Because the hardware is exceptional and we are tied to the ecosystem. The software has been stagnant for half a decade. New implementations are some toylike features to create cartoons.
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How to Turn Off Apple Mail Categories
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One of my favorite new AI features. Its great for separating out the garbage.
Thanks! My first impression was that I didn't like it because the categories used seemed a bit arbitrary. But I didn't realize I could train it. I'll give it a try. And for all those panning this, well at least it's just an option and easy to turn off. I don't mind features that I don't like if I don't have to use them.
You must have been using the betas to test this? I just downloaded it now, so cannot give an assessment yet.
If my experience matches yours, that is indeed a very poor implementation and yet another sign of Apple's problems with software quality.
But isn’t training it only applicable on 15 pro max and iPhone 16 models with Apple intelligence.
You can’t train it on the older devices bc there is no way for it to learn?
but it defaults to all mail regardless.
It makes sense why the icons are still there. While you may want to open by default in all mail for your account if you want to quickly filter by category the options is still there.
So if anything it appeals to both. Gmail does the same thing with their filter tabs.
I already answered that here 😃
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/how-to-turn-off-apple-mail-categories.2454449/post-33835211
So many people at work come to me frustrated with how awful the new Mail is and all these default “threaded” emails and weird categories… and I’m not even in IT !! 🤪✨
I mean, Apple, why copy the worst feature in gmail?? You don’t know how many emails go unnoticed buried in threads…
I mean, Apple, why copy the worst feature in gmail?? You don’t know how many emails go unnoticed buried in threads…
I disabled it whenever Gmail introduced the feature and I immediately disabled it when Apple introduced it in iOS. Now time for my iPad… sucks they enabled it by default for those that have no clue how to disable it, which is a lot of people unfortunately. What a shock to see such a drastic change and then just having to live with it until you get lucky and someone shows you how to turn it off.
It also has a bug in the iOS implementation where it does not work behind a VPN. So annoying.
I still have to scan through my Junk folder every day because they still keep randomly putting good emails into my Junk folder and there doesn’t seem to be any way to teach it to improve.
Exactly. Really ugly, totally pointless iconography. Why? Who thought this was A Good Idea?
Seems like every time I master a feature they either change it or kill it. I feel like a dinosaur!
Since mail categories have been introduced, my notifications behave weirdly.
I have the following scenario: 2 email accounts - 1 iCloud (private) and 1 Exchange (work).
Usually, when I'm not on call at work, I want to have those notifications muted.
The problem is, if I turn alerts for that account off, they still go through because of the 'Favorite Mailboxes' and 'Primary Inbox' settings as they override all the rest.
Unfortunately those need to be on, otherwise my iCloud notifications land in the notification center instead of showing as alert banners (and yes, for the iCloud account alerts are on).
Is this just buggy or a design flaw with conflicting logic?
I have the following scenario: 2 email accounts - 1 iCloud (private) and 1 Exchange (work).
Usually, when I'm not on call at work, I want to have those notifications muted.
The problem is, if I turn alerts for that account off, they still go through because of the 'Favorite Mailboxes' and 'Primary Inbox' settings as they override all the rest.
Unfortunately those need to be on, otherwise my iCloud notifications land in the notification center instead of showing as alert banners (and yes, for the iCloud account alerts are on).
Is this just buggy or a design flaw with conflicting logic?
Fired and publicly humiliated would be even better. The mail app is garbage now. Many of us with early access since the first betas have complained, but Apple is hell-bent on forcing this crap. It's not just the categorization and list view, it's the other interface changes as well.
But you can't turn it off. April Fools on me I guess for seeing this and thinking, "wow, I can turn it off??"! Nope. All we can choose is to not use the list view, only to have it go back to list view at times when jumping between account views or installing updates. Where can I turn off the stupid icons and attempts at categorizing and identifying? This clutters up the interface, wastes resources and it has no f*&@!%g clue what is what... Can't modify or organize categories, it's just arbitrary nonsense. I can manually "train" it to sort specific senders into the pre-defined categories. Would be better if they gave us smart mailboxes and mail filtering like on the Mac.
This is definitely one of those features that seemed like a cool idea when I saw the keynote and then when using it feels like a mess.
Apple really messed up when Macrumors of all places (which I perceive as having slightly more favorable opinions of Apple since that's how it got started) is posting info like this, implying the feature is not good haha
I've definitely had issues with it so far on a 16PM.
I am in the process of training it as some of its choices are rather odd. Plus the fact it's really hard to tell you actually have new emails in the other categories. That little dot is useless and a few times the dot hasn't even appeared and I did have time sensitive emails arrive and I didn't find them until a day or so later. That's when I started training it. It's definitely getting better since I started doing that, but it will take time.
One issue I'm still encountering is it won't save drafts on my phone. Several times I've lost critical emails. Now I'm scared to save as draft on phone and instead just downsize the email until a free moment comes to finish it off and send.
But with all the trouble so far, I want to keep using it because it has streamlined my main category.
I am in the process of training it as some of its choices are rather odd. Plus the fact it's really hard to tell you actually have new emails in the other categories. That little dot is useless and a few times the dot hasn't even appeared and I did have time sensitive emails arrive and I didn't find them until a day or so later. That's when I started training it. It's definitely getting better since I started doing that, but it will take time.
One issue I'm still encountering is it won't save drafts on my phone. Several times I've lost critical emails. Now I'm scared to save as draft on phone and instead just downsize the email until a free moment comes to finish it off and send.
But with all the trouble so far, I want to keep using it because it has streamlined my main category.
“Categories is the default view after updating to the new software”.
I wished Apple would not force on me it as a default
Yeah, I turned it off (for now). But they had a little pop up telling you about it and made it super easy to turn off. And by making it on just after updating they at least let people know clearly this view is an option. Taking two seconds just after an update is far from even annoying let alone a problem.
Not all of AI is of the "generative" variety that requires the LLMs, and the increase in RAM. Most AI is simpler "machine learning" (ML) implementations that have been around for decades, and this new Category feature is of that variety.
The Photos app surfaces recognized faces using ML.
Your iPhone keyboard learns your typing quirks using ML.
... etc.
A swipe to the left instantly shows the "All Mail" view. Nothing was forced on you.