iPhone

Stay up-to-date on the latest iPhone news and learn new tips and tricks with our comprehensive tutorials. From software updates to new features, we’ve got you covered.

Slated keyboard for iOS 8 translates text in real time

The folks at Gist have added a new third party iOS 8 keyboard for your consideration, called Slated. Admittedly, this area is starting to become crowded, but unlike the other offerings that aim to add colors or new input methods to your keyboard, it has a more serious task.

Slated has the ability to translate what you type into more than 80 languages, in real time. Simply pick a language, start typing, and watch the evolving translation appear below the text entry field. It also translates backwards, so you can participate in complete conversations.

Google Drive gains Touch ID, iPhone 6/6 Plus support, Storage extension and more

After adding passcode protection to Google Drive for the iPhone and iPad half a year ago, Google on Thursday added more coolness to the software.

First and foremost, the app now includes full support for iOS 8 technologies and can finally lock itself behind Touch ID fingerprint authentication.

And should you happen to own one of the new 4.7-inch iPhone 6 or 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus devices, Google Drive will take full advantage of the increased resolutions to show more files and content.

They've also added a new option to save videos from Drive to your device and implemented a handy system-wide Storage extension allowing you to access your Drive in almost any iOS 8 app.

Google Drive is available at no cost in the App Store.

Google Maps with OpenTable reservations, Uber integration and Material Design now rolling out

Announced yesterday, a much-improved Google Maps for the iPhone and iPad featuring Material Design appearance, OpenTable reservations, Uber integration and more is now rolling out in App Stores worldwide.

Featuring engaging animations, shadows and depth — courtesy of Google's newly-found design language for desktop, mobile and the web — Google Maps 4.0 promises to be the funnest version of the app to date.

The search giant says the layers and buttons “come to life so you know just where to touch to get directions, recommendations and imagery.”

Download the app now, give it a whirl and tell us how you liked it in comments.

Google Maps 4.0 is free in the App Store.

Twelve South unveils SurfacePad for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus

I've been on the lookout on a case to protect my iPhone 6 Plus and think Twelve South's just-launched SurfacePad fits the bill. Priced at $39.99 for the iPhone 6 and $49.99 for the iPhone 6 Plus, the SurfacePad is a premium “buttery soft leather jacket” that protects the new iPhones without adding bulk and weight or concealing their gorgeous design.

It has reinforced stitching around the perimeter for long-term durability, with soft microfiber lines protecting your precious investment from the inside and soft napa leather protecting your device from the outside.

Both the $39.99 SurfacePad for iPhone 6 and $49.99 for iPhone 6 Plus are available through the Twelve South website.

Word, Excel and PowerPoint hit iPhone: Dropbox support, new features, basic editing now free

Thursday, software maker Microsoft announced immediate availability of Word, Excel and PowerPoint apps for the iPhone following the release of Office for iPad applications back in March 2014.

Moreover, the company has refreshed the entire iOS Office suite with Dropbox integration and adding other new features to “ensure a consistently beautiful and productive Office experience on every device”.

In addition to the new Office for iPhone and update iPad apps, Word, Excel and PowerPoint are coming to Android tablets with the start of Microsoft's Office for Android tablet Preview program. Finally, brand new, touch-optimized Office apps for Windows 10 are in the works and “we’ll have more to share soon”.

Universal Word, Excel and PowerPoint apps are free in the App Store.

Runtastic’s new iPhone app improves your sleep habits

Runtastic on Thursday released an interesting new iPhone application in the App Store which focuses on improving your sleep habits without using a wearable device, bedside sensor or any kind of special hardware.

The new Sleep Better software is fully integrated with Apple's HealthKit platform so it can optionally upload your sleep data to Apple's Health app on iOS 8, allowing you to access and view all of your health and fitness data on one comprehensive dashboard.

Tapping the iPhone's many sensors and supporting Airplane mode, Sleep Better not only tracks your sleep patterns such as Cycles, Duration and Efficiency, it also tracks moon phases and offers Smart Alarm and Wake-Up Window features and more.

Sleep Better is available free in the App Store, with advanced features locked behind a one-time In-App Purchase.

Opera Mini 9 adds Video Boost, promises less buffering and data usage

Opera has released an update for its iOS web browser, Opera Mini, bringing the app to version 9.0. There isn't much of a change log, but there is a significant new video compression feature Opera is calling Video Boost.

Built on Skyfire's video optimization tech, Video Boost aims to lessen both buffering and data usage while streaming video content. It accomplishes this by quickly shrinking down video data before it lands on your device.

Reeder 2 update brings support for iPhone 6 and share extensions

Popular RSS feed reader Reeder 2 has received a significant update this evening, bringing the app to version 2.6. The update includes a handful of highly-requested new features, such as support for the larger displays of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus and Landscape mode (iOS 8 only).

Additionally, 2.6 brings about support for iOS 8's share extensions, adding the now-familiar "More" option to Reeder's share sheet. This will allow users to share articles and other content they come across in Reeder to other services outside of the app's default sharing options.

Next-gen iPhone rumored to feature glasses-free 3D display

The next iPhone released may feature a glasses-free 3D display, according to a report from Economic Daily News. The Taiwanese publication says that Apple supply chain partner TPK is currently raising funds for an upcoming Apple project, and its sources indicate it has something to do with a "naked eye 3D screen."

As we've stated before, Economic Daily News has a spotty track record in providing Apple intel, posting dozens of both accurate and inaccurate stories. It's possible, though, that Apple is planning to make 3D displays one of the headlining features of its next iPhone, much like Touch ID and Siri were for 5s and 4s models.

Foursquare now lets you save, like and follow from iOS 8’s Interactive Notifications

Taking advantage of iOS 8's new Interactive Notifications, Foursquare, the popular local search and discovery service, on Wednesday refreshed its main iPhone client with the ability to ‘save,’ ‘like,’ and ‘follow’ from the notifications you get from the service.

As before, the new Foursquare 8.2 has native display support for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus resolutions and now comes with 1Password integration.

1Password integration allows fans of the popular password-management app to use their saved credentials when logging in to Foursquare, without having to paste the password manually.

A month ago, Foursquare's check-in app called Swarm received a similar update permitting users to check in to locations from the Lock screen or within iOS 8's Notification Center via a new Today widget.

Download Foursquare free in the App Store.

WhatsApp now indicates if your message has been read

As we patiently await an update to make WhatsApp support native display sizes of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, the tremendously popular Facebook-owned messaging service on Wednesday enabled a new check mark in the chat UI indicating that the recipient has read your message.

Now when you're chatting with someone, pay attention to read receipts in the form of blue check marks, as discovered by designer, Dutch translator at Twitter and jailbreak developer Timon Olsthoorn (and many others on Twitter).

This is an over-the-air update so those with WhatsApp installed on their iPhone can start using this feature immediately, without the need to update the app manually.

WhatsApp, which has more than 600 million active users, is free in the App Store.

Expedia is now ready for iOS 8 and new iPhone 6 screen sizes

After redesigning its iPad app with combined flight and hotel search in early September, Expedia on Wednesday gave its iOS app some more love by issuing an update which makes the software compatible with iOS 8 and the latest iPhones.

Expedia now supports the new 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch screen sizes of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, respectively, so you'll see more content and scroll less.

Expedia Hotels & Flights is available at no cost in the App Store.