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

For this week's giveaway, we've once again teamed up with Throwboy to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a plush Mac, iPhone, or iPod from the Iconic Pillow Collection, which features soft pillow versions of classic Apple products. The Iconic Pillow Collection includes five pillows that mimic the following Apple Macs and devices: the Apple II, released in 1977; the first Macintosh,...

Best Buy has kicked off a few new discounts on the Apple Watch Series 3 and Series 4, with as much as $100 off select models. Series 4 discounts expire on August 4 while Series 3 sales will last through August 10. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. For the...

Apple Music today released a new playlist called "ALT CTRL," which is a rebranded version of its previous "The A-List: Alternative" playlist. This list of songs includes alternative bands and is currently headlined by HAIM's new single, "Summer Girl" (via Billboard). ALT CTRL's playlist art will showcase a new artist each week, starting with HAIM. The playlist includes artists like Twenty...

Amazon is discounting Apple's new 10.5-inch iPad Air by $50 across numerous models, including both W-Fi and cellular configurations. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. Prices start at $449.99 for the 64GB Wi-Fi model and rise from there. Across the board, these...

Apple has started rolling out new categories in its iOS Podcasts app to help improve the browsing experience and aid content discovery. Listeners can now scroll right along a horizontal strip of podcast categories, which appear in the Browse tab under a section labeled "Browse by Category." The classifications include Arts, Business, Comedy, Education, Fiction, Government, Health &...

Apple today sent out emails advertising its latest Apple Pay promo, which is back to school themed. Several apps and websites are offering discounts on merchandise for customers who use Apple Pay, with a list available below. Adidas - 20% off ‌Apple Pay‌ purchases in the Adidas app BJ's - $5 off when spending $50 or more on the BJ's website or app Oakley - $25 off the next purchase...

After teaming up with Madonna for new Apple Music Lab classes at its retail stores, Apple today announced a set of Music Lab classes in partnership with Billie Eilish (via Mac Otakara). In the Music Lab, customers will have a chance to go hands-on with Eilish's song "you should see me in a crown." Participants will be able to create their own mixes of the track and find out what inspired...

Netgear's Orbi Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi Systems are now available for purchase from Apple retail stores as of July, joining the existing Linksys Velop routers that Apple has been offering ever since it discontinued its own AirPort line of router options. Apple is selling the RBK23 three pack Orbi Mesh System for $300 and the RBK50, the higher end model, in a two pack for $329.95. These...

Apple's online store is now offering a 3-meter USB-A to Lightning cable made by Mophie, adding to the 1 meter and 2 meter Mophie cables that were previously available. Priced at $30, the new Lightning cable from Mophie features a braided nylon construction and reinforced connectors that Mophie says are designed to stand up to "daily wear and tear," avoiding fraying, breaking, and other issues. ...

Following a few images of the upcoming Galaxy Note 10 smartphone and ahead of the device's official unveiling in New York City next week, leaked images today revealed a new dongle accessory for the Note 10. The dongle is a 3.5mm to USB-C accessory, apparently confirming that Samsung is removing the headphone jack from the Galaxy Note line (via SamMobile). Image via SamMobile Similar to...

Nanoleaf today introduced a useful new capability for its Nanoleaf Canvas Smarter Kit, allowing individual Canvas squares to serve as touch controls to activate HomeKit scenes. For those unfamiliar with the Nanoleaf Canvas, it's a set of light-up panels that attach to the wall or the ceiling, providing accent lighting. The Canvas tiles are touch-compatible and support different touch gestures, ...

Following the release of iOS 12.4 on July 22, Apple has stopped signing iOS 12.3.1 and iOS 12.3 the previous versions of iOS that were available to consumers. Apple is also no longer signing iOS 12.3.2, an update exclusive to the iPhone 8 Plus. ‌iPhone‌, iPad, and iPod touch owners who have upgraded to iOS 12.4 will no longer be able to downgrade to iOS 12.3, 12.3.1, or 12.3.2. iOS 12.4,...

The CBS All Access subscription service can now be purchased through the Channels feature in the Apple TV app, following news that it would be launching earlier this week. Apple in March unveiled a redesigned TV app with the "‌Apple TV‌ Channels" feature, designed to let users sign up for and watch third-party subscription services right in the TV app on iOS and tvOS. CBS All Access was...

Verizon today announced that it is rolling out 5G service in select areas of four new cities: Atlanta, Detroit, Indianapolis, and Washington, DC. As with the current cities where Verizon is working on 5G (Chicago, Denver, Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Providence), the 5G service is limited in scope and has been made available in "dense, urban areas where people tend to congregate," such as public ...

There are a few notable deals going on today, including the latest 15 percent discount on iTunes gift cards, Anker's end-of-July discount codes, and a low price on Apple's Magic Trackpad 2 in Space Gray. iTunes Gift Cards Costco is back with a discount on iTunes Gift Cards, offering the $100 gift card for $84.49. As usual with Costco-related iTunes gift card sales, you'll have to be a Costco...

Spotify today announced that it has grown to 108 million paid subscribers globally as of June 30, 2019. That number is an increase from 100 million paid subscribers, which the company reported in April. In total, there are 232 million monthly active users on Spotify, including the ones on the free version of Spotify. This is an increase of 29 percent year-over-year. Comparatively, Apple...

Thanks to trade-in programs and other promotions, Apple saw significant improvement in iPhone sales in China, Apple CEO Tim Cook said today during today's earnings call covering the third fiscal quarter of 2019. Cook said that Apple saw "great improvement" in China, returning to growth in constant currency in Greater China with improvements in year-over-year ‌iPhone‌ performance compared to...

Apple's services category, which includes iTunes, the App Store, the Mac App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, AppleCare, and more, has become an important revenue driver for Apple amid stagnating iPhone sales, leading Apple to focus more effort on its services category. In the third fiscal quarter of 2019, Apple's services segment brought in $11.46 billion, up from $10.17 billion in the year-ago ...