Google yesterday pushed a small update to its Chrome browser in the App Store, bumping the app's version number to 54.0.2840.66. In addition to the usual stability improvements and bug fixes, the latest version of Google's mobile browser for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch packs in a charming side-scrolling mini game that you can play when without an Internet connection.
Pixel XL teardown reveals modular components, earpiece mesh made of cloth & more
YouTubers like JerryRigEverything and repair wizards over at iFixit tore apart their Pixel XL smartphone from Google to peek under its hood, revealing easily removed battery, standard screws, the use of modular internal components that can be replaced independently and—quite surprisingly—the front-facing earpiece slit which is made of cloth.
Launched on October 4, both new Google-designed smartphones, the Pixel and Pixel XL, are exclusive to Verizon in the U.S. Contract-free Pixels are available via Google's online store and from Best Buy.
A watershed moment in App Store’s history: China displaces U.S. as #1 app market by revenue
Some quite interesting data points in a new report from app marketing firm App Annie suggest that China has now overtaken the United States as Apple's top market for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch apps, with a fifteen percent higher App Store revenue than the U.S. in the September quarter.
Chinese users spent more than five times the amount they spent just two years prior in the App Store.
How to enable Apple’s hidden one-handed keyboard [Jailbreak]
OneHanded is a new free jailbreak tweak that enables the recently dicovered one-handed keyboard, which includes the extra text editing buttons in the keyboard itself.
It's designed to work on iPhones with larger displays, and if you have trouble typing on these kinds of devices without using two hands, then this tweak might be worth trying out.
Apple Watch popup shop in Galeries Lafayette closing January 2017 due to poor sales
The original Apple Watch debuted in April 2015 in a few markets, with Apple pushing the $10,000-$17,000 Apple Watch Edition aggressively via pop up shops found in high-profile department stores, including Galeries Lafayette in Paris, Selfridges in London and Isetan in Tokyo. But those pop up shops won't be open for much longer, it would seem.
As reported by French blog Mac4Ever, Apple will be closing the mini-store in Galeries Lafayette effective January 2017 due to poor sales of the device at the location.
iPhone 7 hitting Armenia, Mali, Guinea-Bissau and Central African Republic on November 4
Two weeks from today, November 4, Apple's iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will arrive in Armenia, Mali, Guinea-Bissau and Central African Republic. The next wave of iPhone 7 expansion has been confirmed by local Apple websites for the aforesaid countries.
With about three-dozen countries left to go, the iPhone 7 will have been available in all of the markets Apple sells handsets by the end of this year.
iPhone 7 catches fire and destroys an owner’s car, Apple investigating
As local outlet 7 News reported, Australian surfing instructor Mat Jones said he had left his iPhone 7 under clothes in his car while taking a surf lesson. Upon returning to his vehicle, he was shocked to discover it filled with smoke and burned up in the same area where he'd placed the phone.
“His pants, which he had wrapped the iPhone 7 in before heading to his lesson, were still on fire when he got to his car,” Fortune added. Could Apple have a massive iPhone 7 overheating problem on its hands akin to Samsung's exploding Galaxy Note 7?
Apple Pay could launch in Germany soon
Apple Pay could launch in its fifth European country soon. As first discovered by German blog iPhone-ticker.de, Apple's support document highlighting participating banks and card issuers for Apple Pay in Europe appears to have accidentally highlighted Germany on a world map, suggesting the next possible expansion for the iPhone-driven service.
Beats 1 Radio now has official Facebook page
Apple has created the official Facebook page for Beats 1, its 24/7 radio station that broadcasts in more than a hundred countries via the Internet. The new Facebook page is in addition to the service's presence on other social media channels, like Twitter. Before today, Beats 1 Radio posts were published through Apple Music's own Facebook page.
It’s official: I’m a 1Password user
For the last several years, I’ve battled with a password problem. It seemed like every new service I used wanted me to create an account, which involved making a new username and a strong password. Making matters worse, some services want you to make difficult passwords you can’t even remember, containing capital letters, numbers, and special characters.
The problem reveals itself the most whenever I get a new phone, like the iPhone 7 Plus I recently purchased. When I go to set it up, I download all the apps I typically use on my device. Afterwards comes the hard part: trying to remember the credentials to log into all of them.
YouTube videos keep buffering? Here’s the fix
I'm a big time YouTube user, and even though I have zippy fiber optic internet, it seems like there are still times when YouTube videos get stuck buffering instead of playing when I want to enjoy HD video streaming.
If you can relate, then you should take a few minutes to read this piece, because we'll be talking about some common remedies for the annoying buffering problem.
AT&T and Time Warner discussing possible merger
Senior executives at AT&T and Time Warner met in recent weeks to discuss various business strategies, reports Bloomberg. Citing sources familiar with the matter, the outlet says that the talks are informal at this point, and neither side has hired a financial adviser, but the discussions have included the possibility of a merger.