iOS

Apple Seeds iOS 5.1 Beta to Developers

Cody Lee ∙ Updated February 24, 2017

Apple has just seeded the iOS 5.1 beta to developers a little over a month after releasing iOS 5. As most of you are aware, the software was crippled right out of the gate with a number of issues, including poor battery performance and Wi-Fi problems.

Two weeks ago, Apple finally released iOS 5.0.1 to the public after multiple developer betas. The new software was supposed to patch the battery bug, but the company later admitted that it didn't completely resolve the issue. Will iOS 5.1 finally fix these flaws?

iPhone Owners Are More Loyal Than Android Owners

Oliver Haslam ∙ November 25, 2011

We love our iPhones here at iDB, and even if we do play with an Android or Windows Phone 7 device here and there, we always come back to our iDevices without fail.

According to a new study by research firm GfK, we're not the only ones captivated by our fruity phones. The report claims that of the survey's 4,500 participants across Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, China, the United States, and Japan, 84% of current iPhone owners said they would buy another iPhone in the next twelve months.

That number drops to a comparatively low 60% for Android users...

iOS 5 Causing Loss of Wi-Fi Connectivity For Some Users

Oliver Haslam ∙ Updated October 10, 2018

Apple's introduction of iOS 5 has been accompanied by plenty of problems. Launched alongside the iPhone 4S, iOS 5 has been blamed for all kinds of things, but most prominently a considerable loss of battery performance.

Apple may have another potential problem on its hands, with reports beginning to crop up of iOS 5 devices struggling to connect to Wi-Fi networks. Even when a iOS 5 device does join a Wi-Fi network, users are reporting flakey connections that constantly drop.

As with the infamous battery problems that have plagued the newest release of Apple's mobile OS, this issue appears to span across all of Apple's 'i' products, and not just the new iPhone 4S...

Apple Seeds iOS 4.4.3 Update for Apple TV

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 3, 2018

Heads up Apple TV owners: Apple has just seeded iOS 4.4.3. The update appears to be another maintenance release, as we haven't spotted any major new features or differences in the software.

For those of you keeping track, this is the fourth update the company has released for its Apple TV platform within the last month. Each release has brought about specific bug fixes. So, what does the new iOS 4.4.3 bring?

Google Announces 200 Million Android Activations, Still Trails iOS

Cody Lee ∙ November 17, 2011

In the great debate on Android vs. iOS, Android's market share is always brought up in favor of the Google-backed OS. Recent studies show that Android has a staggering lead over iOS, accounting for more than 50% of all smartphone sales.

A lot of that has to do with the spark in growth Android has experienced over the last 6 months due, at least in part, to Apple's delayed iPhone announcement. But even with its recent successes, Google's mobile platform still trails iOS in total number of devices...

You Can Take Free iOS Developer Courses From Stanford University Through iTunes U

Cody Lee ∙ November 17, 2011

When the App Store launched in the Summer of 2008, it turned (some) developers into millionaires practically overnight. Steve Demeter, the creator of Trism, reportedly earned a cool quarter million in just two months from his app sales.

And the number of success stories has multiplied over the last few years, as both the iOS platform and App Store have grown exponentially. Needless to say, business is good. So good, in fact, that more and more people are looking to get into app development...

Android Malware Up a Shy 472% Since Last Summer

Cody Lee ∙ Updated June 25, 2016

For years, security firms have agreed that iOS is one of the most secure mobile platforms in existence. Apple's stringent app approval process and the limited API access it gives to third party developers has proven effective in keeping iOS safe from malware.

Google takes the exact opposite approach with its Android operating system. And while that's proven effective in drawing in iOS defectors who don't appreciate Apple's 'walled garden' of an operating system, it also leaves its users susceptible to malicious software...

Readability Takes On Instapaper by Going Free, New iOS App On the Way

Alex Heath ∙ Updated February 21, 2018

Popular online reading service Readability has announced several big changes, including the long-awaited release of a native iOS app in the App Store. Not only that, but Readability will now be free for everyone, with users able to subscribe for a small fee to gain access to the "premium" experience.

Like Instapaper and Read It Later, Readability makes it easy to save and read articles online across a variety of devices. While many of the platforms' features overlap, Readability offers several things that services like Instapaper do not.

iOS Loses Market Share to Android in Recent Quarter

Guest Author ∙ November 15, 2011

Despite the 17.3 million units pushed in the third quarter this year, Apple's iOS platform has actually lost market share to Google's Android, according to Gartner. The iOS platform made up 15% of the market, which is a 1.6% loss from last year's third quarter. This loss comes contrasts with the huge growth that Android has seen this last quarter, with the little green robot doubling its shares since last year and making up over 50% of all smartphones sold in the three-month period.

Although Apple held its ground with a significant year over year increase in sales, it's very evident that the Android platform is expanding quickly. Nokia's Symbian platform has taken a hard loss this quarter, bringing in less than half of what it did last year. RIM, also saw a 4% decrease, going from 15.4% market share to only 11% this year.

So, what does that mean for our beloved iPhone?

Do Device Specs Really Matter Anymore?

Cody Lee ∙ Updated August 24, 2016

There has been one constant among the onslaught of Kindle Fire reviews we've seen over the last few days (it launches today): iPad comparisons. Amazon's new slate has been, and continues to be, constantly compared to Apple's iPad.

As typical with head-to-head match-ups, reviewers have broken out the spec sheets to see how each device measures up. But do specs even really matter anymore? Several tech writers have been asking this lately, and they've been making some valid points...