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

Apple Maps has been recently updated with public transit information for those living in and traveling to the Netherlands. Transit directions allow users to navigate the Netherlands thanks to integration with the Intercity direct train line, various bus routes, trams, and ferries. Transit in the Netherlands includes up-to-date advisory information with the help of data accumulated from...

Belkin today announced that its Wemo line of smart home devices will support HomeKit starting this fall with the launch of a new HomeKit-enabled Wemo Bridge. The Wemo Bridge, which will connect to any home Wi-Fi router via an Ethernet cable, will allow current Wemo Smart Plugs and Light Switches to connect to a HomeKit setup. Wemo products will respond to Siri voice commands and will be able...

Chief Apple designer Jony Ive has been appointed chancellor of London's Royal College of Art (RCA), it was announced on Thursday. Ive is set to take up the role in July and will replace British engineer Sir James Dyson, who has been provost of RCA since 2011. "I am thrilled to formalise my relationship with the RCA, given the profound influence the college has had on so many of the artists and ...

Apple is in the process of transitioning App Store pricing from the U.S. dollar and euro to local currencies in nine countries. The announcement was made last week on Apple's iTunes Connect resource page, and the first reports are coming through that the price changes are equating to small savings in some countries, owing to favorable exchange rates. App Store pricing in Romania is now showing ...

Last October, popular API documentation browser Dash was removed from the iOS App Store after Apple accused the app's developer, Kapeli, of fraudulent conduct involving hundreds of fake reviews. Kapeli's Apple developer account was terminated in the controversy, and with no way to sell the app on the App Store, the Dash code was subsequently made open source. However, according to a Wednesd...

Twitter today updated its app for the Apple TV, introducing support for live 360 degree videos, making it the first Apple TV app to support such a feature. Following the update, Apple TV users can watch live 360 degree videos directly on their television sets, navigating through the scene with the Siri remote. The new version of the Twitter app for Apple TV also includes support for the...

Apple today released a new 3.7.2 firmware update for its AirPods, likely introducing bug fixes and performance improvements to the wireless earbuds. AirPod firmware updates are installed automatically when the AirPods are connected to the iPhone, so AirPods users should begin seeing the new firmware soon as the update rolls out to everyone. AirPods owners can check the version number in...

Apple today shared the first trailer for Can't Stop Won't Stop: A Bad Boy Story, which is an Apple Music-exclusive documentary that covers the rise of Sean Combs (aka Puff Daddy/Diddy) and his Bad Boy record label in the mid-1990s, along with the 20th anniversary Bad Boy reunion show tour that took place in 2016. The Bad Boy reunion tour is what led to Combs' partnership with Apple, after...

At its "#SeizeTheMoment" event in New York City today, drone maker DJI announced its newest device, called the DJI Spark. The company said that the new drone is its "smallest, smartest, and simplest" drone to date, and was built to capture moments on the go that bulkier drones might miss out on. The drone lifts from the palm of the user's hands and can be controlled through hand gestures,...

Continuing its partnership with Disney, Sphero today revealed its newest iPhone-controlled toy, this time themed after the Disney/Pixar Cars character Lightning McQueen. Sphero calls him the "Ultimate Lightning McQueen," letting users drive Lightning remotely via Bluetooth by using an iOS or Android application. Lightning himself has authentic movement and animations which Sphero calls...

A new report posted by DigiTimes today has taken a look into the micro-LED ambitions of multiple companies, including the timeline by which Apple might begin its trial production of micro-LED displays. Although it's yet to be confirmed, Apple is likely to use such display technology on a version of the Apple Watch launched in 2018 or later. The report, citing industry sources, states that...

T-Mobile today introduced a limited time promotion to encourage Verizon customers with select iPhone models to switch to their network. Starting May 31, when a Verizon customer with an iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, or iPhone SE brings their smartphone to T-Mobile, they'll be able to keep the device, and have any remaining monthly payments owing towards it paid off in...

Garmin today announced a new 360-degree camera called the "VIRB 360," which is compatible with a connected iOS app that allows users to edit, stabilize, share, live stream, and add data overlays to videos. The $799.99 compact camera itself captures video up to 5.7K at 30fps, and has a quad microphone set up so audio is captured from every direction as users record content. The VIRB 360 is...

Google expanded the range of family sharing features across a handful of its digital services on Tuesday. The new additions rolled out to Google Calendar, Google Keep, and Google Photos. Setting up a family group in Google Calendar now automatically generates a "Family Calendar" for users to keep track of group activities like picnics, movie nights, and reunions, all in one place. The new ...

Apple today announced a new app development curriculum designed for students who want to pursue careers in the fast-growing app economy. The curriculum comes as a free download from the iBooks Store. Called "App Development with Swift", the full-year course aims to teach students the elements of app design using Swift, Apple's increasingly popular programming languages. Apple said students who ...

AgileBits recently introduced a new 1Password feature called Travel Mode, which is designed to protect password vaults from unwarranted searches when traveling. When activated, Travel Mode will remove every password vault from all of a user's iOS and Mac devices except for vaults that have been earmarked as "safe for travel," effectively hiding a user's most sensitive information. Travel Mode...

Duet Display, the app designed to let you turn your iPad into an extra display for your Mac, is today being updated with new Pro-level features that enhance the Apple Pencil support introduced back in October. The Pro features are designed to turn the iPad Pro into a high-performance graphics tablet that can compete with Intuos or Wacom drawing tablets, and as of today, Pro subscribers will...

Apple has enabled iTunes carrier billing in France and Turkey, according to an updated support document, expanding upon the feature's existing availability among select carriers in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Japan, Italy, Norway, Russia, Singapore, Switzerland, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The payment method enables customers to pay for iTunes content, App Store apps,...