Entertainment
iOS 18.4 beta: 5 cool iPhone features that may be coming soon
Apple is set to launch a few new products next week. What are they? Well, no one knows for sure. There have been rumors of a new iPhone SE or perhaps something new for the Apple Vision Pro line.
But we do know of one of Apple’s anticipated releases: iOS 18.4 beta, which, according to Bloomberg‘s Apple insider Mark Gurman, is set to roll out next week.
iOS 18.4 beta is set to bring the iPhone some new features and capabilities. Here are some of the cool things that iPhone users can expect.
New Emojis
Listen, this isn’t the most innovative thing coming to the new iOS beta, but let’s be honest: It’s what users will be utilizing the most.
Credit: Unicode Consortium
Seriously, look at this “tired face with bags under its eyes” emoji. It’s very likely you’ll be seeing this one everywhere in your late-night iMessage group chats. There’s also a harp, shovel, beet-like rootless vegetable, purple ink splatter, and a barren leafless tree that’s expected to be on the way, too.
Apple usually includes the newest emojis approved by the Unicode Consortium in its latest iOS releases, so you’ll likely see these added, too.
Apple Intelligence: Siri gets smarter
Siri is poised to get an Apple Intelligence upgrade, according to Bloomberg‘s Gurman.
And that upgrade could very well be coming in the iOS 18.4 beta.
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Apple first announced its own set of AI features, Apple Intelligence, last June. Apple was already late to the AI space with the announcement. But, even then, the company took months to officially start rolling them out. On top of all that, quite a few of those Apple Intelligence features still haven’t been released more than 8 months later.
On top of that list of upcoming AI features: A smarter, Apple Intelligence-powered Siri voice assistant.
Some of these Siri features include personal context or the ability for the voice assistant to utilize your own data to answer your questions and queries. Siri could also get an on-screen awareness capability, which would allow Siri to interact based on what you’re already doing on your device. Apple also previously said that Siri will have a “richer language understanding, more natural communication” and the “ability to take action in and across apps.”
Apple Intelligence: Better news summaries
Here’s one feature that was taken away that we’re expected to get back: News summaries.
Apple Intelligence was originally launched with a feature that generated news summaries via iPhone notifications. There was one problem, though. AI can often get these types of summaries wrong, and when we’re talking about breaking news and current events, getting those summaries wrong could be dangerous.
After pushing out a few blatantly false AI-generated news summaries that went viral, Apple pulled the features for the News & Entertainment category of news and added a warning that the feature “may contain errors” in the settings sections for other news categories.
Apple said the AI news summaries that were disabled would return after the company made improvements. It seems likely that Apple will reintroduce the feature in the iOS 18.4 beta.
Default Map and Translation app
As MacRumors reports, Apple has been required by the EU’s Digital Markets Act to allow users to set their own default Map and Translation app instead of using the default one provided by Apple.
Based on the timeline for rolling this out, it seems likely that those settings changes will be coming in the iOS 18.4 beta. Yes, Apple is only required to do this in the EU, and other DMA-required features haven’t all rolled out in the U.S. But this one seems like a feature that Apple will bring to all of its users.
Home app updates
Apple’s expected robot vacuum support was nowhere to be found in the Home app for the last iOS release. Well, to be clear, as MacRumors points out, it was found somewhere: Hidden in iOS 18.3’s code. Yet, the feature didn’t go live with iOS 18.3’s launch.
Apple still mentions the feature on its website, which allows users to control their robot vacuum cleaner functions and monitor its status. Did Apple still need some more time to fine-tune robot vacuum support in the Home app? There’s a good chance you’ll be able to finally use Siri to control your robot vacuum very soon, possibly in the upcoming iOS 18.4 beta.
Entertainment
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she’s your mother-in-law, your best friend’s mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.
Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.
The game plan here isn’t just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you’re not the kid who forgot Mother’s Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don’t even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother’s Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?
Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it’s something to make a part of her life easier, something she’s mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can’t put a price on everything she’s done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.
After all, they say “No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother.” But is that even a bad thing?
Entertainment
Ban subscriptions and get Microsoft Office 2024 for life for just £121
TL;DR: Grab Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for PC or Mac for just £120.54 through June 1.
You wouldn’t keep paying for Netflix if you could own your favorite shows, right? So why are you still subscribing to Office apps you use every day? Microsoft 365’s price keeps going up, but there’s finally a way to break free — and it’ll cost you way less in the long run.
Microsoft Office 2024 is the answer you’ve been looking for. Instead of monthly payments, simply pay £120.54 once and be set for life (reg. £188.37). It’s that simple. And, yes, this lifetime download works for PC or Mac.
What’s included?
This license comes with:
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Word
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Excel
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PowerPoint
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Outlook
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OneNote
The newest version of Microsoft Office is a little different from Microsoft 365. But just because you’re switching to a lifetime license doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on some of the most recent updates. Word and Excel both still have AI integrations for text suggestions and smart data analysis, and PowerPoint still has improved tools for recorded presentations.
Once you’ve redeemed your purchase, you can install your apps on one computer. After that, they’re yours to use however you want. No more subscription fees or sudden price hikes to worry about.
Why rent when you can own?
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Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for £120.54 with no coupon needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 9, 2025
Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
Gibberish.
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Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter T.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
TRIPE.
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
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Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
