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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.

Emerging markets see Android pushing further ahead in app downloads, but iOS increases revenue lead

The latest data from App Annie shows that Android has pushed further ahead in the number of apps downloaded worldwide, but iOS has increased its lead in app revenue.

Downloads in India and Southeast Asia in particular saw Android opening up its download lead from 85% in Q2 to 90% in Q3 2015, but that boost in low-cost handsets did nothing for app revenues. iOS apps increased their revenue lead from 70% to 80% in the last quarter … 
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Uber pushing AMBER Alerts to its drivers nationwide, after initial pilot in Colorado

Uber has announced that it will be sending location-based AMBER alerts to its drivers across all 180 U.S. cities in which it operates, following a successful trial in Colorado.

AMBER alerts provide information on missing children, including description and last known location, so that the public can be on the look out for them. Since the launch of the scheme in 1996, a total of 722 children have been safely found as a direct result of an AMBER alert.

Robert Hoever, director of special programs at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, described the Uber program as “an incredible asset.”

The AMBER Alert program’s success is built on the ability to reach the right people at the right time with these potentially life-saving messages. Uber’s presence in communities all across the country will be an incredible asset and we are proud to team up with Uber to increase the reach of the AMBER Alert program and help bring more missing children home safely.

Apps have proven a powerful addition to the AMBER alerts program, with mobile apps from Facebook and Waze already supporting them.

Via The Verge

Pangu releases first untethered jailbreak for iOS 9, includes support for iPhone 6s

Pangu has today released the first public untethered jailbreak for iOS 9, which can be installed on iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. This includes the latest iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus and every public version of iOS 9 (iOS 9.0, iOS 9.0.1 and iOS 9.0.2), meaning its now technically possible to reach beyond what’s possible in the Apple App Store on Apple’s latest devices. The jailbreak software is available for free, but right now there’s only a Windows installer available. Mac support will probably follow in the future but a date has not been announced.


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9to5Toys Last Call: 2TB Portable HDD $65, Apple Watch 42mm (Stainless) $520, 10′ braided Lightning cable $11, 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 is dishing out free downloads of the award-winning Shadowmatic puzzle game

Toshiba Canvio Connect 2TB Portable USB 3.0 Hard Drive: $65 shipped (Reg. $85, Tax in NY)

Apple Watch 42mm Stainless Steel Case w/ Black Sport Band: $520 shipped (Orig. $599)

Camabond 10ft Nylon Braided MFi Apple Certified Lightning Cables $11 Prime shippedmore

iTunes Gift Cards 20% off w/ email delivery via PayPal: $50 for $40, $25 for $20

Apple 12-inch MacBook 1.1GHz/8GB/256GB from $1,190 or $1,150 w/ .edu (Reg. $1,299), more

13″ Retina MacBook Pro (newest) 2.7GHz/8GB/256GB: $1,280 shipped (Reg. $1,499)

More new gear from today:

Brother Color Duplex Laser Wireless Printer w/ AirPrint: $150 shipped (Reg. $200), more

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/653799929907924992 align=’center’]

More deals still alive:

1Password secure password manager for Mac: $30 (Reg. $50)

App Store Free App of the Week: Wake Alarm Clock ($4 value)

The Executive for iOS goes free for the first time as IGN’s Game of the Month ($5 value)

Tweetbot for Mac drops to $10 (Reg. $13)

USB-C roundup: Aukey 3-Port USB Hub w/ Gigabit Ethernet $17, Aukey USB Adapter $7, more

New products & more:

Turn heads at any Halloween party with one of these high-tech DIY costumes

Koto’s smart sensors track your home’s health and can even forecast storms

Alongside new 4K iMac, Apple updating iMovie on Mac to support 4K video

With the iPhone 6s/Plus offering the ability to shoot 4K video, and the new 4K 21.5-inch iMac out today, Apple is bringing iMovie for Mac up-to-date with support for 4K footage.

With the latest update to iMovie, support for 4K editing lets you make and share movies that are sharper and more beautiful than ever. iMovie also supports 1080p HD video at 60 frames per second for smoother, more true-to-life action. And now you can begin editing on your iPhone or iPad, then finish editing on your Mac to take advantage of powerful features including color correction, green-screen effects, and animated maps …


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Adobe teaming up with Dropbox to strengthen Acrobat DC + Reader, eSign gaining new partners

In an effort to make PDF documents more accessible and beneficial for customers, Adobe and Dropbox are teaming up to offer integration in Acrobat DC, Acrobat Reader, and in Dropbox’s site and apps. Dropbox and Adobe customers will first notice the integration in Acrobat DC and Reader on the desktop with Acrobat Reader and Dropbox for iOS picking up the integration later this year. For Acrobat users, Dropbox integration means three things: easily find and send files stored in Dropbox using Acrobat in a single workflow, manipulate and collaborate with PDF files using either service including Adobe eSign integration, and ensure documents are accessible through Dropbox wherever you’re working.
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App Store prices rising in Australia, Indonesia and Sweden due to exchange rate fluctuations

Apple is raising prices for apps in Australia, Indonesia and Sweden within the next 3 days. In an email, Apple has notified developers that they are updating prices in the three countries in response to foreign exchange rate variations. Prices are being increased across the board. For example, today a $0.99 app in the Australian App Store is sold for 1.29 AUD. When the changes come into effect, customers will have to pay 1.49 AUD for the same app. This is an increase of about 15% in local currency.


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9to5Toys Lunch Break: iTunes Gift Cards 20% off, 12-inch MacBook from $1,150, 1Password for Mac $30, 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:

iTunes Gift Cards 20% off w/ email delivery via PayPal: $100 for $80, $50 for $40, $25 for $20

Apple 12-inch MacBook 1.1GHz/8GB/256GB from $1,190 or $1,150 w/ .edu (Reg. $1,299), more

13″ Retina MacBook Pro (newest) 2.7GHz/8GB/256GB: $1,280 shipped (Reg. $1,499)

1Password secure password manager for Mac: $30 (Reg. $50)

Daily Deals: Microsoft Universal Mobile Keyboard $40, Lifeproof FRĒ Power Waterproof Battery Case for iPhone 6 $100, more

App Store Free App of the Week: Wake Alarm Clock ($4 value)

The Executive for iOS goes free for the first time as IGN’s Game of the Month ($5 value)

More new gear from today:

Amazon Gold Box – Crucial & Lexar storage up to 65% off: Solid-State Drives 1TB $270, 500GB $140, 250GB $64, more

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/653579389062512640 align=’center’]

More deals still alive:

 

USB-C roundup: Aukey 3-Port USB Hub w/ Gigabit Ethernet $17, Aukey USB Adapter $7, more

New products & more:

The new Light digital camera uses 16 lenses (!!!) to craft the perfect picture

This clothes-folding washing machine brings first-world laziness to defcon zero

Facebook adds 3D Touch Quick Actions for posting photos + updates on iPhone 6s & 6s Plus

You wouldn’t know it based on the boiler plate release notes, but Facebook’s latest iPhone app update now includes a new 3D Touch feature on Apple’s latest iPhones. Pressing the Facebook app icon firmly from the Home screen on the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus brings up a Quick Action menu to do three things: write a post, upload a photo/video, or take a photo/video…
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Google’s app indexing links coming to Safari on iOS by end of month

Google first introduced app indexing for iOS apps in search back in May, allowing in-app content to appear in search results with links that send users directly to an app. The feature was originally only available in the Google app and Chrome browser, but now Google is launching an updated version of the framework that will make the app links also appear in Google search results in Safari.

Getting your app content found on Google just got easier. App Indexing is now compatible with HTTP deep link standards for iOS 9, as it has been on Android from the beginning. That means that you can start getting your app content into the Search results page on Safari in iOS, simply by adding Universal Links to your iOS app, then integrating with our SDK.

Developers simply need to support the Universal Links standard to get their apps to show up in search results. Users will begin to see the app indexing links showing up in Safari on iOS by the end October.

Devs can read more on how to support the feature here.

9to5Toys Last Call: MFi Lightning cable $5, Sony Bluetooth headphones $135, Wake Alarm Clock goes free, 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) 2.2GHz/16GB/256GB: $1,550 shipped (Reg. $1,999)

Monoprice MFi Apple-Certified Lightning Cables in black or white w/ free shipping: 3-ft. $5, 6-ft. $6

Over-Ear Headphones: Sony Bluetooth/NFC $135 (Reg. $199), Beyerdynamic from $170 (Reg. up to $270), more

App Store Free App of the Week: Wake Alarm Clock ($4 value)

13″ Retina MacBook Pro (newest) 2.7GHz/8GB/256GB: $1,280 shipped (Reg. $1,499)

13″ Retina MacBook Pro (newest) 2.7GHz/8GB/128GB: $1,080 shipped (Reg. $1,299)

Giveaway: Trinity Delta aluminum earbuds feature a unique design and top-notch sound ($135 value), 20% discount

More new gear from today:

Games/Apps: Bloodborne from $25, Kirby Rainbow Curse $32, Shades Puzzle Game free, more iOS freebies

More deals still alive:

Sony announces official PlayStation 4 price drop, bundles now start at just $349

Mac Bundle: 14 Mac Apps incl. RapidWeaver, Voila Screencapture, Kinemac 3D, more: $18

New products & more:

DJI’s new Osmo 4K camera is one expensive selfie stick

The latest littleBits DIY electronics kit turns any kid into an inventor

Overcast 2.0 adds streaming, podcast chapter marks, Split View, more

Overcast 2.0 is out today and adds several nice updates to the popular podcast client. The app now includes streaming, so you don’t have to download episodes to listen to them: just stream the file contents as you go. This comes in handy for people with low-storage phones but also just helps everyone listen to shows faster, without having to wait for a 50-100MB episode to finishing downloading.


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Apple removing ad blockers that install root certificates from the App Store

Apple this evening has removed a handful of apps from the App Store that install root certificates of their own. By installing their own root certificate, the app developers could theoretically gain access to encrypted traffic from users. Among some of the apps being removed are a select number of ad blockers. The ad blockers that have been removed are ones that block content both in Safari and in other apps.


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Facebook experimenting with letting friends easily send “Happy Birthday!” videos, new reactions beyond ‘like’

One of the many things Facebook does well is make it nearly impossible to miss when one of your friends turns another year older. On the web, birthday reminders are placed prominently near the top right with links to easily wish your pal a happy birthday, and on mobile Facebook has experimented with alerts and other ways to help you not forget someone’s big day.

Now Facebook appears to be testing an even more personal way to make your birthday wish stand out: video messages. The Next Web reports that some mobile users have seen a new ‘birthday video’ option appear under Facebook’s Birthdays section (although don’t worry if you don’t see it yet, I don’t have it either).
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9to5Toys Last Call: Mac app bundle $18, Belkin Lighting iPhone/iPad Dock $22, PS4 price drop, 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: Wake Alarm Clock ($4 value)

Mac Bundle: 14 Mac Apps incl. RapidWeaver, Voila Screencapture, Kinemac 3D, more: $18

Amazon Students: Belkin Lighting iPhone/iPad Dock $22, 200GB microSD $150, Bamboo stylus/pen $16, much more

Sony announces official PlayStation 4 price drop, bundles now start at just $349

13″ Retina MacBook Pro (newest) 2.7GHz/8GB/128GB: $1,080 shipped (Reg. $1,299)

Giveaway: Trinity Delta aluminum earbuds feature a unique design and top-notch sound ($135 value), 20% discount

More new gear from today:

Handmade at Amazon launches with an eye on knocking off Etsy

  • Daily Deals: Belkin NetCam HD Camera (Refurb) $60, Epson Pro Wireless Projector $450, more
  • Prime Members: Free 4-month subscription for 3 print magazines – GQ, Wired, Health, Reader’s Digest, more
  • Games/Apps: Final Fantasy X|X-2 HD Remaster $30, Power A Moga Android controller $32, iOS freebies, more
  • The absolute best (All-Clad Master Chef) 7-Piece Stainless Cookware Set: $300 shipped
  • Retro Toys 40% off: Pictionary $13, Lincoln Logs set $18, Rock ’em Sock ’em Robots $12, more
  • Canon Refurbished DSLR Sale: T5 w/ 18-55mm/50mm Lens Kit $241 shipped (Orig. $540), much more

More deals still alive:

Headphones: Bose SoundTrue Over-Ear $100 (Reg. $120), Bluetooth Earbuds from $20, more

JayBird BlueBuds X Sport Bluetooth Sweat Proof Headphones $90 shipped (Reg. $130), more

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/651126504156368896 align=’center’]

New products & more:

Dyson includes air purification in its newest hot + cool bladeless fan

Ever wonder what a $130K VIZIO Ultra HDTV looks like? Now we know.

Google updates iOS search app to show map results, GIFs, allow review posts with photos

Google has updated its official search app for iOS to version 9.0, adding three new features.

• Add a photo or review for your favorite local places
• Get map results right in the app when you search for an address
• Tap and play animated GIFs in image search results

The app supports Siri-like spoken search queries, speaking the answer to questions. You can also get Google Now cards through the app, which aim to proactively offer you information you might want based on your location and other clues in a similar way to iOS 9’s proactive assistant feature. The company added always-on “Ok, Google” functionality in August.

Google is a free download from iTunes.

Lightroom for iPad and iPhone are now totally free, no desktop app or subscription needed

One thing Adobe didn’t make clear in its recent flurry of product announcements is that its Lightroom for iPad and iPhone apps are now available for anyone to use, free of charge. Both apps have always been free to download, but were time-limited free trials unless you had a desktop license or Creative Cloud subscription – and as TNW noticed, that’s no longer the case.

“We’re seeing a lot of people come in first on Lightroom mobile, so now we’re allowing people to use it locally on their local assets, their local photos and videos on their phone and tablet for as long as they like,” Tom Hogarty, Adobe’s director of product management for digital imaging told TNW … 


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Synology shows off Apple Watch apps, its first router & new hardware for upcoming DSM 6.0 OS

Update: The DSM 6.0 beta is now available to download. 

Today Synology is announcing a number of updates to its popular network-attached storage products including its first Apple Watch app, a new version of its DiskStation Manager web-based operating system, and new hardware including the company’s first router product. 
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9to5Toys Last Call: 256GB Retina MacBook Pro $1,280, Bose around-ear headphones $100, AirPrint Printer $35, 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:

Aukey USB Power Roundup: 6-Port 50W: $15, 5-port 40W: $10, 4-port 30W: $8 Prime shipped

13″ Retina MacBook Pro (newest) 2.7GHz/8GB/256GB: $1,280 shipped (Reg. $1,499)

13″ Retina MacBook Pro (newest) 2.7GHz/8GB/128GB: $1,080 shipped (Reg. $1,299)

Over-Ear Headphones: Bose SoundTrue $100 (Reg. $120), Sennheiser HD202 $15 (Reg. $25), more

JayBird BlueBuds X Sport Bluetooth Sweat Proof Headphones $90 shipped (Reg. $130), more

HP AirPrint Wireless All-in-One Printers: InkJet $35 (Reg. $60), LaserJet $304 (Reg. $400+)

Amazon Student Days: Fire TV (4K model) $60, free $5 credit w/ Gift Card purchase, SanDisk 64GB Wi-Fi Flash Drive $45more

Giveaway: Trinity Delta aluminum earbuds feature a unique design and top-notch sound ($135 value), 20% discount

More new gear from today:

Amazon Gold Box – 50% or more off Halloween Costumes: Darth Vader $17, Thor $30, Supergirl $12more

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/651729413374087168 align=’center’]

More deals still alive:

USB Power Deals: KMASHI 15,000mAh USB $14 (Reg. $20), Aukey 2A Wall Charger $8 (Reg. $16), more

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/651126504156368896 align=’center’]

New products & more:

Logitech’s new Harmony Home Hub Extender lets the pizza man in with your remote

Roku’s new streaming media player supports 4K and finds your remote control for you

Fantastical 2.5 adds Split View & Slide Over, 3D Touch, watchOS 2 app + complication, more

Fantastical 2.5 is out now with new multitasking features for iOS 9 on iPad, a 3D Touch app icon on iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, a native Apple Watch app on watchOS 2 with its own watch face complication, and much more. Both the iPad and iPhone plus Apple Watch updates are available for free for current Fantastical 2 customers. The new versions come just two weeks after Split View in Fantastical hit the Mac with OS X El Capitan. See the new features in action below:
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Mini-review: Cookie Cookie, the iOS app you’ll only open once but appreciate daily

Cookies have a bad rap, with assorted non-techies describing them as ‘tracking your web activities,’ as if they somehow enabled someone to sit and watch what you do. The reality, of course, is that the most they can ever do in the way of tracking is note that you saw an ad on one website and later visited the online store to buy the product. Mostly what cookies do is simply recognize who we are when we return to a website – and they are easy to block if we really want to.

But the mainstream media got carried away, politicians got involved and it became law in Europe that any website using cookies had to inform visitors with a message that had to be actively dismissed. Most U.S. sites erred on the side of caution by following suit, subjecting almost all of us to pointless and annoying notices.

Cookie Cookie is an iOS app that does one thing and one thing only: does its level best to hide all cookie notices. You’ll only ever need to interact with it once. Open the app, then go into Settings > Safari > Content Blockers to allow it to run – and you’re done.

It can’t work perfectly, as there is no 100% reliable method for detecting cookies, so the app searches for them by name. More precisely, it uses CSS queries to look for HTML elements containing the most commonly-used names: cookie-notice, cPolicy, cconsent and so on. When it finds one of these, it hides the HTML element. The result is a web largely free from annoying messages you have to dismiss to get on with your day. In a few days of using it, I’ve found it blocked almost all of them.

So long as the app is open in the background, it will sit there silently doing its job on both iPhone and iPad. Cookie Cookie costs $0.99 from iTunes, but we have a few giveaway codes you can use – when you use one, please paste the code you used into comments afterwards so people can see it’s gone.

NFMEAW37TJLX
TH34PPJTE6WA
T37R3MXYFNNA
KYYYRYNJ9PNW
HL4RJE6RN6HA
HRLW9A3LR3T4
3M4T3KE6L9FA
HPLYJPFPH69M
PH9T7TE6JLMN

Twitter launches its ‘Project Lightning’ curated news & events feature called Moments

Just a day after Jack Dorsey was named permanent CEO of Twitter, the social network is launching a big new feature in its app called Moments. What started as Project Lightning showcases for a lot of users the best part of Twitter: keeping caught up with in-the-moment news that you care about. The new Moments feature can be found behind the lightning bolt icon through Twitter’s mobile apps and on the web in the US.
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