MacRumors

Apple today released the third beta of iOS 7, which brings a number of improvements and bug fixes to the operating system. According to the release notes, double notifications have been resolved and AirPlay issues have also been fixed.

Several other minor enhancements have been bundled into the release, as noted by our forum members:

Redesigned Fonts - Fonts across a number of apps appear to have been tweaked to be thicker, using Helvetica Neue Regular instead of Ultra Light. This is most noticeable in the Messages app, where text appears to be bolded, but it can also be seen in the Weather app, the Notification Center, and the Settings menu. Panic co-founder @cabel has provided a GIF that demonstrates the differences.

Safari - Safari has had the .com button removed and replaced with a simple period button. The .com, .net, and .org domain extensions can be accessed by holding down on the button.

Status Bar - The Status Bar, which provides information on cellular connection strength, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and battery life has had its size slightly increased for better readability on the lock screen.

Lock Screen - When playing music, the lock screen will now display the time.

Music App - The Music app has seen a slight redesign with new icons and rearranged controls. Ratings have also been re-added.

Podcasts - Apple's Podcasts app is now functional.

Calendar - In the monthly view, the Calendar app has been updated to display small gray dots on days where events are scheduled.

Siri - A number of MacRumors forum members have noted that Siri’s voice now sounds more natural.

New App Download Animation - When installing an app, iOS 7 users will see a new animation that does away with download bars in favor of a more organic circular download timer.

Control Center - The clock located in the Control Center has seen yet another redesign, this time appearing in the original dark format that was removed during beta 2 in favor of a thinly outlined version.

Additional features in iOS 7 beta 3 will be added here as they are discovered. Apple is likely to continue pushing regular updates for iOS 7, bringing minor performance boosts and changes ahead of the operating system's public release, which is expected to come in the fall.

Exactly two weeks after releasing the second beta of iOS 7 to developers, Apple has just pushed out a third beta version for testing. The update is arriving as both an over-the-air update to existing beta testers and through the iOS Dev Center.

The new beta arrives as build 11A4414e, up from the second beta at build 11A4400f. Apple has also released a third developer preview of Xcode 5.

A report from late last month had indicated that the third beta was scheduled to arrive today, although many have regarded the two-week interval as an obvious prediction given Apple's past release history. Apple typically runs on 2-3 week intervals for releasing developer builds of its major iOS operating system versions.

iOS 7 is scheduled for release in the fall of this year, with updates to Apple's iPhone, iPad, and iPad mini all expected around the same time. If past history is any indication, iOS 7 should be made available to the public just a few days before the launch of the next-generation iPhone.

Direct links for paid members of Apple's iOS developer program:

- iPad (4th generation Model A1458)
- iPad (4th generation Model A1459)
- iPad (4th generation Model A1460)
- iPad mini (Model A1432)
- iPad mini (Model A1454)
- iPad mini (Model A1455)
- iPad Wi-Fi (3rd generation)
- iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular (model for ATT)
- iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular (model for Verizon)
- iPad 2 Wi-Fi (Rev A)
- iPad 2 Wi-Fi
- iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G (GSM)
- iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G (CDMA)
- iPhone 5 (Model A1428)
- iPhone 5 (Model A1429)
- iPhone 4S
- iPhone 4 (GSM Rev A)
- iPhone 4 (GSM)
- iPhone 4 (CDMA)
- iPod touch (5th generation)

Apple for many years offered Mac customers the ability to save $100 on eligible printer purchases, but the company discontinued that program in early 2012 as the devices have become less popular with the proliferation of digital access to documents through smartphones, tablets, and other means.

But as noted by 9to5Mac, Apple is once again promoting printers with new in-store displays and an instant discount program offering up to $50 on HP printers. While the in-store promotion is apparently set to roll out tomorrow, the company has already quietly begun offering the printer discounts, with models such as the Photosmart 7520 ($149.95) already having been reduced by $50 and the Photosmart 6520 ($119.95) having been reduced by $30.

Some printers appear to have been reduced even more, with the Officejet Pro 8600 Plus ($229.95) dropping by $70.

Even some Epson models have seen small price drops, with the Expression Premium XP-600 ($129.95) seeing a $20 discount and the WorkForce WF-2540 ($119.95) seeing a $10 discount.

According to promotional materials, the special discounts on the HP printers are valid through September 6, with the program coinciding with Apple's Back to School promotion in a number of countries. That program offers education customers iTunes Store/App Store gift cards worth $100 with the purchase of a new Mac or $50 with the purchase of a new iPhone or iPad.

Research firm Kantar Worldpanel has released a new report (via The Next Web) highlighting U.S. smartphone sales over the March-May period, finding that Apple's share of the market rose by 3.5 percentage points compared to the prior-year period. The report attributes that growth to the iPhone becoming available on T-Mobile USA, the last of the four major U.S. carriers to begin offering the device.

Consequently, with Android remaining unchanged (+0.1%) to date this year, the gap between the two leading operating systems has decreased, according to data released today by Kantar Worldpanel ComTech.

Through the 3 month period ending May 2013, Android continues to lead smartphone sales at 52%. Close behind is iOS with 41.9% of sales. Windows remains in third with 4.6% of sales, up 0.9% versus the same period last year.

According to the report, the iPhone 5 was the best-selling smartphone at T-Mobile during the quarter, despite not having launched until the middle of the survey period. The iPhone's 31% share of T-Mobile smartphone sales was still well short of the device's 60% share of sales at AT&T and even its 44% share at Verizon, but with the device only having been available for half of the quarter, a more realistic measure of the iPhone's popularity among T-Mobile customers will come in future quarters.

Digitimes reports that Apple has finalized plans for its fifth-generation iPad, targeting a September launch for the redesigned device that is rumored to be taking design cues from the iPad mini with narrower side bezels and a thinner body.

Since upstream suppliers have mostly finished preparing for the production of the new 9.7-inch iPad, there is unlikely to be any changes in terms of specifications for the device. [...]

Although suppliers have not yet received a firm mass production schedule from Apple and are mainly shipping products for pilot production, the sources pointed out that pilot production is already able to satisfy demand for the initial launch. Therefore, the sources expect Apple to give its shipment estimates at the end of July or early August.

The report indicates, however, that plans for the next-generation iPad mini remain unsettled, with Apple still working to incorporate a Retina display into the device. If the company does elect to bring a Retina display to its next iPad mini, the device could see a launch very late this year. The report also indicates that Apple has been pushing to reduce the width of the iPad mini's side bezels even further.

Today's claims are very similar to ones made in an early June report from Digitimes indicating updated iPad and iPad mini models may not appear simultaneously, with the iPad mini trailing the iPad by several months.

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has also indicated that issues related to a Retina display were likely to result in a later-than-expected launch for the next iPad mini. Kuo's modeling back in April had estimated that the device could be updated some time in the September-November timeframe, while he believed that the full-size iPad would see shipments ramping in August or September.

Analysts at NPD DisplaySearch have also been expressing uncertainty about Apple's plans for its second-generation iPad mini, with their most recent report last month indicating that they expect Apple to launch a thinner non-Retina iPad mini late this year, with a Retina update coming relatively soon after in early 2014.

As first noted by The Verge, a number of popular paid App Store apps have been discounted to free for the first time in their histories today.

While no specific announcement regarding the sales has been given, Wednesday marks the App Store's fifth anniversary and it is possible that Apple will be rolling out a special promotion in honor of the occasion. With no additional information available, it is currently unknown how long these sales will last.

Among the popular titles noticed so far:

- BADLAND, regularly $3.99 [Direct Link]
- Barefoot World Atlas, regularly $4.99 [Direct Link]
- Day One, regularly $4.99 [Direct Link]
- How to Cook Everything, regularly $9.99 [Direct Link]
- Infinity Blade II, regularly $6.99 [Direct Link]
- Over, regularly $1.99 [Direct Link]
- Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP, regularly $4.99 [Direct Link]
- Traktor DJ, regularly $19.99) [Direct Link]
- Traktor DJ for iPhone, regularly $4.99 [Direct Link]
- Tiny Wings, regularly $0.99 [Direct Link]
- Tiny Wings HD, regularly $2.99 [Direct Link]
- Where's My Water?, regularly $0.99 [Direct Link]

Last week, Apple sent out commemorative posters to members of the media in celebration of the App Store's fifth anniversary, and less than two months ago Apple celebrated 50 billion downloads since the store's opening.

Update: Apple has now officially launched its "5 Years of the App Store" promotion [App Store link] featuring the above apps.

From the 500 apps available at launch in 2008 to the more than 900,000 at your fingertips today, it's been a remarkably prolific five years for the App Store. To celebrate, we're giving everyone five landmark games and five groundbreaking apps for a limited time. Plus, look back at the key moments that have made the App Store the world's most innovative destination for apps.

The feature also includes a timeline of milestones similar to that seen on the promotional posters sent to members of the media last week.

Over the past several weeks, a number of leaks about Apple's rumored lower-cost plastic iPhone have surfaced, including design drawings from a case maker and photos of alleged rear shells in a number of bright colors. Based on these leaks, earlier this week we released our own high-resolution renderings showing what the device might look like in its entirety.

Techdy now reports that it has gotten its hands on what it believes to be legitimate front and rear parts for this lower-cost plastic iPhone, offering the first good look at how the device will appear fully assembled.

Among the most obvious differences from previous assumptions is the use of a black panel for the device as opposed to white. Techdy tells us that this black front panel will be used with all color variations of the rear shell, which will reportedly include blue, pink, yellow, green, and white.

The budget iPhone will be made substantially from plastic (we can feel it’s actually polycarbonate material). It will have a 4” screen, like the iPhone 5, and interestingly, the budget iPhone actually has a shape that’s similar to Apple’s original iPod. When we hold the budget iPhone in our hands, the plastic chassis does not feel cheap at all. Unlike the plastic build quality of the Samsung Galaxy phones, the plastic material used on the budget iPhone feels more sturdy.

Physical features on the device appear to be as expected, although the rear shell has only pinholes where the power and volume buttons and SIM card slot should be, suggesting that the leaked shell had not yet had holes for those features punched out during production.

Techdy's gallery contains over 40 photos highlighting various views of the device, including side-by-side comparisons with an iPhone 5 and closeup views of the individual rear shell and display parts.

Based on this design for Apple's plastic iPhone, Techdy has already begun work on an Android clone of the device. Known as the Basic Bear and priced at $199, the device is scheduled to begin shipping in September.

iPhone5mod is also already advertising replacement rear shell and display assembly parts for the plastic iPhone, with availability set for September 1.

An Apple patent application published yesterday (via Patently Apple) by the United States Patent and Trademark office details the creation of a flexible battery shape, suggesting that the company is exploring solutions for future products that may take on a unique shape, such as the rumored iWatch.

The patent, which was filed in December of 2011, covers a flexible battery pack that consists of several different cells connected through a laminate layer, designed to "allow the battery to be shaped to fit a form factor of the electronic device."

Electronic devices are ubiquitous in society and can be found in everything from portable cell phones to wristwatches. Many of these electronic devices require some type of portable power source. Many of these electronic devices also have unique form factors. Because of this, the portable power source of any one electronic device may not fit within any other electronic device.

Furthermore, these unique form factors often require flexible battery arrangements, whereas conventional battery packs are often too rigid to flexibly conform to these form factors. For example, lithium-ion batteries, such as lithium polymer battery cells, are quite rigid and bending them repeatedly may cause damage to the battery cells and battery failure. As a result of attempting to accommodate inflexible battery packs, the packaging of portable electronic devices may not be optimally sized.

Apple's patent also suggests that a flexible battery pack could have certain cells removed to incorporate thermoelectric coolers, flashes, or a camera, allowing the battery to fit more snugly into a small space. The company points out that an isolated flexible cell arrangement increases device reliability as well, preventing multiple connected cells from failing at once due to environmental factors like moisture or dust.

According to Apple, its flexible battery solution could be used in a number of devices, including "wristwatches, calculators, laptop computers, tablet computers, and/or music players."

A patent application published in March and a job listing in April suggested that Apple was researching iPhones constructed with flexible wraparound displays, and such designs would likely incorporate the flexible battery detailed in yesterday's patent.

Apple's much rumored "iWatch" could also take advantage of a flexible battery, as a February patent revealed that the company was experimenting with a potential wraparound touch-sensitive display.

In recent weeks, Apple has filed for a number of trademarks on the iWatch name around the world. According to rumors, Apple has 100 product designers working on the watch, which is likely to launch in 2014.

Reuters reports on difficulties being faced by NTT DoCoMo, Japan's largest mobile carrier with 60 million customers, as it has yet to reach a deal with Apple to offer the iPhone. The major hurdle to a deal has been DoCoMo's insistence on allowing its own services to be preloaded on devices it carries.

It is paying heavily for that obstinacy - with a net 3.2 million users jumping ship to its two domestic rivals over the last 4-1/2 years - but is determined to protect the walled garden of services it has built around its own smartphones.

"We're trying to develop a lifestyle system," NTT DoCoMo CEO Kaoru Kato told Reuters in an interview this week.

The report notes that while DoCoMo pioneered a number of smartphone services, those services have been surpassed in popularity and ease of use by third-party offerings. Combining that reduced consumer reliance on DoCoMo's own services with Apple's equally obstinate position that carriers can not preload apps and services on the iPhone may leave DoCoMo in an increasingly difficult position with its customers.

DoCoMo appears to be banking on iPhone saturation at rival carriers Softbank and KDDI to force Apple to relent as it seeks to drive further sales growth of the popular device, but DoCoMo's list of demands, which also includes carrier branding on handsets themselves, clashes so strongly with Apple's philosophy for the iPhone that an imminent deal appears unlikely.

Little appears to have changed in the stalemate between Apple and DoCoMo, as a November 2011 report highlighted many of the same sticking points. And with the iPhone continuing to lead the Japanese smartphone market even without DoCoMo on board, it appears that Apple may be able to continue negotiating from a position of strength.

Still, Samsung's dramatic rise in most of the rest of the world has enabled it to surpass the iPhone in many markets, and Apple may be feeling some pressure to make its best effort to ensure that a similar scenario does not play out in Japan.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark office has published an Apple patent application that pertains to expanded mapping features, including real-time crowd-sourced traffic information and user-based route ratings and reporting, reports AppleInsider.

Apple's patent, titled "User-Specified Route Rating and Alerts," shares some distinct similarities with Waze, a company that Apple was rumored to be purchasing at one point, though it was ultimately acquired by Google. The patent, which was originally filed in 2011, details a system in which Maps users offer "ratings for routes, streets and/or locations," improving the company's mapping capabilities through user feedback.

A system comprising: one or more processors; and a computer-readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes: presenting a map display and a route on a mobile device; determining when the mobile device has reached a destination associated with the route; when the mobile device has reached the destination, displaying a prompt for input rating the route; and receiving user input comprising rating information for the route.

Waze incorporates user feedback as well, using crowd sourced data to determine route details and travel times. Waze users can utiize the app's feedback system to provide the company with reports on traffic accidents, road closures, location accuracy, and more. With a similar system in place, Apple could allow its users to provide feedback and ratings on route choices, which could then be used to optimize travel.

Apple's patent also details a process that would see the company collecting real-time traffic alerts and then distributing it to other Maps users, providing on-the-fly updates to routing information.

A method comprising: presenting a map on a display of a mobile device; receiving a first user input identifying a location on the map; receiving a second user input providing information about an event occurring at the location; and transmitting the event information to a navigation service, where the navigation service is configured to broadcast the event information to other mobile devices.

After a disastrous Maps debut alongside iOS 6 that saw a slew of complaints about inaccuracy and missing information, Apple has worked hard to improve the application. Tim Cook issued an apology and the company went through a restructuring that included the termination of several people involved with the Maps project, including SVP of iOS Software Scott Forstall and Maps manager Richard Williamson.

Apple has since posted a number of job listings in order to add to its Maps teams, and has improved 3D flyover coverage in a number of cities. Both of Apple's upcoming operating system updates for Mac and iOS will include a number of mapping improvements, including a new app in OS X Mavericks.

After introducing iWork for iCloud during its Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple began sending beta invites for the service to registered developers on June 13.

Since then, Apple has continued to send out beta invites on a rolling basis to both paid and free developer accounts. It appears the company has sent out a large batch of invites today, inviting a number of new people to participate in the beta.

iWork for iCloud offers in-browser versions of Apple's iWork software suite, including Pages, Keynote, and Numbers. The software can be accessed from both PC and Mac computers as well as a number of mobile devices.

Developers with both free and paid accounts that have received an email from Apple can access the beta by visiting beta.icloud.com. iWork for iCloud is expected to be released to the public later this year.

Update: Some reports today indicated that the iWork for iCloud beta had been extended to non-developers. The Next Web contacted Apple, and the company confirmed that reports of beta access for non-developers were inaccurate.

Apple executives Tim Cook, Eddy Cue, and Craig Federighi spoke to Apple Retail Store leaders about upcoming changes to Apple's iPhone marketing tactics during a summit at San Francisco's Fort Mason on June 27, reports 9to5Mac.

During the meeting, CEO Tim Cook noted 80% of iPhones are sold at third party locations, a figure that he would like to improve in the future with new iPhone promotional tactics.

The iPhone is Apple's central "gateway product" to other devices like iPads and Macs, so it is critical that the Apple smartphone is sold via an Apple Store so new customers are immediately exposed to iPads, Macs and other devices on the showroom floor. Even though 80% of iPhones are not sold at Apple Stores, 50% of all serviced iPhones are troubleshooted, repaired, or replaced at Apple Store Genius Bars. Cook reportedly hinted that he would like those numbers to be more in line.

Apple is planning to boost iPhone sales with various incentive programs, including the recently launched Back to School promotion that includes the iPhone for the first time and an upcoming in-store trade-in program. The company may also extend its price matching policies, which debuted in the U.S. last summer, internationally.

Along with new iPhone discount and sales strategies, Apple also plans to heavily market iOS 7 when it is released in the fall and introduce new retail locations in Europe.

According to store leaders who were at the summit, Apple has an "army of new products" in the works, which may include the upcoming iPhone 5S, a redesigned fifth generation iPad, a low cost iPhone, and a refreshed line of MacBook Pros, among other products.