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

Apple has released a new tool called Apple Configurator which allows anyone to mass configure and deploy iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch in a school, business, or institution.Apple Configurator can be used by larger organizations and businesses to set up new devices, install enterprise apps, and enroll each device with a Mobile Device Management solution for remote management by an IT...

Following today's introduction of the new 1080p Apple TV with an updated user interface, Apple has now pushed the 5.0 software update to existing Apple TV set-top boxes. While the update obviously doesn't add 1080p support to the older boxes, it does bring the new icon-based user interface and other enhancements such as support for direct Netflix billing to their iTunes Store...

The original 3G iPad came with an unlimited data plan from AT&T -- it was only available for a couple of months, before AT&T implemented its current capped data plans. We're told that the handful of customers who still have unlimited iPad data plans from the first iPad will get to keep those plans if they get a new iPad with 4G. Additionally, their data won't be throttled for the time being -- ...

Last October, an internal AT&T talking point claimed that the carrier was working with Apple to have the iPhone 4S status bar display a "4G" indicator when the device is connected to an HSPA+ network. With today's release of iOS 5.1, that change now appears to have gone into effect as shown in a photo posted to Twitter by @ichadman. While short of the data speeds seen with LTE networks...

In line with our report from late yesterday about a new AppleCare+ extended warranty program for iPad, Apple has indeed introduced the new program with accidental damage coverage today. Availability is listed as "coming soon".Every iPad comes with one year of hardware repair coverage through its limited warranty and up to 90 days of complimentary support. AppleCare+ for iPad extends your...

Apple's online store has slowed to a crawl with the traffic after the announcement of the 3rd generation iPad. Here are the data plan prices for AT&T and Verizon iPads on the 4G LTE network: Both AT&T and Verizon's data plans overlap in the 2GB an 5GB allotments and cost $30/mo and $50/mo respectively. Meanwhile, AT&T offers a lower end 250MB tier at $14.99/mo, while Verizon offers 10GB...

As part of Tim Cook's early statements at today's media event, he announced that iOS 5.1 will be available today. One important addition in the updated operating system is Japanese support for Siri on the iPhone 4S. That support will be rolling out over the next few weeks. iOS 5.1 includes the much-requested ability to delete photos from the Photo Stream, inside the redesigned Camera app....

As Apple's media event approaches, we've been noting a few last-minute rumors that deserve special mention. First, Liquidmetal Technologies late yesterday announced that it had begun "shipping commercial parts to several of its customers world-wide". While the customers are unnamed, shipments are said to have begun in December and will be continuing in the months ahead. Apple acquired...

Based on debug screenshots originally posted by BGR, ChronicWire believes the iPad 3 (or iPad HD) being announced tomorrow will have 1GB of RAM total. This belief is based on some calculations based on the vm_page_bootstrap number, which yields a number close to 1GB of RAM. The Verge had previously suggested that the new iPad would have more RAM, but didn't specify the amount. The...

Credit card processing company Square is rolling out a trial of its payment platform in New York City taxicabs using iPads with custom cases as payment terminals, the New York Times reports. The system will be outfitted in 30 cabs to start, with the main benefit being ease of use. Passengers can swipe their card at any time during their journey, sign the screen with their finger, and then have a...

Bloomberg notes that the Russian government has reclassified the iPad as a computer, in order to avoid a steep import tax. The story was originally reported [Google Translate] by the Russian newspaper Vedomosti. The reason for the tax was because the 3G iPad was considered a GPS-enabled navigation device. With the change, the iPad is now considered a mere computer -- however, many other...

The Austin American-Statesman reports that Apple will not be opening a special "pop-up" retail store at the city's massive SXSW festival this year. Apple briefly opened such a store at last year's festival to support the launch of the iPad 2.Apple Inc. will not create a pop-up Apple Store downtown for South by Southwest Interactive Festival this year, Apple officials confirmed Monday. Last...

Apple has posted its list [iTunes Link] of the top 25 bestselling apps of all time, following the download of the 25 billionth app from the App Store. The list, transcribed by MacStories, gives some insight into the types of apps that users are buying, and how those differ between the iPhone/iPod Touch and the iPad. The top 9 apps on the bestselling paid iPhone list are all games, with...

Last week, EA launched The Simpsons: Tapped Out, a new title that is a big part of its expanded strategy into freemium. The game appears to be one part The Sims and another Tiny Tower. Using the same writers and voice actors as the TV series, the game features a Springfield wiped out by a nuclear explosion caused by Homer. The town isn't actually destroyed, but players must rebuild the...

CNET reports that Foxconn, Apple's primary manufacturing partner for iOS devices, has recently begun adding in-line x-ray imaging machines to its production lines, seeking to improve quality control while also seeking to increase automation.Foxconn Technology, which has about 1.2 million employees working at its myriad factories in China, has begun adding automated inline X-ray inspection systems ...

With a Retina iPad 3 expected just next week, one developer has created a small utility that allows the iPad simulator to run in 2X mode. The utility is available from Ryan Petrich. In order to run it on the latest version of Xcode, you will need to symlink /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer to /Developer and /Developer4. Meanwhile, stroughtonsmith shows how his app SameGame...

The U.S. Air Force has awarded a $9.36 million contract to purchase as many as 18,000 iPad 2s, according to Bloomberg. The plan is to replace bulky and heavy flight bags full of navigational charts and other materials with iPads in order to reduce the weight of pilots' bags and save fuel on flights. The Air Mobility Command, which is purchasing the iPads, provides transport and refueling...

Gizmodo is floating a rumor that the name for Apple's next tablet will be iPad HD, rather than iPad 3. They base this information on alleged part listings from Griffin and Belkin. Accessories manufacturers don't have a clue about Apple marketing plans until the very last minute. They usually get the physical specifications for new product versions in advance, so they can have products ready for...