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

For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Astro to give MacRumors readers a chance to win a Twist smart LED lightbulb and wireless speaker. The Twist replaces a standard bulb in a lamp, and with its smart lighting features, it's able to adjust its color temperature from 2700K to 5000K based on the time of day. In the morning, the 800-lumen Twist bulb gives off a bluish-white light, and in ...

Both iTunes Movies and the iBooks Store have gone down in China, with the digital fronts of both stores replaced with an "unavailable" message. The outage was first noticed via multiple reports on popular Chinese social network Sina Weibo (via AppleInsider). While both storefronts are experiencing outages, Apple's status page in the country indicates that all services are up and running. It's ...

Instagram today updated its built-in "Explore" feature with a revamped look and new content that includes dedicated video channels. A personalized channel called "Videos You Might Like" aggregates videos from around the world, and Instagram's Explore grid, designed to let users find content built around hashtags, events, and specific locations, will also include some featured channels focused...

Although the method of the FBI's entry into the San Bernardino shooter's iPhone has been the source of many rumors, a new report from CBS News states that at this point in the process, "nothing of real significance" has been discovered within the device. After weeks of back-and-forth between Apple and the FBI, over the possible moral repercussions that a "GovtOS" would have on iPhone users'...

The unidentified group that assisted the FBI in unlocking the San Bernardino shooter's iPhone has sole legal ownership of the exploit, making it highly unlikely to be shared with Apple, U.S. administration sources have revealed. According to a report published by Reuters yesterday, the White House routinely reviews technology security flaws as part of its Vulnerabilities Equities Process to...

Apple today added CBS to its universal search lineup for the fourth-generation Apple TV, allowing fans of hit CBS shows like NCIS, Big Bang Theory and Supergirl to easily find their content via the Siri button on the Siri Remote. The move brings the total number of sources in universal search to 16. Since launch, Apple has worked to expand the feature and add to the five original sources....

Rumors in January suggested Microsoft was working to bring its Word Flow Windows Phone keyboard to iOS, and now the company's keyboard project has entered a private beta testing phase. Starting this week, a limited number of testers have been given access to the Word Flow iOS keyboard. MacRumors reader Ruben has shared some images and information with us, giving us our first look at the design ...

Starbucks yesterday announced a new version of its iOS app, featuring an overhauled design that aims to offer a more personalized experience for its customers and highlight the benefits of its loyalty program. A new homepage for the app puts the company's Stars rewards front and center, enabling users to keep track of how many stars they've accrued and redeem them more easily. Collected...

Google is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its Calendar service with the addition of a new feature in its iOS app that aims to help users meet personal goals. The new feature uses machine learning in an effort to help users stick to projected goals by sending reminders and rescheduling around other events in their calendar if necessary. Tapping on the new Goal option in the Add menu...

Logitech today announced plans to acquire popular earbud company Jaybird, in a deal that will cost Logitech $50 million in cash. Jaybird will join Logitech as its second audio-focused company after Logitech brought Ultimate Ears under its umbrella back in 2008. According to Logitech, it purchased Jaybird to bolster its foothold in the mobile device and earbud markets. Jaybird makes...

The first episode of the long-awaited season six of HBO series Game of Thrones premiered in Los Angeles over the weekend, and Siri is now giving cheeky responses to users who ask the personal assistant whether one of its principal characters, Jon Snow, has truly left this mortal coil. Asking Siri, 'Is Jon Snow dead?' returns a number of possible responses, including: Well, you know what...

The BBC today unveiled the iPlayer Kids app for iOS, which allows children to safely access CBeebies and CBBC shows directly. The family-friendly app offers access to over 10,000 shows and enables up to four profiles to be created on one device for the delivery of specialized content to each child. Parents and guardians can create a profile for children by selecting an age and a...

Facebook Messenger for iOS is gaining native Dropbox integration for the first time, allowing users to share any file stored in their Dropbox account without having to leave the app. Tapping the More button in the popular messenger app now displays Dropbox as an available source. So long as the Dropbox app is installed on the device and an account is linked to it, users can share photos,...

Drake's new album, Views From The 6, will be exclusive to Apple Music for one week starting on April 29, Apple confirmed to BuzzFeed News. After that week, the album will be available on other music streaming services like Spotify. Apple and Drake have had a friendly relationship since the announcement of Apple Music, with the artist appearing at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference to...

Though most of us use our iOS devices on a daily basis, there are so many hidden tips and features built in that some of them go under the radar. We’ve been collecting hidden iOS secrets and creating quick videos around them, giving our readers a second look at essential time-saving features that may have been missed. Our most recent videos cover two handy tips for Photos and Mail,...

Apple Maps has been updated with all-new transit data in Portland, providing users with aerial tram, bus, MAX light rail, WES commuter rail, and downtown streetcar routing in Oregon's most populous city and the surrounding metropolitan area. The public transit information is supplied by the city and regional transportation agency TriMet. Apple Maps transit routing and trip planning is...

For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Antsy Labs to give away three of the company's Duet docks for the Apple Watch and iPhone. The Duet features a dock for any Lightning-enabled iPhone along with an arm that can accommodate any Apple Watch, with both able to be charged at the same time through user-supplied official charging cables. The design of the Duet lets it support iPhones from ...

The U.S. Justice Department will continue pushing for a court order forcing Apple to help investigators unlock the iPhone 5s belonging to Brooklyn drug dealer Jun Feng, as part of a case that dates back to October 2015, according to The Wall Street Journal.“The government’s application is not moot, and the government continues to require Apple’s assistance in accessing the data that it is...