iPhone

Stay up-to-date on the latest iPhone news and learn new tips and tricks with our comprehensive tutorials. From software updates to new features, we’ve got you covered.

Revamp your Lock screen’s battery charging display with Charge

Anthony Bouchard ∙ May 31, 2017

Any time you plug your locked iOS device into a power source, a full-screen charging view with a large battery icon and the percentage you have remaining appears. It’s a simple UI, but one jailbreak developer thought they could do better.

A new jailbreak tweak dubbed Charge by iOS developer Mr Smith, supercharges your Lock screen’s charging view with a bevy of aesthetically-pleasing features. Not only does it provide a dreamy interface for minimalists, but it offers more information at a glance than the stock interface does.

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Colorize your iPhone’s toggle switches with SwitchTint

Anthony Bouchard ∙ May 31, 2017

I've always been a fan of simple customization jailbreak tweaks, and one of the latest releases to catch my eye is one called SwitchTint by iOS developer Justin Petkovic.

This tweak lets you add a splash of color to all the toggle switches you’ll find throughout iOS, allowing you to add a personal touch to your own device in a subtle way.

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WWDC app updated with curated video playlists, interactive venue and street maps & more

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 30, 2017

Apple today updated its WWDC app for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch with curated video playlist, interactive venue and street maps and other content ahead of the June 5 keynote.

“We’ve made several app updates to improve your experience in 2017, whether you’re attending or following along remotely,” reads the changelog accompanying the download.

Bumped to version 6.0, the app lets you watch curated video playlists focused on featured themes, as well as view interactive venue and street maps of San Jose McEnery Convention Center and access other important venue information through the new Venue tab.

Unlike before, you can now use all app features without signing in.

Lastly, Apple has given the app an Apple Music-like facelift with bold headings, larger images and simplified navigation, as evidenced by the screenshots.

The WWDC app supports all form-factor iOS devices natively and includes a sticker pack for iMessage and an Apple Watch component.

You can download it free on App Store.

The keynote will be live-streamed through the Apple Developer website and on the WWDC app.

The Cupertino giant could unveil its own Siri speaker at WWDC and potentially unveil hardware updates to the iPad Pro lineup and a next-generation Apple TV with 4K video support.

Check out our WWDC 2017-themed wallpapers for your Apple hardware.

Even if you plan on watching the keynote, be sure to join us here at iDownloadBlog that Monday as we’ll be covering all things WWDC throughout the entire week.

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Apple shares 3 new ‘Switch to iPhone’ ads

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 29, 2017

Apple on Monday shared a trio of geeky ads that are part of its new campaign aimed at persuading Android users to make the leap to the iconic smartphone. Published on Apple's official YouTube channel, the new mini-ads, running sixteen seconds each, promote the company's ability to roll out important security fixes fast via iOS software updates.

Apple is also praising the smartphone's smooth, stutter-free performance while highlighting easy contact transfer via the Move to iOS app for those who would gladly switch to an iPhone.

Smooth

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQy2heNOhe8

“We design the hardware and the software so your iPhone just works,” says Apple.

Security

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AszkLviSLlg

“Access to the latest updates keeps your iPhone secure,” reads the description.

Contacts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUWLszbCBF8

“Switch to iPhone,” reads the video's description. “The Move to iOS app makes it simple to move your contacts, photos, and more to iPhone.”

The new ads use the tagline “Life’s easier when you switch to iPhone” and direct viewers to the recently revamped ”Switch to iPhone” webpage at apple.com/switch.

Apple's mini-website for switchers now includes useful new sections covering topics like in-house designed iPhone chips, powerful cameras, easy of use, customer support and more.

Do you like Apple's new ads? Do they manage to sell folks on the merits of iPhones, do you think? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

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In time for iPhone 9, TSMC’s 7nm tech moving to volume production in 2018

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 29, 2017

Chip foundry Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), which counts Apple as its biggest client, is ready to move its cutting-edge seven-nanometer process technology to volume production in 2018.

According to DigiTimes, an improved version of TSMC's seven-nanometer process using extreme ultraviolet technology will be ready for volume production in 2018, according to company co-CEO CC Wei.

The firm's five-nanometer node is slated to enter risk production in 2019, Wei added.

TSMC currently makes A10 chips for iPhone 7 and is said to be exclusively churning out the upcoming Apple-designed A11 processors for iPhone 8 and other 2017 iOS devices.

TSMC in April reportedly began stockpiling A11 chips for 2017 iPhones.

The firm should step up its pace of inventory building from June onward, said industry sources.

iPhone 8's A11 system-on-a-chip should be built on TSMC's ten-nanometer process technology, yielding faster performance and lower power consumption.

The A11 Fusion chip inside iPhone 7 is being manufactured on TSMC's 16-nanometer node.

Apple is building a brand new chip dedicated to artificial intelligence and machine learning, Bloomberg said recently, but it's unclear if the new chip will make its way into iPhone 8.

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Latest iPhone 8 schematics show a lip at the top where 3D sensors/earpiece are located & more

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 29, 2017

Prolific leakers Benjamin Geskin on Monday shared some fresh new images, allegedly showing off latest iPhone 8 schematics and a CAD rendering based on the technical drawings of the phone. The schematics depict a lip at the top of the handset's OLED display where 3D sensors for the front FaceTime camera along with the earpiece would presumably be located.

On the back, we can see a circle which indicates neither a rear Touch ID sensor nor wireless charging support. According to Geskin, the circle is simply a placeholder for the Apple logo.

And here's a CAD rendering of the device based on the schematics.

Other iPhone 8 features hinted at by this technical drawing include no physical Home button out the front, a vertically-stacked dual-lens camera out the back with an LED flash integrated directly in the bulge, an elongated Power button on the right side and more.

Today, Slashleaks shared a few images showcasing yet another iPhone 8 dummy wrapped in a protective case allegedly “confirming” the device would come with no physical Home button.

It also hints at a Touch ID sensor integrated directly into the display and a vertically-oriented cutout on the back for a redesigned dual-lens camera system, aside from other features.

Apple will preview iOS 11 at WWDC next month.

It'll be interesting seeing what user interface changes Apple has added to iOS to make room for the rumored function area at the bottom of the display and to possibly take advantage of the tiny regions at the top of the device.

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New images show iPhone 8 dummy wrapped in a protective case

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 29, 2017

Accessories vendors are no strangers to designing cases for unreleased iPhone models based on rumors alone, and this particular leak is no exception. Even though we're still months away from iPhone 8's likely introduction this fall, Slahleaks today published a few images of another iPhone 8 dummy wrapped in a protective case.

The dummy unit appears to reflect Apple's rumored final iPhone 8 design with no physical Home button, Touch ID integrated directly into the display and a full-screen face, among other features. A vertically-oriented cutout on the back for a redesigned dual-lens camera system is displayed prominently.

As you can see for yourself, the dummy unit shown on the photos is virtually all glass on the front, with only a physical slit within the OLED display, likely for an embedded earpiece. The side bezels, as per the annotations, should be only three millimeters wide.

It's been speculated that iPhone 8 would use 2.5D cover glass like the iPhone 6/6s/7 series that's slightly rounded on sides rather than have the OLED display extend all the way to the left and right edges of the device, like with Samsung's Galaxy S8. Apple is said to be releasing the iterative LCD-based iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus devices alongside iPhone 8.

Economic Daily News said last week that Apple has solved all technical issues related to its next-generation fingerprint reader, meaning iPhone 8 is likely to integrate an optical fingerprint sensor to enable authentication directly on the handset's OLED screen.

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SpotAngels, Ditty, Gaia GPS, and other apps to check out this weekend

Cody Lee ∙ Updated October 17, 2018

This week's edition of our Apps of the Week roundup includes an app for preventing parking tickets, a musical meme-maker, and an off-road GPS app. And as usual, we have two great new games for you to check out this weekend.

SpotAngels

This isn't a new app, but it's worth checking out for those who aren't familiar with it. SpotAngels detects when you park and sends you alerts if and when you have to move your car. It does this by using your phone's motion sensors and Bluetooth (as it disconnects from your car) to know that you've parked, and then it checks your location against its data base of trouble spots. These include meters, to away zones, street cleaning, permit parking and other rules in dozens of major cities like New York, Dallas and Portland. The app also helps you find free parking around you, and since it's crowd-sourced, anyone can submit an update. SpotAngels is available for free.

Ditty

Here's another not-so-new app that you might find fun to play with this weekend. It's called Ditty, and it allows you to make goofy songs and music videos using a mix of GIFs, photos, videos and more. The app will actually sing anything you type, and there are tons of famous songs to choose from, with new content added weekly. Add your friends to follow their feeds, or post a Ditty yourself for a chance to be featured in the app. Ditty is available for free (with some IAPs).

Gaia GPS

Established GPS apps like Apple Maps and Waze do a nice job of getting you around the streets. But what about getting you around off road? That's where Gaia GPS comes in. This app features a beautiful and well-thought out interface that makes navigating the backcountry simple. Features include worldwide topo, road and satellite maps, syncing of photos, tracks and waypoints, a database with hiking trails, parks and other natural sights, and several customization options. This is a freemium app, and unfortunately most of the features are tucked behind an in-app purchase. But, Gaia has a great track record in this space and the app is getting rave reviews. If you need something like this, check it out. Gaia is available for free (with some IAPs).

Zombie Gunship Survival

The long-awaited sequel to Zombie Gunship is here! Zombie Gunship Survival has you as one of the few survivors in a devastating zombie apocalypse. To stay alive, you must take the gunner seat aboard a heavily-armed AC-130 ground attack aircraft and blow up the undead in this intense, high-definition shooter experience. You'll build up your remote airfield as a base for operations, defend that base, deploy your troops to annihilate the undead, and try to survive one of the most hostile environments ever. This is another freemium title, so there are a lot of in-app purchases, but the game itself has nearly a 5-star App Store rating on 1,200 reviews. Zombie Gunship Survival is available for free.

Goat Simulator PAYDAY

The goat is back! Goat Simulator: Payday is the most criminally realistic goat simulation ever! There are 3 new thugs, including a flying flamingo that can control people's brains, a wheelchairing dolphin that can climb almost any surface, a spitting camel, and of course the goat. You can meet up with your Pranknet crew, buy masks to disguise your identity, carry out "jobs" to collect cash to buy things, and you can even steal and drive cars. There's no real elaborate story line here, just a GTA-style open world adventure game that encourages you to inflict the maximum amount of destruction. Goat Simulator PAYDAY is available for $4.99.

More apps to check out Apple’s free app of the week: klocki You can now drag and drop files on iPad between Readdle’s productivity apps 1Password’s Travel Mode protects your private data from unwarranted searches Not to be outdone by Instagram, Snapchat unveils custom Stories of its own Duet Display brings even more desktop power to your iPad drawing experience YouTube TV app gains AirPlay support New Pokémon game is based on Magikarp, the weakest Pokémon ever At long last, Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer 2017 hits App Store
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Minimalists can put the Settings app on a diet with SkinnySettings

Anthony Bouchard ∙ May 27, 2017

Most people use the Settings app on a daily basis given just how much functionality is packed inside of it from both Apple and the jailbreak tweaks you’ve installed from Cydia.

That said, if you find the Settings app is more cluttered up than it needs to be out of the box, then you might like the concept behind a new free jailbreak tweak called SkinnySettings by CydiaGeek.

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Vibrancy makes your Lock screen clock subtler

Anthony Bouchard ∙ May 27, 2017

Given just how often people use their Lock screen clock to see what time it is, it’s a shame that Apple doesn’t give users visual customization options to tailor its looks around the user's personality.

Nevertheless, those with a jailbreak can use a new free jailbreak tweak dubbed Vibrancy (iOS 10) by iOS developer NeinZedd9 to make the Lock screen clock text subtler, giving the illusion that the time is fading away into the wallpaper.

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