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6,254 'Apps' stories April 2010 - September 2014
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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.

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iLife/iWork iOS apps to come pre-installed on 64GB and 128GB iPhone 6/6 Plus

Avatar for Sep 15 2014 - 8:20 am PT
25 Comments

You’ll notice a few new apps (and less available storage) on your new iPhone 6 or 6 Plus later this week when you fire it up for the first time. According to an internal Apple Retail training document (seen below), iOS 8 compatible iLife and iWork apps will come pre-installed on iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.

This includes iMovie, GarageBand, Keynote, Pages, Numbers, and iTunes U. Owners of the 16GB models of Apple’s newest smartphones will still have access to these apps for free, but they must be downloaded from the App Store manually or via an App Store prompt. It remains unclear as to whether or not GarageBand in-app purchases will also be available at no additional cost.

Just over a year ago, Apple announced that all new iOS devices would be allowed to download these apps for free alongside the release of major updated versions of each app.
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Will Microsoft’s purchase of Mojang mean the end of Minecraft for Mac & iOS users?

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Sep 15 2014 - 6:42 am PT
13 Comments

With news breaking today that Minecraft-maker Mojang has officially sold to Microsoft, the first question that comes to my mind is what this might mean for Mac and iOS users.

Microsoft now has the ability and probably much incentive to make future versions of Minecraft Xbox and or Windows-only and, unfortunately, its statement on the topic isn’t reassuring to say the least. Here’s the statement from Mojang on development for various platforms:

There’s no reason for the development, sales, and support of the PC/Mac, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, Vita, iOS, and Android versions of Minecraft to stop. Of course, Microsoft can’t make decisions for other companies or predict the choices that they might make in the future.

We’re extremely proud of all editions and the awesome things you have achieved through playing together.

That’s far from a promise that Microsoft will indeed keep the game alive on all platforms, and also up in the air is where the company’s current employees and projects will end up after the deal. For now, versions of the game are still available to download for Mac and iOS. 

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Public version of Google Chrome for Mac will go exclusively 64-bit in November

Avatar for Mike Beasley Sep 12 2014 - 10:42 pm PT
31 Comments

Last month Google released a 64-bit version of the Chrome browser for OS X on its developer channel. However, this version of the app has not yet been made available to the general public. Google announced today in a blog post (via iMore) that the browser would be updated in version 39 not only to add 64-bit support, but to remove 32-bit support.

That means that any 32-bit plugins built on the Netscape Plugin API will no longer function until they are updated for 64-bit systems. This update will be released in November, though an exact release date hasn’t been given yet. Because Chrome uses a silent auto-update mechanism, users won’t have to do anything special to get the update.

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Apple says new iOS 8 SMS Continuity feature won’t arrive until October

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Sep 12 2014 - 9:31 am PT
21 Comments

Apple’s website detailing Continuity features arriving with iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite in the coming weeks has been updated to announce SMS support won’t arrive until October.

The feature, which allows users to send and receive SMS and MMS text messages from an iPad or Mac, could be held up by the upcoming release of OS X Yosemite this fall. Unfortunately, an October release for the feature means it won’t be available to iPad users when iOS 8 launches on September 17.

The SMS Continuity feature has been included in betas of iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite, but it looks like it won’t be ready for public consumption later this month.

Apple is expected to release OS X Yosemite in October.

(via iLounge)

60 percent of apps fail basic privacy tests, finds international cross-governmental study

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Sep 12 2014 - 5:10 am PT
8 Comments
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A review of 1,211 apps carried out by a coalition of privacy officials across 19 countries found that 60 percent of them failed at least one basic privacy test, reports the WSJ.

The officials found that 60% of apps raised privacy concerns, based on three criteria: They did not disclose how they used personal information; they required that the user give up an excessive amount of personal data as a condition of downloading the app; and their privacy policies were rendered in type too small to be read on a phone’s screen …


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Feral Interactive’s entire games catalogue on sale at up to 75 percent off in the Mac App Store

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Sep 12 2014 - 4:14 am PT
0 Comments

If you’re a fan of LEGO games on your Mac, or any of the many other games made by Mac gaming specialist Feral Interactive, you have six days to grab a bargain in the latest Mac App Store sale. This is the first time that the entire catalogue of apps from a developer has gone on sale, with discounts of up to 75 percent.

Notable titles include LEGO Star Wars Saga; the racing game GRID, which claims to combine the best of both arcade racing and driving sim worlds; defending the Earth from alien invasion in XCOM: Enemy Unknown (Elite Edition); and the award-winning Batman Arkham City GOTY.

Via TNW

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9to5Toys Last Call: TP-LINK WiFi extender $20, 2-pack Chromecast $55, Mophie iPhone 5/5s battery case $45, more

Avatar for Sep 11 2014 - 9:02 am PT
0 Comments

Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call updates:

TP-LINK 300Mbps Universal Wi-Fi range extender $20 shipped (orig. $35)

Two Google Chromecasts for $55 shipped ($15 savings)

Mophie Juice Pack Helium 1500mAh iPhone 5/5s battery case $45 shipped (Reg. $80)

$100 Staples gift card for $85: save 15% on electronics, office supplies, more

iPhone 6 deals:

Small States: Myro:Air wants you to have your high quality audio and AirPlay too, giveaway worth $599

Other new deals:

More tech deals still alive:

Home/fashion/magazines/games/media:

New products/ongoing promos:

Tesla iOS & Android app updated ahead of car’s 6.0 firmware

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Sep 11 2014 - 5:08 am PT
4 Comments
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Good news and bad news for Tesla Model S owners: the iOS and Android apps have been updated to allow you to start the car without a key – but the matching firmware update needed by the car hasn’t yet arrived.

Version 2 of the iOS app also provides support for the new calendar function, where the car can pull in data from your iPhone calendar and offer to navigate you to the location – as well as providing several new alerts … 
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Viber joins the video call party with latest version of iOS & Android apps

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Sep 11 2014 - 3:56 am PT
2 Comments

FaceTime and Skype have long been popular ways to make free video calls to your friends and family from your iPhone and iPad, but Viber has now joined the party. While video calling has been available on the desktop version of Viber for some time, the mobile app had previously been limited to voice, text and photo messages.

With Viber, everyone in the world can connect. Freely. More than 400 million Viber users text, call, and send photo and video messages worldwide over WiFi or 3G – for free […]

Make video calls from your phone to other Viber contacts on mobile or Desktop. You can also transfer video calls between mobile and Desktop!

The USP of Viber is that no username is needed – only your mobile number. When a contact joins Viber, the service spots that their number is in your contacts app and sends you an alert to let you know.

Viber is a free download from iTunes. Voice and video calls between Viber users are free (bar any data charges on LTE/3G). The company makes its money by selling stickers and offering low-cost outgoing calls worldwide.

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Google Voice for iOS updated w/ refreshed design and Hangouts integration

Avatar for Chance Miller Sep 10 2014 - 5:23 pm PT
2 Comments

Google this evening rolled out an update to the Google Voice app on iOS, adding several new features and much-needed visual enhancements. Bumping the app to version 1.6, this evening’s update is the first the app has seen since September 2013, and the first major update since 2012.


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SwiftKey details its upcoming keyboard for iOS 8

Avatar for Stephen Hall Sep 10 2014 - 10:55 am PT
10 Comments

SwiftKey has long been known as one of the most popular third-party keyboards for Android, but the company kept no secrets earlier this year in announcing that the app would be making its way to Apple’s platform with the release of iOS 8. Today, the company has shared some more details about its features, and given us a first-look at the swipe-to-type entry method running on the latest build of iOS.


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9to5Toys Last Call: Staples GC 15% off, TRENDnet AC router $24, Harman Kardon home theater $199, more

Avatar for Sep 10 2014 - 8:46 am PT
0 Comments

Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call updates:

$100 Staples gift card for $85: save 15% on electronics, office supplies, more

Amazon Gold Box up to 50% off TRENDnet networking devices: AC750 Dual-Band Router $24 (orig. $75), more

Harman Kardon (HKTS 16) 5.1 Channel Home Theater Speaker Package $199 (Reg. $380)

Upgrade your iPhone 4 (or newer) to a Verizon iPhone 6 for free w/ 2-yr contract

Monoprice iPhone 6 cases as low as $5.60 with free shipping

Small States: Myro:Air wants you to have your high quality audio and AirPlay too, giveaway worth $599

Other new deals:

  • New! Games/Apps: DualShock 4 controllers from $40, Destiny for PS4 $50, more
  • New! Daily Deals: VIZIO 55″ 120Hz 1080p Smart TV: $600, Kindle Fire 7″: $60, more
  • New! Costco Gold Star Membership + $20 GC, more $55 ($146 value)
  • New! Palate takes on George Forman with its new Smart Grill
  • New! Dragon Naturally Speaking Speech recognition for Mac $99.99! (50% off)

More tech deals still alive:

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New products/ongoing promos:

Apple rumored to be in acquisition talks with Path for another attempt at social networking

Avatar for Mike Beasley Sep 9 2014 - 10:03 pm PT
7 Comments
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Apple tried to get social with the iTunes Ping network in 2010. Things didn’t work out so well. (Image via Wired)

Apple and social networking don’t have such a great history, but the Cupertino tech firm is ready to give it another go, if new rumors regarding a potential acquisition of the Path social app are true. According to PandoDaily, Apple is already in talks with the mobile social network and the merger is “essentially a done deal.”

Path, for the uninitiated, is a mobile-only social networking app launched in 2010 that features photo sharing, private messaging, and other features you’d expect from a basic social service. It isn’t as widely popular as something like Facebook or Twitter, but it’s estimated to have somewhere around 25 million users and could provide Apple with a decent platform to create its own network.


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9to5Toys Last Call: upgrade iPhone 4 to VZW 6 for free, iPhone 6 cases from $5.60, Samsung 250GB SSD $110, more

Avatar for Justin Kahn Sep 9 2014 - 3:44 pm PT
2 Comments

Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Upgrade your iPhone 4 (or newer) to a Verizon iPhone 6 for free w/ 2-yr contract

iPhone 6 cases:

Samsung 840 EVO Series 250GB 2.5″ Solid State Drive $110 shipped (Reg. $150)

Small States: Myro:Air wants you to have your high quality audio and AirPlay too, giveaway worth $599

Other new deals:

More tech deals still alive:

Home/fashion/magazines/games/media:

New products/ongoing promos:

Apple releases iTunes 11.4 update for OS X Mavericks, adds support for iOS 8

Avatar for Mike Beasley Sep 9 2014 - 3:41 pm PT
27 Comments
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iTunes 11.4 has been released following Apple’s announcement that iOS 8 will be available next week. The GM seed of the software is available now for developers, and the new iTunes update enables syncing with devices running the mobile update.

Many users on OS X Yosemite trying to install the iOS 8 GM seed have run into a serious issue, however. The current version of iTunes 12 crashes after erasing a user’s device, leaving them stranded in DFU mode with no way to actually get back to a usable state (unless they have a Mavericks machine handy). If you are running Yosemite exclusively, it’s probably best to wait for an iTunes 12 update before attempting to install the GM.


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WhatsApp Messenger for iPhone updated w/ photo captions, slow-motion video sharing, more

Avatar for Zac Hall Sep 8 2014 - 1:56 pm PT
30 Comments
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The latest update to the popular, Facebook-owned WhatsApp Messenger app for iPhone hit the App Store with a long list of new features for users including the ability to share slow-mo videos from the iPhone 5s and trim clips down right in the app without having to edit the video in the Photos app.

Chatting with photos also received improvements with the ability to add captions and snap and share photos even faster added. Improvements and changes to location sharing, app wallpapers, and new notification tones are included. The latest version also allows users to move chat logs and contact groups away to an archive. Complete list of changes below…
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Google Play Movies & TV app for iOS gets offline playback support

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Sep 8 2014 - 12:55 pm PT
0 Comments

Google just announced a nice update for users of its Google Play Movies & TV app for iOS: the ability to download both movies and television shows for offline playback without an internet connection. Google first released the app in January giving iPhone and iPad users access to its movies and TV shows streamed over WiFi. 

Google just announced the feature on Google+ and the updated app should be rolling out to the App Store any minute. Version 1.2.0 also brings bug fixes and improvements to accessibility and stability.

The Google Play Movies & TV app is available for free for iPhone and iPad.

What’s New in Version 1.2.0
* Download and play your videos anywhere, without an Internet connection
* Accessibility improvements
* Stability improvements and bug fixes

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9to5Toys Last Call: SanDisk USB/SD/SSD memory up to 60% off, Todoist 6-mo free, Xbox One free game bundles, more

Avatar for Sep 8 2014 - 9:06 am PT
0 Comments

Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call updates:

Amazon GoldBox: Up to 60% off SanDisk USB/SD/ SSD products: 64GB as low as $22, 1TB SSD: $450

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDwmp3oP8Uc?rel=0]

Todoist iOS/Android list and task manager 6-month Premium subscription for free ($14.50 value)

Buy an Xbox One console and snag any game, including Destiny, for free ($60 savings)

Headphones:

Small States: Myro:Air wants you to have your high quality audio and AirPlay too, giveaway worth $599

Other new deals:

More tech deals still alive:

Home/fashion/magazines/games/media:

New products/ongoing promos:

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Adobe updates Creative Cloud video apps w/ HiDPI support for Retina displays & much more

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Sep 8 2014 - 6:59 am PT
0 Comments

Adobe is announcing a number of updates for its Creative Cloud desktop apps today with the highlight being a refreshed UI across almost all of its video products. One thing in specific for Mac users caught our eye, however, and that’s HiDPI support for Macs with Retina displays:

A refreshed user-interface across all the video applications supports HiDPI displays for both Mac Retina Displays and Windows 8.1, providing a cleaner appearance enabling video professionals to stay focused on their projects. “The first thing you’ll notice when you open them, is the cleaner look to all of the video apps,” said Bill Roberts, senior director of product management. “We’ve modernized and simplified the user interface so that it doesn’t compete with the content. The point is to allow video pros to focus more on their content, and less on the widgets.”

In addition, there is a long list of other improvements for the apps including some major enhancements to Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe Anywhere for video. A full list of what’s new is available here.

Adobe, which announced the new features at IBC 2014, says the updates are coming soon.

Revealing Next Wave of Innovation for Adobe Video Desktop Apps

At IBC 2014, Adobe will showcase new video technology that streamlines video workflows for video professionals, broadcasters and media companies. Key updates include:

Support for cutting-edge hardware and standards is accelerated via Adobe Creative Cloud, enabling the company to respond quickly to new hardware and software standards. Key updates extend native file support, with the addition of AJA RAW. Performance enhancements include accelerated Masking & Tracking; and new GPU-optimized playback that delivers better performance when viewing extremely high resolution 4K and UltraHD footage from Phantom Cine, Canon RAW and RED R3D files.

A refreshed user-interface across all the video applications supports HiDPI displays for both Mac Retina Displays and Windows 8.1, providing a cleaner appearance enabling video professionals to stay focused on their projects.

Powerful new media and project management features, including Consolidate & Transcode; Search Bins; and Multiproject workflows offer more ease and flexibility, at the project level, so Adobe Premiere Pro CC users can complete tasks more efficiently. Adobe Media Encoder now includes Destination publishing with preset options so users can render, deliver and share projects to multiple locations such as FTP sites and their Creative Cloud folder, automating the delivery process. Additionally, Extended Match Source support now includes added support for the QuickTime and DNxHD formats, simplifying the workflow for users who are transcoding or rendering content.

Streamlined workflows and ongoing refinements make everyday tasks easier and faster inside Adobe CC video apps, including Timeline Views in Adobe Premiere Pro CC; Curve adjustments and Look Hover previews in Adobe SpeedGrade CC; and Rough Cut Dissolves and keyboard shortcuts for tagging in Adobe Prelude CC.

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Spotify app to offer 30 mins of ad-free listening if you watch a 15-30 second video ad first

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Sep 8 2014 - 5:10 am PT
2 Comments

Spotify currently offers you a choice: pay ten bucks a month to listen without ads, or listen for free but have your music interrupted by audio ads. Those using the iOS or Android app will be offered a third option later this year: watch a 15-30 second video ad in return for 30 minutes of ad-free listening.

Known as Sponsored Sessions, the idea is that advertisers get the ability to run video ads for the first time, while the experience is made relatively painless for consumers by guaranteeing 30 minutes of uninterrupted listening afterwards.

Spotify began pitching the option to advertisers back in June, and Ad Age reports that a number of major advertisers have now signed-up.

Spotify will start testing the video ads in the fourth quarter with a limited number of brands and plans to extend them to all advertisers in the first quarter of 2015.

Coca-Cola, Ford, McDonald’s and Universal Pictures have signed on as the ads’ first global buyers. Kraft Foods, Target and Wells Fargo will be the U.S.-only launch advertisers.

The Spotify app is a free download from the App Store.

Via Engadget

Apple wearable to run third-party apps, big developers already seeded SDK

Avatar for Mark Gurman Sep 6 2014 - 4:43 pm PT
56 Comments
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Apple’s upcoming wearable device, based on iOS, will run third-party applications and, furthermore, may come equipped with an App Store, according to two sources with knowledge of the new device. It is currently unclear if the App Store will be full-fledged, like on the iPhone and iPad, or if it will be a special section with in the iPhone App Store for apps that play nicely with the new wearable device.

A small handful of high-profile social network and services companies with apps on the iPhone and iPad App Store have already been seeded with a pre-release version of the Apple SDK (Software Development Kit) for wearables under strict non-disclosure agreements. One of the developers with access to the pre-release SDK is Facebook, according to a source. Facebook is also said to be finishing up work on an iOS 8-optimized version of its iPhone app with improved notifications. The social network is also experimenting with ways it can leverage the new Notification Center widget APIs.

The SDK was seeded “very recently” to these developers, and Apple likely wants to demonstrate some third-party wearable apps at Tuesday’s event, according to one source. Apple, in the past, has provided select developers with early versions of SDKs in order to boast new apps on the keynote stage. For example, several apps from companies like AOL were shown off with the first public demonstration of the iPhone SDK, fancy gaming and drawing apps were demonstrated alongside the first iPad in 2010, and the iPhone 4S’s dual-core A5 chip was launched alongside a graphics-intense video game…


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9to5Toys Lunch Break: AKG 511 headphones (refurb) $25, new Wacom iPad styluses, This is Ground giveaway, more

Avatar for Sep 5 2014 - 9:10 am PT
0 Comments

Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

AKG Hi-Fi Stereo Over-Ear Headphones refurb $25 shipped (Reg. $60)

More headphones:

New Toy Roundup: Wacom iPad styluses, Harman Kardon Omni wireless home speaker system, Sphero Ollie, more

Small States: This is Ground perfects craftsmanship with a purpose, giveaway worth $450, 15% discount – ends today!

Harry Potter iTunes collection $50, new Maroon 5 song free, Fandango movie ticket $7, more


Other new deals:


More tech deals still alive:

Apple Deals:

Home/fashion/magazines/games/media:

New products/ongoing promos: