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

Best Buy's refresh of deals this week includes a 24-hour flash sale on Apple products like the 12-inch MacBook, MacBook Pro, fifth-generation iPad from 2017, and Apple Watch Series 3. The biggest savings here are for select models of Apple's 12-inch MacBook from 2017, with prices that can extend to as much as $550 off with Student Deals for the best prices we've ever seen on these models. Best ...

Twitter has updated the way its main timeline treats trending news stories, so that tweets from users linking the same story get grouped together (via BuzzFeed). The change means users will now see a banner at the top of their feed that lists links to a particular story from people they follow, and should prevent users from seeing multiple shared links to the same story in their timeline. ...

Following my review of the Yale Assure Lock SL deadbolt with HomeKit support last month, a number of readers highlighted the Schlage Sense as another satisfactory HomeKit option worth considering. As it turns out, I've been using the Schlage Sense on my front door for quite some time, so it's worth taking a look at how Schlage's offering has held up over time. The Schlage Sense deadbolt was o...

Nintendo this week revealed a new smartphone game coming to iOS and Android devices this summer, called "Dragalia Lost." The game was created through a partnership with Japanese mobile developer Cygames and is described as an all-new "original action RPG" for smartphones. Nintendo co-developed Dragalia Lost and will "jointly operate" the app with Cygames once it launches (via TouchArcade). For ...

As part of its ongoing spring sale event, Best Buy today has discounted Apple's HomePod by $20, bringing the cost of the smart speaker to $329.99, down from $349.99. The speaker is available in both White and Space Gray. While not a massive discount, this is one of the first straight price drops on HomePod since its launch earlier this year, outside of sitewide promo codes on eBay. Note:...

Apple is encouraging customers who have previously trialed Apple Music, but were not convinced to pay for the service, to try it again. For several months, some users who have already taken advantage of Apple Music's initial free three-month trial period, but do not currently have a subscription, have been offered an additional month of complimentary access. Apple has been alerting users...

Earlier this month, reports suggested Sprint and T-Mobile had once again resumed merger talks, and now it appears the two U.S. carriers may be close to inking a deal. According to Reuters, Sprint and T-Mobile have "made progress" negotiating merger terms and are aiming to complete deal talks as soon as next week. T-Mobile parent company Deutsche Telekom and Sprint parent company SoftBank...

Citi today announced that its credit cards issued in Australia, Singapore, and Hong Kong can now be used with Apple Pay, followed by Taiwan later this year. Citi cardholders can activate Apple Pay by opening the Wallet app, tapping the plus sign in the top-right corner, tapping the continue button, and positioning the credit card into the on-screen frame or entering the card details...

This week's Apple Pay promotion is a partnership with furniture and décor app Hayneedle [Direct Link], allowing customers to get 10 percent off their orders when using Apple Pay to check out. No promotional code is required, and the offer will last through May 2, 2018. The Hayneedle iOS app lets customers discover new home furniture and other items, including sofas, art, dining sets,...

Following a series of rumors, Snapchat today launched the latest version of its connected sunglasses, the Spectacles. The company says that the new pair of Spectacles have a smaller profile, so they're slightly less bulky on the face than the original. Additionally, Snapchat is pitching the new Spectacles as a go-to summer accessory for its users thanks to added water resistance. Snapchat's...

iOS 11 and later include a neat built-in dictionary feature that lets you quickly look up the definition of words on your iPhone or iPad, even if an internet connection is unavailable. It's a handy recourse if someone breaks out a "big word" during a conversation, or you come across an expression in a book or on the web that you don't quite understand. There are a couple of ways to...

When Sonos introduced the new Sonos One back in October, the company confirmed it would add AirPlay 2 support to Sonos speakers later in 2018. At the time, Sonos did not specify which of its devices would support the new protocol, but Sonos has offered some clarification in the form of a new blog post that includes AirPlay 2 details. According to Sonos, native AirPlay 2 support will be...

Concert discovery app Bandsintown Concerts received a major update today, introducing native Apple Music integration to allow Apple Music subscribers to listen to music without needing to leave the Bandsintown app. For those unfamiliar with Bandsintown, it's a website and app that's designed to allow users to discover when their favorite bands are performing live in their local area. When ...

Jam City's highly anticipated game in the Harry Potter universe, Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, saw a worldwide launch this morning on iOS and Android devices. In Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, players are able to take on the role of a student at Hogwarts, going to classes, learning spells, building friendships, and making decisions in an "encounter system" that influences each player's...

Snapchat today announced the launch of Snappables, which are new Snapchat Lenses that are designed to allow Snapchat users to play augmented reality games with their friends. Interactive Snappable lenses are located right near other Snapchat Lenses in the Lens Carousel and can be accessed by tapping the icon on the left side of the capture button. To use a Snappable, tap the Snappable...

Lexus has announced that its first vehicle with CarPlay will be available in September 2018 at dealerships across the United States. 2019 Lexus ES That vehicle will be the new 2019 Lexus ES, equipped with an eight-inch display controllable via a knob in the center console. The sedan also features Siri Eyes Free and Amazon Alexa voice control, but lacks Android Auto support. An optional...

Amazon today updated its Alexa app for iOS devices to introduce iPhone X compatibility, allowing the app to be displayed full screen on the longer display of the iPhone X. Prior to today, the Amazon Alexa app displayed unattractive black bars at the bottom and top of the app, so this should be a welcome change for Amazon users who have an iPhone X. The addition of Alexa support comes just over ...

Apple has stopped offering financing options to customers in the United Kingdom, as indicated by the elimination of its UK financing page, which was removed from the UK Apple site this afternoon. Apple previously allowed customers in the UK to sign up for financing on Apple products through PayPal Credit or Barclays when checking out from the online Apple Store. PayPal Credit could be used on...