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

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...

Instagram today released a new Data Download feature which is designed to let Instagram users download a copy of their photos, videos, stories, profile info, comments, and messages to comply with the European Union's upcoming GDPR privacy law. While the privacy law is only applicable in Europe, Instagram has made the new download tool, accessible here as long as you're signed in to an...

Spotify held an event in New York City today, unveiling a new version of its free music streaming tier that introduces a few new features for those users not paying for Spotify's $9.99/month main subscription plan. The new free tier allows users to pick and choose which music they want to listen to on-demand, but only if the tracks appear within one of the 15 curated discovery playlists. These ...

Apple wants to reduce the price it pays Samsung for OLED displays used in current and future iPhone X models, according to DigiTimes. The report, citing industry sources, claims Apple is requiring Samsung to lower its price to $100 per panel, down around 9.1 percent from the $110 that research firm IHS Markit estimated the iPhone maker paid in 2017. Rather confusingly, the report first...

After first launching the "Amazon Key" service for users to allow delivery people to enter their home and drop off packages, Amazon today has revealed the expansion of the platform into "Amazon Key In-Car." Now, when Prime members in select cities checkout on Amazon, they will be able to choose an in-car delivery option. The company says that the service is available at no extra cost for Prime ...

Apple is launching the Apple Watch Series 3 with LTE in at least four more countries next month. The company plans to launch the cellular version of the smartwatch in Denmark, Sweden, India, and Taiwan on May 11, with pre-orders starting on May 4. Network operator "3" is currently the sole cellular provider option at the point of sale on Apple's Danish and Swedish websites, while regional...

Apple today won an auction for world screen rights to "Songwriter," a documentary about popular singer Ed Sheeran, reports Deadline. Apple paid "low to mid-seven figures" for the rights to the documentary, and the company plans to make it an event release that will include a theatrical component along with a debut on Apple platforms. "Songwriter" was directed by Murray Cummings, Sheeran's ...

Apple this afternoon shared several new iPad ads on its YouTube channel in the United Kingdom, all of which are designed to highlight the addition of Apple Pencil support to the low-cost tablet. Each short video ranges in length from 12 seconds to 17 seconds and focuses on a different iPad and Apple Pencil feature or supported app. The Notes app is demonstrated in the first video, for example, ...

Amazon's Kindle app for iOS was today updated to version 6.6, introducing a handful of useful new features to those who read Amazon books on their iPhones and iPads. The updated version of the app features a new mobile-friendly format that's designed for magazines, and this new option comes shortly after rumors suggesting Apple is going to debut a subscription news service that would include...

Best Buy is back today with a refresh of deals on Apple and Apple-related products and accessories, this time including a deal on the iPhone X. With the sale, you can save up to $200 on Apple's iPhone X, when purchasing and activating the smartphone on Sprint's 24-month installment agreement. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a...

GE has a new HomeKit-enabled single-room air conditioner available for purchase, which is the first HomeKit-compatible GE product that's launched so far. The GE Energy Star 115 Volt Electronic Room Air Conditioner (model number AHP08LX) can be purchased exclusively from Lowe's for $319. Though Lowe's is charging $319, the GE site says the MSRP for the device is $269, so it may be prudent to...

Apple Music has been the focus of numerous record-breaking reports in recent weeks, and the latest comes from rapper J. Cole after he broke the service's record for most album streams in the first 24 hours in the United States. In total, subscribers streamed J. Cole's fifth album "KOD" 64.5 million times on Friday, April 20, surpassing Drake's "Views" -- the previous record holder -- by almost 1...

In a new survey conducted by SurveyMonkey and shared by Recode, 11 percent of respondents said that they believe Apple has the most positive impact on society today. Apple came in third place, however, falling in line behind Google at 15 percent and Amazon in the top spot at 20 percent. Survey respondents were given the option of choosing between a number of technology companies between...

Last week, Apple supplier TSMC saw its shares decline around nine percent after it cut its full-year revenue growth target to 10 percent, compared to its previous 10-15 percent estimate. The manufacturer blamed the cut on lower-than-expected smartphone demand and growing uncertainty in the cryptocurrency mining market. Apple's stock also declined around four percent on Friday, as many...

Back in January, Toyota finally announced support for CarPlay, becoming one of the last major car manufacturers to support Apple's system for accessing iPhone apps through a vehicle's infotainment system. Mazda, one of the other major holdouts, announced similar support last month. 2019 Toyota Avalon and Corolla Hatchback At its January announcement, Toyota revealed that the redesigned 2019...

Each year, Apple offers free WWDC scholarships to students and STEM organization members who don't have the $1,599 necessary to purchase a ticket to the company's annual developer conference. For the upcoming 2018 event, Apple accepted scholarship applications from March 26 to April 1, and since then, Apple has been going through the submissions and choosing winners. As of today, all...

For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with ColorWare to give MacRumors readers a chance to win a set of custom-painted AirPods, which are available in dozens of different colors. ColorWare is a company that's been around for quite some time, offering custom paint jobs and unique skins for a range of electronic devices. AirPods can be ordered from ColorWare in custom colors for a fee of...