Just ahead of Apple's 'hello again' keynote event Thursday morning, Twitter announced its plans to discontinue the video-looping social networking app we all know as Vine.
Twitter announces plans to discontinue Vine
Apps
FabFocus kinda brings Portrait Mode to other iPhones
Portrait Mode was on of the standout features of the iPhone 7 Plus. It intelligently uses both cameras in tandem to create a 3D image map of your subject, then in real time, applying a blurring/bokeh effect to the background of your photo. That's something would normally require a high-end DSLR with a wider aperture lens to achieve. While the result wasn't as good as a professional camera, it is a great effect with promising results. Since Portrait Mode does require the two cameras, anyone without an iPhone 7 Plus was left out of all fun. Enter FabFocus.
How to see all your activity history in the Fitness app on iPhone
In this tutorial, we will show you how to dive into the Fitness app on your iPhone and see your walking, running, and other workout history in an easy daily list view and Activity rings view.
Google’s dedicated search app gains ability to preview Now cards with 3D Touch
Google today issue a small update to its dedicated search app for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. Bumped to version 20.3, the free of charge app has gained the ability to preview Google Now cards with 3D Touch on the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.
Just press a card within the app to peek at its contents, then swipe up to access additional options or press harder to open the card in fullscreen mode.
How to change Apple Watch Move Goal from Calories to Kilojoules
Learn how to set the Activity and Workout apps on your Apple Watch and the Fitness app on your iPhone to display the energy unit in Kilojoules (KJ) instead of Calories (CAL).
Google Maps for iOS gains food delivery support, plus codes & more
Google Maps for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch yesterday received an interesting update in the App Store. The new version brings out a few enhancements such as integration with popular food delivery services, support for plus codes—identifiers for locations that don’t have their own street address—and other perks. These new features require Google Maps 4.24 for iOS or later, which can be downloaded free of charge from the App Store.
Instagram is testing live video broadcasts in its Stories feature
According to Russian news outlet Tjournal.ru a few days ago, the popular photo-sharing service Instagram is testing live video functionality in its recently-launched Stories feature which permits users to create slideshows from their photos that automatically disappear after 24 hours.
Facebook added live video to its mobile app in August 2015. Facebook Messenger gained the ability to share live video with contacts while chatting in September 2016.
How to quickly create fun GIFs in iMessage using the Tumblr app
The other day I made a rare visit to my iMessage App Store. Amongst a multitude of others, Tumblr, an App that never fully struck a chord with me, had add an iMessage app to my ‘Manage’ tab, silently begging for me to take it for a spin. I sighed and flicked the switch on, not knowing what to expect from the extension - and have not looked back since.
Notion, Owlie, ZIG, and other apps to check out this weekend
Looking to pass some time this weekend? iDB has you covered. The latest edition of our Apps of the Week roundup features some great apps and games for you to check out, including an intelligent email client, an app for polling your friends and family, and a pop culture news aggregator. And of course we've got two great new games you won't want to miss.
Latest Chrome for iOS update comes with a hidden game
Google yesterday pushed a small update to its Chrome browser in the App Store, bumping the app's version number to 54.0.2840.66. In addition to the usual stability improvements and bug fixes, the latest version of Google's mobile browser for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch packs in a charming side-scrolling mini game that you can play when without an Internet connection.
A watershed moment in App Store’s history: China displaces U.S. as #1 app market by revenue
Some quite interesting data points in a new report from app marketing firm App Annie suggest that China has now overtaken the United States as Apple's top market for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch apps, with a fifteen percent higher App Store revenue than the U.S. in the September quarter.
Chinese users spent more than five times the amount they spent just two years prior in the App Store.
Apple’s free app of the week: Night Sky 4
Apple on Thursday updated its App of the Week promotion with the app Night Sky 4. This means that for the next 7 days, you can get the popular astronomy app for both iPhone and iPad for free—saving you a solid buck.
Night Sky 4 is pitched as the most advanced and beautiful stargazing app ever created. With it you can identify stars, planets, constellations and satellites above simply by holding your iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch to the sky.