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

Developer David Barnard tweeted today that Apple is requiring that he remove direct links from his app Launch Center Pro because the app uses "undocumented APIs" to launch built-in Apple apps.According to Barnard's tweets:Apple called to let me know that we are using “undocumented APIs” in @launchcenterpro and that we need to remove certain Apple app URLs. [1]The URLs will still work, but we ...

Nike today introduced a new fitness tracking bracelet, the Nike+ FuelBand SE. The new band looks nearly identical to the prior FuelBand, but with the addition of some color accents -- yellow, pink and red -- as well as a number of new features.The biggest technical upgrade is the addition of Bluetooth 4.0, otherwise known as Bluetooth LE. The Bluetooth tech has been built into every iPhone...

Rovio today released an official gameplay video for its upcoming kart racing game Angry Birds Go!, revealing that the title will be launching on December 11. Angry Birds Go! was first teased back in June, with additional information having been released in August. Angry Birds Go! includes many of the usual bird and pig characters from the Angry Birds series participating in a downhill kart...

Following a prior interview in which he stated that the debut of the title was possible on mobile platforms, Square Enix producer Takashi Tokita has now clarified in an interview with Shacknews (via The Verge) that a release of Final Fantasy VII on iOS devices is "years" away because of the space limiations of the platform. Notably, Apple's size limit for an iOS app is 2GB, with the over-the-air ...

Siri "Eyes Free" mode will be coming to the 2014 Chevrolet Camaro, Volt, Malibu, SS, Cruze and Equinox via the Chevrolet MyLink service, GM announced today. Earlier this year, the Chevy Spark and Sonic were the first cars to get Siri "Eyes Free" mode, and the car company cites its popularity with customers for its expansion across their car line. "The response to Siri Eyes Free integration in...

Released over the weekend, new app SnapHack is designed to allow users to save snapshots and videos sent via Snapchat without giving the sender a notification (via The Los Angeles Times). Snapchat photos are meant to be ephemeral, disappearing from servers and devices within seconds after viewing, with Snapchat providing notifications if a photo or video is saved. SnapHack bypasses...

After officially launching the U.S. version of the program in late August, Apple has officially confirmed that it is launching its iPhone trade-in program today at its UK retail stores, reports Pocket-lint. "iPhones hold great value. So, Apple Retail Stores in the UK are launching a new program to assist customers who wish to bring in their previous-generation iPhone for reuse or recycling," an...

U.S. regional prepaid carrier Cricket today announced today that it will be offering the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c to customers beginning October 25th. The devices will be compatible with the company's various nationwide 4G LTE and 3G CDMA wireless networks and feature nationwide talk, text and data plans with no annual contracts.Cricket Communications, Inc. today announced Cricket Wireless will...

Ingress, a mobile-augmented reality game created by Google for Android devices, is set to launch on iOS devices next year, reports AllThingsD. Plans for the iOS version of the game were confirmed by Ingress product manager Brandon Badger, with the Android version experiencing over ten thousand active players a month and one million activations total since Google launched a closed beta for the ...

During its September iPhone media event, Apple announced that anyone who purchased an eligible new iOS device after September 1 would be able to download iPhoto, iMovie, and the iWork suite of apps (Keynote, Pages, and Numbers) for free. Apple today began sending out emails with iTunes credits to users who purchased both new iOS devices and one or more of the now-free iOS apps prior to its...

Unity, the engine behind a multitude of iOS apps, was today updated to version 4.2.2, adding iOS Game Controller support. According to the release notes, iOS game controller support plugs directly into the standard Unity Input API. Like most mobile games developers, we’ve been closely following what important additions and changes the recently released iOS 7 update has made. One of the...

AT&T is planning to discontinue its standard monthly voice and data plans for new customers, instead offering only its Mobile Share plans, reports Engadget. AT&T is planning to axe its traditional monthly calling and data plans for new customers – both individual and family – in favor of the network’s latest shared data options, Engadget has learned after receiving an anonymous tip and...

Video game developer Codemasters has released F1 Challenge for iOS devices, a title based on the popular internationally sanctioned auto racing league. The game includes over 90+ racing events along with specific moments from the 2012 FIA Formula One World Championship, touch-optimized controls including swipe gestures for turning and boosting, and real-life drivers and licensed cars from...

Several threads on the Apple Support Communities forum are reporting random reboots on the iPhone 5s while using Apple's iWork apps, with the issue being signaled by the brief appearance of an all-blue screen naturally being compared to the famous Windows "Blue Screen of Death" (BSOD). The issue was reported by iPhone in Canada last month but has been gaining significantly more attention today...

According to research firm Chitika (via GigaOM), Google's Chrome browser for iOS now accounts for 3% of total iOS web traffic, up from 1.5% when it was first released for the platform in June 2012. The research attributes the browser's rise in usage to a release of the new version of Chrome optimized for iOS 7, an advertising campaign for the browser, and the release of the new iPhone 5s and...

Target will be cutting the price of the iPhone 5c down to $49.99 from $79.99 starting this Sunday, October 13, reports CNET. Customers who have a Target REDcard can save an additional five percent on the device upon purchase. The move follows a rapid string of recent price cuts for the lower-cost device, inclduing Best Buy and RadioShack knocking the price of the device down to $50 with a gift...

Fitbit today has launched its newest wearable activity tracking device, the Fitbit Force, reports AllThingsD. The Bluetooth 4.0 wristband includes all the features of the popular Fitbit Flex activity wristband that was launched in May of last year, and adds new features such as a built-in altimeter that measures workout data such as stairs climbed, a bigger OLED screen, watch capabilities, and...

iOS strategy-action game XCOM: Enemy Unknown has received an update today that brings various new features, including asynchronous multiplayer and multiplayer leaderboards with full Game Center support. The update also includes optimizations for iOS 7, as well as general bug fixes. 2K Games has also put the title on sale for 50% off, with pricing currently set at $9.99. The game, which was...