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Apple lands patent for NFC-ready shopping app, could make impulse spending an iPhone tap away
Apple has been filing more than its fair share of NFC-related patents, but it was just granted what could be one of its more important wins at the USPTO. The design for an "on-the-go shopping list" app would help buyers find and pull the trigger on deals through every tool an iPhone has at its disposal, whether it's taking a snapshot of goods with the camera, punching in the UPC code by hand or tapping an item for an NFC-based "touch scan." We'll admit that we're a bit disappointed at how NFC is used, however. As with an earlier filing, the very short range wireless is kept largely to price comparisons and adding products to a list for a purchase from a store clerk later on, rather than closing the deal outright as we've seen with Google Wallet. The original 2008 filing date will also have seen a lot of water flowing under the bridge; there's no guarantee that any enthusiasm for NFC from the iPhone 3G era will have transferred to the present day. Accordingly, we would be careful about drawing any connections between iOS 6's Passbook and Apple's ideas from four years ago -- even if Apple has regularly been a never-say-never sort of company.
YouTube app removed from iOS 6 but not iOS 5 and older; Google working on a standalone version
Apple just got in touch with us regarding the removal of the YouTube app in the latest beta of iOS 6, and while it wouldn't say much, it did confirm the obvious: it's not there for a reason. The licensing deal it had with Google "has ended, but users can still use YouTube via the Safari web app." The company did affirm, however, that Google "is working" on another version -- presumably a standalone app that'll have to survive the same App Store approval process as Google Drive, Gmail for iOS and the rest of the bunch. Interestingly, we were told that the YouTube app "would remain on iOS 5 and older," and that includes iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. Granted, the amount of iOS 5 users will dip dramatically in the months following iOS 6's release this fall, but it leaves open the question of compatibility -- will the forthcoming YouTube app for iOS 6 be installable on iOS 5 and older? All things considered, it's probably a good thing for consumers. Yes, it's another play by Apple to distance itself from its biggest mobile OS rival (Maps, anyone?), but it also gives Google the chance to reimagine the YouTube app, and perhaps even design it to showcase a great mobile experience around the company's huge original content push. Apple wouldn't comment on the status of Google's new YouTube app, nor would it speak to whether or not it had even been submitted for approval, but we're guessing the clock watchers know that September 12th is drawing near. Update: A YouTube spokesperson has provided us with the following quote: "We are working with Apple to ensure we have the best possible YouTube experience for iOS users." Not much to go on, really, but reassuring that the company's actively forging ahead with a new effort. Something tells us it'll take every opportunity to trumpet the awesomeness of its standalone app after being quietly pushed / left out of the latest iOS 6 beta.
iOS YouTube standalone app to vanish in iOS 6
It seems like only yesterday that one of our readers was bemoaning the poor playback quality of the iOS YouTube app, and wishing that Apple would do something to fix it. Given that YouTube is a Google property, and the two former BFFs aren't on the best of terms nowadays, it's no wonder that the video playback app has languished. Mobile Safari does a bang-up job with most YouTube videos, so it seemed logical that the days of the standalone app might be numbered. In the iOS 6 beta 4 build released today, that number appears to have come up. The Verge noted that the YouTube app is missing in action (per 9to5Mac) and got an official statement from Apple on the topic: "Our license to include the YouTube app in iOS has ended, customers can use YouTube in the Safari browser and Google is working on a new YouTube app to be on the App Store." Engadget's Darren Murph expands on that, as Apple told him the existing YouTube app will not be removed from iOS 5 devices. Goodness. As the first iPhone shipped in the summer of 2007 with the YouTube app onboard, it looks like there was a five-year countdown on the bundling arrangement. Google's new App Store app for YouTube seems likely to debut with iOS 6 this autumn.
Apple releases iOS 6 beta 4 to developers
We are receiving word that Apple has released beta 4 of the upcoming iOS 6 software, which is expected to be released this fall. As with previous updates, this update is expected to deliver bug fixes for developers who are testing their applications with the new operating system. As this is the fourth beta of iOS 6, a look back at previous iOS beta runs tells us that we should be nearing a final release as Apple refines the next version of its mobile operating system. The update is available to developers at Apple's developer site and includes Xcode 4.5 beta along with device-specific builds for supported iOS devices and the Apple TV. Developers can also update their devices over-the-air from the Settings app; however, there are reports that the update servers are not responding when attempting to check for updates, so YMMV.
Apple seeds iOS 6 beta 4 to developers: here's the changelog
Right around 20 days after iOS 6 beta 3 was beamed out to developers, beta 4 is now making its way into those same hands via an OTA download. We've just confirmed that the files are indeed being pushed out, with the changelog showing fixes related to Facebook integration, the Address Book, authorization statues, and Apple TV / Bonjour workflows. You'll also get a patched-up Dictionary, iTunes and Maps, amongst other things. The entire list of updates is embedded after the break, but we'd recommend a stiff cup of coffee before trying to digest 'em all. Update: For the eagle-eyed, yes, this update does indeed remove the YouTube app from the iOS homescreen. If you're out of the loop, Google owns YouTube. And Apple hasn't shied away from doing its best to distance iOS from Googlefied apps... [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Visualized: the iDevice influence on Apple's bottom line
Apple's Q3 earnings last week rang loud and clear: iDevices are paying Cupertino's bills. The customary numerics laid down the bare facts, citing an 84 percent increase in iPad sales since 2011 and a similar 28 percent jump for the iPhone. Of course, well-organized tables of sales data aren't for everyone, but who doesn't love a good chart? Stuart Carlton took it upon himself to graph the percentages of Apple's revenue that each of its product categories fill out, producing the above criss-cross of colored statistics. The graph compares Apple's Q3 sales data going back several years, and a second chart (after the break) compares the iPhone, iPad and iPod's share of the revenue directly with the rest of Apple's fare. Read on to take in the data for yourself, or hit the source link below for Carlton's own commentary.
Next-gen iPhone parts purportedly leak again, get assembled sans innards (update: video)
Ready for another supposed look at the next-gen Apple iPhone? Matching up with previous leaks we've reported on, the elongated iPhone body with a miniaturized docking port and brushed metal back has appeared again, this time courtesy of iLab Factory. While many of its parts look astoundingly similar to what we've already seen, this is the first time we've gotten a solid look at it fully assembled from all angles -- well, aside from the missing SIM card holder. While most of its all-important innards are clearly absent, this assembly does come complete with what appears to be the locking ribbons for the screen and home button. As always, grab the obligatory spoonful of sodium chloride, then check it out for yourself at the gallery and links below. Update: Japanese site Macotakara (via PhoneArena) has published a video of the above chassis being taken apart and generally manhandled. It's embedded after the break.%Gallery-161320%
Apple announces Q3 2012 earnings: $35 billion revenue, $8.8 billion in net profits
It's hard to believe its been just three months since we were here last, but it's true. It's already earnings season again and, in the feast of financial conference calls, Apple is an entree. Not surprisingly, Cupertino was raking in the big bucks yet again, but it wasn't quite the windfall of revenue the company has seen in the past. All told the company pulled in $35 billion in revenue, pocketing $8.8 billion of that as pure profit, a record for both in Q3. But, just cause it wasn't quite as lucrative a quarter doesn't mean the boys in Cupertino aren't happy with the results. Profits were up $1.5 billion from Q3 of 2011, allowing the company to carry forward with its plan to issue a cash dividend to its share holders. During the last three months the company shipped 17 million iPads, an 84 percent increase over the same quarter last year -- a simply staggering number. And don't think that its other premier gadget has plateaued. 26 million iPhones were also sold, representing a 28 percent increase year-over-year. Interestingly, Mac sales slowed, increasing just two percent over last year, largely thanks to a 13 percent drop off in desktop sales. The biggest money maker for the company continues to be the iPhone and its related products and services, however. More than $16 billion of the total revenue is directly attributable to the smaller member of the iOS family. The iPad is quickly closing the gap, netting Apple over $9 billion in this quarter alone. As a percentage of revenue, the iPod continued to decline, marking the slow death of the once flagship product line. While revenues were down sequentially, it's the year-over-year numbers that tell the real story. Revenue was up $9.5 billion from Q3 of 2011 and net income by $1.5 billion, as the company has continued to increase its market share and open up to niches to itself. For the next quarter Apple actually expects a small drop in both revenue and earnings per-share, but not enough that we expect Wall Street types to start yelling, "sell, sell, sell!"
In-app purchase hack won't work in iOS 6, say coders
The IAP hack of the past few weeks allows users of iOS apps to make in-app purchases ... without actually paying. The hack is essentially a DNS exploit -- it fools apps running on your iPhone or iPad into thinking they're contacting Apple's in-app purchase servers when they actually are not. The Next Web reported that Apple has opened up a private API to developers who want to take advantage of countermeasures to prevent IAP hacks. Please note: This hack is essentially stealing. Developers who've worked hard on app content that you want to use or play with deserve to be paid for it, and gaining access to that content illegitimately is wrong. Bad news on the horizon for hackers who choose to use this exploit: As of iOS 6, the hack won't work at all any more. "Currently game is over," posts a developer behind the hack. "Currently we have no way to bypass updated APIs." So when the new version of iOS arrives this fall, this kind of hack should be over and done with. That poster does also say, however, that the hack is reportedly still working for the current OS, and the devs have "some cards in the hand." Hacking is always a back-and-forth battle, but hopefully Apple will keep its iOS secure, and make sure that developers releasing content on the App Store are able to get paid for what they sell. [via The Loop] #next_pages_container { width: 5px; hight: 5px; position: absolute; top: -100px; left: -100px; z-index: 2147483647 !important; }
Dear Aunt TUAW: Should I buy lots of iPad 1 apps now?
Dear Aunt TUAW, As an iPad 1 owner, would now be the best time to make sure I load up on apps -- as the iPad 1 won't be supported in iOS 6? I assume that my purchases will be in the cloud for a bit but what happens when a new version is released? Will I still be able to download the version that runs on my iPad, or am I out of luck? Your loving nephew, Blake Dear Blake, Every time Auntie passes by her neglected iPad 1, it looks at her with sad eyes. It knows its days in the sun are limited. Should you buy iPad 1 apps now? Yes. Heck yes. Heck yes with a big bag of liniment and Werthers on top. Your tablet isn't eligible for iOS 6, so if you plan to accessorize -- do it now. Buy all the iOS 5.x apps you can foresee using, and get ready for the mass upgrade. iOS users are great adopters. Heck, if memory serves Auntie right, more people were illegally using iOS 6 beta releases than had installed the latest legal version of Android. (Auntie loves this statistic, so please correct her gently if it is fabricated.) Back-supporting old iOS firmware versions can be a huge chore for iOS developers. The cost-benefit fallout for a few outlier users paints a bleak picture. So expect more and more of your favorite apps to move into "only supports iOS 6 and later" territory. (And expect your app upgrade bubbles to gain larger and larger numbers over time -- Auntie wishes Apple would add a "don't bug me for upgrades after iOS " option.) Will you be able to re-download the iPad 1 version after developers release new ones? No. Will you be out of luck? Yes. Can you back up the existing versions of the applications? Yes, they're living in your [home]/Music/iTunes/Mobile Applications folder; you can copy the essential ones elsewhere in case you upgrade one by accident. Buy now, upgrade now, or just make the move to new hardware. If you can swing it, Auntie recommends hardware. There are some terrific deals on refurbished iPad 2s out there, and the new iPad, which Auntie calls the 3 (so there), is just spiffy. Hugs, Auntie T. #next_pages_container { width: 5px; hight: 5px; position: absolute; top: -100px; left: -100px; z-index: 2147483647 !important; }
Sprint won't charge for 3G FaceTime
One new feature that iOS 6 brings to the table is FaceTime calling over 3G. The fact that it runs on a cellular network puts carriers in the position of potentially regulating the video calling app. Unlike AT&T which is on the fence, Sprint has confirmed it will not charge for access to the service, according to Electronista. A spokesperson said Sprint remains "committed to our unlimited data, and that means not charging for data consumption based on the application." Verizon Wireless, the third major carrier in the US to sell the iPhone, has not publicly commented.
AT&T responds to rumor of paid 3G FaceTime
FaceTime over 3G will finally bring Apple's video calling tech to cellular networks, but will it cost you extra? According to AT&T's CEO, "it's too early to talk about pricing." I'm guessing that's business talk for "we'll see if it costs us too much money to support and then decide." Remember unlimited data plans? My kids won't. iOS 6 promises FaceTime over 3G, but here's hoping it won't cost AT&T customers extra. All I know is Google (G+) and Microsoft (Skype) have had video calls over cellular for a little while now and it'll be great for Apple to finally catch up.
AT&T CEO responds to paid 3G FaceTime rumor, says it's 'too early' to talk pricing
AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson has responded to rumors that Ma Bell plans to add an additional levy upon those planning to use FaceTime over cellular. Speaking at the Fortune Brainstorm conference, he's quoted as saying that he "heard the same rumor," but that it was "too early to talk about pricing." Of course, given that response, it looks like the company has at least been mulling an additional levy for the feature. At present, he says his primary focus is to work with Apple on ensuring the video calling technology works smoothly across his company's data network, with iOS 6 due to arrive later this year.
Apple gives iPhone 3GS owners some love, lets them taste Shared Photo Streams and VIP Mail in iOS 6
Anyone who's been scanning to see who gets what in iOS 6 has noticed that the iPhone 3GS is the red-headed stepchild of the family -- some features that really don't need a cutting-edge phone have been left on the chopping block. Apple is showing those owners some TLC, after all, by officially flicking on support for Shared Photo Streams and VIP Mail lists through the entire iOS 6-ready device list. With the exception of Safari's Offline Reading List, the only features now left out for iPhone 3GS owners are the ones you'd expect to be excluded from a 3-year-old phone, such as FaceTime, Siri and those 3D-heavy map flyovers. While the iPhone 4S is still the darling of the lot, 3GS owners can now cling to their aging veteran phones a little more securely for at least another year.
iOS 6 beta 3 wends its way to developers
It's been a long three weeks since iOS 6 beta 2 arrived to refine Apple's next mobile OS, so it's with some relief that beta 3 has just popped up as an over-the-air update. As always, the attention is on mending bugs and bringing the code closer to what an everyday iPad, iPhone or iPod touch owner will see when all is said and done. Those of us regular users pining for Passbook will still have a number of reasons to wait awhile before we can get our own direct taste in the fall -- not the least of which is Apple's recent clampdown on bootleg access. [Thanks, Jamie] Update: As MacRumors notes, this update also marks the beginning of the transition to iCloud.com email addresses.
New 2012 iPhone body reportedly leaks, gives the glass front its time to shine
Remember that tall, mostly aluminum 2012 iPhone shell that appeared to have leaked? It's back. This time, KitGuru has unearthed what it claims is a "test sample" with the glass front panel roughly intact. We've seen the darker steel sides, aluminum back and new dock connector before, but the front gives us a much better sense of how the finished product (if real) will turn out. Sitting next to an iPhone 4S, it's suggested that the new model would stuff in that bigger screen more through a better use of the available area -- there's much less blank space than on the iPhones we've known since 2007. While we still don't know for sure if the design shown here is close to what will go hand-in-hand with iOS 6 in the fall, we're starting to see enough smoke that there's bound to be a fire nearby.
Facebook SDK 3.0 Beta for iOS now available to download, includes tight integration plans for iOS 6
Slide over, Twitter -- after this fall, you won't be the only social network in town with OS-level integration on the iPod touch, iPad and iPhone. As announced back at WWDC in June, Facebook will be on a level playing field with the launch of iOS 6, and the outfit's new SDK 3.0 Beta is exactly what developers need to get there. Among other things, the new code promises superior user session management, ready-to-use native UI views, bolstered Facebook API support and an iOS Developer Center to get folks grounded on "key concepts." After iOS 6 launches en masse, this SDK will "automatically use the native Facebook Login in iOS 6 when available," providing a similar experience to Twitter in terms of seamless logins. Ready to get cranking? Get your download on in the source link below.
Apple nabs patent for NFC-based travel check-in, doesn't quell NFC iPhone rumors just yet
Apple has been chasing NFC patents for years, but it's just now been granted a US patent for its own approach to a transportation check-in -- one of the most common uses of the technology in the real world. The filing describes a theoretical iTravel app that would store reservation and ticket information for just about any vehicle and stop along the way: planes, trains and (rented) automobiles would just have the traveler tap an NFC-equipped device to hop onboard, and the hotel at the end of the line would also take credentials through a gentle bump. Besides the obvious paper-saving measures, iTravel could help skip key parts of the airport security line by providing passport information, a fingerprint or anything else screeners might want to see while we'd otherwise be juggling our suitcases. It all sounds ideal, but before you start booking that trip to the South Pacific with ambitions of testing an NFC-equipped 2012 iPhone, remember this: the patent was originally filed in 2008. We clearly haven't seen iTravel manifest itself as-is, and recent murmurs from the Wall Street Journal have suggested that Apple isn't enthusiastic about the whole NFC-in-commerce idea even today. Still, with Passbook waiting in the wings, the patent can't help but fuel speculation that Apple is getting more serious about an iPhone with near-field wireless in the future.
Apple reportedly shutting down unauthorized third-party beta sales, restricts iOS 6 to licensed devs
Apple has been arguably more generous when it comes to software sneak peeks than it has been with hardware, but while dues-paying developers are given the go-ahead to download operating systems ahead of their release, consumers have had to sit tight until after each iteration hits GM status. Some internet entrepreneurs have taken it upon themselves to game Apple's system, however, which until recently appeared to have been loosely guarded, with third parties selling beta access for years without intervention. iOS 6 is shaping up to be the end of the line -- Apple has reportedly begun targeting businesses selling early access, citing copyright infringement and contacting hosting providers to shut down sales sites. The operations can be quite profitable, with income approaching six figures for iOS 6 alone, so it's likely that we'll see businesses open up shop under different domains in an attempt to continue to collect. Still, if you're running such an operation of your own, it may be worth your while to peruse Apple's non-disclosure agreement in full -- a site shut down could be but the beginning of the company's actions to control OS releases, and prevent third parties from illegally capitalizing on Cupertino's creations.
Apple sued by Shanghai firm for allegedly treading on patent with Siri, may say 'ni hao' in court
For all the heat it dishes out elsewhere in the world, Apple has had a hard time catching a break in China -- between having to settle with Proview over the iPad trademark and a recent, smaller dispute over Snow Leopard, it's been primarily on the defensive. The latest rear-guard action is in Shanghai, where Zhi Zhen Internet Technology claims that Siri's voice command charms infringe on a patent used for the Xiao i Robot voice system on phones and the web. We're just hearing about the lawsuit now, but Zhi Zhen insists that it's been long in the making with accusations filed in June and a patent application dating all the way back to 2004. Apple is characteristically silent on how it will tackle the case. We suspect it'll be more than a little eager to fight back in court: in addition to the lawsuit presenting a very conspicuous roadblock to bringing Siri to China with iOS 6, it comes from a company that hasn't been shy about plastering the Siri icon all over its home page.
