Ios6
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Apple tests new iCloud beta features
Developers who are enrolled in the iOS 6 beta are now able to see a new iCloud Beta portal at beta.icloud.com that is complete with new versions of Calendar and Find My iPhone, as well as two new iCloud additions -- Reminders and Notes. The expected timeframe for the general release of the new iCloud features is the same time that iOS 6 launches -- this fall. Changes that are apparent in the beta (according to a post on MacRumors) include a revision to Find My iPhone that shows the approximate battery life of the device you're trying to find, a web version of the iOS Notes app complete with yellow lined paper, a web version of the iOS (and soon OS X Mountain Lion) Reminders app. Apple announced during the WWDC 2012 keynote that more than 125 million people now use iCloud. It's good to see that all platforms -- OS X, iOS, and the Web -- will have nearly identical apps by this fall.
Get a head start on creating iOS 6 Passbook apps
Some early adopters of the iOS 6 beta have complained that the vaunted Passbook app leaves a bit to be desired right now. Like any application that requires content, Passbook is nothing but a splash screen without passes that have been created by companies. Never fear -- some developers have now come up with a way of creating your own test passes so you can give Passbook a try. The guys over at iPhone Hacks have published a post talking about the PassSource website, a location where you can roll your own test passes. If you are running the current beta of iOS 6, point your browser to passsource.com where you'll be greeted by a list of faux passes (my favorite is the boarding pass for Oceanic Airlines) that you can customize and then open in Passbook. PassSource was created in order to get businesses to start thinking about how they'll use the technology, without waiting for Apple's Pass Kit APIs to ship. With iOS 6 expected in the Fall, we're hoping that businesses jump on the bus and get their passes ready to replace the plethora of cards and tickets we now use. [via ZDNet]
Apple sends iOS 6 beta 2 to developers
The wait between iOS 6's unveiling and its planned fall release just got a little bit shorter, as Apple has just pushed out beta 2. If you're in the developer crowd that can try it out, don't expect any revelations: the primarily focus is on the bug fixes that nudge the software closer to a final release. As in past years, multiple additional betas are expected between now and the time the iOS 6 is ready to come to the general public, so there's likely still lots of room left for Apple to polish the release to a shine. Those paid up on their developer accounts can grab the update through the usual means and see just how much luster has been added since WWDC. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
iOS 6 Beta 2 available over-the-air
Apple has just pushed out iOS 6 beta 2 for over-the-air updates. The new beta is expected to deliver updates and bug fixes for developers testing the new operating system. You can find more information at Apple's developer site.
GM to add Siri "Eyes Free" to Chevy Sonic, Spark
Apple has announced that Siri will integrate with certain auto voice control systems once iOS 6 is released. The "Eyes Free" system, as Apple calls it, allows Siri to be activated with a button mounted in the steering wheel. Now, GM has announced that the Chevrolet Sonic and the 2013 Spark will support the feature. The auto manufacturer hasn't provided much detail beyond the initial announcement, but expect more details "within the next 12 months."
Daily Update for June 18, 2012
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
No Comment: iOS 6 Maps icon not to be taken as literal routing advice
Maybe someone in Apple's new mapping department is a fan of the automotive antics featured on The Dukes of Hazzard. As tweeted this weekend by James Mountain and featured on the financial site Minyanville, the new icon for the Maps app in iOS 6 features a slight change to emphasize the turn-by-turn directions upgrade: a blue routing path making a left turn with the familiar Interstate 280 shield in the upper right corner. The routing chevron replaces the red pin, but still holds pride of place right outside the gates of Apple's Cupertino headquarters. There's only one teensy problem with this attractive icon: the blue path, if taken as a literal GPS routing, would be decidedly illegal and almost certainly fatal. The northbound lanes of De Anza Boulevard don't allow you to go west that way -- you'd have to cross over the highway and take a ramp instead. If Siri told you "turn left now" and you listened to her in Allstate mayhem fashion, you'd be cutting across oncoming traffic and taking a 20-foot plunge off the side of the elevated roadway onto I-280, headed west (well, mostly headed down, but a little bit west). Below is the view from the highway looking up towards De Anza, courtesy of some other company's mapping solution. As for the beta icon for the iOS 6 beta Maps, all we can muster is a Monday No Comment. View Larger Map
MacTech and TUAW talk WWDC
Neil Ticktin and I sat down last week to talk about the announcements coming out of WWDC, and take a look at MacTech's iPad app that intelligently allows you to read their content with ease.
Apple removes hints of future products from a key file in iOS 6
Once upon a time eager rumormongers would download the latest iteration of the next generation of iOS, and like examining goat entrails to determine the next Caesar, they would delve into the USBDeviceConfiguration.plist to divine upcoming hardware products from Apple. But, with iOS 6, this is no more. Oh sure, the file is still there (and a previous version jokingly referred to non-existent software), but all traces of upcoming hints have been removed. Tim Cook wasn't kidding about doubling down on secrecy, and I have a feeling this is but the first snowflake to fall upon the tip of a silent iceberg that will soon seal the leaks bubbling around Cupertino.
Switched On: Going thermonuclear
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. More Info PSA: Which iOS 6 features can my device run? WWDC 2012 Apple vs. Google gets personal: 'Steve Jobs simply hates Eric Schmidt' (video) At the debut of the T-Mobile G1, Switched On identified the central conflict that would quickly tear apart the goodwill between Apple and Google. In fact, in Steve Jobs' authorized biography, Walter Isaacson quotes the late Apple CEO on Android, noting that the he was prepared to "go thermonuclear war" on the iOS competitor. Indeed, the first WWDC since Jobs' death was filled with enough anti-Google swipes to smudge every iPhone screen in Moscone West. But the verbal lashings were nothing compared to the beating back that Google and Android took in relation to iOS 6 feature announcements.
Driving around with Maps for iOS 6
Much of the excitement in iOS6 centers on the new Maps app. It replaces the Google Maps-powered version that's been part of iOS since the beginning The revamped Maps adds Flyover (3D aerial perspectives) for some cities; it also offers spoken turn-by-turn navigation, a feature that the old Maps never offered for iOS but that Google baked into Android phones. Maps in iOS 6 also integrates Siri for search on supported devices. Unfortunately, only newer devices get the snazzy features; turn-by-turn requires an iPhone 4S or an iPad (2 or new), for example, and obviously Siri is only available on the 4S & soon the new iPad. I made quite a few trips using the beta iOS 6 Maps app, and have lots of impressions. Keep in mind, the app really is beta. Some of the data is flaky; for example I was looking for a location in southern Utah by zip code and was directed to the east coast of the US. Never fear, these little glitches will get fixed by the time iOS 6 is released to the public in the fall. OK, let's get driving. The first really big advantage of this app is the direct integration with Siri. Say "take me to the nearest Home Depot" and you'll see a map with a pin on it. Touch the pin, press the start button and off you go. The map works in landscape or portrait mode, and that familiar Siri voice will guide you through each turn. When you arrive it will tell you if your destination is on the right or to the left. You can also say "Take me home" and if your home address is notated in your contacts, you'll be ready to navigate. The maps themselves look pretty similar to the Google variety, and you get a choice of a flat map, 3D or satellite. If you are in a big city, you'll see Flyover's beautiful 3D renderings of buildings. I did a brief check and saw that feature work in Chicago and Seattle. Flyover is very pretty, but not much use when driving. Viewing all that detail or playing with the map is not something you should do when your attention should be on the road. If your destination includes reviews from Yelp, you'll see the reviews when you ask for the destination, as well as photos if there are any. If you are in 3D mode, you can rotate around a location by rotating 2 fingers on the screen, and zoom in or out in the usual way by pinching or dragging. Of course you can bookmark any location, add it to contacts, or share the location with someone else. If you are properly equipped, you can print the information to a local printer. Overall, the app is similar to the older Maps app, but the iOS 5 app doesn't provide Siri voice integration or turn-by-turn directions. Like the older Maps app, map data is downloaded over the air, so a data connection is required. Without one, you'll see a dot representing your location, but the map will be blank. You can contrast that with apps like the Navigon family, where the map data is permanently resident on your device, and a cellular connection is not required. Still, for most people, the Apple app will be more than enough. The integration with Siri, Yelp, and the ease of use is a real plus. Just telling Siri where you want to go is really great, and a very compelling reason to use this app over other navigation solutions that involve some fiddling to set up. There is traffic data built in, and the app will offer alternate directions if conditions warrant it. Traffic was working in my city, and was color coded and superimposed over my route. Note that at this point, there are no public transit directions or pedestrian directions. For some urban users, this is a big missing item. Apple has said it will rely on 3rd party apps for this, but they are unlikely to be integrated into the Apple Maps app. [Cocoanetics has an interesting perspective on why this is the right move for Apple to make. –Ed.] Clearly, Apple was motivated to meet Google and Android head on, and they are well on the way. Google has had years of collecting data and getting the map experience to be very friendly. Apple has started from scratch, with a few key purchases of mapping companies, and come very close. There are no street level views with the Apple app. Google has that feature pretty wrapped up for itself, but for getting easily from point A to point B, Apple is offering an excellent solution that I think will become the first choice for many users. It's unfortunate that turn-by-turn navigation isn't supported on the iPhone 4, but Apple wants to sell you the latest phone and this is a not-so-gentle nudge to get you back to an Apple store. Even with some obvious bugs, and a few crashes, I was impressed with the new Maps. It will be a challenge for Google. Will it offer turn-by-turn voice navigation for the iPhone, or just concede? For older devices, will this be an opportunity for vendors like Navigon, Motion X and TomTom to sell up -- or for free turn-by-turn apps like AOL's Mapquest or Waze to get more traction? Competition is good, and Apple has thrown down the gauntlet. I think the other nav app companies with iOS products are going to feel uncomfortable with Apple in this business, but it's likely they will aggressively compete and we will all benefit. Check the gallery for screenshots of Maps in action. %Gallery-158418% Editor's Note: Mel is not personally subject to the iOS 6 NDA.
Russian hacker gets iOS 6 3D maps running on iPhone 4
This had the smell of inevitability about it. Yes, a Russian hacker got 3D maps working on an iPhone 4. It's not complete and turn-by-turn directions aren't working yet, but it's a start. SlashGear has the story via Russian site iguides. There are instructions on the web, but they are not for the faint-of-heart and require the just released iOS6 jailbreak. I expect there are a lot of disappointed iPhone 4 users out there who are pretty upset that the maps app has so little functionality on their older phones. I could make a half-case for leaving the 3D flyovers off, but certainly turn-by-turn would have been nice to allow. Dozens of other apps have no trouble running on the iPhone 4 or even the 3G model. So readers, are you understanding about this Apple decision, or mad as hell? [via SlashGear]
Standalone podcast app from Apple coming to iOS 6
Not long after the iOS 6 beta was released, inquiring listeners wanted to know, what happened to podcasts? AllThingsD's Peter Kafka appears to have the answer: Apple is planning a standalone app for podcasts in iOS 6. This follows a move by Apple to split video out of the iTunes app in iOS 5, as well as iTunes U gaining its own app. Also missing from iOS 6 appears to be the audiobooks area of the iTunes app, which makes me wonder if it's either getting its own app as well or will be folded into the iBooks app.
Will podcasts receive a separate app in iOS 6?
Reports are abound that a section for podcasts is nowhere to be found in the latest beta version of iTunes for iOS 6. Given its beta status, it's easy to dismiss the exclusion as functionality that's yet to be baked in, but Peter Kafka of AllThingsD believes that Apple has something entirely different in mind. According to his sources, podcasts are set to receive a new home within a separate app of iOS 6. If true, this would provide one central hub for podcasts, as opposed to Apple's current scheme where they're discovered and downloaded in the iTunes app, then played within the Music app -- a little disjointed, but it's the setup we've come to know. Kafka's sources go on to state that podcasts will remain part of iTunes on the desktop. Unsurprisingly, Apple hasn't commented on the speculation. Guess we'll all learn more in the coming months, eh?
Aftermarket Eyes Free Siri button: Could it be possible?
After Monday's keynote, many of us here at TUAW wondered whether an aftermarket Eyes Free button was possible. Eyes Free buttons, which will be integrated into several car lines, allow you to access Siri features by pressing a button on your car's steering wheel. Apple is working with car manufacturers to integrate Siri into select voice control systems. Through the voice command button on your steering wheel, you'll be able to ask Siri questions without taking your eyes off the road. Could this be created? With all due respect to Ian Betteridge, the answer to this headline is not "no" but "maybe". For all that we'd love to kickstart up an effort on this, it turns out that the obstacles are both technological and legal. The button would need to be paired to a phone, would need a power source, and would need to be installed securely on the steering wheel or attachable to a sun visor or provide some other mounting for use while driving. With regard to technical viability, we already see similar features in the Jawbone Bluetooth earpiece line with its support for voice dialing. Press and hold the earpiece button and you invoke VoiceControl on older iPhones and Siri on newer ones. So the tech challenges aren't insurmountable. It would have to be a little more specialized than other aftermarket Bluetooth buttons currently on sale, but only in that the button would be limited to invoking Siri. There are already kits available to wire up existing buttons to aftermarket devices, like the one discussed in this forum post. (Look about halfway down the page, where you press the button for two seconds to place a call, that's how you'd invoke Siri.) In other words, we could easily see this be a product in the $30-$50 range, especially with less snazzy requirements for lower-end cars. I contacted Matthias Ringwald, expert on all things Bluetooth, to discuss what it would take to install an after-market Siri button in a car, specifically tied to voice dialing. What Ringwald thinks might stand in the way could be "made for iPhone" licensing. Apple might require participation for certification, so the product could be sold as intended. As for the tech, he told TUAW, "If it's part of the regular hands free profile (HFP), it shouldn't be hard to add." UPDATE: An anonymous source tells TUAW that Apple detailed the API for Eyes Free Siri in the WWDC Bluetooth sessions.
Cars.com tests the new iPhone Maps
Car.com took a look at the differences between maps on iOS 5 and 6, but only on an iPhone 4. The more interesting comparisons would be on a 4S, which would be fully functional with the new features such as spoken turn-by-turn directions and 3D graphics. On the other hand, many of our readers updating to iOS 6 on an iPhone 4 will find the face-off interesting. The tests were done by David Thomas and Dave Lee. They liked the real time search results from Yelp when they selected a destination. They also found the routing similar to what Google was providing in iOS 5. They also appreciated the larger type and helpful pop-up windows that did not cause you to squint while driving. The pair found the iOS 6 maps far less cluttered than the Google variety. The maps showed less detail if you were zoomed out, but gave similar detail when you zoomed in. Traffic worked sometimes and was helpful when it did. Without voice prompts that only work on an iPhone 4S, the team found the maps easier to read and liked the integration of Yelp. They don't consider what they tested a full-fledged substitute for a GPS system, either from a 3rd party on the iPhone or a dedicated GPS unit. They added: "At this stage, it's more of an iterative improvement that will make current users happier." They concluded that right now Maps "looks like a prettier version of the Google app."
Comparing Google maps and Apple's maps on iOS 6
In iOS 6, Apple is ditching its Google-backed Maps application and using its own mapping solution instead. With turn-by-turn navigation and 3D flyover, Apple's new mapping application is a big jump from its predecessor which lacked these convenient features. Gizmodo has access to both Google Maps on the iPhone and Apple's iOS 6 Maps and did a side-by-side comparison that looks at map details, traffic data, directions, and satellite view. They also compare Street View, but Apple's map solution does not have this feature. According to their assessment, Google's version of Maps provides greater detail in almost all the categories tested. This is not surprising as Google Maps is a product that's been developed and refined for years. iOS 6 Maps is still in beta and it will take time to get the polish of Google Maps. With map data sourced from companies like TomTom and Waze, Apple, however, is off to a good start.
PSA: Which iOS 6 features can my device run? (update: more iPhone 3GS support)
So you're eagerly awaiting iOS 6 in the fall, but you'd like to know just how many features you'll end up skipping if you cling on to your existing iPad, iPhone or iPod touch for one more generation. Apple has gone to the trouble of alerting would-be upgraders just what features they'll get when they check for the update this fall, and we've compiled it in a chart for an at-a-glance view of what you'll need. The short answer: you'll want an iPhone 4S if you're craving every iOS 6 feature. Some feature gaps are defined by obvious differences like the absence of cellular hardware, but the performance limits of the iPhone 3GS or fourth-generation iPod touch turn their upgrades into a patchwork. There's also a pair of questions about iPod touch support and whether or not "iPhone 4 or later" explicitly rules out the media player; we'll update should we know more. Either way, it's evident that Apple is bending over backwards to support burgeoning markets, but also that anyone who bought in 2010 or earlier is feeling the pressure to pick up something new -- especially original iPad owners, who can't upgrade at all. iPhone 3GS iPod touch iPhone 4 iPhone 4S iPad 2 iPad (2012) Chinese service integration X X X X X X Facebook integration X X X X X X FaceTime over 3G/4G - - - X - X Flyover and turn-by-turn GPS - - - X X X Guided Access X X X X X X Made for iPhone hearing aids - - - X - - New content stores X X X X X X Offline Reading List - ? X X X X Passbook X X X X - - Phone replies and reminders X - X X - - Safari tab syncing X X X X X X Shared Photo Streams X X X X X X Siri - - - X - X VIP list, flagged/VIP mailboxes X X X X X X Update: Since we first posted this, Apple has updated its support to add Shared Photo Streams and the VIP list support going all the way back to the iPhone 3GS. Support is much more consistent now, even if it still leaves the 3GS lagging in some areas.
Daily Update for June 12, 2012
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Apple releases Mountain Lion Preview 4 and iOS 6 for developers, iTunes 10.6.3 for everyone else
Looking to tame Apple's Mountain Lion? Step right up, Cupertino's latest build of OS X is ready for consumption -- assuming you're a registered developer, of course. Following WWDC's reveals and teases, Apple has released an updated preview of its desktop and mobile operating systems, serving up Mountain Lion Preview 4 and an iOS 6 beta to developers. The rest of us will have to console ourselves with iTunes 10.6.3, which adds support for the mobile and desktop OS' those fancy devs are getting their hands on. Don't worry, the updated music management software will be able to make full use of Mountain Lion next month, but you'll have to wait until this fall to sync with iOS 6. Hit the source link below to get your update.
