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Google Play revenue increases, but App Store remains leader

Ed Sutherland ∙ May 29, 2013

New details are emerging showing Google's Play store increasing its revenue, yet still lagging Apple (particularly in the United States) - and that's in spite of Android's big lead in terms of device activations and unit sales.

The report by app analytic firm Distimo indicates Google Play in April reached 27 percent of the combined revenue of the two app stores, up from 19 percent in November 2012. Although Google's store witnessed an eight percent jump in app revenue, Apple's App Store in April still brought in $5.1 million for the top 200 apps.

That compares to $1.1 million for Google Play. Still, the research highlighted some developers earning equal or more revenue from Android app sales...

Full video of Tim Cook D11 interview now available

Cody Lee ∙ May 29, 2013

As many of you know, Tim Cook participated in a rare public interview last night at AllThingsD's D11 conference. Speaking with the site's Kara Swisher and Walt Mossberg, the CEO talked about a number of topics, including Apple's interest in wearable computers and iOS 7.

We've already covered several aspects of the lengthy discussion with a thorough recap, including a few video clips, and a top 15 list of the most interesting points. But for those of you who just can't get enough of Cook's comments, the entire interview has just been posted...

On average, an iPhone is used an hour and 15 minutes per day

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated February 24, 2018

As the world migrates from dumb feature phones to more powerful smartphones, there are a greater number of options available beyond just talking and texting. What features are most used by smartphone owners and is the pattern different based on whether the handset is powered by Apple's iOS or Google's Android? To start, iPhone owners tend to spend more time with their smartphone compared to Android users, new marketing research indicates.

The typical iPhone owner spends one hour and 15 minutes using the Apple smartphone - 26 minutes more than owners of Android handsets, according to Experian Marketing Services. Additionally, Android owners typically make voice calls while iPhone owners are busy texting, emailing and taking photos...

Apple updates iTunes Movie Trailers with Fandango integration and improved playback

Cody Lee ∙ May 29, 2013

Apple hasn't done much with iTunes Movie Trailers since it released it in late 2011. The app, much like Flickster, offers up movie previews, reviews, showtimes, and other useful information regarding feature films.

Today, however, it broke its silence and posted a significant update for Trailers. The release, which brings the app to version 1.2.3, includes several improvements like Fandango integration, better playback, and more...

‘Login with Amazon’ launches on iOS and Android

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 12, 2018

The online retail giant Amazon today launched a new sign-in service and an accompanying software development kit (SDK) for both Android and iOS app developers. The feature allows programmers to write apps letting folks login to apps, games, and web sites using their Amazon.com credentials. The Amazon sign-in taps the over 200 million active accounts hosted by "one of the most reputable companies in the United States," as the promo clip puts it...

Payleven teams up with Apple to sell its Chip & PIN card reader

Cody Lee ∙ May 29, 2013

Look out Square and Paypal, Payleven has inked a major deal with Apple to sell its mobile payment solution. The Rocket Internet-backed startup is now selling its Chip & PIN at a number of the company's retail and online stores.

Payleven says it has been talking to Apple about a global distribution deal for several months now, and the two sides only recently reached an agreement. Apparently the company is as protective of its retail stores as it is its App Store...

Review: Analog Camera, from the makers of the popular Clear to-do app

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated May 3, 2017

Realmac Software's highly anticipated photography app, Analog Camera, has finally landed on the App Store this morning.

Drawing from Analog Camera for the Mac and the company's user interface skills honed developing the popular Clear to-do software, this brand new iPhone photography app gets rid of the clutter to focus on just a few barebone features.

But even though its undisputedly polished and effective interface signals an interesting new direction for iPhone photography software, is less really more in the case of Analog Camera? Read on for the full review...

Dark Sky 3.0 brings crowdsourced cloudsourcing to the masses

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 29, 2013

There's something about weather apps. I don't know if I'm enchanted more by the user interface innovations that mobile weather software brings to the table or by having weather forecast in the palm of my hand, but I just can't get enough of those sleek little apps that now happen to occupy three dedicated 'weather' folders on my iPhone (yes, I need them all).

Dark Sky, for example, is captivating: its simplified user interface and beautiful, unobtrusive animations provide an at-a-glance overview of your local forecast and key weather metrics, up to an hour in advance.

In a major version 3.0 update, Dark Sky is now enabled in several new markets, including the U.K. and Ireland, can tell you weather farther than an hour away and lets you submit your own hyperlocal weather observations...

Calendo finds something for you to do every day of the week

Lory Gil ∙ Updated January 22, 2018

Facebook is like a giant party where everyone is talking to you at the same time. Everyone is telling you about their kid’s report card or asking if they can catch a ride somewhere. Everyone invites you to some kind of event, whether you would even be interested in it or not. I used to feel obligated to respond to Facebook invites. But I get invited to so many events that I gave up even checking them.

Calendo – Find Facebook and Meetup events nearby for the iPhone finds events on Facebook based on what you bookmark and generates new lists of events that you might find interesting. No more weeding through hundreds of invitations to art openings, fundraiser, and 5K runs that you don’t want to go to. With Calendo, you can find something you actually want to do this weekend…

AT&T activates LTE in 10 new markets, expands in others

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 11, 2018

I've been keeping an anxious eye on AT&T's LTE activation announcements over the past several months. I've had my iPhone 5 since last October, and I have yet to experience the 4G service in my home, which sits just outside Salem, Oregon.

That changed tonight. In an inadvertent glance at my iPhone, I noticed the LTE symbol in the upper lefthand corner of my phone. I wrote it off as a fluke at first, but it appears AT&T has just lit up the 4G service in 10 new cities, including mine...

Apple hires former head of Environmental Protection Agency

Cody Lee ∙ May 29, 2013

Apple has long been criticized by environmental organizations for its lack of effort to reduce its carbon footprint. The criticism got so bad at one point, that Steve Jobs himself felt that it was necessary to address the topic via an open letter on Apple's website.

But things have changed a lot since Jobs' infamous 'A Greener Apple' post. The company has taken several steps to become more environmentally-friendly, including constructing large solar farms, and apparently hiring the former administrator of the EPA...