Joe Rossignol

Joe Rossignol is a former iDB editor.

iPhone captures 42% market share in the United States for May

The latest numbers reveal that the iPhone remains the most popular smartphone in the United States, with 41.9% market share for a three-month period ending May 2014. Samsung was the second most popular smartphone maker with a 27.8% share, attributed to its Galaxy-branded devices. LG (6.5%), Motorola (6.3%) and HTC (5.1%) round off the top five.

While the iPhone was the most popular smartphone, Android held a commanding 52.1% share among mobile platforms. iOS followed not too far behind at 41.9%, while Windows Phone (3.4%), BlackBerry (2.3%) and Symbian (0.1%) all trailed by quite a distance. Android also had 52.1% market share for the three-month period ending February, while iOS gained 0.6 percentage points… 

Apple patent filing reveals that iPhones could have location-based security and settings in future

Apple has filed a new patent with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for an invention that dynamically changes the security, settings and behavior of a device based on its location. For instance, most users may only require a four-digit passcode on their iPhone while at home, but would prefer to use the more secure Touch ID while in the workplace or traveling.

The hardware and software of a device would work in tandem to identify the location of the user and adjust the security levels accordingly, based on its proximity or connection to cellular data towers, local Wi-Fi networks, other cell phones and more. There would be certain thresholds depending on how confident the device is in the security of the surrounding location… 

Facebook Messenger now available for iPad

In addition to a Pages Manager update with new commenting and posting features, Facebook Messenger has quietly gained long-awaited universal support for the iPad in an update this morning. Facebook users can now take advantage of the larger screen to chat with family and friends, with access to all of the same features that are available through the iPhone and iPod touch version… 

App Recap: a mid-week look at 8 must-have apps

If you're looking for a deal on one of the best calendar apps available for iPad, or interested in trying out a brand new Atari-inspired game, don't go anywhere. This edition of App Recap, which covers the best new, updated and discounted apps on the App Store, has a great selection of 8 must-have apps for iPhone and iPad. Wednesday was not an overwhelmingly busy day in terms of apps, but the list ahead should keep you occupied… 

Voice messaging could be an integral iWatch feature

As it becomes more clear that Apple is actually planning to release its highly-anticipated iWatch, the rumor mill has shifted towards what kinds of features the smart watch could have. It appears that voice messaging could be at the top of the list, at least according to a recent talk that UBS analyst Steven Milunovich had with Apple CEO Tim Cook in China… 

Taasky is a beautiful and minimalistic task manager for Mac

Taasky for Mac is one of the latest entrants in a highly competitive market of apps for task management, to-do lists and getting things done. How it aims to stand out of the pack is with a beautiful and sleek design, but how does it stack up functionally? Taasky can be best described as simple, both from a design and usage perspective. After giving the app a test drive on my Mac for a few days, here are my first impressions… 

Apple predicted to sell 36.5 million iPhones in June quarter

Apple is poised to have another record-breaking quarter for iPhone sales, if a new prediction proves to be true. According to Wells Fargo Securities analyst Maynard Um, the addition of new carriers and several promotions will help drive iPhone sales to 36.5 million for the June quarter. Um predicts that Apple will have quarterly revenue of $38.2 billion, beating the Wall Street prediction of $37.9 million… 

FTC accuses T-Mobile of placing unauthorized charges on phone bills for years [updated with note from the CEO]

T-Mobile has been aggressively marketing its Uncarrier initiatives to prove that it cares about customers, but the Federal Trade Commission has published a new complaint that accuses the carrier of knowingly cramming bogus charges onto customers' phone bills for years. The FTC claims that T-Mobile made hundreds of millions of dollars by knowingly placing charges for "premium" SMS subscriptions that, most often, were not authorized by customers… 

Apple introduces 9 new CarPlay partners, including Chrysler, Dodge and Mazda

Following the announcement that Audi will be integrating CarPlay into its vehicle lineup next year, Apple has officially added 9 new CarPlay partners to its website: Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Audi, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Mazda and Ram. These car manufacturers have committed to integrating CarPlay into their vehicles in the future, meaning that Apple now has 29 total CarPlay partners.

Apple says that CarPlay should begin to appear in vehicles from Honda, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo and Ferrari later this year, with additional car manufacturers following up next year and beyond. Aftermarket stereo systems with built-in CarPlay functionality will also be available from Alpine and Pioneer, although no timeframe is provided.… 

Apple extends AppleCare+ purchase window to 60 days for iPhone and iPad

As we outlined in a report earlier this month, Apple has gone ahead and doubled the AppleCare+ purchase window for new iPhones and iPads. Customers are now eligible to purchase AppleCare+ for their new iPhone and iPad up to 60 days after purchasing the device, whereas it was previously 30 days. AppleCare+ extends Apple's 90-day complimentary support to two years and includes accidental damage coverage.

AppleCare+ costs $99 for both the iPhone and iPad plans, purchasable through the Apple Store both in-store and online. Apple has updated its website to reflect the new 60-day policy that is now in effect in all regions outside of Japan, where the 30-day window remains. These changes do not apply to Macs, iPods or any other Apple products outside of the iPhone and iPad… 

Emojli is an emoji-only network that could be the next Yo

As if there weren't already enough ways to communicate with others, this month has now been witness to two different outside of the box messaging platforms. The first was a quirky new app called Yo that took the App Store by storm earlier this month with over one million users in just days. The two-character app is a simple and efficient messaging tool that solely consists of sending and receiving notifications that say Yo.

Emojli is the second, an emoji-only network looking to replicate the success of Yo from a few weeks ago. Forget text messages, hashtags, spam and trolls, and communicate solely with emojis. Emojli is now accepting username reservations on its website, which are also entirely in emoji. While the app seems like satire, its creators Matt Gray and Tom Scott claim it will be launching on iOS soon and other platforms later…