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

Augmented reality service Layar has released an update for its iOS app today, bringing a complete redesign to the app as well as the ability to archive AR content for later viewing. The app also includes an integrated QR code scanner and a refined Geo Layer interface that allows the user to find points of interest within a physical location. Scan print materials enhanced with Layar to view...

According to market research firm IHS iSuppli (via CNET), production levels for displays destined for this year’s upcoming iPad mini are set to be on par with those of last year’s model. The firm also believes that this year’s iPad mini will feature a high-resolution Retina display, something that has been highly rumored for the upcoming device. "Based [what] we are seeing in the [production] ...

Ginger Labs launched a major update to its iOS note-taking app Notability today that includes universal compatibility with both the iPhone and iPad, as well as iCloud support for syncing and viewing between devices. The update also adds features such as cosmetic user interface changes and a new scissor tool for scaling and rotating. Welcome to Notability, the best-selling note-taking app on...

News aggregator Digg has launched an update to its iOS app, bringing new features such as a “Popular” section that sorts feeds by popularity, as well as a setting to see only unread items in feed views. The update also adds integration with article formatting service Readability, as well as the ability to delete feeds and folders directly from the app. From Digg's official blog:Our new iOS...

Photos from the winners of the sixth annual iPhone Photography Awards have been posted on the IPPA website, displaying some of the best pictures taken with an iPhone over the course of the past year. The photo subjects range from portraits of animals and people to landscapes, with the first place photo depicting a close-up shot of a horse. The second and third place photos were taken during a...

Streaming media device use has doubled since 2011, with 14% of U.S. broadband households using products like the Apple TV or the Roku in 2013, reports Parks Associates (via CNET). While the Apple TV has increased in popularity over the last several years, it falls short of competing product Roku. A survey of 10,000 U.S. broadband households revealed that 37% used a Roku device while 24% used...

Apple has just announced via its App Store Facebook page that PopCap’s much-anticipated Plants vs. Zombies 2 app for iOS will be released on Thursday, August 15. "It's about time," reads the announcement above a photo of a PvZ-style zombie hand reaching out of the dirt. "Guess what game is coming tomorrow?" While Plants vs. Zombies 2 was originally meant to launch on July 18, PopCap opted ...

According to a new report from research firm Canalys, Android tablets have only a portion of the quality apps that are available on Apple's iPad. 30 of the top 100 paid and free apps in Apple's iPad App Store during the first half of 2013 were unavailable in the Google Play store. An additional 18 apps could be downloaded, but were not optimized for tablet users. Only 52 of the 100 top App...

Orbotix has announced Version 2.0 of its robotic iOS-controlled ball Sphero. The upgraded Sphero is reportedly twice as fast -- capable of rolling at 7 feet per second -- and three times as bright, with more LEDs and colors.The device also includes two ramps in the box for greater trickery, as well as an optional 'Nubby' cover ($15) for outdoor use.The first Sphero was originally released...

The latest earnings report by Tencent, a Chinese Internet giant, has revealed that the cross-platform instant messaging service WeChat and its counterpart Weixin have hit a combined high of 235.8 million users monthly, an increase of 176.8% year-on-year. WeChat's usage figure is just shy of that of WhatsApp, which exceeded 300 million monthly users last month and is currently the world's most...

Following its announcement a couple of weeks ago, British carrier O2 has now detailed the costs of its 4G tariffs on its website, with airtime plans starting from £22 (around $34) monthly. The plans, which all include unlimited calling minutes and texts to any British network, include either 1 GB, 3 GB or 5 GB of data, with extra available to users who sign up before the end of October.Customers...

iPhone-enabled home monitoring solution Canary has just hit $1.25 million in funding on startup campaign site Indiegogo, raising well over its intended goal of $100,000. The project is on track to become the most successful crowd-funded home product ever, and has received pre-orders from 67 countries in the world. The $1.25 million commitment marks a stretch goal for project that will enable...

Music video app VEVO was today updated to version 2.8 adding full AirPlay support, which will allow users to stream both audio and video to the Apple TV. The addition of complete AirPlay support for the iOS version of VEVO comes just days after news leaked that VEVO would release a 24/7 music video app for the Apple TV. VEVO's iOS app includes a catalog of 75,000 music videos from 21,000...

The English Premier League football season begins this weekend and NBC, the new rights holder for EPL games in the United States, will be streaming every game live and on-demand on both its website, and via its NBC Sports Live Extra app for iPhone and iPad.This year the EPL license for the US was bought by NBC and the US will get to see every single match. Matches will show on NBC, NBC Sports,...

Yelp for iOS was updated to version 7.0.0 today, adding a much desired review feature. After installing the update, users will be able to add reviews to any business or restaurant from their phones. While Yelp on the iPad has allowed reviews for quite some time, iPhone users were previously limited to adding short tips or drafting reviews that could be saved and added later via the website. ...

Amazon has added a new service to its Amazon Web Services division that should make it easier for developers to integrate push notifications into their apps, particularly when developing for multiple platforms.SNS Mobile Push allows developers to send notifications to iOS, Android and Kindle Fire devices for $1 per million notifications sent, without developing a complicated push notification...

In an interview with Australian newspaper AdNews (via The Next Web), Samsung Australia's chief marketing officer Arno Lenior offered retrospect on the Korean company's 2012 "Next Big Thing" ad that mocked Apple loyalists, saying that it signaled Samsung "coming-of-age" as a brand, and "marked a tipping point" for the company's standing in consumer electronics globally. Lenior also stated that...

DIRECTV today launched a newly revamped iPad app designed to offer improved content discovery and quicker access to TV shows and movies. While the app retains its current feature base that allows customers to watch live TV, DVR content, and on demand titles, it includes several newly implemented tools to make browsing and viewing simpler. The app's content and features are now aggregated into...