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

Twitter's planned update that will make additional characters available for tweets is coming on September 19, reports The Verge. As was announced in May, Twitter will stop counting Twitter handles, photos, GIFs, polls, and other media content within the 140-character limit allowed for each tweet, leaving more room for text. All @names, such as @MacRumors, will no longer count towards the...

Google today announced the launch of Cardboard Camera for iOS, which lets users "capture 3D 360-degree virtual reality photos" without the need for technical VR equipment. Photos taken with the app are three-dimensional panoramas in which users can tap and drag to look around "in all directions," with sound recording the moment the photo is taken that plays back each time the image is revisited. ...

Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom today announced that the company is "taking the next step" to protect its users from online abuse with the wide launch of a new comment moderation feature in the photography-focused social network app. Referred to as a "keyword moderation tool," the feature will let each user type in words they find to be offensive, effectively hiding any mention of them in the comment ...

Samsung has urged customers to stop using its Galaxy Note 7 smartphones immediately and return them for exchange as soon as possible, after more reports of the handsets catching fire emerged. "We are asking users to power down their Galaxy Note 7's and exchange them as soon as possible," said Koh Dong-jin, Samsung's mobile president. "We are expediting replacement devices so that they can be...

In its 2.13 update yesterday, mobile payments app Square Cash introduced the "Cash Virtual Card" into its iOS app, letting users create a virtual Visa debit card that lets them spend their Square Cash anywhere that accepts Visa online (via Recode). Square Cash users can check out at retailers like Amazon, for example, and simply enter the card number for their virtual card during the check out ...

While the original Apple Watch has a 2-meter charging cable in the box, Apple says new Apple Watch Series 2 and Series 1 models come with a shorter 1-meter charging cable in the box. Apple continues to sell a 2-meter Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Cable for $39 online and in stores, while extra 1-meter cables remain available as a standalone purchase for $29 in the United States. Apple Watch ...

As one of the more high-profile wireless headphone companies in recent months, Bragi is already looking to position its two products -- The Dash and the just-announced The Headphone -- as strong competitors to Apple's just-announced AirPods. In a FaceBook post this morning, Bragi shared a chart which lists how The Dash and The Headphone (particularly The Dash) compare favorably to AirPods in...

Just hours after Apple Watch Series 2 pre-orders became available, shipping estimates for most 38mm and 42mm models have slipped to 2-3 weeks in the U.S. for new orders placed through Apple's online store. Apple Watch Nike+ models are expected to ship in late October, while the new 42mm ceramic Apple Watch Edition ships in 5-7 weeks. Apple Watch Series 1 models remain available for September...

One of the first major surprises out of Apple's September 7 event was the appearance of game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, and the announcement of an all-new Mario game for iOS called Super Mario Run. In the game, players will help Mario navigate various worlds by tapping on the screen to help the plumber jump, dodge, and slide past obstacles and enemies until they reach the flag pole at the end of...

Google has integrated the technology from its Motion Stills app into Google Photos for iOS, enabling users of the latter to benefit from the Live Photos stabilization feature without having to download another app. Google's Motion Stills feature uses advanced stabilization and rendering to further manipulate Apple's Live Photos – pictures taken on supporting iPhones with a second and a half...

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple today that details how new brushing and polishing tools could be used to finish a wireless charging station. While the application covers general polishing techniques for cylindrical and contoured surfaces, Patently Apple notes that the patent also details ways to create a space for an inductive charging coil,...

Apple has lowered the price of the iPhone SE with 64GB of storage from $499 to $449 in the U.S. following its iPhone 7 event yesterday. Likewise, the monthly installment price now starts at a lower $18.71 per month through carrier financing. The 16GB model remains $399. Apple released the iPhone SE in March 2016 as a low-cost successor to the iPhone 5s, much to the delight of customers who...

Along with the reveal of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, Apple yesterday briefly mentioned that the previous generation of iPhone -- the 6s and 6s Plus -- have both gotten updates to storage capacities and price drops. In solidarity with the iPhone 7's omission of the low-tier 16GB option, anyone interested in the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus will now have two storage tiers to choose from: 32GB...

Facebook marketing lead Lindsey Shepard recently posted a blog sharing new details of the company's celebration of Star Trek's 50th anniversary, taking place today. After updating the "Like" button to a set of emotional reactions earlier in the year, the social network is temporarily giving each reaction a Star Trek themed makeover to celebrate the franchise's premiere on September 8, 1966. In ...

Smart thermostat company Nest today announced three new colors for its flagship product, the Nest Learning Thermostat, now coming in white, black, and copper, in addition to the traditional stainless steel variant. The new colors are said to be available for a limited time only, but Nest didn't specify for how long they'd continue to go on sale. The purpose of introducing more colors and finishes ...

Anyone tuning in to watch Apple's iPhone 7 event on Wednesday may have been mildly surprised and somewhat amused to witness Apple CEO Tim Cook taking part in a special episode of "Carpool Karaoke" along with Pharrell Williams. Far from being an off-the-wall, last-minute inclusion, the video introduction makes sense for Apple, which recently purchased the segment from "The Late Show With James...

Photo sharing app Instagram is set to become one of the first platforms specifically designed to take advantage of the iPhone 7's powerful new camera features. Details of the upcoming update were shared by Instagram's head of design Ian Spalter during yesterday's Apple event in San Francisco, where he demonstrated how the app would make use of several of the new phones' capabilities....

T-Mobile has announced that it will offer a free 32GB iPhone 7 during pre-order to new or existing customers when they trade in their iPhone 6, 6s, 6 Plus or 6s Plus. The offer is for a limited time and will be available at T-Mobile.com when pre-orders are live and T-Mobile retail stores. The offer partially extends to other iPhone 7 models. For example, the 32GB iPhone 7 Plus is available...