Apple's removal of AppGratis last month sent a clear message to developers that it's going to start clamping down on app discovery apps. That was the second time in the past six months that it had pulled such an app from the App Store.
And it doesn't look like it's going to stop with just app discovery apps either. According to a new report, Apple has begun rejecting third-party applications that allow you to filter, bookmark, search for, or share App Store apps as well...
The social networking giant Facebook today issued an update to its standalone Messenger app for the iPhone and iPod touch. Facebook Messenger version 2.4, available now, has brought out the popular Stickers feature that was rolled out nearly a month ago in the major Facebook iOS client update. And if Stickers are getting on your nerves, perhaps the reappearance of the swipe-to-delete functionality is just what you needed all along? I've included a few more tidbits right below...
Just like accessories maker Jawbone had to release a re-tooled version of its Up fitness band following not-so-flattering reviews, Nike is now reportedly testing a next-generation Nike+ FuelBand in the wild. The device should address some of the annoying shortcomings of the original clip-on product and bring out new features.
For starters, the FuelBand successor will incorporate Bluetooth Smart wireless technology. Also known as Bluetooth 4.0, it allows for a considerably reduced power consumption whilst maintaining a similar communication range compared to Bluetooth 3.0.
As Bluetooth Smart is featured on Apple mobile devices from the iPhone 4S onward, the next Nike+ FuelBand will instantly support these low energy features on newer Apple devices right out of the box.
Nike plans to make it easier for developers to create software that connects to the fitness band. The second-generation FuelBand has additional new features, detailed after the break. The timing of the report is pretty interesting as rival FitBit earlier today started shipping its Bluetooth Smart-enabled $99 activity tracking wristband, the Flex...
Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates thinks Apple’s iPad is "frustrating" to use because it lacks a physical keyboard and doesn't run Office. The Surface, he says, brings the "portability of the tablet but the richness of the PC" to mobile productivity.
Being a Google Apps fan, I'm obviously biased and not exactly the right guy to comment on the Office part of Bill's comment.
Now, I'm underestimating the real world outside the Apple bubble and obviously there are heavy Office users out there who agree with Gates on Office for iPad. Regardless, you'd think Microsoft's co-founder should know that any Bluetooth keyboard works with iPads.
On top of that, a bunch of iPad cases incorporate physical keys like NIBIQÜ's and Logitech's Surface-like iPad cases, the latter featuring physical keys seamlessly fused into its interior fabric. Go past the fold for the full quote and video evidence...
Much talk surrounding Apple has centered on a cooling consumer demand for its flagship product, the iPhone smartphone. However, it may be time to shift the narrative to feet-dragging by a number of global operators that could hold the key to as many as 2.8 billion iPhone customers, according to a Monday report.
Instead of a slowdown in demand, a Monday report by Bloomberg suggests the larger problem is vastly limited access to customers. Two numbers go far to tell the story: 240 and 800. While Apple has 240 carrier agreements throughout the world, rival Samsung has inked deals with virtually every of the 800 wireless providers. Indeed, Apple is lacking agreements to boost sales of the iPhone in some of the most-populated regions, including China, Japan, India and Russia...
You wouldn't know it by reading through the latest tech news headlines, but Apple is on track to have another stellar year. It's already recorded two record-breaking quarters, and it has yet to launch a new or refreshed product.
But not everyone is ignoring Apple's success. Fortune today released its annual, high-profile "Fortune 500" list of the largest companies in the United States. And the iPad-maker has risen up several spots from last year, to #6...
The Path controversy just wouldn't die down. Last week, the private social network has gotten itself in hot water (again) by spamming users’ address book contacts with unwanted robocalls and texts, sometimes even after they uninstalled the software from their devices.
It's a feature rather than a bug, but Path’s poorly designed sign-up process tricked unsuspecting users - the types who don't read on-screen prompts carefully - into inadvertently mass-inviting their friends to Path.
And because Path taps extra carrier services, text messages would get turned to landlines into phone calls. None of this seems to aggravate Path CEO Dave Morin, who is a former Facebook employee.
He insisted Monday that Path does not spam users and argued his service never sent mass communication without your consent. "Any allegations to the contrary are false,” Morin said...
A growing trend by accessory makers to adopt wireless connections could disconnect Apple from a significant source of revenue. In a departure from the days of the iPod, where accessories such as speakers were designed with 30-pin connections fitting only Apple devices, add-on device manufacturers are have increasingly been turning to Bluetooth for some time to connect a growing number of mobile devices - many not made by Apple.
The reason for the transition includes the rise of Samsung, Amazon and other iPhone and iPad rivals, along with the feeling Apple kept secret from accessory makers its new Lightning connection. As a result, some of the largest accessory makers are turning to the wireless Bluetooth standard to avoid any more surprises from Apple, according to the New York Times...
Google on Monday issued a maintenance update to its Gmail client for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad devices, adding two welcomed new features.
Gmail version 2.2.7182 adds support for signing out of a single account in settings. Previously, hitting the Sign Out button signed you out of all accounts at once, which was rather clunky and not very user friendly.
The application also has a new setting which lets you specify that YouTube, Google Maps and Chrome links go directly to these native apps instead of the mobile web - of course, provided you have them installed on your device...
I'm a big fan of 3D artist Martin Hajek and his work. In case you're unfamiliar with Hajek, he's the brains behind the often gorgeous renderings of rumored Apple products and is renowned for his 3D modeling skills, as evident in his exquisite renderings. Back in March, Hajek created a more traditional concept of the rumored iWatch for the MacUser magazine.
He's back at it again, having created a fresh batch of alleged Apple smartphone mockups for the April 2013 issue of the magazine...
In a preliminary ruling, the European Commission on Monday found that Motorola Mobility had abused its dominance in wireless communications patents in seeking an injunction against Apple in Germany. The finding opens the door to a potential antitrust charges to be filed against Google. The EU in its formal statement of objections informed the Google-owned smartphone maker of its allegations that it had leveraged its market position and abused standards-essential patents in order to enforce an injunction against Apple...
We usually don't put our faith in Apple rumors originating from Asian part suppliers who often just make stuff up in the hope of banking on free press to promote their business. But ETrade Supply is different. The parts and repair shop last year leaked accurate photos of the iPad mini display panel, as well as the iPhone 5 front and back panel, to name just a few.
This points to ETrade Supply having some solid sources in the Apple supply chain and probably inside Foxconn, Apple's favorite contract manufacturer. In a blog post published Monday, the supplier claimed its was able to confirm with its sources that Apple indeed will be releasing lower-end iPhone models this year...