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

Alongside the debut of iOS 12, which is available to developers for beta testing as of today, Apple has introduced new App Store Guidelines. There are several tweaks that have been made to the App Store Guidelines, and one notable change appears to have been introduced specifically because of the Steam Link debacle that saw Apple approve and then renege on the Steam Link app for iOS. A new...

Apple today introduced a new App Store Connect app, which appears to be a replacement for the existing iTunes Connect app. iTunes Connect is, however, still available from the iOS App Store at this time. App Store Connect allows developers to manage their app, see analytics trends, and respond to App Store reviews, features that are also available in iTunes Connect. App Store Connect for...

Apple will make health record data available to third-party apps on iOS devices, beginning this fall. The data, which will require user permission to access, will be kept private and entirely off of Apple's servers. But it could dramatically expand usefulness of health-focused apps on the platform. Earlier this year, Apple launched a Health Records service to increase the portability of health ...

During its WWDC keynote earlier today, Apple took a moment to celebrate the upcoming tenth anniversary of the iOS App Store, which opened to the world in July 2008. Apple CEO Tim Cook said that this week the App Store will hit its next major milestone: the money that developers have earned through the App Store will exceed $100 billion. In total, Cook mentioned that there are more than 20...

Where is the AirPower? That's the question on the minds of many Apple Watch and iPhone owners as yet another event passes by without a launch date for the accessory. Apple executives made no mention of the AirPower on stage at this year's keynote, dashing hopes that a launch date for the device might come alongside the unveiling of iOS 12, macOS Mojave, tvOS 12, and watchOS 5. It's not a huge...

Apple today updated its lineup of silicone iPhone cases and Apple Watch Sport Bands in three summer colors, including Peach, Marine Green, and Sky Blue. The three new colors are available for both 38 and 42mm Apple Watch Sport Bands, with pricing the same as other Sport Bands ($49). Apple has also released silicone cases for the iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus in the new colors,...

The new watchOS 5 update, which was introduced at the keynote event of the Worldwide Developers Conference this morning, will not be available on the first-generation Apple Watch models that were released three years ago in 2015. There were some hints that support might be dropped for the original Apple Watch, including warnings in later watchOS 4 updates after Apple stopped supporting the...

Following today's WWDC keynote event that saw the introduction of iOS 12, macOS 10.14, and watchOS 5, and tvOS 12, Apple has seeded the first beta of the new tvOS 12 operating system to developers for testing purposes. Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV, the new tvOS 12 developer beta can be downloaded onto the Apple TV via a profile that's installed using Xcode. tvOS...

Apple this morning announced watchOS 5, a new version of the software that runs on the Apple Watch. The first developer beta of watchOS 5 has now been released to developers for testing purposes. To install the beta, you'll need the proper configuration profile, which can be obtained through the Apple Developer Center. Once the profile is in place, the watchOS 5 beta can be downloaded using...

Apple is bringing Student ID support to iOS 12 and watchOS 5, streamlining how students access everything on their college campus. At supported schools, students will be able to add their Student ID to an iPhone or Apple Watch and gain access to everything from dorms and dining halls to gyms and libraries, along with campus events or attending class, making purchases from campus retail shops ...

Following the launch of a Pride Band for Apple Watch last summer, Apple today has revealed an all-new Pride Band for Apple Watch, which will be available to purchase today on Apple.com. The band has the colorful hues of the rainbow, with white stripes between each color. In addition, users will be able to set a new Pride Apple Watch face on their devices at the end of the...

Apple's iOS 12 update will greatly "reduce interruptions" and help users manage their digital device use, which has been an increasingly focused topic of conversation in recent months. For its implementation, Apple at WWDC announced a new section of the Settings app called "Screen Time" that breaks down how much time you spend on your iPhone or iPad each day and week. Screen Time is found under...

WatchOS 5 will receive new new Activity and workout-focused features when it's released this fall. Competition challenges between friends, new workout types, and workout auto-detection are the key additions. Friends will be able to challenge each other to weeklong duels, earning points for closing the three activity rings (standing, exercise, and calories burned), while allowing users to...

Apple showed off a major new app coming to watchOS 5 later this year, called "Walkie-Talkie." Using the app, Apple Watch wearers will be able to send quick voice messages to friends and family members by speaking into their Apple Watch, similar to real Walkie-Talkies. To start using the feature, users will have to allow a connection to one another in the app. After, it will show a scrolling...

Beginning this fall with iOS 12, FaceTime will support audio and video calls with as many as 32 simultaneous participants. Members will be able to drop in and out of group call as necessary, much like an ongoing conference call. The announcement could be a blow to dedicated conference call services like Zoom, as smaller organizations may choose to rely on the the built-in FaceTime rather than...

Apple today at its WWDC keynote introduced personalized Animoji known as Memoji, a feature coming in iOS 12. Memojis are highly customizable, with multiple options for skin colors, hairstyles, head shapes, eyes, eyebrows, facial hair, eyewear, and headwear. Once a Memoji has been created, it can be used just like an Animoji, with the iPhone X's facial recognition sensors mimicking...

Beginning this fall with iOS 12, Apple will allow navigation apps to work with CarPlay, including both Google Maps and Waze. The change was announced at WWDC, and — for consumers — could be one of the most immediately useful announcements made during the entire keynote. Since CarPlay was first introduced a few years ago, Apple has prevented all navigation apps not named Apple Maps...

Apple has revealed a collection of Siri improvements coming to iOS 12, centered around a new app called "Shortcuts." Shortcuts will let users connect certain third-party apps to Siri to greatly streamline voice controls. For example, the Tile app will let you add a shortcut to Siri so you can say "I lost my keys," activating Siri and showing Tile actions right in the Siri UI. Other examples...