iPhone News

Apple orders Retina iPad mini screens from Japan Display and LG Display

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 25, 2013

Apple, according to a new supply chain report out of Asia, has placed orders with LG Display and Japan Display for high-resolution Retina screens for a second-generation iPad mini. Japan Display is a merger of the mobile display operations of Sony, Hitachi and Toshiba, in conjunction with the Innovation Network Corporation of Japan. Now, LG Display and AU Optronics both currently supply 1,024-by-768 panels for the iPad mini, and iDB last week heard the latter has already started mass producing Retina panels for the second-generation iPad mini.

With LG Display and Japan Display now reportedly having been added to the mix - and with leaks like this purported back shell - all signs point to Apple lining up its suppliers ahead of manufacturing, usually a tell-tale sign that the official announcement is around the corner. And if the iPad mini 2 is in fact looming, we're probably looking at a summer launch at WWDC...

Facebook improves iOS SDK with enhanced APIs and better mobile analytics

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 23, 2018

Mark Zuckerberg's social networking company last July released a software development kit (SDK) for programmers to make it easier to write apps that take full advantage of Apple’s deep Facebook integration in iOS 6. It's been updated a few times since and today Facebook announced that it is enhancing the SDK with better APIs and other improvements. This update also includes bug fixes that improve stability, is backwards compatible and can be downloaded now direct from Facebook...

Apple settles in-app purchasing lawsuit with iTunes credits and refunds

Cody Lee ∙ February 25, 2013

Apple today has agreed to settle a nearly two year-old lawsuit with a group of parents over unauthorized in-app purchases made by their kids. The parents complained that the process' lack of password requirement led to massive iTunes bills.

As part of the preliminary deal, which has yet to be finalized by a judge, Apple will pay eligible class members with a $5 iTunes gift card or the same amount in cash. And for those users who spent more than $30, it's offering a full refund...

Bloomberg: Google’s music streaming service launching worldwide in Q3

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 25, 2013

Piggy-backing on last week's reports by The Wall Street Journal and Financial Times asserting Google's been looking to enhance its Music service with streaming features akin to those of Spotify, Bloomberg today learned from its own sources that the service is likely targeted for a third quarter start. What's more, Google is reportedly planning to release this as a worldwide offering from the get-go.

One of the people familiar with Google's thinking told Bloomberg the service would work on both Android and non-Android devices, without explicitly referring to the iPhone...

Sharp and Foxconn deal has all but fallen apart

Cody Lee ∙ February 25, 2013

For a year now, we've been hearing that Foxconn was going to buy a large stake in Sharp Corp. Speculation of the deal has run rampant, going so far as to implicate that the partnership was part of Apple's plans to build a TV.

But over the last several months, Sharp's business has started to falter, causing Foxconn to rethink things. Since then, the companies haven't been able to come to an agreement. And according to a new report, they won't...

Passing 300M users, Shazam announces revamped iPad app

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 12, 2018

The media discovery and recommendation engine Shazam at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain on Monday said it surpassed 300 million users and announced updates to its app for iPad and Android tablets in the coming weeks. Some of the newly added capabilities include a much faster tagging with automatic resubmissions (handy during poor network reception), better Shazam Friends interactions and a new streamlined way to share your finds via Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and email.

Also on tap for iPad and Android tablets: a revamped home screen with updated layouts for tagged results from TV and music and a brand new interactive mapping feature letting you see what people aroun the world are discovering and sharing using Shazam mobile apps. What's best, Shazam is now providing the two premium features - fast (and unlimited) tagging in as little as one second and full-screen LyricPlay lyrics - as part of the free tablet experience...

Facebook launches free or discounted Messenger access in 14 countries

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 25, 2013

Facebook on Sunday announced a new promotion that will allow users of Messenger for iOS and Android to exchange instant messages for free or at heavily discounted data rates in select international markets. Partnering with more than eighteen operators in fourteen international markets, the social networking giant said Facebook for Every Phone, basically a bare-bone service for feature phones that is now optimized for chat, is also included in this promotion.

The move arrives just after the company flipped the switch on the in-app VoIP calling feature in its mobile client for iOS and Android devices. Facebook first rolled out VoIP calling in Canada earlier this year, and some parts of the US, via the Messenger app...

LG buys WebOS from HP to use in future smart TVs

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 11, 2018

The 2013 Mobile World Congress (MWC) officially kicked off in Barcelona this weekend, meaning you should prepare for an onslaught of device announcements and other mobile news over the next few days.

In fact, LG has kicked things off already by dropping a bombshell today. The South Korea-based electronics giant has apparently purchased WebOS from Hewlett Packard, and plans to use it in future products...

Mophie announces new, thinner Juice Pack Air for iPhone 5

Cody Lee ∙ Updated October 12, 2018

Fans of Mophie's popular Juice Pack Air line will be happy to hear that the company has just announced a new, thinner model for Apple's latest handset. This is the first significant update to the line in two years.

Aside from the prestige of its highly-regarded creators, the major selling point for the new Air is its size—it's both thinner and lighter than its predecessor, measuring in at just 0.63-inches thick...

Apple airs new ‘Hollywood’ iPad ad (update: Samsung, too)

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 24, 2013

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8pj3WQyOzY

Just in time for The Oscars, Apple on Sunday aired a new television commercial for the iPad during the Academy Awards broadcast. Conveniently titled "Hollywood", the app via a “lights”, “camera” and “action” sequence takes us through a series of programs for filmmakers, as well as various movie and video editing applications from the App Store. And in line with the previous two ads, called "Alive" and "Together", this one also has some interesting subliminal messages...

Why I uninstalled Auxo

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated April 11, 2018

I don't think I need to introduce Auxo, the jailbreak tweak that redefines the iOS app switcher, to anyone. We've been giving Auxo its fair share of love since we first exclusively previewed the tweak a few months ago. And for good reasons. Auxo is one of those beautifully designed tweaks that not only improves on the stock iOS experience, but does it in an incredibly elegant manner.

When evasi0n came out last month, Auxo was the third tweak I installed, right after biteSMS and Zephyr. The love affair with Auxo lasted all the way until yesterday when I came to realize that although delightfully crafted, the tweak just didn't do it for me. Let me explain…

‘SafariSwipez’ brings swipe-to-close gestures to Safari tabs

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 11, 2018

Gestures are all the rage these days, just look at popular tweaks like Auxo and Zephyr for the proof. What about adding swipe gestures to the tabs in the stock Safari browser? Wouldn't that be a welcomed addition? After trying out SafariSwipez, I can indeed say that it is.

SafariSwipez is a jailbreak tweak that allows you to swipe up or down on a page in tabbed view to close out the tab in question. As you might expect, SafariSwipez is a really simple tweak with no options or settings to configure. Take a look inside for more details.