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iOS 9 adoption rate hits 67 percent mark

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 17, 2015

Two weeks after hitting precisely two-thirds of active iPhone, iPod touch and iPad devices in the wild, Apple's latest iOS 9 mobile operating system is now powering 67 percent of iOS hardware.

The data comes via Apple's dashboard for developers and is derived from App Store access logs on Tuesday, November 16, 2015. iOS 8 continues to comprise just shy of one-quarter of active iOS devices in use, while earlier iOS editions collectively account for nine percent of iOS devices being actively used.

New space-saving features coming soon to Google Photos for iOS

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 17, 2015

If your iPhone is constantly running out of free storage space—and your Camera roll is packed to the gills—you'll be delighted to know that Google is rolling out new space-saving features to the Google Photos app.

Google Photos for iOS will soon bring out a brand new “Free up space” option in settings and will keep track of your phone’s storage space for you and tell you when backed up photos should be removed from your device.

Tumblr for iOS update turns your photo bursts and videos into animated GIFs

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 17, 2015

Yahoo-owned blogging service Tumblr is pushing an update to its iPhone, iPod touch and iPad application in the App Store today, and it brings with it a headline new feature: a tool which helps turn your photo bursts and videos into animated GIFs that can be easily shared on the service, as first reported by The Verge.

This removes much of the friction that comes with having to do the conversion yourself. The update is being rolled out as we speak so you might not see it just yet.

Apple seeds OS X 10.11.2 beta 4 to developers and public testers

Cody Lee ∙ November 17, 2015

Apple on Tuesday released the fourth beta of OS X El Capitan 10.11.2. The update is labeled build 15C47a, and is available to developers and public testers via the Updates section of the Mac App Store, or through Apple’s beta test site.

Today’s release comes just one week after Apple pushed out beta 3 of OS X 10.11.2, suggesting the firmware is nearing completion, and it has been nearly a month since the last public update to OS X (10.11.1), which added 150 new emoji.

Apple to launch its own Apple Watch charging dock

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 17, 2015

According to a reliable source who spoke with French blog iGen.fr, an official Apple-branded dock for the Apple Watch has been in the works since the device's April 2015 debut and is reportedly imminent. A leaked packaging photo suggests the charging dock will be marketed as the Magnetic Charging Dock.

Fantastical gains Peek and Pop commands

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 17, 2015

Flexibits' calendar app, Fantastical for iPhone, was updated yesterday in the App Store with expanded support for pressure-sensing 3D Touch technology on the new iPhones, going beyond Home screen shortcuts that developers added last month.

Now iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus owners can use Peek and Pop commands in Fantastical to preview upcoming events and reminders without leaving the main view, or jump straight into them from the preview by pressing the screen a little harder.

Apple’s rumored 4-inch iPhone 6c apparently won’t run A9 chip after all

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 17, 2015

Reliable analyst who have been calling for a refresh to the now discontinued four-inch iPhone 5c may have gotten one detail wrong: it sounds like the device, expected to be branded under the 'iPhone 6c' moniker, will run Apple's A8 processor used in last year's iPhone 6 rather than the latest A9 chip powering the new iPhone 6s.

That's what Japanese blog Macotakara, which has a pretty good track record when it comes to Apple leaks, said this morning citing “credible sources” familiar with the device.

UK’s TSB and Tesco Bank now support Apple Pay

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 17, 2015

In addition to adding Canada as the third country where Apple Pay is available (limited to American Express cardholders at launch), availability of Apple's mobile payments service in the United Kingdom, where Apple Pay launched this summer, increased today with financial institutions TSB and Tesco Bank now supporting the service. This leaves Barclays as the last UK major bank without support for Apple Pay.

Apple Pay hits Canada with American Express

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 17, 2015

A year following its October 2014 debut in the United States, Apple's mobile payments service is now available to American Express cardholders in Canada, the company said on Twitter.

“Cardmembers can earn the same rewards they already enjoy using Amex with Apple Pay,” said the financial services corporation. In addition to the US and UK, where Apple Pay launched this summer, this marks the third country where the service is available.

Memory Palace will put your concentration and memory to the test

Lory Gil ∙ Updated April 19, 2018

We are constantly consuming all manner of information, media, and entertainment. It goes into our brains, and much of it ends up in our subconscious. The more we cram into our heads, the harder it becomes to remember everything we've learned.

Memory Palace Game is a memory game that makes you remember illustrations in a specific order. If you correctly list the objects, you'll unlock a larger palace, and possibly unlock a larger area in your memory.

This 3-in-1 lens kit turns you into an iPhone photography pro without breaking the bank

Lory Gil ∙ Updated April 19, 2018

Getting the perfect shot using a smartphone is not easy. Even though the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus have huge improvements in camera technology, there are still times when a little outside help is needed.

The Camkix Universal 3 in 1 lens kit is just the help you need to get in close, or widen the shot and the universal clip makes it possible for you to carry the kit along with you to future generations of iPhones.

How to quickly search iDB using Launch Center Pro

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 19, 2018

My colleague Timothy Reavis shared a slick little Launch Center Pro action with me, and it was so good that I felt obliged to share it with you guys. Launch Center Pro is, of course, the long running app that brings all sorts of handy shortcuts to your iOS device.

With 3D Touch, Launch Center Pro is even more powerful, because you can quickly execute actions directly from the iOS Home screen. As such, it's possible to initiate a search of iDownloadBlog from anywhere on the Home screen of a 3D Touch-equipped iOS device.