peaks during November’s full moon, which is also a supermoon, meaning it shares the maximum amount of light pollution you can get from the moon. If you’re going to skip any of these showers, the Southern Taurids is probably the best choice. The other two showers will have much more favorable celestial conditions.

Don’t take any equipment

Meteor showers typically have an origin point, but you won’t need binoculars or telescopes.

«You want to just use your eyes,» said Nichols. «Binoculars or telescopes both look at ever-smaller pieces of sky, and you want to be able to look around at the entire sky.»

Meteors are very fast, and a magnification device may obstruct your ability to see the whole path. Nichols says that Taurids meteors tend to travel at 17 to 18 miles per second while Orionids may travel as fast as 41 miles per second.

Also, meteors don’t last for a long time.

«Look for short-lived, quick streaks of light,» Nichols says. «Meteors tend to last a fraction of a second to maybe a few seconds for the longer-lived ones.»

Nichols also notes that much of the material falling to Earth’s surface is «only about the size of a grain of sand.» As such, the streak humans often see isn’t the meteor itself, but rather the «glowing, superheated air that surrounds that bit of comet material» as it plummets toward Earth.

Dress for the occasion

Unless you live in the Deep South, it’s likely to be cold outside in November. Dressing for the occasion means you’ll be able to stay out longer, even if it’s chilly.

«When you go outside, dress warmly in layers, even if it’s not terribly cold where you are,» says Nichols. «You’ll be out there for a while, and at night, you may easily get chilled, especially if it’s damp out.»

Nichols recommends bringing an extra chair to put your feet on to keep them off the cold ground, especially if it’s wet, and also recommends against drinking alcohol, which causes blood vessels to dilate, causing the body to lose heat faster.

Patience is a virtue

The phrase «it’s a marathon, not a sprint» is about as apropos as it gets for meteor watching. Showers are unpredictable, and every number you’ve seen in this article or elsewhere online is essentially an estimate. You’ll want to make sure to give yourself as much time as you can to get settled.

«Give your eyes at least 20-30 minutes to adjust to the darkness,» Nichols advises. «You may not see meteors right away. And when you do, they’ll be sporadic.»

If it were easy to spot meteors, then it wouldn’t be special. You can help yourself by reducing your phone screen brightness to its lowest setting to preserve your night vision, and by using flashlights, not big camping lanterns.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Sunday, Nov. 2

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Nov. 2.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? A few clues are tricky. Read on for the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.