Cody Lee

Cody Lee, iDownloadBlog.com’s longest-serving Editor, joined the site in 2008. He specializes in uncovering the best deals on Apple products, apps, and accessories. With years of experience in technology journalism, Cody helps readers save money while staying informed about the latest trends and updates in the Apple ecosystem. Cody’s history with smartphones goes almost as far back as he does. As the son of a Nokia employee, he was exposed early on to handsets like the N91 and the Communicator. He has since been involved in nearly every aspect of the mobile phone industry. While going to college, he worked at a Nokia factory, building handsets, and later moved on to a sales position at a major wireless carrier.

Apple seeds first betas of iOS 10.3.3, watchOS 3.2.3, tvOS 10.2.2 and macOS Sierra 10.12.6

Apple on Tuesday seeded the first betas of iOS 10.3.3, watchOS 3.2.3, tvOS 10.2.2 and macOS Sierra 10.12.6. Registered developers can download the new releases via each platform's respective over-the-air mechanism, or via Apple's dev portal.

It's not yet clear what changes are included in these updates, but given their version numbers, it's likely they're focused on security fixes and other under-the-hood improvements. We will let you know if anything more significant is discovered.

The betas do come at an interesting time—24 hours after the release of public updates for each OS, and just a few weeks ahead of WWDC, where Apple is expected to show off previews of the next major versions of iOS, watchOS, tvOS and macOS.

Apple releases iOS 10.3.2, watchOS 3.2.2, tvOS 10.2.1 and macOS Sierra 10.12.5

Apple on Monday released iOS 10.3.2, watchOS 3.2.2, tvOS 10.2.1, and macOS Sierra 10.12.5 to the public. The updates feature various security patches, bug fixes and performance improvements, and come after more than a month of beta testing.

As you can see in the screenshot above, iOS 10.3.2 includes bug fixes and improves the security for iPhone and iPad. We know from beta release notes that it also features a small fix for SiriKit, meaning in-car commands should now work as intended.

There have been no major changes or features spotted in tvOS 10.2.1 or watchOS 3.2.2 either. However, Apple says that macOS Sierra 10.12.5 fixes an audio issue with USB headphones, enhances Mac App Store compatibility, and adds support for media-free installation of Windows 10 Creators Update using Boot Camp.

These will probably be the last public updates released before we get a preview of the next major versions of each platform at WWDC next month. The software can be installed either via the OTA mechanism, or directly from our Downloads page.

Big Keys, Subtotal, Dazzle Browser, and other apps to check out this weekend

This week's edition of our Apps of the Week roundup includes a third-party keyboard with extra large keys, a new app for saving money, and a mobile-friendly web browser. And as always, we have two great new games for you to check out this weekend.

Big Keys

Big Keys is exactly what it sounds like: a third-party iOS keyboard with extra large keys. I'm sure this isn't a brand new concept and the third-party keyboard implementation in iOS is pretty rough, but with Mother's Day this weekend, I figured this was worth a mention. Anyone who has trouble typing on (or seeing) the tiny keys on the iOS keyboard will love this. Now it only works in landscape mode, but you get large keys and large emojis. Plus it has a numeric keypad, supports gestures, and it's customizable. Big Keys is available for $2.99.

Subtotal

Get up to 10% cash back when eating out with the app Subtotal. It's simple: at the end of your meal, select your restaurant. Follow the on-screen instructions to enter and pay your bill (supports Apple Pay). Present the on-screen barcode to your waiter—it works just like a gift card. You get your cash back in a few days. Now it's a new thing, so only a handful of restaurants are supported so far (Applebee's, Chili's, Red Robin, etc.), but this seems like an app worth checking out for folks who want to save money with little effort. Subtotal is available for free.

Dazzle Browser

The third-party iOS web browser space is a tough one to get into. Apple's Safari, of course, has a huge head start with prominent placement and performance enhancements. Google's Chrome has solidified itself as the official runner-up. Then there are a bunch of smaller browsers fighting for a distant third. Dazzle throws its hat into the ring with a simple, mobile-first interface. It was built for one-handed usage with a unified search bar located towards the bottom of the app, and the ability to quickly swipe between pages. Dazzle Browser is available for free.

Sky Gamblers Races

Your favorite fighter plane franchise is back with the ultimate air racing game. Featuring more than 90 highly detailed WWII planes, Sky Gamblers Races tasks players with building their reputation on the air racing circuit. Unique visuals, sound effects, and gyroscope controls make for an immersive gaming experience. There are over 100 races in different environments and 5 game modes: normal, slow down, elimination, timed races and death races. You of course can customize your plane and even race opponents in real time. Sky Gamblers Races is available for $2.99.

Crash Club

If you're looking for something a little different this weekend, Crash City is the anti-racing game. Drive anywhere you want in this big coastal city, break everything and take down other drivers for points to rule the leaderboard! Massively multiplayer action with over 30 players live and real time in every game. Everything can be crashed, with weapons and abilities available in the middle of the action. There are over 25 unique cars that can be customized in both looks and performance. Crash City is available for free (with some IAPs).

More apps to check out Drop everything (except your bags) – this app is all you need for grocery shopping Apple’s free app of the week: Little Kitten Meet Breaker, a young podcast app with a social twist Infuse media player gains supercharged subtitles, 10-bit video playback & more PDF Expert 6 for iOS is out with revamped look, enhanced search, new editing tools & more Apple’s Workflow app gains new Apple Music actions, brings back Chrome and Pocket integrations

Study shows Apple Watch can detect abnormal heart rhythm with 97% accuracy

The Apple Watch is 97% accurate at detecting common abnormal heart rhythms, according to a study by the University of California, San Francisco. Heartbeat measurement app Cardiogram began the study with UCSF last year to determine whether or not the wearable could detect an oncoming stroke.

The study consisted of 6,158 participants, most of which had normal EKG readings and 200 of which had been diagnosed with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (or an abnormal heartbeat). Engineers trained a deep neural network to identify the abnormal heart rhythms from Apple Watch heart rate data.

Testing their findings against 51 in-hospital cardioversions (a procedure that restores the heart's normal rhythm), the team says its neural network correctly identified irregular heart activity with a 97% accuracy rate. The results hold promise for the long-running effort to detect and prevent strokes in the future.

Atrial fibrillation, the most common abnormal hearth rhythm, is believed to cause 1 in 4 strokes. Cardiogram co-founder Brandon Ballinger says two-thirds of these types of strokes can be prevented with inexpensive drugs. The team plans to continue its eHealth study and further validate its neural network.

Source: TechCrunch

Apple to announce Amazon Prime Video for Apple TV at WWDC

Amazon Prime Video is finally coming to Apple TV, reports BuzzFeed. Citing sources familiar with the plans, the outlet says that Apple will make the announcement next month at their World Wide Developers Conference.

The move signals that the two companies have reached an agreement to end their years-long feud, which not only kept Amazon's video app off of Apple's set-top box, but also removed the Apple TV from Amazon's storefronts.

BuzzFeed's John Paczkowksi, who has an excellent track record reporting on Apple's future plans, says that the app is expected to go live this summer. Also, as part of the deal, Amazon will resume Apple TV sales at some point.

If true, this will be a significant win for Amazon Prime customers using Apple TV. Currently, there is no way to natively access Amazon Prime Video on tvOS. WWDC will take place in San Jose, California and begin on June 5.

Source: BuzzFeed

Apple acquires sleep tracking app Beddit

Apple has acquired sleep tracking startup Beddit. The company updated its privacy policy on its website Tuesday to announce the acquisition, saying "your personal data will be collected, used and disclosed in accordance with the Apple Privacy Policy."

Smart light bulbs you can control with your iPhone

If you're looking to dip your toes in the smart home pool, there's perhaps no easier or less-expensive way than with smart light bulbs. Simply install them into the appropriate light sockets, pair them with their mobile app, and you're ready to go.

As with most electronics, there are a lot of choices out there, and some are much better than others. So to help you separate the good from the bad, we decided to compile a list of some of the best smart bulbs you can can control with you iPhone.

Interesting points from Apple’s Q2 earnings call

Apple announced the financial results for its fiscal second quarter of 2017 this afternoon, and the numbers for the 3-month period are pretty good. While iPhone sales were down slightly from last year, the company's revenue was up from $50.6 billion to $52.9 billion.

Following the release of its earnings, CEO Tim Cook and CFO Luca Maestri hopped on a conference call to talk about Apple's performance over the last 3 months, and offer up some insights into its future. Here are some of the most interesting points from the call.

Apple’s Q2 2017: 50.8M iPhones, 8.9M iPads, $52.9B revenue

Apple on Tuesday reported its [fiscal] Q2 2017 earnings, offering a look at its performance over the last 3 months. During the period, the company sold 50.8 million iPhones, down slightly from the year-ago quarter, and made $52.9 billion, up 5% from last year. Here's a full breakdown of the numbers.

Apple seeds iOS 10.3.2 beta 5 to developers

Apple on Thursday seeded the fifth beta of iOS 10.3.2 to developers. The update comes just 3 days after beta 4 was released, and registered iOS developers can install it over-the-air, or via the dev center.

Outside of a few SiriKit bug fixes, Apple hasn't provided details regarding changes in iOS 10.3.2. It's very likely that the focus here is on performance improvements and other under-the-hood maintenance.

We're installing today's update, and we'll be sure to let you know if we spot anything new or noteworthy.