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iPhone 6 Plus

472 'iPhone 6 Plus' stories September 2014 - June 2015
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The iPhone 6 Plus ($299 and up from the Apple Store) is Apple’s flagship phone, and one of its most popular products, period. Equipped with a 5.5″ Retina HD display, the iPhone 6 Plus boasts full 1080p HD resolution (1920 x 1080) at 401 PPI, the sharpest-looking screen on any Apple device. It’s also color-accurate, with a full sRGB color gamut and a wider viewing angle than prior screens. Three capacities (16/64/128GB) and three colors (gold/silver/space gray) are available.

Due to its larger screen, the iPhone 6 Plus has the ability to display the Home screen in landscape mode for the first time. It also has the best virtual keyboard yet offered in an iPhone, making accurate typing a lot easier for people with larger hands. Video viewing is dramatically better than older iPhones, as well.

Apple has upgraded the 6 Plus with a second-generation 64-bit A8 chip, delivering 25% faster CPU performance and up to 50% faster graphics than the iPhone 5s. Despite the superior processing and thinner body, 6 Plus blows away other iPhones in battery life, typically running for at least a full day without requiring a recharge. iPhone 6 Plus includes 802.11ac Wi-Fi support, Voice over LTE with Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and others abroad, and Wi-Fi calling using T-Mobile in the US. It also has a Touch ID sensor with full support for secure Apple Pay transactions, both in retail stores and online.

The 8MP iSight camera has been improved. Although the 1.5µ pixels and ƒ/2.2 aperture aren’t hugely different from before, there’s an all-new sensor that improves focus, face detection, and image stabilization. The iPhone 6 Plus also includes an “optical image stabilization” feature that isn’t present on the iPhone 6. Video can be recorded in 1080p at 30 or 60fps, with slo-mo video at 120 or 240 fps. Small hardware improvements to the front-facing camera come from a new sensor and a larger ƒ/2.2 aperture, as well as H.265 video support for much smoother FaceTime calls.

Even with a big screen and improved hardware, the iPhone 6 Plus measures only 7.1mm thick, versus the iPhone 5s’s 7.5mm. The only question is whether it will fit in your pocket or purse. If it will, go with the Plus, which is our top iPhone pick.

9to5Toys Last Call: 3-pack MFi Lightning cables $15, iPhone 6/Plus cases from $2, travel router $15, more

Avatar for Jun 24 2015 - 9:00 am PT
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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: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call Updates:

3-pack of 3.3-ft Poweradd MFi Lightning cables $15 Prime shipped (Reg. $23)

Verus iPhone 6/Plus cases in multiple styles & colors starting at $2 shipped

HooToo Wireless N Travel Routers w/ file sharing 20% off: TripMate Nano $15 Prime shipped (Reg. $25), more

Save $100 on Apple’s iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi 16GB in Gold or Silver: $399 shipped (Reg. $499)

Amazon Echo smart speaker now available for purchase for $180 shipped

Giveaway: Grovemade’s latest wooden creation provides a luxurious home for your Magic TrackPad

More new gear from today:

Games/Apps: Batman Arkham Knight 20% off + free skins & discounted bundle, Watch Dogs $10, iOS freebies, more

  • New! Daily Deals: Bluetooth Speaker $20, Logitech Z523 Speakers (refurb) $49, more
  • New! Save 40% at Gap & on Banana Republic sale items

More deals still alive:

Garmin vívofit Bluetooth Fitness Band (refurb): $42 shipped (Orig. $130)

iPhone 5 & 1-Yr Unlimited Talk/Text, 500MB LTE/m $300 shipped

New products & more:

Ily puts video calls front and center with compatibility for iOS and Android devices

Hulu secures its subscribers a 20% discount on the new Showtime streaming service

E3:

UK Apple Pay won’t require PIN but £20 contactless transaction limit does apply … for now

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Jun 24 2015 - 4:42 am PT
21 Comments
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Apple Pay is going international starting with the United Kingdom next month. The precise nature of how Apple Pay will work in the UK has been murky, with banks saying different things. Apple has now posted a FAQ to explain the situation.

Apple Pay will work with any current contactless reader. By default, it uses the same technology as other UK contactless cards. This means that performing an Apple Pay purchase will not require a PIN (as is standard with UK Chip and PIN payments). However, the usual £20 limit on contactless transactions does apply … for the time being. When Apple Pay launches in July, almost all merchants will only allow Apple Pay purchases up to £20 …


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Apple becomes Promoter Member of Bluetooth Special Interest Group, gaining more influence over the technology

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Jun 23 2015 - 5:21 am PT
7 Comments
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Earlier in the year, the Bluetooth SIG appointed an Apple employee as secretary of the board. The two institutions are developing their relationship further today with the announcement that Apple is now a Promoter Member of the Bluetooth Special Interest Group. This is the highest level with the organization and gives Apple voting rights.

Promoter members get voting rights on Bluetooth corporate matters and a guaranteed seat on the board of directors. Current promoter members Ericsson, Intel, Lenovo, Microsoft, Nokia and Toshiba ‘unanimously welcomed’ Apple to the position.

This means that Apple will now have significant influence over the technological roadmap for Bluetooth in cooperation with these other companies.


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Taylor Swift says ‘1989’ is not on Apple Music because she is disappointed by 3 month free trial terms for artists

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Jun 21 2015 - 5:08 am PT
120 Comments
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Update: Apple has responded to Swift’s blog post.

Earlier this week, it was confirmed that Taylor Swift’s latest album ‘1989’ will not be available on Apple Music, Apple’s streaming music service launching on June 30th with iOS 8.4. She has written a blog post on Tumblr explaining her position.

We don’t ask you for free iPhones. Please don’t ask us to provide you with our music for no compensation.

Swift explains that she respects Apple for their innovation but says the terms associated with the Apple Music free trial are ‘unlike this historically progressive and generous company’. Swift says that under the 3 month free trial period, artists and rights holders are not paid at all for the duration and notes Apple has plenty of money to reimburse the artists for their work. Swift says that she is holding back 1989 not because she cannot support herself but as a retaliation for ‘the new artist or band that has just released their first single’.


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Apple begins accepting submitted publications into Apple News

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Jun 18 2015 - 9:35 am PT
10 Comments

iOS 9 introduces Apple News, which replaces Newsstand as the default way to read news publications and blog content on the iPad and iPhone. Apple is automatically including many famous partners automatically with smaller publications having to request inclusion. We explained how to submit to Apple News a few days ago.


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Review: blueLounge’s Portiko + Pixi bring elegance to Mac / iOS / Apple Watch charging + cable management

Avatar for Jeremy Horwitz Jun 13 2015 - 7:00 am PT
9 Comments

blueLounge isn’t a typical Apple accessory maker. If you look through its 15-year backcatalog of releases, you’ll notice that its products are markedly different from somewhat overlapping alternatives produced by rivals — intensely practical and cleanly-designed, yet sometimes so conceptually minor that they’re hard to review. Take CableDrop and CableDrop Mini, for instance, circular adhesive pads that each do nothing more than hold one cord in a fixed position wherever you want it. I use CableDrop Mini every day with my MacBook Pro’s power cable, but can’t justify a full review of something so utterly basic.

The simultaneous release of two new blueLounge accessories — Portiko ($25) and Pixi ($10) — gives me the rare opportunity to cover one of the company’s minor but practical items alongside one that’s more gadget-like. Portiko (shown above) is a wall- or table-mountable power source attractive enough to put on display between the four devices it can charge at once. It has enough USB and AC power outlets to handle a MacBook, iPad, iPhone, and Apple Watch at the same time, or other combinations of devices. Pixi is blueLounge’s latest cable management solution, a set of elegantly-built elastic and plastic bands that wrap around bunches of cables, tidying up your desk. Read on for more details and pictures…


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Developers hack Apple Watch to run real UIKit-backed native apps

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Jun 12 2015 - 9:10 am PT
6 Comments
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Well-known developers Steve Troughton-Smith, Saurik and Adam Bell have managed to hack the Apple Watch on watchOS 2 to run truly native apps on the device. Although Apple is advertising native apps with watchOS 2, it isn’t as ‘native’ as some developers wanted or expected. The logic code now runs on the watch, but raw access to the user interface is still not allowed on watchOS 2.

This means frameworks like UIKit cannot be used to draw truly custom UI. Instead developers must rely on the same techniques employed with current WatchKit apps that revolve around image sequences to create more interesting effects.

In the demo, video embedded below, the team managed to get a fully interactive 3D object running on the Apple Watch powered by Apple’s SceneKit framework.


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iOS 9 adds cellular Continuity feature, T-Mobile first to send home iPhone calls to office iPad & Mac

Avatar for Jeremy Horwitz Jun 10 2015 - 12:45 pm PT
41 Comments

Although Apple originally debuted Continuity in iOS 8, enabling iPhone calls and SMS messages to be received and answered on Macs or iPads, the feature only worked when the iPhone, Macs, and iPads were on the same Wi-Fi network. Today, T-Mobile announced that it is “the only mobile network operator in the world” with support for a new and previously unannounced iOS 9 feature: Continuity support has been added to T-Mobile’s cellular network, so a Mac or iPad can receive an iOS 9 iPhone’s calls even when the iPhone isn’t on the same Wi-Fi network.

This means that “T-Mobile customers will be able to answer that important text message or call on your Mac or iPad even if you left your phone at home,” explained T-Mobile, so “you can leave your phone on your desk and just take your tablet or your Mac to your meeting and never worry about missing anything.” Implicitly, the iPad or Mac would need to be connected to a Wi-Fi network for calls and SMS messages to come through. The feature is active as of the iOS 9 beta, so “customers will need the iOS 9 beta to use the new feature, and it will be available to every T-Mobile customer with an iOS device later this year when iOS 9 is publicly available.” And there’s more…


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iOS 9 follows OS X in dropping discoveryd for mDNSResponder to improve network stability

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Jun 10 2015 - 6:15 am PT
7 Comments
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Xcode listing running processes on an iOS 9 iPhone.

When OS X 10.10.4 betas dropped discoveryd a couple of weeks ago before iOS 9 and OS X 10.11 were announced, there was some speculation about whether it was just a temporary intermediate fix until Apple reworks discoveryd for the next generation operating systems. Using Xcode’s Instruments developer tools for iOS and Activity Monitor on the Mac, we can confirm that Apple has also dropped discoveryd on iOS 9 and OS X 10.11 El Capitan.


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With iOS 9, Apple lets developers cutoff support for older iOS devices without 64-bit CPUs

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Jun 10 2015 - 4:44 am PT
13 Comments
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With iOS 9, developers can cutoff younger devices in a way that was not previously possible. Although iOS 9 runs on every device that runs iOS 8, app developers are free to specify more restrictive compatibility requirements.

In fact, with iOS 9, developers can choose to make their apps exclude any non-64 bit architecture. This means all iPod touch models, all iPhones before the iPhone 5s and all iPads before the iPad Air will not be able to install apps where developers have required 64-bit CPUs.


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All major banks support Apple Pay in the UK apart from Barclays, says negotiations ongoing

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Jun 9 2015 - 2:32 am PT
26 Comments
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UK bank Barclays is the only major holdout from the launch of Apple Pay in the UK. From next month, users with iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus or Apple Watch in the United Kingdom will be able to use the NFC mobile payments chip inside their iPhone to use Apple Pay.

Apple announced yesterday a whole swathe of partners, including Santander, HSBC and Lloyds. The notable omission from the ‘big four’ British banks is Barclays. Barclays’ Twitter support has come under fire in the aftermath from customers and has issued the following statement, which shows that all hope is not lost for Apple Pay for iPhone users who bank with Barclays.


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9to5Toys Last Call: 32GB Wi-Fi Flash Drive $30, iPhone 6/Plus cases from $2, 480GB Pro SSD $200, more

Avatar for Jun 5 2015 - 9:15 am PT
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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: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call Updates:

Add 32GB to your iPhone or iPad wirelessly for $30 (Orig. $60) or via Lightning for $50 (Orig. $80)

Verus iPhone 6/Plus and 5/s cases in multiple styles and colors starting at $2 shipped

SanDisk Extreme Pro 480GB 2.5-inch Internal Solid-State Drive $200 shipped (Reg. $230+), more

EC Technology 22,400mAh Ultra High Capacity Power Bank $29 Prime shipped (Reg. $39)

Bose updates its best-sounding Soundlink Mini II portable Bluetooth speaker with (almost) everything we asked for

2Do task management app for iOS and Apple Watch goes free for the first time (Reg. $15)

Apple’s all-new 12-inch MacBook is available to ship today, Gold model included + small discounts and potential tax advantages

More new gear from today:

Amazon Gold Box – up to 68% off iconic actors/directors collections: Clint Eastwood 22-Disc Blu-ray set $47, more

The Smart AC Control from tado° lets your iPhone control your existing air conditioner

More deals still alive:

iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi 64GB in all colors: $500 shipped (Reg. $599)

iPad mini 3 Wi-Fi 16GB $300 shipped (Reg. $399)

New products & more:

Here Active Listening Earbuds let you control the volume of the world

Microdia plans a microSD card with 512GB of storage space, release in July

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Samsung looks for any possible advantages in new pair of ads bashing the iPhone 6

Avatar for Chance Miller Jun 4 2015 - 3:32 pm PT
59 Comments

Samsung today has shared two new ads for its Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge flagships and in typical Samsung fashion, both of the ads take multiple disses at the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. The first ad features the Galaxy S6 Edge and focuses on how the curved display of the device is “useful.” Samsung touts that the S6 Edge lights up on the side when someone calls, while the iPhone 6 simply vibrates. Because a strobing light is definitely more useful than a vibration…


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How to watch Apple’s WWDC keynote livestream on Windows and Android

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Jun 2 2015 - 5:23 am PT
5 Comments

As announced last night, Apple will live stream its WWDC keynote at 10 AM PST on June 8th, next Monday, where it will announce iOS 9 and OS X 10.11. The apple.com/live site confirms that the official website stream is limited to Macs, iPhones, iPads and Apple TV. However, it is possible to watch the keynote using Windows or even Android devices by using VLC, a free video player that can read Apple’s livestream data and show the video in its player …


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Review: myCharge’s HubUltra is the premium 12,000mAh battery for your iPad + Beats headphones

Avatar for Jeremy Horwitz May 31 2015 - 10:49 am PT
3 Comments

I’ve learned a lot about 9to5Mac readers’ iPad, iPhone, and even MacBook battery preferences over the past six months: roughly 75% want the most affordable or value-laden battery available for a specific need (say, a powerful $40 iPhone 6 battery case or an $80 ultra high-capacity iPad battery), while the remaining 25% are willing to pay a premium for better features or a better-known brand name.

Just beginning to hit stores, myCharge’s new HubUltra ($150, currently $110 online) is designed to be the iPad/iPhone battery for users who will pay more for something flashy. It looks great, packs a large 12,000mAh rechargeable cell for plenty of power, has built-in Lightning and Micro-USB cables, and rapidly refuels with an included wall power dock. HubUltra doesn’t deliver as much power for the dollar as the remarkable Anker Astro E7, but myCharge has built a completely turnkey solution that will particularly appeal to iPad users with micro-USB accessories. If that’s what you’re looking for, read on…


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Pixelmator for the iPhone launching tomorrow, we go hands on (update: now available!)

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo May 27 2015 - 9:56 am PT
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Update: Pixelmator for iPhone is now available. Download it here.

Pixelmator is releasing an update to its iOS app tomorrow, making the app available on the iPhone for the first time ($4.99). The universal app means you can buy once and download Pixelmator on both iPad and iPhone. Existing iOS users of the app naturally get the iPhone version for free as an update. The new version also brings the Distort tools, like warp brushes, to the iOS app for the first time.

Pixelmator for iPhone works very similarly to the iPad version but scaled down for the smaller canvas. You can read our full review of the iPad app from last year. Rather than popover panels, selecting an action opens full-width menus encapsulating options. This is a necessary concession for the size of the display.


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Ever wished your iPhone 6/Plus had a back button? With this $17 screen protector, you can have one …

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy May 25 2015 - 6:44 am PT
9 Comments

Apple may have introduced Reachability to aid one-handed operation of its larger-screened iPhones, but if you’ve ever found yourself happily enjoying the full-screen experience only to need your second hand to reach the back button at the top of the screen, there’s a clever solution on Kickstarter.

Halo Back is what its creator terms a smart screen protector. Covering the entire front face of your iPhone just like a conventional screen protector, it adds an embedded capacitive circuit layer running from the area to the left of the home button to the top left of the iPhone. Touch the invisible button, and Halo Back transmits your touch to the usual position for a software back button.

I’m not personally a fan of screen protectors, preferring my iPhone screen naked and hoping not to drop it, but if I were going for a protector, I like the idea of the extra functionality.

The Halo Back is planned to retail for a rather pricey $49, but you can back it on Kickstarter for $17 (the early bird versions now gone), with delivery scheduled for August. It’s the same price for both iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. The usual Kickstarter cautions apply – most deliver, but not all – and it only works with apps that have their back button in the standard place, but that’s most of them.

Via Gizmodo

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Express clothing store starts officially accepting Apple Pay

Avatar for Mark Gurman May 19 2015 - 1:16 pm PT
3 Comments

Add Express to the list of retailers now taking Apple Pay at checkout. Checks with multiple Express stores across the United States and tips from readers indicate that the fashion and clothing retailer starting accepting the iPhone and Apple Watch payment feature this week. Express joins a short list of clothing stores that formally accept Apple Pay, which already includes Bloomingdales and American Eagle. According to Apple’s website, more clothing stores such as Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie will start accepting Apple Pay soon. Earlier this month, grocery store Trader Joe’s started officially taking Apple Pay, while 30 new banks and credit unions started showing their support this morning. We also reported this morning that Tim Cook told employees in China that the company is in talks to bring the mobile payments service to the region.


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9to5Toys Last Call: DODOcase 50% off, 5K iMac refurb lowest price, iPhone 6 Plus (unlocked) $660, more

Avatar for May 19 2015 - 9:01 am PT
1 Comment

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: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call Updates:

DODOcase handcrafted iPad and iPhone cases 50% off: iPad mini slim case $20, iPhone 6 wallet sleeve $25, more

Apple drops refurbished 5K iMac pricing down to lowest ever in light of today’s announcement

eBay 10% off tech orders of $200+: Apple iPhone 6 Plus 16GB $660 (Reg. $749), more

$100 iTunes gift card for $80 w/ email delivery from PayPal (20% savings)

More new gear from today:

OtterBox iPhone 6/Plus Defender Series case in black from $25 shipped (Orig. up to $60), more

OtterBox iPhone 6 Symmetry Series Case $25 Prime shipped (Orig. $40), more

  • New! Daily Deals: Dell 28-inch Ultra HD 4K Monitor $299, more
  • New! M-Audio 61-key Oxygen Series bus-powered MIDI keyboard $123 shipped (Reg. $200)
  • New! Games/Apps: Far Cry 4 Kyrat Edition $71, Watch Dogs, Evolve, Destiny (pre-owned) from $10, more

More deals still alive:

The best-selling GoPro HERO4 Silver Action Camera is on sale for $329 shipped (Reg. $400)

Two SONOS PLAY:1 Wireless Powered Speakers: $349 ($398 value)

New products & more:

A one man Swedish design studio made a retro style arcade cabinet that looks like it belongs in an art museum

Narrative’s Clip 2 wearable camera for iOS and Android is available for pre-order today

Tylt’s Energi Sliding Power Case for iPhone 6 Plus, RIBBN charger satisfy larger devices’ battery needs

Avatar for Jeremy Horwitz May 19 2015 - 8:13 am PT
3 Comments

While two dozen battery cases have been released for the iPhone 6, only a handful have become available for the larger iPhone 6 Plus, which can run longer without assistance. But there are definitely situations where even the iPhone 6 Plus can benefit from extra battery life, including international travel and occasional emergencies. And that’s why Tylt has released the Energi Sliding Power Case for iPhone 6 Plus ($100). It’s a true rarity due to its Made for iPhone certification, some unique features, and much better performance for the same price as Mophie’s Juice Pack for iPhone 6 Plus.

In what may well be a first for iPhone battery cases, Energi is actually being offered in two different widths, one billed as “2.9-inch” and the other as “3.3-inch.” They’re both sold for the same $100 price, but the 2.9-inch version has a 3,200mAh battery and the 3.3-inch model has a 3,500mAh battery. Another surprise: the model I tested with the 3,500mAh battery unusually boasts 2.1-Amp power output, which means the iPhone 6 Plus will recharge at its top possible speed. There’s more, too…


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Apple releases its first official iPhone Lightning Dock for iPhone 6/6 Plus

Avatar for Zac Hall May 19 2015 - 6:59 am PT
25 Comments

In addition to launching a new 15-inch MacBook Pro with Force Touch and a cheaper 27-inch Retina iMac, Apple has also introduced its first official iPhone Lightning Dock with compatibility for both the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Of course, being this late to the charging dock game means a number of fine solutions already exist at competitive prices.
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Developer hacks Watch OS to get a web browser running on Apple Watch

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo May 10 2015 - 8:30 am PT
22 Comments
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Prominent community developer and jailbreaker Comex has posted a video showing a successful hack of Watch OS to get the device running a web browser.

In the video, Comex has managed to get the Google homepage to render on the small Watch display. Apple does not include a Safari browser app on the Watch, for obvious reasons. The video shows that scrolling around even basic web pages on a tiny display is impractical.

More importantly, the video shows that it is possible to get the Watch to run arbitrary code. This could be the first step towards a ‘jailbreak’ of the Apple Watch although Comex makes no such promises to ever release the details of his hack.


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