TSMC reportedly ships first batch of Touch ID sensors for upcoming iPhones and iPads

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated September 28, 2016

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world's top semiconductor foundry, has reportedly shipped the first batch of the second-generation Touch ID sensors to Apple for use in the upcoming second-generation iPad Air, third-generation iPad mini and of course iPhone 6.

As iDownloadBlog exclusively reported earlier this month, code fragments in iOS 7.1 indicate that Touch ID is coming to iPads, possibly this year and to other iOS devices as well, a discovery further corroborated by previous supply chain reports...

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Ubisoft bringing popular ‘Anno’ game series to iPad

Cody Lee ∙ Updated December 27, 2017

Good news for all of you late-90's/early-2000 gamers out there. Ubisoft announced yesterday that it is working on bringing Anno, the popular PC building series, to iOS. The game is called 'Anno: Build an Empire,' and is being built exclusively for the iPad.

For those unfamiliar with Anno, it's similar to Sim City and other real time strategy/resource management games. But it stood out amongst the other titles thanks to its detailed and lively graphics, straight-forward gameplay and addictive free-to-play mode...

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Pegatron receives orders for 4.7-inch iPhone 6 ahead of fall launch

Cody Lee ∙ May 7, 2014

According to a new report, Pegatron has received orders from the Cupertino company to start production on the iPhone 6. Taiwan's Industrial and Commercial Times says that the supplier has been tasked with producing around 15% of all units of the upcoming 4.7-inch handset.

The news matches up with previous chatter, which claimed that Apple would be splitting up iPhone 6 orders between Foxconn and Pegatron. It was initially believed, however, that the split would be somewhere around 50-50, so it's unclear what—if anything—has changed...

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The state of the iOS 7.1 jailbreak

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

If you are a frequent reader of iDB, or simply an avid jailbreaker, you probably already know that there is not currently a public jailbreak for iOS 7.1. But since we still get dozens of questions on this per day, we figured it was time to do a post on the topic to help clear the air.

For a little background, the evad3rs released evasi0n7 late last year to jailbreak devices running iOS 7. It had a pretty good run, lasting through 6 updates, but it was finally patched by Apple in March with iOS 7.1. So those who have updated to 7.1 have begun asking: now what?

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Circlet: add stylish new status bar indicators to your iPhone

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

Circlet is an upcoming jailbreak tweak from prolific developer Julian Weiss. It allows you to simplify the status bar using customizable circular indicators.

The great thing about Circlet is that it doesn't rely on WinterBoard, image assets, or even a respring to pull off its customizable styles. Circlet is a modern jailbreak tweak that's easy to use and just as easy on the eyes. Take a look at our hands-on video of Circlet after the jump.

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Apple now number two online retailer behind Amazon

Cody Lee ∙ May 6, 2014

According to data from e-commerce research firm Internet Retailer, Apple is now the number two online retailer in the world. Amazon, of course, still has a large lead in the number one spot, but the Cupertino firm recently surpassed Staples to take over second place.

The jump in position is due to a couple of factors. For one, Staples saw flat online sales of $10.4 billion over the past year, representing just a 1% increase over 2012. And two, Internet Retailer is accounting for both hardware and digital content sales for the first time...

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… and then it rained review: a relaxing game that challenges your reflexes

Lory Gil ∙ May 6, 2014

I love the sound of rainfall. It is a relaxing, rhythmic sound that isn’t invasive to your ears, but helps clear your mind. I oftentimes use audio effects apps that include the sound of rainfall to help me sleep. I don’t usually relate the sound to playing video games, though.

… and then it rained is a simple game that features the calming sound of rainfall, but requires fast reflexes, which is the opposite of how you feel while relaxing to the Zen-like soundtrack…

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Google Maps 3.0: offline mode, lane guidance, Voice Search, pins and much more

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 6, 2014

The Internet giant Google today refreshed its native Maps iOS app with a handful of stuff, including lane guidance in turn-by-turn navigation, Uber integration, Voice Search and more.

A major update, Google Maps 3.0 - available free of charge in the App Store - now allows you to save maps so you can access them without an Internet connection, a major advantage over Apple's built-in Maps.

While you could previously save maps by typing 'ok maps' into the search field, version 3.0 takes this further by providing a proper menu item for the feature and syncing your saved maps across devices. There's lots more to get excited about this Google Maps release so jump past the fold and have a look yourself...

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Minecraft PE 0.9.0 update: Expected features and release date

Joe Rossignol ∙ Updated March 18, 2016

Minecraft: Pocket Edition is one of the most popular games for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, consistently ranked among the top of the App Store charts. The mobile version of Minecraft has made impressive strides over the past few years to catch up with the desktop version, in terms of functionality and gameplay, and even more features are planned to be added in the upcoming version. Minecraft PE 0.9.0 is expected to be a huge update, having been in development since at least last September, so read ahead for expected features and a potential release date… 

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OS Experience is now available on Cydia

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

OS Experience, the jailbreak tweak that brings desktop multitasking feel to the iPad, is now available for download on Cydia. We previewed the tweak a few weeks ago, and were pretty impressed by the ambition behind the tweak.

With OS Experience installed, you can interface with multiple applications side-by-side at the same time. It's a huge departure from the norm that is stock iOS, as it feels similar to OS X's Mission Control feature. If you want to give it a try, head over to Cydia right now to download it for $9.99. Be sure to check out our hands-on video after the break.

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Rovio soft-launches Flappy Bird-inspired ‘Retry’ in Canada, Finland and Poland

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated May 17, 2018

Flappy Bird by Vietnamese developer Dong Nguyen, I'm sure you'll agree, has set the gaming world on fire with its addictive concept, simple mechanics and charming characters.

Realizing it's been high time to think beyond bird-slinging - and not being content with independent developers like Nguyen stealing its thunder - Finish mobile games maker Rovio has reckoned to branch out into this territory with a brand new iOS game, Retry.

Unlike Nguyen's game that has you controlling a bird, Retry challenges you to guide a loop-de-loop plane through a bunch of levels without crashing into anything. Now, the suggestive name could have you thinking that Retry has been designed to bank on the Flappy Bird success, but you'd be making a mistake to dismiss it as a blatant Flappy Bird rip-off.

Created by the guys "sitting in the room next to the guys who made Angry Birds", the old-school Retry is apparently so hard and addictive that you'll think "you've stepped into an 8-bit time machine and gone back to 1986".

A freemium release with optional in-app purchases, Retry is available early on the iPhone and iPad to players in Finland, Canada and Poland. The game should launch in other markets sooner than later so keep your eyes peeled. In the meantime, go past the jump to check out the in-game video and a few screenshots...

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