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

Netflix is planning to offer HDR quality mobile content for viewing on supporting devices because of an increasing mobile subscriber base and the company's belief that the format will eventually be universally adopted on mobile platforms. The comments were made yesterday by Netflix executive Neil Hunt during a briefing with journalists, as part of a two-day event at Dolby Laboratories and...

Google has updated its Play Music app with new options to control the quality of music playback over wireless networks and choose the compression level of downloaded tracks. Previously, users of the streaming service could only adjust the quality of music when listening over their mobile connection, but the additional options offer the same control over WiFi and when listening offline....

Apple's partnership with The Conservation Fund to protect working forests has begun to show returns for both Apple and the state of North Carolina, according to information the organization shared with the Triangle Business Journal. Apple vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives Lisa Jackson shared the article covering Apple's conservation efforts on Twitter this afternoon. ...

Although it's late to the mobile ordering trend, McDonald's today has begun testing an update to its smartphone app that will allow customers to create an order anywhere and pay for it through the app when they arrive at their local McDonald's. In a bid to avoid customer congestion, long wait lines, and cold food, the app will use geo-fencing to detect when each customer is getting closer to the...

The deluge of stories revolving around Facebook copying Snapchat might hit a zenith today as the social media company begins to launch "Facebook Stories" worldwide, this time in the main Facebook app for iOS devices (via TechCrunch). Previously, Facebook created a facsimile of Snapchat's day-long, vanishing post idea in Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram, which gained 100 million users...

After months of reports surrounding iPhone manufacturers like Pegatron and Foxconn potentially moving Apple device construction to the United States, Pegatron CEO Syh-Jang Liao this week commented that the company could build iPhones and iPads in the U.S. on the condition that its client, Apple, is ready to pay for the costs of moving manufacturing stateside (via Focus Taiwan). Liao was...

With Apple known to be partnering with various building companies to integrate its HomeKit platform into new houses, one journalist yesterday was invited by KB Home to check out the company's latest HomeKit-enabled development in San Jose, California. KRON4 tech reporter Gabe Slate's peek inside one of the smart houses demonstrates the extent of the HomeKit integration, which costs $2500 per...

The Snapchat app for iOS devices has been updated with a new widget feature, which is designed to make it easier and quicker for Snapchat users to send snaps and messages to friends. Available in the Today view of the Notification Center, the Snapchat widget adds a Bitmoji for friends that are marked as "Best Friends" within the Snapchat app. Tapping on the friend Bitmoji automatically...

Google today updated its Chrome browser for iOS devices to version 57, adding a new "Read Later" function for saving articles to a Reading List so they can be viewed at a later time even when an internet connection is unavailable. The Chrome Read Later function is similar to the "Reading List" feature that's available in the Safari web browser for Macs and iOS devices. Yes, you can take it...

The Eye Smart iPhone Case, an ambitious new project on Kickstarter, aims to expand the iPhone's functionality by adding what amounts to a full Android device to the back of the iPhone. An always-on 5-inch AMOLED display is built into the case, which runs the Android 7.1 Nougat operating system. The case connects to the iPhone using its Lightning port to enable file transfers, power delivery,...

Apple today seeded the sixth beta of an upcoming tvOS 10.2 update to developers for testing purposes, just under one week after seeding the fifth tvOS 10.2 update and more than a month after releasing tvOS 10.1.1, the current release version of tvOS. Designed for the fourth-generation Apple TV, the sixth tvOS 10.2 beta can be obtained by connecting the Apple TV to a computer with a USB-C to...

Apple today seeded the sixth beta of an upcoming watchOS 3.2 update to developers for testing purposes, just under one week after seeding the fifth watchOS 3.2 beta and nearly two months after the release of watchOS 3.1.3, the current public version of the operating system. The watchOS 3.2 beta can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General -->...

iPhone forensics expert, security researcher, and former jailbreak community developer Jonathan Zdziarski today announced he has accepted a position with Apple's Security Engineering and Architecture team. He did not reveal his official starting date or responsibilities at the company. I’m pleased to announce that I’ve accepted a position with Apple’s Security Engineering and...

Pay-at-table terminal manufacturer E la Carte today announced that Apple Pay is coming to its new state-of-the-art "PrestoPrime EMV" line, thanks to an included NFC reader that will also support Android Pay, Samsung Pay, and mobile wallets that use QR codes. E la Carte's previous terminals included NFC, but lacked EMV certification, which Apple Pay requires since it complies to the latest EMV...

Mazda is planning to add CarPlay and Android Auto support to its lineup of cars and SUVs according to an announcement made at a launch for its upcoming 2017 CX-5 (via Cars.com). There's no word on when CarPlay will be added to Mazda vehicles, nor is there info on which vehicles will be the first to support CarPlay, but Mazda spokesperson Jacob Brown said the feature "should be retroactively...

iOS hacker qwertyoruiop has discovered that an old iOS 9.3 WebKit vulnerability lies hidden within Nintendo's latest home console/portable hybrid, the Nintendo Switch (via SlashGear). The exploit lies in the Switch's limited web browser functionality, which allows users to sync up with Twitter and Facebook as well as connect to public Wi-Fi hotspots, and is all run by Apple's open source browser...

Pandora's own entry into the on-demand streaming music market, called Pandora Premium, is officially launching this week to a select group of invitees who sign up for a chance to gain access on the company's website. Pandora Premium is the result of the company's acquisition of "key assets" and employees from Rdio back in 2015. Late last year, Pandora finally detailed what its new Premium service ...

Google has created a new app called "Uptime" [Direct Link] that allows users to watch YouTube videos in real time along with their friends (via The Verge). The iOS-only app is available in the United States and was created through Google's internal incubator program known as Area 120, which continues the company's famous workplace perk that encourages employees to take 20 percent of their week to ...