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

Apple has stepped up procurement of chips and components for the second-generation Apple Watch, according to sources from the supply chain (via DigiTimes). Shipments of chips and components for the second-gen Apple Watch are reportedly set to begin in the third quarter, indicating a launch later this year. Orders for the upcoming Apple Watch have been higher-than-expected, according to...

One of the biggest updates announced for iOS 10 centers around the new design of Apple Music, which the company hopes will simplify its music streaming service into one that better introduces its users to new favorite songs, and is less of a hassle to navigate than the current version. To discuss the nuances of the revamped service, Eddy Cue, Jimmy Iovine, Trent Reznor, and Robert Kondrk sat...

Netflix for iOS was today updated with a highly desired and long-awaited new feature, Picture in Picture support. Introduced in iOS 9, Picture in Picture is an iPad multitasking capability that allows a video that's playing to be minimized to a corner while other apps are open. With Picture in Picture support, iPad users can now watch TV shows and movies on Netflix while doing other things on...

T-Mobile has announced that its free unlimited video streaming program Binge On now supports over five additional video services, including Azubu, Dailymotion Games, Eyegroove, PBS, PBS Kids, and more. Binge On now supports nearly 90 video services in the United States. Binge On enables customers on a qualifying Simple Choice plan to stream unlimited 480p video from dozens of partnered...

Among many iOS 10 announcements made at WWDC yesterday, one notable update to Apple's mobile operating system came in the form of third party developer support in Apple's iMessage chat platform. With the new SDK, developers can create app extensions -- similar to third party keyboard apps available now on the App Store -- that let users interact with apps from directly within Messages....

Apple confirmed during its WWDC 2016 keynote that Apple Pay will be expanding to France, Hong Kong, and Switzerland over the next few months in partnership with Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. Visa and MasterCard will be supported in all three countries, while American Express will also be available in Hong Kong. The specific credit, debit, and prepaid cards that can be used in each...

Six years after making its debut in iOS 4, Game Center has now been quietly removed from Apple's mobile operating system, as a few initial iOS 10 beta testers have noted. Although the company has given users the ability to delete some of its pre-installed apps with the new OS, it appears Game Center in particular is permanently deleted. It is unclear, however, whether the app might be made...

With the announcement of iOS 10 at WWDC on Monday, Apple mentioned its adoption of "Differential Privacy" – a mathematical technique that allows the company to collect user information that helps it enhance its apps and services while keeping the data of individual users private. During the company's keynote address, Senior VP of software engineering Craig Federighi – a vocal advocate of...

Apple has been granted a patent for a possible future iPhone with a wraparound all-glass display (via Patently Apple). The application was submitted in 2011 but granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office today, detailing various embodiments of a portable consumer device with a wraparound screen. In one example, the device is described as having a transparent housing and a flexible...

Apple has quietly dropped the requirement that tvOS developers make their games playable using the Siri Remote as a controller. The policy change was discovered in an update to an existing Apple TV support document covering the use of game controllers, and highlighted by MacRumors' sister site TouchArcade as a revision that will surely be welcomed by developers and gamers alike. The ...

Following its WWDC keynote address, Apple held an event to announce the winners of its prestigious Apple Design Awards. The company hands out its design awards every year during WWDC, highlighting a section of the best apps and games across Apple's various operating systems. The design awards were created to recognize high-quality apps that used savvy design to create inventive, compelling...

During the tvOS section of Apple's WWDC keynote today, the company confirmed that Sling TV will be getting an app for the fourth-generation Apple TV. Now, Sling TV has confirmed that the live-streaming app is available to download from the tvOS store, "delivering a live, linear and on-demand multichannel pay-TV service all within a single app." The Apple TV rollout will introduce a brand-new ...

Apple today announced iOS 10, the next major version of its mobile operating system. The software update is compatible with most iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch models capable of running iOS 9, with exceptions including the iPhone 4s, iPad 2 and 3, original iPad mini, and fifth-generation iPod touch. iOS 10 is available in beta for registered Apple developers starting today, while the update will ...

During today's keynote, Apple released several new apps into the App Store under their developer account. The apps are all stock iOS apps that presently come pre-installed under iOS 9. The list includes: - Weather - Stocks - Mail - Maps - Notes - Voice Memos - Watch - Music - FaceTime - iTunes Store - Calendar - Contacts -

Apple has announced a number of new features for the Messages app in iOS 10, including Digital Touch videos and new chat bubble effects. Messages now shows shared media inside chat transcripts, so that link and image thumbnail previews display, Apple Music tracks can be listened to, and videos can be played without leaving the app. The camera functionality has also been enhanced inside...

Apple today revealed an all-new "Swift Playgrounds" app that aims to introduce users to "a new way to learn to code with Swift on iPad." The app -- which will be a free download -- is aimed for a public release on the App Store when iOS 10 launches this fall. The library of Apple-developed programming lessons helps students learn core coding concepts, such as issuing commands, creating...

Today at its WWDC keynote, Apple announced a redesigned version of Apple News, which the company says has 60 million monthly active users and over 2,000 publications. The new Apple News includes a simpler, bolder interface similar to the Apple Music redesign. It also includes new features like subscriptions, breaking news alerts and more. Image via ArsTechnica Apple News now includes...

Apple today revealed an all-new HomeKit-centric app called "Home," which will make its debut in iOS 10 this fall. The app will act as a hub for a user's HomeKit-enabled devices, regardless of their manufacturer, letting users control everything from smart light bulbs to garage door openers from one app. HomeKit will be built into Control Center now as well, letting users tap through their smart...