Apps

Swift Playgrounds: Apple’s new iPad app to teach you how to code

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 30, 2018

In wrapping up Apple's WWDC keynote this morning, Tim Cook announced a new iPad app called Swift Playgrounds for teaching people how to code. Cook specifically says "the best way to teach everyone to code," but it definitely looks like it was built with kids in mind.

The app looks a lot like other learn-to-code apps (Hopscotch!), but it's cool that Apple is using its scale to get such a tool into the hands of more people. The company says the app "combines the powerful Swift programming language and the powerful capabilities of iPad."

Messages app updated in iOS 10 with new emoji features, Bubble effects and more

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 30, 2018

Also getting a big update in iOS 10 is the Messages app. New features include inline rich links, which open YouTube videos, images and other types of media—videos now play right within the app!—a built-in Camera viewfinder, and some great emoji improvements.

These improvements include 3x bigger emoji images within your messages, so you can see the icons in greater detail, and predictive emoji. Apple calls this "emojifiable." So the Messages app in iOS 10 can essentially guess emoji images for the words you tap on.

Apple announces new Remote app with Siri, game controller and more

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 30, 2018

You wanted a new Remote app for iOS? You got it. At its WWDC keynote today, Apple introduced a completely rebuilt app for controlling your Apple TV. It has essentially the same features as the physical Siri remote that comes with the fourth generation ATV.

Activity Sharing brings social challenges to Apple Watch

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 30, 2018

After demonstrating several new Apple Watch features, Apple VP Kevin Lynch invited Director of Fitness and Health technologies Jay Blahnik to come up on stage and talk about some new fitness features. Perhaps most notable is a new feature in the Activity app called Activity Sharing.

As the name suggests, Activity Sharing brings social challenges to the Apple Watch, allowing users to easily send fitness achievements and stats to friends and family, fostering competition. This is something that has helped Fitbit grow and popularity and is a welcome addition to the Watch.

App Store has surpassed 2 million apps, 130 billion downloads

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 30, 2018

Apple's long-awaited WWDC keynote is now in full swing, and as usual, CEO Tim Cook has taken the stage to kick things off. Cook began on a somber note, asking attendees to participate in a moment of silence for the victims of yesterday's tragedy in Orlando, and then got down to business rattling off new stats.

Among the most interesting numbers the executive shared is that the App Store recently surpassed 2 million apps. In the most recent data Apple shared on app numbers, it was still around the 1.5 million mark, so this is a new development for sure. We've got some other interesting numbers for you listed below.

Microsoft Office apps updated with support for exporting files in OpenDocument format

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 13, 2016

Ahead of WWDC keynote at 10am this morning, Microsoft refreshed its trio of Office productivity applications for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad with a notable new export option. Word, Excel and PowerPoint apps can now export documents, spreadsheets and presentations in the cross-platform OpenDocument format, making the mobile apps even more suited for business use.

What’s on your Home screen: Timothy Reavis

Timothy Reavis ∙ Updated February 6, 2018

One of the things I see the most every single day is most certainly the Home screen of my iPhone. Because my phone is with me wherever I go, and because it's the device from which I consume the majority of content, the first page of my Home screen is at the forefront of my digital life. Naturally, then, the apps that reside on this page are to be chosen rather carefully to maximize efficiency throughout the day.

Bumpers, Winnie, BitCam and other apps to check out this weekend

Cody Lee ∙ Updated October 16, 2018

It's going to be a long weekend for Apple fans, as we anxiously await the company's big WWDC keynote on Monday. But never fear, we've picked out some great apps and games to help you pass the time. These include a new audio recording and sharing app, an old school camera app, and of course two great new games.

Survey highlights the top 3 quibbles developers are having with Mac App Store

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 10, 2016

Apple is shaking up the App Store, but what about its OS X counterpart? Sure, the new subscription terms extend to iOS, tvOS and OS X apps, but what's Apple going to do, if anything, in order to make the Mac App Store a more attractive venue for Mac software distribution?

We should find out what's next for the Mac App Store next week at WWDC. In the meantime, here's what developers are disliking about it, based on a DevMate survey which polled about 700 Mac developers.

Apple confirms that subscription apps won’t be obliged to offer free functionality

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 10, 2016

There has been a lot of confusion following Apple's App Store shakeup concerning subscription apps.

First and foremost, does Apple require subscription apps to be functional in some limited way without a subscription, as is the case with apps that use In-App Purchases, or will subscription apps require a subscription to use the app at all? If Apple's comment to MacWorld is to be taken at face value, both could be true.

Save iPhone storage space by slimming down Photos library with Avast Photo Space

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 16, 2018

iCloud Photo Library has a nifty little feature that lets you store full-resolution photos and videos to iCloud while keeping device-optimized versions on your iPhone, which can save you quite a lot of storage space.

But not everyone uses iCloud Photo Library (do you?) and pays for iCloud storage beyond Apple's measly 5GB free tier (anyone?). That's where Avast's Photo Space for iPhone jumps in. With this app, your Photos library goes on a diet.

Apple’s free app of the week: Drop Flip

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 30, 2018

Apple on Thursday updated its App of the Week promotion with the game Drop Flip. This means that for the next 7 days, you’ll be able to download the popular physics puzzler for free on both iPhone and iPad—a solid savings of $2.

For those unfamiliar with the title, Drop Flip is a delightful game chock-full of silly physics contraptions. Players must move, flip and manipulate obstacles of every shape and size to force the ball into a bucket. It's a lot harder than it sounds.