iPhone News

Let’s Talk iOS 032: What didn’t happen at WWDC

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

Episode 32: Cody and Sebastien discuss some of the things that didn't happen at WWDC 2014, including iOS 8 Maps improvements, the standalone iTunes Radio app, a Passbook-inspired Healthbook app, iPad split screen multitasking, and more.

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Target offering 16GB Wi-Fi iPad mini for $199

Cody Lee ∙ June 9, 2014

Target is holding a significant sale right now in the run-up to Father's Day, and is discounting a number of its products. Among the deals, the retailer is offering the 16GB Wi-Fi model of the first generation iPad mini for $199.

That's a solid $100 off of the tablet's original price tag, and even beats out the ‘Special Limited Time’ pricing offered in the refurbished section of Apple's web store. We've got the full details on the short-term promotion below...

Facebook’s Snapchat competitor ‘Slingshot’ briefly appears in the App Store

Cody Lee ∙ June 9, 2014

Last month, word got out that Facebook was working on a Snapchat competitor called Slingshot. Despite the company's recent $19 billion acquisition of WhatsApp, it's still very interested in the video and ephemeral messaging space that's popular among teens.

Today, we got a sneak peek at the app when it prematurely surfaced in the App Store this afternoon. From what we've seen so far, it is beautifully designed and offers both familiar features, such as annotation, and non-familiar features like unlock-able content...

iOS 8 code reveals split-screen view for running apps side by side

Joe Rossignol ∙ June 9, 2014

Last month, the well-connected blogger Mark Gurman reported that Apple was likely to introduce a split-screen multitasking feature for iPad on iOS 8. The company did not mention the feature at its WWDC keynote, however, leaving many to wonder if the functionality is still coming. According to a pair of tweets from iOS developer Steven Troughton-Smith, it definitely appears possible…

Apple posts video of “The New Look of OS X Yosemite”

Sébastien Page ∙ June 9, 2014

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQ7kqwbqeiI

If you've already watched the WWDC 2014 keynote, then you won't see anything new here, but for those of you who haven't, Apple just published the Yosemite design video it showed last week. Titled "The New Look of OS X Yosemite," this short video puts the spotlight on Yosemite's new buttons, font type, icons, use of translucency, as well various other visual elements of OS X Yosemite.

This is Skype’s upcoming iPhone facelift

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 27, 2016

Microsoft-owned Skype is putting finishing touches on a major new version of its free iPhone messaging and VoIP calling software. The software giant has just announced some of the new features making their way to the upcoming 5.0 iPhone release soon and boy are we excited.

The sleeker UI is only part of the story because Skype 5.0 focuses on speed. In fact, in redesigning the app developers have rewritten much of the code with iOS in mind.

As a result, Skype 5.0 for iPhone is up to five times faster than before. Additional tidbits and a cool promo video can be found right after the jump...

How iOS 8 defeats Wi-Fi location tracking in stores, malls and elsewhere

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 9, 2014

In a move designed to appease privacy watchers and further protect your privacy, Apple has made it that much harder for pesky marketeers to identify your device (and consequentially you as a user) or track your location as you go about your business. As discovered by Swiss programmer Frederic Jacobs, iOS 8 randomizes your device's MAC address while scanning for networks.

A MAC address serves as a unique identifier assigned to network interfaces for communications on the physical network segment. By randomizing your device's MAC address each time it scans for nearby Wi-Fi hotspots, iOS 8 effectively disguises any trace of the real device. Here's hoping this becomes an industry standard. Jump past the fold to learn more about this nifty feature...

Video: time-lapse photography in iOS 8

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 9, 2014

The world's top camera on Flickr will get a lot better when iOS 8 drops this Fall. As Apple executives outlined during the WWDC keynote talk, the stock Camera application in iOS 8 introduces a new shooting mode: time-lapse photography.

This lets you leave your iPhone automatically taking pictures every few seconds over a predetermined amount of time. iOS 8 then stitches the individual frames together to form gorgeous time-lapse videos.

Time-lapse photography is great for shooting changes that occur over longer periods of time, such as the clouds moving across the sky, skyscrapers being built, blossoming flowers, sunset/sunrise scenes and more. Here's an example time-lapse video shot using an iPhone 5s running a beta of iOS 8...

SteelSeries announces large-format Stratus XL iOS gaming controller

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 27, 2016

Announced at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this January, the Stratus wireless iOS gaming controller by SteelSeries has joined the likes of Logitech's PowerShell, Moga's AcePower, Razer's Kazuyo/Junglecat and C.T.R.L.i by Mad Catz, to name a few.

Monday, the firm announced a larger-format version of the Stratus, the Stratus XL. The console-style gaming controller works with the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad devices and comes with a pressure-sensitive D-pad, dual-analog sticks, a set of four action buttons and four shoulder buttons (two pressure-sensitive top shoulder buttons and two analog trigger bottom shoulder buttons)...

AAPL splits 7 to 1

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 9, 2014

As promised during Apple's most recent earnings call, the Cupertino, California headquartered consumer electronics powerhouse is set to open on Monday at $92.22 a share as the company puts forth its plan to split stock, its fourth stock split to date.

All common stock owners will receive six additional shares for each share in existence. As a result, the value of each individual share will drop accordingly, but the value of their total holdings will not. Read on for the full reveal...

Personnel issues and internal politics blamed for lack of iOS 8 Maps announcements at WWDC

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 9, 2014

Mark Gurman has established himself as the most reliable Apple blogger out there so we were confused seeing his sources fail him so badly in predicting announcements Apple should've made at WWDC.

For instance, he called for new hardware at WWDC, but Apple's developers conference focused - rather predictably, I should add - on software.

Gurman also said Apple would give OS X a larger presence at the five-day event whereas the company didn't discriminate between iOS 8 and Yosemite.

Most importantly, he made several claims concerning Apple taking iOS 8 Maps to the next level by adding public transit directions, a car finding feature, more points of interests, better labels and so forth. In reality, the Cupertino firm only briefly mentioned that it's updated iOS 8 Maps in China with vector graphics. So, what's going on here?

Upcoming Dance Party game promises multiplayer fun on Apple TV

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

I've long thought that the Apple TV could make for a full-blown video game console. Between the set-top box, AirPlay, and Apple's line of iOS devices with built-in motion sensors, you basically have a Nintendo Wii—you just need developers to take advantage of it.

And nobody understands this better than the folks at Rolocule Games. The India-based app-maker released a game called 'Motion Tennis' last summer, and this year they're back with another innovative, motion-based game for iOS and Apple TV called Dance Party...