iPhone 16 Pro gets Layered Recording feature in Voice Memos; Grammy winners create holiday track using it

The Voice Memos app on the iPhone often flies under the radar, quietly playing a crucial role in helping users save their voice recordings. For musicians in particular, the app has long been a go-to tool for capturing tracks or saving snippets of inspiration. Now, Apple has enhanced the app's functionality even further. With the iOS 18.2 update, exclusive to the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, users can layer a vocal track on top of an existing instrumental recording—without needing headphones.

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Voice Memos Layered Recording: How It Works

Apple states that this feature is powered by the advanced A18 Pro chip in the iPhone 16 Pro models. The app uses machine learning and advanced processing to isolate vocal recordings, creating two separate tracks. These tracks can then be easily mixed and refined using professional apps like Logic Pro.

Furthermore, with Voice Memos on Mac, layered recordings are automatically synced across devices. Users can simply drag and drop their files into Logic Pro for further editing.

Apple has also enabled users to incorporate background instrumentals, such as guitar or piano, as the first layer. Additionally, producers can send compressed instrumental mixes to the Voice Memos app, allowing users to easily record vocal layers on top of them.

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Apple Collaborates With Grammy Award Winning Artists To Create New Music Track

In a recent collaboration, Grammy Award winners Michael Bublé and Greg Wells, along with singer Carly Pearce, teamed up with Apple to create a new holiday track, ‘Maybe This Christmas,’ using the iPhone 16 Pro and the Voice Memos app. A video published by Apple showcases how the trio recorded their vocals on the iPhone 16 Pro for this festive song.

“I don’t think people realize the critical role Voice Memos on iPhone plays in the creation process for musicians,” said Bublé. “And now with Layered Recordings, if an artist has a moment of inspiration, being unencumbered by the traditional studio experience becomes the advantage, not the limitation. It’s so typically Apple to build something we didn’t know we needed — and now won’t be able to live without.”

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