Developers

Apple seeds iOS 7 beta 3 to developers: this is what’s new

Cody Lee ∙ July 8, 2013

As predicted by a report late last month, Apple has seeded iOS 7 beta 3 to developers this morning. The update comes two weeks after Apple posted the second beta to its next-generation mobile operating system, and nearly a month after it released the initial version following its WWDC keynote.

The third beta is available for compatible iPhones, iPads and iPod touch models, and can be downloaded by visiting the Software Update section in the Settings app of devices that currently have iOS 7 installed. It should be available in the dev portal shortly. You'll find more details after the fold...

Apple introduces new app pricing tiers

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 28, 2013

As you know, Apple gives its iOS developers the freedom to choose pricing of their wares on the App Store, keeping 30 percent of the proceeds to itself. But rather than let a developer price an app at fifteen cents, for example, Apple offers a bunch of tiers. This also means localized versions of apps carried on international App Stores are priced differently to reflect a rough conversion of the U.S. prices.

Seeking to better align with the pricing structure in the U.S. App Store, Apple has now introduced alternate tiers for international App Stores so developers can price their software in .99 increments in the country’s native currency...

iOS 7 beta 2 is out: brings iPad support and other features

Cody Lee ∙ June 24, 2013

Apple has seeded the second beta of iOS 7 to developers this morning. The update comes exactly two weeks after the initial version of the new firmware was released, following the company's annual WWDC keynote.

The change log hasn't been released yet, but the consensus seems to be that this update is likely more about speed and performance improvements than about adding major new features or making significant changes...

If history is any indication, iOS 7 Beta 2 could drop today

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 24, 2013

It's been two weeks since Apple released the first beta of iOS 7 to its registered developers. A lot has been written about it and way more ink will be spent as subsequent betas get released and thoroughly tested before iOS 7 is eventually ready for prime time this Fall. If history is anything to go by and if you trust reliable sources in the know, today is the day iOS 7 Beta 2 arrives.

If iDB is part of your daily routine, you should be among the first to know when a new beta hits Apple's servers. Also, count on our resident team to take a closer look at the new beta and report back about everything there is to know about feature changes.

Stay tuned...

Apple starts charting iOS adoption, 96% of users are on iOS 6

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 21, 2013

Apple has started charting the iOS adoption figures via a portal for its registered developers. While Google's been doing this for quite some time now, it's the first time Apple offered the continuously updated official iOS adoption data.

Key takeaway: a whopping 96 percent of Apple customers are now using iOS 6, as measured by the App Store during a 14-day period ending June 3, 2013.

There is a massive difference compared to Android 4.x versions that, according to Google's dashboard web page, was on 58.6 percent of Android devices accessing the Android Play store during a 14-day period ending on June 3, 2013.

And with 39.8 percent of Google customers on the now outdated Android 2.2 Froyo and up to Android 3.2 Honeycomb software, Apple's huge advantage in terms of platform fragmentation is undisputed...

iOS 7 beta GUI PSD file now available for download

Cody Lee ∙ Updated March 31, 2017

Heads up all of you designers and concept artists. The entire GUI (graphical user interface) for iOS 7 has just been uploaded to the web.

That’s right, all of the buttons, menus, icons and anything else you can think of graphic-wise in the developer beta are now available for download…

What iOS 7 running on iPad might look like

Cody Lee ∙ June 16, 2013

Apple surprised a lot of folks last week when it announced that the first beta of iOS 7, it's next generation mobile software, would only be available to registered developers on the iPhone and iPod touch. Last year, Apple released a beta for all 3 of its mobile devices.

The reason behind Apple's decision to forego releasing the first beta on the iPad isn't clear. But for those of you wondering how the redesigned operating system looks on the popular tablet, we've come across several screenshots of just that—iOS 7 running on an iPad straight from the Xcode simulator...

Apple makes ‘iWork for iCloud’ beta available to developers

Cody Lee ∙ June 13, 2013

Alongside OS X Mavericks and iOS 7, Apple showed off its new web-based 'iWork for iCloud' software suite during its Monday keynote. The suite, similar to Google Docs and Office 360, allows users to view and edit iWork, and other documents right from their browser. And Apple just activated a beta version of it for registered developers...

New in iOS 7: support for third party game controllers

Cody Lee ∙ June 11, 2013

As with any major Apple event, where numerous announcements are made, I feel like some of what was talked about yesterday flew under the radar. Specifically, there were several cool features in iOS 7 that didn't get enough attention.

One of those features is support for third party gamepads. Physical controllers for iPhones and iPads have long been left to the ThinkGeeks and the Kickstarter projects, due to the lack of support. But that's going to change with iOS 7...

The 2013 Apple Design Award winners announced

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 22, 2018

Shortly after Tim Cook wrapped up Apple's big keynote yesterday, developers and other WWDC attendees made their way over to another popular event: the 2013 Apple Design Award show.

Every year, Apple hands out awards to outstanding iOS and OS X apps based on a number of factors like design, and innovation. And the winners of this year's prestigious Design Awards are...

iOS 7 and OS X logos go up at Moscone West

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated August 24, 2016

Apple yesterday started dressing up the Moscone West building ahead of Monday's keynote. The banners depicting flat icons hint at the iOS 7 redesign while revealing the conference slogan: "Where a whole new world is developing".

Numerous photographs of both the interior and exterior have arrived since and today we capture a glimpse of what looks like the official iOS 7 logo.

Unlike past graphics-heavy iOS logos, the newly revealed signage outside San Francisco's Moscone West depicts an elegant and very thin "7" against the white background. As you could imagine, it oozes minimalism and stylishness, which are said to be key themes behind the major iOS 7 overhaul.

Yes, 7 could mean anything and yes, we're pretty sure Apple meant iOS 7...

SwiftKey maker hopes iOS 7 will allow third-party keyboards

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated May 16, 2018

Unlike iOS, Android from its beginning has had the ability to install third-party keyboard software for on-screen touch typing.

It's actually one of Android's major advantages over iOS: third-party keyboard apps greatly improve upon stock experience with helpful features such as gestures, better voice control, enhanced predictions and even specialized input rules.

There's no other way around the fact that stock iOS keyboard experience hasn’t kept pace with Android in terms of recognition, predictive typing and other capabilities. As much as we'd love Tim Cook & Co. to open up iOS, we'll have to do with the limited stock experience for the time being (unless you're jailbroken, of course).

But that's not stopping folks like TouchType from keeping their fingers crossed. For those unfamiliar with TouchType, they are behind the popular SwiftKey software keyboard for Android phones. Speaking out publicly about the issue, one of TouchType execs clearly has his hopes high on an Apple-sanctioned third-party keyboard development...