MacRumors iPhone and iPad Blog: Apps, News, and Rumors

At IFA Berlin in August, ZENS revealed three new Qi-compatible wireless chargers, including a Single Aluminum Wireless Charger, Dual Aluminum Wireless Charger, and Dual + Watch Wireless Charger. ZENS sent me the MFi certified Dual + Watch charger for the purpose of this review, and I've been using it as my main iPhone X and Apple Watch charging dock for the past week. The charger has a mat...

Nearly one year after Apple announced its acquisition of music recognition service Shazam, and one month since the acquisition was completed, Shazam has now begun informing users of Apple's plans with their data (via iGeneration). You can see the new splash screen if you have a Shazam account and open up the app. If you've created a Shazam account in the past, which allows you to share Shazams ...

A few notable sales have kicked off today, starting with eBay's latest sitewide coupon that's offering shoppers 10 percent off nearly everything on eBay, excluding as usual: warranties and protection plans, coins and paper money, gift cards and coupons, and real estate. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small ...

Apple today provided updates on a few retail stores opening soon, including locations in Thailand and Texas (via Storeteller.de). In Thailand, Apple will open a store in the Iconsiam mall, which is described as a mixed-use development that will include two malls, multiple hotels, and residences when it opens on November 9. Apple Iconsiam will open one day later on November 10 at 10 a.m. local...

Apple has updated its Maps app to include transit information for Switzerland, including indoor maps for the country's busiest airport in Zurich. Apple has yet to update its official list of locations for which Maps offers Transit data, but several tipsters contacted MacRumors to confirm the information is already live. Switzerland is renowned for its integrated country-wide transport...

The Siri Remote that comes with the Apple TV certainly has its critics. Some users find the glass Touch surface over-sensitive in the way it registers directional taps and swipes, which can make navigating onscreen menus a slalom-like experience where you're constantly having to correct for overshoot. Not only that, the minimalist design of the Siri Remote isn't very tactile and there's no...

The data breach that affected all 3 billion Yahoo accounts beginning in 2013 is getting a bit of closure this week, with a settlement agreement between Yahoo and the Northern District Court of California (via Engadget). In the settlement, Yahoo has agreed to put $50 million into a fund for victims of the breach, provide two years of credit monitoring from AllClear, and a few other benefits for...

Google this week announced that it will now automatically upgrade all previously purchased films from participating Hollywood studios to 4K, even if those movies were originally bought in SD or HD. The company is also reducing the price of new 4K movies on its Google Play store to match SD/HD prices of $19.99 and below. Previously, 4K films on Google Play rose to as much as $30. These new...

Several iCloud services are experiencing problems this afternoon, according to Apple's System Status Page. iCloud Drive, iCloud Mail, iCloud Keychain, iCloud Contacts, iCloud Calendar, Mail Drop, Find My iPhone, and more are performing "slower than normal" for some users. The problem has been ongoing since 8:51 a.m. Pacific Time this morning, and there's no word on when it might clear up. ...

Facebook today announced that it's rolling out a redesigned, simplified version of the Messenger app on a global basis starting today. Messenger 4, as Facebook is calling it, will refocus on conversations, making it easier to navigate through the app. Instead of nine separate tabs, there will be three tabs, with conversations quickly accessible through the "Chats" tab. Quick access to the...

Following the release of iOS 12.0.1 on October 8, Apple has stopped signing iOS 12, the previous version of iOS that was available to consumers. iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch owners who have upgraded to iOS 12.0.1 will no longer be able to downgrade to the release version of iOS 12. iOS 12.0.1 introduced fixes for a Lightning charging issue and Wi-Fi problems, improving performance over iOS 12. ...

Apple today seeded the fifth beta of an upcoming watchOS 5.1 update to developers, one week after seeding the fourth watchOS 5.1 beta and more than a month after releasing the new watchOS 5 operating system. Once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Apple Developer Center, the new watchOS beta can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by...

Apple today seeded the fifth beta of an upcoming tvOS 12.1 update to developers for testing purposes, one week after seeding the fourth update and over a month after releasing the tvOS 12 update. Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models, the new tvOS 12.1 beta can be downloaded onto the Apple TV via a profile that's installed using Xcode. Subsequent betas can be downloaded...

eBay today launched a new option for customers who are looking to trade in their iPhones or other smartphones, which it's calling "Instant Selling." Using this feature, you can list an old iPhone and get paid instantly with an eBay voucher. Instead of listing an old device on eBay as normal, waiting for bids to come in and for payment to be received, eBay is making this process easier with...

PayPal has kicked off its latest 15 percent discount on App Store and iTunes gift cards today on its Digital Gifts eBay storefront. If you head over to the website you can get the $100 iTunes gift card for $85 while the discount lasts, which can be anywhere from a few hours to multiple days. The gift card will be delivered via email within 24 hours and will be valid only on purchases made in...

Most popular websites these days come in both desktop and mobile versions, with the latter rendering content in a more responsive fashion for a consistent browsing experience across a variety of tablet and smartphone screens. Mobile-friendly websites are often stripped down and streamlined for easier navigation, with the result that some full-page content isn't displayed at all – and even...

WhatsApp received an update this morning that adds official support for the larger display on Apple's iPhone XS Max, as well as some other improvements and new clues on what's next for the messaging platform. Prior to today's update, the WhatsApp interface didn't scale properly on the 2,688 x 1,242 resolution screen exclusive to Apple's new 6.5-inch device, but happily the issue has been...

One of Apple's Lexus SUVs outfitted with autonomous driving equipment was involved in a minor car accident on October 15 while being driven in manual mode, and the accident in question does not appear to have been the driver's fault. According to an incident report filed with the DMV, on Monday, October 15, an Apple test vehicle in manual mode was side swiped while turning left in a dual left...