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

Apple today began selling an updated version of the Rotor Riot wired game controller for iPhone and iPad through its online store. The new model features a redesigned directional pad, a built-in Lightning port for pass-through charging of iOS devices, and an improved device holder with a "zero gravity" effect. Rotor Riot is the only Apple-certified controller that has clickable L3 and R3...

Los Angeles FC fans can now order food and drinks ahead of time directly on their iPhones at the Banc of California Stadium. The MLS team has partnered with artificial intelligence platform Satisfi Labs to launch an order-ahead system through Apple Business Chat, allowing customers to order and pay for food and drinks from concession stands using their iPhones and pick up their orders from...

An escalating trade war between Japan and South Korea could make Chinese manufacturer BOE Technology a "strong contender" for OLED display orders from Apple, according to industry sources who spoke with DigiTimes. Samsung has been the undisputed leader in OLED display manufacturing, and as a result it has reportedly been the exclusive supplier of OLED displays for the iPhone X, ‌iPhone‌ XS,...

iPhone loyalty has hit its lowest level since 2011 and Samsung has been the main benefactor, claims a new survey conducted by trade-in service BankMyCell. The survey, cited by CNET, tracked 38,000 people who had traded in iPhones since October 2018 and found that 73 percent upgraded to a later model. The finding suggests iPhone retention rate is down 15.2 percent when compared with data from...

Sky: Children of the Light, by Journey developer thatgamecompany, is now available for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Its release follows last year's launch of the beta version of the game, titled Sky: Light Awaits. The title was first unveiled on stage in 2017 during Apple's headline ‌iPhone‌ X event. Originally it was billed as an Apple TV-only game that would support single-finger play...

Plex today announced a few updates for its Apple TV and iOS apps, adding notable new features that are worth highlighting. The ‌Apple TV‌ app now supports HDR video playback, and Plex Pass subscribers can get early access to HDR through the Settings > Advanced section of the app. According to Plex, HDR support provides sharper video output, better performance, and improved subtitle...

The newest version of Spotify for iOS, released yesterday, quietly added support for Apple's multitasking Slide Over and Split View feature on the iPad. As noted on Reddit and highlighted by The Verge, you can now open and use the Spotify app alongside another app in Split View, or open it up in Slide Over to quickly access Spotify controls without having to close the current apps you have...

Apple today seeded the fourth beta of watchOS 6, the software that runs on the Apple Watch. The new beta comes two weeks after the third beta and more than a month after Apple first unveiled the new watchOS update at the Worldwide Developers Conference. To install the watchOS 6 beta, you'll need the proper configuration profile, which can be obtained through the Apple Developer Center. Once...

Apple today seeded fourth beta of an upcoming tvOS 13 update to developers, two weeks after seeding the third beta and more than a month after unveiling the tvOS 13 software at the Worldwide Developers Conference. Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV, the new tvOS 13 developer beta can be downloaded onto the ‌Apple TV‌ via a profile that's installed using Xcode. tvOS 13...

Belkin today announced the launch of three new wireless chargers in its BOOST lineup, all of which will be available from Apple's online store and select Apple retail locations. All of the new chargers are similar to existing BOOST chargers that Belkin offers, but at more affordable price points. The BOOST↑CHARGE Wireless Charging Pad is, as the name suggests, a simple, flat wireless...

Square Panda today announced that its phonics learning system for kids will now be sold at select Apple Stores and on Apple.com. The Bluetooth-enabled, multisensory playset uses iPad apps to help children interact with a variety of fun games, each of which helps them learn to read, write, and communicate. The system also incorporates physical smart letters, which children place in the...

Google Maps this week expanded real-time bikesharing information to 23 additional cities in 16 countries around the world. In addition to New York City, the feature is now available in Barcelona, Berlin, Brussels, Budapest, Chicago, Dublin, Hamburg, Helsinki, Kaohsiung, London, Los Angeles, Lyon, Madrid, Mexico City, Montreal, New Taipei City, Rio de Janeiro, the San Francisco Bay Area, São ...

In celebration of World Emoji Day today, the Unicode Consortium has announced the launch of a redesigned website aimed at making it easier for anyone to submit a proposal for a new emoji. For those unfamiliar with the Unicode Consortium, it is the nonprofit organization that maintains text standards to support the world's written languages across all devices, which includes emoji characters. ...

Apple will begin trialing AirPods production in Vietnam as part of a strategy to diversify product manufacturing beyond China, according to a new report by Nikkei Asian Review. China's GoerTek, one of Apple's key contract manufacturers, will this summer begin testing the resilience of its manufacturing processes for the newest generation of AirPods at its audio factory in northern Vietnam,...

Withings, known for its range of iPhone-connected health devices, today announced the launch of two new blood pressure monitors, the BPM Core and the BPM Connect. The BPM Connect, available today at Apple retail stores and through the Apple online store, is an updated version of the classic Withings blood pressure monitor. It's designed to make it simple to take and view cardiovascular...

Apple today seeded the sixth beta of an upcoming watchOS 5.3 update to developers, one week after releasing the fifth watchOS 5.3 beta and two months after the launch of watchOS 5.2.1, an update that expanded ECG availability and introduced new pride watch faces. Once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Apple Developer Center, the new watchOS beta can be downloaded...

Apple may be planning to reintroduce its classic rainbow logo on some of its new products as early as this year, according to a well-connected MacRumors tipster, who in turn cites a corporate Apple employee in Cupertino. MacRumors concept We don't know which products might be involved, but the Mac would be a good candidate, as the multicolored Apple logo was used on the original Macintosh in...

Mophie today announced it is launching a new line of basic charging accessories for Apple devices like the iPhone and iPad, including a wireless charging pad, two car chargers, and a variety of USB and Lightning cables. Wireless charging pad: Delivers up to 7.5W of power on contact to recharge Qi-enabled devices like the ‌iPhone‌ 8 or newer. Available in white or black. Can charge through...