Developers

tvOS 10 beta 2 now available for developer testing

In addition to releasing a second beta of iOS 10 for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, Apple today issued a second beta of the tvOS 10 operating system powering the fourth-generation Apple TV. tvOS 10 beta 2 (build number “14T5284d”) is available on the fourth-generation Apple TVs that run a prior beta as an over-the-air download in Settings → System → Software Updates → Update Software.

Apple seeds iOS 10 beta 2 to developers

Following the first developer-only preview of iOS 10 which was issued following the June 13 WWDC keynote, the Cupertino firm today pushed iOS 10 beta 2 (build number “14A5297c”) to the members of the Apple Developer Program. The new software is available as an over-the-air download on the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices that run the first beta. A beta of iOS 10 will be made available to public beta testers in July.

Apple supplier Cirrus Logic releases MFi Lightning headphone development kit

Apple supplier Cirrus Logic, which provides audio chips for iPhones, iPads and iPod touches, today released a software development kit for third-party vendors who wish to build Lightning-based headphones under the 'Made for iOS' (MFi) program.

iOS already supports headphones based on the proprietary Lightning connector, some of which are sold by Apple itself. As you know, the next iPhone is widely expected to drop the standard 3.5mm jack in favor of Bluetooth and Lightning headphones.

New Chinese regulations would have Apple track App Store users and developers

After ordering an iPhone 6 sales ban over alleged copyright infringement and shuttering the iBooks Store and iTunes Movies, Chinese regulators are now applying increased pressure on foreign technology companies doing business in the world's most populous market of 1.35 billion people.

According to Bloomberg, firms like Apple that operate app stores in the country will be forced to track the identities of users and developers with real-name registration in case they violate the country's stringent censorship laws.

iOS 10’s elusive Dark Mode shown in Settings app

Five days ago, iDownloadBlog's own Andrew O'Hara first wrote about jailbreak developer Andy Wiik's discovery of Dark Mode resources buried deep within iOS 10's Messages app.

During the weekend, Wiik shared a few new screenshots showing a dark mode for the Settings app, running in iOS Simulator, strongly suggesting that these Dark Mode resources may not have been left within iOS 10 code by accident.

Apple removes Game Center app from iOS 10 and macOS Sierra betas

Apple has removed the Game Center app from the first betas of iOS 10 and macOS Sierra. The change appears to be permanent, according to the iOS 10 Preview release notes. Although it's still available in Settings, “the Game Center app has been removed,” reads the document.

That doesn't mean that developers can no longer use the Game Center service or implement Game Center features—quite the contrary—it's just that the user-facing Game Center app is no longer available.

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

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."

Opinion: I’d rather pay upfront for my apps than rent them

Apple has argued that its new App Store rules, which extend subscriptions to literally every app category, would help create a new business model in which people would warm up to the idea of subscribing to apps rather than paying for them upfront.

I'm not so sure that subscriptions are the right answer to what the market is calling “app fatigue”, but I can tell you right now that I'd rather continue paying upfront for fine, quality apps than use them on a subscription basis, here's why.

App Store to gain Categories tab and easier app sharing with 3D Touch

Aside from a pair of major developer-facing enhancements that are coming to the App Store this fall—Search Ads and Subscription improvements—Apple appears adamant to fix some of the longstanding pain points with store navigation and app discovery.

For instance, the Featured tab will no longer show apps a user has installed on their device.

Apple also said that it'll be bringing back the Categories tab for the store and let you share apps on social media right from the Home screen with 3D Touch.

Phil Schiller: “We’re never going to get rid of app review process”

As we told you this morning, Apple announced big changes are coming to the App Store this fall in the form of some well thought out improvements to In-App Subscriptions and all-new paid ads for apps in App Store search results.

Yesterday, SVP Phil Schiller sat down for an interview with The Loop's Jim Dalrymple to discuss other changes aimed at making app discovery better. The app review process, however, won't be going away anytime soon.