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.

Facebook could let you subscribe to news publications directly from the app

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 12, 2017

Facebook is working on a new feature to permit users to subscribe to news publications directly from its mainland mobile app. According to a report this morning from The Wall Street Journal, many details remain up in the air as discussions are currently underway.

The company is allegedly leaning toward a model that would let you read certain articles for free every month, before being prompted to pay. There's a catch: Facebook is said to limit this to the stories published natively through its Instant Articles service.

With that in mind, it may be no coincidence at all that Facebook recently launched new tools to help publishers make their Instant Articles compatible with the Apple News format as well as with Google's Accelerated Mobile Pages system.

This new functionality could roll out by the end of 2017, sources said. People familiar with the matter pointed out that the upcoming feature has long been requested by publishers.

While users currently can follow different news organizations, the rumored feature would permit them to use their credit card information on file with Facebook to directly subscribe to a news publication and have any subscriber-only content delivered to them through the app.

The development, if true, should pose some additional challenges to Google News platform as more and more people turn to Facebook for their daily news.

Image: Facebook's recent redesign of Trending pages.

Claimed cases for 10.5″ and 12.9″ iPad Pro suggest rear microphone and stereo speakers

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 22, 2017

Cases for Apple's new 10.5-inch iPad Pro model and a next-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro are circulating the web today, showing rear microphone holes like on the recently unveiled $329 iPad model and cutouts for stereo speakers. Made by a third-party vendor, the design of these cases is based on information allegedly obtained from Apple's contract manufacturer Foxconn.

The current-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro features the microphone cutout on the right side of the device. The images depict four large cutouts for what appears to be stereo speakers, two at the top of the wooden case and two at the bottom of the device on both sides of the Lightning port.

The cases include cutouts for the 3.5mm headphone jack on both the 10.5-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Published by leakster Benjamin Geskin, the photos also indicate that there may not be new iPad mini models this year.

According to BGR, the iPad mini lineup has just been “sized out of its own category,” prompting the Cupertino company to stop updating the device and phase it out gradually due to its constantly decreasing sales.

The 10.5-inch iPad model is expected to feature narrower side bezels so that the 10.5-inch display could be fitted inside a body roughly the size of the current 9.7-inch iPad models.

Apple boosts production of 10.5″ iPad Pro ahead of rumored WWDC reveal

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 23, 2018

Apple has boosted production of a rumored 10.5-inch iPad Pro model ahead of the tablet's supposed reveal at the company's annual pilgrimage for developers next month, Taiwanese trade publication DigiTimes said Friday.

The device's monthly shipment volume is now expected to grow to 600,000 units in July, up from around 500,000 units currently. The Cupertino company is hoping to achieve annual shipments of the new tablet in excess of five million units in 2017.

The 10.5-inch iPad Pro model reportedly entered mass production in March-April.

Watchers expect demand for the recently launched $329 iPad model “to pick up strongly” starting at the end of the quarter, reaching its peak in the next quarter when the device's monthly shipments could pass four million units in June and July, the market watchers noted.

As for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro model, Apple is expected to update its highest-resolution iOS device at some point this year, with some supply chain sources saying a second-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro model could enter mass production in June.

“Sources from the upstream supply chain noted that Apple's inexpensive 9.7-inch iPad is expected to accelerate Apple's pace on phasing out the iPad mini 4 from the market,” as was rumored earlier this week.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knJNtkRyO9E

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Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo gave the 10.5-inch iPad Pro model 70-30 odds of being announced at Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference next month.

In a recent note to clients, Kuo wrote that Apple’s engineers were able to squeeze a 10.5-inch display into a form factor similar to the existing 9.7-inch iPad models due to the narrower side bezels on the upcoming tablet.

“The newly designed 10.5-inch iPad Pro will have a similar form factor to the 9.7-inch model, but will feature a larger display thanks to narrow bezels,” said the analyst.

Kuo believes that the overhauled design of the device should help improve the user experience and boost traction in the corporate and commercial sectors.

Apple has reportedly commissioned Foxconn to assemble the 10.5-inch iPad Pro model.

General Interface Solution will be the sole supplier of touch panels for the device.

The same supplier provides 3D Touch components for existing iPhones and is said to have landed orders for the three times pricier 3D Touch parts for the OLED-based iPhone 8 model.

KGI forecast 10.5-inch iPad Pro shipments of five to six million units in fiscal 2017, accounting for fifteen percent of total fiscal 2017 iPad shipments.

Image: 9.7-inch iPad Pro with a 10.5-inch piece of paper overlaid via Dan Provost.

Apple rumored to discontinue iPad mini

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 16, 2017

First introduced in 2012, Apple’s 7.9-inch iPad mini won't be updated going forward because the company is phasing out the device due to decreasing sales. A source close to the iPhone maker told BGR there’s “fierce cannibalism of Apple's own products” and that the iPad mini lineup has just been “sized out of its own category.”

The report does not detail when the device might be discontinued.

“We’re also told that the numbers are 'very clear' as far as sales are concerned, which is most likely the biggest reason the company plans to eliminate the littlest iPad,” reads the article.

Following the introduction of the new 9.7-inch iPad model in March 2017, Apple phased out both the original iPad mini and iPad Air 2 models.

Apple could unveil a new 10.5-inch iPad Pro at its annual developers conference next month. It's perfectly plausible that iPad mini won't be featured on Tim Cook's “2017 iPad lineup” slide.

The Cupertino company currently offers iPad mini 4 with Wi-Fi and 128 gigabytes of storage for $399. An LTE-enabled model goes for $529. Apple killed the 32-gigabyte iPad mini 4 edition after debuting the new 9.7-inch iPad model.

Japanese blog Mac Otakara claimed last October that Apple could release a fifth-generation iPad mini and market it as the 7.9-inch “iPad mini Pro.”

At any rate, iPad mini made a great choice for budget shoppers.

But with the September 2014 introduction of larger-screened iPhones, iPad mini has slowly but surely been losing its allure as a device that's perfectly suited for light tasks such as reading, checking email, browsing the web, gaming, messaging and so forth.

Should Apple discontinue iPad mini?

Instagram rolls out selfie filters, rewind option for videos, hashtag sticker & eraser brush

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 16, 2017

Instagram today announced several new capabilities for its mobile app, including selfie filters via the front-facing camera in what appears to be yet another effort to copy the last big Snapchat feature. Aside from face filters, Instagram 10.21 also includes a rewind playback option for videos, a new hashtag sticker an an eraser brush tool.

Face filters

With all-new face filters in the Instagram camera, you can turn an ordinary selfie into something fun and entertaining. A total of eight different face filters are included at launch, with more to be added at a later stage via future updates. To get started with this feature, tap the new face icon in the bottom-right corner of the Instagram camera.

Simply tap a filter to try it on.

The filters include effects ranging from math equations swirling around your head to furry koala ears that move and twitch. “Whether you're sitting on the couch at home or out and about, face filters help you express yourself and have playful conversations with friends,” noted the Facebook-owned company.

https://vimeo.com/217551217

Some of the filters work with a friend.

Moreover, all the face filters included in this edition of Instagram work with Boomerang, meaning you can now add an unexpected twist to the videos you share.

Rewind option for videos

Instagram also provides a new Rewind playback option for videos.

A new camera format next to “Boomerang” and “Hands-Free”, “Rewind” lets you share a rewind of your video. This mode captures your video normally, then makes it play in reverse.

Hashtag stickers

A new hashtag sticker joins Instagram's existing stickers and geofilters. To get started with it, tap the sticker icon in the top-right corner, then choose and customize the new hashtag sticker before adding it to your own Story.

Like with mentions, you can add hashtags using regular text as well.

Hashtag stickers are interactive: folks watching your Story can tap the hashtag sticker or text to visit the hashtag page and explore related posts.

Eraser tool

With the new eraser brush, you can remove parts of drawings or color.

Instagram advises selecting the fill tool after you’ve taken a photo or video to fill the entire screen with color. Then, using the new Eraser tool, you can easily and quite creatively reveal parts of your photo or video underneath.

These new features are available as part of Instagram 10.21 for iOS.

To learn more about these updates, check out Instagram's Help Center.

Instagram is available at no charge from App Store.

Google could launch Assistant for iOS soon as a standalone app

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 15, 2017

After unveiling Assistant at Google I/O a year ago, the search giant is now expected to bring its AI conversational helper to iPhone and iPad in the form of a standalone app, AndroidPolice reported Monday. The app should be announced at Google's annual developers conference, which kicks off on Wednesday, May 17, at Shoreline Amphitheatre Mountain View in California.

Assistant for iOS will only be available in the US at launch, said a trusted source cited in the report. Assistant's SDK was just made available to developers so bringing the app to Apple's mobile platform could encourage more developers to integrate with its functionality.

Here's an excerpt from the article:

The app would likely feature a blend of the "chat" style functionality in the Google Allo version of Assistant and the voice-controlled version found on Android, but again, details are scant.

Rather than roll out Assistant as a standalone app, Google could fold its functionality into the existing search app for iOS, which supports Google Now cards but not Assistant.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wsic12MXlsc

A company executive hinted two months ago that Google's general philosophy is that “we would like to have the Assistant available to as many people as possible.”

After debuting exclusively on Google's Pixel line of smartphones in October of last year, Google Assistant soon after made its way into into Google’s voice-activated speaker, called Home, the latest version of Android Wear and a few devices from third-party vendors.

It powers AI features in Google's messaging app Allo and will be at the heart of the new Android operating system for touchscreen car consoles and in-car infotainment systems.

You can expect the feature to become integrated over time into virtually every major device Google makes, as well as into its most important consumer-facing services and mobile apps.

Fully functional original iPad prototype shown on leaked photos

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 15, 2017

Australian leakster Sonny Dickson today shared claimed photographs that allegedly show a fully functional engineering prototype of Apple's original iPad model. You may remember Dickson as he was behind other leaks and in the past provided us with photographs of an early iPhone prototype with a click-wheel.

Dating back to six months before launch, the prototype unit shown on the images runs Apple's internal diagnostics software, called SwitchBoard. It was allegedly manufactured in January 2010, approximately six months prior to the launch of the device, Dickson told 9to5Mac.

“According to the owner, the unit was discovered several years ago in the Bay Area, enclosed in a thick metal case to disguise its appearance,” he said.

As you can see for yourself, the Apple logo on the prototype's rear side features some sort of etching.

Other things we can glean from the images include the prototype serial numbers, Apple Development Team prototype identification stickers, engineering asset tags identifying the manufacturer of each part, cutouts revealing the Wi-Fi antenna connections and more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knJNtkRyO9E

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“On the front side of the iPad, the corresponding Development Team ID number is laser engraved into the glass in three places,” Dickson noted.

Seven years since debuting the original iPad, Apple is poised to launch a brand new 10.5-inch model at its upcoming annual developers conference in June. The device is expected to have a similar form factor to the 9.7-inch iPad model, but with a larger 10.5-inch display thanks to the narrower side bezels.

KGI: 70% likelihood that Apple will unveil 10.5″ iPad Pro at WWDC next month

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 23, 2018

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says there's over 70 percent likelihood that Apple's rumored 10.5-inch iPad Pro with a redesigned chassis is formally announced at the June 5 WWDC keynote as suppliers are gearing up for volume production in early June.

In his Saturday research note to clients, titled “2017 WWDC highlights” and seen by MacRumors, the analyst wrote that Apple's engineers were able to squeeze a 10.5-inch display into a similar form factor to the existing 9.7-inch iPads due to the narrower side bezels on the upcoming 10.5-inch iPad Pro model.

Here's an excerpt from the note:

The newly designed 10.5-inch iPad Pro will have a similar form factor to the 9.7-inch model, but will feature a larger display thanks to narrow bezels. The new design should improve the user experience and help gain traction in the corporate and commercial sectors.

He added that Foxconn will be assemble the new device, while GIS will be the sole supplier of touch panel modules. KGI forecast 10.5-inch iPad Pro shipments of five to six million units in fiscal 2017, accounting for fifteen percent of total fiscal 2017 iPad shipments.

The analyst did not specify if the upcoming device will have the traditional LCD screen or one based on AMOLED display technology like iPhone 8. For what it's worth, Kuo said in August 2016 that a “revolutionary” iPad model with flexible AMOLED panels and other “radical changes” in form factor design shouldn't be expected before 2018.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knJNtkRyO9E

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For the sake of completeness, we should mentioned that KGI speculated last October that the device would sport the same 2,7320-by-2,048 pixel resolution as the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, with the same pixel density as the iPad mini 4 at 326 pixels per inch.

At that resolution, the width of the 10.5-inch iPad model would be the same height as the current iPad mini models, meaning users could be able to run two full-sized windows side-by-side in iOS’s Split View multitasking mode.

Raymond Soneira, a display expert and president of DisplayMate Technologies, thinks that if the new 10.5-inch iPad shrinks the bezel and keeps the outside dimensions the same, then the display aspect ratio will increase from the current 1.33 to as high as 1.50.

“The screen area would then increase by up to 31 percent. However, with no bezel at all the screen diagonal would then be 11.2 inches for the same outside dimensions as the current 9.7-inch iPad model with the rounded corners,” he added.

WWDC kicks off with a keynote address at 10:00am Pacific Time on Monday, June 5.

Image: 9.7-inch iPad Pro with a 10.5-inch piece of paper overlaid via Dan Provost.

Facebook Messenger gaining curated Discover tab

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 18, 2017

Facebook’s annual developers conference, F8, is underway this week and the social networking firm just announced that its mobile Messenger app is gaining a new tab to help users find their recently used bots, nearby places and businesses to message. Titled Discover, the new tab has started to roll out to a few people in the US today ahead of wider availability.

Lara Croft GO gains new levels and iMessage sticker pack via Mirror of Spirits update

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 13, 2017

Developer Square Enix this morning issued a new content update to its turn-based isometric puzzle mobile game, Lara Croft GO. Bumping version number to 2.1.7, the game now lets you take Lara through a whole new journey in an alternate reality. Specifically, the update brings out a whole new chapter named Mirror of Spirits with 25 new puzzles and three new mechanics. As a bonus, players get a brand new Lara-themed sticker pack for iMessage. The update is available at no additional charge to those who have purchased the game.

No new features are coming to the Workflow app following Apple’s acquisition

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 13, 2017

Apple in March 2017 purchased the powerful iOS automation app Workflow. Even though Workflow is now free and the company has refunded some of the users who have paid for the app, it seems that no new features will be coming to Workflow going forward. That's according to French blog iGeneration, which reported Thursday that the Workflow team's confirmed that the software will no longer be updated with new features.

Apple could soon let you use iPad Pro with your Mac as a Cintiq-style drawing tablet

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated April 13, 2017

In addition to his assertion that Apple has been working on additional MacBook Pro models sans TouchBar, OSNews' managing editor Thom Holwerda also heard from people in the know that all-new iPad and Mac integration could be in the works, too. As part of its planned pro-oriented feature enhancements, Apple is reportedly considering allowing users to hook an iPad Pro up to a Mac so that the tablet can be used as a Cintiq-like drawing tablet for their computer.