Apps

Here are top free and paid Apple TV apps and games

Although Apple's charts inside the App Store for the new Apple TV are currently empty, developer Steve Troughton-Smith was able to sniff out which apps and games users have been downloading the most since the device's debut last week.

As you could imagine, games absolutely dominate the charts, yet another indication that the new set-top box is popular as a casual gaming device. Here's your list of top paid, free and grossing apps and games for the Apple TV 4, accompanied by a few interesting observations regarding app pricing and frame rates in popular games.

Secret Apple app lets you map out building interiors using your iPhone

Apple has a secret app in the App Store which allows some iPhone users to map the interior of a building using their handset. First discovered yesterday by developer Steve Troughton-Smith, an app called Indoor Survey has been available on the App Store since last week.

The software is currently hidden in the App Store and is not operational, suggesting that the official launch is around the corner.

Basically a funnel for Apple's MapsConnect website, the app appears to act as a crowdsourced Ground Truth service aimed at improving the accuracy of Apple Maps data when it comes to indoor maps.

WhatsApp rolls out responding to messages and calls directly from notifications to everyone

After testing out with a subset of its user base a new ability to quickly respond to incoming messages directly from the notification banner, Facebook-owned WhatsApp today began rolling out this feature to its massive 900+ million monthly active users. In addition, this edition of WhatsApp for iPhone also makes it easy to reply to incoming WhatsApp VoIP calls with a message, right from the call notification. Both features require Apple's latest mobile operating system.

Procreate gains support for iPad Pro, Apple Pencil features and more

Procreate by Savage Interactive, the popular sketching and painting app, was refreshed today in the App Store with more than a dozen new features, among them specific ones aimed at the iPad Pro and Apple Pencil which are scheduled to launch later this month.

Procreate 3, a free update for existing owners, now allows for up to 16K canvases on the iPad Pro, with its 128 brushes taking full advantage of pressure sensitivity, tilt detection and palm rejection provided by the Apple Pencil. All told, this edition of Procreate packs in over a hundred new features and refinements.

Plaaying for Mac review: a better way to share what you’re listening to

Some people like to share what they are listening to with others. You might see a half-dozen tweets in an hour from a friend, but then nothing for the rest of the day. What gives? Did he stop listening to music, or just forget to share it?

Plaaying for Mac is a third-party music player that has a customizable auto-sharing feature so you can let your friends know what you are listening to without having to actually share it manually. We've got a full app review of Plaaying for Mac for you today.

Best apps of the week: Lean, Lumino City, Stash Invest, and more

Apple TV fans are finally about to get their mitts on the much-anticipated new Apple TVs. We've been waiting years for this one, and can't wait to see what kinds of apps and games are coming to our big screen, no AirPlay required, even if Siri isn't going to be of much help.

If you can't wait to see what is coming to the big screen, and need some small-screen time to tide you over, we've got a list of apps and games we think you should check out. And, don't worry, Siri is going to help you out on Apple TV someday.

New Google app finds people to hang out with

A brand new Google app for your iPhone, currently available on an invite-only basis in the App Store, wants to take the pain out of finding people who are free to hang out.

Aptly named Who’s Down, the 16.2-megabyte download comes with an easy to use user interface featuring a slider that, when toggled, tells the app to let others know you're down to meet up, allowing you to see which of your friends are free to hang out.

EDGE Extended is free for a limited time

Remember Edge, a puzzle game developed by Mobigame? Originally released in the App Store in December 2008, it was one of the best looking, most addictive and innovative games available on the iPhone at the time.

The highly popular title was followed by the official sequel, called Edge Extended, which made its App Store debut in August 2011. Edge Extended has gone free briefly just once since its inception and now Mobigame has discounted the game to zero bucks for a limited time to celebrate the launch of the new Apple TV.

The best Apple TV apps and games for your big screen TV

The Apple TV launch will be accompanied by a surprisingly comprehensive list of third-party apps and games, some of  which were shown off on stage during Apple's media presentation last month. Ahead of tomorrow's launch, a much larger selection of premium triple-A games and apps is available for the device.

We've compiled a list of the games and apps that we think are going to make a difference on the big screen. If you have pre-ordered your Apple TV, bookmark this article as you'll want to download these apps as soon as your shiny new box drops on your doorstep.

Apple launches new app on iOS and Android for controlling its Beats Pill+ speaker

Apple on Thursday released a new application for Android and iOS called Beats Pill+. As the name suggests, the app allows device users to manage and control their Beats Pill+ Bluetooth speaker, which was announced earlier this month.

In the description, Apple says the Beats Pill+ app "puts you and your friends at the center of your music like never before." You can use it to easily pair your device with your Pill+ speaker, rename it for fast identification and much more.