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

Amazon today launched the Amazon Local Register, a new iOS compatible card reader made to compete with Square's Square Reader and Paypal's Here card reader. Featuring an anti-swivel design and integration with Amazon payments, the Local Register accepts Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover as Amazon is offering a special flat rate of just 1.75% per swipe until January 2016. ...

Upcoming Skylanders game Trap Team will see a simultaneous release on both consoles and tablets, according to Activision. The full Skylanders Trap Team game will be available on the iPad when it is released in North America on October 5, marking the first time a complete Skylanders game has been made available on Apple's tablet. Trap Team on the iPad will offer the same gameplay experience as...

Apple may be planning to introduce its iWatch in September, according to a comment from prominent Apple journalist John Gruber. In a post highlighting the charging functionality of the Moto 360, Gruber suggests Apple will be announcing its "wrist wearable thing next month."It looks like Motorola's designers tried to draw as much attention as they could to the 360's stupid flat-tire display shape. ...

While Apple next-generation iPhone is still over a month away from being announced, a number of clones from various companies have hit the market to try and capitalize on customer anticipation. In a video posted to his channel, YouTuber Jonathan Morrison took Goophone's "i6" clone to Hollywood Boulevard to see if people would see the Android-based device as a real iPhone 6. Individuals were...

Apple today debuted limited-time deals on 20 productivity apps in the iOS App Store in a section of the store called "Amazing Productivity Apps", with popular apps like Clear, Notability and Fantastical 2 getting special prices for a limited time. The apps' new prices range from $0.99 to $6.99, and include the following: - Clear ($2) - Notability ($2) - MindNode ($5) - Scanner Pro ($3) ...

AgileBits today announced that its upcoming 1Password update for iOS 8 will be distributed to existing 1Password users for free. In the past, significant updates have occasionally required users to purchase a new version of the app, but that will not be the case with the major iOS 8 update. In iOS 8, 1Password will take advantage of several new APIs, such as app extensions and third-party...

Square-Enix's classic RPG Dragon Quest IV has launched for iOS devices. Originally released over ten years ago, the game allows players to take the role of five different protagonists through five different chapters, with a bonus sixth chapter included in this newest release. Gameplay centers around a turn-based battle system, as the game's controls, menus, and overall interface are all optimized ...

United Airlines today updated its official app for iOS with the ability to scan passports to check-in for international flights using a device's camera. The new feature can be accessed when a user checks in within 24 hours of a departing flight, as all passports uploaded are verified by credential management service Jumio. Once a passport is verified, users can obtain their boarding passes and...

As of today, the classic Pebble Smart Watch is available in three limited edition colors, including Fly Blue, Hot Pink, and Fresh Green. The bright neon colors are a deviation from Pebble's line of classic smart watches, previously available in Jet Black, Gray, Arctic White, Orange, and Cherry Red. Pebble's new color variations extend to both the face and the band, which remains...

Verizon Wireless today wrote a response letter to the FCC's concerns over its plan to throttle its grandfathered unlimited data customers during peak usage times, insisting that its upcoming usage restrictions are permitted under current law. Penned by Verizon's SVP of Federal Regulatory Affairs, Kathleen Grillo, the letter (via The Verge) also points towards the unlimited data restrictions...

Award-winning first-person shooting game BioShock is making the transition to iOS later this summer, developer 2K Games tells Engadget. Originally launched in 2007, the game kicked off a trio of successful titles in the series, which is available on several platforms including PC, Mac, and consoles. While taking BioShock to iOS is a big move for the series, Engadget calls the experience...

Delta Airlines today updated its Fly Delta apps for the iPhone and iPad, allowing customers to access free in-flight entertainment through its new Delta Studio initiative. Avaliable on all domestic and two-cabin aircrafts, the app will allow access to a number of TV shows and movies including Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Frozen through on-board Wi-Fi. The updated Fly Delta app also allows access...

Timeful, described as "the first intelligent time manager" for mobile devices, is a new iOS app designed to help users manage their lives by combining a time management app with a calendar, a to-do list, and habits. Timeful aims to provide a personalized experience that encourages people to commit to various self-improvement activities and complete goals. The app connects to the calendar on an ...

Apple will soon be able to offer display repairs on the iPhone 5s directly within its retail stores, alleviating the need to send the devices to an off-site repair center. As noted by 9to5Mac, Apple Stores are currently accepting large deliveries of iPhone 5s screens for the repair program and in-store repairs are set to begin on Monday, August 4. The in-store repairs are part of an effort to...

Nomad, the company behind the pocket-sized NomadKey iPhone cable, today debuted the NomadPlus, a product that transforms an Apple charger into a portable battery pack. While there are hundreds of different portable battery options for the iPhone, the NomadPlus is unique because it functions with an existing Apple charger. The NomadPlus plugs into an Apple wall charger, transforming it into a...

Instagram today soft-launched its new Snapchat competitor Bolt in Singapore, South Africa, and New Zealand. First hinted at last week, Bolt is a one tap photo and video messaging app that allows users to send ephemeral images to friends, much like Snapchat. As described by The Verge, Bolt is a "carbon copy" of Taptalk, another ephemeral messaging app. Users tap on a friend's profile photo to...

Open source software group Open Whisper Systems today released a new encrypted phone app called Signal, which is designed to allow its users to make secure calls on the iPhone at no cost. Using end-to-end encryption, Signal secures iPhone conversations so third-parties cannot listen in. Signal uses a caller's standard phone number to make and receive calls, and all Signal calls function like a ...

Amazon today updated its Kindle for iOS app to version 4.4, adding several features that have been requested by Amazon customers to make both sync and navigation within the app easier. Books will now sync to the most recent page read across all Kindle devices and Kindle apps that are registered to a single Amazon account, making it easier for users to swap between various Kindle devices. A...