News

All-new Apple TV Remote app with Siri and tilt gaming support hits the App Store

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 1, 2016

The new Apple TV Remote app with Siri features and support for controlling games on the fourth-generation Apple TV via tilt controls on your iPhone is now available for download on the App Store. Formally announced at WWDC in June 2016, the app used to be available as a developer-only preview, but now everyone can download it from the App Store. The new app doesn't replace the old one, which is still available on the App Store.

Both apps support the second, third and fourth-generation Apple TV, but only the new one packs in full support for Siri and tilt-based gaming on the new Apple TV.

Apple adding more than 100 gender diverse emoji in iOS 10

Cody Lee ∙ Updated May 1, 2018

Apple is adding more than 100 new and redesigned emoji characters in iOS 10, the company said in a press release on Monday. The new emoji are accessible in the latest beta—iOS 10 beta 4—which was released to registered developers this morning.

The focus of the additions is gender diversity. So characters that previously only featured men options, such as the cyclist, swimmer and construction worker, are now available for both men and women, and likewise for previous women-only emoji.

Apple seeds fourth beta of iOS 10, watchOS 3, tvOS 10 and macOS Sierra to developers

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 1, 2016

Two weeks following the release of the third beta of iOS 10, watchOS 3, tvOS 10 and macOS Sierra, Apple on Monday issued iOS 10 beta 4, macOS Sierra beta 4, watchOS 3 beta 4 and tvOS 10 beta 4 to members of the Apple Developer Program. The public beta of iOS 10 and macOS Sierra matching the latest developer-only releases should be released tomorrow to public beta testers enrolled with the Apple Beta Software Program.

Judge voids $625 million verdict against Apple in VirnetX patent spat

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 1, 2016

In February 2016, a federal jury ordered that Apple pay $625 million to VirnetX Holding Corp after being found guilty of willfully infringing on technologies found in VirnetX's patents related to virtual private networking protocols. Friday, the judge voided that ruling after determining that the case should be revisited, CNBC reports. VirnetX alleges that its patented technology is used in FaceTime and iMessage on the iPhone, iPad and Mac.

Fully functional Lightning EarPods caught on video

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 1, 2016

Following blurry photos of an alleged Lightning-based edition of the EarPods, Apple's stock iPhone headphones, a new video now gives us a far better look at what appears to be fully functional headphones resembling the EarPods, except they connect into the iPhone's Lightning port.

Published on YouTube channel EverythingApplesPro on Friday and first discovered by French blog iGen.fr, the 60-second clip shows the headphones connected via Lightning to an iPhone running iOS 9. They work as you'd expect, including controlling playback via the in-line Play/Pause and Volume Up and Down buttons.

Apple-backed Didi Chuxing buys rival Uber China

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated September 6, 2017

Now we (probably) know why Apple poured a cool $1 billion into China's leading ride-sharing service Didi Chuxing as that company's just invested—you guessed right—$1 billion into its biggest rival, Uber China. The transaction, subject to closing conditions, will also give a 20 percent stake in the combined firm for Uber and its shareholders, said Bloomberg.

You’ll soon be able to filter individual comments on Instagram, even disable commenting

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 1, 2016

Instagram is working on some significant enhancements for the commenting feature found its mobile app, potentially giving users the ability to filter their own comment streams on the service or even disable commenting on all posts, according to The Washington Post. Instagram has been testing these features with some businesses, but soon everyone will be able to screen individual comments in their feed and decide for themselves if they might be better served by disabling commenting on their account altogether.

Purported Mute switch leak reaffirms rumors of Space Black iPhone 7 model

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 1, 2016

A lot of people seem to be excited for the supposed iPhone 7 variant in Space Black, resembling the Space Black stainless steel Apple Watch or the dramatic Darth Vader-like black-clad appearance of the iPhone 5. Dutch publication TechTastic.nl on Monday published a photo of an alleged Mute switch for the next iPhone.

What's especially interesting about this particular part leak is the part's finish that strongly suggest—assuming the component is genuine—that the next iPhone will in fact be offered in Space Black.

Apple Maps Transit directions launch in Prague

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 1, 2016

Apple customers in Prague, Czech Republic, can now use the firm's stock Maps app on an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or Mac to take into account local transit directions when planning their routes. Apple Maps transit data just launched in Prague with support for the city's busses and trams and the Prague Metro and Esko Prague commuter rail.

Many Pokémon-tracking apps shutting down following Pokémon GO update

Anthony Bouchard ∙ Updated February 16, 2018

Pokémon GO, the popular new GPS-based Pokémon-catching app for mobile devices, received an update over the weekend that made many changes in the game, both big and small.

One of the biggest changes was the removal of the Footsteps feature, which made tracking Pokémon easier. But in addition to the removal of Footsteps, it seems that Niantic is working to end real-time Pokémon tracking tools to prevent cheating.

Pangu confirms no jailbreak coming for 32-bit devices on iOS 9.3.3

Anthony Bouchard ∙ July 31, 2016

Pangu launched the first iOS 9.3.3 jailbreak this past week, and it took everyone by surprise. The jailbreak currently supports all 64-bit iOS 9.3.3 devices, and while that's great, people with 32-bit devices are left in the dark.

Pangu has confirmed this weekend with its new official Reddit account that 32-bit support for the iOS 9.3.3 probably isn't going to see the light of day.