Apple

With T-Mobile’s new Digits service, your number can be used across multiple devices

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 7, 2016

U.S. wireless carrier today unveiled a new service, called Digits, which aims to uncouple your phone number from your mobile devices and wireless service plans.

According to T-Mobile CEO John Legere, Digits makes it so that you can use your T-Mobile number across multiple devices like smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, desktop PCs and wearable devices.

Digits will also permit you to use multiple T-Mobile numbers on the same device, making it easy to combine your work, home and personal numbers on a single smartphone with calls and texts appearing from the same number.

Pandora’s subscription service in testing, “redefines what premium could and should be”

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 7, 2016

After recently refreshing its brand identity, the popular Internet radio service Pandora today officially announced its upcoming on-demand music service, simply called Premium, which the company says is going to redefine what “premium” could and should be.

Pandora Premium, “an effortless and flexible experience for all subscribers,” includes features that tune into each listener’s individuality while leveraging its deep knowledge of musical data.

Apple seeds iOS 10.2 beta 7 to developers

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 7, 2016

Just two days after releasing iOS 10.2 beta 6 to members of the Apple Developer Program and Apple Beta Software Program and five days since iOS 10.2 beta 5 dropped, the Cupertino firm on Wednesday morning seeded a seventh beta of what would become the second major software update to iOS 10 since its September 2016 launch.

iOS 10.2 beta 7 (build number 14C92) is available as an-over-the-air download via the Software Update mechanism on devices with a prior beta and an appropriate configuration profile installed. A standalone installer is available via Apple's dedicated portal for developers.

Alto’s Adventure creators announce new game Alto’s Odyssey is coming in 2017

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 7, 2016

Snowman, the brains behind the award-winning endless snowboard game titled Alto's Adventure, today said that the time has come for something new in the form of Alto's Odyssey, their brand new game scheduled for release some time in 2017 (we're thinking early-2017).

Snowman's Ryan Cash told me via email that long before Alto’s Adventure had even been released, they started working on an idea for what might come next.

In November, App Store captured highest monthly sales ever in its history

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 6, 2017

According to Phil Schiller, Apple's Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing, the App Store last month enjoyed the highest monthly sales ever since its inception in the summer of 2008. “November 2016 was a record breaker for the App Store—the highest monthly sales ever in its history,” reads the tweet.

Although Schiller didn't provide any hard numbers, in just two weeks during last year's holiday season the App Store raked in a massive $1.1 billion revenue from sales of iOS apps and In-App Purchases.

Fitbit buys Pebble’s software assets, but cancels new hardware

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 19, 2018

Fitbit, the maker of popular activity and fitness trackers, has officially acquired Pebble. The deal was finalized this morning, both companies have said.

The acquisition includes all of Pebble's software assets, but excludes any hardware. Yup, that's right—looks like the Pebble smartwatch is officially dead.

“Due to various factors, Pebble is no longer able to operate as an independent entity,” the company said. “We have made the tough decision to shut down the company and no longer manufacture Pebble devices.”

iPhone manufacturer Foxconn rumored to spend $7 billion on U.S. expansion

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 7, 2016

Taiwan-based iPhone manufacturer Foxconn is said to be considering pouring as much as $7 billion into a massive expansion of its operations in the United States, looking to create 50,000 jobs within the country in the next four years, Reuters reported Wednesday.

Foxconn is reportedly looking to build a collection of U.S.-based assembly plants.

The company has confirmed being in preliminary discussions regarding expansion of its U.S. operations. CNBC earlier posted a slide which pegs the investment at $7 billion.

iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus rumored to come in a brand new Red color option

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 7, 2016

Apple is prototyping as many as ten next-generation iPhone models, and most analysts agree that the company will probably launch a trio of new handsets next year: an 'iPhone 8' with a wraparound OLED screen and all-new industrial design and LCD-based 'iPhone 7s' and 'iPhone 7s Plus' models. According to a new report Wednesday from the fairly reliable Japanese outlet Mac Otakara, LCD iPhones may come in a brand new Red color option.

Latest macOS 10.12.2 beta fixes MacBook Pro graphics glitches, says Apple’s Federighi

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 7, 2016

An annoying graphics glitching issue that some owners of the new MacBook Pro are seeing should become a thing of the past when macOS 10.12.2 Sierra software update releases for public consumption, according to a purported email message from Apple's software boss Craig Federighi.

Portland-based MacRumors forum member Dennis reportedly received a reply from Federighi after asking Tim Cook via email about the reported glitches, which range from screen tearing and broken textures to brightly colored flickering and checkerboard patterns to issues with translucency, transparent graphics and other visual artifacts.

Apple Music now has more than 20 million subscribers

Cody Lee ∙ December 6, 2016

Apple Music has surpassed 20 million paid subscribers, the company's SVP of Internet software and services tells Billboard. That marks a 15% jump in the last 3 months, when Apple announced it had passed 17 million users during its iPhone event in September.

That's impressive considering the streaming music service is less than two years old and up against veterans like Spotify with much larger user bases. Cue attributes some of Apple Music's growth to its string of exclusive deals with artists like Drake and Travis Scott.

Supreme Court rules for Samsung in dispute with Apple over patent damages

Cody Lee ∙ December 6, 2016

The US Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled in favor of Samsung in a dispute over damages related to Apple's iPhone design, reports CNBC. The decision means that Samsung won't be held liable for all $399 million awarded to Apple in a previous lower court ruling.

That amount is based on profits of 11 Samsung smartphones that were found guilty of infringing on Apple's designs, but Samsung argued the penalty is disproportionate. It believes it should only be liable for profits from specific components, and the Court agreed.

Four new video providers join Single Sign-On ahead of iOS 10.2 release

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 6, 2016

Single Sign-On, a feature that allows supported video apps to use your saved cable credentials, is launching some time next week alongside iOS 10.2 for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch and tvOS 10.1 for the fourth-generation Apple TV. Ahead of these software updates, an additional four providers have pledged to support Single Sign-On at launch.