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

Pokémon fans in 15 countries got their first chance to play wildly popular mobile game Pokémon Go over the weekend, but prospective players in China, India, and Korea are still waiting for the title to debut in their own territories. Niantic confirmed trainer locations on Friday in the following countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam,...

Coinciding with the first full day of competitive events at the 2016 Olympic Games, Apple this morning launched a special section of the App Store showcasing official Rio 2016 apps and games. The section reads: The Olympics unite the world in celebration of struggle and triumph. They're where legends are born and impossible feats come true. With the official apps, games and music, you can follow ...

Apple may be planning to build a research and development center in Vietnam, reports Vietnamese site BizLive. Work on the R&D center, which will be located in the Vietnamese central province of Da Nang, was uncovered following a local government meeting on foreign direct investment. Da Nang, image via VnExpress Rumors earlier this year suggested Apple would invest up to $1 billion to build an ...

With the controversial removal of the headphone jack from Apple's upcoming iPhone range a seeming inevitability, audio companies are already ramping up Bluetooth headset options ahead of the devices' launch in the fall. In June, premium audio heavyweight brand Bose debuted a wireless version of its flagship over-the-ear headphones with the QuietComfort 35's. Not to be outdone, last month...

Accessory maker Incipio today announced that it has acquired Griffin Technology, a company known for its wide range of accessories for Apple's line of devices. Incipio and Griffin did not disclose the terms of the deal. "Griffin has a 25-year history of designing, manufacturing and distributing iconic mobile accessories," stated Andy Fathollahi, Founder and CEO of Incipio Group. "As part of...

For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with smart home app Yonomi to give away a Smart Home Starter Kit consisting of a Sonos Play:1, an Amazon Echo, and two LIFX Wi-Fi connected lightbulbs, all of which can be controlled together using the Yonomi app for iOS devices. Yonomi is designed to connect to more than 60 smart home products from companies like Withings, Philips, Quirky, Sonos,...

After acquiring live filter app MSQRD back in March, Facebook today has begun officially integrating its capabilities into the main Facebook mobile app, focusing first on a soft rollout in Brazil and Canada (via TechCrunch). The Olympics-themed launch will greet users with an open, front-facing camera window when first jumping into Facebook, letting them swipe between various filters that add...

Spotify today announced a new curated music section of its popular streaming platform, called Release Radar, that will automatically update every Friday with new music from artists already in each user's library. The company said that the section will help its listeners stay "on top of the latest singles by your favorite artists," without having to manually search for new music. The new...

While yesterday's update to the Apple Store iOS app introduced some significant alterations to the interface, one thing Apple didn't change is its tradition of occasionally offering select paid apps for free through the Store for a limited time. Right now, users who scroll down the Discover tab can find an option to download photo painting app Brushstroke for free, instead of paying $4.99 when ...

Two days after Apple Music launched in Israel, the service has launched in South Korea, the Cupertino company announced today. The launch comes over a year after the service simultaneously launched in 110 countries. Apple Music's standard 3-month free trial is also available to Korean users. After the trial, users can sign up for either $7.99 a month individual plans or $11.99 a month family ...

Apple today launched a new ad in its ongoing "Shot on iPhone" campaign, this one called "The Human Family." Using words from famous poet Maya Angelou, and spoken by her too, the commercial cycles through various photos and videos of user-submitted content, with the theme of family showcasing various people from around the world. The spot is set to be Apple's ad for the 2016 Olympic Games,...

Developer Square Enix recently launched a new game called Mobius Final Fantasy, which the company said is "custom-tailored for mobile platforms," and is now available on iPhone, iPad, and Android devices. Some of the team behind the game includes producer Yoshinori Kitase and writer Kazushige Nojima, who penned both Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy X. Mobius Final Fantasy lets players play ...

In a post on the company's official blog, YouTube yesterday announced that its paid subscription service -- dubbed YouTube Red -- will now encompass YouTube Kids, enabling "a whole new set of features for the family to enjoy" whenever parents sign up for Red. Available in the United States, Australia, and New Zealand, the move comes about 15 months after YouTube Kids came under fire by some...

The developers of popular running and cycling app Strava have announced a new safety feature for premium members that lets users broadcast their location in real time to friends and family. The new feature, called Beacon, means runners and cyclists can now share their whereabouts with select contacts, who can then easily locate them if they don't return from their workout when expected or in...

Intel is recalling its Basis Peak sleep and activity tracking watch due to overheating issues, and says it is shuttering the acquired startup behind the technology "immediately". The chip company initially reported the overheating problem in June after some Basis users complained of blistering and burns caused by the wearable device. Intel told its customers not to use the watch until a...

Britney Spears has announced that Glory, her first album in three years, will be available on Apple Music from August 26, in what looks like another high-profile exclusive for the streaming service. Spears revealed the news yesterday through her Twitter account and called the fresh release "the beginning of a new era", as she notified fans they could pre-order the album on iTunes from midnight ...

Apple today updated its Apple Music app for Android to version 1.0.0, officially dropping the app's beta status and announcing its full release. Apple Music is one of the first Apple-branded apps that Apple has brought to Android devices. First introduced in November of 2015, Apple Music for Android made the Apple Music platform available on Android-based smartphones and tablets for the first...

Password managing app 1Password today announced the launch of a new subscription plan for individual users priced at $2.99 per month. The new model will be added to 1Password's existing subscription tiers, including a team plan (beginning at $3.99 per month) and a family plan ($4.99 per month). This will allow users not in need of enterprise- or family-related perks to join in on 1Password's...