Apple

Viber for iPhone now lets you share, preview, delete and restore your stickers

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 26, 2016

Just like rival WhatsApp, the popular Rakuten-owned Viber messaging application pushed an update to its App Store app this morning, bumping version number to 6.2 whilst adding a few new features related to handling sticker packages within the app. You can now share sticker packages with others and preview stickers before sending one in a chat. And to preserve storage space on the device, there's now the option to delete sticker packages you no longer use. Grab Viber for free on the App Store.

You can now stream Apple Music videos via T-Mobile’s Binge On

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 26, 2016

T-Mobile customers can now stream any video content available on Apple Music through the carrier's cellular network without using up any data available in their monthly data bucket. The carrier announced today that Binge On now supports video content from Apple Music and fifteen other streaming video providers, including the sign language channel D-PAN.TV, Dish Anywhere, NAT GEO TV, various ABC, Disney and FOX apps and other providers. Binge On streamed 765 million hours of video data-free since its inception 8 months ago.

WhatsApp for iPhone gains 3x bigger emoji, zooming during video capture and more

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 26, 2016

After launching a desktop Mac app in May, Facebook-owned WhatsApp today gave its iPhone application a little love with a new version now available on the App Store. WhatsApp 2.16.7 for iPhone includes three times bigger emoji when sent alone, a feature also found in iOS 10's Messages app. In this release, you can now zoom when recording videos within the app and select multiple chats to quickly archive, delete or mark as read.

Plus, thanks to under-the-hood tweaks chats now open a lot faster than before.

Google Maps for iOS refreshed with cleaner look, now highlights local areas of interest

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 25, 2016

Google today updated its mobile mapping application for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch with some rather useful visual tweaks. Google Maps 4.21 for iOS now highlights local areas that might interest you, adding multiple destinations to a route is supported in the new version and the typography of street names, points of interest, transit stations and other places has been improved to make them easier to read on smaller screens, among other changes.

Apple Maps Transit data expands to San Diego, British Columbia, Honolulu and Kansas City

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 25, 2016

Transit directions on Apple Maps are now available in four new markets: San Diego, Honolulu and Kansas City in the United States and British Columbia, Canada’s westernmost province. Now Apple fans can incorporate localized public transportation options in those locations, including buses and commuter rails, when seeking directions through the Maps app.

Custom locations, breeding, trading, new critters & other perks coming soon to Pokémon GO

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 25, 2016

Pokémon GO is the biggest mobile game in U.S. history in terms of daily active users and Apple confirmed that the augmented-reality game broke an App Store record for most downloads during its first week of availability, but that doesn't mean its creators are resting on their laurels—quite the contrary.

As the game continues its global assault, Niantic Labs founder John Hanke teased at what's coming next to the app: custom locations, more monsters, the ability to add customizations to lures, trading characters, more ways to play with Pokéstops and Gyms and other perks.

Iris scanning rumored to come to 2018 iPhones

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 25, 2016

Aside from other exciting hardware features, such as a bezel-less, wraparound OLED screen with integrated Touch ID and click-less Home button, Apple's tenth anniversary iPhone could bring out iris scanning capabilities next year, Taiwanese trade publication DigiTimes said Monday. The technology could be potentially used to replace, or augment, Touch ID verification to boost security.

Some phones, like Samsung's upcoming Note refresh, are expected to adopt iris scanning later this year. Keep in mind that DigiTimes has a hit-and-miss record so the DigiTimes report should be taken with a grain of salt.

Claimed photos of 12.9″ iPad Pro 2 hit the web

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 25, 2016

iPhone 7 leaks and rumors have dominated the headlines for better part of the summer, especially as we've been inching closer and closer to the handset's expected September introduction. But the iPhone 7 isn't the only Apple product that's up for a refresh.

The iPad Pro, which made its debut last September alongside the iPhone 6s, should see its regular annual refresh, too, and now photos sent in to AppleInsider from a Chinese supply-chain source claim to picture a second-generation iPad Pro prototype with a 12.9-inch screen.

WSJ: Apple’s retired hardware chief Bob Mansfield to oversee development of Project Titan

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 25, 2016

Following a report last week alleging that Apple's rumored electric vehicle project was internally delayed after its lead Steve Zadesky left in January 2016 for personal reasons, The Wall Street Journal is reporting today that Apple's enlisted help of its retired hardware chief Bob Mansfield, who will now oversee development of Project Titan.

Verizon to buy struggling Internet giant Yahoo for a reported $4.83 billion

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 25, 2016

Monday, both Yahoo and Verizon Wireless said that the nation's leading wireless carrier will be buying Yahoo's operating business for a reported $4.83 billion. The transaction, pending regulatory and shareholder approvals, should grant the carrier over one billion total monthly search users while giving the two companies more than two dozen media and advertising brands, to be added to the AOL network, plus an email service with 225 million monthly active users.

Deutsche Bank analysts think iPhone 7 will ship with Lightning-to-audio dongle

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 25, 2016

The next iPhone, which sources in China think could be marketed as ‘iPhone 6SE’ to reflect its iterative nature, may ship with a Lightning-to-audio dongle and still end up selling better than the current-generation iPhone 6s, which hasn't quite lived up to Apple's internal expectations.

That's according to a Deutsche Bank research note issued to clients last week, a copy of which was obtained by Business Insider. The investment bankers also shared their predictions for the next iPhone's features, based on their supply checks.

Rumor: ‘iPhone 7’ may be called ‘iPhone 6SE’?

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 25, 2016

German blog Apfelpage.de has learned from sources in China who claim to have seen the next iPhone's packaging that the forthcoming handset will be marketed under the ‘iPhone 6SE’ moniker rather than be called ‘iPhone 7’. Although the report is somewhat sketchy, such a move may not be without its merits.

For starters, Apple is rumored to be switching to a three-year iPhone refresh cycle and, more importantly, the next iPhone seems to sport iterative enhancements and be very similar in appearance to the existing iPhone 6/6s lineup.