App Store Apps

Sherpa, Trybeo, Beacon, and other apps to check out this weekend

Cody Lee ∙ Updated October 19, 2018

This week's edition of our Apps of the Week roundup features a new Instagram-based travel guide, an app for posting and accepting wild challenges, and a new social network for linking up with friends. And as usual, we've selected two great new games for you to check out.

Sherpa

Sherpa is a community-generated travel guide powered by photos shared on Instagram. It's actually a very clever idea: an app that scrapes Instagram for photos tagged in specific locations, organized into a travel guide. Sherpa allows you to discover over 15,000 cities, regions and countries through the authentic lens of world travelers, adventurers and locals. Save the places you want to visit, and put together the ultimate itinerary. There is one small caveat here: at the time of writing, the app requires an invite code. But it's pretty simple to download the app and request an invite, so this shouldn't be much of a problem. Sherpa is available for free.

Trybeo

Do you find your life bored or lacking direction? Would you like to step outside your comfort zone and discover exciting new people and adventures? Check out Trybeo. It's a social network based around challenges—you can either accept posted challenges or propose your own. These consist of anything from flipping water bottles to doing cartwheels down an isle at the grocery store, or trying to knock a cone off your friend's head with a football. Take on challenges to become the best player, or up-vote worthy opponents. Trybeo is available for free.

Beacon

Use Beacon to signal your availability to your friends and family. Going to be in town for work or just general visiting? Send out a Beacon. Have an extra ticket to an upcoming Concert or want to go see a movie Thursday? Beacon. Post your impromptu event in Beacon and your friends will be notified immediately. When your friends join the event, you're notified immediately. Everyone can comment in the thread, and you can tell people where to go and what to expect. Bored? You're only two taps away from hanging out with a friend. Beacon is available for free.

Cobi Darts

The Cobi games, for me, are always a good time. The gameplay is accurate, fast-paced and easy to learn. Even if you don't like throwing darts in real life, I imagine you can find some fun in the challenge of Cobi darts. Features include 9 awesome game modes, including classic 501 and 301 games, custom darts and characters and even iMessage support. Cobi Darts is available for free (with some IAPs).

Art of Conquest

Looking for something a little different this weekend? Check out Art of Conquest. This new strategy game gives you full control in a world full of dwarves, magic and monsters in a perfect marriage of MMO and strategy. Besiege enemy strongholds to expand your kingdom, slay nefarious dragons with a band of legendary heroes, and challenge players around the world in epic real-time battles. Command, summon, build and explore. Art of Conquest is available for free (with some IAPs).

More apps to check out Apple’s free app of the week: Framed Monument Valley 2 hits App Store Apple announces completely redesigned App Store

Apple now allowing developers to implement digital tip jars via In-App Purchase mechanism

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 9, 2017

Apple recently asked WeChat and other popular social networking apps in China to disable the popular tipping feature, and now we know why—the Cupertino giant has introduced an officially-sanctioned way for iPhone and iPad users to tip content creators in apps via the standard In-App Purchase mechanism.

Like with other In-App Purchases, tipping content providers is subjected to Apple's 70:30 revenue sharing scheme, meaning the company will keep 30 percent of any proceeds to itself.

According to TechCrunch, the updated App Store Review Guidelines now include a clause that deals with tips, here's a relevant excerpt:

Apps may use in-app purchase currencies to enable customers to “tip” digital content providers in the app. Apps may not include buttons, external links, or other calls to action that direct customers to purchasing mechanisms other than In-App Purchases.

According to the report, developers have the freedom to decide how much of the tips are passed to the content creators themselves (after Apple's 30 percent cut, of course).

At any rate, Apple was smart to implement this cool new feature.

Tipping content creators like musicians, comedians, e-sports athletes and others is tremendously popular in China. The company has lacked a tipping system for iOS apps, meaning it couldn't get in on the action to process such transactions through its own iTunes billing system.

With tips now being officially supported via the familiar In-App Purchase mechanism, many customers who were previously reluctant to use PayPal or their credit card for tipping their favorite content creators will now be able to do so, directly in the app.

And by taking tipping out of the grey area, as TechCrunch observes, more developers might implement digital tip jars— without fearing repercussions from Apple—as an alternative way to get creators paid without having to offer ad revenue sharing.

In turn, the feature may create a whole new revenue stream for Apple at a time when the company is monetizing its huge user base in an attempt to boost its ever-growing Services revenue.

Apple honors select app developers in its 2017 Design Awards

Steffen Reich ∙ June 7, 2017

Unlike the name might imply, Apple’s Design Awards are not exclusively dedicated to chasing the pinnacle of visual design, but more comprehensively appraise other app elements such as user interface innovation, sound design and also gameplay for apps offering unique gaming experiences. The latter, games, have easily stolen the show this year with 5 out of the 12 winners coming from said category.

In a slightly embellished press release, Apple announced the names and links of all twelve winning applications, each coming with a punchy story to explain and celebrate the selection in addition to screenshots and pictures of each developer team.

iOS can automatically uninstall apps that haven’t been used in a while

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 27, 2020

iOS 11 included many new features and enhancements, big and small alike.

For example, a revamped storage-management section became available in Settings. Speaking of which, users can appreciate another new feature that allows them to optionally have their device automatically uninstall apps that haven't been used in a while.

If you venture to Settings → iTunes & App Store, you'll notice a new toggle at the bottom of the screen, labeled Offload Unused Apps. Setting that switch to the ON position shall prompt iOS to delete rarely used apps from your device in order to make more room for your photos, videos, documents and so forth.

iOS uses Siri intelligence to determine your usage of apps.

The feature's description notes that documents and data belonging to uninstalled apps will be kept on your device in case the app is reinstalled. “Reinstalling the app will place back your data, if the app is still available in the App Store,” notes Apple.

This feature is disabled by default.

Rightfully so, if I may add. Had Apple enabled it by default, novice users would've been stunned discovering iOS had deleted their apps for seemingly no apparent reason.

iOS 11 drops support for 32-bit apps

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 6, 2017

During Monday's keynote talk at the Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple introduced iOS 11, the next major software update for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. As previously suspected, the mobile operating system has dropped support for legacy 32-bit apps.

Attempting to launch a 32-bit app on iOS 11 now yields a message, saying “The developer of this app needs to update it to work with iOS 11”. You can tap OK to dismiss the prompt or tap Learn More to open the full list of 32-bit-only apps that are currently installed on the device.

Apple's Clips app, for example, requires a 64-bit iOS device and the new Files app is optimized for 64-bit computing. Starting with iOS 10.3, Apple began naming and shaming legacy apps via a new App Compatibility section in Settings → General → About → Applications.

TUTORIAL: How to identify legacy 32-bit apps on your iOS device

Any previously installed 32-bit apps are no longer available for re-download through the App Store's Purchased tab. Moreover, 32-bit app no longer appear in App Store search.

The time is right to drop support for non-64-bit apps because running legacy 32-bit apps alongside 64-bit ones slows down the system as iOS has to load both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of the kernel and system frameworks in the RAM.

Devices with the Apple-designed A7 or newer chips are 64-bit, including the sixth-gen iPod touch and every iPhone and iPad from their respective iPhone 5s and iPad Air models onward.

In fact, iOS 11 itself won't run on a non-64-bit iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, meaning iPhone 5s, iPad Air and the sixth-generation iPod touch are now the entry-level devices for iOS 11.

Apple announces completely redesigned App Store

Cody Lee ∙ June 5, 2017

Phil Schiller just made perhaps the most surprising and impactful announcement at Apple's WWDC keynote: the App Store is getting a complete redesign. This is the first time this has happened since the App Store was introduced back in 2008.

“Together with our incredible developer community, we’ve made the App Store the best app platform in the world, and more than 500 million unique customers visit it every week,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “Now, we are taking everything we’ve learned from the App Store over the past nine years and putting it into a stunning new design. Every element of the new App Store is richer, more beautiful and more engaging.”

As you can see in the above images, the new App Store looks a lot like Apple Music and Apple News. Images are larger with rounded corners, and header text is large and bold. There's a new Today tab, with big, color cards you scroll through that shows app previews and updates, news, tips and guides, and more. There will also be an app of the day, game of the day, and a daily list of suggestions.

"It all starts with the Today tab, a daily destination all about games, apps and app culture. Through in-depth features and interviews filled with beautiful artwork and videos, the App Store’s global team of editors will share the stories behind the apps and games that change the way we live and the developers whose ideas push and shape the world as we know it. Today will feature exclusive premieres, new releases and a fresh look at all-time favorites, as well as recommended tips and how-to guides to help customers use apps in innovative ways."

Games also now have their own tab, separate from apps, which should make non-game developers pretty happy. This is going to be one of those things where we are going to have to go hands on with to cover the extent of the changes.

"Games is the most popular category on the App Store, and with the new design there will now be a dedicated home just for games. It will feature recommendations of new releases and updates, compelling videos, top charts just for games and hand-picked collections. It's now easier than ever to navigate the over half a million games available, and find the perfect game for everyone from the casual player to the hardcore enthusiast."

What do you think of the new App Store design?

Apple’s Activity app could be removable in iOS 11

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated July 15, 2017

Aside from spotting interesting references to a drag-and-drop feature for iPad and an all-new dedicated Files app, developer Troughton-Smith also noticed a placeholder listing for Apple's stock Activity app on App Store.

This is the first time the app has appeared as a downloadable item on App Store, suggesting Activity could be removable in iOS 11. The listing has since been removed from App Store.

No additional screenshots, descriptions or other information were provided.

Introduced as part of the iOS 9 update two years ago, the Activity app is one of the few stock apps that cannot be hidden from a user's Home screen. Check out Apple's support document for the full list of built-in iPhone and iPad apps that can be removed from the Home screen.

The Activity app only appears on the Home screen if a paired Apple Watch is present. Apple could be making Activity a downloadable item so that non-watch users could optionally download it and fill their Activity rings with other fitness tracking devices.

App Store placeholder listing for Apple Files app appears briefly ahead of WWDC keynote

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated July 15, 2017

A placeholder listing for a new Apple Files app has briefly appeared on App Store ahead of today's live-streamed WWDC keynote, as spotted by iOS developer Steven Troughton-Smith late Sunday. It's surfaced in the Utilities section of App Store and has since been removed.

No screenshots or the official description were provided.

The app requires iOS 11 and 64-bit support and is designed for both iPhone and iPad. It sports a blue file folder icon resembling the design for folder icons in macOS. It's entirely possible that the new Files app is really just a rebranded version of the existing iCloud Drive app.

It's unclear if the forthcoming app will be a new stock item in iOS 11 or an optional download. If I had to guess, I'd say it will likely come pre-installed with iOS 11. Since iOS 10, Apple has allowed users to hide most of the stock apps from their Home screen.

To help users easily re-install any removed stock apps, Apple has provided all of its first-party iOS apps that are removable as downloadable App Store items. iOS 11 will be previewed at WWDC later today along with tvOS 11, watchOS 4 and macOS 10.13.

How to track your sleep using AutoSleep

Steffen Reich ∙ Updated January 10, 2019

You don’t have to be a scientist to know that a good night’s sleep is conducive to your overall wellbeing and health. On that note, a while ago we have screened the App Store for the best sleep trackers available on iPhone and Apple Watch so as to make it easy for you to pick and choose your new sleep companion.

While varying in looks and features, all of the apps listed serve the same purpose: record how you slept and explain possible discrepancies in perceived quality of sleep and your actual rest. With the hands-off roundup in mind, we decided to select the most requested and popular app featured - AutoSleep - and throw a complementary hands-on tutorial on sleep tracking into the mix. Want to learn more about how to track your sleep using your iPhone, Apple Watch, and the AutoSleep app? Then join us for the tour!

Apple to announce Siri support for larger variety of apps at WWDC

Cody Lee ∙ June 3, 2017

Apple is expected to announce plans next week to make Siri work with a larger variety of apps, reports Reuters. Currently the digital assistant integrates with apps from just six categories: ride sharing, messaging, photo search, payments, fitness and auto infotainment.

The move will make Siri more competitive against other assistants, such as Amazon's Alexa, which is capable of handling some 12,000 different tasks. Apple has taken criticism for lagging behind other tech giants in the AI space, and next week it looks to close the gap.

In addition to announcing improved app support for Siri, Apple is also expected to unveil an Echo-like speaker featuring the assistant. Reports have said that it is cylinder in shape, like the latest Mac Pro, and it features a high-end sound system and a dedicated touch panel.

Apple's WWDC keynote begins on Monday, June 5 at 10am PDT. Be sure to join us as we cover the event, and all subsequent announcements, live. Also make sure you check out our inaugural WWDC Fantasy Draft.

Source: Reuters

Halide, Clarity, Adobe Scan, and other apps to check out this weekend

Cody Lee ∙ Updated October 17, 2018

This week's edition of our Apps of the Week roundup includes a new camera app with a beautiful UI and powerful features, a wallpaper editor and a text scanner. And as usual, we have two great new games for you to check out this weekend.

Halide

The App Store probably didn't need another camera app, but Halide was just too beautiful to pass up. The developers describe Halide as a "groundbreaking camera app for deliberate and thoughtful photography." Its bag of high-end tools includes gesture-based exposure and manual focus controls, focus peaking, histogram, adaptive level grid and RAW support. Built by former Apple designers, this app is well-worth checking out. Halide is available for $2.99 (limited time).

Clarity

Clarity is a minimal, handy wallpaper editor. Simply load your favorite photo into the app and adjust things like Hue, Saturation and Opacity to ensure that any image makes a great wallpaper. Other features include 200+ gradients to choose from, as well as various blur and mask effects. The point is to make your photo light enough so that you can still clearly see the date/time on your Lock screen and icons on your Home screen. Clarity is available for free.

Adobe Scan

That's right, Adobe released a scanner app this week called Adobe Scan. Like similar apps, it turns your mobile device into a portable scanner that recognizes text automatically using OCR. Turn anything—receipts, notes, pictures, documents, business cards, whiteboards—into an Adobe PDF with content you can highlight, search and annotate. There are a few caveats here, such as you need an Adobe account to use the app, but this still looks like a solid option for folks in the market for a scanner app. Adobe Scan is available for free (with some IAPs).

Bouncy Hoops

Bouncy Hoops is a minimal basketball game for all the, in the developers' words, "street ballers and shot callers" out there. The gameplay is dead simple, with one-touch controls, and there is quite a bit of content to unlock—20 different basketballs and 5 unique locations to hoop in. It has a retro arcade style look and sound, and it's getting very favorable early reviews. The game is made by the same team behind Flappy Golf and Super Stickman Golf. Bouncy Hoops is available for free (with some IAPs).

SUP Multiplayer Racing

Gear up and make your engines roar for the craziest multiplayer mobile racing experience ever! Leave your rivals in the dust: drift, jump, blast off with boosters, and reach the finish line in one piece. Compete with up to 3 opponents from around the world on stunning tracks, smash others off the track and push your car to the limit! There is tons of customizable content and events to keep you entertained. If you're looking for a new racing game, this one is worth checking out. SUP Multiplayer Racing is available for free (with some IAPs).

More apps to check out Apple’s free app of the week: The Robot Factory Expand iPad’s Picture-in-Picture feature with PiPifier Skype is getting a major redesign with Snapchat-like features Plex app gets live TV support and DVR enhancements Twitter’s inbox now separates out messages from people you don’t follow

Can Facebook win over the Snapchat audience with purported teen-centric Talk app?

Anthony Bouchard ∙ June 2, 2017

Facebook has been adding Snapchat-like features to its mobile apps over the last several months, but new reports now point towards yet another app that could help make Facebook the go-to service for teenage users.