Year: 2016

The top stories of the week on iDB

Like every Sunday, we get to take a look at some of the most popular posts that were published on iDB during the week that just ended. Whether it is a news item, a new jailbreak tweak, a tutorial, or an app review, we sum it all up in one convenient place for you.

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Super VoiceMail: A slick new way to handle your iPhone’s voicemail

Just last week, we showed you a jailbreak tweak called AnsweringMachine that took the jailbreak community by surprise and showed us that the iPhone's voicemail system has a lot to be desired. On the other hand, another new release called Super VoiceMail also looks very promising.

In this review, we'll show you what Super VoiceMail has to offer and help you decide which of the two jailbreak tweaks you should go with.

Spotify punishing artists who sign exclusivity deals with competitors

Spotify has been punishing musicians who introduce new material exclusively on other streaming services, reports Bloomberg. Artists who have given Apple premier access to new music have been told that their songs won't be placed on featured playlists.

The Swedish music company has been using such practices for about a year, say sources, and the efforts have escalated during the past few months. Artists who have given exclusives to Jay-Z's Tidal streaming service have seen similar forms of retaliation.

Apple also seeds tvOS 10 beta 7 to developers

In addition to seeding iOS 10 beta 8 to developers and iOS 10 beta 7 to public beta testers, Apple today made available a seventh beta of tvOS to its registered developers. tvOS 10 beta 7 (build number “14T5329a”) is available as an over-the-air update via the Software Update mechanism on the fourth-generation Apple TV.

Apple issues iOS 10 beta 8 to developers & beta 7 to public beta testers

Apple today released an eighth beta of iOS 10 (build number “14A5346a”) to members of the Apple Developer Program and the seventh beta of iOS 10 to public beta testers who are signed on the Apple Beta Software Program. It's worth repeating that iOS 10 beta 8 for developers and iOS 10 beta 7 for public beta testers contain the same features.

The devices on a prior beta can be updated in Settings → General → Software Update, but some users are reporting issues trying to update to beta 8.

Intel could begin fabricating iPhone and iPad chips as early as 2018

Both in-house designed 'A10' and 'A11' chips for this year's iPhone 7 and 2017 iPhones/iPads, respectively, are believed to be manufactured solely by Taiwan's semiconductor foundry TSMC (sorry, Samsung).

According to Nikkei Asian Review, Intel is now perfectly poised to give TSMC a good run for its money in as little as two years because any Apple chips after the A10/A11 should be fabricated by Intel.

The recently signed licensing deal between Intel and UK-based ARM Holdings lets the former fabricate chips for smartphones based on the latter's CPU technology.

Universal wasn’t joking: Lady GaGa’s upcoming new album won’t be an Apple Music-exclusive

As you know, the major record label Universal Music Group is apparently done with streaming exclusives on Apple Music, Spotify and other services. Sources who spoke with HITS Daily Double caution that the repercussions stemming from the music industry's disdain for exclusives have forced Universal's label Interscope to release Lady GaGa's fifth studio album on a non-exclusive basis.

Now even the album's dance floor anthem, titled “Perfect Illusion,” would launch as an Apple Music exclusive in light of the industry kerfuffle over digital exclusives—despite the fact that a deal had been in place between Apple, Lady Gaga and Interscope.

FOX Sports Go for Apple TV lets you watch four games simultaneously at 60FPS

If you're subscribed to one of Fox's sports channels through your cable or satellite TV package, the newly launched FOX Sports Go tvOS app lets you watch up to four games simultaneously in split-screen mode, at a remarkably fluid 60 frames per second, via your fourth-generation Apple TV.

As first noted by MacRumors, the app's split-screen interface and underlying technology make it possible to watch baseball, basketball, football and hockey games at once, or any combination of games from MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, UEFA Champions League, UFC and more, depending on regional restrictions.

UK’s carrier EE to offer free six-month Apple Music subscriptions beginning September 1

Not to be outdone by Australia's Telstra and Germany's Deutsche Telekom, British telecommunications operator EE (formerly Everything Everywhere) confirmed that it, too, would soon be treating its customers to six free months of music-streaming via Apple Music and Beats 1 Radio.

To promote this offer, the carrier put together a multi-million pound ad campaign featuring actor Kevin Bacon and pop singer Britney Spears.