Apple might integrate Siri into the iPhone’s ‘Dynamic Island‘ with the release of iOS 17. Since debuting on iPhone 14 Pro series, the tech giant has reportedly been looking at ways to support the new interactive notch better.
There’s been very little concrete information regarding iOS 17 ahead of Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in early June. However, one rumour from an anonymous analyst suggests Siri prompts will transition into the Dynamic Island. On Twitter, @analyst941 outlines how this could work in iOS 17.
Elaboration for #5: Many more notifications will be used with Dynamic Island, as well as a new Siri UI is being tested with it. Apple may or may not go with the Dynamic Island version of Siri
When discussing the expansion of the Dynamic Island, @analyst941 says, “many more notifications will be used with Dynamic Island, as well as a new Siri UI is being tested with it.” They go on to clarify that “Apple may or may not go with the Dynamic Island version of Siri.” This leaves the possibility that Siri may remain in the current state Apple offers now.
As it stands, users activate Siri by uttering the phrase “Hey, Siri.” This wakes Siri up in the form of the sphere emblem at the bottom of the screen. Users can then ask the assistant a question, make commands and complete other actions. It remains to be seen how a transition over to Dynamic Island will improve or drastically change how users interact with Siri.
Integrating Siri into the Dynamic Island and its pill-shaped design could help consolidate more of Apple’s systems and features. A localized area of the screen where notifications, prompts, and Siri can be pulled from could provide more screen real estate to the user when activated.
However, these are just possibilities, and it’s important to note @analyst941 isn’t a well-known leaker, though they are an active MacRumors forums user.
We’ll likely have a more concrete idea of what Apple may have planned for Siri as WWDC 2023 draws closer. The conference kicks off on June 5th and runs until June 9th. At one point, it was believed that Apple would reveal its AR/VR headset during the event, but that might no longer be the case.
Apple might integrate Siri into the iPhone’s ‘Dynamic Island‘ with the release of iOS 17. Since debuting on iPhone 14 Pro series, the tech giant has reportedly been looking at ways to support the new interactive notch better.
There’s been very little concrete information regarding iOS 17 ahead of Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in early June. However, one rumour from an anonymous analyst suggests Siri prompts will transition into the Dynamic Island. On Twitter, @analyst941 outlines how this could work in iOS 17.
Elaboration for #5: Many more notifications will be used with Dynamic Island, as well as a new Siri UI is being tested with it. Apple may or may not go with the Dynamic Island version of Siri
When discussing the expansion of the Dynamic Island, @analyst941 says, “many more notifications will be used with Dynamic Island, as well as a new Siri UI is being tested with it.” They go on to clarify that “Apple may or may not go with the Dynamic Island version of Siri.” This leaves the possibility that Siri may remain in the current state Apple offers now.
As it currently stands, users activate Siri by uttering the phrase “Hey, Siri.” This wakes Siri up in the form of the sphere emblem at the bottom of the screen. Users can then ask the assistant a question, make commands and complete other actions. It remains to be seen how a transition over to Dynamic Island will improve or drastically change how users interact with Siri.
Integrating Siri into the Dynamic Island and its pill-shaped design could help consolidate more of Apple’s systems and features. A localized area of the screen where notifications, prompts, and Siri can be pulled from could provide more screen real estate to the user when activated.
However, these are just possibilities, and it’s important to note @analyst941 isn’t a well-known leaker, though they are an active MacRumors forums user.
We’ll likely have a more concrete idea of what Apple may have planned for Siri as WWDC 2023 draws closer. The conference kicks off on June 5th and runs until June 9th. At one point, it was believed that Apple would reveal its AR/VR headset during the event, but that might no longer be the case.
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 5 might feature a worse display than the Pixel Fold.
According to The Elec, it looks like the Z Fold 5 will sport Samsung Display’s M12 material set (the material used to create OLED panels) for OLED displays, similar to what was available on the Z Fold 4, Z Flip 4 and the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max. Now, Samsung is working on the M13 and M14 material sets, but Google will get the first taste of the new technology.
The Pixel Fold will reportedly use the M13 material sets, compared to the Z Flip 5 and the Z Fold 5, which will use only the M12 material sets, similar to their predecessors. It would be strange for Google to opt for the M13 sets, as the company isn’t usually ahead of the game regarding components. And it’d be odd for Samsung to use the M12 sets if it knows Google’s displays are ahead of its own devices.
The Elec also indicates that Apple’s iPhone 15 models will use M12-based displays. This is an upgrade for base iPhone users as the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus used the M11 sets; however, iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max already use the M12-based displays.
The rumours also suggest Samsung Display is building a custom set dubbed ‘M14’ solely for Apple and its 16th-gen devices. However, in 2023 Samsung will reportedly build four displays for the iPhone 15 models with assistance from LG display for the two Pro models.
The Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 are expected to launch in August, the iPhone 15 models in September, and the Pixel Fold could release sometime this Spring.
With its iPhone 14 series, Apple ditched the iPhone 13 mini in favour of the larger iPhone 14 Plus. Though the company hasn’t revealed official sales numbers, the undeniably cute 5.4-inch iPhone 13 mini is believed not to have sold well, leading to Apple taking a chance on the 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Plus in 2021 (it seems everyone that demanded a smaller iPhone didn’t actually purchase the device).
Fast-forward several months following the 14 Plus’ release, and it appears that — if the latest report from Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC is accurate — this gamble paid off, and there is a market out there for a bigger base-level iPhone.
According to the DSCC, 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Plus shipments are 59 percent higher than the 5.4-inch iPhone 13 mini over the same year-over-year period. This data contradicts earlier reports indicating the iPhone 14 Plus was not selling as well as Apple had hoped.
With this in mind, DSCC’s report indicates that while the iPhone 14 Plus has surpassed the iPhone 13 mini’s sales, it’s still well behind the iPhone 14 Pro Max with just 11 percent of overall shipments. In comparison, the iPhone 14 Pro Max holds 36 percent of overall display shipments, the iPhone 14 Pro holds 28 percent, and the iPhone 14 has 25 percent of overall shipments.
It’s believed that with the iPhone 15 series, Apple will stick with the current size lineup for its devices, including the iPhone 15, the iPhone 15 Plus, the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which some rumours indicate could be called the iPhone 15 Ultra.
When I spent time with the iPhone 14 Plus earlier this year, I was impressed with the device and felt like it had the potential to sell better than the mini series given the modern smartphone industry’s focus on big, expansive displays. That said, I still missed the optical zoom the iPhone 14 Pro/Max offer.
To be clear, there is no additional iPhone 14 Pro/iPhone 14 Pro Max colour option this year, with the iPhone 14/iPhone 14 Plus only getting Yellow.
This new Yellow colour rounds out the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus’ lineup to include: ‘Starlight,’ ‘Midnight,’ ‘Product Red,’ Blue’ and, of course, Yellow.
While the new Yellow hue doesn’t feature the same ’70s-inspired pastel tone as 2018’s iPhone XR, one of my favourite smartphone colours ever, it’s still appealing. It’s a deep Yellow that looks particularly intense under both shadows and direct sunlight, and stands out in the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus lineup as one of the smartphones’ more interesting designs.
Even the flat aluminum sides of the Yellow iPhone 14/iPhone 14 Plus look great and reflect the light in a unique way that only the Purple and Blue hue are capable of replicating.
With all that said, though, this is still just a new colour for the same iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus that were released back in late 2022.
MobileSyrup utilizes affiliate partnerships. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content, though we may earn a commission on purchases made via these links that helps fund the journalism provided free on our website.
Realme has launched a new smartphone that replicates Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro’s Dynamic Island. The Realme C55 has been officially unveiled in Indonesia with a Dynamic Island-like feature called “Mini Capsule.”
Unlike Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro, the Realme C55 has a centre hole-punch camera but extends to a pill shape. So far, the only available animation shows SuperVOOC charging and battery information in the pill. According to 9to5Google, other information that’ll display are daily step count and data usage, but we’ve yet to see those animations.
Developers must tune their apps to work with Realme to provide more integration.
It’s cool to see that an Android device is copying the feature, and I think it’d be interesting if more devices did so as well.
The phone won’t officially come to Canada, so we won’t be able to test out this ‘Mini Capsule,’ but the handset also features a 6.72-inch FHD+ 90Hz display, MediaTek Helio G88 processor, 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage and more.
In Canada, Apple might be the only one to hold a claim on the Dynamic Island until Google or Samsung chooses to copy the feature someday.
And now, it appears the feature has worked in favour of two women in B.C. The feature connects the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro with satellites if the device is outside a cellular network, allowing people to call for help in case of emergencies.
According to the Prince George Citizen, the two women got lost while making their way to Alberta. An accident on their original route caused them to take a detour through the Holmes Forest Service Road, where they got stuck in the snow.
Dwight Yochim, a senior manager with B.C. Search and Rescue, told the publication an Apple call centre center relayed the information to Northen 911. The local call center notified emergency services in the province and shared the subject’s GPS location.
“This technology has the potential of really helping us save lives and reducing the amount of time it takes to do that.”
The iPhone 15 rumour mill is starting to kick into high gear.
According to a new research note from Haitong International Securities’ tech analyst Jeff Pu (via MacRumors), Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max could include new features like additional RAM, a titanium frame and buttons that don’t move but offer haptic feedback, similar to the iPhone SE (2022)’s Touch ID button.
More specifically, Pu says that the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will feature 8GB of RAM, an increase from 6GB in the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max (the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro would reportedly still feature 6GB). Size-wise, the entire iPhone 15 line-up will measure as follows: 6.1-inch iPhone 15, 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Plus, 6.1-inch iPhone 15 Pro, and 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Pu goes on to say that the iPhone 15 Pro series will feature a new 3nm A17 Bionic chip, while the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will include the same A16 chip as the iPhone 14 Pro series. Overall, Pu expects iPhone, Apple Watch, Mac and AirPods shipments to decline year-over-year in 2023 because product momentum has “turned weak.”
While the iPhone 15 series is still several months away from release, several leaks about the upcoming smartphone line have appeared over the past few months. For example, a report from Ming-Chi Kuo states that the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will offer different features. Adding more fuel to this rumour, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says that his sources indicate Apple could ditch “Max” for “Ultra” with its 6.7-inch high-end iPhone.
Finally, there are also rumours the iPhone 15 will make the jump to USB-C following the EU mandating that all smartphones must adopt the port format by 2024. Given the iPhone has been pretty stagnant year-over-year since the iPhone 13, it would be great to see Apple make significant changes with the iPhone 15, especially since iPhone 14 sales are reportedly slow.
Apple is expected to reveal its iPhone 15 line at a hardware event in September.
As a yearly tradition at MobileSyrup, every team member writes a list of their favourite things from the past year. It’s a fun, creative exercise, but it also offers our readers a chance to get to know the team behind the never-ending tech blog posts a little more.
I found it particularly difficult to come up with five things I actually liked from 2022 — not because there wasn’t anything I enjoyed from the year, but because everything post-2019 has blended together in my brain. Still, I enjoyed several things in 2022, though some are repeats from my list last year to some extent.
Just like 2021, by far, my favourite thing of the year is Halo Infinite. The game has undeniably encountered difficulties over the past 12 months, with 343 industries struggling to consistently bring new maps, features and fixes to the title. But underneath its several shortcomings is core gameplay that’s a clear throwback to the Halo 2/Halo 3 glory days of the series’ multiplayer.
This is why after roughly 23 days of in-game time over the past year in Ranked multiplayer (no, I’m not exaggerating), I still come back for more nearly every day. It’s been years since I’ve stuck with a game the way I’ve continued to play Halo Infinite, learning its ins and outs, studying update breakdowns and following the title’s esports scene closely. I even managed to hit Onyx, the game’s highest multiplayer rank, before falling back down to mid-Diamond a few weeks later.
I’m looking forward to what 2023 looks like for Halo Infinite, especially with Forge now available and Season 3 looming on the horizon.
Ioniq 5
This year I entered the wild world of electric vehicles (EVs). With my rapidly ageing 2014 Ford Fiesta on its last legs, I managed to get my hands on Hyundai’s Ioniq 5. So far, I really like the Ioniq 5, especially its futuristic design, though I’m not particularly fond of the ‘Shooting Star Grey’ matte paint that requires hand washing (it looks cool, but it’s also a ton of work).
The rumours surrounding EVs losing a significant amount of range in cold weather are very accurate in my experience, given the car drops about 30 percent of its range in negative-degree weather. Thankfully, the relatively short distances I drive the car and the fact that I installed a Level 2 charger at home make this not an issue for me, but I can see it being a problem for some. My other key issue is the fact that the car doesn’t feature a back wiper, which is a must in Canada’s snowy climate.
Everything else about the Ioniq 5 is stellar, including its awesome Level 2 highway assist driving that maintains speed and the distance between you and the vehicle in front of you while keeping you between the lines (I don’t think I can ever go back), ample trunk space and that EV boost of acceleration and torque you feel as soon as you push the pedal down.
I plan to put together a detailed story (and video) about my experience with the car on MobileSyrup so far at some point in the future.
Blink-182 reunion
Few things are certain in life, but one fact that’s become evident over the past decade or so is Blink-182’s Tom DeLonge will leave the band, only to rejoin again a few years later. As my favourite band, I can’t help but be excited by this latest original reunion lineup, despite feeling sorry for Matt Skiba, DeLonge’s fill-in on California and Nine, who has unceremoniously been kicked to the curb. Everything from my taste in music and clothes to my sense of humour can sadly be traced back to discovering the band in middle school.
The band’s first new single, “Edging,” isn’t amazing, but it’s catchy and a solid sign of what’s hopefully to come when the full album drops later this year. I’m also looking forward to seeing the band live in Toronto in May (I better be given how much the tickets cost).
Hopefully, Blink-182 getting back together is a sign the universe has returned to a good timeline once again.
1883
Why are Yellowstone‘s prequels so much better than the once great, but rapidly becoming awful main TV show? I don’t know the answer to this question, but 1883 remains one of my favourite TV shows that I’ve watched in the last several years.
The western follows the Dutton family as they travel west to establish the ranch that’s featured in the main TV series. Without giving too much away, no character is safe during the perilous journey, and the mini-series takes several surprising twists I didn’t expect over its solid 10-episode run. Given how Yellowstone‘s prequels have been a one-and-done exercise so far, creator Taylor Sheridan has far more creative freedom regarding the story they weave.
I’m not sure if 1923, the Harrison Ford-led prequel-sequel, will live up to its predecessor, but if the first few episodes I’ve watched are an accurate indication, it’s poised to.
iPhone 14 Pro’s Dynamic Island
I probably wrote these exact words last year, but this wouldn’t be my list without including an iPhone. While this year’s iPhone 14 Pro isn’t the leap forward I’d hoped for and is very similar to the iPhone 13 Pro, I’m a big fan of the ‘Dynamic Island.’ It’s one of the few truly unique additions to a smartphone in the past several years, despite not working with every app yet. The Dynamic Island holds a tremendous amount of potential, and I’m excited to see where Apple takes it with the iPhone 15 Pro.
Speaking of the iPhone 15 Pro, this year’s smartphone is expected to be the most significant leap forward since the iPhone X, including a subtle redesign, the move to USB-C, solid-state buttons and a periscope lens.
Over the last few years, the Canadian smartphone market has become bland.
While devices from manufacturers like Motorola, OnePlus and TCL still occasionally make their way here, usually, they can’t compete against heavy hitters from Samsung and Apple. So with my flagship round-up this year, I’m keeping things simple.
Samsung’s Z Fold 4 is an amazing smartphone as well, and it gets an honourable mention this year, but this list is primarily focused on “candybar” flagships.
I’ve spent several weeks with the iPhone 14 Pro Max, Galaxy S22 Ultra and Pixel 7 Pro. I snapped pictures, played games, browsed the internet and generally put the three devices through their paces. While all three are solid, they also shine individually in their own way.
Let’s get into it:
Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro Max
I specifically spent time with the iPhone 14 Pro Max over the iPhone 14 Pro because I wanted to focus on devices with similar screen sizes to the S22 Ultra and the Pixel 7 Pro to ensure equal footing (though the 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro offers the same feature set as the 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max). Additionally, the Pro Max offers better battery life thanks to its larger cell, which is something I’m always after when it comes to smartphones.
Out of the three devices, I used the iPhone 14 Pro Max for the longest period because I didn’t have prior experience with the smartphone, unlike the Pixel 7 Pro and the S22 Ultra.
If you’re an Apple user, the iPhone 14 Pro Max is a great device. However, I wouldn’t suggest upgrading from the iPhone 13 Pro, as there isn’t much of a leap forward. That said, thanks to the 14 Pro’s ‘Dynamic Island,’ its new 48-megapixel primary shooter and Emergency SOS via Satellite, the 14 Pro is a great smartphone.
While Dynamic Island doesn’t work with every app yet, it’s still useful when listening to music or following directions. It allows the iPhone 14 Pro’s camera hole punch to expand and display animations when using certain features, like when you’re on a phone call. It makes the iPhone 14 Pro series stand out from its competitors and adds a quick, easy way to access apps when they’re in use.
The iPhone 14 Pro Max’s triple camera setup takes great photos. While the Galaxy S22 Ultra might offer slightly better camera performance under certain lighting conditions (at least to me), the iPhone 14 Pro’s photos are generally more true-to-life. Check out the photos below to see the iPhone 14 Pro’s camera performance.
I haven’t needed to use Emergency SOS via Satellite (thankfully), but I tested the feature at an event in New York City when Apple gave me the opportunity to see how it works. Though few iPhone 14 Pro users will ever use Emergency SOS via Satellite, the feature offers great peace-of-mind. If you’re ever in a situation where you’re hiking, for example, without access to regular cellular services and need help, you can connect to a Globalstar satellite and message for help.
I won’t say that Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro is the best smartphone on the market, but in Canada, where our access to flagships is very limited, the iPhone 14 Pro Max is a great option, especially if you already live in Apple’s ecosystem.
Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultra
Switching over to the king of Androids, Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultra. 2022 was a year of frivolous updates for the South Korean tech giant. In short, if you own an S21 Ultra, there is nearly no reason to upgrade to the S22 Ultra. The S22 Ultra features a 108-megapixel primary shooter and 10x optical zoom in its 10-megapixel shooter. It also offers a 40-megapixel primary shooter and comes with a stylus.
Like other phones on the list, the S22 Ultra sports a 120Hz refresh rate screen with a 3040 x 1440 pixel resolution, ensuring it displays content beautifully (sometimes even better than the iPhone 14 Pro).
The S22 Ultra’s 108-megapixel primary shooter is paired with Super Clear Glass and Lens in order to improve low-light photography, and during my time with the device, this was quite evident. Low-light and night images look great and are still detailed. Further, the handset sports an impressive 10x zoom optical, which is better than any other smartphone on the Canadian market.
Take a look at some of the photos I snapped with the S22 Ultra below.
On top of the great camera capabilities, the S22 Ultra comes with the S Pen stylus. While I’m not the biggest fan of the S Pen, it’s popular with Note users (RIP). The S Pen’s 2.8ms latency is impressive, making writing on the S22 Ultra feel instantaneous and fluid. However, it still doesn’t feel quite like writing on paper. There are also other useful stylus features like ‘Air Gestures’ for controlling media, and you can use it as a remote shutter to snap pictures.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra features top-of-the-line specs, including a quad-camera setup, a sizable 5,000mAh battery, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, and much more. It’s the top of the Android world in Canada, but of course, you’ll have to pay a pretty penny for the smartphone.
Google’s Pixel 7 Pro
The last of the three flagships you should consider is the Pixel 7 Pro. This flagship gives users the purest Android experience compared to the other Android handset on this list. It’s also the most affordable, coming in at $1,199 (and it was recently on sale for $879), which is an incredible price considering how solid of a smartphone the Pixel 7 Pro is.
The device features great specs as well, which easily puts it against the S22 Ultra and the iPhone 14 Pro. This is alongside a solid display, striking design, all-around decent camera and great pricing.
Additionally, the Pixel 7 Pro features a 50-megapixel main sensor, offers 5x optical zoom and is able to achieve 10x zoom through a sensor crop technique. The device also features great low-light performance and vivid-looking pictures that are full of detail. Check out some of the pictures I’ve shot with the 7 Pro below.
The Pixel 7 Pro also has a nice design. My model is hazel, and you can see the sometimes bronze, sometimes silver camera bar showcasing the handset’s three cameras. The rest of the rear sports a glossy glass material that attracts far too many fingerprints and smudges for my taste, but I’m fond of the grey-green colour. The Pixel 7 Pro also comes in ‘Obsidian’ (black) and ‘Snow’ (white) and offers an aluminum frame that melds into the camera visor on the handset. I like the design of the Pixel 7 Pro, and personally, it’s my favourite of the three flagships.
The Pixel 7 Pro is the most affordable of the three, so while it doesn’t have the best cameras of the three or the best Geekbench scores, it does have the best pricing.
Honourable mention
Though they’re not on this list, I still want to mention Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4. The foldables are great devices, especially the Fold 4, which I reviewed earlier this year. I love foldables and think they’re the way of the future. Unfortunately, they aren’t for everyone just yet. The Flip 4 comes at a great price but lacks a flagship camera, display, battery and more, making it not comparable to other main flagship smartphones on this list.
The Galaxy Fold 4, on the other hand, features a pretty good camera array, great displays, okay battery life, but a very hefty price tag that makes it not worth it for most people looking for a new smartphone.
MobileSyrup utilizes affiliate partnerships. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content, though we may earn a commission on purchases made via these links that helps fund the journalism provided free on our website.
This new Yellow colour rounds out the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus’ lineup to include: ‘Starlight,’ ‘Midnight,’ ‘Product Red,’ Blue’ and, of course, Yellow.
This year I entered the wild world of electric vehicles (EVs). With my rapidly ageing 2014 Ford Fiesta on its last legs, I managed to get my hands on Hyundai’s Ioniq 5. So far, I really like the Ioniq 5, especially its futuristic design, though I’m not particularly fond of the ‘Shooting Star Grey’ matte paint that requires hand washing (it looks cool, but it’s also a ton of work).
I probably wrote these exact words last year, but this wouldn’t be my list without including an iPhone. While this year’s 
