MacRumors

Shigeru Miyamoto has confirmed that Nintendo's upcoming iPhone game Super Mario Run will require an always-on internet connection to play, which Miyamoto said is "a requirement that's been built into the game to support security." The security element is one of the big reasons why the company decided to launch on iPhone first, Miyamoto said, and it helps the game's three separate modes function together while always keeping the software secure and safe, preventing piracy in the process (via Mashable).

Creating a standalone "World Tour" mode without the need for an internet connection was discussed, but the developers found that needing to reconnect to the internet when jumping back to the other two modes -- "Toad Rally" and "Kingdom Builder" -- complicated things. "And because those two modes are relying on the network save, we had to integrate the World Tour mode as well," Miyamoto said, through a translation by Nintendo's senior product marketing manager Bill Trinen.

I learned today that Super Mario Run requires an internet connection to play. What's the reason for that? Are there any thoughts about an offline mode?

For us, we view our software as being a very important asset for us. And also for consumers who are purchasing the game, we want to make sure that we're able to offer it to them in a way that the software is secure, and that they're able to play it in a stable environment.

We wanted to be able to leverage that network connection with all three of the [Super Mario Run] modes to keep all of the modes functioning together and offering the game in a way that keeps the software secure. This is something that we want to continue to work on as we continue to develop the game.

When asked specifically what the company's concerns were about security on mobile devices, Miyamoto confirmed the risk of piracy facing Super Mario Run since it's not launching on a dedicated Nintendo console. "We're launching in 150 countries and each of those countries has different network environments and things like that," Miyamoto said. "So it was important for us to be able to have it secure for all users."

Super Mario Run is now under a week away from launch, with its debut coming next Thursday, December 15. The rest of Mashable's interview with Miyamoto can be read here.

Microsoft has announced that Cortana for iOS is coming to the U.K. and that the company is readying a significant design overhaul based on user feedback.

Cortana is to Windows what Siri is to macOS, but Microsoft's voice-activated virtual assistant has been available on iOS in the United States for precisely a year now, allowing PC users with Apple devices to sync their reminders, notifications and so on between the two platforms.

• Reminders that Travel with You: Cortana has your back, seamlessly keeping track of the things you need to remember across all the platforms you use her. Set a reminder on your PC and get it on your mobile phone.
  

• Never Miss a Phone Call: In a meeting and can’t answer your phone? With the Cortana app, get a missed call alert on your Windows 10 PC and let Cortana send a text back letting them know you’ll call them later – all without leaving your PC.
  

• Optimized for Mobile: Designed specifically for your mobile life with quick action buttons and voice to get what you need quickly, a streamlined design and widgets for Android and iOS.

Along with the iOS app's imminent U.K. debut, Microsoft took the opportunity to announce an upcoming overhaul for Cortana on mobile that replaces the existing design with a cleaner, simpler interface, and introduces quick actions for putting frequently used functions front and center. Checking things like calendars, news, and weather, and setting and viewing reminders will become accessible with a tap on the main screen.

As well as clearer full-page answers to queries, Microsoft says the updated Cortana app will also be significantly faster. Cortana for iOS is a free download for iPhone and iPad. Microsoft wasn't clear about when exactly Cortana will be making its way to the U.K. App Store, but the redesigned app is said to be arriving on both sides of the Atlantic "in the coming weeks".

Microsoft yesterday released an iPad version of popular Office diagramming and graphic app Visio. The iOS incarnation is limited to viewing Visio documents, leaving the editing of files to the desktop application, and instead focuses on bringing a touch-based browsing experience with intuitive pan and zoom features to users on the go.

Visio diagrams often comprise details that customers could miss on smaller screens. Built for iPad Retina display, Visio Viewer for iPad brings high-fidelity viewing of real-world processes and plans on the go. With the new exploration experience, plant managers can zoom in to production line issues from remote facilities, financial advisors can examine detailed workflows of a loan approval process while visiting clients around the world, retail district managers can conduct store management trainings with associates using detailed CAD-based store layouts and much more.

Visio Viewer for iPad can import documents from OneDrive, SharePoint, and email, with a search functionality built in to the interface for finding shape names, text, or data. Users are also granted the ability to adjust the visibility of different layers to reveal more structure in plans and diagrams.

Visio is a free download for iPad available on the App Store. [Direct Link]

Google has issued an update to its recently redesigned Gmail app for iOS that brings a few notable changes to email composition and management on mobile devices.

In version 5.0.7, an option in the Settings panel lets users select their favorite browser (Safari or Chrome) for opening links in emails.

Users are now also able to select multiple messages in their inbox by tapping on the sender's profile image or icon next to the email, while messages can be marked as read or unread by selecting the email and tapping the 'open/closed envelope' icon in the top toolbar.

In addition, it's now possible to edit quoted content when replying to a message, and to copy and paste rich text content in a message.

Gmail is a free download on the App Store for iPhone and iPad. [Direct Link]

Electric vehicle charging network ChargePoint today announced a new partnership with Apple that sees its electric vehicle charging stations listed within Apple Maps.

Drivers can click on new Electric Vehicle Charger badges in Apple Maps to get directions to charging stations, find hours of operation, and get details on pricing.

When at a ChargePoint charging station, iPhone users can start the charging process, pay for the charge, and see other station details through a Maps link that leads to the ChargePoint app. ChargePoint operates over 31,100 charging stations and has delivered more than 19,400,000 charges to electric vehicle owners.

Rumors last month suggested Apple Music rival Spotify was in advanced talks to acquire audio distribution platform SoundCloud, but it appears discussions have ended after Spotify pulled out of the deal.

According to TechCrunch, though months of talks took place, Spotify ultimately decided not to purchase SoundCloud because of worries the acquisition would negatively impact its impending IPO.

Spotify hasn't officially said it will go public in 2017, but there has been plenty of speculation, including a funding round with incentives tied to a listing. The source said Spotify went cold on SoundCloud because "it doesn't need an additional licensing headache in a potential IPO year."

SoundCloud, which allows users to upload, promote, and share audio recordings, would have allowed Spotify to add user-created content to its own music catalog, but Spotify would have needed to deal with licensing issues, something it did not want to do ahead of an IPO.

SoundCloud has upwards of 175 million total listeners a month, while Spotify has 40 million paying subscribers. Apple Music, Spotify's main competitor, has been gaining subscribers steadily and as of December 2016, boasts 20 million subscribers.

Adobe today announced a new update out now for its Lightroom iOS and Android apps, bringing an all-new photo editing experience to mobile that improves the app's ease of use thanks to a new one-handed interface. To create an improved editing experience Adobe talked to professional and casual photographers, who helped hone Lightroom's new toolset.

First, the company has organized similar tools into relevant categories so it's faster and easier to find tools that are normally used together. The company's biggest priority was to introduce a system that was functional to operate with just one hand. As such, users can now see the entire image while editing it and have access to "often used tools," such as viewing before and after iterations of a photo, without needing a second hand.

Lightroom mobile 2.6 represents a significant evolution of editing on mobile devices. We wanted to improve the ability to quickly find and access tools and ensure the fastest way to enhance and edit images on a phone. Our design team reached out to photographers of all skill levels to help us figure out how people edit with Lightroom mobile, what’s missing, and how we could make it even better. This update represents our first release taking advantage of this research.

Lightroom for iPhone is also gaining a new info section so users can add in titles, captions, and copyright onto an image. A "professional mode" within the app's capture interface will let users set more granular controls over an image's exposure and focus so it's easier "to capture the shot you want." Lightroom for iPad is getting all of the iPhone app's updates except the new editing and info sections, but the company hopes to update the tablet app with these features "soon."

On the Mac, Lightroom is gaining a "reference view" in the Develop Module that makes it simpler to compare two images side-by-side so you can make them visually consistent with one another. The company said this should help when trying to make a large amount of images from a single event aesthetically similar, or could help with "setting the white balance appropriately in mixed lighting conditions."

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom for iPhone is available to download from the iOS App Store for free [Direct Link]. Users can find the update for Lightroom on the Mac in the Help > Updates section of Adobe's Creative Cloud app.

Pokémon Go recently announced that Sprint and Starbucks locations have officially been added into the game as Pokéstops and Gyms. The Sprint collaboration began yesterday with over 10,500 Sprint locations around the United States supporting the GPS-based game, including Sprint, Boost Mobile and Sprint at Radioshack stores. In-store charging stations are also being offered to players so they can keep playing the game longer.

Today, another U.S.-based collaboration will begin at 11 a.m. PST, where 7,800 Starbucks stores around the country will turn into Pokéstops and Gyms to entice players to visit the popular coffee shop more often. In celebration of the partnership, the company has also created a new Pokémon Go Frappuccino for customers to try out while they hunt Pokémon in the game.

By locating a Starbucks® store within Pokémon GO, players will discover the Pokémon GO Frappuccino® blended beverage. The Pokémon GO Frappuccino® starts with a Vanilla Bean Frappuccino® blended beverage and raspberry syrup blended with freeze dried whole blackberries and topped with whipped cream. It's the perfect treat for any Pokémon Trainer on the go.

The Pokémon GO Frappuccino® blended beverage will be available at participating Starbucks® stores for a limited time while supplies last.

The partnership news this week precedes a new generation of Pokémon coming to the game sometime soon. In the Sprint press release, Niantic CEO John Hanke teased fans and said to "keep an eye out on our social media channels on December 12th for details about the first addition of more Pokémon into Pokémon Go." The specific amount and generation of Pokémon that will be added to the game was not given, so fans will have to wait until next Monday to find out.

Pokémon Go can be downloaded from the iOS App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Rockstar Games has officially released Bully: Anniversary Edition on mobile devices for $6.99, including iOS [Direct Link] and Android. The launch of the mobile app for the game comes ten years after Bully originally launched in the fall of 2006 for the PlayStation 2.

The new "Anniversary Edition" includes all of the content from the game's "Scholarship Edition" -- which was a graphical enhancement that added a few more features onto the game two years after its original release -- as well as including a few new mobile-focused updates of its own. Bully: Anniversary Edition has gained support for high-resolution displays, enhanced graphics, improved lighting and textures, and controls redesigned for touch gameplay.

On top of all of its new graphic overhauls, a new multiplayer component has also been added, called "Friend Challenges." The turn-based mode lets players compete in head-to-head "arcade style mini-games," using Bully's prep school classroom theme to see who can dissect frogs the fastest, solve word problems, and more. The full list of features for Bully: Anniversary Edition are listed below:

Features:
• Includes the complete Bully story with extra missions, characters, classroom mini-games, and unlockable items from Bully: Scholarship Edition
• Gorgeous graphics: high resolution textures, dynamic lighting, shadows and particle effects
• Native support for high resolution displays
• Challenge your friends anywhere with turn based multiplayer Friend Challenges. Play on the go and get notified when it’s your turn
• Intelligent touch controls with contextual buttons only when you need them
• Seamlessly continue your game across all your devices with cloud saves via the Rockstar Games Social Club
• Physical controller support
• Taptic Engine Feedback for all buttons on iPhone 7 class devices
• Capture your gameplay with Replay Kit support on iPhone 6S and greater class devices

Previously, Rockstar Games released Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, and more, on the iOS App Store.

Rockstar Games noted that Bully: Anniversary Edition requires 2.4 GB of space and is supported on the iPhone 5 and newer, iPod Touch 6th Gen, iPad 4th Gen and newer, iPad Mini 2 and newer, and iPad Pro.

For a deeper dive into the mechanics of the game, check out TouchArcade's review of Bully: Anniversary Edition right here.

Pebble CEO and founder Eric Migicovsky took to the company's blog yesterday to personally confirm its imminent closure, following media reports earlier on Wednesday that Fitbit has acquired its technology, software assets, and other intellectual property.

Dear Pebblers,

Thank you all for being such loyal supporters and champions of the Pebble community and brand. You helped start something fantastic when you backed our first Kickstarter project (and shout-out to the first inPulse users). Since then, we’ve shipped over 2 million Pebbles around the world!

However — due to various factors — Pebble is no longer able to operate as an independent entity. We have made the tough decision to shut down the company and no longer manufacture Pebble devices.

Migicovsky went on to cover the buyout, earlier confirmed by Fitbit in a press release, and said that many members of his team would be joining the company to continue their work on wearable software platforms. Migicovsky also said that Pebble devices will continue to work as normal, thanks to "close collaboration with the Fitbit team", but warned that functionality or service quality may be reduced in the future.

The blog post also lists a number of bulleted "need-to-knows" for customers, including further details on refunds for Kickstarter backers awaiting pre-orders of devices including the Pebble 2 and Core wearables. Customers can read the list here.

iOS devices in brick-and-mortar Apple Stores around the world are running playable demos of Nintendo's highly anticipated Super Mario Run from today, December 7, for those eager to get an early taster of the new game.

The announcement was made by Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime on Wednesday evening's The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, during which a playable version of the company's upcoming Switch console was also shown.

Super Mario Run is Nintendo's first major attempt to crack mobile gaming and is the first of many titles planned for the platform. Driven by its iconic character, the game is expected to generate millions of dollars in revenue for the company. Engadget has posted a remarkably positive hands-on of the free runner title for anyone interested to learn more.

Super Mario Run is set to debut on the App Store on December 15 for iPhone and iPad. The game will be a free download with a $10 in-app purchase required to unlock the full content.