On the other hand, iOS 9 and iOS 8.4 also take on challenging third-party developers who currently offer apps in 5 thriving app store categories. Many developers behind the apps in these categories are venture-backed and now Apple has become their competitor.
Here are the 5 categories that will be deeply impacted by iOS 9 and iOS 8.4.
Apple Music will be available on June 30 as a part of iOS 8.4 update. The revamped music app on iOS will feature Apple’s latest music streaming service. There are three parts to the new service from Apple.
The service will be priced at $9.99 per month and $14.99 per month for family plan.
Apple Music will directly compete with streaming giants like Spotify, SoundCloud, Rdio, iHeart Radio, Pandora Radio, TuneIn Radio, and even Vevo to name a few.
iOS 9 will replace Newsstand with all new Apple News app. It allows publishers to create unique experiences by providing engaging content with brilliant typography, animated objects, transitions and more.
Users will be able to find articles and stories relevant to their interest, bookmark and view recommended content. The new app will support iAd advertising for publishers.
News app in iOS 9 will directly compete with Flipboard.
In iOS 9 Apple is going after productivity apps that let you take rich notes with the all new Notes app.
The updated app allows you to add photos, scribble on your note, insert checklists, embed links and maps. It also has a new Attachments Browser that “organizes all the items attached to your notes in one simple view, so it’s easy to find what you’re looking for.”
It will also support a share extension so that you can take notes within apps like Safari, Maps, and many more.
Notes in iOS 9 will compete with Evernote, Google News, Feedly, and many more.
Apple has been working on transit direction for iOS since a long time. The company is now ready to launch its own transit directions in iOS 9 Maps app. It will feature public transit information with routes and directions.
Since the Maps app works on both iOS and OS X, you’ll be able to plan your trip on the Mac and follow in on the way on your iPhone or iPad. It’s worth noting that Transit will be available only in select cities in the US for the time being,
The new Maps app in iOS 9 with transit information will compete with Moovit.
Apple announced its Health app as a part of iOS 8 last year. In iOS 9 the Health is receiving an update to track “Sexual Activity”. In the updated Health app users will be able to record the date and time you had sex and whether you used contraception or not.
With a special focus on women, the Health app will now be able to track menstrual cycles and help in monitoring physical changes.
This update will now put many third-party apps on alert. Some of the apps that help in tracking mensural cycles include Glow, Ovia Fertility, Clue and many more.
{via CB Insights}
]]> https://touchreviews.net/ios-9-takes-challenging-5-thriving-app-store-categories/feed/ 0When the Apple Watch was launched it supported third-party apps however, those could only work as long as you were connected to your iPhone. watchOS 2 will now bring native apps to the Apple Watch along with many other refinements, performance improvements and features.
watchOS 2 includes 3 new types of watch faces: Photo, Photo Album and Time-lapse. With the new update even App Store developers will be able to add support for complications.
Time Travel allows you to turn the Digital Crown to view complications (events, weather, car charge etc.) as it would change in future or see how it was in the past.
All new Nightstand mode is a very handy feature which is activated when you charge your Apple Watch. The display comes illuminates when you touch the screen, digital crown or the side button. You can even turn off the alarm by pressing the side button or press the Digital Crown to snooze.
Native apps on Apple Watch will bring better performance and even more capabilities. Third-party developers will now be able to use the taptic engine, digital crown, accelerometer, heart rate sensor, speaker and microphone to create unique experiences.
Apple’s built-in apps have also been updated in watchOS 2. Mail app can now be used to reply to emails by either dictating, sending an emoji or selecting relevant preset replies.
With the new update adding more friends has become easier. The Apple Watch now allows you to add multiple Friends screens, each of which can hold upto 12 contacts.
Sending hand-drawn messages to friends who also have an Apple Watch has become more colourful. The new update makes it possible to use different colors to sketch your message.
Just like in iOS 9 Maps app received new transit feature, watchOS 2 also includes Transit navigation. Apple Pay on Apple Watch has gained support for loyalty and reward cards.
Lastly, Apple has brought activation lock to the Apple Watch. In order to activate your watch in case it gets lost or stolen the watch will prompt you to enter your iCloud Apple ID and password.
watchOS 2 brings many new features to the Apple Watch. Some of the biggest enhancements include native apps, third-party complications, and activation lock. The update will be available for free for all Apple Watch users this fall.
]]> https://touchreviews.net/watchos-2-brings-native-apps-features-improved-security/feed/ 0Apple is improving built-in apps that iOS already has and even bringing new default apps to iOS 9. Every-time the company expands functionality of some of its existing apps or introduces new apps it tends to disrupt the business of some of the third-party apps.
In iOS 9 Apple is all set to introduce News which will bring personalised news stories based on the type of articles you read and the topics you are interested in. Sounds a bit like Flipboard right? Apple will be releasing special set of tools to enable publishers to create content for the News app. This content will include immersive design, interactivity and beautiful typography.
These special print style layouts would be great for editorial and in-dept articles.
The Notes app in iOS 9 is getting a lot of love from Apple. The updated app will allow you to do more than just note taking. It now includes creating a checklist, adding photo, map or a URL to your note. Another addition to the app is the ability to sketch with your finger.
I use Notes app a lot and even though my devices have many third-party apps I’ve always gone back to the default Notes app in iOS. These new features would certainly make Apple’s Notes app a whole lot powerful and iCloud syncing will support all these features between OS X and iOS.
Ever since Apple and Google’s maps licensing ended, the company has been hard at work to improve its mapping solution. Apple Maps were initially criticised for inaccuracies and limited features. In iOS 9 Apple is bringing Transit vier with routes and directors. The new maps app will also include Nearby search to find local businesses from categories such as Food, Shopping, Fun, and more.
Passbook has been renamed to Wallet app in iOS 9. It will not just store credit cards you use but also include reward and loyalty cards. You will be able to use Apple Pay to redeem rewards or apply offer.
Apple has pulled the cord from CarPlay for the new cars that support wireless connection to your iPhone. You can have your iPhone in the pocket never take it out and still access CarPlay. The updated app will also support apps developed by car manufactures so that you can use the car’s features without leaving CarPlay.
With iOS 9 Apple has taken multi-tasking on the iPad to a whole new level. The upcoming software update will support slide over, split view and picture in picture which will utilise the true potential of the iPad. Apple has also improved the QuickType feature introduced in iOS 8.
Slide Over allows you to quickly take action in another app without ever leaving the first one. Split View allows you to have work in two apps simultaneously. Picture in Picture takes any video content and floats in on the screen when you press the home button.
Selecting text, copying and pasting while these tasks have been very easy to do on iOS. However, for getting some serious work done receptively selecting text, copying and pasting involves constantly lifting your finger from the keyboard the tap and hold on the screen to have controls appear on the screen. All this is changing with iOS 9. Two finger tap on the new keyboard in iOS 9 for iPad transforms it into a trackpad allowing you to move the cursor and then use dedicated keys for cut, copy, paste, text formatting and adding attachments.
Siri received a major upgrade in iOS 8 and now with iOS 9 it is getting much better. Apple is allowing Siri to search built-in apps to source answers, deliver results faster and even offering suggestions proactively.
Siri can now offer you quick access to different apps depending on the time of the day and your location. It can automatically create events when it detects invitations in an email and much more.
Apple has made a number of under-the-hood refinements to iOS 9 to make its performance faster and even improve battery life.
One of the biggest hurdles in users upgrading to iOS 8 was the amount of free space the software requested for over-the-air update. In iOS 9 Apple has reduced it by more than 70%. A new developer API called App Thinness will allow the App Store to download assets for the app that match the users screen density.
Security has also been improved in the OS. The devices will now require a six-digit passcode. Two-factor authentication will be required when you sign in from anew browser or on a new device.
iOS 9 brings many features that will enhance users productivity in performing day to day tasks. Intelligence and improved multitasking are certainly some of the best new features in iOS 9.
The public beta will be available in July followed by final release this Fall.
]]> https://touchreviews.net/ios-9-apple-next-major-mobile-os-features/feed/ 0Here are some of the top iOS 8.3 enhancements / fixes you need to know:
Apple has revamped the UI for emoji keyboard and also added more than 300 new emojis. The new additions also bring diversity options such as changing the skin tone of the people emojis. To access the skin tone variations tap and hold the emoji to change the default colour.
Tip: Don’t know what some of the emojis mean? Type them in the Notes app and have Siri speak.
In iOS 8.3 Apple allows you to change how frequently should the App Store prompt you for your Apple ID password. You can set it to always require password or require after 15 minutes of having entered the password.
The next setting is something that I had always wanted to exist in iOS. You can now “finally” turn off the requirement for password for free downloads. Yes, finally!
Siri can now understand even more languages. The new update adds support for: English (India, New Zealand), Danish (Denmark), Dutch (Netherlands), Portuguese (Brazil), Russian (Russia), Swedish (Sweden), Thai (Thailand), Turkish (Turkey).
Ever since I started using Siri while driving I never understood why Apple wouldn’t include support for Siri command, “call on speakerphone”. Well now with iOS 8.3 you do just that. This is another step to keeping all eyes on road and operating your phone hands and eyes free.
iOS 8.3 brings many bug fixes so if you ever tried to do something and it failed or did not work reliably you should try doing that again. From issues like iOS 8 preventing autocorrecting “FYI” to WiFi, bluetooth issues and much more. Apple has fixed a lot of issues and even claims to improve performance for app launch, responsiveness and more.
Overall, iOS 8.3 is a highly recommended update for anyone who wants a reliable and stable experience on their iOS device.
Have you upgraded your iPhone or iPad yet? Did you notice any other significant changes? Let us know in the comments section below.
]]> https://touchreviews.net/5-ios-83-software-update/feed/ 0The adoption rate of iOS 8 software update has been slower than last years iOS 7 adoption rate. iOS 7 reached 80% in the month of January just four months after release date.
iOS 7 was the first major redesign of Apple’s mobile operating system since the original iPhone. The new flat look was a significant departure from the original user interface which may have lead to an increased interest among users to download the update.
iOS 8 release was met with a number of issues. Since the update required more free space for over-the-air installation many users decided to not update their devices. Later, Apple published a support article stating that users can update their devices without having to delete any data by connecting their devices to iTunes and then completing the update process.
When Apple released a maintenance update iOS 8.0.1, it resulted in No Service error. The company was quick to investigate and release follow-up updates to provide a stable version of iOS 8. Apple released a number of updates including iOS 8.1, iOS 8.1.1, iOS 8.1.2, and most recently iOS 8.1.3.
The latest update reduces the amount of free space required to install a new update along with fixing other glaring issues such as spotlight not showing search results.
iOS 8 didn’t get the perfect launch that Apple would have hoped for. However, despite all the bugs and slower adoption rate, as iOS 8 install base continues to rise Apple shouldn’t have to worry about anything.
Just as iOS 8 distribution looks impressive for an update that was released just four months ago, Android’s adoption rate is in a dire situation. Lollipop, the latest version of Android operating system released in November, is installed on just 1.6% Android devices.
]]> https://touchreviews.net/ios-8-install-base-reaches-72-initial-rough-start/feed/ 0The company unveiled its new mobile operating system during the world wide developers conference earlier this year. This release doesn’t just include a number of user facing features but also opens hundreds of new API’s for third-party developers.
With iOS 8 users will experience a completely new Messages app that borrows a number of features from Whatsapp, new Messages app now includes audio messages, instant photo messages (Snapchat?), mute conversation and more. Typing on the new iOS has also been enhanced as Apple introduces QuickType which intelligently recommends words as you type and overtime it learns and adapts to your writing style. QuickType in iOS 8 doesn’t just learn your writing style but also remembers how you communicate with different people.
Apple has heard the requests of its customers and finally introducing iCloud Drive, a central location to find all your documents from Mac, PC or iOS. Did this make you think of Dropbox? Access any of your file from any device connected to iCloud without having to worry about its version. However, it’s worth noting that it is advisable to not opt in for iCloud Drive when setting up your iOS 8 device until OS X Yosemite is available for download. Files stored in iCloud Drive will only work with iOS 8 devices and OS X Yosemite.
Handoff in iOS 8 allows you to continue working on your choice of device while picking up from where you left off, but this will also require OS X Yosemite.
Third-party apps greatly benefit from this update as Apple has finally allowed developer access to Touch ID, Camera API, PhotoKit, HealthKit, HomeKit and CloudKit.
The update is now available for download over-thir-air for compatible devices.
Have you upgraded your devices already? What do you think about the new update? Let us know your experience in the comments below.
]]> https://touchreviews.net/ios-8-software-update-download/feed/ 0Apple added a new feature for developers in iOS 8 called extensions; it works as a plugin giving access to third-party apps to plug into native apps and offer extended functionality. Some of the use cases of this feature could include allowing developers to add custom sharing services, provide photo filters within the Photos app or add a custom action to add things to a list.
iOS 8 is the biggest release for developers since the introduction of the App Store. It opens up new areas of iOS, allowing developers to extend the reach of their app content and functionality.Apple
Things for iPhone $9.99 and iPad $19.99 is a hugely popular task manager application. The developers recently published a video showcasing iOS 8 extension capability. The video shows an iPhone with a website open in Safari. After copying some text and then tapping the share action button reveals Things custom action button called “Add to Things” to create a new task.
Things 2.5 update will bring this new feature to the app. The current version of the app hasn’t been updated to match the iOS 7 flat look and feel however, the developers are working on Things 3.0 which bring all new features and new user interface.
With more than 4,000 new API’s developers will be able to take advantage of new custom keyboard, Touch ID authentication, notification centre on the lock screen and much more.
iOS 8 is expected to be made available to the public later this fall. The upcoming update has been in testing stage since its beta availability to registered developers. Are you excited about the new extensions feature in iOS 8? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
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Apple on Monday released iOS 7.1, the first update to add new features since the introduction of iOS 7 last year. The update adds support for CarPlay, tweaks the user interface and animations to bring uniformity in design.
The most noticeable change visually is the “Phone” app which the company has refined to match the overall flat design. A new list button has also been added to the calendar app to display the events of a particular date in a list format. Siri can listen to you as long as you want before processing the voice data.
This update also adds support for recently announced CarPlay feature. It will work with the supported car models that integrate with Apple’s CarPlay technology. Apple is marketing this new feature as a “smarter, safer way to use your iPhone in the car”. It can be accessed using voice, touch screens and even knobs. The entire interface is simplified to give access to only the Phone, Messages, Maps and Music apps. Currently only iHeartRadio, Spotify and Stitcher services are supported as alternatives to iTunes radio.
Other tweaks include snappier animations and improved performance for iPhone 4. The users of iPhone 4 had noticed significant issues with the device lagging while performing simple tasks after iOS 7 update. Apple has now addressed these concerns with the latest iOS 7.1 update.
Apple has also added more control over transparency, animations, perspective zoom and parallax effect under accessibility settings. Many users had reported “motion sickness” after using iOS 7 for a while. The new update also adds option to enable “Button Shapes” to give “text” buttons some form and make it easily recognisable.
Another nice improvement in iOS 7.1 is the support for HFP prompts in Maps. This adds the ability to have the navigation prompts to play over your car speakers even when iPhone is not selected as the audio source.
Overall, iOS 7.1 brings simple improvements but refines the operating system. This may be the last update before the introduction of iOS 8, Apple’s next major software update for its mobile devices.
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Earlier today Apple released the tenth major OS X software release called OS X Mavericks. The software update is available for free as a digital download from the Mac App Store. The store link for the update is now live and users can download the update.
OS X Mavericks is a 5.29 GB data download which is certainly quite a lot considering the features included in the update. Many users who are rushing to download to latest software release from Apple are experiencing download errors.
A quick search on Twitter for “Mavericks error” reveals many customers tweeting about failed download error. I’ve already had five failed attempts at downloading the update from Mac App Store. Each time the download begins just fine however, after downloading nearly 1GB of data I got “an error occurred” message.
In order to re-download the update you need to go to the “Purchases” tab and then start the download again. Each time you start the download it will begin from the start so you’ll lose any data downloaded previously.
This year Apple announced the update is available for free. This shift in pricing strategy is being seen as an attempt to encourage customers to update to the latest software update offered by the company. Since, this years update is free it isn’t surprising that many more customers are probably hitting the download button right now.
Apple servers could be under huge load at the moment therefore resulting in unsuccessful download for many users. At the moment is there is no fix for this issue. We tried to reload the Mac App Store by pressing Command+R and even tried to sign out and then sign-in. However, this didn’t work and the update continued to fail after about 20 minutes of downloading.
If you’re getting repeated errors then it is advisable for you to wait and download the update later tomorrow hopefully Apple servers would be able to take the load by then.
Are you experiencing Mavericks download issues or errors? Let us know about it in the comments below.
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During the special event today Apple announced the worldwide availability of OS X Mavericks. The tenth major release of OS X brings technological advancements, new apps and battery enhancements to the Mac.
Apple is beginning a new pricing model for its software updates of OS X with the release of Mavericks. Today Apple announced that OS X Mavericks will be available for free as a digital download from the Mac App Store.
The tenth major version of OS X brings iBooks and Maps app to the Mac for the first time. Users will now be able to read and buy books from their Macs. Maps app provides directions, street view and integrates with Calendar app.
Safari includes shared links from your social networking accounts like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. It also bring significant speed and performance improvements to the browsing experience.
OS X Mavericks brings new ways to organise your files by assigning tags to each file. Multiple tags can be assigned to a single file to make it easier for you find a file and organise your work flow. Finder now also includes tabbed browsing to avoid the clutter of multiple Finder windows taking up your screen space.
One of the most notable features in the new software update is iCloud Keychain. This allows you to upload your log in details from the KeyChain Access app to iCloud and autofill your username and passwords. This would also be available to iOS devices in a new update.
Advanced technologies included in the update make it more energy efficient and make your Mac more responsive even as you use more apps. One of the ways the company has accomplished this by introducing App Nap and Safari Power Saver. These features allot more resources to the app in the forefront while slowing the apps in the background.
OS X Mavericks is now available for download for free from the Mac App Store. Follow the download link here. The update comes at 5.29GB.
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Apple recently sent out media invites for the iPad keynote event. The event will be held on October 22nd at 10 AM PT at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, California.
Last week WSJ leaked the date and now the event has been confirmed by Apple. The media invite features Apple logo with leaves in the iOS 7 color palette flying in the background. The leaves signify autumn line-up of new iOS 7 devices.
The theme of the event is “We still have a lot to cover.” This clearly suggests that Apple is planning to announce more than just one product line. Rumors and reports in the past have revealed that the company is prepared to launch new iPad, second gen iPad mini, new MacBook Pro with Haswell processors and OS X Mavericks.
Apple events usually focus on one major product and try not to announce too many new products at the same event. However, as the company is offering two line-ups of iPads and other product categories also need to be updated before the holiday season, this years’ event will be packed with announcements.
The fifth-gen iPad is expected to be inspired by the advancements in iPad mini and feature a thinner bezel which will make it lighter. Rumors suggest the new iPad will feature new camera and could possibly run on the new A7 chip. It isn’t clear if we will see TouchID in the iPad as the company has experienced low product yield of the sensor in the past.
Many analysts believe the second-gen iPad mini will go retina this year. iPad mini with a high resolution screen could prove to be a big boost in terms of new hardware feature. However, there have been some doubts expressed over cost and pricing of an iPad mini with a retina display.
OS X Mavericks was announced during WWDC. The company has been busy with iOS overhaul this year and during the iPad event we may finally get a release date for the upcoming software update for Mac.
Apple teased the developers at WWDC with the all-new Mac Pro. The release date wasn’t announced and it was showcased as a work in progress. The company could use the event as a platform to release the new Mac Pro.
iMac product lineup was recently updated with the Haswell processors and MacBook Pro line up has also been due for an update. It is expected that Apple will make these available on or before October 22nd.
The fall iPad event will be packed with major announcements. Stay tuned as Touch Reviews brings you the latest information and product launches from Apple.
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The next big mobile software update iOS 7 could release on September 10th according to an email sent by Nuance to its developers. Nuance is the company behind voice recognition and dictation on the iPhone. On Monday, the company sent an email to developers using its API to prepare for the General Availability of iOS 7.
Apple does release upcoming software updates to its partners ahead of release date however, its partners knowing the software roll out plans for general public is something that is unheard of.
In the past, Apple has released the Golden Master version of the operating system to developers on the same day it announces next-gen iPhone. Giving enough time to developers to fine tune their apps before the update is made available to all before the launch of new iPhone.
iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C are expected to be announced on September 10th and could launch to the first set of countries by September 20th with pre-booking going live about 3-4 days in advance.
iOS 7 is the biggest update since the original iPhone OS. The new update offers a completely new look to iOS devices. With the all-new control centre, multitasking and new gestures the new version of iOS will redefine Apple’s smartphones and tablets.
While iOS 7 may “shock” those who have grown to love the skeuomorphic design language of the existing iOS, overall iOS 7 makes things appear simpler and passing on the focus to the content rather than design ornamentation.
{via TheNextWeb}
]]> https://touchreviews.net/ios-7-release-date-leaked-nuance-developer-email/feed/ 0For the first time Apple used white iPhone 5 in the entire presentation and even the promotional video featured the white model. Black iPhone 5 running iOS 7 was noticeably absent. After the announcement of iOS 7 when Apple updated its website with information about the version of the mobile OS again black iPhone 5 was missing and almost all of the new features of iOS 7 were showcased using the white model.
The use of white model of iPhone 5 over the black seems to be a deliberate move by Apple. Jony Ive, now the SVP of design, is known to prefer simplistic design and probably felt the white color iPhone 5 running iOS 7 was a better choice to showcase the new design of the software.
The redesign has received both criticism and appreciation. Some seem to like the fresh youthful appeal while some feel the entire OS now looks more like an Android device. However, it’s important to note that iOS 7 is still in beta stage and as the release date nears Apple will iron out most of the issues.
Since, Apple has mostly used white iPhone 5 showing iOS 7 we have created a gallery of black iPhone 5 running the latest software update. Check it out below and let us know what you think about the upcoming update.
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Apple’s WWDC 2013 keynote event will go live today at the Moscone West convention center in San Francisco. Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, will kick off the event with a keynote presentation at 10 AM Pacific Time.
At this years Worldwide Developers Conference Apple will unveil iOS 7 and the next major release for OS X. A live video stream of the keynote event will be available at Apple’s website and requires Safari 4 or later on Mac OS X v10.6 or later; Safari on iOS 4.2 or later. The company has added a new section for streaming via Apple TV and requires second- or third-generation Apple TV with software 5.0.2 or later to stream the event.
iOS 7 will be the first release that has been developed under the leadership of Jony Ive, SVP of Industrial Design, as Apple fired Scott Forstall allegedly over Apple maps fiasco and an internal divide over the skeuomorphic design elements. In addition to a redesign iOS 7 is expected to open new API’s for developers giving more control over features and could also introduce AirDrop for iOS to make sharing between iOS devices easier.
No details have been available about what’s new in OS X. Apple usually previews new version of OS X earlier in the year however, it is believed that the company had to pull engineers from OS X team to work on iOS 7.
Banners for iOS 7 and OS X suggest a clean and flat design for the upcoming update. Apple is expected to release the software updates later this fall. Apple’s online store is down at the time of writing which suggests that the rumors about possible MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models could turn out to be true.
What are your expectations from this years keynote event? Let us know what you think in the comments section. To watch the live keynote event visit Apple’s website.
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Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC 2013) will kick off on June 10 with a keynote presentation by Tim Cook. At this years WWDC Apple will announce the next major software updates iOS 7 and OS X 10.9.
The company has decorated the venue Moscone Center with banners of the event. These banners are similar invite that Apple sent out to the developers. The photo of the banner had a tagline saying “Where a whole new world’s developing”.
More than 5000 developers attend the conference every year and Apple uses this as a platform to announce the latest mobile and desktop operating systems. In addition to previewing the future of iOS and OS X Apple will also share beta versions of the software with the developers to test the upcoming updates.
According to the rumors and reports we’ve reported in the past Apple is widely expected to unveil a redesigned version of iOS with a flatter design that lacks glossy look and 3D textures. The company could also announce new MacBook Air and Pro models during the keynote.
We’re not expecting any new iPhone during the WWDC as the focus of the entire conference will be software related. It’s not clear if Apple will live stream the event however, we will be bringing you all-in-one live feed of the keynote event as it goes live on June 10.
{via 9to5 Mac}
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Late last month, T-Mobile announced that they would officially be carrying the iPhone, with the company also releasing a software update for users of unlocked iPhones, which added LTE and Visual Voicemail. Upon announcing that the company would carry the iPhone, the company also stated a release date of April 12th.
On Friday, T-Mobile released the iPhone 5 across the country, and the iPhone 4S and 4 in certain areas that support the technology. T-Mobile released the iPhone with its new “Uncarrier” plans, which start at $50/month with no contract. T-Mobile set up the plans differently than other carriers, separating the subsidized prices and included them into a 24 month payment plan.
Alongside the official launch, T-Mobile also released an ad highlighting the availability of the iPhone.
It’s the phone that’s revolutionizing phones. Make sure it’s running on the carrier that’s revolutionizing wireless. Introducing iPhone 5 on T-Mobile. With our advanced nationwide 4G network, and no more restrictive annual contracts required, only T-Mobile lets your iPhone 5 be as great as an iPhone 5.
Verizon’s CEO Lowell C. McAdam has talked of Verizon having the potential to unveil contract free plans, although it is unclear if the company will do so in the near future.
{Via MacRumors}
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On Friday, T-Mobile USA released a carrier update, bringing LTE and visual voicemail to the unlocked iPhone 5. Customers who have an unlocked iPhone 5 will now be able to obtain these feature via the software update. The reason for T-Mobile releasing this update is because the carrier is officially carrying the iPhone 5, which uses the company’s LTE network. T-Mobile has also reportedly updated its support forums with information about T-Mobile users, who will now be able to get all of the new features.
iPhone 5 users with a T-Mobile SIM card will receive visual voicemail, the Commercial Mobile Alert System, as well as LTE on the company’s AWS spectrum. With the company officially set to carry the iPhone and fully support unlocked iPhones, T-Mobile will now be able to compete directly with the nation’s other leading carriers, AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint.
The carrier update will also add other features such as HD Voice and even improvements in battery life by reworking the network. T-Mobile has over two million unlocked iPhones on its network and is reportedly adding over 100,000 more each month. With the company dedicated to improving its network, and with the large number of users on the network with unlocked devices, T-Mobile is sure ot find success with the iPhone on its network.
{Via AppleInsider — Image Credit: Engadget}
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Only a day after releasing the iOS 6.1.3 software update to the public, Apple appears to have yet another issue with its mobile OS. iOS 6.1.3 patched an passcode lock bug on the iPhone, and also delivered a number of Maps enhancements for Japanese users. However, on Wednesday, a YouTube user “videosdebarraquito” discovered yet another bug on the iPhone 4, similar to the one addressed in the update.
The bug allows for access to a locked iPhone’s photos and address book by ejecting the SIM card, with voice control activated to make a call. While Voice Control is activated, quickly removing the SIM card unlocks the phone for access to a user’s contacts and photos. The bug only appears to be replicated on devices without Siri but does raise security concerns over Apple’s popular iOS, which has been ridden with bugs since the release of iOS 6. Issues with iOS 6, in part, also led to the ousting of iOS chief Scott Forstall from Apple late last year.
With the previous passcode lock bug, it took Apple about a month to isolate, test the issue, and release iOS 6.1.3 to address it. However, it is unclear if Apple will quickly push out a iOS 6.1.4 update to address this latest bug discovery. Until then, iPhone 4 users can avoid the flaw and protect their iPhone from unauthorized users by disabling Voice Control in Settings.
{Via AppleInsider}
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On Tuesday, Apple released iOS 6.1.3 software update to the public, addressing the passcode lock bug that has been plaguing users as well as the Japanese Map enhancements that were expected with iOS 6.1.1. Last month, Apple released the second beta of iOS 6.1.3 to developers for testing.
It is likely that the beta experienced issues or other features were added because of its late release. As mentioned by Apple in the release notes, iOS 6.1.3 addresses the passcode lock issue and adds a number of Maps enhancements for Japanese users:
This update contains improvements and other bug fixes including:
– Fixes a bug that could allow someone to bypass the passcode and access the Phone app
– Improvements to Maps in Japan
Last week, Apple quietly added Maps enhancements server-side for its Japanese users. These server side updates addressed a number of issues and did not require an update to the OS until now. The full list of enhancements in this update were previously listed in iOS 6.1.1 which was later labeled as iOS 6.1.3 and includes:
– Improved pronunciation of roads during turn-by-turn navigation
– Optimized directions to more strongly prefer highways over narrower roads
– Now indicates upcoming toll roads during turn-by-turn navigation
– Added labels for junctions, interchanges, on-ramps, off-ramps, and intersections
– Added indicators for transit station buildings, subway lines, and traffic lights
– Updated freeway color to green
– Updated icons for some location categories including fire stations, hospitals, and post offices Added 3D buildings including Tokyo Station, Japan Imperial Palace, and Tokyo Tower
iOS 6.1.3 arrives with a build number of 10B32 and is currently available as an OTA (Over-The-Air) update as well as in iTunes. The update also reportedly patches a security hole used by the evasi0n jailbreak tool, meaning that users who update to the latest version will lose their jailbreak.
{Via MacRumors}
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On Tuesday, Apple released iOS 6.1.2 to the public after initially releasing a beta to developers. The update addresses the Exchange Calendar bug that causes more acitivity on a wireless network, which causes the battery to drain faster.
Fixes and Exchange calendar bug that could result in increased network activity and reduced battery life.
Although initial reports mentioned that the update also addressed a passcode lock bug plaguing iOS device for several weeks, a number of users later reported that the 6.1.2 update did not address this issue. It is possible that Apple will release a iOS 6.1.3 update to address any remaining issues on the software.
Apple has been releasing a number of updates for iOS 6, stabilizing the software prior to the next major release of iOS 7, which is expected for this summer or later this Fall.
Issues with iOS 6, particularly Siri and Maps as well as internal conflicts among executives led to the ousting of iOS chief Scott Forstall. The iOS 6.1.2 update is now available online through Software Update under Settings on iOS, or through iTunes.
{Via TUAW}
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On Monday, Apple released iOS 6.1.1 for the iPhone 4S after seeding a beta of the update to developers last week. The update comes less than two weeks after Apple released iOS 6.1 to the public, adding new features such as new LTE carriers and the ability to buy Fandango movie tickets through Siri.
The new iOS 6.1.1 update fixes a 3G issue discovered in the iOS 6.1 update and comes with a build number of 10B145. The download is relatively small, coming in at 23MB, which makes sense when considering that it is only fixing the 3G issue on the iPhone 4S. Apple notes that the update will improve cellular performance on the 4S and does not go into detail about the issue.
About iOS 6.1.1 Software Update
This update fixes an issue that could impact cellular performance and reliability for iPhone 4S.
When considering that the iOS 6.1.1 update only addressed the 3G issue, it is likely that the other features noted on the beta released to developers will arrive as 6.1.2. Some of these other features include updates to the Maps application for Japanese users such as updated freeway color to green and updated icons for some location categories including fire.
Apple appears to be stabilizing iOS 6 as much as possible, before the expected iOS 7 update later this year. Issues with iOS Maps and Siri has caused many conflicts at Apple, including the ousting of iOS chief Scott Forstall as well as thousands of user complaints.
{Via MacRumors}
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The jailbreak team called Evad3rs has been hard at work to release iOS 6.1 jailbreak for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The jailbreak called “evasi0n” is now available for download and supports all current iOS 6.1 devices with third gen Apple TV being the only exception.
Apple released iOS 6.1 software update last week which fixed a few bugs and brought movie ticket booking to Siri. The jailbreak team had been busy testing their exploits with the beta version of iOS 6.1 however, waited until final release. Releasing jailbreak to the masses after the final release of software would force Apple to work on another update to patch security holes, which could take considerable time.
Evasi0n is an “untethered” jailbreak which means that you can safely reboot your device without losing the tweak. It will be compatible with devices running iOS 6.0 through 6.1 and requires Windows (XP minimum) or Mac OS X (10.5 minimum) or Linux (x86 / x86_64).
It’s important to note that this jailbreak release won’t unlock your device. However, once the device is jailbroken it allows you to download and run any software that has not been authorised by Apple.
In the past we’ve covered various reasons why one should jailbreak their iPhone, iPad, iPad mini or iPod touch. It allows you to access the Cydia app store where you can download tweaks and themes which can change the way your device looks and works.
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Apple has yet to release an iOS 6.1 update, which is currently still in beta mode but has already released a new update for the new iPhone 5 and iPad mini. The update, called iOS 6.0.2 was released to fix a bug which sometimes caused the WiFi connection to falter or to not operate at all on the iPhone 5 and iPad mini.
There have been numerous WiFi related complaints for the iPhone 5 and iPad mini, which will likely subside if the update does in fact fix the bug. This is the second update for the devices after Apple released iOS 6.0.1 on November 1st to patch up issues pertaining to OTA software updates as well as cellular network issues.
iOS 6.0.2 Software Update
This update contains improvements and bug fixes, including:
• Fixes a bug that could impact Wi-Fi
For information on the security content of this update, please visit this website:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222
As far as the release of this update goes, Apple only notes that it fixes the WiFi bug, however, it is unclear if the update fixes any other issues or if the company is awaiting the release of iOS 6.1 to fix any remaining major issues in iOS 6. During the initial release of iOS 6.0.2, many users noted that they were having issues downloading it over-the-air while other users mentioned that downloading through iTunes yielded a higher success rate.
{Via MacRumors}
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Apple recently released updates for its suite of iWork applications, for both Mac and iOS. The company updated iWork to version 9.3 for compatibility with the iOS 1.7 updates. Pages, Numbers, and Keynote which were updated to version 1.7 added new features such as adding reflections to shapes and the ability to lock and unlock objects. Other features of Pages includes:
Apple also updated Numbers to version 1.7 to reflect some of the iOS changes on the Mac.
Numbers 1.7:
In this release Numbers for iOS is updated for improved compatibility with Microsoft Excel and Numbers for Mac.
- Hide and unhide rows and columns
- Import and export Numbers for Mac spreadsheets with filters, and turn filters on and off
- Preserve rich text in tables when importing and exporting
- Add reflections to shapes
- Lock and unlock objects
Keynote also received several new features, such as importing and exporting all Microsoft PowerPoint and Keynote for Mac slide sizes. Other features include:
The Mac version of the iWork applications can be downloaded via the Mac App Store, however, users that bought the boxed version of iWork can update via Software Update.
{Via MacRumors}
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Late last month, Apple released the second beta of iOS 6.1 to developers, testing out new features and bug fixes. Apple has now released the third beta of iOS 6.1 to developers with a build number of 10B5117b, as opposed to the build number of 10B5105c on the second beta. The beta includes features for developers to include new features into their applications to integrate iOS Maps, as well as fixes for boarding passes in Passbook and changes in Safari.
Apple normally releases two to three betas prior to releasing iOS updates to the public, however, it is also likely that Apple is being more strict after SVP of iOS Software, Scott Forstall was ousted from the company in regards to issues with Siri, Maps, and personal problems with other executives.
Alongside the iOS 6.1 beta 3, Apple also released a beta of the Apple TV software, as well as Xcode 4.6 Developer Preview 3. Developers who are registered can download the third beta on Apple’s Developer page. Developers can also retrieve the beta via Software Update on their iOS device if they have a previous version of the beta installed already.
{Via MacRumors}
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