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

Microsoft today released an update for SwiftKey that includes a handful of new features including emoji prediction and enhancements to 3D Touch gestures. Users who tap on the emoji key will now see a new prediction panel that automatically suggests up to 18 relevant emoji depending on what they type, saving them the trouble of searching through the entire list. The update also includes...

Hulu today announced a new distribution deal with 20th Century Fox, which will see almost 3,000 new episodes of popular Fox dramas and comedies added to Hulu's streaming service. Hulu has obtained streaming rights to every episode of long-running hits like How I Met Your Mother, Burn Notice, Bones, and Glee, along with all 11 seasons of M*A*S*H and the complete NYPD Blue library. A list of...

Apple has partnered with French fashion label Balmain to create special edition versions of its Powerbeats 3 Wireless Earphones and Beats Studio Wireless Headphones. The two accessories feature a Safari color with metallic gold accents and prominent Balmain labeling. The Beats/Balmain collection delivers premium sound and exquisite design reflective of Balmain's iconic style. The Beats...

Apple today released a new update for tvOS, the operating system designed to run on the fourth-generation Apple TV. tvOS 10.2.2 update comes two months after the release of tvOS 10.2.1, a minor update. The tvOS 10.2.2 update can be downloaded on the fourth-generation Apple TV using the Settings app. Go to System --> Software Update to install. For those who have automatic software updates...

Apple today released a new software update for the Apple Watch, upgrading watchOS 3.2.2 to watchOS 3.2.3. The watchOS 3.2.3 update comes two months after the release of watchOS 3.2.2, which introduced bug fixes. watchOS 3.2.3 can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General --> Software Update. To install the update, the Apple Watch must have 50 percent ...

Amazon today announced a new feature coming to its iOS and Android apps called "Amazon Pay Places," which will let users pay for in store items and order ahead meals using the payment information saved in their Amazon accounts (via TechCrunch). Amazon is opening up the feature with a small scale launch, however, and only enabling pay-ahead food orders through one restaurant, TGI Friday's, at...

When the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ smartphones went on sale in April, voice support for Bixby in the United States was missing due to Samsung's decision to delay the virtual assistant's English-language launch until what was then estimated to be sometime in late spring. This week, the company has announced that voice capabilities for Bixby are now arriving for Galaxy S8 and S8+ users across the...

Compal, Hon Hai Precision/Foxconn, Pegatron, and Wistron have filed a countersuit against iPhone LTE modem supplier Qualcomm in an attempt to prevent Qualcomm from successfully forcing them to pay certain licensing fees related to the iPhone's assembly (via Bloomberg). The move is a response to a lawsuit from May when Qualcomm sued the four suppliers for "breaching their license agreements" by...

After debuting exclusively inside special pop-up vending machines last year before becoming available as direct web orders, Snap has now begun selling its video-recording Spectacles through Amazon for the first time. When synced with the Snapchat mobile app, users can tap a button on the Spectacles to begin recording a 10, 20, or 30-second video, which is saved in the "Memories" section of...

Augmented reality startup Blippar today announced a new social feature for its image recognition app that lets users build an AR profile using facial recognition technology. Called "Halos", the feature offers users the ability to scan their face into the app and fill various bubbles around their head with personal details, such as their latest tweets, favorite songs on Spotify, YouTube videos, ...

China has reportedly started blocking some features of the WhatsApp messaging service, as authorities continue to tighten controls over the country's internet. WhatsApp users began reporting problems with sharing content on the chat platform yesterday, with many unable to send video and pictures. Despite initial fears of a communications-wide ban of the Facebook-owned service, text-based...

Google today announced a new personalized news feed for its namesake iOS app, offering a stream of content based on user search history and topics they choose to follow. The feed appears directly below the search bar in the Google app, where users will see a stream of personally relevant articles and media content powered by Google's machine learning algorithms. The feed sits in place of...

As Nintendo prepares to launch Splatoon 2 on July 21, it has made the Nintendo Switch Online app available in the iOS App Store. Nintendo Switch Online, first introduced earlier this month, is designed to enhance the online experience when using compatible games on the Nintendo Switch console. At the current time, Splatoon 2 is the only game that's compatible with Nintendo Switch Online, and...

Popular password management LastPass today announced plans to introduce a new family plan, LastPass Families. The new plan is designed to allow up to six family members to store and access all of their passwords and documents from any device. With LastPass Families, family members can share access to bank accounts, credit cards, and more, for every day use or in case of an emergency. According ...

Adobe today updated its Lightroom apps for the iPad and the iPhone, introducing a new selective brush, a details tab, a refreshed interface for the iPad, and enhanced support for features like the Apple Pencil and 3D Touch. Both Lightroom for iOS and Lightroom for iPad feature a new Selective Brush tool, which can be used to selectively paint enhancements on any part of an image. On the...

Apple today announced the air date for its newest music-related documentary that will be shown exclusively on Apple Music, Kygo: Stole the Show. The documentary, which chronicles the life of Norwegian DJ and musician Kygo, will premiere on Apple Music on Wednesday, July 26. Apple shared the air date in a new trailer that has been uploaded to the company's YouTube channel. Starting with the...

Apple Pay continues its global expansion today with several new participating banks, and more coming soon, in France, Italy, Ireland, Spain, and the UK. In France, Apple says Apple Pay will be available later this year to Banque BCP and Arkéa Banque Privée customers, and through mobile-only banking and/or payment solutions Orange Bank, Lydia, and N26. In Italy, as promised, Apple Pay is av...

One year after launching its first Bluetooth-enabled smart toothbrush with the Sonicare Flexcare Platinum device, Philips this week announced the all-new Sonicare DiamondClean Smart Sonic toothbrush. The toothbrush packs in the usual array of features found in other smart toothbrushes, including brush coaching and smartphone connectivity, as well as including a revamped brush head system and...