iOS 18 now lets you pause video recording – and hints at a new AirPods Pro 3 feature
As the dust settles on the rather busy iPhone 16 launch event, more details are emerging about the new devices and software that Apple is now rolling out, including the iOS 18 update coming next week (Monday, September 16).
The team of 9to5Mac did some research and found that it is possible to pause video recording in the iOS 18 Release Candidate (which is the final test version that immediately precedes a public launch).
This ties into a demo we saw at the Apple show, in which the iPhone 16 (and its new Camera Control button) could be seen pausing video mid-recording. This is very useful for transitioning between scenes in a single video file.
The new discovery suggests that the feature is also coming to any other iPhone that can run iOS 18. When you’re recording a video, a pause button will appear in the bottom-left corner, and you can tap it to temporarily stop and restart recording.
iOS 18 and the AirPods Pro 3
Further investigation into the iOS 18 code by 9to5Mac has revealed a reference to wireless earbuds with a heart rate sensor: “Wear both earbuds while exercising to track your heart rate and send it to Apple Health,” the post reads.
As verified by insider sources, this means that health sensors are likely on the way to both the AirPods Pro 3 and the next-gen PowerBeats Pro earbuds. Both devices are expected to launch sometime in 2025.
Yesterday, the wireless AirPods 4 earbuds were unveiled, and they feature a number of useful improvements: better sound (as you might expect), a refreshed design, and active noise cancellation on the most expensive pair.
Thanks to the iOS 18 code, we now know there’s more to come for the higher-end version of Apple’s wireless earbuds – besides infrared cameras, perhaps. The Apple AirPods Pro 2 were launched in 2022, with a minor refresh in 2023.