Apple

Smartphones to push mobile ads over $9B in 2013

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

There are several key take-aways from a new report showing mobile advertising is exploding, set to surpass $9 billion in 2013. Despite a developed world saturated in smartphones, services for those devices continue to grow by leaps and bounds. Additionally, as we touched on Monday with the incredible success of Candy Crush Saga, the freemium app concept is red hot.

Such apps gain their popularity by being free up front, but earn their keep either through in-app purchases or advertising. According to the report by IAB and IHS, search accounts for 53 percent of mobile ad revenues, crystallizing what I've always thought: Google did not create Android out of some magnanimous gesture, but to keep ahead of the advertising curve...

More proof that Apple’s premium iWork/iLife iOS suite could go free

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 9, 2013

Apple for years offered iPhoto, iMovie and GarageBand iOS apps as a $4.99 download each.

On the Mac, those apps which comprise the iLife suite come bundled with new Mac purchases and Apple's been very actively advertising them as one of the reasons people switch to the Mac.

As for the iWork productivity suite - comprised of the Pages word processor, Numbers spreadsheet maker and Keynote presentation creator - users are expected to pay $19.99 each on the Mac side and $9.99 each on the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.

Some watchers think the advent of the free iWork for iCloud web apps with full editing capabilities (currently in beta) may signal Apple's intention to make the entire iWork suite a free affair, giving people one less reason to consider rival platforms. Today, a German blog has discovered an interesting change in the first-run App Store screen in the latest iOS 7 Beta 3 that surprisingly adds individual iWork/iLife apps as free downloads...

Viber for Mac gets typing indicator, group messaging, stickers and emoticons

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 9, 2013

The popular Skype alternative and WhatsApp rival Viber today updated its Mac app with half a dozen new features. You'll recall that Viber released the inaugural Mac build back in May to allow for cross-platform messaging. I've been actively using it ever since on my MacBook Air and today's update adds a few features I've been missing a lot.

Now, when you're chatting with someone, you can tell whether a person is typing a message thanks to the new typing indicator. And for a feature-parity with Viber for iOS, the Mac edition now expands on the initial release with full support for group messaging capabilities, as well as popular stickers and emoticons. I've included a few remaining nice-to-haves after the break...

Tim Cook again heading to Sun Valley conference for tech and media

Cody Lee ∙ July 9, 2013

Starting today, the Idaho-based Sun Valley Resort will play host to more than 300 executives from both technology and media companies for the annual Sun Valley conference hosted by Allen & Company, a premier investment bank for the media and entertainment sector.

The high-profile guests—which on the media side includes Disney's Bob Iger and CBS' Les Moonves, and on the tech side includes Mark Zuckerburg and Tim Cook—will attend lectures, group dinners and barbecues. And close attention will be paid to who hangs out with who...

New ‘iOS in the Car’ feature to work over WiFi via AirPlay

Cody Lee ∙ July 8, 2013

Among the many new features Apple introduced in iOS 7 is an interesting one called 'iOS in the Car.' It enables you to mirror your iPhone on your in-car display, allowing you to access Maps, Messages and other apps without having to take your eyes off the wheel.

Outside of that, and a list of the handful of auto-makers that have pledged to support it, not much has been said about the feature. A new report is out this afternoon, though, that offers up some new details on the whole thing. And apparently it's going to work over Wi-Fi...

YouTube Capture gains support for accounts with multiple channels

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 13, 2018

The Internet giant Google today released a maintenance update to its YouTube Capture app used to record clips on your iPhone, iPod touch and iPad devices and upload them in the YouTube-friendly format to the video sharing service. The biggest improvement in YouTube Capture version 1.5 is support for YouTube accounts with multiple channels.

This is no doubt going to appeal to prolific YouTube creators such as our own Jeff Benjamin whose how-to, hands-on and walkthrough videos regularly score high view counts (and some people even fall in love with the sound of Jeff's wonderful radio voice).

This edition of YouTube Capture additionally features general improvements and fixes and better uploading on iOS 5 devices...

Apple seeds iOS 7 beta 3 to developers: this is what’s new

Cody Lee ∙ July 8, 2013

As predicted by a report late last month, Apple has seeded iOS 7 beta 3 to developers this morning. The update comes two weeks after Apple posted the second beta to its next-generation mobile operating system, and nearly a month after it released the initial version following its WWDC keynote.

The third beta is available for compatible iPhones, iPads and iPod touch models, and can be downloaded by visiting the Software Update section in the Settings app of devices that currently have iOS 7 installed. It should be available in the dev portal shortly. You'll find more details after the fold...

Apple accused of pushing users to download HD movies on non-HD devices

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 28, 2017

With the September 2008 release of iTunes 8, Apple along with introducing a slew of new software features started upgrading resolution of movies and television shows sold on the iTunes Store to high-definition 720p. One Apple user has now taken the company to court over what in his view files as fraud, unjust enrichment and violation of consumer protection laws.

A Florida user took issue with iTunes movie downloads, alleging Apple tricked him into buying a pricier $4.99 high-definition version of the Big Daddy movie although his iPhone 3GS did not support playback of HD content. Claiming he was unaware an SD version was available for $3.99, he argues Apple should compensate the "millions" of owners of older hardware who paid a buck more to download HD versions of movies and TV shows...

Company selling Android handsets based on budget iPhone design

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Over the weekend, a small electronics company named Techdy posted several photos and high quality video of, what is believed to be, the shell of Apple's long rumored budget iPhone. Similar to previous reports, it described the device as a cross between the iPhone 5 and first-gen iPod touch.

Interestingly enough, folks who want to see what the phone looks like for themselves can actually order it. Techdy has announced that it is now selling an Android smartphone, the 'Basic Bear,' for $199 that has a 4-inch Retina display and features a hardware design based on the the budget iPhone...

Freemium Candy Crush game smashes revenue records at $633K per day

Ed Sutherland ∙ July 8, 2013

Candy Crush Saga could become the legal Crack of the app world. Initially belittled for its close resemblance to Bejeweled, Electronics Arts' addictive freemium game, Candy Crush is now the poster child for the freemium model, raking in a record $633,000 per day, according to one estimate. The key is simple: get players addicted to the game, then charge for larger and larger fixes. Theoretically, the company behind Candy Crush could pull in $230 million in annualized revenue from this single app, even turning the game loose on Wall Street...

5 Years of the App Store live on iTunes

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

With just two days until the official fifth anniversary of Apple's App Store, the company last week conveniently delivered a celebratory poster highlighting key moments in the application's store five-year history. A few hours ago, Apple slashed a number of premium apps and games to zero bucks and now a new anniversary section has just gone live on iTunes. Titled '5 Years of the App Store', it's accessible both from desktop iTunes and via the stock App Store app on iPhone, iPod touch and iPad devices...

Apple closes gap with Android in May, thanks to T-Mobile

Ed Sutherland ∙ July 8, 2013

Apple may want to thank its newest U.S. carrier partner, T-Mobile USA, for helping narrow the gap between iOS and Google's leading Android smartphone software. According to a newly-released market survey, Android had 52 percent of the domestic market in May 2013 while Apple scored 41.9 percent, a 3.5 percent gain over the same end of May period in 2012.

The figures are slightly encouraging to Apple, which held 39 percent of the U.S. smartphone market according to another research firm in June. Remarkable about today's numbers is how the iPhone accounted for more than half of T-Mobile smartphone sales, enticing a higher-than-average percent of feature phone owners to upgrade to the Apple handset...