As part of a flurry of updates related to Apple Watch ahead of tomorrow's first batch of shipments, Apple on Thursday updated its TestFlight application with ability to install and beta test apps on your Apple Watch.
With today's update, iOS developers no longer must exclude the WatchKit binaries when uploading iPhone and iPad apps with WatchKit functionality to iTunes.
Hours Time Tracking, a beautifully designed time-tracking app by Apple Design Award winner Tapity that debuted on the App Store in the summer of 2014, has gone temporarily free in the App Store to celebrate the launch of Hours Time Tracking for Apple Watch.
A bona fide Apple Watch extension provided inside the refreshed iPhone app will be unlocked as soon as you get your hands on the Apple Watch, giving you access to oft-used features like starting, stopping and switching your timers, adjusting start and end times, a Glance overview of your current running timer and more.
In addition to transforming the Apple Watch into the world's first wearable DJ controller with djay for Apple Watch, German developer Algoriddim also refreshed its Mac app this morning.
Djay Pro 1.1 for Mac, the company's flagship product, includes major new features such as real-time video mixing, native support for Pioneer's CDJ and XDJ line-up of professional digital decks used by the likes of David Guetta, high-quality Spotify streaming with up to 320 kbps and a host of other advanced features and capabilities.
The vast majority of Apple Watch apps that have been appearing on the App Store ahead of the wearable's Friday launch are for the most part relegated to Glances and notifications, and that's just fine.
As someone who loves music but sucks at DJ-ing, Algoriddim's djay apps for the iPhone, iPad and Mac have for years excited and delighted me with a powerful selection of easy-to-use mixing tools that've turned me into the star of parties I threw at my home.
You could imagine I was watching with great intent how Algoriddim, which hails from Germany, would handle their Watch app. Well, djay for Apple Watch is now here and although I haven't had a chance to try it out on the actual device just yet, Algoriddim was kind enough to treat me to a private demo of the app ahead of its official launch.
Suffice to say that I was smitten by what I saw. The app acts as a full-on remote controller for djay running on your iPhone, untangling you from the mixing booth while putting such headline features as Automix with Spotify and EchoNest integration.
With the Watch app, you can easily cue up and mix your favorite songs, all while controlling audio effects and loops for each deck individually, on your wrist.
What more could an aspiring DJ ask for?
Not to be outdone by rival Microsoft which earlier this morning updated its PowerPoint for iOS presentation software with the ability to start and navigate the slideshow on your iPhone from you wrist, Apple has quickly followed with a similar update of its own which brings the same functionality to Keynote for iOS, its PowerPoint alternative. Eagle-eyed readers would be right to note that controlling Keynote presentations from your wrist was first mentioned during Apple’s October 2014 media event.
Following months of promises and multiple delays, Facebook-owned WhatsApp, which commands more than 800 million active users worldwide, on Tuesday started rolling a voice calling feature in its iPhone application.
WhatsApp Calling is a staggered release and will be rolling out “slowly over the next several weeks,” the company said, meaning it may not be available for you immediately.
In addition to calling other people for free over Wi-Fi networks, regardless of where they may live, the app has gained other enhancements, too, starting with a much welcomed app extension on iPhones running iOS 8. Sadly enough, this update hasn't brought out support for iOS 8's Interactive Notifications.
Microsoft on Tuesday issued a refresh to its PowerPoint presentation software on the App Store, adding remote functionality for Apple Watch users.
The newly added PowerPoint Remote feature allows you to control slides running on your iPhone, such as starting the slideshow and easily navigating to the next and previous slides.
In addition, the Watch app provides you with an at-a-glance overview of the elapsed presentation time while putting the current slide number and total number of slides on your wrist.
Google announced on Monday in a support document that its YouTube app will no longer work on older versions of iOS and the first and second generation Apple TV "after April".
Twitter apps for mobiles are getting a small yet significant update Monday, bringing out the ability to receive direct messages (DMs) from anyone. The company originally rolled out this feature as an experiment in October 2013 only to pull it the following month because it was unfinished and not ready for prime time yet. You opt-in to use the new feature by ticking a box next to “Receive Direct Messages from anyone” in the settings.
This lets anyone on Twitter send you a private message, regardless of whether or not they're following you. Previously, direct messaging has only been possible between users who follow each other.
The current implementation doesn't pose a major threat to established messaging services due to an account limit of 1,000 DMs sent per day. Once you hit this limit, you won't be able to send any more DMs for the day. The update is currently rolling out to App Stores around the world so check back in a few hours if it's not live yet.
As the flow of updates geared towards the Apple Watch continues to increase, you may be feeling a little left out as you look down at your iPhone. There’s no need to be quite so despondent though, because a bevy of exciting new iPhone and iPad apps also exploded onto the App Store this week.
Whether you’re in the mood for a thrilling adventure, a perplexing puzzle, or something in-between, this list has you covered. If you somehow still find yourself wanting more after reading through this article, remember to keep checking back. We make lists of App Store releases and updates almost every day.
Twitterrific developer The Iconfactory last evening announced immediate availability of Twitterrific for Apple Watch.
The company's freemium Twitter client for the iPhone and iPad was refreshed on the App Store with all-new Apple Watch functionality in the form of Glances, Notifications and the recent activity view. Twitterrific's Glances put retweets, favorites and new followers you’ve received over the past 24 hours, in addition to the current unread tweet count, right on your wrist.
But don't you worry, you'll be able to fine-tune which Twitter notifications appear on your Watch so you don't get inundated with unwanted alerts. Interestingly enough, The Iconfactory has opted for an unusual route of by requiring you to upgrade to Twitterrific's push notifications via a one-time $1.99 In-App Purchase in order to unlock the full Apple Watch functionality.
Microsoft today refreshed Bing for iPhone, adding more than half a dozen useful new features and enhancements, beginning with the Private Search Mode which will not remember your search history and sites you have visited.
Other new features include better management of your search history settings, the ability to launch native iPhone applications right from the search results page, inline previews of clips in Video search and more.