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6,531 'Apps' stories April 2010 - October 2015
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Learn about the latest news for iOS, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV apps

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

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

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

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

9to5Toys Last Call: OtterBox iPhone 6/6s Case $20, USB Solar Panel $50, Bluetooth audio adapter $16, more

Avatar for Oct 15 2015 - 9:15 am PT
0 Comments

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

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call Updates:

App Store Free App of the Week: Sky Gamblers Air Supremacy goes free for the first time ($1 value)

Anker iPhone 6s/Plus cases in multiple styles and colors from $2 Prime shipped

Anker MFi Lightning Cables: 3-ft $4, 9-ft $7 (Prime shipped), more

iPhone 6s Wallet Case $3 Prime shipped (Orig. $20)

OtterBox SYMMETRY Series iPhone 6/6s Case $20 Prime shipped (Reg. $40)

Daily Deals: Anker Charger w/ 2-Port USB Solar Panel $50, Misfit Shine Activity and Sleep Monitor $50, more

Turn your old system into a Bluetooth speaker with the Mpow Streambot for $16 Prime shipped (Orig. $36)

Apple’s new 4K & 5K iMacs already seeing the first price cuts and tax-free options

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

Cost-Effective Apple Watch Bands: Deals from $12 Prime shipped on leather, milanese loop, more

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

More new gear from today:

Amazon and Toys R Us give a peek at this year’s must-have holiday gifts

More deals still alive:

Storage: Samsung 500GB 2.5-inch Internal SSD $150 (Reg. $170), WD My Passport 2TB USB 3.0 Portable HDD $70 (Reg. $85)

Apple is dishing out free downloads of the award-winning puzzle game Shadowmatic

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)

New products & more:

Electric Jukebox doesn’t want to be Spotify or Chromecast, so what is it?

Yahoo releases redesigned Mail app for iOS w/ Outlook, Hotmail, AOL Mail integration

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Oct 15 2015 - 7:54 am PT
3 Comments

Yahoo is rolling out an update to its Mail app for iPhone and iPad that introduces a refreshed design, as well as new features including smarter search, contacts management and rich compose. Alongside the updated app, Yahoo Mail is for the first time introducing account integration for third-party email services including Outlook.com, Hotmail, and AOL Mail.
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Pixelmator for OS X updated with Photos app extension, Split View support and San Francisco UI

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Oct 15 2015 - 5:17 am PT
6 Comments

Following the corresponding update to Pixelmator for iOS 9, the company has released the latest version of Pixelmator for the Mac ($29.99) with full support for El Capitan. This includes compatibility with changes to the OS as well as an overhaul in the Pixelmator user interface to feature San Fransisco, Apple’s new system font. The update, version 3.4, also includes official full-screen Split View support on El Capitan, so users can dock Pixelmator next to any other app on the system filling the display.

Perhaps most interestingly, the app now includes a Photos.app editing extension …


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Turn your Live Photos into GIFs with new Live GIF app

Avatar for Cam Bunton Oct 15 2015 - 2:34 am PT
9 Comments

Live Photos is one of the stand-out new features on the new iPhone 6s and 6s Plus. It captures a short video while you’re taking pictures, which you can then watch back, and interact with using 3D Touch on your Lock Screen. Today, a company named Priime launched a new app which makes them easily shareable and viewable with anyone, regardless of device or platform.

Live GIF is the first app of its kind and lets any iPhone 6s or 6s Plus user turn their Live Photos in to GIFs which can then be shared by MMS, email, or shared on social media. The best part is, it doesn’t really require much setting up. Launch the app and it automatically detects any Live Photos on your phone, displays them in a grid (as shown below). Once you’ve picked one to share, you can choose either to ‘share as GIF’ or ‘share as video’, then select which service you want to share them on, and you’re done.

 

As you’d expect, Live GIF also supports 3D Touch. On the home screen, this lets you quickly open the last Live Photo and turn it in to a GIF immediately.

Live GIF is available to download from the App Store from today, and costs just $1.99. The app is compatible with any device running iOS 9.0 or later including iPhone 5s, 6, 6 Plus and the new 6s and 6s Plus as well as several iPad models.

Pandora Radio for iPhone now supports streaming music on CarPlay

Avatar for Zac Hall Oct 14 2015 - 6:23 pm PT
4 Comments

Since Apple’s CarPlay feature first hit cars — with iTunes Radio built-in — whether or not Pandora Radio would ever support the infotainment platform has been a popular question among users. In the past Pandora has left the door open for CarPlay support at some point, noting that Apple controls which apps are allowed to work with it, and Pandora’s CFO went as far as promising it will support CarPlay earlier this year. Fulfilling that promise 7 months later, Pandora Radio has updated its iPhone app to totally support CarPlay:
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Bell faces $1.25M fine for posting fake reviews of its app in the App Store

Avatar for Chance Miller Oct 14 2015 - 3:45 pm PT
4 Comments

Canadian telecommunications company Bell has been fined by Canada’s Competition Bureau today for posting deceptive reviews online. Bell has agreed to pay $1.25 million in fines to the organization. The investigation originally began when Bell acknowledged that its employees were “overzealous” in their reviews for the MyBell Mobile app on the App Store.


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Tweetbot adds 3D Touch Quick Actions, Peek & Pop features on iPhone 6s & 6s Plus

Avatar for Zac Hall Oct 14 2015 - 7:25 am PT
0 Comments

The newly launched and universal Tweetbot 4 for iOS is out with its first new update today, version 4.0.1, adding improved support for Apple’s latest iPhones.

For iPhone 6s and 6s Plus customers, Tweetbot 4 now includes 3D Touch support for Quick Actions on the Home screen and Peek and Pop interactions within the app. 
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Emerging markets see Android pushing further ahead in app downloads, but iOS increases revenue lead

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Oct 14 2015 - 6:03 am PT
5 Comments

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

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Oct 14 2015 - 4:30 am PT
0 Comments

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

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Oct 14 2015 - 2:12 am PT
10 Comments

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

Avatar for Oct 13 2015 - 9:04 am PT
0 Comments

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

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call Updates:

Apple 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 shipped, more

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

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Oct 13 2015 - 7:34 am PT
6 Comments

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

Avatar for Zac Hall Oct 12 2015 - 8:59 pm PT
1 Comment

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

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Oct 12 2015 - 12:39 pm PT
8 Comments

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

Avatar for Trevor Daugherty Oct 12 2015 - 9:14 am PT
0 Comments

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

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call Updates:

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

Avatar for Zac Hall Oct 12 2015 - 7:17 am PT
10 Comments

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

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Oct 9 2015 - 12:40 pm PT
1 Comment

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

Avatar for Oct 9 2015 - 9:08 am PT
0 Comments

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

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call Updates:

Apple 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

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Oct 9 2015 - 8:16 am PT
14 Comments

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

Avatar for Chance Miller Oct 8 2015 - 8:44 pm PT
9 Comments

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’

Avatar for Zac Hall Oct 8 2015 - 9:25 am PT
2 Comments

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

Avatar for Justin Kahn Oct 8 2015 - 9:10 am PT
0 Comments

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

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call Updates:

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

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Oct 8 2015 - 5:34 am PT
0 Comments

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.