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Eton College is responsible for some of Britain's most famous politicians, and now it wants to make sure future UK technology leaders are denied iPhones.

Eton College (Source: Kazimierz Mendlik, Wiki Commons)

During its 14 years in power, the UK's Conservative Party had such a strong grip on technology that it demanded Apple add security features it already had. When he was Prime Minister, Boris Johnson claimed that no country in the world had got Apple and Google's COVID app to work, while the rest of Europe carried on with their successful ones.

Johnson was educated at Eton, as were 19 other former UK prime ministers. It's a boarding school for boys -- never girls -- aged 13 and up, and currently costs around $21,330 per term, or $63,990 per year to attend.

Fortunately, while it might dent just how entitled an Eton graduate tends to become, their families can now save a little money. According to CBS News, first-year pupils are no longer allowed iPhones.

Strictly speaking, they aren't allowed any smartphones. But these kids are not making informed choices about whether iPhone or Android appeals to them most, they're used to just getting the most expensive available.

And now that doesn't matter, because when they arrive at Eton, the SIM cards in their iPhones will be transferred to basic Nokia phones provided by the school. UK iPhones have not yet switched to eSIMs as US ones have.

"Eton routinely reviews our mobile phone and devices policy to balance the benefits and challenges that technology brings to schools," a spokesperson said. "[Pupils] will receive a 'brick' phone for use outside the school day, as well as a school-issued iPad to support academic study."

If Eton is the stereotypical image of posh England, this policy is as British as it gets. You can't have an iPhone, it says, but we'll give you an iPad.

Hopefully those iPads are in some way locked down, but on past record, Eton could just be hoping that its students are technologically inept. Boris Johnson, for instance, famously told an inquiry he couldn't hand over crucial messages because he'd forgotten his phone's passcode.



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The iPhone 15 Pro was rumored to feature haptic buttons with an all-new design, but Apple's project never saw the light of day -- until now. Here's what those buttons looked like, and what Apple scrapped along the way to a finished product.

The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max originally featured haptic buttons as part of Project Bongo

Early development prototypes of the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max had haptic volume and power buttons, developed under the codename Project Bongo. While these mysterious haptic buttons were widely rumored to exist, they have previously never been seen on actual hardware.

Speaking to a collector of Apple prototypes, AppleInsider has obtained exclusive imagery of a prototype iPhone 15 Pro Max, equipped with the elusive Project Bongo. We have also received numerous details about the buttons themselves, and the user experience relative to standard mechanical buttons.

The device in question is an EVT-stage prototype of the iPhone 15 Pro Max, known during its development period by the device identifier D84 and project codename "Veyron." EVT prototypes of the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max were the last to include Apple's haptic buttons, as the feature was abruptly scrapped in early April of 2023.

In terms of software, the EVT prototype runs an InternalUI build of iOS 17. This means the device contains a specialized variant of the iPhone operating system used internally by Apple engineers for development and testing purposes.

With the later CRB and DVT prototype stages, Apple changed the iPhone 15 Pro and replaced its new haptic buttons with standard mechanical ones. This means that CRB, DVT-stage, and later prototypes of the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max do not contain any exterior differences compared to their mass-production counterparts, making them less interesting to collectors as a result.

The Action button, the multi-purpose, user-configurable mechanical button located above the volume button, also changed during development, but to a much smaller extent. While the haptic volume and power buttons were completely phased out, the Action button only received minor changes affecting the overall shape, making it more round and wide.

Though it was developed alongside the haptic volume and power buttons, the Action button itself was always a mechanical button, which explains why it was left more or less unchanged. According to the prototype collector interviewed by AppleInsider, the Action button behaves differently from the unified volume button on the EVT prototype discussed earlier.

How Apple's canceled haptic buttons behave versus traditional mechanical buttons

The haptic buttons initially planned for the iPhone 15 Pro are somewhat similar to traditional mechanical buttons because they both apparently move when pressed. If the device is on, the haptic volume and power buttons generate feedback along with a clicking sound whenever they are pressed.

During the EVT stage, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max featured a unified volume button

was told that the unreleased buttons generate haptic feedback when pressure is applied, and immediately after the button is released. In doing so, Apple likely tried to mimic the overall feedback and noise mechanical buttons typically produce, essentially the same way that the Magic Trackpad works.

Although the project was canceled, and the final mass production units do not feature Apple's Project Bongo, the EVT device referenced throughout this article paints a pretty good picture of what could have been. We were told that the device accurately replicates the tactile sensation and feedback created by ordinary mechanical buttons.

If the device is off, and cannot display the usual charge indicator due to a completely drained battery, the buttons will still move but will not provide haptic feedback to the user. In short, no power, no click.

The iPhone 7, for instance, featured a solid-state home button that used Apple's Taptic Engine to provide vibration feedback similar to the press of a physical button. The button itself never actually moved, though, unlike the Bongo buttons the company initially developed for the iPhone 15 Pro.

When an iPhone 7 was powered down, its solid-state home button never provided any vibration feedback or moved. The haptic buttons on the iPhone 15 Pro Max EVT both move and generate haptic feedback, even when powered down, as long as the device has at least enough power to display the charging indicator.

According to people familiar with the matter, the Bongo-type buttons used dedicated firmware, containing references to a "deep sleep" mode. It's possible this deep sleep mode was activated once the device was powered off or inactive for large periods of time.

Interestingly, the collector we spoke to also told us that the buttons responded to pressure even when touched with a gloved finger, or when used inside of a pocket. This means that the buttons are capable of detecting changes in pressure without direct skin contact.

The key hardware components of Apple's Bongo Project, and how it worked

Apple's Project Bongo accomplishes this through carefully designed hardware. The button detects pressure through flexures and strain gauges, which then cause a change in resistance within an electrical circuit.

This change in resistance is measured, and a signal is sent to the main logic board (MLB), indicating the button was pressed.

EVT-stage prototypes of the iPhone 15 Pro featured a haptic power button slightly smaller than the one on mass-production units.

Flexures and strain gauges were used to detect changes in pressure, in specific areas of the unified volume button. This means that even though the volume button was a singular button, the iPhone would still be able to tell if the user wanted to decrease or increase their current volume based on where the strain from the touch was sensed.

After touch and location interpretation, the main logic board provides power to the components that generate haptic feedback. In the case of the Bongo Project, Apple created an electromagnetically driven reluctance motor known as the "Bongo Haptic Engine."

The Bongo Haptic Engine was an electromagnetic reluctance motor, consisting of a ferromagnetic core and copper coil, that together constitute a solenoid. It generated haptic feedback the same way the regular Taptic Engine does, by oscillating in relation to an attraction plate located underneath.

The Bongo Haptic Engine was a significant change, but it was ultimately in line with Apple's previous hardware upgrades. The iPhone 4s received a Linear resonant actuator (LRA), which ultimately led to a reduction in noise and an improved response time. With the iPhone 6s, Apple introduced a haptic LRA via the Taptic Engine, which can be found in every iPhone iteration since then.

The earliest known designs for the Bongo project date back to 2021, two years before the release of the iPhone 15 Pro. The goal of the project was to replace the iPhone's traditional mechanical buttons with an updated design featuring improved haptic technology.

At the same time, Apple may have wanted to reduce the inherent hardware failure rate of mechanical buttons by implementing new technology.

The home button on the iPhone 7 allowed for improved water and dust resistance because no moving parts were involved. But, the same cannot be said for the Bongo buttons, indicating that this was likely not a goal or priority in development.

Was Apple's unified volume button an intentional nod to earlier iPhone designs?

The Bongo module design merged the two separate volume buttons into a unified pill-shaped volume button, with an indentation in the middle to indicate the volume up and volume down position. This means that early prototypes of the iPhone 15 Pro had a volume arguably button similar to those found on the original iPhone.

The haptic buttons initially planned for the iPhone 15 Pro were abruptly canceled in early April of 2023, during the EVT stage of development

The first-generation iPhone, the iPhone 3G, and iPhone 3Gs all featured a singular volume rocker on the left side of the device. Apple only changed this with the iPhone 4, which received a dedicated volume up and volume down button.

Apple often tries to make visually defining changes to its latest iPhones to make them stand out. This is done to make them different enough from the previous generation, but still keep the overall visual identity and recognizable look of the iPhone. The iPhone 15 Pro introduced titanium as the housing material, and was supposed to feature a new look for its buttons.

While the design of the iPhone has changed through the years and various different generations Apple produced, every model up to the iPhone 15 Pro featured separate volume buttons. The company apparently sought to change this with its 2023 flagship as a way of differentiating it, but ended up scrapping the idea.

Who worked on the Bongo project, and how did its cancellation influence iPhone 16?

Through people familiar with the matter, AppleInsider has learned that Robert Rivers Ingersoll was among those who worked on the haptic buttons for the iPhone 15 Pro. According to his publicly available LinkedIn page and personal website, Ingersoll is an engineer with a doctorate in mechanical engineering from Stanford University.

Apple's haptic button module generated feedback through the Bongo Haptic Engine

Ingersoll was the tech lead for the Haptic Engine in the iPhone and Apple Watch. Prior to his work at Apple, he studied and analyzed the flight and hovering of hummingbirds and bats.

While the exact reasons for the cancellation of the Bongo Project remain unclear, it was allegedly scrapped because of unresolved technical issues and unsatisfactory test results. Prior to cancellation, the Bongo-style haptic buttons were supposed to appear on the entire iPhone 16 lineup as well.

As the Bongo design was eventually phased out, more recent prototypes of the iPhone 16 instead feature an all-new capacitive Capture Button. People familiar with the matter have told AppleInsider that the button has been developed under the codename "Project Nova."

The capacitive button is expected to appear on the same side as the power button, only lower. This suggests that it is likely a camera-related button.

First revealed in September 2023, the Capture Button features pressure-sensing technology and is capacitive in nature. According to a report from January 2024, the button will be able to recognize gestures -- meaning that users will be able to swipe left or right to zoom in or out.

The Capture Button is only one of many upgrades Apple has in store for its iPhone 16 lineup. Scheduled to debut in September of 2024, the iPhone 16 range is expected to feature a new A18 chip with a greatly improved neural engine. The base model iPhone 16 is expected to receive a vertical camera arrangement.



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Apple Maps in iOS 18 has been significantly upgraded, offering hikers and outdoor enthusiasts new ways to plan adventures. Here's how to prepare for a hike in Apple Maps.

Apple Maps offers hiking routes in iOS 18

The updates to iOS 18's Maps app make it an invaluable tool for planning hikes and outdoor activities. With detailed mapping, real-time data, and a wealth of user-generated content, Maps provides a comprehensive solution for outdoor enthusiasts.

Whether you're a seasoned hiker or a beginner, iOS 18 Maps ensures that your next adventure is well-planned and enjoyable. And since Apple added the ability to download maps offline with iOS 17, hikers can feel safe without an internet connection.

How to plan a hike for popular trailheads

You can create custom topographic hiking trail maps on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac and access them on both your iPhone and Apple Watch.

Popular trailheads are accessible in Apple Maps

1. Open Apple Maps on iPhone, iPad, or Mac.


2. Search for a trail or national park. Select the Trailheads/Trail button and choose a trail.


3. Tap the Plan a Hike button, then tap on the map to set your route.


4. View distance and elevation, then choose options like Reverse, Out & Back, or Close Loop.


5. Save and name the route, then tap Done.

However, you might find that certain parks or hiking trails don't have the "Trailheads" button, or you want to create a walking route through a city. In that case, you can start a custom route.

How to plan a custom route in Apple Maps

1. In the default view in Apple Maps, find the Library section and tap underneath to choose Places, Guides, and Routes.


2. After selecting Routes, Create Route, you can tap the map to add a starting point, then tap other locations to visit.


3. You'll see the same options for Reverse, Out & Back, or Close Loop.


4. Finally, tap Save or Go and start the route when ready.

How to plan a custom route in Apple Maps

Apple Maps in iOS 18 enhances the hiking and outdoor planning experience with detailed topographical maps, real-time data, and user-generated content. These features ensure that both seasoned hikers and beginners can plan their adventures effectively and safely, even offline. Whether following popular trails or creating custom routes, iOS 18 Maps offers tools for a fun outing.



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The roll-out of Apple Intelligence in the fall is passing over the Apple Vision Pro -- but a report on Sunday claims that it could arrive on the existing hardware as soon as 2025.

Apple Vision Pro: hardhat optional

Apple Intelligence is arriving in test in the next few weeks. It will ship to for everybody with a compatible device in the fall, with iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia, and iOS 18.

Not on that list at present is the Apple Vision Pro. But, a new report on Sunday from Bloomberg discusses the possibility of it arriving on Apple's headset.

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The specs of the headset as it stands can support Apple Intelligence. After all, the headset has a M2 processor, and 16GB of RAM, which is more than what's required on a Mac for the feature.

Apple Vision Pro is also a variant of iPadOS, so that's another point in the favor of the technology coming to the headset.

A potential roadblock cited in the report is the user experience. The report claims that the mixed reality environment may be a challenge.

But, the report makes sense. Apple is positioning the Apple Vision Pro as a productivity device, and the Apple Intelligence features make sense for the platform.

What's more questionable is the concept that it might tax Apple's cloud computing infrastructure, which is alluded to and dismissed in the report. As compared to the number of Macs that can use the tech, and the volume of iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 models that will be available when it may arrive, Apple Vision Pro quantities are a drop in the bucket.

Apple Vision Pro sales numbers are several orders of magnitude less than the other hardware that will run Apple Intelligence.

And even so, many Apple Intelligence features aren't going to arrive until 2025 anyway. And, they'll be limited to US English at first.

Rumor Score: Likely

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Internally, Apple engineers rely on a dedicated app to view, manage, and toggle in-development features and user interface elements within pre-release versions of new operating systems. Here's what the app is called and what it can do.

Livability is an internal app used by Apple engineers to manage new features

An essential internal-use application known as Livability lets the company's software engineers keep track of individual operating system features and test devices as a whole. It can be found in InternalUI builds of iOS, a specialized variant of the iPhone's operating system that's used internally for software development.

The application itself is a core component of Apple's pre-release operating systems. With Livability, Apple's software development and engineering teams can enable, disable, and debug upcoming features to make sure they are fully functional before their inevitable release to the general public.

Speaking to people familiar with the matter, AppleInsider has received information about the core functionality of the Livability application, as well as the specific options and settings the app contains.

Settings and features available within the Livability app

Livability provides Apple employees with the following information and settings related to development devices:

• Essential device information (serial number, hardware model, codename)


• Information on fusing -- development or production


• Details about VPN and MDM profiles currently installed


• Options for software updates, backups, custom boot arguments, and Carry status adjustment


• Feature Flag viewer -- lets users manage and view individual features or groups of features


• Command Center -- gives employees a way of making changes to multiple development devices simultaneously

Device information and settings within Livability

The Livability app contains an overview of essential information and options for development devices. Through the app, its users can see the serial numbers, codenames, hardware models, and marketing names of development devices, among other things.

The application also contains information about device fusing -- a key hardware characteristic of all Apple devices. The devices Apple sells to its customers are "production-fused," meaning that they have significant hardware-level security measures in place, preventing the device from running certain types of code.

"Development-fused" devices are the exact opposite of this. Pre-PVT type prototype units, such as EVT or DVT devices are in most cases development-fused, meaning it is possible to use the JTAG testing standard through specialized cables.

Apple uses both development-fused and production-fused devices to test different things, which is why Livability has an indicator for this key hardware characteristic.

The application also allows employees to specify whether or not their device is a so-called "carry" device, a daily driver, in other words. According to people familiar with the application, this information is primarily of use to Apple's engineering teams.

In addition to this, Livability features options to set custom boot arguments for the operating system kernel. With this feature, the user can force the device to boot into verbose mode or a special diagnostics menu, among other things.

Livability's feature management system

Livability provides Apple's software development teams with a comprehensive overview of all features available on the operating system currently installed. The application displays and organizes feature flags -- which are toggles that can be used to disable or enable software features.

Feature flags are organized primarily by date. In speaking to people familiar with the development of Apple's latest operating systems, we have learned that feature flags are sorted into the following categories for each year:

• Spring


• WWDC


• Fall


• Winter

These categories indicate the intended release date for new operating system features. Apple generally releases updates for its latest operating systems throughout the year, and such updates often introduce new features that were announced or previewed at an earlier point in time.

Apple's internal-use operating systems can have features, or early code for features, that are scheduled for release years into the future. The same operating system could have feature flags meant for release during WWDC 2024 and WWDC 2026, for instance.

Within these time-based categories, feature flags are further divided according to the app or aspect of the operating system they affect. This means that within WWDC 2024, for instance, employees would see categories such as Notes, Music, Spotlight Search, and so on.

Individual operating system features, or features part of a larger initiative, are often developed under codenames known only to select Apple employees. While some codenames can present a vague indication of the feature's overall goal, the exact purpose of codenamed features cannot be discerned without people who have direct knowledge of the matter.

Greymatter, a reference to a type of tissue within the human brain, was the codename for Apple Intelligence. Apple's new universal calculator app was codenamed GreyParrot -- a nod to the African Gray species of parrot, known for its high intelligence compared to other bird species.

Features are also classified according to their current development status, which changes as time moves on. There are four categories that indicate the degree of completion:

• Under Development


• Code Complete


• Preview Ready


• Feature Complete

Within Livability, it's possible to activate all features with a specific development status through a dedicated subscription setting. We were told that Apple employees could use this to, for example, activate all features marked "Under Development."

The application will display different warnings depending on the category selected. These warnings serve to inform the users of the potential effects a new feature may have on their machine.

Generally, features other than those marked "Feature Complete" have not been fully tested and may be incomplete in some way. Features labeled "Under Development" could cause devices or specific applications to behave in unexpected ways.

Practically, this means that in-development features may prevent system applications or UI elements from working properly, causing them to crash upon launch. Alternatively, visual glitches such as misplaced text, images, or toggles can also sometimes occur.

What is Livability used for?

Livabillty's feature flag viewer is of use in situations where debugging is necessary. If a new feature causes major issues, Apple's engineers can disable it until it has been fixed, then activate it later on to confirm its functionality.

With the app, Apple's employees can disable so-called sensitive UI elements so that they are not accidentally exposed to unauthorized individuals. An example of this use case was seen in a pop-up message uncovered by users of social media platform X in June of 2024.

At WWDC 2024, Apple previewed a new user interface for Apple Intelligence and Siri but kept the UI disabled in the initial developer beta of iOS 18 released on June 10. Users quickly found a way to activate it, however, which is how the pop-up message was accidentally discovered.

The message warned employees that sensitive UI and sounds were enabled and that they were not to be used within 50 feet of undisclosed individuals. Instructions on how to disable the sensitive UI elements were also included in the message.

As mentioned earlier, the application also lets users install software updates and create backups, manage VPN settings, and much more. This makes Livability an all-around device management application for Apple's software teams.

The information we acquired about the Livability app provides useful insights into Apple's development process, how software teams manage and organize new features, and how they keep track of development units.



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