05/09, 11:30pm
Survey includes notebooks, tablets, phones, excludes actual sales
In its latest report, industry research firm Canalys is reporting on what it calls "worldwide smart mobile device shipments" for the first quarter of the year -- a term that includes smartphones, notebooks and tablets. Of the 308.7 million devices that fall under one of those categories that shipping in Q1, around 60 percent were said to be Android devices, reflecting the platform's strength in smartphones -- the fastest-growing area of mobile electronics. Apple's iOS placed second again, despite a dominant presence in tablets.
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05/09, 11:15am
Other regions might also have new 3D terrain
Apple has extended Flyover coverage in iOS 6 Maps to Paris and several surrounding areas, reports say. Aside from Paris, other new detail regions include Versailles, Aulnay-sous-Bois, Disneyland Paris, and L'Haÿ-les-Roses. Flyover renders scenery in a rough 3D state, clarifying maps and giving a better sense for what an environment will look like in person.
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05/08, 12:49pm
Could indicate new testing phase at Apple
Web traffic from iOS 7 users has surged in the last week or so, reports say. MacRumors notes that it saw iOS 7 hits on its website start to climb on April 29th. Those numbers fell over the weekend, but have risen even higher since. All of the hits are said to be coming from a block of IP addresses belonging to Apple.
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05/07, 9:53pm
Lets devs bypass Safari and use Chrome as default in-app browser
Shortly after updating its GMail iOS app to allow it to link directly to Chrome and other Google apps as needed, the search and ad giant is now offering Chrome for iOS integration tools to developers that allow them to specify Chrome as the browser to use for in-app web interaction, bypassing Safari unless Chrome is not already installed. The tools can give developers the option of using Chrome or asking the user if they would like to open a link in Chrome rather than Safari. It's not yet clear if the changes represent any breach of Apple's iOS guidelines.
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05/07, 2:33pm
A cryptographic component in iOS 6 has received FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standard) 140-2 Level 1 security certification from the US National Institute of Standards and Technology, says TUAW. In particular, the NIST says that when running in FIPS mode, iOS 6's CoreCrypto Kernel Module 3.0 "generates cryptographic keys whose strengths are modified by available entropy." The module is identified as "a software cryptographic module running on a multi-chip standalone mobile device and provides services intended to protect data in transit and at rest."
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05/07, 10:48am
Apple pulls share from Android, smaller platforms
iOS made significant gains in US mobile web traffic during April, according to Investing Analytics data obtained by Piper Jaffray. The platform reached a 69 percent share, up from 66.4 percent in March. The growth primarily at the expense of Android, which declined from 28.7 percent in March to 26.5.
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05/07, 12:04am
Trojan horse points to non-functional webpage, part of sound file
A bit of malware -- a Trojan horse file that tries to redirect to a website -- has been found inside an iOS app, but the code has turned out to be harmless. The app in question is called Simply Find It ($2) and comes from a legitimate developer that has produced a number of legitimate games -- suggesting that the malware was probably inserted into the app accidentally. The bigger issue (since there is no direct threat posed by the bad code) is how Apple's testing procedure missed it -- and how two well-known anti-malware scanners couldn't pick up on it either.
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05/02, 1:31pm
Continues trend of targeted iOS updates
In an unexpected move, Apple has released a new version of iOS exclusively for iPhone 5 owners. iOS 6.1.4 upgrades the audio profile for the device's speakerphone, and so far doesn't appear to make any other changes. The update applies to both GSM- and CDMA- equipped iPhones.
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05/01, 10:00pm
Ambitious update said to make over look, add features to mobile OS
Following on the heels of rumors that Apple reassigned engineers from other projects (including the next OS X release, 10.9) in order to help ensure completion, a new report from unnamed sources has said that iOS 7, the forthcoming major update to the company's mobile platform, will ship on time despite pressures. Anonymous informers told AllThingsD that while the extra help was needed, the update "will ship on time" and debut as scheduled at this year's Worldwide Developer's Conference (WWDC).
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05/01, 4:16pm
Platforms getting separate approval
The US Department of Defense should grant two separate security approvals to iOS 6 devices and Samsung Galaxy phones in the coming weeks, according to sources for the Wall Street Journal. Apple's iOS 6 is expected to be vetted as safe for non-classified data uses, namely email and web browsing. Galaxy phones, meanwhile, will allegedly be judged as conforming to the DoD's Security's Technology Implementation Guide, allowing use by some military agencies for sending and receiving internal email.
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05/01, 10:28am
Development behind schedule
Sources for Bloomberg are backing claims that lead Apple designer Jonathan Ive is engaging in a major design overhaul for iOS 7. As has been reported previously, the sources say that Ive is avoiding the skeuomorphism favored by former iOS head Scott Forstall, for example ditching the shelving metaphor used by Newsstand. He is also allegedly pursuing "dramatic changes" to the Mail and Calendar apps, though what that means is unclear.
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04/30, 11:16am
Special version of Maps may appear on dashboard displays
With iOS 7, Apple wants to deepen in-car integration options for iOS devices, sources claim. Currently such integration is limited mostly to things like iPod input or Siri Eyes Free, which makes it possible to issue Siri commands with a quick-access button. Sources tell 9to5Mac, however, that Apple is working with car companies on new center consoles that could dock an iPhone and output an optimized, car-oriented version of Maps to a dashboard display.
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04/29, 5:14pm
Learning curve expected to stay minimal
iOS 7 is codenamed "Innsbruck," and will use a "very, very flat" design, sources for 9to5Mac claim. The OS is reportedly jettisoning any signs of gloss or skeuomorphism, making it flat on a level nearing the look of the Metro interface used in Windows Phone and Windows 8. Apple has sometimes been criticized for using unnecessary real-world analogies in the look of iOS and OS X, for instance by making its Calendar apps resemble leather daybooks.
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04/29, 10:32am
New OS expected to be evolutionary upgrade
The next major upgrade of OS X, v10.9, will concentrate on "power-user" features while bringing in more concepts from iOS, say sources for 9to5Mac. In the former category, several improvements to Finder are expected, such as tagging and tabbed browsing. Fullscreen apps should finally remain open on secondary monitors, and Safari is expected to get a new version with a new backend, improving performance and efficiency.
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04/26, 10:46am
May be sign of behind-the-scenes talks with VirnetX
Apple has partially reversed course on its decision to change the way iOS 6 handles VPN connections, a modified Apple support document reveals. "Apple no longer plans to change the behavior of the VPN On Demand feature of iOS 6.1 for devices that have already been shipped. The 'Always' option will continue to work as it currently does on these devices," the company says.
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04/25, 12:23am
New animation tools, page objects, per-page controls, more
Although it got off to a rocky start, Apple's iAd service is now the second-largest such service online, behind Google. The program has quietly but slowly improved over the years, and the improvements have now filtered through to a new major version of iAd Producer, the program that allows artist to create both typical iOS ads as well as the elaborate, beautifully-produced promotions that have become a signature showcase of Apple's approach to advertising. The new version, 4.0, improves nearly every aspect of the program.
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04/24, 10:16am
Will feature new versions of OS X, iOS
Apple has formally announced the details of its 2013 Worldwide Developers Conference. The event will run from June 10 through the 14 at Moscone West in San Francisco. Tickets will go on sale April 25 at 10AM Pacific time, and Apple is promising over 100 technical sessions presented by over 1,000 Apple engineers. As usual, the conference will focus on helping developers creating, deploying, and integrating OS X and iOS-based projects, and networking between fellow developers.
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04/23, 2:29am
Apple to sponsor Lennor 'tour bus,' educational music clinics
Apple is now sponsoring the long-running "John Lennon Educational Tour Bus," a mobile audio and video studio on wheels that tours educational institutions, encouraging students to explore and produce their own music with free songwriting, recording and multimedia production workshops. Using Macs on board to help with production, children write, perform and record original music and produce music videos with the assistance of three on-board engineers. Most recently seen in Phoenix AZ last weekend, the bus is scheduled to be in Gulf Shores AL as part of the Hangout Music Festival. The non-profit organization has its own App Store iOS app (free) as well.
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04/22, 3:58pm
Puts items in Purchased queue for later access
Apple has quietly added a "Later" option for iTunes downloads, reports say. The feature appears in both iTunes 11 and iOS 6, and lets people buy larger files without immediately downloading them. Items then show up in the Purchased section of a person's iTunes account, where they can then be downloaded when a reliable Internet connection is available.
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04/19, 11:41pm
Twitter to kill off mobile Tweetdeck for good on May 7
Twitter, which has made something of a hobby of restricting, hobbling and subsequently killing off mobile Twitter clients, will be putting the well-received mobile version of Tweetdeck out to pasture on May 7, the same day that Facebook integration will also end. All iPhone, Android, and AIR versions of the app will cease to function on that day.
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04/17, 3:33pm
Voice assistant app for Android or iOS
Amazon has reportedly acquired voice-assistant app developer Evi Technologies, unnamed sources have told TechCrunch. The deal, which is said to be worth $26 million, is said to be focused on Evi's mobile apps for Android and iOS, which provide functionality similar to that of Apple's own Siri technology, though both parties have yet to make an official announcement.
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04/16, 4:22pm
Rancor over Android likely to keep
Google would like Apple to return to Google Maps in a future version of iOS, chairman Eric Schmidt said today at an AllThingsD conference. "We would still really like them to use our maps," said Schmidt. "It would be easy for them to take the app in the store and put it as their basic one." The executive declined to comment on why Apple went with a proprietary system instead of continuing to use Google code and data, or whether the two companies are in talks.
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04/16, 12:26pm
One patent includes unused 'folder creation region' idea
Apple has won two US patents on the iOS folder system. The first is titled Device, method, and graphical user interface for managing folders, and specifically documents the way iOS users can create folders by tapping and holding an app icon, which triggers a "jiggle mode" that lets people rearrange apps. Dragging one app on top of another puts the two items into a new folder. Alternately, tapping X on an icon lets people remove an app from a device entirely, and icons can be dragged out of existing folders.
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04/15, 1:48pm
Info, photo match earlier leak
An iPhone 5S expected this year will use a quad-core 1.2GHz A7 processor paired with PowerVR's quad-core SGX554MP4 graphics, and 2GB of LPDDR-800 RAM, says a DroidGator source allegedly working for Apple. The person has also supplied a photo of the device's motherboard, and claims that improving Siri will be a major focus of iOS 7. Every iPhone upgrade has been accompanied by a major iOS release.
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04/09, 12:52am
Update gives developers just three weeks to update their apps
Google has finally released an update for its AdMob advertising SDK for iOS developers that leaves those reliant on it just three weeks to update affected apps before Apple's hard deadline for rejecting apps that still use Unique Device Identification (UDIDs) to track app usage and advertising effectiveness. The new version, 6.4.0, retires the UDID scheme (which had emerged as a potential security and privacy risk that could compromise personal information) and adds support for test ads, along with some bug fixes.
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04/08, 10:00pm
Favored paying 'partners,' used push notifications for promotion
Apple has removed the app-discovery program AppGratis from the iOS App Store, saying in a statement that the company behind the app violated two developer rules, one of which was only recently added. Originally thought to have gotten in trouble for breaking a rule that said that apps that promote other apps "in a manner similar to or confusing with the App Store will be rejected," Apple later clarified that AppGratis was promoting apps whose developers had paid for them to do so, and were also abusing push notification rules.
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04/05, 1:18pm
New firmware expected later this month
A forthcoming version of iOS will change the way the OS handles VPN connections, according to a support document on Apple's website. On devices with VPN On Demand, the "Always" setting will instead behave as if it were "Establish if needed." In essence, VPN On Demand will only be established if iOS can't resolve the DNS name of a host. The new firmware is scheduled to appear sometime this month.
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04/04, 2:15am
Tweaked in response to growing need for parental awareness
Possibly in response to a growing number of stories of inept or naive parents who have inadvertently allowed their children to run up huge bills through in-app purchases (IAPs), Apple's App Store now puts the age recommendation of a given app directly below the title and author credit. The move effectively relocates the age recommendation to the first thing a buyer will likely see after the title. The change may also help parents who fail to activate parental controls to ferret out more adult apps that are not appropriate for a given child.
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04/03, 1:30pm
Survey credits iPad dominance, US iPhone sales for engagement
Another survey, this time from Piper Jaffray tech sector analyst Gene Munster, adds to a number of other surveys of the US mobile web traffic landscape and finds that the iOS platform both dominates and is growing its share of user engagement in Internet-related mobile use. As with the other studies, Munster's analysis of a hand-picked list of 10 of the top 100 mobile websites found that iOS traffic accounts for around 65 percent of mobile visits during the past two months, while Android made up only 30 percent of mobile traffic.
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04/03, 9:42am
Engineers being pulled off OS X 10.9 to help, report claims
iOS 7 represents a "rather significant system-wide UI overhaul," Daring Fireball's John Gruber claims to have learned. The blogger also says he has heard the same thing as Rene Ritchie, who alleges that "[Apple lead designer Jonathan] Ive's work is apparently making many people really happy, but will also apparently make rich-texture-loving designers sad." Engineers allowed to have the OS on their iPhones are even rumored to be using polarizing filters to make it harder for passers-by to see the interface changes.
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04/02, 4:07pm
SCSI drive for an old Mac IIcx
Yesterday in the MacNN forums, Mac Elite "Doc HM" was looking for a SCSI drive for a Macintosh IIcx, but has yet to find a solution. Junior Member "Harvey" is having trouble syncing his iPad 2 with his iPhone 5 even though both are running iOS 6.
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03/29, 9:45pm
Jailbreak devs targeted, reveals flaw in Messages app
A flaw in the Messages application used widely on iOS devices has been revealed through a denial-of-service (DoS) attack on a group of jailbreak app developers. The program is subject to simple "flood" type attacks in which an attacker automatically sends messages incredibly rapidly, effectively rendering an account useless. Grant Paul, who goes by "chpwn" on Twitter and was one of the half-dozen victims in the attacks, said that the problem is that "Apple doesn't limit how fast messages can be sent," thus filling up the inbox and requiring the user to clear notifications and text in order to use the app.
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03/27, 4:47pm
Looks to improve global accuracy of Maps
Apple has begun hiring for Maps "ground truth" workers in several more regions around the globe, expanding beyond recent Australian recruiting. The new regions include the US, eastern and western Europe, Japan, Asia-Pacific, the Americas, and the Middle East and Africa. In each case Apple is searching for a manager whose team is expected to test new code and data, comparing remotely-collected maps against "known truths" about a region's geography, as well as content in rival mapping applications. In the US, a team must use "local expertise" to gather additional feedback.
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03/27, 1:55am
Audible, lympse, Rhapsody and TuneIn now supported
Just a day after Chevrolet debuted a commercial promoting its Siri "Eyes-Free" integration, BMW on Tuesday added support for integration of four iOS apps in new BMW models. Audio books app Audible, Internet radio tuner TuneIn, subscription music service Rhapsody and location-sharing crowdsource app Glympse now work with selected BMW entertainment systems, bringing audiobooks, subscription and Internet radio stations and other functions to the automobiles. BMW first began iOS integration in model year 2011.
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03/25, 6:09pm
New Sonic allows voice-activated calls, songs, texts, calendars
Chevrolet, the first automaker to bring Apple's Siri Eyes-Free feature to market, has debuted a new TV commercial that showcases the feature as an integral selling point for the forthcoming 2014 Chevy Sonic. The Sonic, the second production model with the feature behind the Spark, has an integrated steering-wheel button that activates Siri to allow voice control of several functions of iOS devices without ever activating the screen or relying on visual feedback. Nine other automakers will also be bringing out models that feature Siri Eyes-Free.
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03/25, 8:32am
Free voice calls via Facebook lands in Europe
Facebook has enabled Voice Over IP (VoIP) in its messaging app for users in the United Kingdom, and possibly other areas of Europe. After being launched in Canada in January before rolling out to the United States, the iOS version of Facebook Messenger allows users to call each other through the service instead of passing voice messages to each other as previously offered.
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03/22, 1:30am
Progress made from standoffs with former iOS head Forstall
Following his promotion to head of both hardware and software design at Apple, Sir Jonathan Ive is said to be regularly meeting with Human Interface head Greg Christie and the mobile software teams and is said to be favoring a more cohesive "flat" design for the overall look of the next generation of Mac and iOS software. Ive's efforts will likely be seen in the next major revisions of the two operating systems, and are not expected en masseanytime soon -- but subtle hints of change in the air can be seen even now.
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03/22, 12:14am
New version adds 'shake to undo'; no Android version yet announced
Following on the heels of its acquisition by cloud storage provider Dropbox, the iPhone-only app Mailbox (free) has announced that it has reached the one million user mark as part of its slow rollout of the application, which organizes email using a "to-do" style approach that essentially turns email into a checklist, with a variety of options to date or put off a window when the email will be replied to or acted on. To celebrate the user milestone, the company issued a minor update to the app that adds a "shake to undo" feature.
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03/21, 8:56pm
Also requires that all new Retina apps must support iPhone 5 display
Beginning May 1, Apple will automatically reject any app updates or new applications that access Universal Device Identifiers, or UDIDs. Apple deprecated the method of tracking user statistics with iOS 5 and has been previously rejecting apps that read the UDID without user permission for at least a year, but the new deadline is seen as a hard limit that will require developers and advertisers to use other measures, such as the Vendor Identifier or Advertising Identifier introduced in iOS 6. Most apps have already changed over.
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03/21, 7:06am
Apple fan iOS 7 concept video shows minimalist touches
An Apple fan, Mohamed Kerroudj has posted a couple of concept videos on where Apple could take its UI in iOS 7. Looking reminiscent of the flat Windows Phone design language combined with elements of Google Now and the new popular new Mailbox app for iOS, Kerroudj’s approach has a minimalist style. Kerroudj’s version of iOS 7 would have a much more functional lock-screen, while also removing the skeumorphism apparent in native iOS apps like Calendar.
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03/20, 4:59pm
Only affects iPhone 4
A new lockscreen bypass has been discovered in iOS 6.1.3, notes iPhoneinCanada. Unlike the tricks discovered in iOS 6.1, the new one appears to affect only the iPhone 4. It also, unusually, involves popping out an iPhone's SIM card while using Voice Control to dial an emergency number.
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03/20, 6:51am
Jawbone Up now available with support for Android
Jawbone has released an Android version of its app for the Jawbone Up connected fitness tracker for devices running Android 4.0 and up. After an initial launch in 2011, the company revamped and relaunched the device in late 2012 for the iPhone only. Additionally, the company is expanding the availability of the Up into markets in Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East over the coming weeks.
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03/19, 8:40pm
New updates patches six exploits, breaks evasi0n jailbreak
In closing six potential exploits in the security-oriented iOS 6.1.3 update released earlier today -- and simultaneously breaking compatibility with the evasi0n jailbreak -- Apple has acknowledged the contributions of the Evad3rs team behind the jailbreak with finding four of the six flaws that, in the wrong hands, could have lead to an increased risk of malware rather than just a path to unofficial apps and customizing. Though the jailbreak hack no longer works, the team suggest that other flaws still exist.
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03/19, 1:06pm
Japanese users get additional Maps improvements
(Updated with Apple TV 5.2.1 info) Apple has released the final version of iOS 6.1.3 to the public as an over-the-air update, with an iTunes distribution likely to arrive later today. The firmware is a minor update, mainly solving a lockscreen bypass made possible via a glitch in the iPhone's Emergency Call function. When used, the bypass would give people access to private data like contacts and voicemail messages.
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03/18, 9:15pm
First year free, then $1 per year as with other platforms
Mobile messaging service WhatsApp plans to move its iOS program (which delivers free SMS-like messages to other WhatsApp users) to an annual subscription model rather than the one-time fee the app currently charges. The subscription would be very low-cost as well -- the first year free, then just $1 per year afterwards -- but would increase revenue and move the app to the same model the company uses on all other platforms it serves. The plan may not affect current users, but will face competition.
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03/18, 6:46pm
Cover photo changing limited to iPhone only for now
On Monday, Facebook updated its iOS app to version 5.6, revamping its messaging feature slightly to make it easier to name and group conversations and require fewer taps to start a group message. The other main improvement is the ability for users to updated their cover photo directly from the app, though this ability is limited to the iPhone and draws only from the camera or the photo library. Facebook had added free VOIP calling last month, after a brief trial period where the feature was implemented in Canada only.
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03/18, 1:13pm
Apple not keeping up with industry, executive says
Apple's iOS isn't keeping pace with the rest of the smartphone industry, charges BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins. The executive makes the claim in a new interview with the Australian Financial Review. "The rate of innovation is so high in our industry that if you don’t innovate at that speed you can be replaced pretty quickly," he comments. "The user interface on the iPhone, with all due respect for what this invention was all about, is now five years old."
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03/15, 2:07am
Side-scrolling game features 32 original levels, new music
Current Max Payne and Duke Nukem publisher 3D Realms and Intercepter Entertainment will bring the classic 1993 side-scrolling platformer Duke Nukem II to iOS in April. The game will include 32 levels of carnage from the original game, but with new music, touchscreen support, replays and integrated leaderboards. The port preserves the original's 256-color palette and "future" game setting of 1998. The wisecracking hero can use four weapon types, and fights aliens to save the Earth from invasion.
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03/14, 7:35am
V-Moda Vamp Verza combines DAC, amplifier, battery
V-Moda has revealed the Vamp Verza for iOS and Android mobile phone users. The Vamp Verza is a mobile combined DAC/headphone amplifier with built-in battery pack to allow mobile users to achieve a much higher quality on the go. Aimed at audiophiles, especially given its $598 asking price, the device allows users to connect their smartphone or tablet over a USB connection to either Apple’s 30-pin adapter, Lightning adapter or an Android micro-USB port. As an added bonus, the built-in battery pack can also be used to charge mobile devices.
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03/13, 6:53pm
Vulnerability comes from carrier, enterprise configuration profiles
An Israeli security firm has published a proof-of-concept pointing a weak link in Apple's otherwise very tight security for its mobile platform iOS -- mobileconfig files. The profiles, which are often installed by carriers or enterprise device management solutions, can be downloaded from unencrypted websites, reports Skycure Security. If users were tricked (through social engineering or redirected websites) into installing a malicious profile, it would configure system-level settings to allow attackers access to several key iOS services.
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