MacRumors iPhone and iPad Blog: Apps, News, and Rumors

Twelve South has long offered a PlugBug accessory designed to provide interchangeable plugs for travel purposes, but earlier this month, an updated version debuted that adds an extra USB port. The new Twelve South PlugBug Duo is an ideal travel accessory because it adds international plugs to your MacBook adapter and it lets you charge accessories like an iPad, iPhone, and Apple Watch while...

Smart home tech company Brilliant today launched its touchscreen-based "Brilliant Control" light switch priced starting at $299.00. Announced in early 2017, Brilliant Control replaces any existing light switch to enable touch and voice control over smart home devices from Amazon, Google, Nest, Ecobee, Honeywell, Ring, Philips Hue, and Wemo, but at launch not HomeKit. Amazon Alexa is built...

The European Commission today announced it has approved Apple's proposed acquisition of music recognition service Shazam. "After thoroughly analyzing Shazam's user and music data, we found that their acquisition by Apple would not reduce competition in the digital music streaming market," said Margrethe Vestager, European Commissioner for Competition. The regulatory body concluded that...

With the latest Apple Pay promotion you can get 10 percent off your next order from Under Armour through Wednesday, September 12. If you're in the United States, you can shop in the Under Armour app and then place your order before next Wednesday to see the discount automatically applied when you check out using Apple Pay. Apple is promoting the beginning of football season with the new...

Apple has temporarily halted plans to launch Apple Pay in India after facing troubles with regulators in the country and a few technical hurdles, according to The Economic Times. Specifically, Apple is said to be concerned about the Reserve Bank of India's recent data localization rule, which requires companies to store all of their payments data for local users only in India. Because of...

In March, Feral Interactive announced that its latest video game port for macOS would be the adventure game Life is Strange: Before the Storm, and at the time said it would launch in the spring. After a delay, the prequel is set to release next week on Thursday, September 13 on macOS and Linux. Life is Strange: Before the Storm was originally developed by Deck Nine and published by Square...

Logitech today announced that its Crayon stylus, which was previously only available to schools, is coming to Apple retail stores, which means it will be available for everyone to purchase for the first time. Introduced in March alongside the 6th-generation 9.7-inch iPad, the Crayon is designed to operate as a lower-cost alternative to the Apple Pencil. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube ...

Apple today updated the Events app on the Apple TV to prepare for next Wednesday's "Gather Round" iPhone-centric event, which will see the debut of the 2018 iPhone lineup, new Apple Watch models, and new accessories. The Events app, along with the Events section of Apple's website, will be used to live stream the product unveiling. Apple's Gather Round event will kick off at 10:00 a.m. Pacific ...

Just ahead of when Apple plans to release new 2018 iPhones, the company has quietly updated its AirPort Utility app to introduce support for the longer display of the iPhone X. AirPort Utility is one of the last remaining Apple apps that have gone for months without an iPhone X update. For those unfamiliar with the app, it is designed to allow AirPort Express, AirPort Extreme, and AirPort ...

Video platform Vimeo today is expanding its recent focus on software tools for video creators, part of a continued pivot away from earlier attempts to get into original content creation itself. Vimeo CEO Anjali Sud confirmed the move to Axios today, explaining that the company saw "so much organic growth" from software tools it already sells that the pivot "became a no-brainer." Currently,...

Acura today debuted its all-new 2019 ILX compact sedan, complete with availability of CarPlay and Android Auto. This is the first model year of the ILX available with factory installed CarPlay in the U.S., following in the footsteps of the 2017 and newer NSX, 2018 and newer MDX, 2018 and newer TLX, and 2019 RDX. While the 2019 ILX is available with a stacked dual-screen setup, including a ...

T-Mobile today launched a new iPhone and iPad leasing program for businesses in partnership with Apple's Financial Services. Under the program, qualifying business accounts activating 25 or more lines with T-Mobile can lease iPhone and iPad models with no upfront costs, and lower monthly installments versus purchasing the devices outright. By leasing instead of owning, businesses pay only ...

Four months after launching the second version of Spectacles, Snapchat today revealed two new styles of its wearable glasses, called "Nico" and "Veronica." Instead of the circular lenses with colorful styles, the new Spectacles come in black-on-black with polarized lenses and more traditional sunglasses designs. Otherwise, the glasses appear to be largely the same as the the models that were ...

Germany today denied a report that claimed the finance ministry had given up on plans to introduce more taxes on certain "internet giants," like Apple, Amazon, and Google. The taxes are related to a new proposal from the European Commission, which aims to make companies with "significant digital revenues" in Europe pay a three percent tax on such services in the EU (via Reuters). While...

Productivity app Evernote has slashed its premium subscription rates amid reports of a flurry of key staff departures at the startup. An annual membership for the productivity suite now costs $42, down from $70, provided customers pay the fee in one lump sum. Monthly premium subscriptions remain at $7.99 per month (almost $100 over a year), so the deal is worth looking at if you're a...

Google Maps received an update today that introduces a couple of potentially useful new features, including a new section that lists notable events happening nearby. The new Events section lives at the bottom of the Explore tab, where users can find a variety of things listed depending on what's going on in their location. Google says Events that appear in the new section can include...

CBS today announced plans to offer "unprecedented access" to Super Bowl LIII, offering streaming access to the game online at CBSSports.com and the CBS Sports app with no authentication required. The expanded access comes as part of a new agreement with the NFL that was announced earlier this year. CBS plans to offer streaming coverage from the CBS Sports app and website on connected TV...

As it has in the past for artists like P!nk and Shawn Mendes, Apple Music this month will host a special performance of new music from artist Christine and the Queen's upcoming album "Chris" (via iGeneration) At the same time, those in attendance will see the exclusive debut of a new Apple Music film that goes behind-the-scenes of the making of "Chris." Fière et excitée de pouvoir vous ...