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6,374 'Apps' stories April 2010 - February 2015
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Learn about the latest news for iOS, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV apps

Apps for iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS power our modern world. 9to5Mac will update you on the latest news, review, and updates for all types of apps. “There’s an App for that”.

The term came became part of our vocabulary when Steve Jobs announced The App Store as part of the iPhone 2.0 software update in 2008.

Over the years, the term has become as common as kleenex for describing applications on all of our devices. Apple’s platforms have apps for just about anything from finance, banking, sports, social media, podcasting, music, and more. We have a guide for helping you discover the best ones as well. Apps are now on everything from our TV, to our smartphones, on our laptops, and all the way down to our wrists.

As new ones are released or existing ones have major updates, the team here at 9to5Mac will bring you the latest news and reviews. If you want to follow along with video footage, be sure to follow 9to5Mac on YouTube. Scroll down below our latest updates on all things relating to applications on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Watch.

Apple invites developers to Cupertino to finish Apple Watch apps, test out device

Avatar for Mark Gurman Feb 16 2015 - 1:57 pm PT
2 Comments
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Apple has been working with several third-party App Store developers at its Cupertino, California offices to assist developers in finishing up applications for the upcoming Apple Watch. Development and design representatives from dozens of different development firms have visited Apple last week, or are coming to Cupertino this week, to work with Apple engineers to finish up WatchKit-based applications. One source claims that Apple is holding workshops for over 100 different developers across February. Apple also met with a smaller number of developers to assist with WatchKit development and discuss future plans in early January…


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9to5Toys Last Call: PNY flash storage up to 50% off, Motorola SB6141 modem $55, iOS freebies, more

Avatar for Feb 16 2015 - 9:16 am PT
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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call Updates:

Amazon Gold Box – up to 50% off PNY flash storage: 256GB USB 3.0 flash drive $70 shipped (orig. $130), more

Motorola SB6141 DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem (refurb) $55 shipped (orig. $90)

Amazon Fire TV streaming media player $34 w/ Sling TV subscription or $84 w/o

Kensington KeyCover Bluetooth iPad Air Keyboard Case: $10 shipped (orig. $80)

ZAGG 30% off + free shipping sitewide: Slim Book Bluetooth iPad Keyboard cases from $84, much more

Small States: Cord Shoes churns out handmade boots with a story behind every pair, $250 giveaway

More new gear from today:

More deals still alive:

New products & more:

VLC for iOS back in the App Store for some/upgraders, should be available to all shortly

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Feb 16 2015 - 4:20 am PT
6 Comments
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The VLC for iOS app–a favorite media player for many–has returned to the App Store in some countries and is expected to be available for all shortly. Some existing US users (us included!) are also reporting on Reddit being able to update to the latest version (2.4.1) if they have the previous version from before it was removed.

The app has something of a checkered history in the App Store, first removed from the store way back in 2011 after a licensing dispute; the original open-source developers claiming that the App Store terms were incompatible with the GNU Public License for the code. The app finally returned in 2013 before disappearing once more last September … 
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Visa to follow Apple Pay’s lead, use tokens for mobile & online payments

Avatar for Jeremy Horwitz Feb 13 2015 - 10:38 am PT
3 Comments

Following Apple Pay’s successful use of tokens—one-time-use, unique codes rather than credit card numbers for payment transactions—Visa today announced that it will remove 16-digit account numbers for mobile and online payments across 2015. No specific date was given for the transition; instead, Visa suggests that tokens will begin to replace credit card numbers as the company’s partners get access to the Visa Token Service that rolled out alongside Apple Pay in October 2014.

“Removing card account numbers from the processing and storage of payments represents one of the most innovative and promising technologies we’ve seen in decades,” said Charlie Scharf, chief executive officer, Visa Inc.

According to Visa, online transactions made with Visa Checkout will be tokenized this year, securing transactions for over 110 existing merchants. The Visa Token Service will also grow to include “other leading device manufacturers and technology companies” beyond Apple with Apply Pay, and will be supported in mobile payment apps released by Visa-partnered financial institutions in the United States, Asia Pacific, and Latin America.


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9to5Toys Last Call: Digits for iOS free, Kensington iPad Air Keyboard Case $10, WD 2TB Portable HD $80, more

Avatar for Justin Kahn Feb 13 2015 - 9:11 am PT
0 Comments

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call Updates:

Digits calculator app for humans is FREE for iPhone and iPad (reg. $3.99)

Gameloft’s Modern Combat 5 Blackout for iOS $1 (Reg. $4+)

Kensington KeyCover Bluetooth iPad Air Keyboard Case: $10 shipped (orig. $80)

ZAGG 30% off + free shipping sitewide: Slim Book Bluetooth iPad Keyboard cases from $84, much more

 

WD My Passport Ultra 2TB USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive $80 shipped (orig. $140)

Apple Deals:

Best Buy takes up to $250 off Apple MacBook Pro w/ Retina display, starting at $1,200

Apple TV (current version): $80 shipped (Reg. $99)

Apple iPod Shuffle 2GB in multiple colors for $35 w/ free in-store pickup (Reg. $49)

Caseology iPhone 6/Plus cases in multiple styles and colors from $6 w/ free shipping

Baytek iPhone 6/Plus Holster Case w/Kickstand $6 Prime shipped

Rocketcases Afterburner iPhone 6 3200mAh Battery Case w/ Kickstand: $40 shipped (Reg. $60)

Valentine’s Day Roundup: ProFlowers 30% off, Gap/Timbuk2/J.Crew up to 40% off, more

More new gear from today:

More deals still alive:

New products & more:

Nike+ FuelBand iPhone app adds HealthKit integration, no longer requires a band

Avatar for Zac Hall Feb 13 2015 - 7:25 am PT
6 Comments
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Nike today released a long-awaited update to its FuelBand app for iPhone users with the fitness tracking FuelBand wearable adding support for sharing NikeFuel points with Apple’s Health app on iOS 8. The update also adds support for motion tracking right from the iPhone for iPhone 5s users and up and no longer requires a Nike FuelBand to use.

The new version uses HealthKit, a framework introduced with iOS 8, to let Nike’s FuelBand app share data easily and with your permission to Apple’s built-in Health app and other apps that integrate with HealthKit. NikeFuel, the fitness company’s metric for tracking movement throughout the day, is featured as a supported fitness metric in Apple’s own Health app.
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Mattel plans to release its new Google Cardboard-based VR toy on iOS by end of the year

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Feb 13 2015 - 6:45 am PT
5 Comments
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Google and Mattel are holding a press event today to announce a new product that merges Google’s experimental Cardboard virtual reality platform with Mattel’s classic View-Master toy. Also announced at the event: Mattel plans to bring the new View-Master toy and with it Google’s Cardboard platform to the iPhone by the end of the year.
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Opinion: Could Apple’s Pinterest profile be an early step toward properly-curated apps?

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Feb 13 2015 - 6:45 am PT
8 Comments
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iOS and Android are completely different worlds when it comes to apps. Android is pretty much the wild west, with little control over quality or even safety (malware is commonplace). iOS, on a non-jailbroken device, is a walled garden, where Apple decides what apps can and can’t do, and which ones get approved for sale.

Yet despite that carefully-controlled approach, the App Store can still feel like a bit of a jungle. Which is why I wonder whether the Pinterest tie-in announced yesterday may offer hope for the future.

But let’s start with the problem I think needs to be solved, and that problem begins with search. Results may vary by country, and you can try the searches for yourself to compare your results with mine, but here’s what I get for a few obvious app searches … 
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Fleksy Keyboard updated with hotkey shortcuts, case-sensitive layout, animations, valentine hearts and more

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Feb 13 2015 - 4:23 am PT
1 Comment
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Fleksy has updated its popular custom keyboard app with a range of new features, mixing the practical and the fun.

On the practical side, you can now add a row of seven customizable hotkeys that act as shortcuts for anything from an emoji or symbol to an email address. The functionality of the globe button is also now customizable, for example making it dismiss the keyboard, and you can opt for a case-sensitive keyboard layout. More keys have been added to the iPad app, also appearing in the iPhone app in landscape mode, and dictionary words now sync between devices via iCloud … 
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Apple reverses decision barring marijuana apps from the App Store, now requires location-based restrictions

Avatar for Mike Beasley Feb 12 2015 - 8:30 pm PT
11 Comments
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Apple has apparently been revising its app review strategy this week and has decided to reverse a previous decision that banned MassRoots, a marijuana-centric social app, from its software storefront. The application was booted from the App Store late last year (though it lasted much longer on the store than some other apps).

According to App Store guideline 2.18:


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Apple begins enforcing rule requiring App Store screenshots and icons to meet 4+ rating standard

Avatar for Mike Beasley Feb 12 2015 - 8:11 pm PT
9 Comments
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Apple has started enforcing a long-ignored rule in its App Store guidelines regarding what kinds of content can appear in app metadata. According to rule 3.6 in the guidelines document:

Apps with App icons, screenshots, and previews that do not adhere to the 4+ age rating will be rejected

This rule has been mostly unenforced since the App Store launched, but according to a new report from Pocket Gamer, some app developers are starting to see their apps rejected for depictions of violence in their screenshots.


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Popular automation app Workflow updated w/ over 50 actions, new features, more

Avatar for Zac Hall Feb 12 2015 - 3:03 pm PT
3 Comments
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Leveraging the power of iOS 8 extensions and new system customization options, Workflow debuted on the iPhone and iPad last year bringing a powerful automation app to users. Today the team behind Workflow is releasing version 1.1, which adds support for over 5o new actions in addition to including new features and updating some existing actions. Check out the latest from Workflow for iOS below:
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Apple introduces TestFlight Groups feature for organizing app beta testers

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Feb 12 2015 - 12:18 pm PT
4 Comments

Apple announced today that it’s rolling out a new feature for its TestFlight beta distribution service called TestFlight Groups to improve the experience of managing builds with multiple testers.

Apple noted the Groups feature will allow developers to “organize your testers into groups to quickly send specific builds”, provide separate instructions on where to focus, and apply an action to several testers at once in TestFlight.”

The new feature is available to those using Apple’s in beta TestFlight service through iTunes Connect.

Apple acquired the TestFlight beta app testing platform through its purchase of Burstly in February of last year and repositioned the service as a feature of its iTunes Connect developer portal.

App Store responds to freemium haters, features ‘Pay Once & Play’ games with no in-app purchases

Avatar for Zac Hall Feb 12 2015 - 12:09 pm PT
12 Comments
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 As part of Apple’s weekly App Store refresh, the company is currently highlighting iOS games for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch that are paid apps with no in-app purchases, MacStories points out. The featured section is notable as in-app purchases have been a source of confusion and frustration for many consumers since their introduction despite being an added revenue source for developers and Apple.
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Apple increases app size limit from 2GB to 4GB for App Store submissions

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Feb 12 2015 - 11:57 am PT
10 Comments
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Apple today announced that it is increasing the size limit for apps submitted by developers to the App Store through its iTunes Connect service. Previously limited to 2GB, app packages can now be a maximum of 4GB in size. Apple made the announcement on its website for developers earlier today but some apps have been over the 2GB limit since at least January. 
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Visa hopes to track smartphone locations to prevent credit card fraud for travellers

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Feb 12 2015 - 11:33 am PT
1 Comment

Currently most of us have to inform our bank by phone when we’re travelling to avoid purchases in other countries appearing as red flags for fraud and being declined. That could soon change as Visa looks to track smartphones with a service called Mobile Location Confirmation in order to help their security systems become smarter and reduce declined purchases by as much as 30%.
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9to5Toys Last Call: iPod Shuffle $35, iTunes Free App of the Week, LG 40″ 4K UHDTV $499, more

Avatar for Feb 12 2015 - 8:32 am PT
0 Comments

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call updates:

 

Get a free Fire TV/Roku streaming stick or 50% off Fire TV/Roku 3 when you sign up for Sling TV

PNY Turbo 128GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive: $35 shipped (Reg. $70)

Canon EOS Rebel T3i DSLR (refurb) w/ 18-55mm Lens Kit $336 shipped (orig. $599)

Best Buy takes up to $250 off Apple MacBook Pro w/ Retina display, starting at $1,200

Caseology iPhone 6/Plus cases in multiple styles and colors from $6 w/ free shipping

Baytek iPhone 6/Plus Holster Case w/Kickstand $6 Prime shipped

Apple TV (current version): $80 shipped (Reg. $99)

Rocketcases Afterburner iPhone 6 3200mAh Battery Case w/ Kickstand: $40 shipped (Reg. $60)

Valentine’s Day Roundup: ProFlowers 30% off, Gap/Timbuk2/J.Crew up to 40% off, more

Small States: Woodchuck USA complements Apple products w/ USA-sourced wood, 15% off & giveaways

More new gear from today:

More deals still alive:

New products & more:

ESPN app overhauled w/ new look, iPhone 6/6+ & iPad support, more

Avatar for Zac Hall Feb 12 2015 - 6:49 am PT
5 Comments
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ESPN is out with a brand new version of its iPhone app today adding native resolution support for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6+ while also debuting on the iPad for the first time. The new app not only sports a new look right down to its icon, but ESPN says it “pulled a Puff Daddy and changed the name.” Previously, the app was branded as ESPN SportsCenter, but now it’s simply “ESPN”.
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Apple teams up with Pinterest to help make app discovery even easier

Avatar for Mike Beasley Feb 11 2015 - 11:06 pm PT
4 Comments

Pinterest today debuted a new type of post that users can expect to see showing up in their feeds soon. The new “app pin” shows additional information, such as an app’s developer, when users link to software in the iOS App Store. These new pins feature a prominent “Install” button that opens a standard App Store preview pane and allows users to install an app without ever having to leave Pinterest.

The change was almost certainly prompted by Apple, as Pinterest also announced that the tech company had created an App Store profile to share both popular and undiscovered applications. The profile currently features collections like “Editors’ Choice” and “Fashion Apps.”

You can download the updated Pinterest app from the App Store.

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Stanford Health Care launches MyHealth app for iOS for appointment management and more

Avatar for Mike Beasley Feb 11 2015 - 6:06 pm PT
1 Comment

Stanford Health Care released an iOS app today for its MyHealth service. The new software allows patients to track their health data and keep track of the information in their online MyHealth account. A HealthKit syncing feature allows the app to pull in your data from Apple’s built-in data tracker and upload it to Stanford for a “virtual checkup.”

The app can also be used to make appointments, see test results, and consult with your doctor over a video chat. Users can also manage prescriptions and message Stanford’s medical staff. Support for paying bills is also built in.


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Starbucks iPhone app updated w/ Apple Pay, enhanced menu, more

Avatar for Zac Hall Feb 11 2015 - 11:08 am PT
16 Comments
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Apple announced Starbucks as an Apple Pay partner when it unveiled the mobile payment system last fall, and today the coffee chain is beginning to roll out support for Apple Pay through the latest version of its iPhone app.

While Starbucks does not yet accept Apple Pay in its brick-and-mortar stores, customers have long been able to pay with the iPhone app in stores using a digital Starbucks Card barcode scanned by a barista. Starting today, customers can load credit to a Starbucks Card within the app using Apple Pay as a payment method.
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Google brings smooth Safari-like zoom to Chrome Canary for Mac

Avatar for Stephen Hall Feb 11 2015 - 9:28 am PT
19 Comments

The latest build of Chrome Canary for Mac packs a great new feature that’s likely familiar to those who use Safari on a daily basis. While current stable builds of Chrome have a jaggedy pinch-to-zoom functionality that only zooms in 10% increments, the latest build of Chrome Canary provides a smooth buttery zoom experience like Apple’s browser.

As of right now, it looks like the feature works a little bit less fluidly than Apple’s offering, but that’s to expected in the most experimental public release version of Chrome. Zooming works the same way that it does in Safari and current versions of Chrome, so all it takes is pinching two fingers on the Trackpad.

If you’re sticking with Safari on your Mac for this reason or others (battery life, anyone?), it looks like this feature—once it makes its way to the stable release—will give you one more reason to switch over to Google’s browser. If you want to give it a try, head over and download the latest build of Chrome Canary.

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9to5Toys Last Call: Retina MacBook Pro $250 off, uNu iPhone 6 battery case $60, iPhone 6/Plus cases from $6, more

Avatar for Justin Kahn Feb 11 2015 - 9:10 am PT
0 Comments

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call Updates:

Apple TV (current version): $80 shipped (Reg. $99)

Amazon Gold Box: Philips Bluetooth speakers 40% off, starting at $30 Prime shipped

Bose Acoustimass 6 Home 5.1 Entertainment Speaker System $400 shipped, Acoustimass 10 Series IV: $700 shipped ($300 off)

Download the first episode of Better Call Saul in HD for free

Valentine’s Day bailout: up to 70% off select jewelry and free 1-day shipping

Valentine’s Day Roundup: ProFlowers 30% off, Gap/Timbuk2/J.Crew up to 40% off, more

Small States: Woodchuck USA complements Apple products w/ USA-sourced wood, 15% off & giveaways

More new gear from today:

More deals still alive:

New products & more: