iPad

From the latest news to the most comprehensive tutorials, learn how to get the most out of your iPad with our step-by-step guides and expert tips.

iPad App Store now matching growth pace of its iPhone, Android counterparts

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 18, 2019

The iPad section of Apple's mobile application store is growing steadily and now matches the respective growth rates of Google Play marketplace (formerly Android Market) and the iPhone/ iPod touch section of the App Store. That's the gist of a Distimo survey released Tuesday, which confirms the iPad App Store as by far the largest tablet app marketplace in the United States.

Check out the above chart pitting the growth rate of universal iOS apps (pink) versus native iPad software (gray). But it ain't just about app count: Android slates are still suffering from the lack of high-quality apps optimized for various tablet form factors. Contrast this to iOS developers who adopted concern for an optimal user experience right from the iPad's very beginnings.

Now, raise hands who's fond of scaled-up iPhone apps on their iPad? Didn't think so...

Apple granted Nano SIM-related patent that Nokia is “not aware” of

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 27, 2012

Once again, the Finnish cell phone giant Nokia is opposing Apple's proposal for a new requirement related to the emerging Nano SIM card standard, dated back to 2011. According to a rumor yesterday, Apple wants to license its version of the Nano SIM to others royalty-free in exchange for any Nano SIM-related patents held by other companies.

Today, Nokia said in a statement it does not know of any Apple patent related to the iPhone maker's Nano SIM variant. Essentially, Nokia just slammed Apple's recent strides aimed at promoting its Nano SIM variant ahead of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute's (ETSI) ruling later this week...

Australian Government to sue Apple over “misleading” 4G iPad name

Cody Lee ∙ March 27, 2012

Well this isn't too surprising. TheNextWeb is reporting that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has announced plans to file a lawsuit against Apple in the next 48 hours regarding its "misleading" iPad WiFi + 4G advertising.

As most of you know, the wireless version of Apple's new tablet is indeed compatible with 4G networks here in the US and in Canada. But in other countries, including Australia, the slate is limited to 3G data speeds and, if available, HSPA+...

“Busted” iOS battery algorithm behind shorter iPad run time affects all iOS devices?

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated August 26, 2017

As we told you last week, unplugging your brand spanking new iPad as soon as the battery gauge hits the 100 percent mark entails missing out as much as ten percent of additional run time, or about 1.2 hours. This has been attributed to the iOS battery algorithm, which kinda brings back old memories of a bug in reporting cellular signal levels on the iPhone 4, later fixed with a software update.

According to new findings, this is actually a system-wide behavior in Apple's mobile operating system - thus affecting older iPads, as well as your iPhone and iPod touch. In fact, all iOS devices are affected by what's been called "busted" battery algorithm, it's just more pronounced on the new iPad due to its 70 percent more capacious battery.

What exactly is going on here, you ask...

Angry Birds Space downloaded ten million times in less than three days

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 25, 2016

Rovio Mobile, the brains behind the crazy addictive Angry Birds series, surely knows how to milk a franchise. In less than three days of its launch last Thursday morning, Angry Birds Space has been downloaded ten million times, the company tweeted. You'd expect Apple to put these kind of numbers rather than a game developer.

However, note that Angry Birds Space simultaneously launched on the iOS, Android, Mac and PC app stores and we're talking about a gaming series that has become a cultural phenomenon, spawning plush toys, costumes (even bra), animated TV series and allegedly coming to Hollywood as well.

If approved, Apple will license its Nano SIM to others royalty-free

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 26, 2012

Last week, we told you about two opposing proposals concerning the emerging Nano SIM standard. An Apple-backed solution requires a tray so phones would need to be re-engineered with this in mind. It is largely believed to benefit the ultra-thin design of a sixth-generation iPhone.

The other proposal is led by Nokia and backed by Motorola and RIM. It calls for a Nano SIM variant that doesn't require a tray and is even smaller than Apple’s. The two camps had tabled their proposals to the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) and now a report has emerged claiming that Apple's solution, if approved, will be offered on a royalty-free basis to any industry player...

Apple begins rejecting apps that access UDIDs

Oliver Haslam ∙ Updated April 15, 2024

Apple is beginning to reject app submissions which access a device's UDID, according to a report by Mashable.

You just can't beat a good privacy scare, and the one surrounding the use of UDIDs, or Unique Device Identifiers is the current biggie. Used by developers and advertising companies, UDIDs allow tracking of individual devices which has the privacy conscious up in arms.

With Apple now reportedly rejecting apps that use UDIDs, developers, ad. agencies and anyone else who may legitimately use UDIDs will need to re-write their apps to remove the feature...

Some Apple Stores seeing high volume iPad returns due to lower resale value

Cody Lee ∙ March 25, 2012

MacRumors published an interesting story yesterday regarding Apple's 5th Avenue retail location seeing a large number of third-generation iPad returns by Chinese resellers.

It appears that Apple's ability to keep up with consumer demand this year has diminished the tablet's resale value, prompting a high volume of returns by would-be vendors...

And the winner of our new iPad giveaway is…

IDB Staff ∙ March 23, 2012

Ladies and gentlemen, we are pleased to announce that we have selected the winner for our new iPad giveaway.

Special thanks to all that entered! The feedback has been insane, and it's truly great to know that there are so many fans of iDB out there.

As we've stated before, we really wish we had the means to provide all of you with a new iPad, but there can only be one grand prize winner...

Sharp, LG Display ramping up second-quarter Retina display shipments for the new iPad

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 23, 2012

Asian trade publication DigiTimes reported this morning that both Sharp and LG Display are set to increase their respective manufacturing output of Retina displays for the new iPad. The news follows a recent report by the same publication that Sharp shipped 2.71 million iPad Retina panels to Apple.

This might mean that production issues have finally been sorted out after both firms had reportedly failed to meet Apple's exact quality requirements. Something tells me Samsung won't like this. As you know, Apple is clever enough not to put all eggs in one basket, so to speak.

As a result of LG Display and Sharp jumping on the Retina bandwagon, Apple should be able to achieve a significant increase in iPad shipments for the next quarter and onwards...

My new iPad review

Sébastien Page ∙ March 23, 2012

When the iPad 2 came out last year, it was like I had fallen in love all over again with Apple's tablet. It was such an improvement over the first iPad that I couldn't let go of it for more than a few instants. Of course, the novelty stir wore off, and after a few weeks, I started dreaming about what the iPad 3 could look like or what new features it would come loaded with. Surely, Apple would awe me again.

The Retina display was without a doubt the number one feature I expected from the iPad 3, so you can imagine my excitement when Apple confirmed the new iPad would come with a 2048x1536 display, packing more than 3 million pixels. After all, I don't need much from a tablet. All I do with it is browse the web, read news, reply to emails, tweet, and my new hobby, editing pictures shot with my iPhone. So really the Retina display is all I wanted, although I'd be lying if I said I didn't expect Apple to amaze me with features I hadn't even thought of.

And maybe that's one of the problems we have with every Apple product launch. We expect too much. The company has set the bar so high, so quickly, that we're always waiting for them to give us more, more, more, and more. We're expecting the unexpectable.

Did I, like many others, expect too much from the new iPad?

Let me share with you my thoughts about Apple's new tablet, now that I've been using it for a week. And for those of you thinking this is going to be the same old review you've read 27 times praising the merits of the new iPad, you're wrong. You've heard every possible compliment about the new iPad, so I'll try to give you a more captious point of view...

Apple updates Trailers app for Retina iPad, Netflix promises high-def streaming “soon”

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 23, 2012

Ahead of the original iPad introduction in the April of 2010, the blogosphere had been abuzz over an unnamed Hollywood exec who allegedly saw a prototype in person and claimed the product would be awesome for watching movies. It ended up being quite enjoyable for this purpose, but hardly awesome due its modest 1024-by-768 pixel resolution.

Fast-forward to today and the new iPad, which has a million more pixels than an HDTV, is perfect for watching Hollywood movies in all their 1080 glory. As developers of popular apps update their offerings with Retina support, Apple isn't wasting time neither. Yesterday, the company issued an update to its iTunes Movie Trailers app, basically a pretty-fied frontend to its movie trailers page released last October.

At the same time, Netflix pushed an update to its video streaming client for iOS with support for Retina graphics. Though the program does not enable high-definition video streaming yet, it's in the works and should follow "soon"...