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

Smart thermostat company Ecobee has become the focus of a new profile shared online today by CNET, and alongside that article the company has revealed a new money saving feature for select Ecobee users called "Peak Relief." This feature was created to help users save on energy bills by automatically cutting down on heating and cooling when energy rates are higher, and then using more when rates...

Elevation Lab, known for its popular line of wired dock options for the iPhone, recently came out with its first wireless charging dock, the NightPad. The NightPad, which is a 7.5W charger, looks like a lot of other wireless chargers on the market, but there are some premium features to be aware of. It's covered in a soft silicone material that holds the iPhone in place while it's charging,...

One week after Comcast officially bowed out of the bidding war for 21st Century Fox's entertainment assets by ceding to Disney, shareholders of both Fox and Disney have today approved Disney's $71.3 billion acquisition offer for Fox (via The Wall Street Journal). At two separate gatherings this morning in Manhattan, both company's shareholders were said to have "voiced their support" for the...

Amazon has begun testing a small but useful new feature across its iOS app and mobile/desktop websites, allowing users to invite friends and family members to collaborate on a shopping list together. Amazon customers have long been asking for such a feature, and it seems like a small set of them have been selected to test it out ahead of a potential wider launch in the future (via Android Police)....

Apple has announced that it will repair any Mac, iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, iPod, or Thunderbolt Display directly damaged by heavy rains in Japan in July, free of charge, so long as the product is actually repairable. Affected customers can contact Apple by dialing 0120-27753-5 to arrange for pick up of any eligible products through the end of September, according to a notice on Apple's...

LinkedIn has introduced a new voice messaging service that's built in to the latest version of its mobile app. Called LinkedIn Messaging, the feature gives users the ability to record and send audio messages up to one minute long. Voice messaging is rolling out now in the LinkedIn app on iOS and Android, and you can receive voice messages on mobile and on web. This feature will be...

The Apple Store app for iOS devices was today updated to version 5.1, introducing improvements for the search feature. The new version of the app features a redesigned look for the search section, with both search suggestions and support for voice-based searches. You can tap on the microphone icon located in the search bar to conduct a search using speech rather than text. Old search ...

Koogeek is one of the more interesting HomeKit accessory manufacturers, with an array of relatively low-cost and in some cases unusual products that can help users expand their Apple-focused smart home ecosystems. The company offers HomeKit-compatible smart outlets, switches, bulbs, and sockets similar to other manufacturers, but also has some less common products like light strips,...

Best Buy has opened up its new "Black Friday in July" sale with early access for its My Best Buy members, ending later tonight at 11:59 p.m. CT. Afterwards, the deals will expand to all customers shopping on the retailer's website. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site...

Dashlane today announced the release of Dashlane 6, which the company describes as an "all-in-one solution for online risk prevention," beefing up the password manager's suite of features with a collection of online privacy and security additions. The first new feature introduced is an "Identity Dashboard," which provides each user with a complete picture of their online security, as well as...

In its Q2 2018 earnings report shared today -- the second since filing for an IPO -- Spotify revealed that it has grown to 83 million paid subscribers globally and 180 million total monthly active users (including the free tier) as of the end of June 2018 (via TechCrunch). This is an increase from 75 million paid subscribers and 170 million total users that Spotify had in Q1 2018. Spotify is...

eBay this week announced a new feature coming to its iOS and Android apps, which will give customers the ability to discover more items by dragging and dropping images while they're shopping. This drag-and-drop feature is one of the latest additions to eBay's AI-powered initiative, beginning with last year's "Image Search." Instead of searching using images of items in the real world, like...

Google today updated its Street View app for iOS, finally adding support for the iPhone X's display eight months after the device's launch. Google Street View is designed to allow users to explore different locations and landmarks around the world using the Street View feature. The app also allows users to create photo spheres with the iPhone's camera, and today's update also improves support...

There are hundreds of Qi wireless charging options available on the market, many of which feature the same no-frills plain black circle or square design. You can, for example, find dozens of inexpensive wireless chargers on Amazon at prices as low as $10, but if you're looking for a more thoughtful, unique design you may need to spend a bit more. I've been taking a look at some of the wireless ...

Facebook today announced the global launch of "Watch Party," a desktop and mobile feature revealed in May that allows Facebook Groups to join in and watch videos on the platform together in real time. The videos themselves can be previously recorded or live videos, and members in the Watch Party can comment and send reactions as the video plays. To start a Watch Party, one member (the "host")...

Apple Maps vehicles equipped with LiDAR sensors have begun collecting street-level data in Montana and North Carolina for the first time this week, raising the total number of U.S. states the fleet has at least partially covered to 45. The vehicles have been collecting mapping data in the United States since at least 2015. Apple periodically updates a list of locations where the vehicles...

Nike Training Club is now available on the Apple Watch, as part of a free update to the existing iPhone app released today. The personal training tool offers more than 180 free workouts, ranging from strength and endurance to mobility and yoga, with expertise from Nike trainers and sponsored athletes like Cristiano Ronaldo and Serena Williams. Workouts can be started in the iPhone app,...

Apple supplier LG Display has reported a second quarterly loss and cut its investment plans by $2.7 billion up to 2020, on mounting concerns for the smartphone market (via Reuters). LG shares fell 7 percent after it posted faster-than-expected declines in the price of display panels and an unpredictable outlook. The announcement follows news that another Apple supplier, Taiwan-based TSMC,...