Technologies
Everything I Want Apple to Add to iOS 17 for WWDC
The next version of the company’s iPhone software is expected at WWDC. Hopefully the new iOS has all these features.
On June 5, Apple will hold its Worldwide Developers Conference keynote presentation, in which CEO Tim Cook and gang are expected to announce the next major version of iPhone software, iOS 17. Though rumors point to the software update being overshadowed by new Mac hardware and a long-rumored and yet-to-be-announced AR/VR headset, the next version of iOS should still boast significant improvements.
It could include a feature that lets you view more items on your lock screen, according to a Bloomberg report. The lock screen would reportedly show calendar appointments, weather and notifications, similar to Android devices circa 2019 and smart displays like the Amazon Echo Show. This would follow on the heels of iOS 16, which brought a major overhaul of the iPhone’s lock screen that made it more customizable.
With iOS 17, iPhone owners could also gain the ability to sideload apps, according to a different Bloomberg report. Sideloading means you can download an app on your iPhone without using Apple’s App Store. The potential inclusion is likely meant to ensure compliance with new European regulations due to kick in next year.

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While I find those rumors fun to ponder, they can also be a distraction from the many other things I think Apple needs to add or improve in iOS. The additions I want range from significant changes, like adding support for the Apple Pencil for Pro Max and Plus models, to smaller, quality-of-life improvements, like adding a volume button to the iPhone’s virtual Apple TV remote. We have to wait until WWDC to see what actually unfolds, but here’s my iOS 17 wish list.
Bring ‘Visual Look Up’ to the Camera app

In iOS 16, Visual Look Up got a nifty shortcut that lets you cut out the subject of a photo just by tapping and holding on the image.
Visual Look Up launched with iOS 15 in 2021 and can recognize objects in your photos such as plants, food, landmarks and pets. In iOS 16, Visual Look Up expanded to let you lift an object out of a photo or PDF by tapping and holding, essentially creating a sticker you can share with others.
But there’s a catch. Visual Look Up works only after you take a photo. I hope iOS 17 lets you do the same thing straight from the camera viewfinder. For example, if the camera were open and pointed at flowers, I could tap the Visual Look Up icon to see what kind of flowers they were without taking a photo of them. You can do that with Live Text, and Google Lens does something similar on Android phones. I realize this isn’t a radical change, but it would streamline things a bit.
Add a volume button to the iPhone’s Apple TV remote

Sometimes you lose this little guy and need to use your iPhone to control your Apple TV.
If you own an Apple TV, you’ve no doubt misplaced the tiny minimalist aluminum remote control at some point. Fortunately, you can use a virtual remote on your iPhone to do nearly everything the physical Siri remote does, except change the volume. Apple, please add a volume button to the iPhone’s Apple TV remote.
Technically, when you use the Apple TV remote on your iPhone, you can press the physical volume buttons to control the TV volume. But this doesn’t work on every TV’s audio receiver, such as mine. I’d guess there are many people who, like me, just want the virtual remote on the iPhone’s screen to mimic the physical remote’s button layout; most importantly including the button for volume.
Bring fitness tracking to the iPhone

You can start workouts from your Apple Watch, but not from your iPhone (without a third-party app).
If you’re an Apple Watch user, you understand the convenience of recording a workout. But if you aren’t wearing your watch or don’t own one, there isn’t a way to record basic exercises like walking, running or cycling without a third-party app. I’d like to see Apple expand the Fitness app so you can record workouts even without a Fitness Plus membership.
Add a pro camera app

The Photo Pro app on Sony Xperia 1 and 5 series phones gives you an interface that looks identical to a professional mirrorless camera.
It’s time for Apple to revisit the iPhone’s Camera app. For years, it was the gold standard of simplicity, offering a «see what you get» preview for photos, videos and effects with minimal, easy-to-navigate controls and modes. But as Apple has added more functionality, especially for ProRaw photos and ProRes video recording on iPhone Pro models, the Camera app has started to feel cramped. It tries to remain a one-size-fits-all app at the expense of higher-end features like manual camera controls.
I’d like Apple to make a separate pro camera app, along the lines of how it created a standalone app for classical music. Apple Music Classical tackles the special challenge of categorizing, searching for, and discovering classical music, something the default Apple Music app isn’t geared toward. Similarly, the pro camera app could be a place for creative types to access camera controls, settings and features beyond those in the basic camera app. Sony has been quite successful with this sort of approach in its Xperia 1 and 5 series phones, and Samsung has a separate Expert Raw app to complement its main one. Now it’s Apple’s turn.
Let me customize the Dynamic Island

The Dynamic Island was a great addition to the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max.
The Dynamic Island works well. It’s like having a shortcut at the top of your screen no matter what you’re doing on your iPhone. Glancing at my Uber ride status from my lock screen or in the Dynamic Island just makes sense. But I want more from the Dynamic Island, especially if iPhone 15 rumors are right and non-Pro iPhone models get it too. I’d like to see Apple let people customize their own Dynamic Island in a curated way.
In 2016, with iOS 10, Apple rolled out the iMessage app store for stickers and games. I don’t think we need a Dynamic Island app store, but something like the ability to pin a Memoji sticker as a Dynamic Island icon would be great. Admittedly, as creative-minded as I am, I don’t have a brilliant example of exactly what I want. I just think the Dynamic Island is another way people could make their iPhone feel more personal. Customization was a big theme with Android this year at Google I/O, with the introduction of AI and cinematic wallpapers. Of course, Apple could view the Dynamic Island like it does Apple Watch faces and want to control how it’s changed, instead of letting people go hog wild.
Add Apple Card functionality to other credit cards

The Apple Card lives on your iPhone.
If you have an Apple Card, you get to experience one of the best mobile financial experiences on any phone today. Apple’s signature credit card lives virtually in the Wallet app. At first glance, it appears like any other Apple Pay card. But when you tap its digital avatar, you see the card’s balance, rewards, upcoming payment info, and transactions. I’d like Apple to open that functionality to non-Apple credit cards.
If your Bank of America credit card is in Apple Pay and you have the Bank of America app on your phone, wouldn’t it be great to access similar functionality in the Wallet app? Expanding access would be convenient for iPhone owners and could bolster Apple Pay and the iPhone’s Wallet as serious financial tools.
Make widgets interactive
Widgets can be pinned to your home screen and resized to your liking.
Widgets on the lock screen and home screen can do two things: show information (like the weather) and launch the corresponding app when tapped (e.g., the weather app). Widgets haven’t changed much since Apple introduced them with iOS 14. It’s time for a refresh.
What if you could use the podcast widget like a mini-podcast player, or order your favorite burrito bowl straight from Chipotle’s widget? Adding more functionality to widgets could make it easier to multitask on the iPhone.
Add Apple Pencil support

What if you could use an Apple Pencil on the iPhone?
I’ve been writing iPhone and iOS wish lists for years, and one addition that’s made my roundup every time is adding Apple Pencil support to the iPhone, specifically for Pro Max and Plus models. The 6.7-inch screen isn’t that much smaller than the 8.3-inch screen on the iPad Mini. But one supports Apple Pencil functionality and the other doesn’t.
Also, if iOS 17 did include Pencil support, Apple could make a smaller version of its stylus and call it the Apple Pencil Mini. Maybe it could attach to the back of the iPhone Pro Max or Plus using MagSafe?
Bring the iPad’s split-screen view to iPhone Pro Max models

The multiple windows on the iPad and iPad Pro.
The iPhone Pro Max has been part of Apple’s lineup since 2019. The 11 Pro Max has a 6.5-inch screen, while the 12 Pro Max, 13 Pro Max and 14 Pro Max all have a 6.7-inch display. Last year, Apple introduced the iPhone 14 Plus, which also has a 6.7-inch screen. Those large screens feel wasted when it comes to software. Some iOS apps like Mail and Messages can take advantage of the extra space in landscape orientation to show a column of message previews next to the currently opened message. But otherwise, there isn’t much else in iOS that’s optimized for big iPhone screens.
I’d like Apple to bring some iPadOS features to iOS 17 just for Pro Max and Plus models, especially its split screen multitasking view. It would be wonderful to have Safari open on one side of the phone and launch Messages on the other.
Revisit ease of use vs. security

Some iPhone owners are being targeted for an unusual crime.
Earlier this year, The Wall Street Journal’s Joanna Stern and Nicole Nguyen ran a series of stories about how a thief who steals your iPhone and knows its passcode can lock you out of the most important parts of your digital life. This crime isn’t widespread, but Stern and Nguyen showed that it’s more common than you might think.
At the core of the issue is the balance between security and ease of access. The same tools Apple put in place to help people who get locked out of their devices and accounts are being used by savvy criminals to lock people out of their phone and accounts while gaining access to their money and services. There’s been a bunch of coverage on the topic in recent months, and it sounds like these tools help far more people than the criminals who take advantage of them.
I don’t think there’s an easy way for Apple to «fix» the issue, but I hope with iOS 17, the company takes a moment to reconsider the impact these tools can have on people and even offer other security features to foil the thieves behind these crimes, like Apple did with AirTags.
At the end of the day, I’m excited for WWDC this year. And while I do hope there’s a fancy, cool AR/VR headset, my heart is holding out for iOS 17 and all its new features.
Technologies
Football Fans Scrambling After ESPN, ABC, Disney Pulled From YouTube TV
Several channels were pulled from the service after the two sides failed to meet a deadline for a deal.
Like a desperate quarterback, millions of college football fans could be scrambling. Disney pulled ESPN and ABC from YouTube TV on Friday after both sides failed to meet a midnight deadline to strike a deal over content distribution.
Unless something changes, millions of fans won’t be able to watch the college football games that ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC will broadcast Friday and Saturday. That includes No. 5-ranked Georgia versus Florida — aka «The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party» — No. 9 Vanderbilt versus No. 20 Texas, No. 7 Ole Miss versus South Carolina and several other games.
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ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC — all Disney properties — broadcast the most college football games by far. Their schedule is listed here. ESPN and ABC air NFL games on Monday nights and also broadcast NBA games.
A representative for Disney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Disney says YouTube TV is not paying enough to stream its channels. YouTube TV, owned by Google, has the most subscribers of all other internet TV providers, more than 9 million. Hulu, owned by Disney, is second with 4.3 million subscribers through its Hulu + Live TV offering. Disney and Google needed to reach an updated contractual agreement by 11:59 p.m. ET on Thursday, Oct. 30, which didn’t happen.
Football fans aren’t the only viewers left sidelined. Here are all the channels that were pulled from YouTube TV:
ABC
ESPN
ESPN2
Freeform
FX
FXX
Disney Junior
SEC Network
Nat Geo
Nat Geo Wild
Disney Channel
ESPNU
FXM
ABC News Live
ACC Network
Disney XD
Localish
ESPNews
ESPN Deportes (Spanish Plan)
Baby TV Español (Spanish Plan)
Nat Geo Mundo (Spanish Plan)
YouTube TV posted on X, «Members, when we renew our contracts with network partners, we advocate for fair pricing to offer you the best TV experience.» The service also said it would offer subscribers a $20 credit «if their content is unavailable for an extended period of time.» You can find updates on the dispute on this YouTube TV page.
«Google’s YouTube TV has chosen to deny its subscribers the content they value most by refusing to pay fair rates for our channels, including ESPN and ABC,» Disney said in a statement to CNBC.
In a memo to employees on Friday that was reported by CNBC, Disney accused YouTube TV of deleting «previously recorded shows and events from their subscribers’ libraries.»
«YouTube TV and its owner, Google, are not interested in achieving a fair deal with us,» Disney Entertainment co-chairs Dana Walden and Alan Bergman and ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro said in the memo. «Instead, they want to use their power and extraordinary resources to eliminate competition and devalue the very content that helped them build their service.»
Consumers have alternatives to YouTube TV to get their favorite streaming channels, including Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo and DirecTV Stream. CNET’s top streaming picks ar here.
Technologies
How to Redeem Every Active Borderlands 4 SHiFT Code
If you act quickly, you can use these SHiFT promo codes to snag epic loot and tons of Vault Hunter cosmetics in Borderlands 4.
The biggest looter shooter of the year, Borderlands 4, is out, and players are already taking the fight to the Timekeeper on Kairos. If you want to put the beat down on someone strong enough to control an entire planet, then you’re going to need an arsenal of powerful weapons and equipment.
Luckily, developer Gearbox Software is willing to lend a helping hand. Instead of having to farm every piece of legendary equipment in-game, you can roll the dice on some loot with Golden Keys unlocked by SHiFT promo codes.
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If you’re already swimming in more loot than you know what to do with, some SHiFT codes also unlock special cosmetic looks for your favorite vault hunters. Special in-game challenges have already unlocked promo codes for Amon, Rafa and Vex vault hunter skins, with a Harlowe skin unlocking soon. Here’s how to use the latest SHiFT codes in Borderlands 4.
All active SHiFT codes for Borderlands 4
You can hunt down SHiFT codes on social media, but we’ll keep all of the active promo codes in one place for ease of access.
Below, you’ll find a chart that contains every active SHiFT code for Borderlands 4, what it unlocks and its expiration date:
Active Borderlands 4 SHiFT codes
| Reward | SHiFT code | Expiration date |
|---|---|---|
| Vex Mass Market Appeal Skin | BZ6JJ-CB6CT-WXJJW-3TT3B-56FZ5 | Jan. 1, 2031 |
| Amon Cult Classic Skin | JZ6BJ-SBR5J-WF3BK-BT3BB-TX9HB | Dec. 31, 2030 |
| Rafa Savings Savior Skin | TZXT3-XJXCB-CXBJW-BTTJT-9SK6B | Dec. 31, 2030 |
| Harlowe Maliwannabee Skin | J96JT-BCXKT-C6JJ5-JTJBB-BZTXJ | Dec. 31, 2030 |
| Break Free Cosmetics Pack | JS63J-JSCWJ-CFTBW-3TJ3J-WJS5R | Jan. 1, 2031 |
| Halloween Cosmetics Pack | 3S6BB-ZXT93-KRT3W-BT3T3-JW6TZ | Jan. 1, 2031 |
| Golden Key | J9RTT-KWCK3-CFBB5-BTBT3-FKRB6 | Nov. 1, 2025 |
| Golden Key | BHRB3-XCWCJ-WFJTK-JTJJT-FCWF9 | Nov. 1, 2025 |
| Golden Key | 3SRB3-95CC3-K6TB5-BTJTB-66ZHW | Nov. 1, 2025 |
| Golden Key | T9RJB-BFKRR-3RBTW-B33TB-KCZB9 | No expiration |
How to redeem SHiFT codes for your Borderlands 4 account
While SHiFT codes are totally free rewards for you to accumulate, you must make a SHiFT account to input any active codes in-game.
SHiFT is a service that Gearbox integrates into its biggest games, and making an account unlocks forums and exclusive beta participation. It’s also necessary to create an account to turn in any promo codes, which is what most fans care about.
Once your account is created, you can enter your SHiFT codes in two separate places. Within your SHiFT account settings, you can find a Rewards tab with a field to enter any Borderlands promo codes. Once you enter the codes, any unlocked items will be added to your account the next time you open the game.
However, an easier way to input your SHiFT codes is within Borderlands 4 itself. Within the game’s pause menu, you can access a SHiFT. Select the Rewards tab from the resulting menu, input your codes and the unlocked items will be immediately available on your save.
Where are SHiFT codes normally released?
SHiFT codes are released frequently on Gearbox and Gearbox-affiliated social media channels. For the best chance at catching every new SHiFT code that gets released, you should follow Gearbox on X and on Facebook.
Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford also releases promos on his X account, so if you’re brave enough to follow him despite his frequent outbursts toward fans you can find SHiFT codes there as well.
What are SHiFT codes?
SHiFT codes are promo codes that Gearbox occasionally releases that reward players with loot and cosmetics in Borderlands games. The main SHiFT code reward is a Golden Key, which opens the Golden Chest in most Borderlands hub areas.
But don’t spend them immediately — it’s worth saving your Golden Keys until you reach the level cap and are playing on the hardest difficulty, as the loot rewards will scale to your character accordingly. This is a great way to begin farming some endgame legendaries quickly and easily.
Technologies
SNAP Benefits Expire Tomorrow. Here Are 3 Easy Ways to Help the Food Insecure
States are scrambling to find ways to offer emergency food relief and aid amid the federal government shutdown.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are expiring tomorrow amid the nearly one-month-long government shutdown. Based on 2024’s fiscal year, nearly 42 million low-income Americans relied on SNAP to afford groceries and receive crucial food assistance.
States are scrambling to find ways to offer emergency food relief and aid after Nov. 1. Over two dozen states have sued the Trump administration for not funding SNAP. And some online companies are stepping in to help, including HelloFresh and DoorDash.
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Why SNAP benefits are expiring and why it matters
The Department of Health and Human Services’ website notes that the federal government shutdown is impacting November SNAP benefits and the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Starting next month, recipients will only be able to access funds from previous months on their EBT cards.
Since the shutdown began on Oct. 1, federal funding for multiple agencies has come to a halt. Many federal workers, such as TSA employees and air traffic controllers, have either been furloughed or missed paychecks due to the shutdown. Now SNAP — a Depression-era government-funded program that is also commonly referred to as food stamps — is at risk.
According to data from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, in 2024’s fiscal year, more than 62% of people who received SNAP benefits were families with children. The average SNAP benefit for one household member was $163 per month.
According to CNN, if the government doesn’t find a solution within the next two days to fund SNAP, the program’s benefits will be cut off for the first time in its history.
«The well has run dry. At this time, there will be no benefits issued on November 1,» a message at the top of the USDA’s website states.
Democratic leaders from 25 states are behind the lawsuit filed Tuesday against the Trump administration for its refusal to use a $6 billion contingency fund to maintain SNAP. Point 5 of the lawsuit, which Politico shared, reads: «USDA suspended SNAP benefits even though, on information and belief, it has funds available to it that are sufficient to fund all, or at least a substantial portion, of November SNAP benefits.»
1. Go online and find a food bank near you
If you aren’t reliant on SNAP, there are ways you can help those who are. To find a food bank near you, visit Feeding America’s website and type in your Zip Code. Some state government websites provide similar information, but not all do. You can donate food or volunteer to work in food banks.
You can also look for ways to help your community. Check charity, nonprofit and service organization websites, as well as mutual aid services, including community fridges, for information on local resources. Facebook groups, online forums, local schools and hospitals and religious entities are also running programs to help families buy groceries or get meals delivered. Before donating food, double-check with the organization on what is most needed.
2. See if your state offers assistance
Some state governments are activating emergency assistance programs for people and food banks, including those in California, New York, West Virginia, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Minnesota, Connecticut, and Washington. There will also be week-to-week state emergency benefits in Delaware, rent and utility payment relief in Hawaii, funding for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program in Kentucky and a new Emergency Nutrition Assistance initiative to distribute funds in Virginia.
Some other states have also declared states of emergency or ordered the National Guard to assist in distributing food.
3. Spread the word about meal delivery donations
Donations and charity alone won’t address the food needs of more than 42 million people, but temporary measures can help alleviate some hardship during the benefit suspension for some households.
Food delivery company DoorDash has launched an emergency food response to the expiration of SNAP benefits. According to a press release, the company will deliver 1 million free meals to more than 300 Project Dash food bank partners, waive delivery and service fees for SNAP recipients, and donate food to local food banks from its DashMart stores.
«We know this is a stopgap, not a solution. But doing nothing simply isn’t an option,» said Max Rettig, vice president and global head of public policy at DoorDash.
Food delivery service Gopuff is offering SNAP recipients a $50 credit in November for all SNAP-eligible items, which will be delivered free of charge.
HelloFresh will donate $1 for each fall-themed meal kit purchased from its seasonal menu, up to a total of $50,000, to benefit No Kid Hungry, which helps SNAP and school meal programs. (Available during the weeks of Nov. 8 and Nov. 15, the two HelloFresh meal kits include creamy sun-dried tomato stuffed chicken with mashed potatoes and garlicky green beans; and crispy chicken cutlets and rigatoni in a creamy butternut squash sauce.)
Although it is not related to the SNAP program, another popular meal kit, Home Chef, donates $100,000 each year to Feeding America.
How to get your $50 SNAP credit from Gopuff
If you’re a SNAP recipient, here’s how to get $50 in credit this November:
- Make sure a SNAP EBT card has been added to your Gopuff account.
- Add SNAP-eligible items to your Gopuff shopping cart (those items will be clearly marked if eligible).
- Use code SNAPRELIEF1 at checkout for $25 off and free delivery from Nov. 1 to 15.
- Use code SNAPRELIEF2 at checkout for $25 off and free delivery from Nov. 16 to 30.
How to get SNAP items delivered for free on DoorDash
If you’re a SNAP recipient, here’s how to get free delivery and no service fees on one order during November:
- Make sure a SNAP EBT card has been added to your DoorDash account.
- Place an order at a SNAP-enabled store on DoorDash. They will be clearly marked and include Sprouts, Dollar General, Schnucks, Food Lion, Giant Foods, Hannaford, Stop & Shop, Hy-Vee, Giant Eagle and Wegmans.
- Use promo code SNAPDD at checkout.
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