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

Amazon is preparing its customers for the busy holiday shopping season, posting a detailed plan today on how it aims to help you get the items you want through Alexa voice shopping, curated gift guides, and a new "AR View" in the official Amazon iOS app. AR View was built using Apple's augmented reality developer framework called ARKit, and the company said it's meant to help customers "make...

When Apple announced the iPhone X on September 12, the company also unveiled a new type of iPhone case called the "Leather Folio case," which has been specifically designed for iPhone X. Similar to existing wallet-style cases, the $99 Leather Folio accessory features a front cover that protects the iPhone X's screen when you aren't using it, and a few slots for cards or money. Now that...

Two U.K. banks today updated their mobile apps to support Face ID, the facial authentication feature exclusive to iPhone X, which officially launches on Friday, November 3. Nationwide and Bank of Scotland became the first mobile banking apps in the U.K. to provide compatibility with Apple's new facial recognition technology, which is set to replace Touch ID fingerprint authentication on all...

After multiple false starts and delays, IKEA today has updated its Trådfri iOS app [Direct Link] with a note that states the company is finally rolling out "Apple HomeKit integration for voice control of your lights with Siri" (via Macerkopf) [Google Translate]. After updating the Trådfri gateway, owners of the smart light bulbs will have to enter an 8-digit code to manually add their bulbs ...

Apple today highlighted iPhone X reviews from major publications such as The Verge, TechCrunch, Mashable, BuzzFeed News, The Independent, and CNET with a GIF that cycles through positive comments about the device. Apple changed its review strategy with a staggered release of the iPhone X to select YouTube channels and media outlets, some of which received less than 24 hours of lead time with ...

Astro HQ, the makers of popular iPad drawing app AstroPad Studio, yesterday announced that their plans for a "Camera Button" feature for the app have been scuppered by Apple. The developers' clever hack that turns an iPad's front-facing camera into a functional software button was supposed to be coming in the next AstroPad Studio update, but Apple has rejected it on the grounds that the idea...

Woolworths customers in Australia who have a Woolworths rewards card can now add their cards to the Wallet app to make it easier to earn and use rewards points when checking out. Apple added a mention of the new Woolworths Rewards option to its Apple Pay website today, and the feature is outlined on the Woolworths website. Woolworths customers can open the Wallet app and scan their cards...

Apple recently confirmed that the iPhone X will be available for walk-in customers to purchase at its retail stores when the device launches Friday, November 3, but that will not be the case in two European countries. Due to anti-terrorism restrictions, Apple will not be selling the iPhone X to customers without a pre-order or pickup reservation in Belgium or France. The news was first...

The 32GB model of the newest Apple TV 4K is currently being discounted at Adorama, with the help of a mail-in rebate form. On the site, you can purchase the 32GB Apple TV 4K for its usual price of $179, and then receive $30 through the mail-in rebate, knocking the price down to $149. The rebate will be valid on purchases made between October 30 and November 5 while supplies last, and...

Alongside the release of iOS 11.1, macOS High Sierra 10.13.1, watchOS 4.1, and tvOS 11.1, Apple has released an updated version of iTunes for Mac machines. iTunes 12.7.1 is a small update, with Apple's release notes saying only that it introduces minor app and performance improvements. Today's iTunes update can be downloaded from the Mac App Store for free using the Software Update...

Apple today released tvOS 11.1, the first major update for the tvOS 11 operating system designed for fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models. tvOS 11.1 comes more than a month after the release of the original tvOS 11 update. tvOS 11.1 can be downloaded over the air through the Settings app on the Apple TV by going to System --> Software Update. Apple TV owners who have automatic software...

Nintendo yesterday held its quarterly earnings report [PDF], launching off with details of its "Smart-Device Business" and telling investors how things have been going for Super Mario Run and Fire Emblem Heroes, while detailing the upcoming launch of Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp. Although Fire Emblem Heroes is on track to meet the company's "overall profit objectives," Super Mario Run appears to...

Now that the media has had hands-on time with the iPhone X, the new smartphone is being put through its paces in a few areas, including Face ID. Since the iPhone X's new biometric security system has already been at the forefront of much debate and skepticism, most review and hands-on coverage has tried to fool Face ID, including Mashable and Business Insider running a "twin test" to see if one...

Despite some speculation suggesting the iPhone X would not support Reachability, reviews of the device published today have confirmed that the feature can be enabled in the Settings app on the device. Once enabled, Reachability can be invoked by swiping down on the bar that serves as a visual indicator for returning to the Home screen. Skip to the 5:05 mark in Engadget's first impressions ...

WhatsApp is currently rolling out the ability to delete and revoke messages after they've been sent. The function has been in testing as a hidden feature in several earlier versions of the mobile chat app, but is officially going live this week. Going forward, WhatsApp users will be able delete messages from conversations and group chats up to seven minutes after they've tapped the send...

Instagram today told TechCrunch that it is now featuring Instagram Stories more prominently with a larger preview box located between Instagram posts. The Stories preview box now features a tiled design that's much more noticeable when scrolling through an Instagram feed. Previously, the mid-feed box looked similar to the smaller Stories bar at the top of the feed, which Instagram says it does ...

iOS 11.2 beta, released this morning, introduces SiriKit support for the HomePod, according to Apple. With SiriKit for HomePod now available, Apple is asking developers to make sure SiriKit-compatible apps are optimized for HomePod ahead of the device's release. SiriKit is designed to allow iOS and watchOS apps to work with Siri, so users can complete tasks with Siri voice commands. SiriKit is ...

Square today announced the launch of Square Register, a new point-of-sale device that joins Square Stand and Square Reader, the company's existing iPad and iPhone-based point-of-sale systems. Unlike Square Stand and Square Reader, Square Register is a fully integrated solution with hardware and software designed by Square. The device features a large display that faces the cashier, and at the...