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

Apple today seeded the sixth beta of an upcoming watchOS 5 update to developers, one week after releasing the fifth beta and two months after introducing the software at the Worldwide Developers Conference. 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...

MoviePass is restructuring its subscription model once again, today announcing that it will not be raising prices for its subscribers and instead return to its traditional $9.95/month price tag while limiting how often users can go to the movies every month. Effective August 15, subscribers will transition to the new model upon their renewal and from then on be able to see three movies every...

Microsoft today announced that it is joining Disney's expanded Movies Anywhere service, allowing customers who purchase films on Xbox and Windows 10 to link their content to Movies Anywhere (via The Verge). Thanks to the new addition, this means that any supported movie you purchase through Microsoft Movies & TV will now also be available on other linked Movies Anywhere accounts, including...

Apple has removed the entire libraries of five Infowars podcasts from the Apple Podcasts platform, Buzzfeed News reported on Sunday. Among the podcasts removed from Apple's iTunes index are "War Room" and "The Alex Jones Show", hosted by the controversial U.S. radio host and conspiracy theory peddler. Infowars host Alex Jones A sixth show, "Real News With David Knight", was the only Infowa...

Well-known accessory company RAVPower has launched a new series of promo codes this week, available exclusively to MacRumors readers. This crop of codes includes savings on fast wireless charging mats, portable chargers, and car chargers, all of which we've listed below. If you find something you like be sure to make your purchase before the codes expire in one month, on Sunday, September 2 at...

For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Tech Armor to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win Tech Armor Lightning Earbuds that come equipped with an extra Lightning port so you can listen to music while your iPhone is plugged in and charging. Apple removed the headphone jack from the iPhone 7, and since then, iPhones require headphones that work via Lightning, over Bluetooth, or with a ...

It's been nearly one year since Disney announced that it will pull all of its movies from Netflix and launch its own streaming service in late 2019, including both TV shows and movies from Marvel and Star Wars. This week, however, Bloomberg reports that the company is facing troubles with the TV rights to the Star Wars film franchise, dating back to a deal it made with Turner Broadcasting in...

Fortnite, the ultra popular multiplayer battle royale game that's available for iOS devices, consoles, and PCs, is expanding to Android today, but Epic Games is launching Fortnite for Android in a unique way that's worth paying attention to. As outlined by our sister site TouchArcade, rather than releasing the game on Google Play or another Android marketplace, Epic has created its own...

Kévin Eugène, a web developer and UI/UX designer, this week shared a new iOS concept that he calls "iOS Mogi," with the aim of improving the look and functionality of Apple's AI assistant Siri (via Reddit). As Eugène explains in his Medium post on iOS Mogi, his goal was "not to create new commands" or completely re-build Siri, but to display the voice assistant "in a different way" that is "more ...

In watchOS 5, there's a new Apple Watch activity feature that's designed to motivate people to work out and get active through competitions with friends. You can challenge any friend to a seven-day competition on Apple Watch, with each person earning points for filling their rings each day. How to Start a Competition You can begin a competition on the Apple Watch itself or within the...

It has been nearly two years since Apple released the iPhone 7 without a headphone jack, forcing users who still use wired headphones to plug them into the Lightning connector using an adapter included in the box. Apple also includes the adapter in the box with the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X, but more evidence has emerged today that suggests that trend will soon end. Cirrus...

A new one-day-only flash sale has opened up at Best Buy, with nearly 30 models of the Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS + Cellular) marked down by up to $250. Sale prices begin at $299.00 for the 38mm Aluminum models and $329.00 for the 42mm Aluminum models, but there are also savings on Stainless Steel and Ceramic versions of the 2017 Apple Watch. With this sale, Best Buy is offering the best prices...

Apple recently updated its Maps app to expand the availability of transit directions to several new regions. Transit data is now available in Luxembourg, a country that has an expansive transit system including buses, trains, and the Luxembourg City tram. Apple also appears to have made transit data available in several new cities in Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington, and Oregon. Transit ...

Apple is working with major mobile carriers in China on exploring ways to reduce iMessage spam, according to state media (via Reuters). The company is actively exploring ways to further cut spam messages, including using advanced technology to identify junk messages and rolling out more tools to block hostile accounts, an Apple official was quoted as saying by the China News Service. "We've ...

A Southern California jury has awarded Canadian patent holding company WiLan $145.1 million in an ongoing patent dispute with Apple, WiLan announced today. Apple's iPhones were found to infringe on two patents (No. 8,457,145 and No. 8,537,757) related to wireless communications technology. WiLan, a company owned by Quarterhill, describes itself as "one of the most successful patent...

Apple today announced that it is removing iOS and Mac apps from its affiliate program, which means websites who share links to Apple apps will no longer be able to earn affiliate revenue for directing traffic to Apple's App Stores. According to Apple, it has made the decision to remove apps from its affiliate program due to the launch of the revamped App Stores for iOS and Mac. Apple rolled...

In its quarterly filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Apple this afternoon warned investors about the impact U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods could have on the company. As Bloomberg points out, the document contains wording suggesting tariffs and other protectionist measures could "adversely affect" Apple's business, resulting in lower gross margin or products that are more...

In the 18 months since Nintendo released Fire Emblem Heroes on Android and iOS devices the game has raked in a total of $400 million worldwide, according to data shared today by Sensor Tower. That $400 million total includes earnings across both the iOS App Store and the Google Play store, and it's up from the $300 million the game had earned a year after its launch. Fire Emblem Heroes...