iOS Devices

9,871 'iOS Devices' stories May 2007 - October 2013

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 Online Stores begin going down ahead of iPad Air launch

Jordan Kahn Oct 31 2013 - 8:33 am PT

5 Comments

Update 2: Shipping times in at least Hong Kong started at 1-2 weeks then quickly to changed to “currently unavailable”.

Update: The Australian Apple Online store and others are back up and listing all iPad Air models as shipping in 24 hours.

Lines have started to form at Apple stores around the world. Send pics of your Apple Store line to tips@9to5mac.com. Images below.

With Apple’s iPad Air launch about to kick off on the morning of Nov. 1 local time in over 40 countries, Apple has now started taking online stores down around the world to prepare for the launch. That includes Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Netherlands, Thailand, China, and others, which will be the first regions to get their hands on the device as we roll into tomorrow morning local time in those countries.

Yesterday we reported that iPad Airs had started arriving at Apple Stores and other retailers and that supplies were likely to be plentiful as large stores received as much as 500-1000 units of the device. We also heard that business discounts will be available for the new device on day one, which wasn’t the case in previous years.

Apple will begin selling the iPad Air at 8 a.m. local time Nov. 1 through its Apple retail stores in the following countries:
Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple to Devs: Gold iPhone not best for marketing materials

Jordan Kahn Oct 31 2013 - 7:45 am PT

4 Comments

Earlier this month we reported that Apple had changed its developer marketing guidelines after years of only allowing images of the black iPhone in marketing material. Since Apple’s new lineup of iPhones features a number of new colors for the device for the first time, we noted that Apple tweaked its guidelines to allow other colors of the device, including white and certain iPhone 5c colors. Now, Apple has updated its guidelines once again, this time specifically excluding the gold iPhone 5s from the list of colors allowed in photography and video marketing material (via MacRumors):

Feature only the most current Apple products in the following finishes or colors: iPhone 5s in silver or space gray, iPhone 5c in white or blue, iPad Air in silver or space gray, and iPad mini in silver or space gray. If multiple Apple products are shown, display them in the correct relative sizes.

You’ll notice that it’s also not allowing certain colors of the iPhone 5c (only blue and white are listed), so gold specifically doesn’t seem to be the issue. As it did previously, Apple provides downloads of iPhone images for developers to place their screenshots on and use for marketing purposes. Those downloads are limited to the iPad Air, iPad mini, and iPhone 5s in Silver/white and Space Gray, and the iPhone 5c and iPod touch in black and blue models.

It’s unclear Apple’s reasoning for not allowing the gold model of the iPhone 5s and certain colors of the iPhone 5c. It could possibly be due to Apple’s desire to keep the popular colors unique to its own marketing material, or perhaps Apple thinks screenshots do not show as well on certain colors as they do on black and silver models.

iPad Airs start arriving at Apple Stores and resellers as supply expected to be plentiful

Mark Gurman Oct 30 2013 - 5:18 pm PT

11 Comments

iPad Air units have begun arriving at Apple Stores and resellers across the world ahead of this Friday’s official launch, according to several sources. Additionally, a reader has spotted iPad Airs arriving at Walmart locations (see images above and below) and the device seems to have already been placed inside one store’s glass casing for iPads. The special $479 price point can be seen on the sticker in the photo above.

At Apple Stores, we’ve heard that multiple large stores across the United States have already received upwards of 500-1000 units, indicating that the supply of the new tablet will likely be plentiful at launch. We’ve heard similar from international iPad resellers, with some chains indicating that they will have a solid number of iPad Airs on tap for Friday. These stores say even more supply is promised for the next couple of weeks…

Expand
Expanding
Close

Putting 4K and the iPad mini Retina display into perspective

Jordan Kahn Oct 30 2013 - 2:05 pm PT

9 Comments

Curious how the resolution of Apple’s new Retina iPad mini compares to your devices of the past and the 4K and even 8K displays that will soon become standard resolutions? DoghouseDiaries put together the graphic below that shows relative screen resolutions, comparing everything from a Retina iPad mini to an Apple II and future 3840 × 2160 4K displays just beginning to hit the market:

Growth of Android tablet sales in Q3 cut Apple’s market share to less than 30%

Jordan Kahn Oct 30 2013 - 1:41 pm PT

9 Comments

IDC-tablets-Q3-2013

In IDC’s report released today covering worldwide tablet market for the third quarter, the research firm notes that the market as a whole continues to grow thanks to strong growth from Android tablets. Apple shipments remained steady during the quarter compared to last year at 14 million units in Q3, but its share of the market drops from 40.2% last year to just 29.6% this year as Samsung, Asus, Lenovo, and Acer all post significant growth for the quarter compared to the same quarter last year.

Samsung is up from 12.4% last year to 20.4% of the tablet market in Q3 2013 (a 123% increase), while Asus is up 53.9% to 3.5 million units, Lenovo sold 2.3m (up 420.7%), and Acer recorded 1.2M (up 346.3%):
Expand
Expanding
Close

Another report claims short supply of Retina iPad mini due to display shortages from Sharp

Jordan Kahn Oct 30 2013 - 6:37 am PT

5 Comments

Following several reports this month and hints from Tim Cook that Retina iPad mini stock could be in short supply when the device launches next month, the hit and miss DigiTimes reports today that the shortages are due to limited supply of displays from Apple’s supplier Sharp. Specifically, the report claims that Sharp’s “Oxide TFT process is seeing low yield rates” leading to a less than ideal supply of 7.9-inch Retina panels. Sharp accounts for around 40% of the displays for iPad mini with Retina display production, while LG Display is providing the other approximately 60%, according to the report:
Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple now highlighting 64-bit A7 iPhone 5s chip on magazine covers

Michael Steeber Oct 29 2013 - 7:04 pm PT

1 Comment

Earlier this month, we highlighted that Apple is touting the iPhone 5s’s Touch ID fingerprint scanner and gold color option on the back of certain magazine covers. Now, we’ve spotted a new magazine ad for the iPhone 5s. This one, instead, highlight’s the device’s 64-bit A7 processor. “64-bit” is complex technical jargon, but Apple simplifies it to mean that the iPhone is powerful and offers all-day battery life.

Expand
Expanding
Close

iPad Air reviews go live, highlight thinner & lighter form factor, battery life, and speed improvements

Mike Beasley Oct 29 2013 - 6:17 pm PT

13 Comments

During last week’s media event, Apple announced a new model of the iPad that is lighter and thinner than the previous generation. The iPad Air weighs only one pound and improved internals. The new tablet features the same 64-bit A7 processor found in the new iPhone 5s, support for MIMO Wi-Fi, and an improved FaceTime camera. All of this is packed into a 7.5mm case, a noticeable improvement over the previous 9.4mm fourth-generation iPad.

Tonight, tech writers across the web published their reviews of the iPad Air. The reviews are mostly positive, with much emphasis on the new form factor, battery life, and faster processor. You can find links and highlights for each review below.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple confirms iPhone 5s battery life affected by manufacturing issues in some units

Mike Beasley Oct 29 2013 - 5:24 pm PT

9 Comments

<a href="http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/iPhone+5s+Teardown/17383">Image via iFixit</a>

Apple has confirmed to The New York Times that a “very limited” number of iPhone 5s units could experience shortened battery life as the result of a manufacturing problem.

“We recently discovered a manufacturing issue affecting a very limited number of iPhone 5S devices that could cause the battery to take longer to charge or result in reduced battery life,” said Teresa Brewer, an Apple spokeswoman. “We are reaching out to customers with affected phones and will provide them with a replacement phone.”

The exact number of affected units is not clear, but the statement is said to imply that the number is in the few thousands range. Apple sold 9 million iPhones total over its opening weekend. The NYT notes that a manufacturing problem does not equal a defective battery, so it is unclear what the actual source of the issue is.

Affected users can expect to be contacted by Apple soon and will be issued a replacement phone.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Job listing corroborates Apple working on public transit directions for future Maps update

Jordan Kahn Oct 29 2013 - 3:11 pm PT

3 Comments

We reported exclusively back in September that Apple was working on implementing public transit directions for iOS 8 alongside other new mapping features. Backing up our report, today Apple posted a job listing (via MacRumors) that shows the company is indeed working on its own solution for transit directions for a future version of Maps. The job listing seeks an engineer to join Apple’s Transit Routing team and “work on one of the most anticipated features of Apple Maps.”
Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple to start offering Personal Pickup for iPad Air on Nov. 1 launch date

Mark Gurman Oct 28 2013 - 11:51 am PT

10 Comments

In contrast to the supply constrained launch of the iPhone 5s, Apple will offer Personal Pickup for the iPad Air beginning on the November 1st launch date, we’re hearing from sources. MacRumors is reporting the same. When the Apple Online Store goes live on November 1st at midnight Pacific Time (3 AM EST), customers will be able to order iPad Airs to be shipped to their addresses…

Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple ordered to pay 12 million euros in France for unpaid iPad taxes

Jordan Kahn Oct 28 2013 - 11:15 am PT

3 Comments

Earlier this year we reported that SACEM, the French society of authors, composers, and music publishers, noted Apple was ordered to pay around 5 million Euro in unpaid taxes for iPads sold in 2011. SACEM distributes the copie privée royalties, which are paid to Copie France for all devices capable of transferring and displaying copyrighted material. Today, PC INpact (via igen.fr) notes that a court in Paris has once again ordered Apple to pay for unpaid iPad taxes, this time around 12 million Euros for iPads sold between March and December of 2012. Some think Apple’s recent price increases in France could be to compensate for the copie privee taxes it hasn’t had success with avoiding. When asked about the price increases, French authorities were recently quoted as saying Apple has has yet to pay a penny towards the unpaid taxes.
Expand
Expanding
Close

iOS Devices

Recent iOS updates simplify Burst Mode camera feature in iPhone 5s, helps users save storage space

Mark Gurman Oct 28 2013 - 8:54 am PT

0 Comments

In addition to implementing several bug fixes with iOS 7.0.x updates, Apple has simplified its user-interface for the iPhone 5s’s new Burst Mode camera feature in iOS 7.0.2. For those unfamiliar, Burst Mode allows a user to keep their finger on the Camera app’s shutter button in order to capture photos at a rate of 10 pictures per second. This ability allows a user to capture a good image in action sequences or at other times.

Previously, the feature would present a user with all of their photos from a Burst Mode session in one group. If a user liked a particular photo (or multiple photos) from the Burst Mode session, the user could swipe between all of the photos from the group and select their favorites. When the user chose the favorites, they would be duplicated into standalone images in the Camera roll. The rest of the photos from Burst Mode session would remain as an original group in the Camera Roll.

Because photos from the 8 megapixel camera take up so much space, retaining the entire group of photos could have caused a negative effect on what users could store on their iPhones. With iOS 7.0.3, Apple has rectified this potential issue by making it simple to choose favorite images from the Burst Mode session and delete the other photos. This can be seen in the image above. GottaBeMobile first reported the enhancement, and we’ve verified the change occurred in iOS 7.0.2 earlier this month.

Instead of just duplicating and retaining the original session, a user is prompted to either only keep their favorite photos (and delete the rest) or still keep all the Burst Mode shots.

Expand
Expanding
Close

New iPhones to rollout in Israel & UAE November 3rd, Philippines November 15th

Mark Gurman Oct 28 2013 - 8:14 am PT

7 Comments

Following the debut of the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c in several new countries late last week, Apple will begin rolling out the new devices in several countries during the month of November. Apple previously indicated that it would ship the devices on November 1st in Albania, Armenia, Bahrain, Colombia, El Salvador, Guam, Guatemala, India, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and UAE…

Expand
Expanding
Close

U.S. Cellular, the country’s fifth largest carrier, to begin selling iPad Air Nov. 8

Mark Gurman Oct 25 2013 - 2:35 pm PT

0 Comments

U.S. Cellular has informed us that it will begin carrying the iPad Air on November 8th. This morning, we reported that multiple regional cellular providers in the United States will begin carrying the iPad Air “in the coming weeks,” but U.S. Cellular’s announcement is more notable in that the carrier is the nation’s fifth largest and because a firm launch date has been provided.

U.S. Cellular today announced that iPad Air with Wi-Fi + Cellular will be available online on November 8. U.S. Cellular will offer iPad Air with a range of attractive data plans that will allow customers to connect to its fast 4G LTE network with speeds up to ten times faster than 3G.

The carrier promises “attractive data plans” on its 4G LTE network. Last week, we reported that U.S. Cellular, too, will begin selling the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c on November 8th.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Regional U.S. carriers begin announcing iPad Air availability in ‘coming weeks’

Mark Gurman Oct 25 2013 - 8:40 am PT

0 Comments

Ahead of next week’s iPad Air launch, dozens of countries across the world, regional carriers within the United States have begun announcing their plans for carrying the LTE-capable version of the tablet. While major carriers AT&T, Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile, and Sprint will begin selling the iPad Air on Friday, November 1st, these smaller, region-specific networks say that they will start selling the device in the “coming weeks.”

So far, Bluegrass Cellular and C Spire are the two regional carriers to announce iPad Air plans, and other carriers will likely share their own announcements in the coming days and weeks. Bluegrass Cellular operates in Kentucky while C Spire is based in Mississippi. Both of these carriers began carrying the new iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c earlier this month alongside several other regional providers…

Expand
Expanding
Close

Los Angeles Unified School District gets its sums wrong on iPad program

Ben Lovejoy Oct 25 2013 - 4:00 am PT

9 Comments

Photo: businessadministrationinformation.com

The LA Times is reporting that the LA Unified School District program to equip every student with an iPad will cost $100 more per iPad than initially budgeted.

The district reported in its latest budget for the iPad program that although it is eligible for the lower price it previously cited, the discount kicks in only after it spends $400 million on iPads. That would buy 520,000 tablets. Thus far, the district has committed to paying $30 million for iPads at 47 schools …
Expand
Expanding
Close

New Space Gray iPad mini quietly begins hitting Apple Store shelves

Mark Gurman Oct 24 2013 - 6:27 pm PT

0 Comments

Silently announced alongside the new iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina display, Apple has begun selling a Space Gray version of the first-generation, non-Retina display iPad mini at its physical retail stores.

Sources say that the model is now available via several Apple Stores, but not every store. Interested customers should call their store to ensure availability…

Expand
Expanding
Close

iOS Devices

Apple releases Apple TV 6.0.1 (11B511d) firmware update

Jordan Kahn Oct 24 2013 - 1:08 pm PT

3 Comments

Apple today issued a firmware update for Apple TV after earlier this week rolling out a new iMovie Theater channel that allows users to view movies and other video content uploaded to iCloud through iMovie Theater on other iOS devices.

Today’s firmware update brings Apple TV software up to version 6.0.1, build number 11B511d, and is available for second and third generation Apple TVs through Settings>General >Software Update.

The update brings “general performance and stability improvements,” but we’ll update you here if we discover any new goodies.

Retina iPad mini could be the new gold iPhone 5s, with ‘ridiculously tight’ supplies

Ben Lovejoy Oct 24 2013 - 4:34 am PT

6 Comments

A second analyst has warned that supplies of the Retina iPad mini are likely to be “ridiculously tight”, after KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo previously predicted they would be “highly constrained.” The comment comes from Rhoda Alexander, director of tablet research at IHS electronis and media, quoted in the Telegraph.

Apple could face supply issues for the iPad mini 2 with Retina, as its supply is one third the size of its shipments from this time last year, an analyst said.

Rhoda Alexander, director of tablet research at IHS electronis and media, said: “The supply of the Retina Mini is going to be ridiculously tight in the fourth quarter …
Expand
Expanding
Close

T-Mobile to initially offer new iPads starting at $0 down, $26/month for Air, $22/month for Retina Mini

Mark Gurman Oct 23 2013 - 9:26 am PT

14 Comments

T-Mobile has formally announced its new “un-carrier” strategy for the just-introduced Apple iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina display. While the Cellular-capable iPads normally cost an extra $130 over the upfront WiFi-model purchase price, T-Mobile will be offering the new tablets at $0 down. T-Mobile says that this is introductory pricing, and it is unclear when the price points will raise for T-Mobile customers…

Expand
Expanding
Close

Still waiting for that gold iPhone 5s? There’s always the Goophone i5S …

Ben Lovejoy Oct 23 2013 - 5:20 am PT

9 Comments

Goophone, a Chinese company specialising in counterfeit phones, has launched the Goophone i5S. On the outside, it’s a very, very close copy of the real thing (complete with fake Touch ID sensor that does nothing). On the inside, though, it’s just a cheapo Android.

HMV’s presumed PR stunt succeeds as iOS app is approved then pulled

Ben Lovejoy Oct 22 2013 - 5:40 am PT

1 Comment

Having somehow managed to gets its iOS music-purchase app approved by Apple, UK record store HMV today saw the app pulled for contravening the terms & conditions which prohibits directing sales of goods or services outside of an app, reports the Guardian.

The app had allowed people to browse and buy MP3 downloads from HMV’s relaunched digital music store, while also scanning artwork and identifying music playing in the real world and providing preview clips.

HMV, which once owned more than 300 record stores, entered administration earlier this year after failing to adapt its business model to the digital music era. It was then bought out and relaunched with 133 stores. The music app was a claimed venture into digital downloads, but while it seems lax approval procedures got it into the app store, it was never going to stay there.

HMV Chairman Paul McGowan claimed innocence in a series of tweets, affecting not to know why Apple had asked them to remove or amend the app and then pulled it when he refused.

Apple have politely asked us to remove the #hmvapp from the AppStore. We have politely declined.

— paul mcgowan (@ppmcgowan) October 18, 2013

Via Engadget

Boost Mobile to Offer iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c on November 8

Seth Weintraub Oct 21 2013 - 5:20 am PT

2 Comments

Along with US Cellular who announced on Friday, Boost Mobile will now also offer the iPhone 5s and 5c on November 8th according to short press release this morning (below).

Boost is a Sprint Co. pre-paid sister site of Virgin, which also announced iPhone 5s and 5c availability last month with $100 off retail pricing and $30/month plans. Boost Mobile iPhone media (above) was leaked last month.

Nine other regional carriers have announced iPhone 5s/5c availability on November 1st.
Expand
Expanding
Close