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

Just over a week after first announcing the name and launch date of its new streaming service, ESPN today launched ESPN+, marking the first direct-to-consumer platform to debut from Disney. ESPN+ is available on ESPN.com and within a redesigned ESPN app for iOS and tvOS devices. For users of Apple's TV app, ESPN+ content is supported in the TV app on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. The new app...

T-Mobile today announced support for Business Chat in the Messages app on iOS devices, a feature Apple introduced in a beta capacity with the release of iOS 11.3 and macOS 10.13.4. Apple Business Chat is available for all T-Mobile customers, allowing them to interact with T-Mobile's support staff directly in the Messages app. T-Mobile says that its customers can access Apple Business Chat ...

Instagram is working on a new data portability tool that will let you download all of the content that you've shared on the social network, reports TechCrunch. According to an Instagram spokesperson, Instagram users will be able to download photos, videos, and messages using the upcoming tool. Instagram parent company Facebook already offers such a tool on Facebook, allowing you to download ...

Late last night the Federal Communications Commission published a new filing for a "wearable video camera" that was registered by Snap Inc and designated as "model 002." The filing is believed to be for the rumored second iteration of Snapchat's Spectacles device, with multiple snippets from the redacted documents specifically referencing the "Spectacles" brand. According to the filing,...

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi today announced a series of updates and expansions coming to the Uber mobile app, which will provide users with "a great variety of transportation modes" all in one place. Uber's new updates include the ability for customers to gain access to bikes, car rentals, and public transportation tickets, all in addition to the app's traditional ride-hailing services. To...

Apple Maps now supports public transportation in several Tennessee metropolitan areas, including Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, and Chattanooga. By selecting the Transit tab in Apple Maps on iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch, commuters can navigate with bus routes, complete with arrival and departure times, service advisories, and other detailed information. Transit agencies supported...

Spotify and Hulu today announced an expansion of their previous students-only initiative that bundled both services together for the low monthly cost of $4.99. Now all Spotify and Hulu subscribers in the United States will get a chance to lock into the same bundle through a single $12.99/month subscription price. This bundle includes the ad-free Spotify Premium tier of the music streaming...

Israel is the latest country to launch an investigation into Apple over the ongoing iPhone slowdown issue that saw the company fail to adequately inform users about a 2017 software update that could result in slower performance on some older iPhones with degraded batteries. The Israeli Consumer Protection on Fair Trade Authority on Tuesday said it had launched an investigation into Apple over...

Apple's smart home platform, HomeKit, has grown significantly since its 2015 launch, and there are now dozens of HomeKit products on the market that include everything from lights and smart outlets to thermostats, fans, cameras, and locks. There are so many HomeKit products available that you can essentially outfit an entire house with smart accessories, but it can be tough to figure out the...

Facebook today announced the launch of a new data abuse bounty program that will see it rewarding Facebook users who discover instances of companies using unauthorized data. Facebook users who report companies for misusing data can receive rewards that range from $500 to $40,000 for major discoveries impacting at least 10,000 people. Companies who are discovered misusing data will have their...

Sprint and T-Mobile have once again entered into talks over a potential merger, reports The Wall Street Journal. The revitalization of the discussion comes just five months after the two companies officially called off plans for a merger following an inability to reach "mutually agreeable terms." At the time, Sprint parent company SoftBank was not satisfied with the deal because of...

Instagram today announced the launch of a new "Focus" mode, which is designed to allow Instagram users to take portrait images with a softly blurred background. The feature is available as a new option next to "Superzoom" when you open up the camera. It can be used with the front or rear-facing cameras, and Instagram says as soon as someone is in the shot, the person will stay in focus while...

PayPal's Digital Gifts eBay storefront today launched another 15 percent discount on $100 App Store and iTunes gift cards, which the company has been doing once a month since February. While the deal lasts, those with a PayPal account can purchase the $100 iTunes gift cards for $85, which will then be delivered via email a few hours later. The gift cards will only be valid on purchases made in...

Apple today shared its first ad for the brand new (PRODUCT)RED edition iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus on its YouTube channel. The 30-second video, set to the song "That's It (I'm Crazy)" by Sofi Tukker, provides a close up look at the glossy red finish and front black bezels, which was a highly requested design after Apple used white front bezels last year. The ad first appeared on Apple's...

Facebook today launched a new section of its Help Center focusing on user data breaches following the Cambridge Analytica scandal that's been ongoing for the past few weeks. The updated Help Center tool allows you to check to see if any of your Facebook data was shared with Cambridge Analytica (via Matt Navarra). The tool specifically details whether or not you or any of your friends ever...

Swedish furniture seller IKEA has unveiled the first in a new line of minimalist Bluetooth speakers from the company. Called Eneby, the Scandinavian-styled units come in 8-inch and 12-inch sizes, can be wall- or stand- mounted, and are made to fit in IKEA's Kallax and Eket storage systems. The plastic speakers come with a mesh polyester fabric front panel that can be removed to expose...

Popular iPhone trivia app HQ Trivia is testing a new social feature in the UK, which allows its users to locate and add their real life friends in the HQ app, reports TechCrunch. When you add your friends to the HQ app using the new feature, you can keep track of their progress and see who else is playing in any given game. Adding social features is the next major step for HQ Trivia, which now ...

Apple will likely face sanctions from the Korean Fair Trade Commission for unfair iPhone contracts that require local carriers to pay advertising and repair costs, reports The Korea Herald, citing industry sources. Apple's Korean division has been criticized for asking carriers to foot the bill for advertising costs, launch events, and iPhone repairs, leading to an investigation from the Fair...