ios7
Latest
App icons don't have to suck
The days of skeuomorphic icons are gone and in their place are clean, flat icons designs that, in theory, offer an attractive and modern feel. But when the desire for something simple comes at the cost of relevance, icons take a turn for the worse. Instead of overly elaborate and detailed icons that produced a busy and cluttered feel, the App Store is now overrun with icons that mean absolutely nothing and only serve to harm the appeal of the apps and confuse potential customers. To help illustrate this, I grabbed a handful of these too-vague-for-their-own-good icons and tossed them into our TUAW team chatroom. I asked what, if anything, each icon tells the user about the app itself -- or, if nothing else, simply what the graphic resembles. To be clear: This is in no way a commentary on the quality of the apps themselves (and indeed some of these are extremely popular and well-liked) but simply a call for developers to put some more thought into the most public face of their own products. What is it? A charging utility An app about Alton Brown's bow tie A soundboard with nothing but Gomer Pyle saying "Shazam!" What it actually is: Prompts, an app to help writers find inspiration. What is it? A fingerpainting app, but with only one color choice A Smurf penis A blue tampon applicator What it actually is: Vesper, a note-taking and archiving app. What is it? A how-to-make popsicles app (seriously, the fact that it's not this is a crime) Wild mushroom locator and index A ghost with diarrhea What it actually is: Fancy, a crowd-sourced shopping app with a social twist. And no, it doesn't tell you how to make popsicles. What is it? A digital pregnancy test A calculator... obviously "The Green Cross" for horrible people who don't like the Red Cross What it actually is: Gneo, a productivity app. What is it? A bacteria guide app A camera app that gives everyone in the photo green chickenpox A Yoshi ovulation tracking app What it actually is: thredUP, a clothing marketplace for women, kids and teens. What is it? An app that tells you when it's near sunset if you're on a cruise ship An orange juice review aggregator An app that lists all the words that rhyme with orange What it actually is: Level Money, a budgeting app. See what I mean? I get it; Creating a nice icon without an established brand logo to draw from isn't easy, but I promise you it can be done. Here are a few fantastic examples of app icons that are not only clean and attractive, but also offer a hint as to what the app actually does. What it is: Chefs Feed, a restaurant guide curated by actual chefs. What it is: Elixr, a social network and rating service for drink lovers. What it is: The Converted, an easy-to-use unit conversion tool. See the difference? Now please, put some more effort into your app's most important symbol before the App Store is filled with icons that are nothing more than simple gradients. Oh god, it's happening already.
Protests in Taiwan over Apple Maps
Apple's Maps app continues to aggravate some iPhone users. This time, customers in Taiwan are offended that the software describes their country as a province of China. iPhone users in the island country noticed the issue and reported it to local media. Eventually Taiwan's foreign ministry noticed the error, and pointed it out to Apple, who has not yet commented on the matter. This is most likely an innocent mistake, and certainly not political commentary. We expect Apple will address the issue.
iOS daylight savings time bug strikes again
Several TUAW readers have reported that iOS 7 features a Daylight Saving Time bug that could cause the Calendar app to show the wrong "current time" line in Day view. The bug was first noticed this weekend here in the UK when British Summer Time officially ended at 2AM Sunday morning. Though iOS 7 devices did indeed roll back the clocks automatically as they were supposed to, when users open the Calendar app and look at Day view the current time line appears one hour after the actual time -- even though it displays the right time. For example, in the image above you'll notice that the red current time line reads 9:18 PM (which is correct), but it appears one hour later than it should (18 minutes past the grey 10PM time line). This isn't the first time Apple has had DST bugs in iOS. Back in 2010 a different bug caused alarms to go off an hour early. Thanks to everyone who sent this in.
This week on gdgt: Surface Pro 2, Nintendo 2DS, and software updates
Each week, our friends at gdgt go through the latest gadgets and score them to help you decide which ones to buy. Here are some of their most recent picks. Want more? Visit gdgt anytime to catch up on the latest, and subscribe to gdgt's newsletter to get a weekly roundup in your inbox.
Tweetbot 3 for iPhone has a new look, feel and pricetag
If you're a Twitter user and you own an iPhone, chances are you'll have come across Tweetbot, the popular Twitter client from Tapbots. Following Apple's iOS 7 announcement back in June, the two-man team has been hard at work rewriting the app to utilize the new features and fit with the cleaner look of Apple's latest OS. Just over a month after iOS 7 launched, the app is finally ready: Tweetbot 3.0 is available for $2.99 on the App Store.
Apple gives trio of apps iOS 7 makeovers, Podcasts nabs background downloads
iOS 7 has a slew of new features, but perhaps its most convenient is that it allows applications to pull data from the cloud in the background -- and now one of Apple's most derided apps is getting some of that love. In its latest incarnation, the Podcasts app can grab new episodes of your favorite talk shows automatically, and there's a setting governing how often it checks for new episodes, so your data cap and battery should be safe. Among other tweaks to the app, iCloud will now sync play positions, stations and subscriptions with iTunes and Apple TV. What's more, Cupertino has made cosmetic changes to Podcasts as well as Find My iPhone and iTunes Trailers that match its redesigned mobile OS. If you want a glimpse of how this trio looks in flatter duds, check out the source links below.
Evernote iOS app adds Places feature, lets Premium users edit their home screen
Last month, Evernote rolled out a revamped Skitch app, giving it a fresh coat of paint to fit in with iOS 7. Today, the main Evernote app for iPhones and iPads has gotten similar aesthetic treatment, and added a couple of new features to boot. First up is the Places feature for both free and paid users, which shows you the locations of any geo-tagged notes and photos on a map, and also makes those notes searchable by location. Next, Premium Evernoters will now have the option to customize their home screen -- meaning you can change the order of your buttons or remove those you never use. Naturally, the update also brings some general performance improvements and bug fixes as well, so head on over to the source to see for yourself all the new app has to offer.
iWork redesigned from the ground up, available today for free
iWork has been overhauled from the ground up, and here's a look at some of the features Apple introduced today. The new Keynote was used in Apple's presentation. You can glimpse other features in the screenshot above: Full file compatibility New UI Collaboration added to iWork for iCloud Pages The new UI is responsive to what the user is doing Styles for every kind of object Numbers Free object-based designs that are interactive Keynote Object-based animation Transitions updated with more realistic physics, with new ones added Like with other announced software, iWork is available for free with the purchase of a new Mac or iOS device, and it's available today.
Apple App Store hits 60 billion cumulative downloads
Over 64% of compatible devices are already running iOS 7, according to Apple, making it by far the company's most successful mobile operating system. In all, iOS 7 was downloaded over 200 million times in the first five days after it was released. Apple also reported paying developers over $13 billion to date, thanks to the over 1 million apps available in the App Store, which have hit over 60 billion cumulative downloads. (Apple still has the edge over Android; there are about 900,000 apps available in the Google Play store.)
Owl City's Adam Young says he created iOS 7′s sounds
The American electronica musician Adam Young of Owl City has revealed on his discography page that he created at least some of the new system sounds in iOS 7. Under "Artist," Young lists "Apple" and under "Year" and "Label," Young lists "2013" and "Sounds for iOS7." Besides completely remastering virtually all of the previous iOS's system sounds, many new ones were introduced, including a number of ringtones and system alerts. It's not entirely clear if Young created all the new iOS 7 sounds, or just some of them. As 9to5Mac points out, what is really interesting/impressive is that some Owl City fans had previously commented on YouTube that the sounds in iOS 7 sounded like something "Owl City could have made." Besides his work with Owl City and Apple, Young has also done a number of sound work on animated films including Wreck-It Ralph and The Croods.
iOS 7 video tip: How to kill a frozen app or restart your iPhone
On occasion, a single iPhone app might lock up and make that app -- or your entire iPhone -- unusable. Today's video tip looks at how to kill a single frozen app, as well as how to fix an iPhone that has locked up completely. As with all of our video tips, this one can be resized to full screen for more detailed viewing.
Poll: Is dictation more reliable in iOS 7?
The release of iOS 7 has brought a host of new features to the iPhone and iPad, but there's one we at TUAW have noticed hasn't been talked about much. We're speaking of course about the dictation function. Some members of our staff have noticed that diction has become more reliable since the debut of iOS 7, which got us thinking. What has our average reader's experience been with dictation in iOS 7? To answer this question, we have two quick polls for you. The first asks what your experience using dictation in iOS 7 has been like, while the second asks if you use the dictation feature mostly over 3G/4G or via WiFi. Let us know what you think and feel free to expand upon your poll selection in the comments below. %Poll-85211% %Poll-85215%
Poll: Is iOS 7 buggy on the iPhone 5s?
Here at TUAW, we have several anecdotal reports that iOS 7 is running extremely flaky on the iPhone 5s. As an iPhone 5s user, I can confirm that I've seen a number of issues on my 5s that I have not been able to reproduce on my fourth-generation iPad running iOS 7. The issues I've had with iOS 7 on my 5s include: Jarring shifts in the background wallpaper when returning to the home screen from the lock screen or from an app Poor recognition of taps when tapping the music player's previous and next buttons in Control Center Increasing authentication errors using the Touch ID fingerprint scanner To be sure, the bugs I'm experiencing are not necessarily signs of widespread issues with the iPhone 5s. However, we'd be interested in hearing TUAW readers' feedback to see if they are noticing any bugs unique to the iPhone 5s. Take the poll below and feel free to expand on your selection in the comments! %Poll-85179%
GarageBand could go free on iOS 7
GarageBand could be the next built-in app to go free on new iOS devices. Apple recently updated the icons for its iLife and iWork apps, and according to MacRumors the update page also notes that Apple's music making suite will become a complimentary download. However, to flesh out the application you'll have to pony up for individual instruments and sounds via in-app purchases. This possible price change should let almost anyone live out their music-production dreams, but we hope it doesn't cost more than the app's current $5 price to get the full experience. If Tim Cook and friends follow tradition, we should know more later this week.
Apple leaks new iLife for iOS icons, suggesting updates soon
New icons for iPhoto and GarageBand for iOS have been spotted in the iCloud Storage Management settings of iOS 7's Settings app, notes 9to5Mac. The new icons appear radically different than the old ones, with a much flatter, iOS 7-like design. As the iCloud Storage Management icons are handled over the air, it's likely that the iPhoto and GarageBand icons were accidentally released ahead of schedule. Given that they were, however, it seems likely the two apps -- along with iMovie, which has not had a new icon leaked -- may see updates shortly after Apple's event next Tuesday. Besides the iLife iOS apps, Apple still needs to update a number of apps for iOS 7, including iBooks, Pages, Numbers, Keynote, Remote and more.
Australian developers talk about working with iOS 7
Since the announcement of iOS 7, there's been tons of discussion about aesthetic changes the update has brought to the iPhone and iPad interface. What hasn't been talked about widely is how the update changed the various APIs developers used for building apps. Alec Fraser of Reckoner, a site dedicated to covering Australia's tech scene, has interviewed a group of the county's top developers to get a look at how the recent update has changed how they work. It's a long, but informative look at the struggles and stumbling blocks updates can bring for developers. Fraser drives this point home with the simple example of a change to the status bar. Even seemingly minor user interface changes-such as the status bar no longer being separate from the app in iOS 7 (as it was in iOS 6) can be a stumbling block, especially when trying to maintain backwards compatibility with iOS 6 while also updating an app for iOS 7. Understandably, some of the changes to iOS 7 have made backwards compatibility with iOS 6 difficult for some developers. Some of the designers Fraser spoke with said that they've come to terms with this reality and are no longer worrying about making an app designed for modern hardware to run on the obsolete OS. Considering iOS models dating back to the reliable, but long-in-the-tooth iPhone 4s can support iOS 7, the developers believe most users with a compatible device will update. Fraser interviews developers at every part of the process, including new apps and apps that have found iOS 7 as a sign that their time is done. For example, the developers behind Consume, an app for monitoring information on your iPhone, will no longer be updating it because of the dramatic changes in the APIs. For a development outsider looking for a better understanding of the constantly changing landscape, Fraser's piece is enlightening. Beyond providing a look at what Australia's app development community is like, it gives a clear image of the struggles that all iOS developers face. Head over to Reckoner to read the full piece.
iOS 7 video tip: Using and managing dictionaries
Did you know that dictionaries are built into iOS? They are literally a tap away, and can define almost any word that you need to know the meaning of. In today's iOS 7 video tip, we'll not only talk about how to use dictionaries, but also how to add and manage dictionaries. As with all of our other video tips, this one can be viewed in full-screen for extra detail.
Make beautiful parallax iPhone wallpapers
The parallax effect is the new "motion" wallpaper laying behind the app icons on iOS 7. The subtle effect is meant to give some depth to the flat design of iOS 7, though some have said it gives them motion sickness. However, if you like parallax and want to make your own wallpapers that work well with the effect, you may want to check out a great article by CNET's Jason Cipriani that describes the process. Cipriani notes that photos with depth and texture work best. If you pick a photo that has virtually no texture and is only a single color, don't expect to get much motion from your background. Also, make photos at least 400 pixels wider and taller than your iOS device's screen resolution. This is because the wallpaper needs to shift in the background to give the appearance of motion. If your wallpaper is just limited to the iOS device's screen resolution it will need to be zoomed in on, which can create a less-than-desirable look. For iPhones and iPod touches with four-inch screens, use an image that's 1,536 x 1,040 pixels. For Retina display iPads you'll want 2,448 x 1,936. For more tips and screen resolutions, be sure to check out Cipriani's article.
Switched On: A marriage of conveniences
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. A general love of the new notwithstanding, it has always been a bit odd that new flagship phones from Apple have dramatically outsold previous generations. Mostly because so much of the iPhone's value comes from software and Apple tends to preserve nearly all of the functionality in OS upgrades for previous years' models, making them a relatively good value. However, in the case of the iPhone 5s, Apple has implemented hardware in Touch ID that nicely complements the efficiency of its new mobile operating system, iOS 7. Now, even with the removal of many user interface accoutrements, such as digitized green felt in Game Center that Apple itself has mocked, there are still some whimsical excursions in iOS 7, including the slow-mo video mode and the parallax feature. There are also a few "aha!"-inspiring additions, such as support for the M7 coprocessor that will serve to save battery life by handling motion detection and the two-tone flash that results in more natural-looking photographs.
Unity game engine hits 4.2.2 with iOS controller support
The Unity game engine likes to take things in small steps. First it was adding Linux and Wii U support. Then Windows 8, Windows Phone 8 and BlackBerry 10. Now that most of the major operating systems are covered, it's time to start making minor enhancements to that support. With version 4.2.2, released today, it now supports iOS 7's native game controller API. Apple decided to standardize controllers across iOS, making it easier for developers to build in gamepad support. It was also trivial for the Unity team to plug that API directly into its own standard Unity input API. For more details you can check out the Unity developer blog.
