Apps

Apple’s free app of the week: Super Sharp

Apple on Thursday updated its App of the Week promotion with the game Super Sharp. This means that for the next 7 days you’ll be able to pick up the popular puzzler from hit developer 1Button SARL, for both iPhone and iPad, for free—a solid savings of $2.

Super Sharp is the epitome of the pick-up-and-play puzzle genre. There are no characters or qwerty storylines. Players simply use their fingers to cut through platforms, ropes and obstacles and they attempt to make their way through 120 physics-based stages.

Read this if you just switched Apple ID to download Pokémon Go

In less than a week, Pokémon Go has become the biggest mobile game in the US history, however, the app is currently limited to App Stores in the United States, New Zealand, Australia and Germany.

Eager to get their hands on some pokémon, some of the tech-savvier international users have resorted to switching their Apple ID in order to download the game only to find their Apple Music libraries wiped as a result, reports The Telegraph.

Lightroom for iOS gains direct RAW imports

iPhone photography fans who use Adobe's Lightroom application to manage and synchronize their photos across the iPhone, iPad, Mac and other devices will be delighted to learn that the latest updates to Lightroom for iPhone and Lightroom for iPad have enabled the ability to import images in the RAW file format. iOS 9 currently lacks RAW support, but iOS 10's been confirmed to bring RAW photo editing to latest iPhones and iPads when it hits this fall.

Camera+ 2.0 for iPad hits: Apple Pencil support, selective brushing, overhauled UI & more

iPhone photography fans, rejoice! Developer taptaptap on Wednesday released a long-awaited iPad-focused update to its popular camera and photo editing application, aptly named Camera+. Camera+ 2.0 for iPad, a free update for those who already own the app, replaces its hopelessly outdated user interface with a thoroughly overhauled, modern-looking one. For starters, the refreshed software supports iOS 9's iPad-only multitasking modes.

More importantly, Camera+ 2.0 for iPad features selective brushing of the various edits and filters and comes with full support for Apple Pencil, enabling you to get very fine, precise control over brushing with the stylus.

At long last, Facebook Messenger implements 3D Touch Peek and Pop

Better late than never: 3D Touch gestures are now available within the free mobile Messenger app from Facebook. The latest Messenger update on the App Store increases the app's version number to 79.0, with Peek/Pop support on the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus being the only change mentioned in release notes accompanying the 109-megabyte download.

In terms of daily active users, Pokémon GO is the biggest mobile game in US history

The runaway success of Nintendo's Pokémon GO continues to take the Internet by storm, with a new Survey Monkey study indicating that in terms of daily active users the augmented-reality title has officially become the biggest mobile game in the United States's history, just a week following its launch on iOS and Android. After initially launching in the United States, New Zealand and Australia, Pokémon GO is now available on the German App Store ahead of its expected launch across Europe.

ABC revamps its iPhone, iPad and Apple TV apps, adds throwback shows

The American Broadcasting Company (ABC), a broadcast television network owned by the Disney–ABC Television Group, announced today that its Watch ABC app for the iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Apple TV shall be known going forward as just ABC. In addition to rebranding, the new ABC app now packs in an overhauled user interface and more content, including exclusive digital series for users who download the app as well as 38 full seasons of “throwback” TV shows.

Developer casting call posted for Apple’s ‘Planet of the Apps’ TV show

Television production company Propagate on Tuesday posted an open casting call for its upcoming 'Planet of the Apps' TV show, which it is co-producing with Apple. Developers working on an iOS, macOS, tvOS or watchOS app can apply via the show's website through August 26.

As explained by SVP Eddy Cue back in March, Planet of the Apps will be a nonscripted series about app design and development exclusive to Apple's platforms. Also working on the show are musical artist Will.i.am, and noted TV executives Ben Silverman and Howard T. Owens.

First Pokémon GO update squashes bugs, no longer requires full Google Account access

Nearly a week following its official launch in the United States, New Zealand and Australia, Nintendo's incredibly successful Pokémon GO on Tuesday received its first update on the App Store. The freemium app was bumped to version 1.0.1, bringing out much-needed bug fixes whilst resolving an issue which caused the app to crash after attempting to catch any discovered pokémon. More importantly, full Google Account access is no longer needed for those who use this sign-in option.

Pokémon GO is a free download from the App Store.

Dark Mode discovered in Safari and System Preferences on macOS Sierra

It looks like iOS 10 may not be the only Apple operating system to include dark interface assets as Mac developer Guilherme Rambo tweeted out a number of screenshots showing a dark interface theme in several stock applications on macOS Sierra, including Safari and System Preferences.

This mode is different in appearance than macOS's existing setting for enabling dark menu bar and the Dock in System Preferences → General.

What’s on your Home screen: Cody Lee

I’m a little late to the party, but I wanted to join the rest of my colleagues in sharing my iPhone Home screen. I love looking at others’ setups, and getting inspiration from their apps and wallpapers, so I’m happy to post mine in the same vein.

I’ll start off by saying that my Home screen changes fairly frequently. I’m always installing beta versions of iOS, jailbreaking, and doing other things to my iPhone that prompt complete restores, so I don’t get to enjoy any particular setup for very long. And that’s ok with me, as I like rebuilding my Home screen—it’s like rearranging furniture in a room to find a more optimal layout. It’s sort of cathartic.

My current setup I’ve had for a little over a month now. Knowing that the first iOS 10 beta was coming, I decided to get rid of my jailbreak and update to iOS 9.3.2. Not being jailbroken definitely affects how my Home screen looks—I use tweaks like Springtomize to customize the status bar, remove icon labels and make other small, but noticeable changes—but I don’t regret moving on to iOS 10. It’s been a joy to use thus far.