Top Stories: iOS 18 Beta 5 Features, Ultra-Tiny Mac Mini Rumor, and More (2024)

Apple's work on iOS 18 continues, with a new Distraction Control feature and refinements for the Photos app, among other tweaks, coming in the latest beta. We're only about a month away from the official release, so Apple should be firming things up shortly.

In another news, we've known for a while that Apple is planning to update its entire Mac lineup with variants of the M4 chip, but we learned this week that the Mac mini is apparently set to get a redesign as part of its update, so read on below for details on this and all of our other top stories from this week!

Hands-On With Safari's New Distraction Control in the iOS 18 Beta

Apple has released the fifth developer beta and third public beta of iOS 18. The key new feature in the latest betas is Distraction Control, which gives you the option to hide distracting elements on a website, such as newsletter sign-up fields and embedded video players. Apple said the feature is not designed to be an ad blocker, and it cannot permanently hide ads.

We went hands-on with Distraction Control in a recent video shared on our YouTube channel, so check that out for a closer look at the feature. Also read our initial story about the feature.

Apple Tweaks iOS 18 Photos App in Fifth Beta

iOS 18 features a completely redesigned Photos app on the iPhone, but the changes have not been well received by all users. As a result, Apple has been making some tweaks to the app's user interface while the software update remains in beta testing.

For instance, the latest iOS 18 beta removes the carousel from the Photos app for a more simplified experience. Read our coverage of this change for more details.

Everything New in iOS 18 Beta 5

In addition to Distraction Control in Safari and design tweaks in the Photos app, the latest iOS 18 beta includes a handful of other changes for the Home Screen, Control Center, and more.

Check out our list of everything new in iOS 18 beta 5 to learn more about the latest changes. iOS 18 should be widely released to the public in mid-September, alongside the launch of the iPhone 16 series.

M4 Mac Mini Rumored to Become Apple's Smallest Computer Ever With Complete Redesign

The next-generation Mac mini will feature a "far smaller" footprint, with the computer set to become nearly as small as an Apple TV box, according to a report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Gurman expects the new Mac mini to be released later this year. He said there will be two models of the computer, including one with the M4 chip that debuted in the iPad Pro, and one with an all-new M4 Pro chip.

Next Apple Watch SE Could Be Made From Plastic

In his latest newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said it is increasingly likely that the next Apple Watch SE will have a plastic casing, whereas the current model of the device has an aluminum casing.

Gurman said a plastic casing could allow for the Apple Watch SE to have a lower price, and a more kid-friendly design with colorful options. The next Apple Watch SE is expected to be announced in September.

15+ New Features Coming to the iOS 18 Messages App

iOS 18 includes many new features for the Messages app on the iPhone, and we provided an in-depth look at these changes in a guide shared this week.

You can now use any emoji as a Tapback, send messages over a satellite connection in certain locations, add text effects to individual words in a message, schedule messages to be sent later, and much more. iOS 18 also adds RCS support to the Messages app for an improved messaging experience between iPhones and Android devices.

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