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

The worldwide tablet tablet market is expected to see a significant decline for 2014, according to reports from the International Data Corporation. The tablet market's year-over-year growth is expected to be 7.2% this year, down from 52.5% in 2013. According to the analysts, one of the central reasons for the market slowdown is the expectation that 2014 will be the first year Apple will see a...

Seeking to attract iPhone users to its new Passport smartphone, BlackBerry yesterday announced a new Blackberry Trade-Up Program offering customers up to $550 (CA$600) to trade in an iPhone 4s or higher towards the purchase of a BlackBerry Passport. The program begins December 1 and offers the full $550 only when trading in an excellent condition iPhone 6, or presumably an iPhone 6 Plus, as that...

As smartwatches based on Android Wear and other operating systems continue to proliferate, users have been increasingly looking to download digital likenesses of high-end watch faces onto their favorite wearable tech devices. The luxury watchmakers behind the real-world design of the digital "fake" versions are now attempting to put an end to those creating smartwatch clones of their products, acc...

As we head into Thanksgiving and its accompanying Black Friday shopping holiday, retailers are beginning to offer significant discounts on products in an attempt to lure shoppers ahead of the Black Friday event. Walmart and Best Buy, for example, are offering pre-Black Friday deals, and several retailers are also offering some decent discounts on Macs and older iPads. iPhone Walmart is...

Magpul has released updated versions of its popular Field Case for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. The Field Case is a minimalist shell case made from flexible thermoplastic, similar to the company's popular PMAG rifle magazines.The Magpul Field Case for the iPhone 6 is a semi-rigid cover designed to provide basic protection in the field.Made from a flexible thermoplastic, the Field Case features...

Back in October, Olloclip announced a new 4-in-1 Photo Lens designed to fit the iPhone 6 and the 6 Plus. While it was available for pre-order at the time, the new lens has now begun shipping out to customers and will arrive in stores shortly, ahead of the Black Friday shopping holiday. Like its previous products, Olloclip's 4-in-1 Photo Lens adds four lens attachments to the iPhone's camera,...

Cultured Code's popular task management app, Things, is now free for a limited time. The productivity app is being discounted as part of Apple's week-long "Free App of the Week" promotion and is the first time the app has ever been offered for free. The sale extends to both the iPhone and iPad version of the app, offering a combined savings of $30 on the two iOS apps. Things for iOS...

Apple has continued its efforts to improve its Maps app with the addition of ten new data providers, according to a new report from Apple Maps Marketing (via 9to5Mac). The new providers specialize in providing Apple with business listings. Apple Maps Marketing came upon the information when inquiring about Apple Maps Connect and its Business Portal, which allows businesses with over 1,000...

Launched on the App Store this week, Sync Solver allows Fitbit wearers to track all of the important information the wearable device calculates on a daily basis directly inside Apple's own Health app without needing to use the dedicated Fitbit app. The $0.99 app provides a daily sync of eleven different pieces of data from the Fitbit into the Health app. The points of data accrued include:...

Mophie today expanded its line of universal chargers with new Powerstation Plus models that provide four different battery capacity options to meet consumers' mobile charging needs. The new models feature an anodized, soft-touch, aluminum casing and a hinged top plate that opens to expose a hidden compartment housing integrated cables. The new Powerstation Plus builds upon the success of...

The previously announced SteelSeries Stratus XL has officially launched today on the Apple Store. Following in the footsteps of the original Stratus controller, the beefed-up Stratus XL provides a larger frame that gives it some parity to console controllers in terms of relative size and button layout. The Stratus XL connects to an iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch using a wireless Bluetooth...

Drone maker Parrot today finalized the pricing for its upcoming Bebop drone, confirming a $499 price tag for the standard package and $899 for the more expensive SkyController version with an extended range wireless controller. The Bebop drone is Parrot's third-generation quadricopter and the successor to the popular AR Drone. The Bebop offers noticeable improvements in camera recording,...

Logitech today announced a new AnyAngle protective case designed for Apple's iPad Air 2 and iPad mini, which includes an "any-angle" foldable cover that can be adjusted to multiple viewing positions for reading, watching movies, and more. Designed to "complement the thin and light aesthetics" of the iPad Air 2, the AnyAngle case includes a rubberized frame that wraps around the edges of the...

LittleBits today introduced a new Smart Home Kit, which is designed to turn any household item into an Internet-connected smart device. Rather than buying various smart products, the Smart Home Kit encourages users to "reinvent" the things that they already own. Using the tools in the kit, users might build curtains that open at sunrise, a remote controlled pet feeder, a doorbell that sends a...

PayPal today announced that its popular iOS and Android mobile payments app will be available for the Pebble Smartwatch (via VentureBeat). The PayPal app has let users pay for purchases in certain locations for a while now, and integration with Android Wear has allowed users of Android-powered smart watches such as Samsung’s Gear 2, Gear S, and Gear Fit to make payments via their watches...

Facebook today announced a new Facebook Groups app, which is designed to let Facebook users access and interact with the Facebook groups that they have joined. Facebook has long had a groups function, where families, clubs, workplaces, and more can band together for a custom sharing experience. The groups feature lets people post and share content that is exclusive to the group, which can be...

Designed as a scratch paper app for the iPad, Loose Leaf is a new quick note taking app that uses a simple, no frills design and incorporates both clever sketching tools and intuitive touch gestures for a unique idea planning experience. Like many simple note taking/sketching apps, Loose Leaf includes a pen for basic writing and sketching, along with a tool for erasing. There are five...

Mojang today announced a significant new update for Minecraft Pocket Edition. The update promises numerous graphical enhancements and bug fixes and is the first major update to the game since the Stockholm-based developer was acquired by Microsoft for $2.5 billion back in September. Today's update to the game focuses mainly on bug fixes, but there are a few notable additions to the popular...