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iOS

4,859 'iOS' stories August 2010 - December 2014
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The world’s most advanced mobile operating system

iOS is Apple’s mobile operating system that runs on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Historically, Apple releases a new iOS version once a year, the current version is iOS 13.

In 2007, Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone and iPhone OS. During the event, Jobs referred to the operating system as OS X because it shared a similar Unix core compared to the Mac. When Apple launched the iPhone SDK a year later, they officially changed the name to iPhone OS.

In the summer of 2008, Apple added the App Store to iPhone OS with version 2.0, and this set the stage for the “app economy” that we still enjoy to this day.

Version 3.0 was released in 2009, and it included copy/paste, MMS support, Spotlight, mobile tethering, and push notifications for 3rd party apps.

In version 4, Apple finally renamed iPhone OS to iOS (with the iPad sharing the same software). The major features were multitasking and FaceTime.

iOS 5.0 introduced Notification Center, iMessage, Siri, and iCloud.

iOS 6.0 removes Google Maps in favor of Apple Maps and added the Passbook app (now known as Wallet).

Version 7.0 brought a dramatic redesign of iOS with a new font, flatter icons, a and new Photos app. The redesign was led by Jony Ive.

Version iOS 8.0, Apple finally allowed third-party keyboards and the ability to share files from different apps.

Version 9.0 included Apple Maps, an overhauled Notes app, and multitasking for iPad.

Version 10.0 included an SDK for Siri, Maps, and iMessages.

Version 11.0 included a new iPad Dock, Customizable Control center, drag and drop on iPad, and the Files app with third-party integration.

Version 12.0 added Screen Time features for managing your time on devices, the Shortcuts app, ARKit 2.0, and Memoji.

iOS 13 added Dark Mode, swipe-style typing, a redesigned share sheet, made app downloads 50% smaller, 2x faster app launch speed, Memoji Stickers and Memoji Makeup, HomeKit-enabled routers and HomeKit Secure Video, a new “Sign in with Apple” option for logging into third-party services, all-new Apple Maps, and much more.

Compatible Devices with iOS 13

  • iPhone 11
  • iPhone 11 Pro
  • iPhone 11 Pro Max
  • iPhone XS
  • iPhone XS Max
  • iPhone XR
  • iPhone X
  • iPhone 8
  • iPhone 8 Plus
  • iPhone 7
  • iPhone 7 Plus
  • iPhone 6s
  • iPhone 6s Plus
  • iPhone SE
  • iPod touch (7th generation)

Amazon’s Prime Now same-day delivery service arrives today via new iOS app

Avatar for Stephen Hall Dec 18 2014 - 2:06 pm PT
6 Comments

Amazon has launched a new service called Prime Now which, as its title suggests, hopes to bring products from Amazon to your door faster than ever. The service currently offers “tens of thousands” of items spanning a wide variety of categories, is available now in parts of Manhattan for Amazon Prime members, and users have the option of going with either one or two hour delivery.


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iOS 8.2 brings back blood glucose tracking, explains Health data

Avatar for Zac Hall Dec 18 2014 - 11:02 am PT
8 Comments
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In addition to supporting WatchKit and the Apple Watch, the iOS 8.2 software update will re-introduce some previously removed features in Apple’s Health app on iOS 8 as well as provide some feature enhancements. As discovered in the latest iOS 8.2 beta for developers, Apple is reintroducing support for blood glucose tracking through the iOS 8 Health app after an issue with which unit of measurement the app defaulted to presenting problems for international users of the feature. The somewhat intimidating Health app is also getting a little smarter with brief descriptions for the various data points tracked by the app listed under each section.
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Apple seeds third iOS 8.2 beta to developers

Avatar for Zac Hall Dec 18 2014 - 9:50 am PT
10 Comments
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Apple today released the third iOS 8.2 beta to developers for testing. The first iOS 8.2 beta was previously released alongside WatchKit to allow developers to test app functionality ahead of the upcoming Apple Watch release while the second release went out last week. We’ll update with any significant changes found in the latest iOS 8.2 beta release.
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9to5 Guide: The best iPad stands, docks, and cases with built-in stands

Avatar for Jeremy Horwitz Dec 18 2014 - 9:35 am PT
3 Comments

 

iPads need stands. Whether you’re watching videos, long-form typing, or making FaceTime calls, it’s a chore to hold the iPad upright for extended blocks of time. To address that need, Apple launched the first iPad with regular and keyboard docks, but quickly gave up on them in favor of simpler folding lids called Smart Covers.

If you’re looking for an iPad stand or dock, you can do better than that. We know because we’ve tested lots of options for Apple’s tablets. Following up on our guide to iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus docks, we’re looking today at the very best of what’s out there for every iPad, covering four broad categories: simple portable stands, simple desktop stands, cases with integrated stands, and charging docks.
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Dutch city of Rotterdam gets the 3D Apple Maps imagery and Flyover [Update: Strasbourg & Malmö too]

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Dec 18 2014 - 7:23 am PT
1 Comment

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1OHRoEjL6Q]

Apple Maps has brought 3D imagery and a Flyover tour to the Netherlands for the first time, with Rotterdam leading the way. The second-largest city in the country, and home to one of the largest ports in the world, Rotterdam may have been selected for the proliferation of funky architecture.

Dutch site iculture put together the above video of the Flyover tour, which highlights among other places the Euromast tower – a popular tourist attraction – the Erasmusbrug single-sided suspension bridge and the famous (and very cute) Kubuswoningen cube houses.

Update: Strasbourg in France and Malmö in Sweden just got added too (via iGen).

Apple recently added nine other Flyover locations around the world, and switched from Google Maps to Apple Maps for the Find My iPhone service on iCloud.

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Sony “stuck in 1992” after hacks – except for Macs, iPads and iPhones

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Dec 18 2014 - 6:20 am PT
24 Comments

A Sony employee has described the company as being “stuck in 1992” following the massive hacks, with employees desperately trying to avoid using any technology that could be compromised, reports TechCrunch.

“Some people had to send faxes. They were dragging old printers out of storage to cut checks,” she said. “It was crazy.”

The company is even encouraging staff to avoid using phones – presumably including the company’s own Android Xperia smartphones and tablets – in favor of face-to-face meetings.

There has, though, been one exception to the ban on modern technology: Apple kit.

“People using Macs were fine,” she said. She said most work is done on iPads and iPhones.

Sony may need to buy a few extra Macs, with some departments having only one or two computers for the entire office. It is, she said, like “living in an office from ten years ago.”

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Phone Breaker iCloud-hacking software now supports 2FA, allows access to WhatsApp & iWork files

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Dec 18 2014 - 5:46 am PT
5 Comments

Elcomsoft’s Phone Breaker software, used by law enforcement agencies but also thought to have been used by iCloud hackers to access celebrity nudes, has been updated to support accounts using two-factor authentication, reports MacWorld. It can also now access WhatsApp message files and iWork documents.

It’s not as scary as it sounds – the software can only be used once the attacker already has an Apple ID and password, together with either a second trusted device or your recovery key. A phishing attack is the most common way to obtain these, so as long as you use strong, unique passwords and don’t click on links in emails claiming to be from Apple, you should be safe. But it does allow users of the software to download either entire iPhone backups or selected data direct from iCloud much more easily than having to go through a compromised device by hand.

The more security-conscious will, though, want to heed Apple’s advice not to store your account recovery code on any of your devices: the software can automatically scan both your Mac and any external drives for these.

If you don’t yet have a recovery code for your Apple ID, do get one: even an unsuccessful hack attempt can lock you out of your account, and without a recovery key, there’s no way back in.

Via Engadget

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‘Thinking Cleaner’ aims to combine iOS 8’s HomeKit with your Roomba

Avatar for Mike Beasley Dec 17 2014 - 3:57 pm PT
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A new product on Kickstarter is aiming to integrate iOS 8’s new HomeKit features into the Roomba automated vacuum cleaner (which our own Ben Lovejoy listed as one of the best home automation gifts for 2014). That product is the Thinking Cleaner, which is basically a new faceplate for your Roomba. Inside the faceplate, however, are the necessary electronics to connect the device to Wi-Fi and control it from your smartphone.

The Thinking Cleaner’s actual feature list is pretty extensive. It allows you to schedule cleaning cycles not only from the web, but from a native iOS app as well. It can also use geofencing to detect when you leave the house and automatically start cleaning. User-customizable notifications can let you know when the Roomba starts cleaning, even when you’re not home.

You can use a “Find my Roomba”-style feature to play a sound from the vacuum, allowing you to quickly locate it, then remotely steer it back to you. Because it works with HomeKit, you can also expect to see some Siri integration as well. The Thinking Cleaner can pull software updates over-the-air, allowing it to gain new capabilities even after buying it.

You can find a lot more information, including several videos on the design of the faceplate, on the Thinking Cleaner’s Kickstarter page.

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Apple reminds developers about 64-bit iOS App Store requirement, app updates now must also comply by June

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Dec 17 2014 - 10:41 am PT
4 Comments

 

Apple had previously announced that developers of new apps must support 64-bit architectures (to take full advantage of the A7 and A8 technology) by February 1st, 2015. Today, Apple has reminded developers of this deadline as well as clarifying the situation for existing apps.


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You can now control your Nest with Google Now voice commands

Avatar for 9to5 Staff Dec 15 2014 - 11:58 am PT
1 Comment

It was only a matter of time following Google’s acquisition of home automation company Nest earlier this year that users would begin receiving the best of both worlds. One of the first marriages of each company’s products and services is Google Now integration with Nest, allowing for users to control the smart thermostat using voice commands.
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Gartner: iPhone sees growth while Samsung continues to slow, Apple to have record Q4

Avatar for Stephen Hall Dec 15 2014 - 11:33 am PT
8 Comments

Gartner today published its third quarter numbers, showing overall growth in the smartphone market and a strong quarter for Apple. Mobile devices overall saw as many as 456 million sold with smartphones taking a 301 million slice of that pie, which comes out to a solid 66% (up 20% from last year). This shift in the market seems to be hurting Samsung and Nokia the most, because while the Korean giant is still leading the pack, this year smaller companies with slimmer margins seem to be taking some of its foothold.


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Accessories with magnets/metal might interfere w/ iPhone 6 Plus optical image stabilization, NFC on new iPhones

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Dec 14 2014 - 3:52 pm PT
18 Comments
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Some users have noticed issues with the iPhone 6 Plus camera and NFC on both the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, but the cause of the problem— interference from magnets and metal components in accessories— isn’t well documented.

The cause of the issue has been noticed by a small number of users online, and Apple does briefly warn users to avoid accessories that use magnets or metal components in a support document quietly updated in the months following the launch of the new iPhones. But it’s not something most users are aware of when purchasing accessories that might end up causing problems for their new iPhone.

Behind the scenes Apple has started telling at least accessory makers in its MFi program to avoid using metal and magnets due to the issue with iPhone 6 Plus optical image stabilization, according to sources familiar with Apple’s MFi licensing program.
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Apple airs new ad for the holidays: ‘The Song’

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Dec 14 2014 - 10:03 am PT
16 Comments
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRsPnzcZ1VY

Continuing its ‘From one gift come many’ campaign, Apple has published a new commercial entitled ‘The Song’. The ad depicts a young woman listening to a song on a record player, from her youth. The girl then learns the tune using their guitar, recording the tune on a Mac.

The girl then leaves an iPad preloaded with the same song for an older relation, her grandmother, provoking the same emotions of her childhood and memories. The ad concludes with a Happy Holidays message from the company. Apple describes the ad with the following prelude on its website:

Some gifts create a million more. Watch as one budding musician uses Mac and GarageBand to make a heartfelt song for her grandmother.


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Google introduces Route 85 web series geared towards iOS developers

Avatar for 9to5 Staff Dec 12 2014 - 6:09 pm PT
4 Comments

Google may own the world’s most popular mobile operating system in Android, but it wants iPhone and iPad developers to recognize that the company has a lot to offer for them as well. Enter a new web series called Route 85, which will consist of a set of videos uploaded to the Google Developers channel on YouTube to showcase everything from SDKs to code libraries that iOS developers can take advantage of.
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Apple fast tracks CarPlay hardware development w/ official MFi specs for head units

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Dec 11 2014 - 11:25 am PT
19 Comments
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Apple’s new CarPlay iOS feature has recently arrived through a limited number of in-dash vehicle entertainment systems and aftermarket products, but Apple has now introduced official guidelines for companies building CarPlay hardware through its Made-for-iPhone/iPad/iPod (MFi) licensing program, according to sources. 
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Apple now requires cases protect devices from 1m drops, meet new environmental standards

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Dec 11 2014 - 10:24 am PT
28 Comments
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Apple recently started requiring case manufacturers in its Made for iPhone (MFi) licensing program follow new requirements that will ensure cases better protect Apple devices and cover glass from impact, according to sources with knowledge of the new guidelines.
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Robinhood launches on App Store, brings zero-commission stock trading to the masses

Avatar for 9to5 Staff Dec 11 2014 - 5:59 am PT
14 Comments
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For several years, my grandmother has encouraged me to get involved with the stock market. While she was successful at persuading my older brother into investing in penny stocks, I have never taken the initiative to learn how the stock market truly works. For that reason, I was excited when I heard about a brand new app called Robinhood, which provides zero-commission stock trading at your fingertips.

While online brokers are nothing new, with existing firms such as Interactive Brokers and E-Trade, Robinhood is a mobile-first service that doesn’t require a desktop. Whether you are a twenty-something college student that doesn’t fully understand how the stock market functions, an experienced Wall Street stock trader, or fall somewhere in between, the app makes stock trading easier for the masses.
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Fresh supply chain rumor reiterates Apple Watch headed for mass-production in January

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Dec 11 2014 - 4:55 am PT
6 Comments
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A report by Taiwan’s United Daily News claims that Apple supplier Quanta will begin mass-production of the Apple Watch in January, echoing an earlier supply-chain rumor from September. It claims that the initial production run will be between three and five million units.

The report says that there have been ‘breakthroughs’ in yield issues, and that the company increased its production staffing from 3000 to 10,000 workers in the second half of the year, with further recruitment ongoing … 
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Grab a big iOS App designer bundle (MSRP: over $1000) for only a few bucks

Avatar for 9to5 Staff Dec 10 2014 - 8:01 pm PT
1 Comment
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From 9to5Toys Specials:

Specials.9to5toys.com is running a **special** on an iOS app designer bundle that up and coming iOS app designers will likely want to take advantage of.  This is an “NYOP bundle”, meaning that people can name their own price to get 2 courses (Learn Mobile Web Design Using Bootstrap & Learn To Build Cross Platform Apps). Or, if you beat the average price, you’ll get the entire bundle (7 courses & assets). This evening that is only a few bucks plus 10% goes to charity of your choice and high bidders get a chance to win a Gold iPad Air/ iPhone 6. The bundle includes:

MSRP value of these courses and assets is $1,415. You can’t go wrong for a few bucks.


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Apple releases iOS 8.2 beta 2 for developers

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Dec 10 2014 - 9:56 am PT
4 Comments
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Apple has just released the second beta of iOS 8.2 to developers, for testing, as an over-the-air update.  The beta can also be downloaded from Apple’s developer site. iOS 8.2 includes WatchKit, so developers can create apps and Glances for Apple Watch. You can read about how such apps work with our previous coverage of the WatchKit APIs. Apple released the first beta of iOS 8.2 a few weeks ago.


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Alipay updated w/ Touch ID amid talk of potential Apple-Alibaba partnership

Avatar for 9to5 Staff Dec 10 2014 - 9:45 am PT
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Apple CEO Tim Cook, speaking at the Wall Street Journal: Digital conference in October, claimed that he would be entering discussions with Jack Ma, executive chairman of Alibaba, about a potential partnership with the Chinese e-commerce company. It was speculated at the time that any partnership would likely be centered upon the integration of Apple Pay and Alipay for mobile payments on Alibaba, Taobao and Tmall.

Amid the speculation, China Daily was first to report that Alibaba has updated its Alipay app for iPhone and iPad today with Touch ID support. Alipay users with an iPhone 5s, iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus will now be able to use their fingerprint instead of a password when making mobile payments on the latest version of the app, which is a step closer to the way that Apple Pay works in the United States.
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Facebook bringing ‘Trending’ section to iOS, improves web version

Avatar for 9to5 Staff Dec 10 2014 - 9:08 am PT
1 Comment

Facebook introduced a new “Trending” section on the web in January to display trending stories that are frequently shared and discussed on the social network. Today, the company announced that it has improved this feature by organizing trending topics into five categories so that it’s easier for people to explore stories from different sources.
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