Developers

Apple Stores to host ‘Hour of Code’ class this week

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Interested in learning how to code? Then you may want to stop by your local Apple Store. Apple has joined the likes of Google and Microsoft in participating in the Hour of Code program, and will be hosting free one-hour classes at its stores this week.

The Hour of Code project aims to demystify computer science for students and show them that anyone can learn the basics of programming. And it does this by offering up introductory tutorials that can be completed online, a smartphone or unplugged...

Developer ports iOS core to Nokia N900

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

Winocm, the developer leading the work on the iOS 6.1.3/4 jailbreak, has managed to port iOS to a non-Apple device. The photo you see above is the iOS core, known as the "XNU Kernel," running on a Nokia N900 smartphone.

The port is extremely primitive, as it doesn't include any of iOS’s or OS X’s user-interface elements and cannot be run as a useable operating system. But it does signal a major development for the ongoing open source project...

Apple now hosts video trailers on App Store

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated July 12, 2017

Following a nice demo at last year's iPhone 5 keynote, NaturalMotion studios today finally released its long-expected Clumsy Ninja, a free download for both the iPhone and iPad.

This Tamagotchi-like game invites you train your ninja, teach him new tricks and moves, customize him with suits and headbands and what not. Apple was quick to feature the game as Editor's Choice and what's really interesting is that the description includes a video trailer, a first for the App Store.

It's unclear whether that's a one-off convenience or if Apple is actually ushering in a new ear of better marketing for app developers. Either way, we're not complaining...

OS X Mavericks 10.9.1 to fix remaining Mail bugs and refine graphics performance

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 18, 2013

Apple released its OS X 10.9 Mavericks as a free Mac App Store upgrade on October 22.

As is the norm with new OS releases, while these things tend to address complaints and issues from the previous version they frequently introduce new ones as well.

For example, immediately after Mavericks went live a bunch of people started complaining about a new and annoying Gmail issue in the stock Mail app.

This past Friday, the company supplied its registered Mac developers with the first beta release of what would become the OS X 10.9.1 software update. The software focuses on graphics enhancements and is said to squash the remaining Mail bugs...

Apple posts new Apple TV software beta with iPad mirroring improvements

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 18, 2013

Apple has just released the first beta of what would become the major iOS 7.1 software update containing a bunch of fixes and tweaks, including the updated Yahoo logo, performance improvements, a new HDR Auto feature in the Camera app and more. To go along with the software, the Cupertino company also posted an accompanying Apple TV beta software which contains an interesting iPad content mirroring feature. Jump past the fold for the full reveal...

Apple informs developers of iTunes Connect shutdown December 21-27

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

It's that time of year again. The holidays are just a few weeks away, which means that cold weather, major Black Friday sales, and of course the annual iTunes Connect shutdown are all rapidly approaching.

In fact, Apple sent out an email to developers today, notifying them of the upcoming iTunes Connect closing. The tool, which devs use to submit and manage their apps, will be offline from December 21-27...

Apple bars gold/red/green/yellow device shots from devs’ marketing materials

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 31, 2013

Apple has updated its App Store Marketing Guidelines and is now advising developers against using images of the gold iPhone 5s in their marketing materials. According to the new rules, apps carried on the App Store can't feature screenshots on gold iPhone 5s devices nor can such shots be used in other materials used for marketing communications.

Developers should "feature only the most current Apple products", the updated guideline notes, specifically mentioning the following finishes or colors: iPhone 5s in silver or space gray, iPhone 5c in white or blue, iPad Air in silver or space gray and iPad mini in silver or space gray...

Developers now able to delete fake Game Center scores

Cody Lee ∙ October 29, 2013

Great news gamers! Apple has finally given developers the ability to manage their Game Center leaderboard listings for their games. The company posted the announcement yesterday afternoon on its developer portal.

Of course, the big deal here is that game-makers can now delete all of those ridiculous fake scores you see sitting at the top of various leaderboards, but the change will also allow them to block players who post them...

Previous app versions coming to Mac App Store, too

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 22, 2013

A little over a month ago, Apple started letting customers download older versions of App Store apps. This handy new capability was designed to allow folks on legacy hardware to download the last compatible app version for their outdated iOS build. Up until then, the most recent app version available had used to render all of the previously submitted app builds inaccessible in the Mac App Store.

The same 'Previous Versions' feature is now coming to the Mac App Store, writes Apple in its memo to the registered Mac developer community, adding devs can now "let users download an older version” of their apps. I've got more information right below...

Apple to devs: send us your Mavericks apps

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 15, 2013

Apple has begun sending email notices asking its registered Mac developers to submit their OS X Mavericks-optimized apps. The timing of the communique is especially eyebrow-raising given the October 22 media event invites went out today as "we still have a lot to cover".

Jumping ahead of oneself, one might conclude this signals an imminent Mavericks release. In reality, it'd clearly make more sense to release Mavericks alongside the refreshed Mac notebooks.

For what it's worth, a source that stepped forward this morning has pinpointed an October 24 or 25 release date for the upcoming Haswell-based MacBook Pros...

Apple asks Launch Center Pro dev to remove undocumented URLs

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

It's funny because it seems like every time we mention the app 'Launch Center Pro'—it received a big 2.0 update last week—and what it does, people ask: "how is it able to do a lot of what it does without infringing on Apple's guidelines?"

Well as it turns out, it can't. According to Contrast developer David Barnard, Apple called the team to let them know that Launch Center Pro is using 'undocumented app URLs,' and has asked that it remove them for at least 7 iOS apps...

Apple seeds OS X Mavericks Golden Master to developers

Cody Lee ∙ October 3, 2013

Folks anxious for Apple to release OS X Mavericks to the public will be happy to hear that the final beta version of the next generation OS was sent out to Mac developers this evening.

Apple labeled the release 'GM,' also known as Golden Master, which essentially means that this is the same build that users will see. It also usually means that a launch isn't too far behind...