353 - Hawk Talk: Eric's Vision Pro Adventures & iOS 18.4 Breakthroughs

The latest In Touch With iOS with Dave he is joined by guest Eric Bolden, Marty Jencius, Jeff Gamet. We kick off the episode welcoming Eric, who brings humor and a red-tailed hawk toy. Eric discusses his IT experience with Apple products, photography, and insights on the Apple Vision Pro, including VisionOS 2.4's performance improvements and Apple Intelligence. Marty desires more control over personal content in the Spatial Gallery app. We explore iOS 18.4 updates, including Mail, RCS, and Apple Intelligence. Marty praises ambient music in Apple Music, while Eric highlights improved photo search. We wrap up by discussing Macstock on July 11-13.

The show notes are at InTouchwithiOS.com

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Summary

We kick off the episode with a warm introduction to our new guest, Eric, who humorously brings along a red-tailed hawk stuffed toy to the mix. We quickly transition into discussing Eric's extensive experience with Apple products. He shares his work in IT, focusing on Macs, as well as his passion for photography, leading us into our first major topic: the Apple Vision Pro. Eric reveals his experiences with the device's recent updates and how they could enhance immersive content sharing.

The conversation turns to the latest updates regarding the Vision Pro, as we discuss the newly released Vision OS 2.4. I highlight the significant performance improvements and the debut of Apple Intelligence. Eric shares his thoughts on the Spatial Gallery app, appreciating its consistent high-resolution content, while Marty expresses his desire for more control over personal content within the app rather than being restricted to curated offerings.

As we move into the beta testing phase, I share details on iOS 18.4 and its features, including updates to the Mail app, RCS support in Messages, and enhancements in Apple Intelligence. We discuss the struggles related to email categorization and whether new features can enhance user experiences. Each guest contributes their opinions on the changing landscape of Apple's operating systems, insights on beta testing, and feature preferences.

Marty shares his excitement about the ambient music feature in Apple Music, which has proven to be beneficial for concentration while working. We lean into a deeper discussion surrounding this recent iOS update, considering how improved notification management can enhance the user experience. Eric reflects on the improved search capabilities within the Photos app and how it has significantly leveled up his photo management.

Transitioning to the topic of Apple's potential future developments, we delve into the long-awaited non-invasive glucose monitoring for the Apple Watch. Past research and a multitude of hurdles facing this technology leave us wondering when and if it will ever become a reality. As we share our experiences with various health tracking devices, there's a consensus on the anticipation of groundbreaking advancements in this field.

Toward the end of our episode, we chat about upcoming events such as MacStock on July 11-13, where all of us will be present, highlighting the campus community atmosphere and the opportunity for attendee engagement through workshops. We encourage listeners to join us for this event and share a special discount code for tickets.

Topics and Links

We have a first time guest this week we get to know Eric Bolden.

In Touch With Vision Pro this week.

Apple Releases visionOS 2.4 With Apple Intelligence, Spatial Gallery and New iPhone Integration

Apple Intelligence comes to Apple Vision Pro today with visionOS 2.4

Apple Seeds First Betas of visionOS 2.5, tvOS 18.5, and watchOS 11.5

https://developer.apple.com/documentation/visionos-release-notes/visionos-2_5-release-notes

Beta this week. iOS 18.4 and all other OS were released to the public. IOS 18.5 beta 1 was also released.

Apple Seeds First Beta of iOS 18.5 to Developers - MacRumors

iOS 18.5 makes it easier to get the old Apple Mail design back

Everything New in the iOS 18.5 Beta

Apple Releases iOS 18.4 With Priority Notifications, Ambient Music, New Emoji and More

iOS 18.4 lets you set default iPhone apps in these new categories

iOS 18.4 Features: Everything New in iOS 18.4

iOS 18.4's Messages app adds RCS features for lots of new users

Apple Releases watchOS 11.4 With Sleep Alarm Update

watchOS 11.4 now available with three new features for Apple Watch [U: Back]

New Apple Invites 1.1 update now available on App Store

Apple Releases tvOS 18.4

iOS 18.4 Bug Seemingly Resurrects Previously Deleted iPhone Apps - MacRumors

Apple Updates iWork Apps With New iOS 18.4 and macOS 15.4 Features - MacRumors

Apple News+ Subscribers Can Now Access Apple News Food

iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS Sequoia 15.4 Address 50+ Vulnerabilities

Apple fixes WebKit zero-day exploited in 'extremely sophisticated' attacks

In Touch With Mac this week

Apple Releases macOS Sequoia 15.4 With Mail Categorization and More

Save Time Resizing Images on Mac With a Quick Action - MacRumors

Apple Seeds First Beta of macOS Sequoia 15.5 - MacRumors

Apple Watch 'Many Years Away' From Non-Invasive Glucose Monitoring

Dave found this Etsy seller has some amazing Apple posters available. My favorite are the Apple hardware iPhone, IPad, iPhone, Mac, as well as others.You can print them poster size. KOFdesignArt - Etsy https://www.etsy.com/shop/KOFdesignArt?section_id=41966814

News

Visa and American Express Vying to Win Apple Card Deal in 'Fierce' Fight

Max rebrands again, and this time it finally succeeds

New Plex Mobile App With Streamlined Interface Rolling Out to Users - MacRumors

Announcements

Macstock 9 is here for 3 Days on July 11, 12, and 13th, 2025. We have an exclusive coupon code use INTOUCH50 at checkout and save $50..Click here to Register | Macstock Conference & Expo Book your room with a Macstock discount here. Location | Macstock Conference & Expo I hope to see you there!

Our Host

Dave Ginsburg is an IT professional supporting Mac, iOS and Windows users and shares his wealth of knowledge of iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV and related technologies. Visit the YouTube channel https://youtube.com/intouchwithios follow him on Mastadon @daveg65, and the show @intouchwithios

Our Regular Contributors

Jeff Gamet is a podcaster, technology blogger, artist, and author. Previously, he was The Mac Observer's managing editor, and Smile's TextExpander Evangelist. You can find him on Mastadon @jgamet as well as Twitter and Instagram as @jgamet His YouTube channel https://youtube.com/jgamet

Marty Jencius, Ph.D., is a professor of counselor education at Kent State University, where he researches, writes, and trains about using technology in teaching and mental health practice. His podcasts include Vision Pro Files, The Tech Savvy Professor and Circular Firing Squad Podcast. Find him at jencius@mastodon.social https://thepodtalk.net

About our Guest

Eric Bolden is into macOS, plants, sci-fi, food, and is a rural internet supporter. You can connect with him by email at embolden@mac.com, on Mastodon at @eabolden@techhub.social, on his blog, Trending At Work, and as co-host on The Vision ProFiles podcast.