About ducking time: Apple to tweak iPhone autocorrect function that changes common expletive

Apple has announced it will upgrade its autocorrect feature so it no longer changes one of the most common expletives to the word "ducking".

"In those moments where you just want to type a ducking word, well, the keyboard will learn it, too," Apple's software chief Craig Federighi said.

The autocorrect feature on the iPhone keyboard has always had its quirks, and may occasionally substitute a logical replacement for a misspelt word while texting, inadvertently altering the intended meaning of a phrase or sentence.

Such instances typically prompt infuriated follow-up texts along the lines of "damn autocorrect!" as well as more autocorrected swear words - resulting in a vicious circle.

The "ducking" substitution has long been a source of frustration, depending on how many times it forces iPhone users to rewrite their own texts.

Users of iPhones have always had the choice to disable the autocorrect function on their devices, however, thereby enabling those with a vulgar vocabulary to freely express themselves without restriction.

Aside from the texting tweak, Apple Inc barged into Meta's metaverse party on Monday with a lot on its agenda, including
an augmented-reality headset called Vision Pro in its riskiest and biggest bet since the introduction of the iPhone more than a decade ago.

Vision Pro is "the most advanced personal electronic device ever", the US tech giant claims, and resembles a pair of ski goggles, while featuring a 23 million pixel glass screen that covers the upper face and is controlled using the wearer's eyes, hands and voice.

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It will be available early next year in the US with more countries coming later in 2024, and will start at $3,499 (£2,811) - more than three times the cost of the priciest headset in Meta's line of mixed and virtual reality devices that currently dominate the nascent AR/VR market.

Although Apple did not make any significant declarations regarding generative AI products like ChatGPT or Google's Bard search engine, the company did incorporate some minor features that utilise AI, such as real-time transcriptions of voicemails.

On Monday, the market valuation of the company reached just under $3tn, setting a new record as its shares hit an all-time high. The iPhone's market share has clearly demonstrated its power, with gains of 280% over the past five years.