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

Google today announced an incoming update to its Google Maps for iOS app that will let users add pit stops onto their trips without leaving navigation mode. First introduced on Android last fall, the company said that the pit stop feature will be available in any country where Google Maps navigation is offered, which is "more than 100 worldwide." From navigation mode, users will just need to...

If Apple follows its usual upgrade cycle, iOS 10 should be announced at WWDC this summer with a public release in the fall. In anticipation of the release, our forum members have been discussing iOS 10 wishlist features since October. One common request has been a more customizable control center. Visual designer and animator Sam Beckett has incorporated his views on what a more advanced...

If you've installed an iOS beta either through Apple's developer program or the public beta testing website, you may find yourself wanting to downgrade if you've run into issues. iOS beta software can be notoriously buggy, especially during the first few betas of a major update. Apps often don't work, devices crash, battery life is poor, and entire features can be rendered non-functional. In...

If you own an Apple Pencil, you've probably already misplaced its cap once or twice when charging it. The cap, which hides the Lightning connector, is fully removable and easily lost, a flaw the PencilCozy, from Cozy Industries, aims to fix. Made of a soft, pliable silicone, the PencilCozy has a top portion that fits snugly over the cap of the Apple Pencil and a ring that fits over the Apple...

For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with MOS to give away three of its MOS Pack backpacks. The MOS Pack, which got its start on Kickstarter, features a built-in MOS Reach power strip and cable management system that allows devices stored inside to be charged using a single cord and without removing any items from the backpack. The MOS Pack can accommodate a MacBook (up to 15 inches),...

The long-running dispute between Apple and Samsung continues, with an appeals court today handing the Cupertino-based company a defeat by invalidating two Apple patents and ruling a third had not been infringed by Samsung (via Bloomberg). The ruling, which covers Apple patents related to slide-to-unlock, autocorrect, and interactive phone number features, also threw out the original $119.6 million...

A new report from French newspaper Les Echos (via iPhon.fr) [Google Translate] states that Apple Pay will be making its way to France by the end of the year. The introduction of Apple's mobile payment solution will be a gradual rollout, with "a small handful of major French banks" supporting the service in a pilot program period of three to five months. No specific date was given for the...

Apple today updated the tvOS App Store to add several new app categories to make it easier for Apple TV 4 owners to find content on their devices. As outlined by AfterPad, a site that showcases Apple TV apps, the new categories are rolling out to Apple TV users and may not be available to everyone just yet. Some users may only see the new categories under Purchased Apps until the rollout is...

Apple recently hired Frederic Jacobs, one of the developers of the secure messaging app "Signal," which is notably known as the encrypted messaging service that Edward Snowden uses "every day." Jacobs will be working on the CoreOS team as an intern this coming summer, where he'll help the company beef up the safety measures and encryption of iOS devices across the board (via Business Insider). ...

Readdle's iPhone email app Spark has proven to be quite popular since it launched in May of 2015, and as of today, it's expanding to the iPad. Spark is now available on all of Apple's tablets, from the 7.9-inch iPad mini 4 to the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Spark is unique because it includes a "Smart Inbox" that's able to filter emails to show you the most unread important messages first. It's able...

Ubisoft yesterday released Assassin's Creed Identity for iPhone and iPad worldwide, following news of its highly anticipated official launch earlier this month. The popular action role-playing game lets you create, customize, and play as Assassins during the Italian Renaissance, with story missions and quests set in the Coliseum, Florence, and other key locations of the era. The game features...

In late January it was reported that Apple supplier Foxconn made a $5.3 billion bid to purchase Japanese electronics maker Sharp. Today, Sharp has decided to accept an updated $6.2 billion takeover offer from Foxconn, reports Nikkei Asian Review. Sharp intends to restructure its operations under the umbrella of Foxconn, although arrangements of the purchase have not yet been revealed. Sharp...

Starting in December, Apple hosted a series of Apple TV Tech Talks for developers interested in creating apps for the new fourth-generation Apple TV. Hosted by "Apple experts," the Tech Talks took place in a number of cities around the world, including Toronto, Los Angeles, Austin, Seattle, Cupertino, Berlin, London, New York, Tokyo, and Sydney. Not all developers were able to attend as Apple...

Netflix today updated its iOS app to add support for Apple's latest devices, the iPhone 6s and the iPad Pro. The app now includes a layout that's been optimized for the 12.9-inch screen of the iPad Pro for an improved look that offers more content at a glance. 3D Touch support is available in the form of Peek and Pop gestures, providing more information about movies and television shows from...

Apple yesterday released a small update focused on stability improvements and bug fixes to Smart Keyboard users on the iPad Pro (via iMore). When plugged into the 12.9-inch iPad, the device will notify users of an Accessory Update for the Smart Keyboard, which can be updated and installed thanks to the Smart Connector joining the iPad and the keyboard. The new update is mainly focused at...

Five months after launching to the public, iOS 9 has now been installed on 77 percent of active iOS devices as of February 22, according to the newest chart shared by Apple on the App Store support page. That adoption rate has remained static at 77 percent since the last update on iOS numbers occurred on February 8. Compared to the first adoption rate status update of the year on January 11,...

Regularly creating iCloud or iTunes backups should be routine for every iOS user, but if you want to upgrade to a beta version of iOS or if you think you might want to downgrade shortly after installing a new iOS update, you'll want to make sure create an archived iTunes backup beforehand. An archived iTunes backup is essential because it saves the current state of your iOS device and...

Last month's CES saw French wireless tech company Parrot demoing the third model in its Zik range of popular Bluetooth headphones, aptly called Zik 3.0. Now shipping at a price of $400, the Zik 3.0's inherit the active noise-canceling (ANC), capacitive touch and HD telephony features of the earlier Zik 2.0's, but add some new functions like auto-adaptive ANC and Qi-compatible wireless...