Apple reveals it will finally stop iPhones autocorrecting f**k to ‘duck’

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.

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.

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.