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.

New iOS iWork & iLife icons/features appear on Apple’s website, GarageBand going free with in-app-purchases

Benjamin Mayo Oct 20 2013 - 4:42 pm PT

30 Comments

On the ‘Built-in Apps’ page in the iPhone 5s and 5c section of Apple’s website, although the actual app screenshots look the same, Apple is using new (flatter) iOS icons for the iLife and iWork suites designed to match the style of iOS 7. The iPhoto and GarageBand icons are identical to the ones that were leaked last week in the iCloud Storage preferences.

However, this is the first time the new iOS 7 style iMovie, Pages, Numbers and Keynote icons have been seen. Although iMovie looks relatively similar to its skeuomorphic counterpart, the other icons look drastically different featuring bright gradients and white icon glyphs.

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Tune in Oct. 22 for new iPads, Mac Pro details, MacBook Pros, and Mavericks

Mark Gurman Oct 20 2013 - 9:23 am PT

5 Comments

Apple’s next event is upon us, and it’s likely to be action-packed. As Apple says: it has “a lot to cover.” So besides the speculation that rings in from the word cover (new Smart Covers, anyone?), Apple has some new tablets, computers, and software to discuss. Read our full roundup of what to expect (and not expect) on Tuesday, October 22nd, from Apple:

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Sketchy photos want you to believe Touch ID is coming to the new iPads

Michael Steeber Oct 19 2013 - 5:01 pm PT

10 Comments

Independent reports from CTechCn and 2014 News claim that Touch ID, which debuted last month in the iPhone 5s, will make its way to the iPad 5 and iPad mini 2. The new Apple tablets are scheduled to be announced this upcoming Tuesday at Apple’s media event.

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iPad helps iOS maintain lead against Android as most valuable mobile ad platform

Jordan Kahn Oct 18 2013 - 6:59 am PT

2 Comments

Opera MediaWorks is out today with its latest report on the state of mobile platforms for Q3 2013. The report, which gathers data from billions of ad impressions each month, notes that iOS continues the lead for mobile advertising, with around 44.4% of all ad requests and 50% of revenue on its platform. That’s compared to 31.32% for Android, but the lead for Apple is mostly thanks to gains from iPad.

Remove tablets from the equation and ad impressions on iPhone and Android smartphones fall to just 31% vs. 30.3%:

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Here come the iPhone 5s ads, touting Touch ID and Gold color option

Jordan Kahn Oct 17 2013 - 10:33 am PT

4 Comments

Apple appears to be changing gears from its previous Designed by Apple in California campaign following the release of the new iPhones. Apple’s latest full page ad is appearing in this week’s edition of the New Yorker and this time around focuses on the new fingerprint sensor and Touch ID feature on the gold iPhone 5s. The text from the ad reads:

Your finger is the password.

Touch ID was created not only to protect all the important and personal information on your phone, but to be so easy to use, you’ll actually use it. Its state-of-the-art technology learns your unique fingerprint, so you can unlock your phone or even authorize purchases with just a simple touch.Touch ID. Only on iPhone 5s.

Apple’s previous Designed by Apple in California ads made a point of focusing on on its ecosystem and the people that use it rather than specific products, but it’s clear the focus has changed slightly now that it has new iPhones on the market. Interestingly, the ad specifically notes Touch ID as specific to iPhone 5s. This particular magazine issue is next week’s version, just one day before the new iPads are announced. Would Apple note Touch ID is exclusive to the iPhone 5s in the same week that the iPads are revamped if the iPads will be getting the feature?

(via @samradford & MacRumors)

iPhone takes 51% share of smartphone activations at Verizon in Q3, unit sales flat compared to Q2

Benjamin Mayo Oct 17 2013 - 5:45 am PT

5 Comments

Graph by Benedict Evans.

Verizon has just reported their results for the third quarter, with smartphone sales topping 7.6 million units. While the press release does not disclose details about iPhone performance, on Verizon’s conference call, the company announced that iPhones were responsible for just over half of all Verizon’s smartphone activations, compared to about 43% in Q2. It is important to remember the distinction between activations and sales, with activations including passed-down devices to spouses or children as well as the strong iPhone reseller market.

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Apple slightly increases prices of iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c in France

Benjamin Mayo Oct 17 2013 - 2:48 am PT

5 Comments

iPhone 5s prices on the French Apple Online Store, yesterday and today.

First noted by iGen.FR, Apple has slightly raised the prices of the iPhone 5s and 5c in France. As shown above, the increase ranges between €10 for the 16 GB model, €12 for the 32 GB model and €18 for the 64 GB model. In terms of dollar value, when converted, these changes are equivalent to a rise of about $13 – $25.

The same price increase applies to the 5c, again dependent on capacity, going from €599 to €609 for the 16 GB model and from €699 to €711 for the 32 GB variant.

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Thinner ZAGG backlit keyboard case for upcoming iPad 5 appears

Mark Gurman Oct 16 2013 - 3:24 pm PT

0 Comments

Ahead of Apple’s October 22nd iPad-focused event, major accessory maker ZAGG seems to be getting its offerings in order for the new Apple tablets. The company posted a listing for an iPad 5 keyboard case on its website this week, and the images for the case clearly show an iPad with a thinner-bezel. The case features backlit keys, white and black color options, and comes in at 7.6mm. While this case does not provide any breakthrough details about Apple’s new iPad, it does demonstrate that case makers expect that the iPad 5 will look just like the several leaks over the course of last many months. The above case launched for the current iPad mini earlier this year.

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Consumer Reports praises iPhone 5s Touch ID and camera, but prefers Droid battery life and display

Zac Hall Oct 16 2013 - 11:13 am PT

10 Comments

Consumer Reports released its review on the iPhone 5s and 5c this week with an interesting take on Apple’s new hardware. Its reviewers praised Apple’s fingerprint recognition system known as Touch ID found on the iPhone 5s, and acknowledged the iPhone 5c as a budget-friendly device for consumers, but found the display size and battery life lacking when compared to new offerings by Motorola.

The magazine especially praised the iPhone 5s camera system, though:

The phone’s 8-megapixel camera, one of the few in our tests capable of taking excellent-quality pictures, has a digital image stabilizer that we confirmed will improve your chances of taking hand-held photos under low-light conditions.

Citing the Motorola Droid Maxx, Ultra, and Mini, Consumer Reports said it experienced up to 24 hours of battery life overall from the Droid hardware when compared to the iPhone’s just under 7 hours of talk time. It also took preference to the ‘larger, sharper’ screens shipping on smartphones from HTC, LG, and Samsung.
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Olloclip updates clip-on iPhone lens system, 3-in-1 becomes 4-in-1

Ben Lovejoy Oct 16 2013 - 5:09 am PT

6 Comments

Olloclip has updated its neat clip-on lens system we reviewed back in 2012, adding a second, more powerful macro lens and improving the optical quality of the others.

The olloclip 4-IN-1 is a quick-connect lens solution for the iPhone that includes Fisheye, Wide-Angle and 2 Macro lenses in one small, convenient package that easily fits in your pocket – and the palm of your hand. It connects to the iPhone within seconds so you’ll be sure to capture the image you want. If you don’t see the picture you’re looking for, just flip it over to switch lenses.

The original 10x macro lens has now been supplemented with a 15x lens. The lens is compatible with both iPhone 5 and 5s, and is available for pre-order at $69.99 with delivery expected early next month.

Wall Street Journal backs up analyst reports that Apple is reducing component orders for iPhone 5c

Benjamin Mayo Oct 16 2013 - 3:18 am PT

18 Comments

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple is cutting component orders for the iPhone 5c by up to a third, reiterating the news that Apple is curtailing iPhone 5c production. This backs up a multitude of reports by industry analysts, which said that iPhone 5c demand is weaker than Apple’s initial expectations.

Apple told its Taiwanese assemblers Pegatron Corp. and Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. that shipments of the iPhone 5C in the fourth quarter would be cut, the people said. Pegatron, which analysts say assembles two thirds of the iPhone 5Cs, was told orders would be cut by less than 20%, said a person familiar with the matter. Hon Hai, which assembles the remaining low-cost iPhones, was told orders would be cut by a third, said two people familiar with the matter.

In the past, Apple CEO Tim Cook has cautioned against supplier shipments analysis as an indicator of sales performance, saying that Apple sources components from multiple manufacturers. However, the sheer number of independent reports about cuts to iPhone 5c suggests there is some underlying truth to the story. On the flip side, iPhone 5s sales seem to be booming, doing better than predicted.

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Nike launches more durable, Bluetooth 4.0 ‘FuelBand SE’, available alongside new apps on Nov. 6

Mark Gurman Oct 15 2013 - 8:06 am PT

9 Comments

In line with my report from earlier this month, Nike has taken the wraps off of its brand-new Fuel Band. The FuelBand is Nike’s fitness tracking device that is worn around the wrist, and it has been popular (including within Apple’s upper ranks). The new version, officially called Nike FuelBand SE, makes improvements to the design that focus on color, durability, and connectivity. As I reported, the new FuelBand is more durable, more water-resistant, and connects to devices via Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy (LE) technology:

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Like iPad 3, new iPad mini could be technically thicker to fit Retina Display

Mark Gurman Oct 14 2013 - 9:29 am PT

18 Comments

Space Gray iPad mini 2 casing (via <a href="http://sonnydickson.com/2013/09/27/hands-on-with-the-ipad-mini-2-in-space-gray/">Sonny Dickson</a>)

One of the most exciting new features of the upcoming iPad mini successor is perhaps the long-rumored Retina display. Apple has been developing a Retina-version (Apple’s term for the crisper display found on iPhones, the larger iPads, and some MacBook Pros), but the company has been reluctant to ship it due to cost, hardware size, and battery-life concerns. Though for October 22nd, it sounds like Apple has an iPad mini with Retina display ready to go.

But, it could potentially have a very minor trade-off: some extra thickness and width that will likely not be noticeable to the human eye. Just like the the full-sized iPad went thicker (and heavier in that case) to accommodate the much higher-resolution Retina display, the iPad mini could slightly bulk up to fit the new display, according to Macotakara. At a conference in China, the website went hands-on with some purported cases for the next-generation iPad mini. These cases fit a device with a thickness of 7.5mm and width of of about 0.2mm wider than the current iPad mini…

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Twice as many people buying iPhone 5s as iPhone 5c (latest claim)

Ben Lovejoy Oct 14 2013 - 6:16 am PT

11 Comments

With no word from Apple on the breakdown of its record-breaking iPhone sales between 5s and 5c (and no word expected during the company’s earnings call either), everyone is posting their estimates.

First to the punch was Localytics, who used iPhone connections to mobile and web apps to come up with an estimate of three to one in favor of the 5s. KGI’s Mingchi Kuo disagreed, using supply chain analysis to put the figures closer to 50/50, and suggesting that, if anything, sales of the 5c might be slightly higher. Now we have Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (via AllThingsD) using consumer surveys to suggest that the 5s is outselling the 5c two-to-one …
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As expected, Apple Store iPhone trade-in program reaches the UK

Ben Lovejoy Oct 14 2013 - 5:38 am PT

5 Comments

You may recall we broke the story that Apple’s iPhone trade program, launched in the U.S. in August, was coming to the UK. It’s now launched – but you may not want to use it.

Apple says it will offer up to £175 for iPhone models in its UK stores. Apple offers up to $250 in its U.S.-based locations. The program allows a customer with an iPhone 3G or newer to receive a gift card with the trade-in-value for use towards a new iPhone. The new device must be activated in-store.

An online version, based on a different recycling firm, launched in the UK last year.

But for those who really don’t want the hassle of dealing with private sales, it’s at least an option to make that shiny new iPhone 5s a little cheaper …

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New iPhone 5s stock-tracking site offers insights into which models are in demand

Ben Lovejoy Oct 14 2013 - 4:19 am PT

2 Comments

A second iPhone 5S stock-tracking web app, this one available in all countries where the new handset is sold, has provided a few stats showing what people are searching for.

60 percent of people searching www.stock5S.com are looking for the gold model, with silver and space gray coming in at 20 percent each. The most highly-sought model is the 16GB gold model at 30 percent, followed by 32GB gold at 17 percent.

More than half are searching for 16GB models, almost a third looking for 32GB and just 14 percent wanting 64GB.

Note that these numbers don’t necessarily reflect actual demand: they are the models being sought for in-store pickup by those who have so far been unable to find them in-store. If 32GB Space Gray handsets are widely available, for example, fewer searches would be made online for those.

New renders tease iPad 5 in Apple Store setting ahead of Oct. 22 unveiling

Ben Lovejoy Oct 14 2013 - 3:57 am PT

13 Comments

If you’re impatiently waiting to see the new iPad 5 in the Apple Store, your wait is over – virtually, anyway. Martin Hajek has created some new renders that show the new slimmer-bezel iPad 5 in an Apple Store setting.

The iPad 5 is expected to have the same slim bezel design as the current iPad Mini, to be thinner and lighter than the current model, available in the same colors as the iPhone 5s, be powered by the same A7 chip and to have a larger-aperture 8MP rear camera. It’s not yet clear whether or not it will have a Touch ID fingerprint sensor. It is due to be announced on 22nd October.

Rest of the renders below:
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Over half of iPads now being traded to Gazelle are iPad 2 & 3

Ben Lovejoy Oct 14 2013 - 12:00 am PT

12 Comments

New iPad figures from Gazelle suggest that owners of iPad 2 and iPad 3 models may be preparing to upgrade to the iPad 5. Gazelle told me that they are seeing five times as many iPad trade-ins as last year, with the trade-in rate increasing as the month progresses. Apple is due to launch the iPad 5 on 22nd October. Over half of all iPads being traded-in this year are the iPad 2 and 3 models.

Coming from Apple in 2014: 12-inch Retina MacBook, sharper iPad, cheaper iMac?

Mark Gurman Oct 12 2013 - 4:30 pm PT

38 Comments

According to typically-reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities, Apple has a slew of new products in the works for 2014. The analyst has summarized his expectations for these new products in a new research note, and has also reaffirmed some of his previous claims for products in Apple’s pipeline for the rest of Fall 2013…

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Unity framework adds iOS 7 game controller support as Apple pushes developers to add compatibility to games at Tech Talks

Benjamin Mayo Oct 12 2013 - 6:06 am PT

3 Comments

Alongside iOS 7 came support for a new third-party accessory: game controllers. To use this feature, you need to both own an Apple-approved gamepad accessory and a compatible game from the App Store. We have seen leaks of MFI hardware from Logitech and other manufacturers, but nothing has yet hit the market.

As such, uptake for the new Game Controller APIs by developers has been slow as customers cannot yet take advantage of the feature. Today, the Unity framework announced on its blog that the newest version of its game engine surfaces inputs from these controllers natively in the SDK. Basically, Unity is offering a wrapper between Apple’s Objective-C API and Unity’s own game logic code.

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Are iPhone 5c sales low or supplies high?

Ben Lovejoy Oct 11 2013 - 8:04 am PT

36 Comments

Image: abcnews.com

KGI’s Mingchi Kuo, an analyst with a solid track-record, and the man who came closest (almost) to calling opening weekend sales of the iPhone, now believes Apple shipped ‘just’ 11.4M iPhone 5c handsets in September, rather than the 17M he had earlier forecast, reports Business Insider.

Kuo is now estimating Apple shipped 11.4 million 5Cs in the September quarter, a 33% drop from his original estimate. He also says he expects 5C sales to be just 10.4 million units for the December quarter, a 10% sequential drop.

This makes some sense of the rampant discounting seen on the 5C (which actually started at Walmart before launch), but doesn’t necessarily mean that iPhone sales as a whole are down …
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iOS 7 tops 2013 Mobile OS User Experience Benchmarks

Ben Lovejoy Oct 11 2013 - 7:25 am PT

19 Comments

iOS 7 has taken top billing in Pfeiffer Consulting’s annual Mobile OS User Experience Benchmarks, scoring just over 73 percent against 57 percent for Android and 47 percent for Windows Phone.

The study attempts to calculate an objective rating for the usability of a mobile OS by a typical, non-technical user by measuring four elements:

Cognitive load
Efficiency
Customization
User experience friction …
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Apps crashing twice as often on iPhone 5s as on other models

Ben Lovejoy Oct 11 2013 - 5:47 am PT

24 Comments

Apps running on the iPhone 5s crash twice as often as the same apps on other models, according to data released by app performance monitoring company Crittercism (via AtD).

The usual rate for app crashes on iPhones is a little under 1 percent, while the rate on the iPhone 5s is closer to 2 percent.

Levy said that perhaps the reason that the iPhone 5s is seeing more crashes than the equally new iPhone 5c is that, while developers were able to check their apps for compatibility with iOS 7 during several months of beta testing, the new hardware wasn’t available ahead of time. The iPhone 5s packs a new 64-bit A7 chip and an M7 coprocessor, while the 5c is nearly identical internally to the iPhone 5 […]

“The good news is that Apple is certainly aware of issues. they’ve pushed out two iOS updates for iOS 7… Apple is doing a really old job of addressing these issues as they come up.”

Reports of bluescreen issues are still making the news (video below), despite the iWork bug having been fixed in 7.0.1. The current version is 7.0.2, and 7.0.3 is expected soon.
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Poll: Which iWatch concepts are you a fan of?

Sarah Guarino Oct 10 2013 - 12:53 pm PT

18 Comments

Earlier this year, we reported that Apple is engaging in a push to hire talent to work on wearable devices (an “iWatch”). Since then, we noted that Apple hired two notable wearables specialists from Nike: Jay Blahnik (a consultant on the Fuel Band) and Ben Shaffer. Based on these hires, we believe that the iWatch will hit the market within the next couple of years.

iWatch concepts are constantly emerging. A new poll on Polar shows thirty-seven different iWatch concepts. Some of the concepts we have covered in our roundups, and others are new that focus on iOS 7 software design. Of course, these are all concepts and mockups that may not look at all like the actual product. However, we thought it would be interesting to gather polls from Polar indicating which concepts are most enticing to Apple fans.

In the above poll system, you can vote for your favorite concepts and use the arrows to move between images.

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