iOS

Apple and Cisco form partnership to ‘deliver fast lane’ for iOS enterprise users

In a press release issued Monday, Apple announced a partnership with network giant Cisco designed to deliver “fast lane” for iOS enterprise users. The initiative strives to optimize Cisco networks for iOS devices and apps and integrate the iPhone with Cisco enterprise environments.

The goal is to “provide unique collaboration” opportunities to enterprise customers on the iPhone and iPad.

iOS 8 adoption rate slowing down ahead of iOS 9, now sits at 86 percent

Our tracking of iOS 8 adoption rates continues with the newest update from the App Store dashboard indicating that the company's mobile operating system is now powering an impressive 86 percent of the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad devices in the wild, as measured by the App Store on August 17, 2015.

iOS 7 continues to account for thirteen percent of iOS devices, with older iOS versions continuing to scrape out a mere two percent. A month ago, iOS 8 adoption stood at the 85 percent mark and iOS 7 comprised thirteen percent of iOS hardware in the wild.

Why Force Touch makes sense for iOS platform

Yesterday's report by a credible outlet provided an interesting outline of how Force Touch works and feels under iOS and on Apple's upcoming 'iPhone 6s' and 'iPhone 6s Plus' smartphones. The basic premise behind outfitting an iPhone with a force-sensing screen is making user interface interactions faster with focus on shortcuts.

But there are still plenty of doubters out there who don't think Force Touch iPhones make much sense, arguing the technology is but a marketing gimmick which doesn't provide any benefit versus long-tapping items on the screen.

While there's some merits to those voices, I'm inclined to think they're missing the big picture and here's why.

Sources reveal how Force Touch works and feels on upcoming iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus

Multiple credible sources are adamant that Apple's upcoming 'iPhone 6s' and 'iPhone 6s Plus' smartphones will come outfitted with a screen which responds to pressure. Additionally, there 's some pretty solid evidence out there that iOS 9 on these new iPhones will feature built-in Force Touch support, potentially indicating a wider roll-out of the feature on future iOS devices.

And now, sources who spoke with 9to5Mac's Mark Gurman have provided interesting tidbits related to how Force Touch works and feels under iOS.

iOS 8 adoption rate grows to 85% of devices

As measured by the App Store on July 20, 2015, iOS 8 is now powering 85 percent of iPhone, iPod touch and iPad devices in the wild.

iOS 7 has dropped from fourteen percent of devices a month ago to thirteen percent of iPhones, iPads and iPod touches in the wild. Earlier iOS releases continue to comprise a meager 2 percent of installed hardware.

We've been tracking iOS 8 adoption rates for months now and to call this an impressive achievement would be an understatement given iOS 8 hit a mere ten months ago.

How to disable Apple Music Connect

If you choose to hide Apple Music on an iPhone, iPod touch or iPad, the Music app gains a new Connect tab.

Described by Apple as a place where “musicians give their fans a closer look at their work, their inspirations, and their world,”Apple Music Connect permits music lovers to view and follow an artist's stream, like and comment on their posts and more.

Apple Music Connect is basically Ping 2.0. The feature is a tad crude in appearance and feels rough around the edges so little wonder that some folks don't view Connect as valuable enough for it to deserve its own tab.

Wouldn't it be great if you could get rid of the Connect tab? Thankfully, there is.

You'd be forgiven for thinking that the Connect feature couldn't be disabled: Apple has made sure to burry and hide it in an obscure place. In this post, I'm going to explain precisely how you can disconnect from Connect in Apple Music on iPhone, iPod touch, iPad or Mac.

A look at Apple’s new, more secure 2-factor authentication in iOS 9 and El Capitan

At WWDC, Apple has made a promise to step up security with native two-factor authentication in iOS 9 and OS X El Capitan. Before today, the feature was unavailable on iOS 9 betas prior to beta 3.

But with today's release of iOS 9 beta 3, the new system has made its debut, with some users offered the option to upgrade their Apple ID to use the new two-factor authentication.

Here's what you need to know about this new system, how it increases your security and how it's different from Apple's existing two-step verification process.

iOS 8 adoption flat at 84 percent, but iOS 8.4 matches Android KitKat and Jelly Bean adoption

A history of iOS 8 usage paints a rosy picture of more or less steady adoption of Apple's latest and greatest mobile operating system. But according to latest data published Wednesday on Apple’s dashboard for developers, iOS 8 adoption rates have remained flat at 84 percent of iPhone, iPod touch and iPad devices in the wild, as measured by the App Store on July 6, 2015.

Two weeks ago, the same 84 percent figure was captured by Apple, indicating that the number of users who have upgraded from previous iOS editions to iOS 8, or bought a new device with iOS 8 pre-installed, wasn't enough to move the needle.

More interesting than that, however, is the latest data point by analysts Mixpanel which basically tells us that the recently-released iOS 8.4 software update now accounts for 40 percent of all iOS usage, just one week after release.

Cool new feature in iOS 9 beta 3: dedicated ‘Selfies’ and ‘Screenshots’ folders in Photos app

Having been combing through the newly released iOS 9 beta 3 for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad in search of new features, I've stumbled upon something that instantly brought a smile to my face: a pair of brand new dedicated folders inside the Photos app.

One aggregates screenshots taken by holding down the power and Home button at the same time. The other is for face shots you take with your iPhone's front-facing camera, as first noted by The Verge.

Apple’s ‘El Capitan’ European trademark filing confusingly includes tablets

Is Apple really readying an iPad that could run both iOS and OS X? The toaster-refrigerator dilemma has been occupying the collective mind of fans who have been keeping their fingers crossed for the convergence of the Mac and iPad ever since the original iPad debuted more than five years ago.

Apple's European trademark filing for ‘El Capitan’ is certainly intriguing, to say the least, as it mentions tablets as one of the devices targeted by the desktop operating system, as revealed yesterday by Patently Apple.

Beats 1, Apple’s new global Internet radio, starts broadcasting with DJ Zane Lowe

Beats 1, Apple's 24/7 radio station, has just started broadcasting live in over a hundred countries around the world following the release of iOS 8.4 with a much improved and revamped Music app with Beats 1 and Apple Music integration.

Available on the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad with iOS 8.4 (and soon on Mac and Windows PCs with an impending iTunes update), Beats 1 is hosted by former BBC Radio DJ Zane Lowe in Los Angeles, with additional actors Ebro Darden in New York and Julie Adenoma in London.