Ios6
Latest
Competitors react to announcement of Apple nav app in iOS 6
I wasn't sure if any competitors to Apple in the nav space were going to react to Apple offering free turn-by-turn directions in iOS 6, but I did get some interesting comments from the folks at Garmin/Navigon. Johan-Till Broer at Garmin International shared this statement from Garmin today: "We've been competing successfully with free navigation on Android phones, and through third party apps also on the iPhone, for a couple of years now, and it has been widely anticipated that Apple would introduce a new maps app with navigation functionalities. It is, however, too early to provide a qualified evaluation of this new iOS feature. Garmin has over 20 years of experience in navigation technology and our navigation products offer a wide range of unique features that provide drivers highly accurate and reliable road guidance." "We think that there is a market for smartphone navigation apps, PND's (personal navigation devices) and in-dash navigation systems as each of these solutions has their own advantages and use case limitations and ultimately it's up to the consumer to decide what they prefer. We will take a look at Apple's new app and will continue to innovate in the navigation app, PND and auto OEM space to offer our customers a premium navigation experience that goes beyond the capabilities available from free smartphone services." Fair enough. Competing with free is quite a challenge, but I hope Apple's announcement will force competitors to attain new heights in features and new lows in pricing. All consumers will benefit from that.
Engadget's post-WWDC live broadcast from San Francisco!
Whew, that was quite a rush. The WWDC 2012 keynote is over and the conference itself is underway, but if you missed any of the announcements from this morning's hectic action don't worry. Just like this morning's earlier broadcast, Tim Stevens and Darren Murph are here to break it down with a live video stream. It's waiting for you after the break, so click on through, won't you?
Apple's WWDC keynote video is up, play along at home (update 2: video for everybody)
Next-generation MacBook Pros? iOS 6? The new Maps app? Sure, you watched the whole thing live, but is that really enough? Apple's tossed up the Tim Cook-led WWDC keynote, so now you can experience the magic of liveblogging the whole thing all over again. Check out the video in the source link below. Update: Looks like it's only Safari users who get a peek at first: if you're on Chrome, Firefox or another browser, you'll have to sit tight for a little while longer. Update 2: The keynote video now looks to be working for most, so stream away.
Apple selects TomTom as primary iOS 6 maps provider (update: confirmed)
Been wondering exactly which data service is replacing Google as Apple's map provider? According to these leaked screenshots (shown above) from the iOS 6 developer beta running on an iPhone 4S, it appears to be TomTom. The company is no stranger to iOS, as its navigation app and car kit have been available on the iPhone since 2009. On an interesting note, the maps application specifically mentions "data from TomTom, others," which means there may be other suppliers that aren't getting called out by name. We'll keep you posted as we hear more what's going on behind-the-scenes. Update: TomTom has independently confirmed to us that it indeed "has signed a global agreement with Apple for maps and related information." [Thanks, Anonymous]
iOS 6, OS X Mountain Lion SDKs and betas now available for dev download
Let's hope there's a lot of bandwidth available at hotels around the Bay Area, because the software development kits for iOS 6 and OS X Mountain Lion just became available for download. Developers will need to agree to new Developer Program License Agreements prior to being able to download or even glance at the new materials. The Xcode 4.5 Developer Preview is ready for your developer love, and iOS 6 beta version 10A5316k is available as well. Those interested in the Apple TV will rejoice in the fact that a new Apple TV software beta is available. iTunes 10.6.3 beta is ready for download, as are pre-release versions of FindMyiPhone and FindMyFriends for iOS 6. Mac developers will find Developer Preview 4 of Mountain Lion ready to go, as well as Mountain Lion Server Developer Preview 5.
Apple offers a peek into updated Mobile Safari, Photo Stream
During today's WWDC 2012 Keynote, Scott Forstall provided a peek at new features expected in Mobile Safari when iOS 6 ships. There's now an offline reading list in Mobile Safari, making it simple to capture web pages for viewing without a cellular or Wi-Fi connection. That'll work great during those flights where onboard Wi-Fi is just a dream. And for the first time, you'll be able to upload photos to sites via Mobile Safari. Smart App Banners are another new feature that give the browser a way to link banners directly to websites. For example, if you go to a mobile site like Yelp and there's an app available, a tap on the banner will jump to the Yelp app on the App Store. Photo Stream, which was introduced with iOS 5 and OS X Lion, is getting a nice update featuring shared Photo Streams. Now you can choose to share your images or all of your Photo Stream to select individuals. Also in Photo Stream is the ability to create push notifications that link directly to photo albums so your friends will know when you've added new images.
Apple next-generation MacBook Pro (with Retina display) eyes-on at WWDC 2012
Heh -- rumor didn't have this one! We just wrapped our eyes around Apple's new 15.4-inch "next-generation" MacBook Pro here at WWDC 2012, and while it was under lock and key, it doesn't take a touch to see that this thing is devilishly thin. For all intents and purposes, this is the 15-inch MacBook Air that many have been waiting for. Gone is the optical drive, and in are two USB 3.0 ports, two Thunderbolt sockets (side-by-side, instead of one on each edge), a full-size HDMI socket, a 3.5mm headphone port and an SD card slot. Oh, and a MagSafe 2 power connector. On one hand, it's great to see Apple finally embracing USB 3.0; on the other, it's obvious by the duo of Thunderbolt sockets that it'd prefer use those. Whatever the case, the new Pro is quite the looker, and we're guessing Apple won't have any issues moving too many of these beauts -- even at $2,199 (and up). Unfortunately, there's no new Pro sitting around outside of a case, but you can enjoy a few glass-enclosed glamor shots in the gallery below. %Gallery-157930%
Passbook creates unified location for pass-storing
Apple is creating an app in iOS 6 that's the digital equivalent of stringing frequent-shopper cards on a keychain. Passbook allows you to store these sorts of cards, airline passes, movie tickets and more. The passes will appear on the lock screen. Swipe the notification, and a QR code will appear. Other businesses glimpsed include Starbucks, Amtrak, the Apple Store -- even a Giants baseball ticket! As far as airlines go, it looks like just United Airlines is onboard for now. Multiple boarding passes are grouped together. It's integrated with the notifications center -- being near a favorite Starbucks will alert you. You also can get gate changes and more information with the airline tickets. This sort of usability will be fantastic, and I would love to see more businesses and libraries get on board with this. It will definitely reduce the amount of time spent hunting in your wallet for a particular card.
Apple announces Guided Access for iOS devices, offers expanded accessibility controls
We didn't get a ton of details on this one during the keynote, but Apple has announced a new Guided Access feature for iOS that promises to let folks limit what sort of input their devices are able to respond to. Some examples given by Apple are a parent of an autistic child who could disable on-screen controls so they don't accidentally exit an app, a teacher who could prevent students from exiting a test app, or museums who could keep folks locked in to their own display apps. That includes the ability to confine touch input to certain parts of the screen, in addition to disabling the home button or touch input altogether. %Gallery-157919%
Apple unveils new Maps app in iOS 6
In what's surely a shot across Google's bow, Apple has unveiled its own Maps app for iOS 6, dropping Google Maps. With over 100 million business listings, integrated Yelp support, and an in-progress traffic service, the new Maps app completely sidesteps Google's services, "redesigned from the ground up" according to Apple. The new traffic service will include anonymous, real-time, crowd-sourced incident reports -- no more getting stuck on the freeway behind an hour's worth of rubberneckers. It also features turn-by-turn navigation, a first for the Maps app. Traffic reporting can offer real-time rerouting based on current conditions, potentially a huge time-saver. Navigation works right from the lock screen, and the new maps app has integrated Siri support, allowing you to find gas stations and other services just by asking for them. A new feature called Flyover brings long-rumored 3D navigation for several cities worldwide. Cities render in realtime, and reports from the WWDC floor indicate that the rendering is very impressive. The new Maps app will be an iOS 6 exclusive.
Phone app in iOS 6 gets additional answering options, adds Do Not Disturb
As of today, anyone with an iPhone who gets a call on it (weird, I know, but it happens) has two options: Answer, or Decline. Part of the WWDC iOS announcements today for iOS 6 include a revamped Phone app that offers more ways to "answer" a call. Plus, if you are completely indisposed, you can set a Do Not Disturb sign on your iPhone. With iOS 6 you not only get the two previous options, but also "Reply With Message" and "Remind Me Later". If you tap "Reply With Message" you get a number of options to add to a "Can't talk right now..." message you can send to the other person. You can even reply with a quick message you compose yourself if you have time. Remind me later will use Reminders to tell you things like "Remind me when I leave" and as you take off you get nudged to call them back. Do Not Disturb will mute notifications and won't light up the screen. It will allow calls from a whitelist, and if someone calls you more than once the call can go through. I look forward to this feature mostly because it's a much nicer way to decline a call rather than leave someone hanging if you let the call go to voice mail.
Apple officially gives Google Maps the boot, launches own Maps app with turn-by-turn navigation (updated)
It's been one the big questions hanging over WWDC -- will Apple actually toss Google to the side and launch it's own mapping service specifically for iOS? Well, it's not a question any more, but a cold hard fact. Apple's mapping solution is here, taking over where Google left off. The move is hardly shocking since Apple has already confirmed that it's been working on a traffic database and snatched up a number of mapping companies. Besides, it's not like Cupertino and Mountain View are the best of buds right now. Maps includes all of the features you've come to expect from the previous iOS solution, but with a number of enhancements. This all new mapping solution includes 100 million different business listings, Yelp integration and, biggest of all, turn-by-turn navigation. The app does use anonymously collected data to populate traffic information and any rerouting is brought to your attention with a pop-up notification. The story isn't done yet, though. The maps are even rendered in full 3D, not unlike what Google announced last week. (And the news was delivered in a way that made it clear Apple think's they've one upped their former map app provider.) The whole demo -- flipping through business listings, flying around in 3D and navigating labyrinth-like city streets -- was performed on one of those shiny new iPads... you know, the ones that are getting Siri support soon. Which, if you haven't figured out yet, plays quite nicely with the new Maps app as we saw in the demo. Ask Siri to find a gas station on your route or how much longer you'll be on the road and the pleasantly robotic voice gets you the relevant info. Update: Several of our readers scoured the fine print on Apple's freshly launched iOS 6 Maps page, and informed us that the Flyover and turn-by-turn features will only be available to folks with an iPhone 4S or iPad 2 or later. Guess that's just one more reason to upgrade, eh? Check out our full coverage of WWDC 2012 at our event hub! %Gallery-157923%
FaceTime updated with cellular support, unified Apple ID
Finally! Apple announced that FaceTime will work over a cellular network in iOS 6. This long sought-after feature has been advertised as an advantage by competitors who's devices have cellular video chat in place. Additionally, Apple will unify customers' phone number and Apple ID. That way, if a call comes in on your iPhone, you can answer it on your iPad. We'll have continuing WWDC 2012 coverage all day. For the latest, follow our meta live blog.
Apple integrates Facebook into iOS 6, App Store, Macs
The string of iOS 6 updates has brought one of the more heavily requested social networking features: Facebook integration. You can share from core apps like Maps, Photos and Safari, but it's woven even more deeply than Twitter was in iOS 5: you can use Siri to make your commands, and there's now a public API for Facebook so that other apps can do the same. The App Store gets its own share of integration, with app recommendations based on what friends are using, and contact syncing now makes sure your social network is all lined up. Best of all, the Facebook integration is coming to Macs as well -- so you'll have a consistent experience no matter what device you're on. Check out our full coverage of WWDC 2012 at our event hub!
iOS 6 offers Do Not Disturb feature, adds more Zs to your slumber
Ever get annoyed when your sleep is interrupted by a call or message coming into your phone? As we were hoping, iOS 6 is getting the badly needed Do Not Disturb feature we first saw in Mountain Lion last month. The idea is simple: when activated, push notifications will be automatically muted and the screen won't light up. A whitelist option will be available so you won't miss important callers; you can also set up the feature so that if a person calls you more than once, the phone will allow the call to come through. This is an exciting option for anyone who is tired of waking up to a notification only to find out it's their turn in Draw Something. Check out our full coverage of WWDC 2012 at our event hub!
Apple updates Siri with sports stats, help from Yelp and Rotten Tomatoes, expanded local search
As it's made clear with its recent ads, Apple is betting big on Siri, and the company has just now rolled out it's first big update to the personal assistant during its WWDC keynote. The service is now able to answer a variety of sports related questions, from scores and stats to game times, and it's added both Yelp and Rotten Tomatoes to its bag of tricks for dining and movie recommendations. What's more, Siri will now also let you launch apps if you're tired of tapping through folders, and Apple is finally expanding Siri's local search functionality from just the US to no less than 60 difference countries. The other big Siri news is that it's finally headed to the new iPad, and even to cars via Apple's new Eyes Free integration, although that is still a bit further off (within the next 12 months is the word). Check out our full coverage of WWDC 2012 at our event hub!
Apple unveils iOS 6 at WWDC, launch apps with Siri, Facebook integration, Maps
Looks like they didn't print the banner out for nothing -- as anticipated, it's not just refreshed MacBook Airs or Mountain Lion getting the red carpet treatment at today's World Wide Developer's Conference keynote. Cupertino has also taken the shiny cling wrap off of the latest version of iOS. What's new? Well at least 200 things! Most notably, Siri has gotten a little make over, including the ability to launch apps, more knowledge of sports, restaurants and movie times, it's also coming to iPad. There's better Facebook integration too, with photos, websites, maps and more getting the instant share option -- you can even "like" or share app from the Appstore. Other tweaks on the phone side of things let you dismiss incoming calls with a swipe, or send a pre-written SMS, even set it to give you a reminder once you change location. Another popular feature will be "Do Not Disturb" which holds off all those notifications (from your new Facebook friends, we guess). You'll still get them, but the won't alert, or light up the screen. Face-timers will also be pleased to see that feature finally working over cellular. Sharing images also just got easier with shared Photo Streams -- choose the pictures, choose the friends. Done. New "Guided Access" allows parents or teachers (for example) to keep users from exiting an app accidentally (or in the case of the teachers -- intentionally!). More info and PR after the break.
Apple unveils new features for Safari: unified search, iCloud Tabs multi-device syncing and more
Apple's fresh new hardware may have gotten the headlines thus far during Apple's 2012 WWDC keynote, but there's also some good news for browser aficionados, too. Safari has taken a page out of Chrome's book by offering unified search for the web, your history and bookmarks. Additionally, Safari now syncs your web-browsing info across all your devices. Called iCloud Tabs, the feature lets you see the tabs you have open on any device simultaneously. That means you can surf the web on your iPhone while you're out and about, and continue your web session seamlessly on that shiny new MacBook Pro when you get home by clicking the new handy dandy iCloud button. Not only that, Safari's picked up some new multitouch tricks, letting you swipe all the way out to tab view, then pinch on the page you want to dive back in. Safari's Mobile version has also gained the ability to upload images directly and it now has an Offline Reading List that downloads and caches anything you add. Furthermore, Safari can now provide a notification if there's an app for the website you're browsing. Tapping the notification brings you to the App Store, and once downloaded, the browser pushes the URL to the app so you can pick up the content right where you left off. %Gallery-157904% For more coverage of WWDC 2012, please visit our event hub!
Apple WWDC 2012 liveblog!
Back in March, at the tail end of the new iPad's launch, Apple CEO Tim Cook did something atypical. He encouraged us to expect even more from his company in 2012. From an outfit that rarely sets lofty expectations, that's saying something. Here at WWDC 2012, we're on hand to find out what exactly Apple has in the hopper. A deep dive into iOS 6 is guaranteed, but beyond that, all we have are rumors, smoke signals and few underground whispers. New MacBook Air / Pro laptops with Retina graphics? New iMacs with more pixels that are calculable by mere mortals? A new iPhone? Join us here at 10AM PT (that's 1PM on the right coast; pre-breakfast over in Kauai) for the blow-by-blow coverage you've come to expect! June 11, 2012 1:00 PM EDT
Engadget's pre-WWDC live broadcast from San Francisco!
We wish you were here, we really do, but we understand -- you're busy. That trip out to San Francisco takes ages and besides, getting a ticket into Apple's developer conference can be a tricky proposition. So, then, please do us the honor of being our guest at what is shaping up to be a bombastic show. The WWDC liveblog happens here, but before then Darren Murph and Tim Stevens have a special live video broadcast just for you, where they'll break down what you can expect from this year's keynote presentation. Click on through to get streaming.
