Apple has revealed its iPhones will finally stop autocorrecting expletives such as f**k to ‘duck’.
For those who use iPhone, you’ve probably experienced wanting to type a swear word in a message only to find that as you go to send it, it quickly gets changed to something else that’s well, not quite so sweary.
You’re trying to vent your frustrations in a text, but when your phone autocorrects f**k to ‘duck’ or s***t to ‘shut’, it just doesn’t quite have the same effect. Plus, it’s annoying having to keep changing it back to the word you really want to say.
After disgruntled iPhone users have been banging on about it, the Apple team have listened and have finally been persuaded to make some changes to the technology that autocorrects.
Robbin Higgins / Pixabay
During the Worldwide Developers Conference 2023 — a big company showcase on exciting things happening in the Apple tech world — Apple’s software chief, Craig Federighi, said they will ensure its users don’t get angrier because of autocorrect.
Craig said: “In those moments where you just want to type a ducking word, well, the keyboard will learn it, too.”
According to CNET, the iPhone’s keyboard on iOS 17 uses a transformer model, which OpenAI (the company behind ChatGPT) uses in their own language models, to learn from what you type on your keyboard to better predict what you might say next, whether it’s a name, phrase or even the odd swear word.
Guy Renard / Flickr
If you’re not happy with a correction, you can tap the underlined word to see what you originally typed and quickly go back to it.
This new-improved feature is expected to be available for beta testing in July before being released to the general public in September.
The upcoming update will no doubt make plenty of people happy to finally have a device that understands them. However, this wasn’t the only big news revealed at the Apple event.
Guests were also shown Apple’s new VR/AR headset.
The new Apple Vision Pro headset — which could easily be mistaken for a pair of expensive looking snorkelling goggles — has a full 3D interface and can be controlled with your hands, eyes and voice.
When you put the headset on, you will see all the apps placed in and around your surroundings.
As if taken straight out of a sci-fi movie, It will feel like having a surrounding floating iPad/MacBook interface where you can switch between apps and tabs, play music and watch films. CEO Tim Cook said: “It’s the first Apple product you look through, and not at.”
You can also switch between augmented and full virtual reality by using a dial. The device uses passthrough video that lets you see the real world in full, while also having the ability to project 3D objects into real space.
M&S shoppers are raving over a festive cocktail that is a Christmas twist on a delicious summer classic, and it’s already on shelves.
Shoppers are going mad for the new festive ‘must have’ with one bargain hunter spotting it already stocked in her local Marks’, which she posted to social media.
The savvy shopper shared a snap of the luxurious gold and red bottle with an Art Deco logo, which quickly went viral with the post racking up over 1,000 likes.
Snack News & Reviews / Facebook
The photo also shows the M&S Christmas Colada is on sale for £5.50 a bottle.
A festive twist on the classic piña colada, it’s flavoured with ‘pineapple juice, coconut milk, and warming spices with two measures of white rum’, and is sure to go down a treat this winter season.
The Christmas bargain was shared to the Snack News & Reviews Facebook page where users rushed to social media to share their excitement for the product, calling it a ‘must have’ as they also praised the price.
Peter McDermott / Geograph
A great gift to bring along to Christmas dinner parties, shoppers say it is perfect for something to sip on throughout the season’s festivities.
One person wrote: “Defo getting this wee number for Christmas Day!” Another said: “Wow, two measures. I’ll have three bottles. What is everyone else drinking?”
While a third put: “Ooohhh yes. I can feel a few pre-Xmas party drinks at mine coming on.” And a fourth typed: “M&S pulling it out the bag again with their Christmas drinks!!”
Robert Wade (Wadey) / Flickr
Other users wondered whether M&S’ popular drinks ‘Let it Sloe’ and ‘Slow Fizz’ are back in stock again for the upcoming Christmas season.
It comes after one shopper urged people to head to their nearest M&S immediately as she was able to bag around £100 worth of shopping for just £16.
Victoria Evangeline posted a video on her TikTok saying: “M&S prices are a joke. They are ridiculous at the moment, you’ve got to see this.”
She went on to say M&S are getting rid of all their summer stock to make way for its Christmas range and that’s why some of its prices are so low – so best get down there asap!
A pink pigeon has been spotted in a town centre in Bury leaving residents speculating as to how it got its colour.
The fuchsia feathered creature has been seen around Prestwich, standing out from the rest of the grey pigeons, while eating food being given to it by locals.
Greater Manchester Police in Bury North tweeted that their officers on foot patrol around the centre also ‘came across a rare pink pigeon in the town centre’.
@GMPBury North / Twitter
But people have been wondering how the bird came to be the hot pink hue, with many believing it may be via artificial means.
One resident asked in a post on Twitter: “Has anyone else seen this pink pigeon in Bury and does anyone know why it is pink?!”
In response, one commenter said: “I saw it on Monday. Apparently they release them at weddings.” Another put: “Yeah I saw it last week on the rock.”
A third person wrote: “Believe it was used in a gender reveal hence the hot pink. Seen several times.” And a fourth added: “When I worked in Miles Platting there were bright blue ones that had become dyed by the nearby paint factory.”
A spokesperson for the RSPCA told the Manchester Evening News: “We can’t be sure whether these birds have been deliberately covered in a pink substance, or whether they have fallen in something.
“If someone has intentionally painted the pigeon’s feathers this is very worrying as it could cause health problems, impair their ability to fly and make them more vulnerable to predators.
Officers are out on foot patrol this afternoon as part of #OpHeartbeat
Officers quickly came across a rare pink pigeon in the town centre.
Have you seen Burys Pink Pigeon yet? Let us know & come and say hi when you spot us ❤️ pic.twitter.com/6mCQqsKsoq
“Dye and paints can be toxic to birds and animals, and they would be likely to try to clean any such substance from their coat or feathers which could result in them swallowing it.”
Earlier this year, a pigeon was dyed pink for a gender reveal party in New York City before being discovered by animal rescuers.
Due to complications from the harmful and toxic chemicals in the dye, the bird – a white king pigeon – unfortunately died a week later.
Met Office forecasters suggest the Northern Lights could be visible across Greater Manchester and parts of the UK tonight, and potentially again on Saturday.
The visually stunning phenomenon, known as the aurora borealis, could be visible to the naked eye along the northern horizon.
And stargazers across the North of England and Northern Ireland are in with a chance of being able to witness this spectacular display.
A minor enhancement to the aurora oval – which determines the range of polar lights – means the swirling colourful display of green, pink and purple hues may also be visible further south.
The Northern Lights are usually only visible over countries such as Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland, but can sometimes be seen from the UK.
Reports of sightings of the dazzling display have been coming in since Wednesday, from areas including Greater Manchester, Northumberland, the Lake District and even as far south as Cornwall.
They are set to be visible across skies tonight until Saturday.
The Met Office reports fast solar winds are expected and the Northern Lights could appear ‘most notably’ on Friday evening.
PxHere / stock photo
“With the associated increased geomagnetic activity the auroral oval is likely to extend south to become visible to the naked eye along the northern horizon from Scotland (where skies are clear) and perhaps briefly Northern Ireland and Northern England,” it continued.
On Saturday, skygazers in Scotland and Northern England could have another chance to glimpse the auroras thanks to another burst of plasma on the sun.
The Met Office added: “An expected Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) on September 16th will bring further enhancement, with the auroral oval likely to extend south across northern Scotland, and be visible to the naked eye across northern horizons of Northern Ireland and perhaps Northern England.
Malaika Ubuntu / PxHere
“Any auroral enhancements expected to ease from September 17th.”
The lights are best seen in darkness, away from any light pollution, so those in the countryside and away from city lights have the best chance of seeing them.
According to the Royal Observatory Greenwich, different gases determine what colours light up in the sky.
Nitrogen and oxygen are the primary gases in Earth’s atmosphere. Oxygen causes the green in the aurora, while purple, blue or pink hues are caused by nitrogen.