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

Lighting company LIFX, known for its range of smart lighting products, today announced the LIFX Beam, its latest decorative smart light. Beam is a set of thin, rectangular lights that are meant to be used for accent lighting. There are six white plastic beam lights per kit, along with a power pack and 1 illuminated corner, which can be used to create "L" shaped designs when attached to a...

Seedling today announced the launch of Parker, which it says is the world's first augmented reality teddy bear. Parker the bear is currently being sold exclusively at Apple's retail stores. Designed for children aged three and up, the teddy bear is just a plain plush bear with no electronics or batteries, but it "comes to life" with the accompanying Parker augmented reality app that's...

Jaybird, known for its line of headphones aimed at runners and fitness enthusiasts, recently introduced the RUN, its first wire-free headphones designed to compete with the wide range of wire-free headphones that are now on the market, like Apple's AirPods. I went hands-on with the RUN to see how they compare to the AirPods and other Jaybird products like the new Freedom 2 headphones, also...

Instagram today introduced an interactive poll sticker in Instagram Stories that lets you ask a question and see real-time results from followers. After you've taken a photo or video for your story, select the "poll" sticker and place it anywhere on the screen. Then, you can write a question and customize two answer options for followers to choose. Once the poll has been shared,...

The YouTube iOS app today was updated to version 12.38, bringing a swipe-to-remove gesture for videos in playlists, as well as introducing support for iMessage. After updating the app you should see YouTube appear as a new icon in your Messages app drawer, and after tapping on it you can scroll to view your recently-watched videos, search YouTube for a specific video, and tap to send it to a...

The Nura headphones were funded on Kickstarter last year, surpassing a $100,000 goal and earning around $1.8 million from backers who were interested in the device's personal music calibration abilities. Today, the company is officially launching the $399 "Nuraphone" to backers from the Kickstarter campaign and to any new buyer through its website, with a pair of headphones that use a...

Philips today extended support for Apple's HomeKit platform to the Hue Tap switch, Hue dimmer switch, and Hue motion sensor. The trio of accessories can now be used to activate HomeKit scenes in the Home app to control other HomeKit-enabled accessories in a home.Philips Hue is extending its Apple HomeKit compatibility for Hue accessories: Hue tap, Hue dimmer switch and Hue motion sensor....

Amazon is updating its Alexa app today to add support for messaging and calling on Alexa-powered smart devices in the U.K., Germany, and Austria (via The Verge). The second-generation Echo in Charcoal Fabric The Alexa voice calling feature will work on standard Echo and Echo Dot smart speakers, allowing users to call the devices free of charge. iPhone and Android owners can also use the Alexa ...

A day ahead of Google's October hardware event, serial mobile leaker Evan Blass has shared images of the company's new 6-inch Pixel 2 XL smartphone, revealing a display with thin bezels and rounded corners reminiscent of the Samsung Galaxy S8. Rumors suggest the Pixel 2 XL will feature a QHD+ display with an 18:9 (2:1) aspect ratio, 4GB of RAM, a 12-megapixel rear camera, and front-facing...

Microsoft is shuttering Groove Music. The company announced the news on Monday in a blog post on its site, explaining that the streaming service will be discontinued on December 31 and any customers subscribed to the service will be refunded on a pro rata basis. Microsoft said it would cease sales of Groove Music Pass memberships soon, and in a partnership with Spotify, would make it easy for...

Just ahead of the launch of the Nike+ Apple Watch Series 3 models, which will be available starting this Thursday, Nike has updated its official Nike+ Run Club app with new functionality that was highlighted on stage during Apple's September event. On both iPhone and Apple Watch, Nike+ Run Club is gaining Audio Guided Runs, which are a series of guided workouts from Nike coaches and athletes...

T-Mobile plans to continue advertisements where it claims to have the fastest 4G LTE network in the United States despite complaints from Verizon and a recommendation to stop from the National Advertising Division (NAD), the company told Ars Technica in a statement today. The National Advertising Division, which aims to review advertisements for truthfulness and accuracy to settle disputes...

Chamberlain today announced the launch of a new version of the MyQ Smart Garage Hub, which is designed to allow smartphone users to control their garage doors from anywhere using the accompanying MyQ app. The MyQ Smart Garage Hub, which connects to a home Wi-Fi network, is compatible with most brands of garage door openers manufactured after 1994. The new MyQ Smart Garage Hub supports improved ...

With just about one month to go before the release of the iPhone X on November 3, Pad & Quill today announced a notable giveaway that will deliver a brand new 256GB iPhone X to its winner. At launch, the 256GB model will cost $1,149 in the United States. To enter for a chance to win, you'll have to either order an iPhone X case made by Pad & Quill or sign up for an email newsletter on the...

iOS 11 gives developers access to the NFC chip in Apple's most recent iPhone models for the first time, allowing for apps that are able to read NFC tags in places like museums and retail stores. The MLB today announced that the Oakland Athletics have tested a new ticketing feature that takes advantage of NFC, letting users enter the stadium by tapping an iPhone to a ticket scanner, much like...

Ring today introduced the Ring Protect, a customizable home security system with a companion iPhone app. The security system includes a base station, a wall-mounted keypad, one sensor for a window or door, an infrared motion detector, and a Z-Wave extender. Unfortunately, the system doesn't support HomeKit. When activated, if a burglar attempts attempts to break and enter, homeowners...

Roku today announced five new streaming devices that are available for pre-order now, and will launch in stores around October 8. One of the notable unveilings surrounds the "Streaming Stick Plus," which allows viewers to stream 4K Ultra HD and HDR video content up to 60 frames per second for $69.99. This marks one of the cheapest entry points for a 4K streaming device on the market, and is over...

Apple supplier Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company has announced today that its founder and chairman Morris Chang will be stepping down from all leadership positions effective June 2018, immediately following the annual shareholders meeting taking place that month (via DigiTimes and Reuters). Following Chang, TSMC will fall under the dual leadership of Mark Liu and C.C. Wei, with the...