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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.

iTunes metadata suggests ability to hide stock apps on iPhone and iPad coming soon

A very common complaint from iOS users is that unused stock apps cannot be hidden or removed from the Home screen, so ‘less useful’ apps like Tips or Stocks have to be hidden in a folder somewhere to get them off the Home screen. As noted by AppAdvice, the internal App Store JSON data source has added a couple of new interesting keys in the last few weeks, which suggests that Apple is in fact adding the ability to hide stock apps soon …


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9to5Toys Last Call: Apple TV 4th gen $109, Spigen Apple Watch dock $3, 15″ Retina MacBook Pro $1,600, more

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: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

Last Call Updates:

Apple 12-Inch Retina MacBook 1.1GHz/8GB/256GB: $990 shipped (Reg. $1,050), more

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Apple TV 4th gen: 32GB $109 (Reg. $149), 64GB $154 (Reg. $199) w/ VISA Checkout

Apple Watch Docks: Spigen w/ support for Nightstand Mode $3, Native Union ANCHOR $15, more

Apple 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro (Newest Version) 2.2GHz/16GB/256GB: $1,600 shipped (Reg. $1,999)

Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch Wi-Fi 128GB in all colors: $760 shipped (Reg. $949)

Walmart launches iPhone SE $100 discount, other Apple/Samsung devices too!

App Store Free App of the Week: CHOMP interactive storybook goes free for the first time ($3 value)

The classic-style Doom and Destiny RPG games drop to just $1 each on iOS (Reg. $3 ea)

Game Dev Story for iOS now matching its lowest price ever: $1 (Reg. $5)

Apple offers Day One 2 iOS journal app for free ($10 value)

Take It Easy iOS puzzler/brain teaser goes free for the first time in years (Reg. $2)

Zentomino HD puzzler for iPad drops to $1 (Reg. $5) or entire trilogy for $2 (up to $15 value)

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Daily Deals: Logitech Canvas Keyboard Case for iPad Air in Red (Refurb) $19, more

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MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

AT&T buy 3 accessories, save 20%: iPad Pro Smart Keyboard $143 (Reg. $169), Apple Pencil $87 (Reg. $99), more

UE BOOM 2 Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker in all colors: $150 shipped (Reg. $200)

Apple Watch 42mm Space Gray Milanese Loop Band + Aluminum Dock: $27 Prime shipped (Reg. $35)

Buy a refurbished Apple AirPort Express Wi-Fi router w/ 1-yr warranty for $49 shipped (Orig. $99)

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

The Yecup 365 travel mug uses your iPhone to heat or cool your drink

Following Apple’s lead with iMessage, WhatsApp rolls out end-to-end encryption for all communication

Although the battle over encryption between the FBI and Apple has currently subsided, the issue of privacy and security in technology continues. Today, WhatsApp is announcing that all messages, photos, phone calls and videos sent over its messaging app will be encrypted end-to-end. This means that no one can access any communications apart from the people in the conversation. This means if WhatsApp is subpoenaed by government for information, WhatsApp will not be able to help them as it simply cannot help them.


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Starz hits Apple TV with $8.99/month package, Twitter scores live NFL “Thursday Night Football” streams

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Tim Cook’s pitch for the fourth generation Apple TV so far has been largely that “the future of TV is apps”, and this week yet another premium cable and satellite network is launching a standalone version of its network for cord cutters. Starz, which before now has required a traditional cable or satellite package for access, is launching a streaming version of its network for a monthly rate competitive to HBO and Netflix. The new Starz app is available on iPhone, iPad, and the fourth generation Apple TV for $8.99/month if you don’t have the network in your cable package. Also in the streaming space, we learned today that Twitter has emerged victorious is scoring the rights to stream 10 NFL “Thursday Night Football” games in the next season…


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T-Mobile adds 16 more services to Binge On & Music Freedom data-free streaming incl. Amazon Music, EPSN Radio, Spike, more

T-Mobile is adding more services to its Binge On and Music Freedom features, which allow its customers to stream video and audio content from certain apps without eating into their wireless plan’s data allowance.

“It’s a fact … Un-carrier Data is different than Carrier Data. It’s better! Nobody does data like T-Mobile!” said Legere. “Un-carrier Data is not only faster, it lasts a lot longer than the other guys… As of today, you stream unlimited music and video from over 100 providers – without ever touching your Un-carrier Data or worrying about overages—and you can stash what you don’t use for later. Try that with Carrier Data. It’s gone in a flash, and you’re getting hit with penalties—or they repossess it after a month or two. Ridiculous!”

Among the 16 total new services being added today, users can now stream audio data-free from Amazon Music, Chilltrax, ESPN Radio, OHIO.FM, PreDanz and Uforia.

And for video, services officially added to the list today include  Dailymotion, EPIX, OVGuide, OWNZONES, Viki, YipTV, 120 Sports, Nickelodeon, Spike, and TV Land.

T-Mobile shared some stats about the Binge On and Music Freedom initiatives noting that users have streamed approximately 90 billion songs without using data since launch (around 210 million songs a day). It also pointed out that its users “are watching 2x more from free streaming sites on plans with limited data and have streamed over 190 million hours of video for free.”

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The addition of the new services today brings up the number of audio and video services supported by Binge On and Music Freedom to 100 total. You can view a full list of supported services on T-Mobile’s website.

Facebook’s iOS app uses AI and VoiceOver to describe the contents of photos to blind users

At a time when so many Facebook posts comprise a photo and a brief comment, there’s one group of people who get rather left out of the picture: those who are blind and partially sighted. That’s a problem Facebook is fixing, starting from today. The iOS app now uses artificial intelligence to figure out the content of photos, and Apple’s VoiceOver feature to read aloud a description of them.

The Verge got a demo of the feature, which Facebook calls ‘automatic alt text.’

Automatic alt text, which is coming to iOS today and later to Android and the web, recognizes objects in photos using machine learning […] While still in its early stages, the technology can reliably identify concepts in categories including transportation (“car,” “boat,” “airplane”), nature (“snow,” “ocean,” “sunset”), sports (“basketball court”), and food (“sushi”). The technology can also describe people (“baby,” “smiling,” beard”), and identify a selfie.

Facebook said that there were two approaches it could have taken to the problem, and it chose the one it believed would be most successful …


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Disqus releases first iPhone app w/ support for tracking comments & discussions, more

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Popular commenting service Disqus today has announced its first ever iOS app. The app is available now in the App Store for free and allows users to track notifications relating to their comments as well as discussions from channels and websites they follow. The app’s interface is pretty standard, with home, channel, notification, and profile tabs along the bottom.


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1Password 6.2 for Mac adds automatic login naming + upgraded data importer

Juggling passwords for all the digital services we manage these days is no easy task with varying rules and expiring credentials all the time, but 1Password makes the process both more secure and way more convenient. Rather than using a version of a few passwords that you can actually remember, 1Password easily lets you generate strong, randomized passwords for each service that you protect behind a single secure password, then browser extensions and action extensions on OS X and iOS make password entry super simple.

The latest update to 1Password for Mac, version 6.2, adds a couple of minor but useful enhancements to the desktop experience. First, intelligence behind the automatic login and password filler is smarter in the new version, which means using the keyboard shortcut or browser extension to fill in your info will fail fewer times. The database upgrade also means that naming new logins will be easier as 1Password will be smarter about guessing what website you’re new login is for.

If you’re new to 1Password or setting up friends or family, 1Password 6.2 for Mac also includes a more intelligent data importer for users moving from other password management apps. This follows the introduction of new features like 1Password for Families and Teams, which are also improved in this version, as well as 1Password mini for the Menu Bar on OS X.

Check out the full release notes below:


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9to5Toys Last Call: iPad Pro Smart Keyboard $143, olloclip iPhone Lens $50, Kindle eReader $50, more

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: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

Last Call Updates:

Apple 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro (Newest Version) 2.2GHz/16GB/256GB: $1,600 shipped (Reg. $1,999)

AT&T buy 3 accessories, save 20%: iPad Pro Smart Keyboard $143 (Reg. $169), Apple Pencil $87 (Reg. $99), more

olloclip 4-in-1 Photo Lens for iPhone 6/s & Plus $50 shipped (Reg. $80)

Amazon’s popular Kindle e-readers are up to 37% off for Prime members w/ prices starting at $50 shipped

Walmart launches iPhone SE $100 discount, other Apple/Samsung devices too!

App Store Free App of the Week: CHOMP interactive storybook goes free for the first time ($3 value)

The classic-style Doom and Destiny RPG games drop to just $1 each on iOS (Reg. $3 ea)

Game Dev Story for iOS now matching its lowest price ever: $1 (Reg. $5)

Apple offers Day One 2 iOS journal app for free ($10 value)

Take It Easy iOS puzzler/brain teaser goes free for the first time in years (Reg. $2)

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Browse the web anonymously with a Private Internet Access VPN 2-year subscription: $60 (Orig. $80)

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

UE BOOM 2 Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker in all colors: $150 shipped (Reg. $200)

Apple Watch 42mm Space Gray Milanese Loop Band + Aluminum Dock: $27 Prime shipped (Reg. $35)

Buy a refurbished Apple AirPort Express Wi-Fi router w/ 1-yr warranty for $49 shipped (Orig. $99)

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

ROAM-e follows you around in the sky and takes selfies on demand

Sprint customers can now (but probably shouldn’t) pay monthly for Amazon Prime

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The TSA paid $336k (or maybe $1.4M) for a random number generator app for an iPad

Gotta love government IT projects. When you want to randomly pick airline travelers for reduced security screening, it makes sense to use a random number generator to choose those people, so you can show there’s no discrimination involved.

What makes rather less sense is to pay $336k for the app. Or maybe even as much as $1.4M …


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9to5Toys Last Call: UE BOOM 2 Bluetooth Speaker $150, DJI Phantom 3 Drone $399, Free App of the Week, more

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: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

Last Call Updates:

Apple 13-inch MacBook Air 1.6GHz/4GB/128GB (newest version): $800 shipped (Reg. $999)

UE BOOM 2 Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker in all colors: $150 shipped (Reg. $200)

DJI Phantom 3 Standard Drone w/ 2.7K HD Camera drops to $399 shipped (Reg. $450+)

App Store Free App of the Week: CHOMP interactive storybook goes free for the first time ($3 value)

Game Dev Story for iOS now matching its lowest price ever: $1 (Reg. $5)

Apple offers Day One 2 iOS journal app for free ($10 value)

Take It Easy iOS puzzler/brain teaser goes free for the first time in years (Reg. $2)

Sprint customers can now (but probably shouldn’t) pay monthly for Amazon Prime

Apple 21-inch Retina 4K iMac 3.1GHz/8GB/1TB (newest version): $1,300 shipped (Reg. $1,499)

Buy a refurbished Apple AirPort Express Wi-Fi router w/ 1-yr warranty for $49 shipped (Orig. $99)

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Smartphone Accessories: BYTECH 14,000mAh Power Bank $17 shipped (Orig. $40), more

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MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

iOttie Car Mounts for iPhone/Android Devices: Easy One Touch 2 $13 (Reg. $20), w/ Qi Charger $40 (Reg. $55)


Hit the road w/ TP-LINK’s 802.11n Portable Travel Router
for $8 Prime Shipped (Reg. $13)

Apple Watch 42mm Space Gray Milanese Loop Band + Aluminum Dock: $27 Prime shipped (Reg. $35)

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

Seagate unveils the “world’s first” USB-powered 8TB desktop hard drive

9to5Toys Last Call: iOttie iPhone Car Mount $13, TP-LINK Travel Router $8, Philips Wake Up lights from $65, more

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: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

Last Call Updates:

App Store Free App of the Week: CHOMP interactive storybook goes free for the first time ($3 value)

iOttie Car Mounts for iPhone/Android Devices: Easy One Touch 2 $13 (Reg. $20), w/ Qi Charger $40 (Reg. $55)

Hit the road w/ TP-LINK’s 802.11n Portable Travel Router for $8 Prime Shipped (Reg. $13)

Amazon Gold Box – Philips Wake up lights up to 39% off: Colored Sunrise Simulation $104 (Reg. $140), more

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Apple 21-inch Retina 4K iMac 3.1GHz/8GB/1TB (newest version): $1,300 shipped (Reg. $1,499)

MacID for iOS: Unlock your Mac with your iPhone/Apple Watch for $1 (Reg. $4)

Apple offers Day One 2 iOS journal app for free ($10 value)

App Store Free App of the Week: Motorsport Manager goes free for the first time ($2 value)

Buy a refurbished Apple AirPort Express Wi-Fi router w/ 1-yr warranty for $49 shipped (Orig. $99)

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Headphones: AKG Tiesto DJ-style $30 (Reg. up to $80), earbuds from $14, more

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

Smart 120Hz LED HDTVs: Samsung 50-inch 4K $639 (Reg. $950+), Sony 55-inch 1080p $700 (Reg. $800), more

Smart 4K 60Hz LED UHDTVs: Samsung 60-inch $949 (Reg. $1,200), LG 49-inch $499 (Reg. $600), more

Samsung 50-inch 4K 3D 120Hz Smart LED UHDTV w/ 4 HDMI inputs: $749 shipped (Reg. $1,400)

Apple Watch 42mm Space Gray Milanese Loop Band + Aluminum Dock: $27 Prime shipped (Reg. $35)

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

Sony’s new RX10 III digital camera goes big with a 24-600mm lens and 4K capabilities

Unboxing the awesome, pricey C-3PO and Stormtrooper Bluetooth speakers [Video]

9to5Toys Last Call: Retina iMac $1,300, Samsung 50″ 4K UHDTV $639, iPad Bluetooth Keyboards $26, more

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: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

Last Call Updates:

iOttie Car Mounts for iPhone/Android Devices: Easy One Touch 2 $13 (Reg. $20), w/ Qi Charger $40 (Reg. $55)

Apple 21-inch Retina 4K iMac 3.1GHz/8GB/1TB (newest version): $1,300 shipped (Reg. $1,499)

Smart 120Hz LED HDTVs: Samsung 50-inch 4K $639 (Reg. $950+), Sony 55-inch 1080p $700 (Reg. $800), more

Smart 4K 60Hz LED UHDTVs: Samsung 60-inch $949 (Reg. $1,200), LG 49-inch $499 (Reg. $600), more

Samsung 50-inch 4K 3D 120Hz Smart LED UHDTV w/ 4 HDMI inputs: $749 shipped (Reg. $1,400)

Anker Bluetooth Keyboards for iPad Air/2, mini 3/2/1, more: $26 Prime shipped (Reg. up to $36)

MacID for iOS: Unlock your Mac with your iPhone/Apple Watch for $1 (Reg. $4)

Apple offers Day One 2 iOS journal app for free ($10 value)

App Store Free App of the Week: Motorsport Manager goes free for the first time ($2 value)

Buy a refurbished Apple AirPort Express Wi-Fi router w/ 1-yr warranty for $49 shipped (Orig. $99)

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Games/Apps: Hundreds $1, Bayonetta 2 $24, Sony Metal Gear PSN sale w/ titles from $5, freebies, more

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MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

Apple Watch 42mm Space Gray Milanese Loop Band + Aluminum Dock: $27 Prime shipped (Reg. $35)

Samsung 850 EVO 1TB 2.5-inch Internal Solid-State Drive $260 shipped (Orig. $470)

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

QWERKYWRITER is a mechanical Bluetooth keyboard that takes us back to simpler times

Build an Alexa-enabled device using a Raspberry Pi

Fantastical 2.2 for Mac adds native Exchange support, printable calendars, & more

Fantastical has long been my go-to calendar on Mac, iPad, and iPhone, and today the Fantastical 2.2 update is hitting the Mac App Store. The intelligent calendar and reminders app started out as a menu bar utility with really, really good natural language detection for creating appointments and entries, plus a streamlined list view of upcoming items. Then a year ago Fantastical 2 debuted on the Mac, which graduated the menu bar app to a full-fledged calendar that easily competes with the built-in calendar app. The latest 2.2 update builds on that release by adding a handful of useful features including native Exchange support.


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Waze app will now alert you when driving over the speed limit

The Waze maps app— the one Google acquired a few years back to improve its own mapping services—today announced a new features that will warn drivers when they are driving over the speed limit. 

Now when you’re using the Waze app to navigate, you’ll automatically see a visual warning (pictured above) if you go over the speed limit, and you can also manually set audio warnings for reaching the limit or hitting 5, 10 or 15% over.


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Report: Text hidden deep in Facebook Messenger code hints at monetization plan

Facebook Messenger

According to a report out of The Information today, Facebook has begun preparing several new features for Facebook Messenger, including a new service that allows users to pay for items to be picked up in person, a new “secret” chat feature, and more. If nothing else, these features could be insight into how the company plans to monetize its messaging platform…


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Instagram rolling out longer 60-second videos + multi-clip support on iOS

Hot on the heels of Snapchat’s Chat 2.0 announcement, Instagram has officially announced support for sharing longer user created videos. Noting that viewership on Instagram videos has increased by more than 40 percent in the last six months, Instagram today will begin rolling out 60-second length videos to all.


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9to5Toys Last Call: APC Back-UPS Connect $19, MacID for iOS $1, Samsung EVO 1TB SSD $260, more

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: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

Last Call Updates:

Apple 21-inch Retina 4K iMac 3.1GHz/8GB/1TB (newest version): $1,300 shipped (Reg. $1,499)

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/714900089412718592 align=’center’]

Amazon Gold Box – APC Power Products up to 50% off: Network Backup w/ USB Charging Ports $19Reg. $40), more

MacID for iOS: Unlock your Mac with your iPhone/Apple Watch for $1 (Reg. $4)

Samsung 850 EVO 1TB 2.5-inch Internal Solid-State Drive $260 shipped (Orig. $470)

Apple offers Day One 2 iOS journal app for free ($10 value)

App Store Free App of the Week: Motorsport Manager goes free for the first time ($2 value)

Buy a refurbished Apple AirPort Express Wi-Fi router w/ 1-yr warranty for $49 shipped (Orig. $99)

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Apple Watch 42mm Space Gray Milanese Loop Band + Aluminum Dock: $27 Prime shipped (Reg. $35)

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

Best Buy offers $50 gift card w/ iPhone SE purchase & up to $350 off the new iPad Pro 9.7 on Verizon

Smart 4K 60Hz LED UHDTVs: Samsung 60-inch $949 (Reg. $1,200), LG 49-inch $499 (Reg. $600), more

Samsung 50-inch 4K 3D 120Hz Smart LED UHDTV w/ 4 HDMI inputs: $749 shipped (Reg. $1,400)

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

The Kuvée smart wine bottle brings the Internet of Things to grapes near you