If you're the proud owner of a retro iPhone that's over 10 years old, you may soon be forced to splash out on an upgrade. That's because Apple is cutting support for several online services, like the App Store, Siri and Maps, on devices running an operating system from iOS 11 to iOS 11.2.6. So if you own a handset which can't upgrade to iOS 11.3 at the very least, it will be rendered largely defunct from May 2023. Although Apple is known to stop providing bug and security updates to older operating systems, this will mark the first time it has actively reduced their functionality. Currently, any iPhone running a version of iOS 11 can update to at least iOS 12.5.4,

Has it really been 10 years of Siri? The Apple voice assistant was originally integrated into the iPhone 4S way back in October 2011, and we're now here to wish Siri a very happy 10th birthday. Sparking a trend for smart voice assistants across the board, Siri certainly changed how we all interact with technology these days, with the rise of Alexa no doubt helped substantially by the presence of Siri before it. It's possible that some of you won't remember the early beginnings of Siri – which is why we've taken a walk down memory lane and looked at the history behind how Siri came to be. We've also looked at just what it was like to use back in those early days, and considered what the next 10 years could mean for the (mostly) helpful voice assistant.

As I mentioned, they look more or less identical. But when you taste the bread, the difference is obvious. As a dumb American, my easiest reference for pain au levain is the sourdough breads I've enjoyed during my trips to San Francisco. That slightly sour taste comes from the natural yeast. I bring up this tale of two breads because at the time of my personal CheeseFest, I was grappling with the fact that folks who can speak machine, like me, have always been unusually good at discerning whether or not an interaction they were having was powered by a computer.

Software updates are a problem. Both software-makers and hardware-makers want you to keep your devices up to date; updates contain patches and bug fixes that ensure your device runs as quickly and securely as possible, in addition to delivering new features. But the act of updating a device is never convenient. Depending on the machine and operating system, users may opt to delay updates ad infinitum rather than wait the two to 20 minutes for their systems to reboot. To combat that possibility, Microsoft has taken a more forceful approach, automatically checking for updates and installing them as needed.

Taking a look back at another week of news from Cupertino, this week's Apple Loop includes the latest renders of the new iPhone X for 2018, the hardware that wasn't announced at WWDC, why iOS 12 stands for stability, the renewed focus on iPhone security, the disappointment of no new MacBooks at WWDC, and all the spoof products announced on the internet. Apple Loop is here to remind you of a few of the very many discussions that have happened around Apple over the last seven days (and you can read my weekly digest of Android news here on Forbes). As part of Apple's push to expand the iPhone line-up (and increase sales of the iPhone family after years of declining share), the geekerati are expecting a budget version of the iPhone X (not to be confused with an update of the iPhone SE). What will it look like? Forbes' Gordon Kelly reveals new renders of the budget iPhone X: What Hemmerstoffer's images and video (embedded below) show, is a 6.1-inch design which blends the chassis of the iPhone 8 and a single rear camera with the fascia of the iPhone X, complete with Face ID facial recognition module and the distinctive notch. On the flipside, this means no Touch ID fingerprint sensor.

Apple has unveiled all the new features heading to iPhones and iPads at its developer conference in San Francisco on Monday, including speed boost for even older devices, improved privacy and a host of new features. The look of iOS 12 will be very familiar, with the company focusing on improving the experience and the underlying software rather than simply splashing on a new coat of paint. The new iOS 12 will be available for any device running iOS 11 now, which means any Apple smartphone from the iPhone 5S or newer, and any iPad from the iPad mini 2 and iPad Air or newer, plus the sixth generation iPod touch. The developer version is available now, but the first public beta is due later in June, for those eager to test it as soon as possible. A final release will be available in September for everyone else.

Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference is always full of surprises. USA TODAY's Jefferson Graham previews what we can expect in Talking Tech. The new iPhone X is seen on display at the Apple Union Square store on Nov. 3, 2017, in San Francisco. The iPhone X's lush screen, facial-recognition skills and $1,000 price tag are breaking new ground in Apple's marquee product line. Now, the much-anticipated device is testing the patience of consumers and investors as demand outstrips suppliers' capacity.

Apple has released the first major update for its HomePod smart speaker - and has its sights firmly set on Amazon and Google. The new iOS 11.4 update released today adds multi room capabilities to the Siri smart speaker, allowing users to play music in other rooms, in in every room at once. It comes as Apple is believed to be putting the finishing update to a major update to its Siri AI software. The free update also adds new features such as the ability to store iMessages in the cloud. The new iOS 11.4 update released today adds multi room capabilities to the Siri smart speaker, allowing users to play music in other rooms, in in every room at once.

The new Apple HomePod is displayed at an Apple Store on Feb. 9, 2018 in San Francisco. NEW YORK -- "Hey Siri, play jazz in the living room, hip-hop in the kitchen." Apple's HomePod speaker is getting a little bit smarter today, through a software update that arrives via iOS 11. Smarter, that is, when it comes to playing music. For starters, you now have the ability to "pair" two HomePods for a full stereo effect, with the left and right speakers playing the left and right audio channels accordingly, and independently adjusting to where you place them.

Apple is finally delivering on some promises it made last year about its HomePod speaker, including giving the device the ability to link with another for stereo sound. The company released a software release called iOS 11.4 on Tuesday that unlocks more features for the smart speaker. The announcement comes just ahead of Apple's developer conference, which starts Monday -- the same conference where Apple first announced the speaker a year ago. Apple has said that it wanted to make sure the features worked well for users before releasing them. Apple's HomePod hasn't been a huge sales hit for the company, which launched two years after initial products from Amazon.com and Google began dominating the smart-speaker market.