Android Developer Options Explained: Everything you can do with these settings

IPhone Users Can Now Lock Or Hide Any App Using Face ID Or Touch ID, Here's How

The iPhone can of course be set up to require a passcode or biometric authentication via Face ID or Touch ID before it can be unlocked, but what if you want to be able to add some double protection to a specific app?

Apple offers an API that allows developers to add that to apps with personal information, much like a banking app. But a new app lets you lock any other app behind the same authentication requirement.

Called App Lock, it's a simple app that offers a list of all the apps available on your iPhone or iPad and then lets you pick which one you want to lock.

You can also lock multiple apps during the same process, too, by selecting an entire category.

Another option is the ability to hide apps entirely, also. These apps will no longer appear on the Home Screen or even from within the App Library.

The App Lock app also offers more advanced options including the requirement to authenticate before apps can be deleted and more.

The App Lock app is free to download but unlocking the full app requires a subscription. The app works with all iPhones and iPads running iOS 16 or later, too. Unfortunately, the app could be considered costly at $29.99 per year, but it could also be very much worth it considering the apps you might want to keep out of the reach of others.

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Apple ID Rebrand To 'Apple Account' Expected In IOS 18 & MacOS 15

Apple ID sign-in page

Apple's potential rebrand of Apple ID to "Apple Account" has seemingly been corroborated, with the change allegedly arriving later in 2024 alongside the macOS and iOS 18 releases.

The Apple ID is the term used for the accounts on Apple's various online services, but rumors have previously hinted at it becoming the simpler "Apple Account" instead. On Sunday, a report has said the same thing, making the change seem a lot more likely to actually happen.

Writing in the "Power On" newsletter for Bloomberg, Mark Gurman writes that the name Apple Account will replace Apple ID in software and on Apple websites in late 2024 at the earliest. The change will probably coincide with the launch of Apple's next operating system generation, including iOS 18.

An "Apple Account" team already exists within Apple, Gurman adds, ahead of the rebranding effort, which could phase out Apple ID within a year. WWDC could be the first time Apple officially announces the change, giving developers time to adapt their apps to use the new language before the fall releases.

Though there is no official reason for the rebranding, it is likely that Apple is doing it so users can more easily understand what it is by name alone. While seemingly minor, it would be a change that impacts a name Apple has used for over 20 years.

The existence of two sets of reporting on the change makes the prospect of a rebrand quite likely. However, there's no guarantee that Apple will actually pull the trigger and make the change until it's actually implemented.

Your Apple ID Might Be Getting A Big New Name Change

Whether you've been using Apple devices for years or just picked up your first iPhone, you'll be familiar with the Apple ID. It's your login for all things Apple and it's been the key to accessing your devices and services for a long time. But a new report suggests that the humble Apple ID is about to change in an attempt to better reflect the way that it is used.

Apple IDs are now used as a method of authentication for third-party apps, Apple itself, the Apple Store, and more and that means that its name perhaps doesn't best fit the way people think about it. Now, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that Apple intends to rebrand the Apple ID to Apple Account, changing the branding across all Apple devices as well as the iCloud.Com website. The move could happen this year, Gurman wrote in the latest Power On weekly newsletter.

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Gurman's report matches a previous one by MacRumors that suggested such a move was in the works. Gurman says that Apple will start to use the new Apple Account branding later this year with iOS 18 and watchOS 11 among the first software releases to initiate the switch. Those releases are all expected to debut this June at the annual WWDC event, while the updates aren't expected to arrive on devices until this fall.

Notably, Apple does already use the Apple Account term when adding funds to accounts. Funds are then added to an Apple Account balance, suggesting that Apple may already have initiated the switch some time ago.

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