iPhone News

This week on iDB: ready for WWDC?

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

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.

As always, if you like what you're reading, please feel free to spread the love by sharing our posts on your favorite social network.

Apple acquires Beats for $3 billion iOS 8 banner goes up at Moscone Center ahead of WWDC OS X Yosemite could be unveiled at WWDC on Monday Take Healthbook for a virtual test drive on your iPhone Photo of alleged iPhone 6 back cover surfaces Apple gets help from Chinese authorities to fight iPhone 6 leaks iPhone 6 models could launch sooner than expected German carrier leaks likely iPhone 6 release date: September 19 Concept imagines how Apple could implement Home screen widgets in iOS ‘AltKeyboard 2′ is a great sequel to the original keyboard enhancing tweak LockScreen Informer is a Cydget that brings useful info to the Lock screen How to set Spotify as the default music player on iPhone Check out these 3 beautiful iOS theme setups Watch the full Eddy Cue and Jimmy Iovine interview at Code Conference Wallpapers of last week: natural summer Apps of the week: Dragon Quest VIII, EverClip 2, TwoDots, and more

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How to add Alt+Tab functionality to your iPhone

Jeff Benjamin ∙ May 31, 2014

Flipflop is a jailbreak tweak that brings Alt+Tab-esque functionality to iOS by means of a handy Activator action. The tweak can be assigned to any available Activator gesture, but the developer hints that the Home button is best suited as the means of which to activate the tweak.

If you're looking to be able to quickly switch back and forth between two apps, then Flipflop is a jailbreak release that will give you such functionality. Take a gander at our video walkthrough past the jump.

Five things the Galaxy S5 does better than the iPhone 5s… and vice versa

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

The Galaxy S5 has been my go-to device and my daily driver over the last month or so. I know that may seem like blasphemy since I write for iDownloadBlog, but I have a lot of reasons for doing so.

For starters, I wanted to become more familiar with the competition. I already had a good sense about Samsung's offerings and Android in general, but nothing can replace hands-on usage and the balanced perspective that comes with that.

If I wanted to seriously be able to take an objective look at Apple and at Samsung, and at iOS and Android, then I would need to have a better understanding of competing devices. What better device to help develop such an understanding than what is arguably the iPhone's biggest competitor, the Galaxy S5?

Since I've acquired one, I've mostly been enjoying my time with the GS5. In fact, I've traveled to South Korea, home of Samsung, which has made my perspective about the whole competition even more well-rounded. With all of this in mind, I wanted to compile a list of some of the things that I enjoy about the Samsung Galaxy S5. These are five things that I believe that the GS5 does better than Apple's flagship iPhone 5s. Afterwards, I'll do a reverse comparison, and tell you what I think the iPhone does better. Want to see which items made the cut? Check inside for the details.

Mobile hit ‘Candy Crush’ made more money than all Nintendo games last quarter

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

Critics have been saying for years that Nintendo should get into the mobile gaming business. It's not just that the company's hardware business is slipping, or that it's losing money, but mobile games happens to be a very hot space right now.

Case in point is this recent report from research firm Newzoo, which ranks public companies by game revenue. According to the firm's data, hit mobile title Candy Crush generated more money last quarter than all Nintendo titles combined...

Designer’s book ‘Keep it Simple’ highlights early Apple phone and tablet prototypes

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

In a follow-up to his 2012 book 'Design Forward,' industrial designer Hartmut Esslinger released 'Keep it Simple' late last year. The book talks about the collaboration between Esslinger and Steve Jobs during the mid-80s, which led to the creation of several iconic Apple products.

For a little context, Esslinger founded the design firm 'Frog' in 1969, which was contracted by Apple in 1982. Most notably, the firm developed the 'Snow White' design language for Cupertino company, but it was also responsible for designer a number of lesser known prototypes...

iOS 7 adoption approaches 90% ahead of WWDC

Joe Rossignol ∙ May 31, 2014

With just a few days until the highly-anticipated WWDC keynote, where iOS 8 is expected to be unveiled, adoption of iOS 7 continues to rise. According to the latest statistics from Chitika Insights, relayed from PC Magazine, 89.7% of iPhones and 84.8% of iPads are running the latest software version. Those numbers are based on the millions of devices that accessed the Chitika ad network between May 22 and May 28 in the United States and Canada.

iOS 6 usage continues to decline, now accounting for 8.8% of iPhone web traffic and 7.9% of iPad web traffic. Less than two percent of iPhones are running iOS 5 or older software versions, at least those being used to access the Chitika ad network. Meanwhile, 5.6% of iPads are still running iOS 5 and 1.7% have iOS 4 or earlier…

Apple’s longtime PR chief Katie Cotton retires

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

As Apple announced earlier this month, its vice president of worldwide corporate communications Katie Cotton has left the company. According to a report from Recode, today was the last day of her 18-year tenure in Cupertino.

Cotton was a polarizing figure in the tech world. Tasked with being the media gatekeeper for one of the most secretive companies in the world, she was known for her aggressive protection of Apple and tight control over information...

Luca Maestri officially begins work as Apple’s new CFO

Cody Lee ∙ Updated November 3, 2017

If you don't know the name of the guy in the picture, you should probably learn it. That is Luca Maestri, and he is Apple's latest Senior Vice President. Maestri used to be the company's Corporate Controller, and is now its Chief Financial Officer.

Apple announced in March that its long-time CFO Peter Oppenheimer would be retiring this year, and Maestri would be taking his place. And according to SEC paperwork filed today, he officially became Oppenheimer's successor as of May 29th...

Trademark filings discovered for Healthbook, HealthKit and iResearch

Cody Lee ∙ May 30, 2014

With Apple's WWDC keynote now just a few days away, speculation regarding what the company will announce on Monday is heating up. We saw the iOS 8 and OS X banners earlier today, and now we have some mysterious trademark filings.

The folks over at MacRumors have discovered several trademark applications related to the term 'Healthbook,' which is a new app rumored for iOS 8. The documents don't say they were filed by Apple, but looking at the clues, it's fairly obvious...

OS X Yosemite could be unveiled at WWDC on Monday

Cody Lee ∙ May 30, 2014

Apple is continuing to decorate the Moscone Center this afternoon ahead of next week's Worldwide Developers Conference. Earlier today we saw water-covered banners go up for iOS 8, and now we have an image of the inaugural OS X 10.10 banner.

As you can see in the image above, the sign consists of a large X in front of a mountainous background. It's believed this is actually the 'El Capitan' rock formation in Yosemite national park, which would suggest Apple is calling the 10.10 update 'Yosemite.'

Gazelle offering additional $10 on iPhone trade-ins right now

Cody Lee ∙ Updated February 9, 2016

Folks with an old iPhone laying around may be interested to know that electronic buy-back service Gazelle is offering extra money for Apple's handsets right now. In an effort to increase its inventory, the site says it will give you an additional $10 on your iPhone trade-ins.

For those unfamiliar with Gazelle, it's an online storefront that will pay you money for virtually any used electronic depending on the make, model and condition it's in. The transaction is done via mail, so essentially you send them your device, and they send you cash...

Concept imagines how Apple could implement Home screen widgets in iOS

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 30, 2014

Ah, the widgets. Among the defining Android features, widgets regularly find themselves on top of many people's wish list for iOS. Apple does not provide iOS widget functionality, though it's a non-issue to folks who are jailbroken thanks to literally hundreds, if not thousands, of widgets in Cydia.

I guess you could go as far as saying widgets are one of the prime allures of jailbreaking. While no one outside Apple can't really tell whether or not the company will ever allow widgets into the App Store, we can always speculate: there's (some) hope for widgets in iOS as Tim Cook alluded to opening up iOS a little bit more for third party developers in the future.

Until that day comes, non-jailbreakers are stuck with a bunch of concepts. Enter Jay Machalani, the brains behind this remarkable concept envisioning widgets in iOS. 'iOS Blocks', as he calls them, resemble Live Tiles in Windows and can be moved around and placed anywhere on the Home screen with a simple gesture...