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

Google has updated its Gmail experience when using mobile browsers like Safari. The company is aiming to replicate the experience users have using the Gmail for iOS app, updated back in December.Since launching the rebooted Gmail app for iPhone and iPad in December (http://goo.gl/2m7pd), we’ve heard from many of you that you like the redesigned UI, along with new features such as improved...

Syntellia, the company behind popular alternative keyboard app Fleksy, is developing software that will allow the app to work with the upcoming Leap Motion Controller. Syntellia is demoing the Fleksy and Leap Motion combo at SXSW this week. Fleksy is a text-input system that implements advanced predictive text algorithms to allow users to type without looking at the screen of the iPhone or the ...

As part of a South by Southwest promotion, Marvel has announced (via The New York Times) that it is giving away more than 700 of its No.1 issues through its Marvel Comics iOS app and web store. "This is the perfect way to show everyone how much we believe in our material by letting them try the first issues for free, because we're sure once they start, they won't stop," says Marvel SVP –...

Angry Birds Toons, Rovio's upcoming animated series, will be distributed through its existing line of iOS and Android apps to reach more than 1.7 billion users that have downloaded the games. Angry Birds titles that are in the App Store will be updated with a ">new video channel that will allow access to the show. The cartoon will also be available on select TV networks, Samsung Smart TVs,...

Apple has silently updated its Maps app in Japan after announcing similar changes in the first beta of iOS 6.1.1 back in the beginning of February. It appears that for many of the changes, Apple didn't need to expressly update the operating system and could instead implement changes server-side. The changes were first noted by Mac Otakara, via 9to5Mac. The iOS 6.1.1 beta became iOS 6.1.3...

The Apple iBookstore Twitter account accidentally retweeted an obscene message last night, reports 9to5Mac. The account also favorited the tweet, adding to the embarrassment for the company which has sought to limit sexually-explicit content on its App Store although it has not placed similar restrictions on its iBookstore. It is likely that whoever operates the Twitter account intended to...

TechCrunch reports that Philips has created an official developer program for its Wi-Fi connected Hue home lighting system, which includes an SDK for iOS and APIs to allow hardware and software developers to integrate Hue into their products. Hue, which is exclusive to iOS, allows users to control LED lightbulbs via the iPhone and an accompanying bridge that uses the ZigBee communication...

CNET reports that during a talk at SXSW, Jay Sullivan, Mozilla's vice president of product, said that the company has no plans to release an iOS version of Firefox because of technological limitations imposed by Apple. The nonprofit Mozilla, which pulled Mozilla Firefox Home from Apple's App Store in September 2012, is not currently building a version of its Firefox browser for iOS, nor does the ...

PayPal today introduced a new mobile SDK that allows iOS app developers to integrate PayPal checkout and mobile credit card payment mechanisms directly into their apps.Currently, iOS developers can include PayPal payment buttons into their apps, but users are redirected to Safari to complete their transactions. Now, users will be able to pay without ever leaving the app, including using...

Launch Center Pro today received its first major update. The app, which was released last summer, creates shortcuts to functions within apps. As an example, it can be used to create a shortcut to send a message to a specific person or search Yelp with a predetermined search term. Update 1.1 adds new in-app actions, allowing users to use preset text and group messaging, along with improved Text ...

An iOS developer has made an app to sync the Philips Hue iOS-controlled LED light bulbs with music. The $2.99 Ambify pulls tracks from the music library on an iPhone or iPad and plays them while simultaneously controlling the colors and brightness of the Philips Hue lights, creating a rave-like atmosphere with blinking multi-colored light bulbs synced to the music.Ambify - the Hue enabled...

Social networking apps have climbed nine places year-on-year in the App Annie rankings of monthly revenues (via The Next Web), moving from 12th place last January to third place in January 2013.As of January 2013, the Social Networking category ranked third in monthly revenues, behind only Games and Productivity in the iOS App Store. And that’s up 87% compared to January 2012 monthly revenues,...

Infographics released by in-flight Wi-Fi service Gogo (via CNET) reveal that iOS devices continue to dominate customer use with an 84% share, although Android use has grown significantly in the last two years. As further evidence of the post-PC trend, the majority of access - though only just - is on tablets, accounting for 35% of usage compared to 33% for laptops. When it comes to iOS...

GroupMe today updated their group chat app to version 4.1, adding a gallery view and a feature called Split, which allows users to split costs and collect money from their group. The company detailed potential uses for the feature on its blog:You can start a Split within any of your groups, just like you can attach a photo or a location. You bought concert tickets for everyone in the group?...

Apple today released minor updates for its suite of iWork apps for the iPhone and the iPad. The iOS versions of Pages, Numbers, and Keynote have all been updated with minor stability improvements and bug fixes. This update contains stability improvements and bug fixes.The last major update to the iOS apps came in early December, adding several significant improvements. Pages, Numbers, and Ke...

Google today released its location discovery app Field Trip for the iPhone. Previously an Android app released in the fall, Field Trip is designed to direct users to local points of interest. The app runs in the background and uses Bluetooth or a popup notification to alert users when there are "cool, hidden, and unique things" nearby. Field Trip offers information on landmarks and historical...

Robocat, the Danish software studio behind apps like Haze and Thermo, has launched a new Kickstarter project for a small thermometer that can be plugged into the headphone jack of a smartphone or tablet to measure indoor and outdoor temperatures.You can measure the temperature indoors as well as outdoors. Track the temperature and see how it rises after you turned on the radiator or check how the ...

Skype has updated its iPhone and iPad apps with a "new, beautiful calling experience" and a number of bug fixes and improvements. What's new✓ Beautiful new calling experience✓ Mark all your recent chats as read with just a few taps.✓ General fixes and improvements- One-to-one chats now appear in the correct order.Skype is available for iPhone or iPad on the App Store. [Direct Links: iPhone,...