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There's an inactive one-handed keyboard hidden inside iOS code
In these days of big iPhones, smaller-handed individuals have trouble typing up a storm on their iOS devices. However, since iOS 8 (at least), Apple has toyed with an edge-swipe activated one-hand keyboard. To keep characters closer to your thumb, it squishes character keys and expands copy and paste buttons, keeping the word prediction rail above the keys. Alas, it still remains unfinished and inaccessible, hidden away in the iPhone's Xcode.
Google's immersive storytelling app launches on iOS
Google is getting serious about 360-degree video content. And it's not only about supporting it through YouTube or, by extension, Cardboard. The search giant's also behind an app called Spotlight Stories, which it created with Motorola in 2013 and has been on Android since. As of today, that application is also available for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad -- as long as those devices are running a version of iOS 8. Google describes Spotlight Stories as a "mobile movie theater" that combines 3D and 2D animation with 360-degree spherical video, sphere audio and sensor-triggered interactions to create an immersive experience. Right now there are four stories you can watch: Buggy Night, Help, Duet and Windy Day, all of which are original and were created exclusively for Spotlight Stories.
iPhone encryption has locked out Manhattan cops just 74 times
You'll frequently hear law enforcement complain that it can't break the full-drive encryption in newer smartphone operating systems, but how often do the police run into that problem, really? Thanks to a US Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, you now have a better idea. The Manhattan District Attorney's office has revealed that, out of the 92 cases where an iPhone with iOS 8 has been involved so far, the cops have been locked out 74 times. District Attorney Cyrus Vance portrays this as proof that officers need backdoors or other forms of guaranteed access, noting that there's at least one case (in Illinois) where evidence from a victim's iPhone led to a conviction. Police shouldn't simply be told that there's "nothing [they] can do," he says.
Apple kills Home Sharing for music in iOS 8.4
The arrival of Apple Music has been much-celebrated, but for it to live, the company appears to have killed-off Home Sharing from iOS. The feature enabled you to stream tunes from your desktop (i.e. where your collection is) over your home network to a local iPod, iPhone or iPad. Unfortunately, as AppleInsider reports, that offering has now been pulled, so you'll have to postpone any impromptu kitchen parties that you had planned. Interestingly, the change only affects music playback, since you can still share video to nearby iDevices.
iOS 9 will delete apps to make room for system updates
Early adopters of iOS 9 beta 2 have discovered a new feature that will temporarily delete apps from overloaded devices when there isn't enough space to install system updates. Many users with the smaller 8GB and 16GB iPhones reportedly had difficulty fitting the last upgrade onto their mobile devices. And while iOS 9 is only a fraction of the size of iOS 8 (they're 1.3 GB and 4.3 GB, respectively), Apple is clearly trying to nip similar complaints in the bud this time around. The new feature will of course reinstall the deleted app once the update has completed -- plus, presumably, any user data that was deleted along with the app itself.
iOS 8.4 is coming, will protect against the 'shutdown bug'
Apple began distributing fourth beta of iOS 8.4 to its developers on Wednesday that includes a permanent solution to the recently discovered "shutdown bug." This programming glitch causes an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch to automatically reboot when a string of mixed alphanumeric and arabic characters are texted to the device. And since the issue revolves around how iOS' banner notifications handle unicode, the bug also affects third party messaging apps like Snapchat and Twitter. iOS 8.4 is expected to be out of beta and available to the general public by the end of the month, likely just before the release of Apple Music on June 30th. Until then, users can refer to this Apple Support document for a temporary workaround.
Apple's next big iOS update could get a public beta test first
Worried that the next iOS update could repeat last year's glitchy rollout of iOS 8? We imagine the folks in Cupertino feel the same way, and according to a report from 9to5Mac, they plan to avoid it by adding public beta tests to the mix. Specifically, the move will mirror its early test of OS X Yosemite, with iOS 8.3 getting a preview in mid-March, and then iOS 9 over the summer. Those willing to risk some stability to help out can sign up for the AppleSeed program here although that doesn't assure inclusion -- the test will reportedly be limited to 100,000 people.
Study says Android 4.0 and iOS 8 are most likely to crash your apps
Ever had the feeling that certain phone operating systems are more likely to crash your apps than others? It's not just you. Crittercism has posted its latest breakdown of crash reports from about 20,000 apps, and it's clear that certain operating systems aren't as friendly as others. On Android, Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0) is most likely to wreck your day; KitKat (4.4) is close behind, while Lollipop's early reputation for glitches apparently doesn't affect apps. With Apple devices, however, the tables turn. While iOS' app crash rate is lower overall, iOS 8 is a bit more problematic than its predecessor. That's not surprising given that Apple hasn't had as much time to tackle issues in 8, but you may feel better if you're still holding on to 7.
ESPN is getting a brand-wide makeover, starting with its iOS app
Up until now, ESPN has had two separate apps on iOS for news and scores, one designed for iPhone (SportsCenter) and another for iPad (ScoreCenter). Well, starting today, that's about to change. The Worldwide Leader in Sports announced that it is, finally, unifying its apps on Apple's platform, mashing them into a single application that'll be known simply as "ESPN." The newly consolidated app doesn't just bring a rebranding, however -- it's also completely redesigned and developed to take advantage of iOS 8, which you'll need to have on your device in order to download it. As such, you can expect the ESPN app to support the bigger, higher-res screens of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, a feature that's been long overdue.
Chrome for iOS plays nicely with Mac browsers, big iPhones
At long last, Google has overhauled its Chrome browser for iOS to fit into the company's Material Design language -- and thankfully, it's a lot more than a fresh coat of paint. The newly released Chrome 40 gives you the expected bright colors, flat surfaces and fancy animations of Google's latest interface philosophy, but its big deal is rich support for iOS 8. The app is now fully compatible with larger iPhones, and it'll hand off web links to the preferred browser on your Mac (if you're running OS X Yosemite, that is). If you're a fan of Chrome but wish that it fit better into Apple's world, you'll want to swing by the App Store for the update.
Ginger's spellchecking keyboard comes to iOS 8, but don't expect perfect prose
Sometimes we all need a second pair of eyes on something we're writing, even if it's curt replies on WhatsApp or a lengthy email response that you had to compose from your phone. Ginger's custom keyboard, now out on iOS, offers a way to proofread your typing with a press. The Android version has been around for a while, but it's the new version of iOS (and the ability to add keyboards), that's allowed Ginger to offer the same thing for iPhones. Once you've installed the keyboard, pressing the G button will launch out of wherever you're typing and into the Ginger app, with the ability to spell (and grammar) check what you've written, rephrase, translate and even suggest synonyms if you need to spice up that invitation to go for a coffee.
Fitbit's activity trackers vanish from Apple's online store
Those rumors of Apple pulling Fitbit activity trackers from its stores appear to have been well-founded. SlashGear and others have noticed that Fitbit's gear is no longer available from Apple's online store; search for "Fitbit" and you'll come up empty.. We've reached out to Apple for more details of what's going on, although many have suggested that the forced exit is due to Fitbit's refusal to share tracking data with iOS 8's Health app. Apple typically sells accessories that are showcases for its products, and it might not want to offer a less-than-complete fitness experience in its shops -- even if you'd likely be happy in the long run. The disappearance is unfortunate if you were hoping to pick up a Fitbit Charge alongside that new iPhone, but there will still be plenty of other outlets willing to take your cash.
Neato lets you take notes, send messages, and more from your iOS 8 widgets
For writers and business minded users everywhere, the iPhone is as much a note taking tool as it is a phone, web, or email device. The only hitch is having to open an app every time you want to take a note, though thanks to a new iOS 8 widget this everyday task can be done much faster. Neato allows you to write a note and save it to Dropbox or Evernote, send it out as mail, a text, or tweet, without ever opening an app. The widget appears in your Notification Center drop down menu with a simple swipe of your finger. Neato simulates the iOS keyboard for quick typing, and to keep things kosher with the Apple developer regulations for widgets. The only hitch is that learning to type on the smaller than normal keyboard takes a bit of practice. Currently Neato is available a free download from the iTunes store, so grab it now before you have to pony up your hard earned dollars.
Swype for iOS 8 understands 16 new languages and suggests emoji
Still sticking to the default keyboard on your iPhone or iPad? Nuance is hoping you'll give Swype a try, that's why the company has updated its virtual keyboard with support for 16 new languages. These include Hungarian, Romanian, Russian and even Hinglish (that's a hybrid of Hindi and English, if you didn't know), bringing the total number of supported languages to 21. Plus, Swype now automatically suggests emojis to use, depending on the words in your message. For instance, if you use happy, excited words, expect the keyboard to suggest some grinning, party-loving smileys -- and vice versa.
Apple explains its busted iOS 8.0.1 update
Sure, Apple's already fixed that buggy iOS 8.0.1 update that disconnected devices from their networks and just pretty much broke iPhones for a while. It's even been a month since then, but you still can't let it go until you get an explanation, huh? Well, friends, this is probably the closest thing you'll ever get: apparently, there was nothing wrong with the update itself, and it was Apple's distribution methods or how the update was "wrapped" that broke devices. At Recode's Code/Mobile conference earlier, Apple product marketing executive Greg "Joz" Joswiak said the issue resulted from "the way the software was being sent over servers," though he didn't go into specifics. He also defended his company, claiming that mistakes are inevitable when you're pushing software and that Apple always tries to fix them quickly. Since Joz dismissed questions on whether he thinks the company has bigger quality control issues, you'll just have to speculate about that on your own.
Apple's iOS 8.1 update is waiting for you to download it
Well, it's Monday, and that can only mean one thing: Apple's iOS 8.1 update has finally gone live for your installing pleasure. To recap, the new software -- which is debuting just over a month since iOS 8 first hit -- brings back once-trashed favorites like the Camera Roll, and strengthens the connection between your iPhone, iPad and Yosemite-powered Mac with features like SMS handoff and the uber-impressive Instant Hotspot.
Dropbox's iOS 8 app adds support for Touch ID
Not to be outdone by Microsoft's recent refresh of OneDrive, Dropbox has now made its iOS app compatible with Apple's fingerprint-scanning technology, Touch ID, as well. You'll need iOS 8 in order for the feature to work, but chances are you're already running the latest and greatest software from Apple anyway. Aside from adding the ability to unlock the application by way of Touch ID, Dropbox also updated it to support the bigger screens of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus -- something that owners of Apple's newest smartphones will definitely appreciate. Now someone tell Google to hurry and do the same for Drive.
iOS 8.1 is coming on Monday, will bring Apple Pay and added Continuity support
Craig Federighi, Apple's senior VP of software engineering, has just announced that iOS 8.1 will bring Apple Pay compatibility to the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus. That's good news, because Apple Pay launches this Monday with support from Starbucks, Macy's, Target and others. It'll also bring back the Camera Roll, which should be good news for iPhone users who missed that feature when it was taken away. Additionally, those who update to the new firmware will get access to the public beta of iCloud Photo Library, which gives you the ability to access the full resolution of all your photos and videos without any downscaling. The big news though, is that iOS 8.1 will finally bring Continuity compatibility when it comes to SMS and Instant Hotspot (as long as you have OS X Yosemite installed on your Mac, of course). That means you'll be able to make and receive texts from your Mac and get online via your phone's cellular connection. Those with iOS 8 and Yosemite could already enjoy other Continuity features such as handing off a half-composed email from your Mac to your iPad, sharing Keynote slides and making and receiving calls. And if all of that sounds intriguing to you, well good news: iOS 8.1 will be available this coming Monday. Update: We previously mentioned that iOS 8.1 will add Continuity compatibility, but iOS 8 already had some Continuity features. iOS 8.1 will add SMS and Instant Hotspot features specifically.
Withings makes some devices compatible with Apple's Health app
A couple of weeks ago, Apple gave clearance to HealthKit applications with an update to iOS 8 -- one that, as you're likely aware of, ended up causing major problems for iPhone 6 users. But, since this issue has been resolved, more outfits have (finally) had the chance to make their software and hardware friendly with the platform's Health app. As of today, we can add Withings to the list, having just announced that some of its products, including the Health Mate app, can start integrating with Apple's HealthKit. This includes Whitings' Smart Body Analyzer, Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor, the Aura sleep tracker and the fitness-tailored Pulse O2, which is great news if you own one of these as well as an iOS 8 device. We'll likely see more developers do the same soon, so don't worry if your preferred brand isn't on board yet.
Fitbit doesn't plan to share stats with Apple's new Health app, for now (update)
After a mention on stage back at WWDC when Apple Health was first announced for iOS 8, Fitbit was absent when the feature went live. Now, the activity-tracking outfit says it doesn't "currently have plans" to opt in. "It is an interesting new platform and we will watch as it matures, looking for opportunities to improve the Fitbit experience," a moderator responding to Fitbit forum inquires explained. "At the moment, we're working on other exciting projects that we think will be valuable to users." Of course, Fitbit does have its own software. Even if it has a trackerless app in the works to leverage the iPhone's internals, it would make sense to share stats with the iOS repository. Fitbit was the top seller for activity trackers in Q1 2014 according to ABI Research, accounting for nearly 50 percent of shipments. It doesn't appear to be struggling to grow the user base, so the need to have its wares in more places isn't pressing. However, as you can see in the forum thread, those who have already invested in a tracker aren't too happy with the company's current stance.
