Apple has expanded availability of transit directions in its Maps app for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch to four European markets: Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland.
Apple Maps launches transit directions in Denmark, Sweden, Norway & Finland
Apple
DigiTimes: health-tracking AirPods are supposedly on their way in the first half of 2019
Taiwanese trade publication DigiTimes ran a report this morning which alleged that an AirPods revision with built-in health sensors could be on its way in the first half of this year.
Apple announces ‘Shot on iPhone’ contest
Apple today announced the 'Shot on iPhone Challenge,' inviting iPhone users from around the globe to submit their best shots for a chance to be featured on billboards, in retail stores and online. Submissions will be accepted from January 22 to February 7, and Apple says a panel of judges will be selecting 10 winning photos.
Netflix for iOS picks up a handy new Instagram Stories share option
This integration began rolling out in Netflix for iOS today
You can now share your favorite movies and television shows on Netflix to your Instagram Stories. That's because the video-streaming company today updated its mobile app for iPhone and iPad with tappable artwork when watching movies or TV shows.
According to Variety, sharing your favorite movies and television shows from Netflix on Instagram Stories is pretty straightforward. Just select the title of your choice within Netflix's iOS app and use the Share feature to send it to Instagram, just like that.
From there, you can add the artwork to a Story or share it directly with your contacts. Netflix artworks in Instagram Stories also link back to Netflix.
This feature works with both original and licensed content.
We’re always on the lookout for ways to make it easier for members to share the Netflix titles they’re obsessing about and help them discover something new to watch. We hope our members enjoy this new feature!
This is possible thanks to Instagram's Stories API that became available in May 2018. Some of the other apps that take advantage of Instagram integration include Spotify and Soundcloud.
This feature is available in Instagram for iOS starting today. They're working on bringing this integration to Android but no time frame was provided at press time.
Will you be using this feature?
Let us know by leaving a comment below.
10 actually useful tips and tricks every iPad owner should know about
Did you just get a new iPad? Explore these useful tips designed to maximize your iPad experience, enhancing productivity and efficiency for swift and comfortable usage.
Apple Pay is coming to Target, Taco Bell, Speedway and other US merchants
Apple is gearing up to launch Apple Pay across Target, Taco Bell, Speedaway and other top merchants in the United States.
These retailers will be adopting Apple Pay in the coming weeks:
Target: Rolling out now, will be available in all 1,850 US locations in the coming weeks. Taco Bell: Rolling out to 7,000+ locations in the next few months. Hy-Vee supermarkets: Available today at 245+ Hy-Vee stores in the Midwest. Speedway convenience stores: Available today inside the store at all of Speedway’s approximately 3,000 locations across the Midwest, East Coast and Southeast. Jack in the Box: Rolling out to 2,200 locations in the next few months.The company wrote in a press release issued this morning that with the addition of these national retailers, 74 of the top 100 US merchants now accept its mobile payment solution.
Whether customers are buying everyday household items, groceries, snacks for a road trip or grabbing a quick meal, Apple Pay is the easiest way to pay in stores, while also being secure and faster than using a credit or debit card at the register.
We’re thrilled even more customers will be able to pay at their favorite stores and restaurants using the Apple devices that are always with them.
Jennifer Bailey, Apple VP of Internet Services
Apple acknowledged that Costco last year completed the Apple Pay rollout to 500+ US warehouses while CVS Pharmacy introduced the solution at all of its 8,400 standalone locations. 7-Eleven launched Apple Pay at 95 percent of its US stores last year.
Apple Pay is a mobile contactless payment system that lets customers easily and securely pay in stores using their iPhone and Apple Watch. It uses tokens for security purposes, meaning no sensitive credit card information is ever exchanged with the merchant.
Are you using Apple Pay?
If so, what has your experience with it been like thus far?
WSJ: Apple to transition iPhones to an OLED-only lineup in 2020
LCD technology is one of the ways Apple differentiates more affordable iPhones from flagship models. If the latest report is anything to go by, the Cupertino company is prepping to getting rid of LCD screens and transition its smartphone lineup to OLED-only models in 2020.
Spotify to bring a block feature for muting artists you don’t want to hear from
Spotify is testing a block feature in its iPhone and iPad app to mute individual artists listeners don't want to hear from, and could release it more broadly soon, according to Thurrott which first spotted the feature.
Sixth-generation iPod touch revisited: is it still worth it in 2019?
Three years ago, iDownloadBlog reviewed Apple's sixth-generation iPod touch, an iPhone-like device without the phone part that came in a range of vibrant colors at a low starting price of just $199 for the 32-gigabyte version, but is it still worth it today?
Watch this Apple-commissioned film about a teenage athlete from American Samoa
Titled "The Lonely Palm Tree, Samoa" and created by photographer and director Steven Counts, the video presents a portrait of Eddie Siaumau, a 17-year-old athlete from American Samoa.
Apple’s charitable and volunteer efforts have raised $365 million in the past eight years
Apple Giving, the iPhone maker's charitable and volunteer initiative, has raised more than $365 million so far, with $125+ million donated to non-profits around the world in 2018 alone.
Could this be the year Apple nixes 3D Touch for good?
Is 3D Touch going to be phased out for good from this year's upcoming iPhone models in favor for its inferior tap-and-hold replacement, dubbed Haptic Touch?