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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Apple blocks all outdated versions of Adobe Flash in Safari due to vulnerabilities

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Due to a security flaw discovered in its Flash Player software, Adobe released an update to the web plugin earlier this week. Today Apple confirmed that it had updated its plugin blacklist for OS X to stop the system from using a version of Flash Player older than 14.0.0.145 (or 13.0.0.231 on older systems).

According to Apple’s product security team:

Due to security issues in older versions, Apple has updated the web plug-in blocking mechanism to disable all versions prior to Flash Player 14.0.0.145 and 13.0.0.231.


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Apple’s Volume Purchase Program for apps coming soon to 16 new countries

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Apple is about to roll out its Volume Purchase Program, which allows business and education customers to purchase and distribute iOS apps in bulk for deployed devices, into 16 new countries. Apple’s website for both the Volume Purchase Program for Business and for Education have been updated to announce the expansion and now list the following countries as coming soon to the program:
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The App Store’s 6th anniversary by the numbers

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Steve Jobs introducing the App Store in 2008

As Apple celebrates the 6th anniversary of the App Store today, let’s take a look at the most recent numbers Apple has announced regarding App Store statistics. During the WWDC keynote on June 2nd, Apple CEO Tim Cook shared that the App Store then featured more than 1.2 million apps and counting.

Out of that catalog, App Store customers have downloaded apps more than 75 billion times since the digital store debuted on July 10, 2008. Apple also noted that its platform is home to more than 9 million developers with registered accounts through the Developer Program, a number which was up 47% from the previous year…
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MLB.com gets All Star update allowing subscribers to watch Home Run Derby, Stream All Star Game, Breaking news and more

MLB.com at Bat’s iOS application today received a significant update in line with the league’s All Star Game. Today’s update brings live video coverage to the app along with notable breaking news alerts:

  • All-Star Week 2014 events support with live coverage
  • Watch the All-Star Futures Game and Home Run Derby live from Target Field
  • MLB.TV Premium subscribers can watch the live stream of the 85th All-Star Game
  • Breaking news live alert integration into news reader
  • Overall usage improvements

MLB is also starting phase 2 of its iBeacon roll-out with new features through the At the Ballpark app at the upcoming All Star Game:

Fans attending All-Star events at Target Field with At the Ballpark on their iPhone (iOS 7 required) will be able to use iBeacon when visiting these attractions, offering a unique mobile perspective through original content automatically delivered to their iPhone. The locations in Target Field are: The Golden Glove; Twins Digital Clubhouse; 2 Gingers Pub; Target Field Ballpark Model; 573 and Herb Carneal Pressbox; Kirby Puckett Atrium; Rod Carew Atrium; The Townball Tavern; and Target Plaza.

The free update, which is available for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch, is now available on the App Store. Subscriptions to the service cost $9.99 per year or $2.99 per month. 


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9to5Toys Lunch Break: Angry Birds SW II for iOS free, Seagate Backup Plus 5TB $168, Samsung 51″ Plasma $400, more

Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Apps/Games:

Seagate Backup Plus 5TB Desktop External USB 3.0 Hard Drive $168 shipped (Reg. $220)

Samsung 51″ Plasma $400 new/$330 refurb (Reg. $500), Sharp 32″LED w/ $100 Dell GC $250 ($410 value)

Other new deals:

More deals still alive:

Apple deals:

Smart home deals:

New products/ongoing promotions:

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LinkedIn reimagines its Contacts app debuting LinkedIn Connected for iPhone

LinkedIn has steadily been iterating on its Contacts app for iPhone since it debuted just over a year ago, and today the business-focused social network is rebranding that app as LinkedIn Connected. The focus on rethinking its approach to contacts comes after LinkedIn shut down its Intro feature on iPhone after a rather short run.

LinkedIn says the new version of its app focuses on actively strengthening your relationships with your contacts rather than just managing your contacts list passively. The social network says its LinkedIn Connected app presents important information about your connections like changes in job status, work anniversaries, birthday, and more. LinkedIn describes one benefit of its new Connected app as having access to “pre-meeting intelligence” as a way to make a better impression and start better conversations.

LinkedIn Connected 2.0, which replaces LinkedIn Contacts for iPhone, is available today on the App Store. LinkedIn Connected joins the dedicated LinkedIn app, LinkedIn Pulse, LinkedIn Job Search, and LinkedIn Recruiter.

Google launches YouTube Creator Studio app for iOS

Following the release of YouTube Creator Studio for Android, Google has now made the app available for iOS devices. What’s the Creator Studio, you ask? Well, Google has finally created an all-in-one app hub for YouTube creators to access channel/video-specific information. Basically, it’s only helpful if you actually make (or plan to make) YouTube videos.


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Minecraft Pocket Edition gets biggest update yet w/ infinite worlds & much more

Minecraft Pocket Edition, the iOS version of the popular Minecraft PC game, is getting what developer Mojang says is the app’s biggest update yet today. Version 0.9.0 introduces a number of new features carried over from the original game including infinite worlds, much improved caves, wolves, new items, and much, much more.

In addition, Mojang is bringing over new biomes from the PC version of the game with mesas, jungles, swamps and extreme hills, and you’ll also notice abandoned mineshafts, villages and “new feature generation, including lakes, vines and monster rooms.” That doesn’t even include a fraction of what’s actually included in today’s update. A full list of new features from new blocks to new and updated features for biomes, mobs, AI and feature generation is below.

The game also receives some welcomed UI tweaks in the update including a new “interaction” button that Mojang hopes will cut down on accidental sheep punches.

Infinite worlds!
Caves!
Loads of new blocks and items including Monster Eggs and huge mushroom blocks.
Wolves! Tame a loyal companion.
Loads of new flowers! So pretty.
New mobs, including the spooky endermen and less spooky Mooshrooms.
New biomes from the PC version, including mesas, jungles, swamps and extreme hills.
Abandoned mineshafts, villages, and many other cool places to explore.
A brand-new “interaction” button. Never accidentally punch a sheep again!
New feature generation, including lakes, vines and monster rooms.
Many bugs fixed, and possibly a few added.

The updated Minecraft Pocket Edition version 0.9.0 is available now on the App Store for iPhone and iPad.

The full huge list of what’s new via Mojang is below:

New features

  • Unlimited worlds!
  • New culling algorithm
  • New culling of clouds
  • Tile entities are saved differently
  • New falling mechanics for gravel and sand
  • New insta ticking of water and lava

New blocks

  • Podzol
  • Mycelium
  • Huge mushroom blocks
  • Cocoa
  • End portal frame
  • Double plants
  • More stairs/slabs for new wood types
  • New log types (savanna tree and dark oak)
  • New leafs (savanna tree)
  • Monster egg
  • Stained clay
  • Waterlily
  • New flowers
  • Red sand
  • Hardened clay
  • End stone
  • Granite
  • Diorite
  • Andesite
  • Emerald block
  • Emerald ore
  • New leveldb based saving format
  • New entity handling
  • New crafting screen
  • Remade network code (mostly the same packages but new system).
  • New interact button (to make the game easier for new players)

New mobs

  • Slimes
  • Endermen
  • Wolves
  • Mooshrooms
  • Silverfish

New and updated biomes

  • Deserts
  • Extreme hills
  • Forests
  • Redwood taiga
  • Roofed forests
  • Frozen
  • Jungle
  • Savanna
  • Mesa
  • Mushroom island
  • Taiga
  • Deep ocean
  • Swamps

New world feature generation

  • Sand
  • Boulders
  • Ice patch
  • Ice spike
  • Spike
  • Lake
  • Double plants
  • Ground bushes
  • Fancy oaks
  • Jungle tree
  • Mega jungle tree
  • Mega pine tree
  • Savanna tree
  • Swamp tree
  • Huge mushroom
  • Tallgrass
  • Waterlily
  • Vines
  • Melons
  • Pumpkin
  • Dead bush
  • Monster rooms
  • Desert well
  • Fallen logs
  • Emerald ore

Tweaks to caves

  • Lava at the bottom of caves
  • Caves in desert and mesa
  • Strongholds
  • Villages
  • Villagers
  • Abandoned mine shafts
  • Flat world generation
  • Limited world generation
  • “New” mob spawning
  • Updated light generation
  • Grass color for different biomes
  • Foliage color for different biomes
  • Water color for swamps

New AI

  • Spiders
  • New leaf rendering
  • Added more spawn eggs in Creative Mode
  • Added immersive mode for Android
  • Added drip particles for water and lava
  • Updated create world screen

Tweaks and bug fixes

  • Correct name for stairs, slabs and spawn eggs
  • Beds no longer gives full health in normal difficulty
  • Smooth lighting added for:
  • Beds
  • Fences
  • Walls
  • Cobwebs
  • Chests
  • Leaves
  • Smooth lighting removed for:
  • Glowstone
  • Glass
  • Jack ‘o’ lanterns
  • Improved performance of TNT
  • Prettier clouds
  • The fog is darker underground

Known Bugs

  • The block highlight flickers (z-fights) when more than 10k blocks distant from spawn
  • Changing the view distance while in a world might crash the game
  • If players walk too far from each other in multiplayer, they can’t see each other

Known bugs requiring attention

  • Multiplayer is a bit fragile. Please test it and report all issues to us!
  • The LevelDB save format + upgrading of old maps. Please report any data corruption!
  • Crashes in general – uncommon and random crashes might still happen

Capo touch brings music learning to iOS, Mac version adds iCloud Sync and more

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Earlier this year we showed you Capo, the software that turns your iTunes library into songs you can learn to play on guitar, when version 3.0 of the music learning software for Mac was released. Today SuperMegaUltraGroovy is releasing the first mobile version of that powerful software for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, and the developers are updating the Mac version with brand-new features as well.

Using Capo touch on iOS is as simple and easy as you would expect featuring super fast access to music stored locally on your device with cool features like the ability to speed up and slow down music as well as suppress the vocals of a song to focus on the music.
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Google releases AdWords Express app for iPhone and iPad

Google today released an iOS app for its AdWords Express advertising service. The app, which is available for only Google’s automated AdWords Express advertising service aimed at small businesses, allows users to view stats from advertisements created with the service, edit the advertisements, adjust budgets, and get notifications related to campaigns directly from within the iPhone or iPad app:

AdWords Express helps you reach new customers on Google. Create your ad in less than 15 minutes, and only pay when potential customers click your ad to visit your website or give you a call. Stay connected to how your ad is doing — all from your mobile device.
– See how many calls, clicks and views your ad is getting
– Edit your ad text or adjust your budget anytime
– Get notified with important messages in your account
– Have questions? Call us at 1-855-235-8904 for free setup help
The app is free to download, but you’re required to enter billing information to pay for your ads.

Google already had an AdWords Express app available for Android users, but it doesn’t yet have mobile apps for its full-fledged AdWords service. On the flip side of the AdWords business, last year publishers got an official AdSense iPhone app from Google for monitoring advertising and revenues.

The Google AdWords Express app is available on the App Store now for iPhone and iPad users in the US.

iPad screenshots below:

Fleksy keyboard for iOS 8 set for fall release with support for over 40 languages

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The popular Fleksy keyboard for Android will be making its way to iOS 8 this fall, according to the company behind the software. While the keyboard isn’t quite ready for a public beta, the developers say it will be ready by the release of the next-generation mobile OS.

Keeping in line with today’s update for the Android version, the iPhone version is on schedule to ship with support with over 40 languages.

The Fleksy keyboard has been available on iOS in the form of a standalone app for some time now, but with iOS 8’s support for third-party keyboards, it will finally be available systemwide. The native keyboard has already been demoed by the Fleksy developers earlier this year.

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Adidas announces $199 ‘Fit Smart’ fitness tracker that syncs w/ miCoach iOS apps

Just as Nike’s dismantled FuelBand team continues heading to Apple ahead of an expected “iWatch” launch this fall, Adidas thought it would be the perfect time to introduce its own FuelBand-like fitness tracking wearable. Today the company introduced FitSmart, a wrist worn fitness tracker that pairs with the company’s miCoach fitness apps for iOS and Android. 

The device packs in a heart rate sensor, accelerometer, and is capable of tracking the usual fitness metrics including calories, pace, distance and stride rate. The company says the Fit Smart will offer up to five days on a single charge with its 200mAh battery, but that estimate includes only a 1-hour workout per day.

Designed for running, training and fitness, FITSMART is unlike many of the activity trackers on the market today as it measures heart rate response to physical activity and then guides the user train at the right intensity for the best results… Intended for those seeking meaningful guidance and feedback, FIT SMART works with an all-new mobile app experience aimed at helping people set and reach weekly goals, as well as commit to longer term training plans. Weekly goals are a key feature update in the August release of the popular miCoach Train and Run app. and, uniquely combine the effectiveness of heart rate based training with the flexibility and motivational benefits of short-term attainable goals.

It weighs 58 grams, has a silicon strap, and uses a 17×11 LED light array as its UI. That includes “at-a-glance visual guidance on the user’s current workout intensity presented in color zones: blue, green, yellow and red.” Adidas also notes the Fit Smart will use vibration and visual indicators with the LED display to “provide feedback and coaching so the user can make the most out of every workout.”

The Adidas Fit Smart is arriving for $199 late August at Best Buy in the US and in markets around the world on August 15th through adidas.com.

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9to5Toys Last Call: LifeProof nüüd for iPad mini $30, VIZIO/Sony sound bars from $175, Blek for iOS $1, more

Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call updates:


Daily Deals: LifeProof nüüd Cases for iPad mini: $30, 7800mAh Portable Charger: $35more

Refurbished Bluetooth sound bars w/ subs: 42″ VIZIO $175 (Reg. $330 new), 46″ Sony $200 (Reg. $370 new)

Games/Apps: Cut the Rope Experiments $1 (Reg. $2), Blek $1 (Reg. $3), iOS freebiesmore

Other new deals:


More deals still alive:

Apple deals:

Smart home deals:

New products/ongoing promotions:

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Disney sales on iTunes in Japan resume as companies reach new agreement

Disney briefly stopped sales of its on-demand content through iTunes in Japan after it failed to reach a deal with Apple. The company confirmed the news but followed up today with a statement on its website claiming that all services have been restored.

There’s not much explantation about the reason behind the removal of Disney content in Japan in the company’s statement, but it did confirm to Variety that “the interruption was due to difficulties negotiating the renewal of the old contract between Apple and Disney Japan. The new contract was signed on Wednesday and both rentals (VoD) and electronic sell-through returned to normal.”

Apple has close long had close ties with the company since Steve Jobs held a position as a director following the sale of Pixar to Disney. Apple has also named Disney CEO Bog Iger as a board of the company since 2011 and Disney content appeared as some of the first on-demand video content from a major studio at the launch of iTunes. The removal of content, if only for a brief period, is a reminder of just how important Apple’s content deals with studios are and just how quickly content can be removed if those relationships go south.

We’ve reached out to Apple for comment but didn’t hear back immediately at the time of publishing.

Manything video security app gets IFTTT support, can automate control of Nest, Hue, WeMo and more

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While you’ve probably heard of Dropcam (which we like), you may not have heard of Manything – the cloud video service that allows you to use iOS devices as the smart cameras. You might want to check it out now, though, as the app has just added IFTTT support – giving access to a whole new world of automation.

Previously, Manything could use motion-detection to alert you to something moving inside or outside your home and send you an alert plus live video stream, enabling you to check it out remotely. Adding IF This Then That support makes it much more powerful – examples below … 
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Google Search app can now fix its voice recognition mishaps with a quick command

If you’ve ever been using any form of Google voice recognition and gotten frustrated that the friendly female on the other side just can’t understand you, you may be happy to know that a quick command can now fix misheard words. Previously, you would have to start the query over completely, but the Google Search app can now fix its blunders on the fly using a natural corrective voice command.

For instance, if you’re trying to search for the nearest bars, you might say “find me the nearest bars.” Whether it’s your fault or a problem in Google’s voice processing, there’s a chance that the app might interpret your query as “find me the nearest cars.” Using the command “no I said” in a new search will let you replace just that one word. To fix the search, say “no I said bars” and chances are that Google will fix it right up.

Ultimately this is a great and useful update because it makes our interactions with the voice assistant much more natural. Every update that comes to both Google Now and Apple’s Siri seem to make these virtual helpers more and more human like, which in turn make them much more useable. This new feature works in both the iOS and Android versions of the official Google Search app.

 

Apple reboots its eBay refurbished store, iPhone 5 (unlocked) starts at $449

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Update (7/10 9:00am): Looks like the store got pretty popular this week. It has been updated with the following message: “More inventory coming in on Friday – We are currently replenishing our inventory for our Factory Certified store, please check back soon!”

In late 2012 we uncovered an eBay store that was selling Apple certified refurbished products (iPad, MacBook, iPod, more). Though never officially confirmed by Apple itself, this storefront had all the makings of being officially tied to Apple in some capacity. This store is still live on eBay, but has not offered an item for sale since March of 2013. We speculated that Apple outsourced the sales to a 3rd party middle-company which allowed it to sell its wares without tax in many states even though eBay told us exclusively that they were dealing with Apple on the project.

It now appears that Apple is once again testing an eBay store, but this time is only offering iPhones for sale. Presently, there are six different pre-owned iPhone 5 configurations available with prices starting at $449 with free shipping. The store layout and verbiage is extremely reminiscent of the previous Apple eBay store. All items include a 1-year warranty, receive a complete burn-in, and final quality inspection is performed by Apple. Up until now, Apple has never sold pre-owned or refurbished iPhones so it’s possible that this eBay store is even more temporary than the first.


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Apple Maps senior engineering manager leaves role for job at Uber

Chris Blumenberg, a senior engineering manager at Apple who manages the Maps Apps and Frameworks team, has left the Cupertino, California company for a new role at Uber, The Information reports. Blumenberg’s time spent at Apple dates back over 14 years according to his LinkedIn profile, and his past experience includes building the original Maps app for iPhone as well as porting the Safari web browser to iOS.

Uber, of course, is a relatively new transportation company founded in 2009 which offers pickups in various cities which can be arranged by a mobile application. Interestingly, Google has in part backed Uber through its Ventures arm investing in the startup with $250 million last fall and adding Uber integration into its the Google Maps app earlier this year. Uber is also a partner for Google’s self-driving car program.

As you may recall, Apple first introduced its in-house Maps data in 2012, which was met with enough user complaints to prompt a publicly posted apology from Apple CEO Tim Cook, as it began the process of moving away from relying on Google’s mapping data.

Bye Google Maps: Apple brings its Maps to the web for Find my iPhone

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Update: Apple appears to be testing or slowly rolling out the feature as some users report still seeing Google Maps. Apple Maps are live on the iCloud.com beta site and available for some users on the main iCloud.com site as well.

Almost two years after replacing Google Maps with its own Maps app in iOS 6, Apple has now brought its Maps solution to the web and made the switch for its Find My iPhone web app.
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MapQuest navigation app updated with improved ETAs, baseball guides, airport maps and more

Navigation app MapQuest has been updated to version 4.4, offering more accurate ETAs thanks to better traffic data; an app-specific volume control that allows you to set the voice navigation volume independently of other apps; Ballpark Guides to MLB stadiums and airport maps; and GrubHub integration to allow you to order food from take-out restaurants before the app navigates you there to collect it.
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European airline easyJet rolling out iBeacon support to select airports

Since Apple introduced iBeacon functionality alongside iOS 7, several different use cases have popped up allowing various retailers, sporting venues, and others to interact with visitors’ devices using the technology. Deploying iBeacon support enables iPhone users to receive relevant information through apps based on very specific location without taking a major hit to the device battery.
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Google Play Music for iOS updated w/ gapless playback, ability to download subscribed playlists, more

Google this afternoon started rolling out an update to its Play Music app on iOS with a handful of new features. The update bumps the app to version 1.3.0.2190. Firstly, the update finally adds support for gapless playback, which means that there is no pause between the end of one song and the beginning of another. The update also adds the ability to download subscribed playlists in one tap, allowing you to listen to them without a data connection.


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9to5Toys Last Call: $100 GC w/ iPads, Aros smart AC $249, 15″ Retina MacBook Pro $300 off, more

Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call Updates:

Apple Deals:

 

 

Smart Home Deals:

Home theater 1080p 3D projectors: BenQ $699 (Reg. $1,099), Optoma $869 (Orig. $2,499)

Last chance on discounted Mac apps: Name Your Own Price Bundle ($12 minimum to unlock all 10 apps) featuring Path Finder 6, Fantastical, Gemini, Tangerine, Flux 4 and more

Other new deals:

  • New! Canon PIXMA Wireless Inkjet All-In-One printer w/ AirPrint: $99 shipped (Reg. $200)
  • New! Clearance Cases at Best Buy for the iPad Air $10-$15 (Reg. $30-$50)
  • New! Headphones: MEElectronics Bluetooth over-ears $40 (orig. $120), more
  • New! Daily Deals: Klipsch KMC BT Speakers $165-$205, Logitech iPad KB Cover $25, more
  • New! Games/Apps: Infamous Second Son $40, Weathercube free (Reg. $4), more iOS freebies

More deals still alive:

New products/ongoing promotions:

Microsoft/Google/Android: