MacRumors

Apple recently began cracking down on fake reviews in the App Store, a widespread problem that can affect both App Store rankings and Top Charts. According to research done by TechCrunch, Apple appears to have started removing false reviews earlier this year.

One app, Better Fonts Free, which is described by TechCrunch as "spammy," saw thousands of its June ratings disappear overnight. While the app has just 4,000 reviews at the current point in time, it previously had more than 20,000. Developers have no way to remove reviews, which means the fake reviews were pulled by Apple.

Instead, what happened is that Apple did step in to remove this app's ratings due to attempts by the developer to game the system. What's more, this is not the first time the company has done this, we now understand.

In fact, any time Apple finds credible evidence of ratings fraud or manipulation, it can and "often" does take action to remove the ratings associated with that activity.

There are several websites and marketing services that allow developers to purchase fake five-star reviews in an attempt to game the App Store charts, improving their rankings and their downloads. Apple has warned against these practices in the past, suggesting that developers who utilize services to manipulate their App Store rankings could be banned from Apple's developer program, so it is no surprise that the company has been quietly removing fake reviews.

It is unclear how Apple determines which reviews are false, but as anyone who has stumbled across a fake review in the App Store knows, they are often easy to spot. Most fake reviews use the same general wording, structure, and punctuation, in addition to being overly positive. The reviews below come from a low-quality highly-ranked app that has a perfect five star rating.

Apple has made several changes to the App Store in recent months with the aim of improving app discoverability. In late 2013, the App Store began compensating for small typos and misspellings and the company also implemented changes to the way apps are ranked for the Top Charts.

Just yesterday, Apple added a new 'Browse by Category' section ahead of major improvements being introduced to the App Store with iOS 8, including a new "Explore" tab and a search overhaul that includes trending and related searches.

Over the past several months, there have been several rumors suggesting that a move to two different screen sizes on the iPhone 6 could come with a $100 price premium for the larger model. Rumors have indicated that Apple is planning to launch a 4.7-inch iPhone 6 around the September timeframe, with an even larger 5.5-inch model coming either at the same time or up to several months later.

Raymond James analyst Tavis McCourt has now weighed in (via MarketWatch) with his own belief that the larger model will indeed include a $100 price premium. But according to McCourt's survey data, consumers are showing an increasing willingness to pay that premium for a larger device.

“Our June consumer survey points to continued growth in the willingness of iPhone users to pay $100 more for a bigger screened iPhone, with now a full one-third of survey respondents willing to pay a $100 premium,” he added.

In fact, he added, “data seems to suggest meaningful demand for a larger screen, which should logically mean the iPhone 6-cycle will be strong for upgrade sales, which combined with modest contribution from wearables should cause a modest acceleration in revenue growth in fiscal 2015.”

Analysts and other observers unsurprisingly expect the iPhone 6 to generate a massive upgrade spike given the move to a larger screen size. The iPhone's usual two-year design cycle typically sees stronger anticipation for new designs, and the significantly larger screen sizes appear to be boosting that excitement even more this year.

Logging into and setting up apps will be easier in iOS 8 thanks to new Continuity APIs Apple has introduced to allow iOS apps to access Safari's stored usernames and passwords. The feature, announced at a developer session at WWDC (via 9to5Mac), will let users quickly log in to an app that is associated with a website they have previously visited.

For example, if a user has accessed Gmail in Safari for Mac or iOS and opted to store a password, that password can then be used to log in to Google's Gmail iOS app with a single tap, greatly speeding up and streamlining the login process. During the session, Apple demonstrated with a test website and app called "Shiny."

The functionality is available to all developers and has the potential to be built into any third-party app with an accompanying website. Developers will need to associate a website with their app, which will then give them the option to request credentials saved in Safari, offering the option at login.

The process also works both ways. Apps that have an associated website that a user has not visited will be able to store login information to Safari, later letting a user access that stored information on the web when browsing to the site associated with the app.

As part of Continuity, the new Safari/app integration is designed to make it easier to seamlessly switch between devices, cutting down on the frustration of logging into an app. Apple also hopes the new system will increase security, as users can now select Safari's randomized suggested passwords for both apps and websites.

Just weeks after Apple announced its Health app for iOS 8 and corresponding HealthKit platform for allowing developers and accessory manufacturers to tie into the system, Google will apparently be making a similar announcement at its Google I/O conference. According to Forbes, Google's new "Google Fit" service will perform a similar function to HealthKit, aggregating data from fitness trackers and apps in one place on the user's device.

Google Fit will aggregate data through open APIs, instruction sets that allow apps to share information, and will also announce partnerships with wearable device makers at its I/O conference, Forbes understands. One source with knowledge of Google’s plans said Google Fit would allow a wearable device that measures data like steps or heart rate to interface with Google’s cloud-based services, and become part of the Google Fit ecosystem.

Forbes says it is unclear whether Google Fit will be integrated into Android by default or if it will be handled through a standalone app.

Earlier this year, Google announced its Android Wear project to bring Android to wearable devices such as smart watches, with a focus on health monitoring. As a result, Forbes speculates Google Fit could serve as a hub for integrating data from a variety of Android Wear devices, as well as other products tying into the platform.

Apple's Health feature received only a few minutes of stage time at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference last week, although the company does have a feature page up on its site previewing the system. While Health will be able to tie into a variety of devices and apps as developers build in support, Apple's iWatch is expected to be a major focus for the platform. Rumored for launch later this year around the time iOS 8 is released to the public, the iWatch will reportedly feature a number of biometric sensors to help monitor health and fitness. As a result, we can expect to hear much more about Apple's Health initiative when the iWatch is ready to go.

Apple today launched a exchange program in 36 countries for certain models of its 5W European USB power adapter, which the company says may overheat and pose a safety risk in some cases, reports German site iFun (Google Translate).

The affected adapters, which are identified as Model A1300, originally came with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, and iPhone 4S models that shipped from October 2009 to September 2012. Apple is allowing users to bring in the affected adapters to an Apple Retail Store or participating Apple Authorized Service Provider, and will give a new adapter after a corresponding iPhone serial number is verified.

The program differs from Apple's third-party USB charger takeback program, which launched last year in over thirty countries. That program allows users to trade-in a third-party USB charger for a discount on an official Apple charger, and was created following the electrocution of a Chinese woman that may have been caused counterfeit iPhone charger.

TouchArcade has posted a roundup featuring a look at the surprising number of the new iOS gaming controllers shown off at this week's Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) event in Los Angeles, California.

New products from gaming companies such as Mad Catz, Razer, SteelSeries, Hori, Signal, Phonejoy, and BigBen Interactive were all shown off at the event, with each company pushing various hardware styles and features to better cater to iOS users.

Mad Catz's C.T.R.L.i controller was described as TouchArcade's favorite of the various controllers shown. It features a full-sized design with console-style controls including face buttons, analog sticks, shoulder bumpers and triggers.

The controller can connect to any iOS 7 device through Bluetooth functionality, and also includes an optional clip for attaching an iPhone. Other controllers like BigBen Interactive's GamePhone Controller Pro, Hori's MFi controller, Signal's RP-One, and Steelseries' Stratus XL also showed off similar full-sized designs.

Meanwhile, controllers like BigBen Interactive's GameGrip and PhoneJoy's MFi controller showed off a design that wraps around an iOS device similar to the MOGA Ace Power and the Logitech Powershell.

Phonejoy's controller in particular contains the ability to fully collapse while not in use, while BigBen's GameGrip can wrap around an iPad mini and even a full-sized iPad. Razer also demoed its Junglecat controller, which contains a sliding mechanism with face buttons and a directional pad.

The introduction of all these new iOS controllers comes as rumors surrounding the next-generation Apple TV have ramped up, with some of that speculation focusing on the device's gaming capabilities. To this point, some have speculated that Apple could utilize iOS gaming controllers, a set-top box, and an App Store ecosystem to become a major force in the console gaming industry. Original Xbox engineer Nat Brown and Steam founder Gabe Newell shared sentiments that Apple could take the lead in the games console market with such a system.

Iconfactory software engineer Sean Heber (via Daring Fireball) recently wrote a blog post on how Apple could use its new Metal and AirPlay peer-to-peer technologies introduced in iOS 8 to provide a new console gaming experience with the Apple TV and iOS gaming controllers. He explains that Apple could ultimately allow users to use their iOS devices as controllers with minimal input lag, as games would be playable on both the Apple TV and iOS devices:

The key difference is where the AirPlay extension app actually executes - the AirPlay extension app will be automatically uploaded to whatever AppleTV you are currently AirPlaying with and will run directly on the AppleTV natively instead. This means no video streaming lag and minimal controller lag. Your iPhone would then turn into a generic game controller with onscreen controls or, if you have a physical shell controller attached to your iPhone, it activates that instead.

...You can play without needing to purchase the game on that particular AppleTV, without needing to sign in with your iCloud account to access your purchases, without needing to get their wifi password, or indeed without there even needing to be a wifi network to join in the first place. All without any hassle. When you go home, you take the game and any earned progress along with you in your pocket.

In addition to gaming, Apple's next-generation Apple may also feature cable-box capabilities and perhaps a streaming TV service through a partnership with Comcast. However, Apple's iTunes Chief Eddy Cue said recently that Apple is continuing to work on a way to improve the television experience, but a fix is "complicated."

Samsung today introduced a new version of its Galaxy Tab, the Galaxy Tab S, at an event in New York entitled "Tab Into Color." Available in both 8.4 and 10.5-inch sizes, the Galaxy Tab S includes a high-resolution (2560 x 1600) Super AMOLED display. According to Samsung, the Tab S's display has a more accurate color range, better contrast, and higher outdoor visibility than an LCD display.

Billed as the company's new flagship tablet, the Galaxy Tab S is Samsung's "best tablet yet," according to the company, and also its thinnest and lightest at 6.6mm. "Tab S is guaranteed to turn heads wherever you go, and to give it a more premium look, we trimmed it in gold to give it an aura of luxury," said Michael Abary, senior VP of marketing for Samsung Electronics America.

Along with a built-in fingerprint sensor, the Galaxy Tab S includes a "Sidesync" feature that mirrors one of the Handoff features that Apple announced with iOS 8. Sidesync allows the Galaxy Tab S to answer phone calls routed through a Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphone if both devices are on the same WiFi network. The Tab S is also able to remotely access a PC and multiple Tab S tablets in the same room can connect with one another.

Samsung's fingerprint sensor allows multiple users to share a tablet, accommodating up to eight different users. A fingerprint scan loads different users based on fingerprint, and also integrates with a new Kids Mode, allowing children unable to enter a password to unlock the Galaxy Tab S using a finger.

Samsung's Galaxy Tab S will run Android 4.4 (KitKat) and with its efficient display, it offers 11 hours of battery life. It will come pre-loaded with a slew of apps like Papergarden, an interactive magazine viewer, and the Galaxy Gifts widget, which will provide various offers like 90 days of free Google Music. Accessories for the Tab S include a Book Cover with multiple viewing angles and a bluetooth keyboard.

Available in brown and white, the WiFi versions of the tablets will be available in the U.S. in July, with LTE versions following shortly thereafter. The 10.5-inch version will retail for $499, while the 8.4-inch version will retail for $399, pricing on par with Apple's iPad lineup.

Apple is said to be working new versions of the iPad Air and the Retina iPad mini, but those are not expected to launch until the fall. The tablets are expected to include an A8 processor, an upgraded camera, and a Touch ID fingerprint sensor.

Nest creator Tony Fadell, who formerly worked at Apple before starting Nest Labs and launching both a connected thermostat and smoke detector, has shared some details on both his experience at Apple and his encounters with Steve Jobs in a lengthy profile and interview with Fortune.

Dubbed one of the "fathers of the iPod," Fadell started at Apple in 2001, moving on to become SVP of the company's iPod division from 2006 to 2008, where he helped produce early versions of the music player. Fadell clashed with Jobs and other executives at times, and says he had to "repeatedly quit" to get his way at the company.

One time, after key members of his iPod team had been raided for another Apple project, Fadell informed Jobs he was done, and the CEO asked him to stay, telling Fadell he was overreacting. "I said, 'I'm not overreacting.' I told him I was out. If you didn't stand up for yourself, no one else would." (Fadell says he recanted at least two resignations, having gotten his way each time.)

Jobs and Fadell reportedly had a relationship that "alternated between the father/son and school principal/naughty student archetypes." Fadell often argued with Jobs, who thought Fadell "asked too many questions," which would frustrate him. Fadell left Apple after marrying Danielle Lambert, a human resources executive who worked as a "super-key" recruiter.

Fadell, who launched a stealth startup in home automation in 2010 that eventually lead to the ultra popular Nest, says that he wishes he had been able to tell Jobs about Nest. While they spoke about Fadell's startup, Jobs was very ill when the Nest was ready to launch.

By the time Fadell was ready to share more in the summer of 2011, however, Jobs had grown gravely ill, and he died several weeks later. "I would have loved to have been able to show it to him, but the timing didn't work," he says. Jobs presumably would have been proud of Fadell. And he almost certainly would have asked a lot of questions.

Nest went on to be acquired by Google in January of 2014, in a deal that netted the company $3.2 billion. Though now a Google employee, Fadell continues to operate Nest independently, budgeting one day a week to visit Google and learn how it can help Nest in the long run.

The full profile of Tony Fadell, which includes more information on his history, the development of Nest, and his time at Apple, can be read over at Fortune.

Apple's iTunes Store and App Store appear to be down for many users on both iOS devices and desktops, with attempts to access the stores resulting in one of several error messages such as "Cannot Connect to App Store" and "The item you've requested is not currently available in the U.S. store."

Issues seem to have begun this morning, as several users noted an inability to download the Skype app following its release. Some users attempting to download the app received a message indicating the app was no longer available for download.

The iTunes Store does not appear to be loading content for affected users, with the Music, Movies, TV Shows Books, App Store, and Podcasts section of iTunes all giving error messages. Search remains functional on the desktop, however.

For the App Store, some users are having trouble loading multiple sections, including Featured, Top Charts, and Near Me, while other users are able to access certain sections like Top Charts. The Purchased and Update tabs appear functional, with the Purchased tab able to download apps. Search is down on the App Store on iOS devices.

The Apple TV also appears to be experiencing issues, with the Movies and TV sections missing and inaccessible.

Apple's System Status page is not currently reporting any outages.

Update 2:00 PM PT: Apple says that the iTunes and App Store outage has been resolved.

Microsoft announced earlier this week that it was close to releasing a new version of its Skype for iOS app with a streamlined design and improved performance. Arriving as projected, the new Skype 5.0 for iPhone is rolling out now in the iOS App Store. Some users are reporting seeing the update in their App Store "Update" pane but are unable to download, so users should be patient as it propagates.

Skype 5.0 focuses on making conversations easier with a refined group chat feature that can be launched from the main hub and a revised notification system that works across Skype platforms including the iPhone, PC and Xbox.

We’re excited for you to see how the new app has been redesigned to put your conversations first, providing you with a smoother, leaner and more integrated experience. Skype for iPhone is up to five times faster and it is also more stable and more reliable. Navigating through the new UI is easier and more fluid. Whether it’s creating a group chat, sending a photo or starting a video call, the new Skype for iPhone has been rethought to be simple and intuitive.

What's New in Version 5.0

- Overall performance improvements - faster start up and fluid animations.

- A new modern hub centric design putting recent conversations first - just swipe to see your favourite people or contacts.

- Richer and more reliable messaging: create groups, share photos (even to offline contacts) and video messages.

- In-app notifications for quick conversation switching, and in-app controls to manage notifications.

- A new simplified, modern voice and video calling experience.

Skype for iPhone is available for free from the iOS App Store. [Direct Link: iPhone]. An updated 5.0 version of Skype for the iPad is still under development.