Apps

Nintedo’s Fire Emblem Heroes is releasing on iOS and Android today across 30 countries

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 17, 2018

Nintendo is unleashing its new smartphone game upon App Store, Fire Emblem Heroes for iPhone. The free-to-download strategy role playing game comes with non-compulsory In-App Purchases as its main revenue model, allowing impatient players to buy Orbs for real cash rather than earn them through Story Maps.

“It is possible to play the game for free, but some features require the use of Orbs,” notes Nintendo.

Various booster items along with other upgrades can be bought via the In-App Purchase mechanism as well. It's a staggered rollout so the game should first launch on the US and Canada App Store before expanding to other markets.

How to watch the 2017 Super Bowl on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and other devices

Cody Lee ∙ February 1, 2017

On Sunday evening, millions of people will gather around their TV sets to watch Super Bowl 51. The Atlanta Falcons are taking on the New England Patriots for the title of NFL Champion, and Kickoff is set for 6:30 (ET).

For those of you who aren't going to be around a television for the big game, never fear, iDB has you covered! We've rounded up the best ways to follow along with the action on your iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and other devices.

Fantastical gains iOS 10 rich notifications, iMessage stickers, iPhone 7 haptics & more

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 1, 2017

Developer Flexibits today issued a major new update to its popular calendar and reminders app, Fantastical 2.8 for iPhone and iPad. Beginning with this version, the app no longer works on older iOS editions and now requires iOS 10 or later, developers have said Wednesday.

On iPhone 7/Plus, Fantastical now supports enhanced haptic feedback. They've also added a convenient sticker pack for iMessage that you can enable or disable manually in the Messages app.

Viber rolls out auto-vanishing messages, instant video messages, rich notifications & more

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 13, 2017

Messaging service Viber today announced it is launching a new Secret Messages feature along with other improvements. Viber 6.6 for iOS now lets you send photos and videos that self-destruct after they've been seen. The app now supports iOS 10's rich notifications letting you press a Viber alert with 3D Touch to see the contents of your chats. You can send media as files and create short video messages, too, in the latest edition of Viber for iPhone.

Google open sources Chrome for iOS

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 31, 2017

Google today announced it is open-sourcing its Chrome browser for iOS. The code for Chrome for iOS is now part of Google’s Chromium project and being moved into the open-source repository so that interested developers can download it and compile an iOS version of Chromium just like they can on other platforms. For those wondering, Chromium is the open-source web browser project from which Chrome draws its source code.

32-bit apps may no longer work with future iOS versions

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 31, 2017

A beta of iOS 10.3 that was seeded to developers last week comes with an updated app compatibility warning which cautions users that 32-bit apps may no longer work with future iOS versions, suggesting iOS 11 will likely stop supporting non-64-bit apps. In June 2015, Apple warned developers that all apps and app updates submitted to App Store must include 64-bit support alongside 32-bit code.

When a user launches a 32-bit app, iOS 9 puts up a warning saying using 32-bit software on a 64-bit device may affect system performance. The wording of the prompt has changed in iOS 10.3 beta 1 and now specifically states that 32-bit apps may stop functioning on future iOS editions completely.

How and where to share faster with AirDrop

Steffen Reich ∙ Updated January 25, 2018

In the absence of reliable figures from Apple, it is not much more than conjecture to say that AirDrop is likely a feature often neglected by the average iOS user. The gut feeling persists though, simply based on day to day observations, and it is a tenable position to take until proven wrong by Cupertino or another reputable source. The file transfer protocol is indeed handy for the transfer of heavier media files (e.g. videos, photo albums), but often only becomes relevant to us when we for example have upgraded to a new device.

Next to sheer transmission speed however, there are other notable areas where AirDrop has the clear edge when it comes to sharing all kinds of material from your iPhone. The AirDrop icon has now fully permeated the sharing tab in iOS 10’s user interface and that is for a good reason: it is without fail going to be more nimble than iMessage, Mail or other contenders, often actually skipping steps that would throttle the process elsewhere. Such being the case, here are some unique scenarios where AirDrop excels on your iPhone and why you should try to embrace the feature more regularly.

The best exercise apps for Apple Watch

Steffen Reich ∙ Updated May 7, 2018

One of the predominant selling points of Apple Watch has always been the notion of having a chummy, yet inspiring fitness pal on your wrist. Since its inception, Apple Watch’s App Store has therefore given rise to a plethora of apps, offering new ways to conduct and manage physical exercise, ranging from running to yoga companions and everything lying in between.

Focussing on one particular branch in the field of exercise - strength training from the comfort of your home or gym - we have put some time aside to cut through the clutter and size up todays’ most prominent apps in the segment. If you are currently on the lookout for a personal trainer on your wrist, here are the best exercise apps for Apple Watch you will want to consider.

Glitch Cam, Fly Cash, Cool Cousin, and other apps to check out this weekend

Cody Lee ∙ Updated October 17, 2018

It's time for another episode of our popular Apps of the Week post, where we round up our favorite apps and games for you to check out. This week's list includes a camera app with cool glitch effects, an expense tracker that understands simple text input, and a travel app for getting the most out of your vacations.

Infuse updated with support for DVD videos, NFS streaming, Library and folder search & more

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 27, 2017

The versatile media player Infuse by aTV Flash Black developer Firecore was updated this week with several new features and enhancements, including the ability to play DVD videos saved as VIDEO_TS, .dvdmedia or ISO/IMG archives.

Other new features in Infuse 5.2 for iOS and tvOS include Library and folder search, the ability to stream media from NFS-formatted network shares, sort your media by release date and more.

HBO GO picks up support for Single sign-on and Apple’s new TV app

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 26, 2017

Apple today put HBO GO on the list of video apps supported in its new TV app via the Single-sign on feature that recently launched in iOS 10 and tvOS 10.

This lets HBO GO users sign in with their cable or satellite credentials on their iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or Apple TV to enjoy instant access to HBO shows, not only in Apple's own TV app but in other supported video apps that their pay TV subscription includes.

Twitter rolling out enhanced Explore tab to iOS users

Cody Lee ∙ January 26, 2017

Twitter on Thursday announced that it has begun rolling out an enhanced Explore tab for its mobile users. The updated feature combines trending topics, Moments, search and live video into a single spot to make it easier for users to see what's happening on the social network.