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

Apple today stopped signing iOS 8.4.1 and the first version of iOS 9 for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, meaning users can no longer upgrade or downgrade to those versions of iOS using iTunes. Apple is now signing iOS 9.0.1 and iOS 9.0.2 only. Users who have upgraded to iOS 9 are now unable to downgrade back to the last version of iOS 8, iOS 8.4.1. Released in August, iOS 8.4.1 was a minor...

Six months after the Apple Watch launched, there are dozens if not hundreds of different third-party band options on the market, allowing users to customize their watches with looks beyond what Apple offers. Xistwear has created a line of stretchy stainless steel Apple Watch bands in a range of colors that look great with the Apple Watch and can be purchased for less than Apple's own metal bands, ...

Twitter is planning to introduce a new solution that will allow users to create tweets that exceed 140 characters in length, reports Re/code. Twitter will implement longer tweets through a new product, but it is not yet clear what that product will look like or how it will work. There are existing services designed to let users publish long-form content on Twitter, like TwitLonger, which...

Cowen and Company analyst Timothy Arcuri claims the second-generation Apple Watch will arrive in mid- to late-2016, reports AppleInsider. The report also claims that the second Apple Watch would be thinner than its predecessor. Arcuri's research memo, based on a recent trip of Asian suppliers, also says Apple will ship 18 million Apple Watches by the end of 2015, with at least 45 million...

Apple today added several new Flyover locations to Apple Maps on Mac and iOS, highlighting landmarks and features in several countries in Europe, including Spain, Italy, Germany, and France. Apple has also added a single location in Mexico and two new locations in Japan. For those unfamiliar with the Flyover feature in Maps, it lets users see photo-realistic 3D videos of select areas, which...

Luxury modified iPhone manufacturer Feld & Volk and French fashion boutique Colette are partnering on new devices based on Apple's iPhone 6s, launching the new products on the same day Apple begins shipping out its latest devices. Feld & Volk previously partnered with Colette to show off some of the Russian firm's modified iPhone 6 designs, and Apple itself worked with Colette for the first...

Microsoft will require an Office 365 subscription to use Office apps on an iPad Pro, reports Ars Technica. The reason is that the tablet's 12.9-inch screen size exceeds Microsoft's 10.1-inch threshold for free access to viewing and editing features. Comparatively, the Office suite of apps on the iPad Air and iPad mini allow viewing and editing documents for free, since their screen sizes are...

BlackBerry today confirmed that the company will be making an Android-based smartphone, with a launch date aimed for the end of 2015, even as it reported a greater-than-expected annual loss (via Re/code). The company reported that its latest quarterly loss was 13 cents per share on revenue of approximately $490 million, with analysts expecting 9 cents per share loss on revenue reaching closer ...

Netflix today announced that it's adding the ability for users to subscribe to the video streaming service within its iPhone and iPad apps. The announcement was made in a new ad featuring two characters from Netflix show Orange is the New Black who discover and talk to Siri. Like Hulu, Netflix is opting to not raise its subscription price for in-app subscribers to make up for the App Store's ...

In response to low-cost yearly upgrade programs from T-Mobile and Sprint, Verizon this afternoon announced a new program that will let iPhone customers upgrade to a new iPhone each year provided half of the device cost has been paid and the old device is traded in. News of Verizon's program was shared by Re/code, and the site says Verizon's program will be available to all Verizon customers...

Apple today updated its Apple Store app for iOS devices to version 3.5, adding support for the new iPhone 6s and the iOS 9 operating system. Apple's release notes for the update are vague, so there are no details on what new features the app might have for iOS 9 and the iPhone 6s. It's possible the Apple Store app update adds support for the 3D Touch feature built into the new iPhones,...

Schlage today announced that its HomeKit-compatible Schlage Sense Smart Deadbolt will be available for purchase beginning in November, with pre-orders that are kicking off today. Priced at $229, the Schlage Sense was previewed earlier this year at CES and is the first door lock that works with Apple's HomeKit home automation service. With HomeKit integration, the Schlage Sense will allow...

With watchOS 2, Apple introduced a new feature called Nightstand mode, which lets the Apple Watch be used as a nighttime clock and morning alarm when it’s attached to the charger. Nightstand mode only works while the Apple Watch is placed in landscape mode on its side, rendering a lot of early Apple Watch docks and stands less useful. Going forward, accessory makers will likely focus on...

Apple Music DJ Zane Lowe has recently begun discussing the upcoming shows for a few artists on the Beats 1 radio service, including hour-long series centering around Haim, Major Lazer, and Eric Prydz. Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Lowe discussed how difficult it was to essentially build an entire radio station from the ground up in just a few months, along with the challenge he and his team ...

Sprint today announced a new offer as part of its iPhone Forever program, where customers can get the new 16GB version of the iPhone 6s for $1 per month and the iPhone 6s Plus for $5 per month, with the trade-in of an iPhone 6. The carrier noted that the new offer is a "limited time" deal for those users visiting Sprint's retail locations, with the official launch of the program coinciding with...

Apple today updated its lineup of Solo2 Wireless, Tour2, and Powerbeats 2 Wireless headphones, adding a trio of new colors as part of a new "Active Collection." The Beats Tour2 In-Ear Headphones, Solo2 Wireless Headphones, and Powerbeats2 Wireless In-Ear Headphones are now available in simple primary shades of Blue, Yellow, and Red. Get to work. New Active Collection out NOW. http://t.co/ypeqBj ...

Apple has designed a keyboard for its larger-screened 12.9-inch iPad Pro, but for other iPads, such as the iPad Air 2 and the iPad mini 4, customers looking for a keyboard solution will need to stick with keyboards created by third-party manufacturers. Zagg is often a popular choice among iPad users who need a keyboard, so we went hands-on with the Zagg Folio Keyboard Case for the iPad Air 2...

Sony Pictures and Rovio today revealed the first full-length trailer for next summer's film adaptation of the popular iOS game Angry Birds (via Coming Soon). First announced back in 2012, the movie stars Jason Sudeikis as Red, Josh Gad as Chuck, Danny McBride as Bomb, and Bill Hader as the villainous pig Leonard. According to the film's producer John Cohen, the movie aims to answer the question...