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Learn about the latest news for iOS, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV apps

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

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

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

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

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Amazon will let you make a purchase with a tap on your Apple Watch in new app update

As the first Apple Watch units begin to arrive on the doorsteps of customers, Amazon this evening has updated its iPhone app with support for Apple’s latest device. The Apple Watch Amazon app is full of features, including the ability to complete purchases from your wrist and add items to your Wish List. There’s also support for Apple’s Handoff feature.


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iMovie for Mac updated with improved YouTube compatibility, fix for possible crash

Apple released iMovie 10.0.8 today for Mac users, bringing a fix for a potential crash when the app is in the process of opening.

The update also sports improved compatibility with YouTube when using the built-in export option to upload videos to the site. That change seems to be strictly under-the-hood, as the YouTube sharing interface remains the same.

Users who already own iMovie 10 can get the latest version for free in the Updates tab of the Mac App Store. Those who don’t yet own it can buy the app for $14.99.

Apple updates TestFlight to support testing of Apple Watch apps

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Update: Developers are still waiting for Apple to update the backend distribution infrastructure, before they can utilize the update to the TestFlight client app.

Apple has updated its TestFlight app to support Apple WatchKit apps embedded inside beta iOS apps. This has been a significant frustration for developers in the run up to the Apple Watch’s release, as it made testing apps for the new platform difficult.

Developers should now be able to deploy beta versions of their iOS apps without removing the Watch extensions.


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Apple Watch App Store goes live today with social, health, and news featured (U: now available)

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The Apple Watch App Store dedicated to iPhone apps that include WatchKit apps is going live ahead of the new device’s launch tomorrow, BuzzFeed says. Apple first added the Apple Watch App Store in iOS 8.2 as part of the Apple Watch companion app, but until now the section has displayed a coming soon page. The Watch’s App Store is available now.
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9to5Toys Last Call: B&W P5 Headphones $190, MPOW iPhone 6 armband $7, iPad Air 32GB (open box) $290, 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:

Amazon Gold Box – Bowers & Wilkins P5 Headphones in black $190 shipped (Orig. $300), more

Daily Deals: iPad Air 32GB (open box) $290, RCA 24-inch 1080p HDTV $140, more

GoPro HERO4 Black 4K Action Camera $400 shipped ($100 off)


djay 2 for iPhone & iPad go free for the very first time

13″ Retina MacBook Pro w/ Force Touch 2.7GHz/8GB/128GB: $1,100 (or less) (Reg. $1,299)

Apple 11-inch MacBook Air 1.6GHz/4GB/128GB (newest version): $800 (Reg. $899)

Get ready for Apple Watch w/ a pair of battery-saving Bluetooth 4.0 earbuds starting at $14 shipped

Review: Moleskine’s new myCloud Smallpack offers plentiful storage in a tidy design, $150 giveaway

More new gear from today:

Motorola SURFboard SB6121 DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem (refurb): $40 + $5 shipping (Orig. $100)

More deals still alive:

Seagate 1.5TB USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive $50 shipped (Reg. $70)

New products & more:

Droplet smart buttons remind you to get things done without a barrage of notifications

popSlate’s new case puts an E Ink display on the back of your iPhone 6

Apple cites Pebble support in isolated app rejection, developer says

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Update: Apple tells Business Insider that “apps won’t be denied on the grounds that they work with Pebble.”

With the Apple Watch debuting tomorrow with well over 1,000 WatchKit apps already on the App Store, Apple may now be rejecting app submissions and updates that mention support for the competing Pebble smartwatch. The developer of SeaNav US for iPhone shared on Pebble’s developer discussions forum that a recent update has been rejected by Apple as the app and description “declare support for thePebble Smartwatch.” 
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Review: Magzter Gold, the iPad app that’s a (kind of) Netflix for magazines

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I love Netflix. I haven’t even owned a TV for many years, relying on either a MacBook Pro – with or without Apple Thunderbolt Display – and iPad for the limited amount of TV and movie viewing I tend to do.

Magzter Gold essentially aims to be a Netflix for magazines, a single monthly subscription giving you all-you-can-eat access to digital magazines on your iPad. The reality is a little messier, and whether it makes sense for you will depend on how many magazines you read and which ones … 
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djay unveils an Apple Watch remote mixer, djay Pro for Mac gains Pioneer DJ support + video features

In addition to making djay 2 for iPhone (reg. $2.99) and iPad (reg. $9.99free for one week, Algoriddim is ready to reveal djay for Apple Watch, which it dubs “the world’s first wearable DJ controller”, and two big announcements for djay Pro for Mac including a new partnership with Pioneer DJ and a brand new video mode for mixing.
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Misfit Minute for Apple Watch offers unique 1, 4, & 7 minute workouts

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Misfit, creators of fitness tracking devices and most recently sleep tracking-integrated smart light bulbs, is out today with their new workout app for the Apple Watch ahead of the new device’s release tomorrow. Misfit Minute has a slick look and feel and offers Apple Watch wearers the choice between 1, 4, or 7 minute workout sessions.
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Things task management app coming to Apple Watch with focus on Today View

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We’ve known for a while now that the popular Things to-do list management app is coming to the Apple Watch, and we even posted a few screenshots of the application this morning. But now, Cultured Code, the developers behind Things, have provided an in-depth look at how their application sets itself apart from the other task management Apple Watch applications. While the Mac, iPhone, and iPad versions of Things separate tasks into Today, Next, Scheduled, and Someday tasks, the Apple Watch app focuses in on the Today View.


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A look at gaming on Apple Watch: 2048, Modern Combat 5, Real Racing, FIFA, & many more (Screenshots)

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The small 1.5 to 1.7-inch display on the Apple Watch might not immediately strike you as the ideal platform for gaming, but many game developers are embracing the Apple Watch with mini versions of popular games, companion apps for iPhone and iPad games, and even new games designed specifically for the Apple Watch.

Below we’ve put together a first look at the games already on the App Store, including a few screenshots of each revealed by that new tool we told you about earlier today.

Head below for the full list and check back for more as they get released:
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9to5Toys Last Call: iPad Air 2 $400, Ethernet USB 3.0 Hub $16, WeMo Smart LED Bulbs $15/Starter Kit $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:

djay 2 for iPhone & iPad go free for the very first time

Seagate 1.5TB USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive $50 shipped (Reg. $70)

Portable USB 3.0 Hard Drives: Toshiba 1TB $50 (Orig. $75), 3-Pack Seagate 1.5TB $150 ($210 value), more

Seagate Expansion 5TB USB 3.0 Desktop External Hard Drive $120 shipped (Orig. $250)

13″ Retina MacBook Pro w/ Force Touch 2.7GHz/8GB/128GB: $1,100 (or less) (Reg. $1,299)

Apple 11-inch MacBook Air 1.6GHz/4GB/128GB (newest version): $800 (Reg. $899)

Get ready for Apple Watch w/ a pair of battery-saving Bluetooth 4.0 earbuds starting at $14 shipped

Review: Moleskine’s new myCloud Smallpack offers plentiful storage in a tidy design, $150 giveaway

More new gear from today:

Daily Deals: Retro Gaming consoles $40, Samsung 32″ Smart TV $250, more

  • New! Home: Remington F5 electric shaver $30, Philips Sonicare toothbrush $59, more
  • New! Games/Apps: The Witcher 2, BioShock, Deus Ex, Bastion for Mac from $4 ea, more
  • New! Headphones: Technics over-ears $80 (Orig. $300), JLab in-ears $17 (Orig. $50), more

More deals still alive:

iTunes Free App of the Week: Pursuit of Light ($1 value)

New products & more:

Two of Philips’ new LED light bulbs can be had for just $5 w/ a special intro promo, $5 ea otherwise

First look: Clear, the iOS app that vets your social media history for indiscretions

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Going for a sensitive job, or just friended your new romantic interest on Facebook, and want to make sure your drunken post from six months ago isn’t going to come back to bite you? That’s the experience Hipster co-founder Ethan Czahor had when he was hired as Jeb Bush’s chief technology officer. Journalists went digging and found some extremely embarrassing posts that led to his resignation.

He’s now put that experience to good use, though, beta-launching Clear, an app which aims to vet your social media history for offensive or insulting posts and offer you the ability to delete them (not to be confused with the to-do list app of the same name). I decided to take it for a quick spin … 
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Now you can share your Vine masterpieces with all your social networks at once

Vine has updated its iOS app to allow you to share your video loops with Vine friends, Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr through a single share action. Previously you had to share to each network individually, and Tumblr was not supported.

Vine is a free download from iTunes. The app was updated last year to optimize for the iPhone 6/Plus and add a favorites function to alert you to new videos from friends whose videos you don’t want to miss.

Microsoft OneNote will now take dictation from Apple Watch, Calcbot will make it a 1985 Casio

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As we near the April 24th launch for the Apple Watch, a pair of notable apps have received support for the device this evening. First off, Microsoft’s OneNote app has been updated to version 2.11.7 with support for the Apple Watch. A variety of features will be available from the Watch, including the ability to dictate new notes.


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Apple updates Keynote for iOS with support for Watch-based remote app, pushes fixes for other apps

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Image via <a href="https://twitter.com/Mbrawler/status/590579777188278272/photo/1" target="_blank">Karan Pandya</a>

Apple today released an update to its mobile presentation software that enables support for an Apple Watch-based remote application. The Keynote Remote app, which will allow users to control their slides from their wrists, was first mentioned during Apple’s October 2014 event.

The Cupertino company also pushed out updates to several of its other mobile apps, fixing bugs and improving stability. The updated apps include Pages, Numbers, Remote, and Beats Music. The Mac iWork apps were also updated with bug fixes.


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Adobe debuts Lightroom 6 and Lightroom CC, standalone and cloud alternatives to Aperture

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45_zCZnqmqU?rel=0&amp;showinfo=0&w=704&h=396]

Following months of rumors, Adobe is today announcing Photoshop Lightroom 6 and Lightroom CC, the latest versions of its popular photo editing and organization software. Sharing the same code, design, and much of the same functionality, the two Lightroom releases are separated into purchasable (Lightroom 6) or subscription (Lightroom CC) versions, only the latter of which can sync with Adobe’s mobile applications. Apple notably recommended Lightroom as a replacement for its recently-discontinued Aperture professional photo application, and worked with Adobe to build an Aperture library importing tool to aid users during the transition.

Lightroom manages large photo libraries, while offering photographers powerful tools for RAW and JPEG image adjustment. Now solely a 64-bit application, Lightroom 6/CC promises huge speed improvements when applying prior effects to images, as well as newly added tools and brushes. As shown in the embedded video, facial recognition has been added, enabling functionality similar to Apple’s Faces feature from Aperture and iPhoto. A new HDR (high dynamic range) tool uses two images to create a composite photo with more vivid colors and detail, while brushes such as radial and graduated filters have been added. The app has also gained new slideshow options, automatic panorama stitching, video slide shows, and many other features.

Photoshop Lightroom CC can be downloaded now as part of Adobe’s Creative Cloud Photography subscription service for $9.99 per month; a prepaid year of CC Photography access is normally $119.88, and currently on sale at B&H Photo Video for $99.88. Photoshop Lightroom 6 can be ordered for $149 as a standalone download. Adobe has also released version 1.4 updates to its mobile apps Lightroom for iPad and Lightroom for iPhone with support for Lightroom CC, improved cropping, and TIFF file support. Both iOS apps are now available for free from the App Store, but require Creative Cloud subscriptions.

Google ending YouTube support on older Apple TVs, iPhones, iPads, & iPod touches

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<a href="http://9to5mac.com/2015/03/24/how-to-hide-rearrange-apple-tv-channels/" target="_blank">Apple TV 3 with Google’s new YouTube channel</a>

Google announced yesterday that it will be ending support for its YouTube Data API v2 used by older devices. For Apple users, this means the YouTube app will no longer work on iPhones, iPads, and iPod touches running iOS 6 or earlier; users instead will have to rely on the mobile web version of YouTube at m.youtube.com going forward.

The change also affects some Apple TV users, as only the current 3rd-generation 1080p Apple TV supports YouTube’s overhauled channel; prior-generation models will entirely lose access to YouTube…
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What’s the best approach to delivering news to your Apple Watch? (Poll)

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Re/code has an interesting look at the three different approaches major news organizations are taking to their Apple Watch apps.

The New York Times will dispatch one-sentence stories that answer the question, “Hey, did you hear?” in a conversational tone. The Washington Post will pick one story — say, an article about the end of tipping — and storyboard it like a movie or TV show, using a combination of graphics, images and text to adapt it for the 38 mm (or 42 mm) screen. CNN will let people personalize their news feeds by picking from among a dozen topics and choosing how they’d like to be notified (a tap on the wrist or no?).

News organizations weren’t particularly quick to adapt to the Internet, trying to stick to their existing business models in the face of rapidly-changing consumer behaviour, but this time the major players believe they are ready …


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One Drop for iPhone & Apple Watch is a dashboard & community for managing diabetes

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The iPhone has become a mature platform for health and fitness software in recent years, especially since iOS 8 introduced HealthKit and the dedicated Health app followed by ResearchKit and a new set of medical apps. Today a new app called One Drop is launching with an ambitious goal: to help people with diabetes live a happier and healthier life.
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Now you can control your PowerPoint presentation with your Apple Watch

Microsoft has today updated the iOS version of Powerpoint to allow you to use your Apple Watch as a remote, to start presentations, navigate to the next slide and track your progress by viewing elapsed time, current slide number and total number of slides. The watch app currently only controls the iOS version of Powerpoint, not the OS X version.

Microsoft added support for iCloud and other third-party storage services back in February.

Powerpoint is free for iPhone and iPad, but you’ll need an Office 365 subscription to unlock the full functionality. You can download it from iTunes, and you may like to check out our guide to the best Apple Watch apps available to date.

HTTPS bug leaves 1,500 iOS apps vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks, finds analytics company

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The buggy code highlighted by arsTechnica

A bug in the way that 1,500 iOS apps establish secure connections to servers leaves them vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks, according to analytics company SourceDNA (via arsTechnica). The bug means anyone intercepting data from an iPhone or iPad could access logins and other sensitive information sent using the HTTPS protocol.

A man-in-the-middle attack allows a fake WiFi hotspot to intercept data from devices connecting to it. Usually, this wouldn’t work with secure connections, as the fake hotspot wouldn’t have the correct security certificate. However, the bug discovered by SourceDNA means that the vulnerable apps fail to check the certificate … 
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Apple shares Earth Day 2015 collection with content to help improve the planet

After sharing its latest Environmental Responsibility report this morning, Apple this evening has added a new Earth Day 2015 section to the App Store. The section highlights content that contribute to environmental awareness, as well as apps that promote green living and going paperless.


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