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

OtterBox today announced the launch of a new uniVERSE Case System, featuring a versatile OtterBox-branded protective case that's able to be used with accessory modules from a range of companies like Square, Polar Pro, SanDisk, olloclip, Seek Thermal, and more. Available for the iPhone 6/6s and the iPhone 6 Plus/6s Plus, the uniVERSE Case System combines a slim but protective OtterBox case with ...

iDevices today announced the launch of its latest HomeKit product, a smart light bulb socket able to turn any standard bulb into a smart bulb. The iDevices Socket, first announced at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show, is a simple Wi-Fi light bulb adapter that connects to a standard bulb and gives it the ability to interface with Siri and other HomeKit-connected products. Priced at $79, the...

Parallels, the company behind the popular virtualization software of the same name, has updated its iOS app Parallels Access, which allows iPad and iPhone owners to remotely access their Mac or Windows apps on their mobile device. The app allows users to interact with their desktop apps in the same way they would interact with their iPad apps, with the full range of iPad gestures available...

An alleged prototype version of Apple's "vintage" iPhone 6 has appeared in an eBay auction with a starting price of $4,999. The device has the Apple logo and "iPhone" branding, but no FCC logos, serial number or IMEI on the rear, and appears to be in very good condition. The handset apparently runs a much-sought-after hackable debugging OS called "SwitchBoard" and features a red...

Collaborative video creation app GroupClip launched on iOS yesterday, allowing users to record the same event on multiple devices and combine clips in the cloud to produce multi-angle movies. The app enables users to invite up to four friends in any location into the same movie project and start recording clips straight away. As video is synced to the cloud, each user has access to everyone...

Ultimate Ears today added to its speaker lineup with the launch of the UE Roll 2, a successor to the original UE Roll. The UE Roll 2 looks like the current version of the UE Roll, but it has been upgraded with a longer Bluetooth range and louder sound. I own an original UE Roll, so Ultimate Ears sent me a UE Roll 2 for a comparison review ahead of the new speaker's rollout. When it comes to...

i.am+, the company founded by musician will.i.am, recently announced the launch of its new i.am+ EPs, a set of premium Bluetooth earphones that are available exclusively from Apple retail stores and Apple.com. Featuring a design inspired by the "iconic shape of vinyl records" and targeted at those interested in fashion, the EPs include circular ear pieces made of spun metal and are connected...

Philips today announced a new HomeKit-compatible Hue-branded lighting product, the Philips Hue White Ambiance. Like the standard Philips Hue lighting set, the White Ambiance ships with a HomeKit hub and bulbs, but it's aimed at people who want adjustable white light without a multitude of color options. The Wi-Fi-connected White Ambiance bulbs feature "every shade of white light," from 6500k...

Apple today provided developers with the first beta of an upcoming 9.2.2 update to tvOS, the operating system designed to run on the fourth-generation Apple TV. tvOS 9.2.2 comes one week after the public launch of tvOS 9.2.1, a minor update focusing on bug fixes. tvOS betas are more difficult to install than beta updates for iOS and OS X. Installing the tvOS beta requires the Apple TV to be...

Spotify has upgraded its family plan to directly match Apple Music's offering, with up to six Premium accounts per family now available for $14.99 a month (via The Verge). Spotify says users under the family plan will receive their own separate premium accounts and have full access to Spotify's library of songs and videos. Existing subscribers meanwhile will automatically be upgraded to the...

Another photo has emerged this morning on Weibo allegedly showing a genuine iPhone 7 rear case (via 9to5Mac). The latest claim shows a bevelled, protruding camera hole, which contradicts rumors that the next-gen iPhone due in September will have a camera flush with the case. The camera is also positioned closer to the upper left corner of the chassis than in previous iPhones, while the...

For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with well-known storage and memory company Lexar to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a 64GB C20i JumpDrive, which is designed to increase the storage capacity of an iPhone or iPad and enable file transfers between Macs/PCs and iOS devices. The C20i JumpDrive is a tiny, pocket-sized dongle that's just a couple inches in length when folded shut, ...

Apple's global smartphone market share fell to 14.8 percent in the first quarter of 2016, down from 17.9 percent in the same period the previous year, despite a 3.9 percent growth in overall smartphone sales compared to Q1 2015, according to Gartner (via DigiTimes). The number of smartphones delivered to end users in Q1 totalled 349 million globally, compared to 336 in the same period in 2015. ...

Chime Banking, a smartphone-based banking company, announced today that it now supports Apple Pay in the U.S. for both in-store and in-app payments. Chime Visa debit cards can be added to Apple Pay by tapping the "Add Credit or Debit Card" option in the Wallet app on iOS 8.1 or later on compatible iPhones. Chime Banking is an app that provides over 120,000 customers with FDIC-insured...

Yahoo has introduced a new version of its Mail app for iOS with a handful of features migrated from its desktop interface, including support for inline URL previews. The new Link Preview feature works by converting a web address typed into a message into a visual snapshot of the linked content, so recipients can see what's on the other side of the link before choosing to click it. The 'preview ...

Apple recently added a new passcode requirement rule for iPhones with Touch ID enabled, according to MacWorld. The new rule requires a user to enter a passcode when an iPhone or iPad has met two conditions: the device has not been unlocked via a passcode for six days and has not been unlocked with Touch ID for the past eight hours. Users (including this reporter) began noticing this change...

Twelve South today debuted a new version of its popular BookBook case, this time designed to fit Apple's 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Made from high-quality leather, the BookBook, for those unfamiliar, is designed to look like a classic book, offering protection for the iPad while also concealing it. It's handcrafted and carefully distressed so each BookBook has a unique look. The BookBook for iPad...

Apple will rely on multiple manufacturing partners to assemble the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, including Foxconn, Pegatron, and Wistron, according to Taiwanese website DigiTimes. The new 4.7-inch model will reportedly be assembled by Foxconn and Pegatron, while the 5.5-inch model will be made by Foxconn and Wistron. Apple typically diversifies suppliers to aim for a smooth iPhone launch....