iPod Touch

Hands-on with iOS 11’s overhauled Podcasts app

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated June 14, 2017

Apple's stock Podcasts app has undergone some visual changes in iOS 11. Functionally, a few things have moved around and some new features have been added.

For example, the Unplayed, My Podcasts, Featured, Top Charts and Search tabs lined up alongside the bottom of the interface have been replaced with a new and simpler tab layout: Listen Now, Library, Browse and Search.

Our resident video editor Andrew O'Hara has put together a quick video for you guys to see for yourselves Apple's new design for the Podcasts app on iOS 11.

Watch Andrew's video right below, then meet us in comments.

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

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The Listen Now tab combines podcasts you're subscribed to (previously in the My Podcasts tab), recently played episodes (previously in the Unplayed tab) and shows other people like.

Under the new Library tab, you can easily browse all of the audio and video shows you're subscribed to, as well as individual podcast episodes, ones that have been download to the device and the recently updated episodes of any shows you're following.

The Browse tab is your storefront to the Podcasts section on iTunes.

There, you can swipe through featured podcasts Apple's editors highlight at the top, access the full Featured section, see charts-topping audio and video shows, access the list of major podcast providers and browse all podcasts by category.

The Search tab now lets you choose between searching across podcasts in your library or all shows on iTunes. As evidenced by the screenshots, the redesigned app has adopted a bold font with much bolder headings and other visual cues borrowed from Apple Music on iOS 10.

Another feature iOS 11's Podcasts app has borrowed from Apple Music is a completely revamped mini-player that can be now pressed with 3D Touch to access quick shortcuts pertaining to the currently playing episode.

Other tidbits worth mentioning include larger artwork and other visual tweaks to match the look and feel of other apps inside of iOS 11, as shown on the screenshot top of post. The official Podcasts widget has remained unchanged.

For those wondering, Apple still does not provide Podcasts for Apple Watch.

How do you like these Podcasts app changes on iOS 11?

Let us know by posting a comment below.

Video: Top 6 WWDC 2017 announcements

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 6, 2017

Apple had a pretty big day at yesterday's Worldwide Developers Conference in San Jose, revealing a bunch of new or updated products and technologies that have set the stage for other important hardware announcements this fall.

If you didn't have the time to sit through the entire keynote talk and are wondering about the big takeaways, our video editor Andrew O'Hara has put together a short five-minute video highlighting the top six announcements Apple made during the WWDC 2017 keynote.

Andrew's main topics of interest include:

tvOS 11 with Amazon's Prime video-streaming app coming to Apple TV watchOS 11 with all the major improvements for workouts, notifications and more macOS High Sierra and core technologies aimed at AR/VR content creation iOS 11 with all of the improvements for your iPhone and iPad iPad Pro and iMac Pro changes and enhancements HomePod, Apple's high-end Siri-enabled speaker with hi-fi sound

And here's the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQBulSRR9Fc

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What's your favorite WWDC 2017 announcement so far?

iOS 11 drops support for 32-bit apps

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 6, 2017

During Monday's keynote talk at the Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple introduced iOS 11, the next major software update for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. As previously suspected, the mobile operating system has dropped support for legacy 32-bit apps.

Attempting to launch a 32-bit app on iOS 11 now yields a message, saying “The developer of this app needs to update it to work with iOS 11”. You can tap OK to dismiss the prompt or tap Learn More to open the full list of 32-bit-only apps that are currently installed on the device.

Apple's Clips app, for example, requires a 64-bit iOS device and the new Files app is optimized for 64-bit computing. Starting with iOS 10.3, Apple began naming and shaming legacy apps via a new App Compatibility section in Settings → General → About → Applications.

TUTORIAL: How to identify legacy 32-bit apps on your iOS device

Any previously installed 32-bit apps are no longer available for re-download through the App Store's Purchased tab. Moreover, 32-bit app no longer appear in App Store search.

The time is right to drop support for non-64-bit apps because running legacy 32-bit apps alongside 64-bit ones slows down the system as iOS has to load both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of the kernel and system frameworks in the RAM.

Devices with the Apple-designed A7 or newer chips are 64-bit, including the sixth-gen iPod touch and every iPhone and iPad from their respective iPhone 5s and iPad Air models onward.

In fact, iOS 11 itself won't run on a non-64-bit iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, meaning iPhone 5s, iPad Air and the sixth-generation iPod touch are now the entry-level devices for iOS 11.

Monument Valley 2 hits App Store

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 5, 2017

Monument Valley 2, the official sequel to UsTwo's surreal physics-based game of platforms and perspectives with a twist, is now officially available for download through App Store after being demoed during the WWDC keynote earlier this morning.

The game is priced at $4.99 and supports your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

Thankfully, it features no In-App Purchases whatsoever. Monument Valley 2 is packed to the gills with the artistic backdrops, visuals and gameplay mechanics that have made the original so popular with fans. Like before, the design is inspired by a mixture of architectural styles, artistic movements and personal influences.

In Monument Valley 2, you guide a mother named Ro and her child as they embark on a journey through magical architecture, discovering illusionary pathways and delightful puzzles as you learn the secrets of the Sacred Geometry, according to the app's description.

Check out my colleague Andrew's video hands-on with Monument Valley 2.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3A1ySdcHDY8

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The impossible world of Monument Valley 2 has you manipulating architecture to help guide Ro and her child on their way. This is a completely new and standalone adventure set in the Monument Valley universe, meaning you don’t need to have previously played Monument Valley to enjoy the sequel.

Augmenting the individually crafted levels with meditative puzzles, new interactions let you explore the changing dynamics between characters.

“Immerse yourself in uniquely melodic interactive soundscapes, tailored perfectly to every step of Ro and her child’s journey,” reads the description.

The original game was named Apple's Game of the Year 2014.

Buy Monument Valley 2 for $4.99 on App Store. It requires iOS 9 or later.

The original Monument Valley game currently sells for $3.99 on App Store.

Can your iPhone or iPad run iOS 11?

Anthony Bouchard ∙ Updated September 18, 2017

iOS 11 makes your iPhone and iPad more powerful, personal and intelligent than ever before. You might be wondering if you have the device requirements to install it. Fortunately, we're here to answer that question.

Apple promoting WWDC 2017 with themed Snapchat geofilters

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 5, 2017

With the live-streamed WWDC keynote almost upon us, Apple has now created a bespoke Snapchat geofilter to help promote this year's developers conference. The sponsored WWDC 2017-themed geofilter automatically appears for Snapchat users who find themselves near the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose.

As first noted by 9to5Mac, the filter is available when sharing photos or videos with other Snapchat users. Simply choose it from the list of Snapchat filters to have Apple's official WWDC 2017 banner design applied to your item. Again, this is a filter that uses geofencing so only people attending this year's developer conference will see it in Snapchat.

The same stickers can be found in iMessage via Apple's official WWDC app, as shown above.

Snapchat is available at no charge from App Store.

App Store placeholder listing for Apple Files app appears briefly ahead of WWDC keynote

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated July 15, 2017

A placeholder listing for a new Apple Files app has briefly appeared on App Store ahead of today's live-streamed WWDC keynote, as spotted by iOS developer Steven Troughton-Smith late Sunday. It's surfaced in the Utilities section of App Store and has since been removed.

No screenshots or the official description were provided.

The app requires iOS 11 and 64-bit support and is designed for both iPhone and iPad. It sports a blue file folder icon resembling the design for folder icons in macOS. It's entirely possible that the new Files app is really just a rebranded version of the existing iCloud Drive app.

It's unclear if the forthcoming app will be a new stock item in iOS 11 or an optional download. If I had to guess, I'd say it will likely come pre-installed with iOS 11. Since iOS 10, Apple has allowed users to hide most of the stock apps from their Home screen.

To help users easily re-install any removed stock apps, Apple has provided all of its first-party iOS apps that are removable as downloadable App Store items. iOS 11 will be previewed at WWDC later today along with tvOS 11, watchOS 4 and macOS 10.13.

Apple: App Store developers earned over $70 billion in revenue since debut

Anthony Bouchard ∙ June 1, 2017

Apple announced Thursday morning that developers all over the world for its platform have generated over $70 billion in total revenue, a new record since the launch of the App Store almost nine years ago in 2008.

The number 70 appears to be Apple’s lucky number this year, as app downloads have also soared 70% in the last 12 months, illustrating interest in numerous new app titles that took the App Store by storm.

Apple is giving away popular platformer Chameleon Run via Apple Store app

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 17, 2018

Chameleon Run, the popular auto runner by developer Noodlecake Studios, is now available at no charge for the next two weeks but only through the official Apple Store app.

On App Store, the game currently sells for $0.99.

If you haven't had a chance to grab Chameleon Run back in February when Apple featured it on App Store as part of its weekly Free App of the Week promotion, download the official Apple Store app now to claim your free copy of this awesome platformer with a colorful twist.

This promotion will expire on June 15, 2017.

Featuring smooth execution, this fast-paced auto runner requires you to switch your character's color to match the ground as you run and jump from platform to platform.

The game's expertly crafted levels “will have you running back for more”.

Chameleon Run features pixel-perfect physics, simple two-button controls, fun jumping mechanics with special moves (i.e. “double jump”, “head jump” and so forth), non-linear levels with three special objectives in each one and other perks.

It plays especially well on the fourth-generation Apple TV.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrIAedC-wJY

To claim your free copy of Chameleon Run, first download the official Apple Store app.

Next, launch the Apple Store app and tap the Discover tab at the bottom. Scroll halfway down until you spot the Chameleon Run offer, then tap “Download now for free”.

You should see an overlay offering basic information about the game.

Tap the blue Download Now For Free button at the bottom to continue.

You'll be asked if you'd like to finish redeeming your gift in App Store. Hit Continue to bring up the game's App Store page, then hit Redeem to claim your free copy of Chameleon Run. Once you've successfully redeemed the promo code, hit Done.

The game should begin downloading to your device. Chameleon Run supports iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Apple TV. As always, you can use the App Store's Purchased section to re-download the game to your Apple TV and other iOS devices using the same Apple ID.

Keep in mind that you must use the Apple Store app in order to grab this freebie. On App Store, Chameleon Run is currently 99 cents after a fifty percent discount, valid for one week only.

Easily manage all your YouTube notifications via all-new Activity tab

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 31, 2017

Google is rolling out a small update to its mobile YouTube app for iPhone and iPad, bringing out an all-new Activity tab where you can easily find and control all of your notifications.

Now you can see your notifications, opt-out of receiving alerts from specific accounts and more—all in one central place just a tap away no matter where you happen to be in the app.

The new tab joins the app's existing tabs: Home, Trending, Subscriptions and Library.

Before today, accessing notifications was a multi-tap affair: you were required to tap your profile picture in the app's top-right corner, then hit Notifications (see the screenshot below).

Functionally, nothing has changed drastically—the new Activity section still shows notifications from your favorite accounts in the order they were received.

The old way of managing your YouTube notifications was a multi-tap affair.

Tapping the three dots next to a notification allows you to hide that particular notification, just like before, as well as elect to turn off all future notifications for that account and more.

Tapping the option See All Settings takes you to settings where you can turn notifications on or off for any recommended videos, choose whether you'd like to be notified about activity on your comments or others' videos, select how you'd like to be notified and more.

The new Activity tab requires YouTube for iOS version 12.20 or later.

Grab YouTube for iOS for free form App Store.

Twitter’s inbox now separates out messages from people you don’t follow

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 31, 2017

Twitter is rolling out a new inbox section which it says is designed to separate direct messages from people you do and don’t follow, making it easier to accept or delete unsolicited chats.

“If you’ve opted-in to get Direct Messages from anyone, messages from people you don’t follow will go into Requests in the Messages tab,” wrote the company in a tweet yesterday.

New group chats you’re added to by people you don’t follow will also appear in Requests.

Upon entering the chat, you'll be asked to either Delete or Accept the message. Accepting the chat moves it to your inbox, allowing you to continue the conversation with that person.

“Please note that they will not know you have seen the message until you have accepted their request,” said Twitter. All media will be hidden prior to accepting the message.

If you wish to view any hidden media, tap the View Media option.

https://twitter.com/Twitter/status/869608493548011520

Conversely, deleting the message removes it from the inbox although that account is still able to message you in the future unless you block or report it. These new features are available on the mobile Twitter app for iOS and Android and on twitter.com.

TUTORIAL: How to find Messenger chats you didn't know existed

Facebook-owned Messenger introduced a similar feature back in October 2015, replacing the “Other” inbox with a Message Requests section that brought all the messages from people you’re not friends with on Facebook in one central place, separate from your regular chats.

Grab Twitter for iOS for free from App Store.

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.