Latest Gartner data shows iOS vs Android battle shaping up much like Mac vs Windows
While Apple has seen declining sales of its iPhone over recent quarters, new data from Gartner provides another look into the decline facing Apple and the smartphone market in other regions. Overall, the data shows that smartphone sales worldwide grew 4.3 percent year-over-year, though Apple saw a 7.6 percent decline itself. When it comes to operating systems, iOS and Android continue their dominance.
Filed under: Apple
Despite anti-Apple tirades, Apple Pay will be available at Kanye West’s pop up shops this weekend
Not one to shy away from the spotlight, Kanye West has announced that this weekend he’ll be opening up 21 pop shops around the world, some of which will be exclusively accepting Apple Pay thanks to a partnership with Square. Square’s contactless readers will be available in the U.S., Canada, and Australia so that customers can focus on paying for their items as quickly as possible. West claimed that the last pop-up shop had generated $2 million in sales in New York City alone, so a high revenue weekend like this could be great exposure for Square’s technology.
Filed under: Apple
Comment: A ‘boring’ iPhone 7 launch for insiders still holds magic for most
We’re now less than three weeks away from the date when Apple is expected to introduce the iPhone 7, and I’ve noticed something worth discussing ahead of time.
This year’s iPhone appears to be a pretty modest update largely because of what we expect will be an iPhone 6s-like design, but I’ve seen a generally positive response to rumors so far from the type of users that insiders sometimes call normals. What feels like a boring iPhone cycle to insiders still holds a sense of magic for others. Perspective is important.
There’s also a splash of magic that seems to spread to even cynical insiders as Apple’s rumored plans turn into official products. We already know how the next few weeks will play out, but there’s still an adrenaline rush that comes with each step along the way…
Filed under: Apple
New ‘AnsweringMachine’ Cydia release adds enhanced voicemail to iOS [Video]
As someone who used to be heavily into jailbreaking, I’ve seen quite a few interesting and noteworthy tweaks come across my desk. Coincidence or not, Apple has mirrored the functionality of several tweaks over the years, adopting them as stock iOS features.
Needless to say, after seven or eight years of jailbreaking, it takes a lot to impress me, but that’s exactly what developer Elias Limneos was able to do. In fact, his new tweak, entitled AnsweringMachine, looked so intriguing that it convinced me to jailbreak my iPhone just to take it for a test drive.
One feature of the tweak allows users to receive transcribed voicemails, similar to the Voicemail transcription feature in iOS 10. Have a look at our hands-on video to see it in action. more…
Filed under: Apple
Report: Apple Watch 2 won’t include cellular, focusing instead on GPS for fitness features
The Apple Watch 2 may not have a cellular option after all, according to a new Bloomberg report. Back in April, the Wall Street Journal reported that Apple was considering the option for cellular connectivity in the next Apple Watch version — something that I wasn’t sure the watch needed yet — but today’s report says the company has “hit roadblocks in making major changes that would connect its Watch to cellular networks and make it less dependent on the iPhone.”
Filed under: Apple
Apple removes the ‘Store’ from its retail branding as it pushes the experience
Apple appears to be tweaking its branding for retail stores by removing the word ‘Store’, as spotted on the company’s website (via MacRumors). Apple has started transitioning its own listings for retail stores to remove the word “store,” and for new stores starting with the launch of its just opened San Francisco location that’s listed as “Apple Union Square”.
Filed under: Apple
9to5Toys Lunch Break: 13″ MacBook Air $800, 9.7″ iPad Pro $500, SanDisk 128GB Lightning Flash Drive $80, more
Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.
TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:
Save nearly $200 on Apple’s latest 13-inch MacBook Air, ideal for students: $800 (Reg. $999)
You can pick up Apple’s 11-inch MacBook Air for as little as $600 w/ .edu (Reg. $899) at Best Buy, an all-time low
Get Apple’s latest 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro for nearly $400 off: $1,600 shipped (Reg. $1,999)
Daily Deals: 9.7-inch iPad Pro from $500, Nexbit Robin Cloud-Based Android Smartphone (unlocked) $199, more
Save up to 30% on PC/Mac Accessories in today’s Gold Box: SanDisk Flash Drives, Monitors, Keyboards, more
These leather Apple Watch Bands will add style to your timepiece (42 or 38mm): $14 Prime shipped (Reg. $30)
Apple TV is going to see a ton of new features this fall, on sale today w/ in-store pick up: 32GB $129 (Reg. $149) or 64GB $159 (Reg. $199)
Grab a $100 iTunes Gift Card with email delivery from PayPal for just $85 (15% off)
App Store Free App of the Week: Dr. Panda’s Ice Cream Truck free for the first time (Reg. $2)
You can now grab a free copy of Brushstroke for iOS inside the Apple Store app ($5 value)
Review: Grado’s latest Statement headphones combine natural woods for an audio masterpiece [Video]
Giveaway: Jaybird Freedom F5 In-Ear Wireless Headphones in your choice of four colors ($200 value)
MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:
Pad & Quill iPhone/iPad accessory sale: wooden cases $17, leather covers from $33, more + 20% off DODOcase
Skip the Beats price tag, Sony’s Bluetooth Headphones (multiple colors) get great ratings: $99 shipped (Reg. $150)
- Crucial MX200 500GB 2.5-inch Internal Solid-State Drive for $130 (Reg. $150)
- Only $20 for a Motorola Moto E Android Smartphone (Reg. $30)
- Altec Solo Jacket Bluetooth Speaker $15 shipped (Reg. $22+), more
- Sperry’s 1-day Flash Sale takes up to 50% off plus another 30% w/ free shipping
- Games/Apps: Deus Ex Human Revolution for Mac $6, iOS freebies, more
- Three new levels & character updates for LEGO Force Awakens for iOS
- Score $1 digital MP3 Greatest Hits albums
MORE DEALS STILL LIVE:
Here’s a 34-inch LG UltraWide IPS Display with two HDMI inputs for $310 shipped (Reg. $400+)
Inkjet sucks. Buy this Brother All-in-One Laser Printer w/ AirPrint and make your life easier: $90 shipped (Reg. $120)
Filed under: Apple
Microsoft now lets you import Evernote content into OneNote on the Mac
Earlier this summer Evernote limited the free tier of its note-taking service to use on just two devices while raising prices for its paid plans. While the move was clearly intended to make Evernote’s business more sustainable, reaction from a lot of vocal users was to switch from Evernote to OneNote or Apple Notes. Now Microsoft has responded with a new import tool that lets OneNote users pull in content from Evernote.
Filed under: Apple
All change with mobile plans: after AT&T upgrades, T-Mobile & Sprint go ‘unlimited’
Following the modest upgrades AT&T announced to its mobile plans yesterday, both T-Mobile and Sprint have hit back with new ‘unlimited’ plans.
T-Mobile has replaced all its plans with a single one called T-Mobile One.
It’s 100% unlimited and comes with unlimited talk and text and unlimited 4G LTE smartphone data – including unlimited standard definition video – all on America’s fastest 4G LTE network. And, it’s available at a great price: just $40 per line for a family of four.
As with all carrier plans, there are some caveats in the small-print …
Filed under: Apple
Pocket Casts podcast player for iPhone now works with CarPlay
A few weeks ago Shifty Jelly updated its Pocket Casts podcast player for iPhone to version 6.0 with a major overhaul including a new dark mode, playback features, and multitasking, and now Pocket Casts 6.1 is out with support for Apple’s CarPlay infotainment feature.
Filed under: Apple