iOS Devices

9,871 'iOS Devices' stories May 2007 - April 2014

The devices that run the world’s most advanced mobile operating system

Check out our top stories on iOS Devices:

iOS devices refer to any of Apple’s hardware that runs the iOS mobile operating system which include iPhones, iPads, and iPods. Historically, Apple releases a new iOS version once a year, the current version is iOS 10. Here is the complete list of iOS 10 compatible devices.

Apple enticing games publishers with promotion deals in return for exclusivity

Benjamin Mayo Apr 21 2014 - 1:23 am PT

3 Comments

The Wall Street Journal has published a report saying that both Apple and Google are actively pursuing exclusivity deals with game developers. Whispers of these type of arrangements surfaced last year, with reports highlighting a partnership between Apple and EA for Plants vs Zombies 2.

The Journal confirms that Apple’s exclusivity deals do not include monetary payments. In return, the companies offer “premium placement” (such as featured spots on the home page) for launching first on their platform.

In regard to the Plants vs Zombies’ deal, the report says EA gave Apple agreed about two months of exclusivity.

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Analyst forecasts suggest iPad sales have peaked, expect YOY decline this quarter despite 13% holiday growth

Benjamin Mayo Apr 18 2014 - 5:25 am PT

11 Comments

As highlighted by Fortune, analysts’ consensus on iPad sales for last quarter suggest that iPad sales will actually decline year-over-year by about 0.7%. Although the expected decline is small, this would represent a big shift in iPad momentum, especially since Apple saw a strong increase in sales for the holiday quarter, going from 22.9M units in the previous year to 26M this year.

If iPad sales have fallen, it wouldn’t be because of different market conditions to last year. Apple introduced the iPad Air at the end of 2014 around a year from the introduction of the iPad 4 at the end of 2012. Last year, Apple dropped the price of the iPad Mini a modest $30 while also introducing the highly anticipated retina iPad Mini. In 2012, it introduced the iPad mini. The product cycles are similar, so the decline isn’t due to any artificial inflation of sales last year.

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iPhone 6 renders based on recent case leaks show off rumored edge-to-edge screen

Benjamin Mayo Apr 18 2014 - 4:23 am PT

20 Comments

Nowhereelse.fr has commissioned designer Martin Hajek to mockup the iPhone 6, using the most recent leaks about the upcoming device.

The renders, shown above, use the supposed iPhone cases pictured on Wednesday and leaked schematics from late March to envisage the look of the future iPhone. Naturally, the most striking change is the display, stretching almost edge-to-edge.

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Strange bug has stopped some streaming video apps from playing content

Benjamin Mayo Apr 17 2014 - 5:14 am PT

2 Comments

As noted by the BBC, some video apps on iOS have inexplicably stopped working today. Videos simply fail to stream, resulting in error messages like the one shown above. The cause of the issue is still unclear, but the bug is affecting multiple high-profile apps in the UK such as BBC iPlayer and Sky Go. Whether the issue is more widespread is not yet known.

It is unknown whether the bug is an issue with Apple’s software or with the third-party app developers. However, as both independent services have failed on the same day it seems like the problem lies with iOS itself. Setting the date on your iPhone or iPad to the past will make videos play again, which suggests the error may be related to expired digital certificates.

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Wall Street predicts just two percent year-on-year growth in iPhone sales

Ben Lovejoy Apr 17 2014 - 5:06 am PT

12 Comments

Fortune has its usual roundup of what the analysts are expecting Apple to report in iPhone sales next week, and the forecasts make worrying reading. The overall average is for quarterly sales of 38.2 million, which would represent year-on-year growth of just two percent.

Adding to the concern, ten of the 32 analysts included in Fortune‘s poll predict a fall in sales when compared to the same quarter last year.

With the new iPhones having generated record sales in their opening weekend, and Apple having reported all-time quarterly high iPhone sales in Q1, the question is why the pessimism regarding Q2 … ?
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8 GB iPhone 5c now available in the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Sweden, Poland, Italy, Ireland and several others

Benjamin Mayo Apr 16 2014 - 1:21 am PT

19 Comments

After a brief period of downtime, the Apple Store website around the world has now gone back up. Aside from a bit of Mother’s Day promotional advertising, there is no change to most regions. For some countries, however, Apple has now made the 8 GB iPhone 5c introduced last month available for sale. The device is now available in the Netherlands, Italy, Sweden, Belgium, Poland, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Austria, and other regions.

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Sketchy photo of an iPhone 6 front panel appears on Chinese forum (Update: additional photos)

Benjamin Mayo Apr 15 2014 - 2:17 am PT

43 Comments

A picture claiming to be of an “iPhone 6” front panel has surfaced on a Chinese forum after being posted without context on Weibo. Details surrounding the image are not clear, but the forum poster claims that it originates from within an iPhone ‘factory’. The image was first found by iphon.fr.

Compared to the iPhone 5s, as shown above, the screen size is noticeably larger. It appears to feature a screen approximately 4.7 inches diagonally, as previously rumored.

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Unlikely scenario: Analyst Peter Misek says Apple wants to raise iPhone 6 prices by as much as $100

Benjamin Mayo Apr 14 2014 - 6:58 am PT

13 Comments

Analyst Peter Misek, via StreetInsider, is saying that Apple is looking to raise iPhone 6 prices by as much as $100. Misek claims that Apple has been actively negotiating the increase with carrier partners.

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Play Nintendo DS games on non-jailbroken devices with the nds4ios emulator

Benjamin Mayo Apr 14 2014 - 6:27 am PT

14 Comments

nds4ios has released a special version of the app that runs on non-jailbroken devices using a sneaky workaround. As the app is not available in the App Store, previously the app could only be installed on jailbroken devices, such as through the Cydia jailbreak app store. The app gets around Apple’s restrictions by using an enterprise provisioning profile reports TourchArcade. This is normally meant for businesses to distribute apps to company employees, but nds4ios is exploiting it as a way to enable widespread app distribution. Find install instructions after the break.

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Car electronics manufacturer Alpine to sell aftermarket CarPlay units in the fall

Benjamin Mayo Apr 14 2014 - 3:17 am PT

9 Comments

Alpine devices already integrate with the Siri Eyes Free feature of iOS devices.

In March, Mercedes-Benz said that it had plans to offer aftermarket CarPlay units by the end of 2014. As noticed by MacRumors, a Nikkei report from Saturday reveals that car electronics manufacturer Alpine has similar plans.

Alpine will begin selling a standalone car console that integrates CarPlay in the fall. Although many car manufacturers are going to offer CarPlay-equipped cars in their new ranges very soon, Alpine will be the first company to sell an independent CarPlay unit, that can be installed on current cars. The cost is reported to be between $500 to $700.

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Latest unverified photos from Weibo claim to show iPhone 6 schematics, production tools

Mike Beasley Apr 13 2014 - 12:51 pm PT

24 Comments

A new batch of photos appearing on the Weibo social network claim to show new production schematics and die for manufacturing the body of the iPhone 6 inside a Foxoconn facility, as noted by GforGames. A few of the photos (below) definitely show some sort of technical design documents, though we can’t be sure what they show as they are both incredibly technical and written in Chinese.

The molds, as seen above, definitely appear to be designed to produce a smartphone, but there is no confirmation that these will be used for the iPhone 6 as opposed to a phone from some other manufacturer. Apple is rumored to be working on two different models of the iPhone 6 with different screen sizes. If they are designed for the next iPhone, these molds could be for the 4.7″ or 5.5″ models.

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Dubious iPhone 6 cases already rolling in

Ben Lovejoy Apr 11 2014 - 6:18 am PT

6 Comments

It may be five or so months before Apple launches the iPhone 6, with very little known for sure at this stage, but the case makers have already started firing-up their 3D printers.

French site NoWhereElse has posted photos of what claims to be transparent cases for the iPhone 6, with a cut-out for the rumored new position of the power button, on the side of the phone, opposite the volume buttons. Oddly, however, there is also a button-shaped cut-out on the top of the phone.

NWE acknowledges that the source of the photo has no track-record of leaks, and we can’t see any reason to believe this is anything more than the usual attempts by case companies to guess what Apple plans to launch – a move that can sometimes have expensive consequences.

However, it has been known for case makers to get it right, basing their designs and measurements on molds from Chinese manufacturers, so it can’t be entirely discounted.

More North American consumers than ever planning to buy the iPhone 6, says survey

Ben Lovejoy Apr 10 2014 - 4:25 am PT

15 Comments

A large-scale survey from 451 Research that tracks North American consumer purchase intentions shows that the percentage of those likely to buy the iPhone 6 is markedly higher than was the case for both the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5s. In all three cases, the survey tracked intentions prior to any official announcement by Apple, providing a like-for-like comparison.

A total of 40 percent of the 4,109 consumers question said that they were likely to buy the iPhone 6, compared to 33 percent for the iPhone 5 and 26 percent for the iPhone 5s …
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Rumor: Apple will launch 4.7-inch iPhone 6 in Sep, but 5.5-inch model later in the year

Ben Lovejoy Apr 9 2014 - 4:34 am PT

34 Comments

It seems to be the season for sketchy rumors, with Taiwan’s Industrial & Commercial Times (cited by EMSOne) claiming that the 4.7-inch version of the iPhone 6 will enter mass-production in July, suggesting the usual September/October launch date, while the 5.5-inch model will only do so in September, suggesting that it would go on sale close to the holidays.

It’s not the first rumor to this effect, with Reuters having suggested earlier this month that the 5.5-inch model would be released later in the year, saying that production difficulties with the larger screen were the reason, but with scant details from either report it’s difficult to ascribe too much credibility to the claim.

Consistent reports that Apple plans both a 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch version of the iPhone 6 each have been backed by internal slides from Apple. The phone is expected to be released running iOS 8 with a focus on health and fitness.

Via GforGames via MacRumors

Rumor: Apple planning to release iWatch in August-September timeframe

Ben Lovejoy Apr 8 2014 - 4:10 am PT

12 Comments

Concept image: Stephen Olmstead

You can’t get much sketchier than a Chinese Economic Daily report cited by DigiTimes, but the former is citing supply chain sources in claiming that Apple plans to release the iWatch in the third quarter of this year, and that the company expects to ship 65M units this year.

The iWatch will be manufactured by Quanta Computer, while Taiwan-based chip design house Richtek has also entered the supply chain. The device’s touch panel will be supplied by TPK, the paper noted. [With Samsung making the processor to Apple’s design.]

The original story says that suppliers have been asked to meet an August delivery date.

The China Times has previously suggested that TPK would make the touch panel, but this isn’t a particularly notable consistency: the company has in the past been a key panel supplier to Apple, while Quanta is a long-time Mac assembler, mostly in Asia but more recently in the USA also.

Barclays analyst Blayne Curtis, quoted in AppleInsider, is suggesting that the iWatch may include a UV sensor, measuring exposure to sunlight. While Curtis believes that the purpose of the rumored sensor is to prevent excessive exposure to sunlight, it’s possible that for some of us it might be more usefully employed to do the opposite …

Everything to know about iOS 8 and OS X 10.10 (Roundup + New Details)

Mark Gurman Apr 7 2014 - 11:32 am PT

124 Comments

While Apple only officially announced its 2014 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) last week, we have been reporting all of the known information about what Apple plans to unveil at the event over the course of the past few months. Now that WWDC is official, we have compiled a roundup of everything we know about Apple’s next-generation iOS device and Mac operating systems below, and we’ve also included some new tidbits not found in our earlier reporting. You can find out what there is to know so far about iOS 8 and OS X 10.10 below:

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30-second smartphone charge demonstrated using biological semiconductors

Ben Lovejoy Apr 7 2014 - 4:27 am PT

51 Comments

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DhJZAhjbcI]

I’d find this video hard to believe were it not for its credentials. The WSJ reports that StoreDot, the start-up behind the technology, has its background in the Nanotechnology department of Tel Aviv University, and it’s been demonstrated at Microsoft’s Think Next conference.

Ultra-fast battery charging has been seen before, but using special (and not very portable) battery technology. This system charges batteries compact enough for smartphones. It’s demonstrated here with a Samsung Galaxy S3, but the company says that it plans to make versions for other phones, which will could certainly include the iPhone …
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Sketchy report again says ‘unnamed’ Korean manufacturer testing 65 inch OLED panels for future Apple ‘iTV’

Benjamin Mayo Apr 6 2014 - 6:53 am PT

0 Comments

Concept iTV via AmongTech

The Korea Herald reports that IBK Securities analysts believe Apple has requested sample display panels from a Korean manufacturer for potential use in a future Apple TV.

According to the report, Apple is testing 65-inch OLED panels for mass production of an ‘iTV’ next year. However, it should be noted the report is lacking in detail — only referring to the manufacturer as an ‘unnamed’ local display maker.

“Around 2 million Apple‘s iTVs with 65- and 77-inch liquid crystal displays were expected to hit the market in the second half of this year. However, Apple employees visited this local company in October 2013 to delay the plans to next year,” said a source close to the matter on Saturday. “Following the visit, the display maker’s stock prices plunged.”

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Chinese smartphone vendors disappointed by 5s but eagerly awaiting iPhone 6, says analyst

Ben Lovejoy Apr 4 2014 - 6:29 am PT

11 Comments

Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Brian White, quoted in Business Insider, had both bad news and good for Apple in his talks with smartphone vendors during a tour of China and Taiwan, claiming disappointment with sales of the iPhone 5s but big hopes for the iPhone 6.

In the near term, we sensed disappointment around demand for the iPhone 5s.

That said, we heard great enthusiasm around the potential for Apple to introduce a larger iPhone form factor in China this year with the iPhone 6. In our view, the iPhone 6 with a larger screen (e.g., 4.7-inch, 5.5-inch) has the potential to meaningfully accelerate Apple’s growth trajectory in China during 2H:14. We have not heard this type of excitement in China around the iPhone in at least two years and thus we believe this could be a very special iPhone launch for Apple.

White doesn’t have the greatest record of reliability (he’s the guy who told us the Apple television set was launching last year, with an iRing controller), but lower than anticipated iPhone 5s sales does seem consistent with the rather muted comments made by China Mobile chairman Xi Guohua last month.

New video compares Touch ID to the Galaxy S5’s fingerprint scanner

Mike Beasley Apr 3 2014 - 5:04 pm PT

43 Comments

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3C6OW8eMGk]

Samsung hasn’t officially launched its next-gen smartphone, the Galaxy S5, just yet but the comparisons to Apple’s latest model are already starting. The S5 features a fingerprint-reader much like the iPhone’s, so YouTube user iCrackUriDevice put both phones head-to-head to determine which device sported the superior scanner.

Both devices have pros and cons. The iPhone 5s has the ability to scan your fingerprint from any angle, while the Galaxy can only detect a downward swipe across the scanner at a very specific angle. On the other hand, the Galaxy can use its fingerprint reader to authorize PayPal purchases, while the iPhone can only authenticate sales on Apple’s own iTunes store.
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Expect faster MacBooks with longer battery-life thanks to DDR4 RAM

Ben Lovejoy Apr 3 2014 - 7:31 am PT

4 Comments

Matt Margolis is predicting that Apple will be switching from DDR3 to DDR4 RAM for future MacBooks this year, suggesting faster performance and improved battery-life.

One of Apple’s RAM manufacturer. Micron, says that DDR3 bandwidth tops out at around 17GB/s, while DDR4 aims to double this by 2015:

Since the introduction of the iPhone, the industry has responded with an evolutionary transition from 2.6 GB/s LPDDR1, to 8.5 GB/s LPDDR2, to 17 GB/s LPDDR3, the technology currently is powering today’s high-end devices in volume production. DRAM bandwidth has roughly doubled with each generation to keep pace with demand.

The next generation of low-power DRAM (LPDRAM)—also known as LPDDR4—addresses these constraints by doubling the bandwidth of LPDDR3 while maintaining power neutrality. For example, LPDDR4 targets 34 GB/s of total bandwidth for a x64 memory subsystem, doubling the bandwidth target from LPDDR3

The company has not given specific targets for improved battery-life, but says that it aims to reduce power consumption in both active and standby modes.

Margolis suggests that DDR4 RAM may also make it into future iPhones and iPads.

Lensbaby planning to bring its DSLR selective focus lens to the iPhone

Ben Lovejoy Apr 3 2014 - 7:26 am PT

2 Comments

Lensbaby is planning to make an iPhone version of its popular selective focus lens range. The company’s existing lenses for DSLRs allow a small focal point to be positioned in a scene, creating some whacky burred effects in the rest of the image. I’ve used one on my DSLR, and it’s fun to play around with.

A magnetic attachment system means that you’ll be able to combine the Lensbaby with any existing magnetic iPhone lenses you already own.

It’s currently just a Kickstarter project, but with half of the modest $20,000 goal already reached just one day in, it seems pretty certain to make it into production. As of the time of writing, you can reserve one for $50, a $20 saving on the planned retail price.

Sample images below.

Spotify dramatically overhauls its iPhone app with new design, adds ‘Your Music’ section

Benjamin Mayo Apr 2 2014 - 3:58 am PT

4 Comments

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1I6-wv0p8k

Spotify has released a major update to its iPhone app, bringing a new dark look and feel. The new layout relies heavily on the contextual blurring and geometric motifs of iOS 7.

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iPhone 6 displays could go into mass production next month, 5.5-inch model reportedly delayed

Mike Beasley Mar 31 2014 - 11:12 pm PT

21 Comments

Reuters is reporting that the displays for the next-generation iPhone could go into mass production as soon as May, with Japan Display, LG, and Sharp all said to be working on them. Previous reports indicated that the iPhone 6 would be available in two different sizes: 4.7 inches and 5.5 inches. According to today’s new report, however, the larger model could see delays of several months due to manufacturing difficulties.

Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 6 later this year.

The updated smartphone will run a new version of the company’s iconic iOS software that—as reported by 9to5Mac—will feature a new focus on health and fitness; better iCloud tools for developers; Preview and TextEdit companion applications; changes to Messages and Game Center; and improvements to the Maps application, including public transit directions and better 3D support.

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