iPhone News

Apple warns devs of app review delays following Dev Center outage

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated August 4, 2016

Apple is emailing its registered iOS developers that app approvals may take longer than usual, most likely due to an eight-day-long Dev Center outage having created a backlog of submissions for App Store approval. A few developers reported receiving an email from Apple apologizing for the delay due to the review process requiring "additional time".

Apple started bringing the various Dev Center systems back online six days ago, following an attempted breach which prompted the server-wide security shutdown, in turn stripping developers of access to pre-release documentation, beta code and other development tools...

AT&T launches new LTE-based home phone and Internet service

Cody Lee ∙ July 30, 2013

AT&T launched a new home phone and Internet service this week, which relies on the carrier's LTE and HSPA networks. The service works through a modem (free with a two-year contract) that needs only a power outlet and decent AT&T coverage to work.

The carrier refers to the new offering as its "Wireless Home Phone and Internet service," and it runs $20 a month for the phone, and $60 per month for Internet. That's only for 10GB though—you'll pay as much as $120 for 30GB, and $10 for every GB over...

iOS keyboard to gain additional languages and scripts, job posts indicate

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 24, 2018

Whenever I find myself entangled in another Android vs. iOS debate, Android's liberalized keyboard is unmistakably brought up as a key argument playing to Google's favor. Indeed, for the most part the iOS keyboard has remained unchanged throughout the years, sans a few improvements here and there.

That will change when iOS 7 comes this Fall as it makes the iOS keyboard smarter by introducing black and white theme, enhanced auto-correct that can fix misspellings in a combination of words and a few other small tweaks. While there are no signs of Apple opening up the iOS keyboard to third-party developers anytime soon, new job ads indicate the company is working on adding support for additional languages and writing systems...

The horrible state of Android fragmentation

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated September 26, 2016

OK, so let's make this blatantly clear: Apple's iOS platform is by no means prone to device/OS fragmentation problems, but nowhere near like Android. In addition to just four screen resolutions, iOS developers, at best, must optimize their warez for a few percent customers who haven't yet upgraded to the latest and greatest version of Apple's mobile operating system.

Contrast this to Android, where Google's proclaimed openness and the multitude of device vendors, carriers and suppliers all contribute to the vast array of Android smartphones and tablets that come in hundreds of form factors, screen sizes and price points.

An extensive survey of some 682,000 Android devices has revealed the frightening scale of Android fragmentation and its impact on both users and developers...

Samsung caught cheating in Galaxy S4 benchmarks

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

Cue the Lance Armstrong and Alex Rodriguez jokes, Samsung has been caught using performance-enhancing code to beef up the Galaxy S4's test scores. It's been discovered that the tech giant has programmed the handset to increase its clock speed during certain benchmarks.

The claims were initially made in the forums of popular 3D graphics site Beyond3D, and have since been confirmed by the hardware specialists over at AnandTech. The S4 specifically enables full speed GPU during testing, and then reverts to slower speeds for everyday usage...

Amazon updates Kindle app with free sample search, custom dictionaries and more

Cody Lee ∙ Updated December 4, 2013

Folks with an iPhone or iPad invested in Amazon's ebook service will be happy to hear that it has posted a solid update for its iOS Kindle client today. The update brings the app to version 3.9, and offers a handful of new features and improvements.

Perhaps the most noticeable change is the new Free Sample Search feature, which allows you to search through Amazon's extensive Kindle library to download free samples. And the Bring Your Own Dictionary option pretty much speaks for itself...

Joy of Tech constructs hilarious Apple Status page

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 28, 2017

With all of the distractions and sensationalism in the tech media these days, it's tough to really understand how Apple is doing as a company. It seems like every rumor is followed by an 'Apple is doomed' report, and it probably doesn't help that it's so secretive.

But never fear, as usual, Joy of Tech is here to help clear up some of the confusion in a way that only it can. The comic creator has put together a Status page—yeah, similar to the one Apple made for its Dev Center—to show where Apple is at on a lot of things...

Control Unlocker: unlock your iPhone old school style

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

You probably already saw our preview for Control Unlocker, but just in case you haven't, let me fill you in on what it does. Control Unlocker is a new jailbreak tweak that brings an NES inspired controller to the Lock screen. Users can then use custom input commands to unlock their device.

Yes, it's entirely possible to use the Contra code to unlock your iPhone, though the controller lacks a Start (or Select) button. Have a look at our video walkthrough inside...

BuddyLock: an incredibly detailed Lock screen launcher

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 12, 2018

Earlier in the year, there was a deluge of Lock screen launcher releases to hit jailbroken iPhones. Off the top of my head, I can probably name about 5 of them that came out all around the same time. Since then, things have died down a bit, but there still appears to be a lot of interest in the category.

BuddyLock is the latest such Lock screen launcher to make its way to Cydia. Although its name sounds a bit on the goofy side, don't let its name fool you; BuddyLock is one of the deepest Lock screen launcher releases that we've ever covered.

Have a look inside as we touch on all of its features in our detailed video synopsis...

Apple chasing Control Center Android app

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Did you know Android has its own Control Center? No, really - earlier this month developer Hi Tools Studio earned free publicity by releasing an app that brings the full iOS 7 Control Center user experience to Android phones and tablets. And boy, is it a pixel-perfect copy of the headline iOS 7 capability, down to all of the included features and then some.

Now, the iPhone maker rarely files app complaints with Google so they could have just as easily turned a blind eye on this one had this particular developer not crossed the line so obviously. Hence, Apple has asked the Internet giant to pull the software on the basis of copyright violation...

Tim Cook spotted in China again meeting with local carriers

Cody Lee ∙ July 30, 2013

Tim Cook is back in China this week, according to a new report. The CEO is allegedly there on business, talking with the local carriers there about Apple's leveling iPhone sales in the country, as well as its upcoming iPhone launches.

Citing sources familiar with Cook's meetings, tech.ifeng.com claims that Cook met with China Telecom's senior leadership this week. The talks are supposedly over, but it is not yet known if the executive has returned to the US...

Foxconn reportedly hiring 90,000 workers to help with iPhone 5S production

Cody Lee ∙ July 30, 2013

A new report out of Taiwan this morning claims that Foxconn is going on a major hiring spree to help fill orders for Apple's next generation iPhone, believed to be the iPhone 5S. Production on the handset is said to be ramping up ahead of its fall launch.

Citing sources familiar with the matter, Taiwanese publication Focus Taiwan reports that Foxconn is starting to heavily recruit for its Shenzhen plant, and it's looking to add as many as 90,000 people to its workforce as it begins to fulfill major 5S orders...