App Updates

Spotify for iPad overhauled with dark UI, gains Your Music feature

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 13, 2018

Spotify, the leading music-streaming service hailing from Sweden, gave its iPad app on Thursday a little love. For starters, the team has crafted Skype for iPad's user interface around an all-new dark look.

As a result, Spotify at last has consistent appearance on the iPad, iPhone and Mac — down to the same dark theme, precise typography and rounded iconography.

Moreover, the Your Music feature which debuted in the iPhone edition in April 2014 is now available on the iPad, too. Representing a better way to save, organize and browse your favorite songs, Your Music is a replacement to user-generated playlists. With Your Music, you can add tracks which sync across every device, without having to create playlists or use the starring feature that lumps all starred songs into a huge list.

Download Spotify free of charge in the App Store.

Skype for iPhone updated with avatar sync, ability to save and delete photos from chats and more

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 30, 2014

After updating Skype for Mac with Yosemite support earlier this morning, Microsoft on Thursday issued a new Skype for iPhone refresh. Now sitting at version 5.7, the app finally makes it easy to save and delete images from chats.

People who roam between devices and platforms will notice that chat avatars now stay in perfect sync when picking up on one device where they left on another.

You should also notice faster performance, especially when opening chats from a notification, and improvements to Skype's contact filters such as All Contacts, Skype and Online.

Skype for iPhone is available free in the App Store.

Skype for Mac updated with OS X Yosemite support

Cody Lee ∙ October 30, 2014

Following the major 7.0 release earlier this month, Skype today pushed out a new version of its Mac client. Labeled as build 7.1, the update brings about full support for the just-released OS X Yosemite, as well as a number of bug fixes and improvements.

Among the improvements, Skype has made it easier for users to copy a link in a group chat, and leave conversations. It's also fixed the issue that caused crashing when making a video call on Yosemite, as well as the bug related to sending contact info.

Flipboard 3.0 is out with design refresh, Zite-fueled ‘Topics’ feature and more

Cody Lee ∙ October 30, 2014

Flipboard today released version 3.0 of its iOS client, and as you can imagine, it's a significant update. The design of the app has been refreshed, and is now more magazine-like and elegant, complete with fresh typography and a new navigation bar for easier browsing.

Additionally, Flipboard has introduced a new 'Topics' feature, which is powered by Zite's technology and Flipboard's own curators. There are over 30,000 topics to follow, each featuring content by top publishers and websites, that can be both searched and explored.

Google Wallet for iOS adds low balance notifications and recurring bank transfers

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 27, 2016

Google on Wednesday announced an update to its mobile Wallet application for the iPhone which now includes handy low balance alerts and another feature allowing users to set up recurring bank transfer in order to ensure there's always money to spend in their Wallet.

The refreshed application did not receive support for the bigger iPhone screens and will be going live in the App Store later today.

Google Wallet is available free of charge.

You can now preview stickers in Facebook’s latest Messenger update

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 27, 2016

The social networking giant Facebook on Wednesday pushed a small update to its Messenger client for the iPhone and iPad which lets you preview sticker animations.

Facebook Messenger 12.0 (what's up with version numbers, Facebook?) allows you to press and hold down on a sticker to expand it and view any animations before sending it.

The app is available free in the App Store.

Taco Bell’s new iOS app makes fast food… faster

Jake Smith ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

Many social media users were intrigued when Taco Bell's social media accounts went dark on Tuesday, fearing the worst. Luckily, it was just Taco Bell announcing a major overhaul to its iOS app that allows customers to order and pay for food on their smartphones before even setting foot in the fast food chain.

Apps like Pocket is why Handoff is my top new feature in iOS 8 and Yosemite

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 28, 2014

Pocket, a read-later service, with a recent Mac app update has completed its support for Apple's refreshed mobile and desktop operating systems.

According to developers last week, Pocket for Mac now includes Handoff and can send stuff to other apps that use the Mac's new multi-purpose Share menu. It's Pocket's largest Mac update in over a year.

The iOS edition of Pocket has had Handoff support in place for weeks. And with Handoff now live in the Mac edition of Pocket, I'm not sure how I've managed to do without such a useful feature. I'm a huge, huge Pocket fan and use it every day to bookmark and save dozens of articles that I find during the day for later reading.

With Handoff implemented in both Pocket editions, I now am able to seamlessly continue reading an article right where I left off on any of my Apple devices (Bluetooth must be enabled).

It's awesome and I couldn't imagine my daily computing without Handoff. It's the one feature I use the most, all the time. As I constantly move between my mobile and desktop devices, Handoff removes the friction completely without the mental burden of having to remember where I left off.

Handoff is tremendously convenient. It's fun, easy to use, a time-saver and bridges the gap between desktop and mobile like no other technology before it. And it's only getting started.

Pocket for Mac is available free of charge in the Mac App Store.

Amazon App and Path updated with iPhone 6 support so you can see more content

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 13, 2018

iPhone 6 related updates for your favorite apps continue to roll in more than a month following the release of Apple's bigger handsets.

Following Plex's iPhone 6 update earlier this morning, both Amazon and Path have now refreshed their respective iOS applications with native display support for the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus models.

If you're an early iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus adopter, you know why these updates matter: not only do optimized apps look crisp as anyone would expect, but also take advantage of greater pixel count to display more content, thereby requiring fewer taps and less scrolling.

Nike+ Running now integrates with iOS 8 Health, adds elevation tracking and more

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 28, 2014

Apple CEO Tim Cook has had a seat on the Nike board for quite some time now and the sports equipment giant was first out of the gate with an app that showcased the iPhone 5s's low-powered M7 motion coprocessor. But despite close Apple ties, Nike's been suspiciously mum regarding integrating its many iOS apps with iOS 8's Health database.

That changed Tuesday as a new version of Nike+ Running got released with support for NikeFuel data sync with iOS 8's Health application. The refreshed app brings out a few other nice-to-haves, such as tracking your elevation on latest devices and more.

Nike's other iOS apps will hopefully pick up Health integration in due time. Nike+ Running is a free download in the App Store.

OneNote gains Touch ID, iOS 8 Storage extension and more

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2018

Microsoft on Tuesday updated OneNote for iOS and OS X with useful new features, including fingerprint based Touch ID authentication to unlock password protected sections of your notebooks.

There's also a new Storage Provider extension in iOS 8 which let you easily add files to your notebooks from your favorite cloud storage service like, say, Dropbox.

On the iPhone, OneNote finally allows you to move and rearrange your notes anywhere you like. Moreover, the note-taking app has now gained ability to open notebooks stored on SharePoint Servers.

OneNote for the iPhone, iPad and Mac apps are free downloads.

Gameloft pushes action-packed, Halloween-themed Asphalt 8 update

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 28, 2014

Halloween is coming, and in Asphalt 8, “the monsters of speed are ready”, said French games maker Gameloft in the most recent update Tuesday to its gravity-defying Asphalt 8: Airborne racer.

Featuring an all-new Halloween Special multiplayer event with the Infected Mode, a pair of new daily time-limited events and the free Koenigsegg One:1, the fastest car in the game, this update to the award-winning free-to-play game should not be missed.

And if you're a fan of Twitch, broadcasting functionality has now been restored in the latest build. Grab Asphalt 8 for free in the App Store.