App Store Apps

Apple to cut affiliate commission on apps and in-app content to 2.5 percent

As first noted by Contrast founder David Barnard, Apple just slashed the affiliate commission on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Mac apps and In-App Purchases from the previous seven percent rate down to 2.5 percent globally.

“Beginning May 1, 2017, commissions for all apps and in-app content will be reduced from seven percent to 2.5 percent globally,” Apple told iTunes Affiliate Program members via email.

All other iTunes content types, including music, movies, electronic books and TV subscriptions, shall remain at the current seven percent commission rate in all markets.

“We will also continue to pay affiliate commissions on Apple Music memberships so there are many ways to earn commissions with the program,” reads Apple's message.

Apple's Affiliate Resources webpage has received a facelift with optimized navigation, a new Getting Started guide on becoming an affiliate partner, an updated Program Overview section providing information on the commission raters, reporting, creating links and more.

Source: David Barnard on Twitter via MacRumors

Vanido, Charge Running, Giphy Says, and other apps to check out

iDB's Apps of the Week column features new and unique apps and games that we think are worth checking out over the weekend.

This week's edition of our Apps of the Week roundup includes an app that helps you improve your singing, a fitness app with a new take on running, and a new app from Giphy. And as always, we have two new games for you to check out.

WhatsApp for iPhone gains Siri voice support for reading new messages & other new features

The popular messaging app WhatsApp for iPhone was update yesterday with a few new features, bringing the ability to have Siri read new messages you have received via the service. The Facebook-owned software now supports the Persian language while the Group Info, Contact Info and Calls sections have been revamped to make them easier to use. WhatsApp's two-factor authentication interface was tweaked as well.

Instagram exploring adding offline mode to iPhone app

Yesterday at Facebook’s F8 developer conference, photo-sharing service Instagram introduced an offline mode in its Android app. A Facebook spokesperson says the team is “exploring” adding that feature to the company's iPhone and iPad app, TechCrunch has learned. Offline mode could be an important feature for users with limited network connectivity or no data plan, especially given that 80 percent of Instagram’s 600 million users are outside the US.

Chinese government takes issue with live streaming apps on App Store

Chinese regulators have taken issue with live-streaming apps that can be downloaded from App Store. As Reuters said Wednesday citing the official Xinhua News Agency, a government body in China’s capital charged with regulating Internet services is planning to “summon” Apple and urge the company to “tighten its checks” regarding live-streaming apps on App Store.

How to save posts on Instagram and organize them into collections

Instagram recently added a tool that permits you to save posts for later and organize them into Pinterest-like curated collections that only you can see. Whether you want to plan your next day trip, revisit your favorite artists’ illustrations or always have some animal videos on hand, our tutorial will get you up to speed on Instagram's Saved Posts and Collections features and lay out the basics of keeping track of any posts you wish to remember.

Facebook Messenger gaining curated Discover tab

Facebook’s annual developers conference, F8, is underway this week and the social networking firm just announced that its mobile Messenger app is gaining a new tab to help users find their recently used bots, nearby places and businesses to message. Titled Discover, the new tab has started to roll out to a few people in the US today ahead of wider availability.

iMovie, GarageBand and iWork apps go free for all users

As first spotted by Juli Clover of MacRumors, Apple has made the GarageBand and iMovie apps as well as the iWork suite available free for all users. In the last few years, since 2013, only people who bought a new iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or Mac device were allowed to download these apps at no additional charge. Starting today, new hardware purchase is no longer required to get these apps.

Snapchat’s augmented reality Lenses feature finally works with your iPhone’s rear camera

A Lens feature on Snapchat, originally introduced in September 2014, has just gotten a whole lot better because the latest update to the company's iOS app now lets you—at long last—use augmented-reality Lenses with your iPhone's rear camera. With Lenses, you can add real-time effects into your snaps, courtesy of the company's advanced face-detection technology. Before today, Lenses were only available via the front-facing camera.

You can now organize your saved Instagram posts into private collections

Instagram today unveiled a new way to organize your saved posts into private collections that only you can see, building upon the ability to save posts for later which launched on the Instagram app back in December 2016.

“Whether you want to plan your next day trip, revisit your favorite artists’ illustrations or always have some animal videos on hand, collections can help you keep track of the posts you want to remember,” said the company.