The public launch of Apple’s biggest iOS update in 2018 so far might be just a few weeks away, now that developers just received another beta build for iOS 11.3.
Apple seeded iOS 11.3 beta six to developers this morning, bring a bunch of bug fixes and under-the-hood improvements to the iPhone and iPad.
My plan to get to bed early last night was ruined when Epic Games dropped a Fortnite Battle Royale invite in my inbox. I had been itching to play it since I signed up for early access on Monday, so I ignored my body’s desperate calls for sleep and dived right in.
I had already played Fortnite on PlayStation 4 and PC, so I had a good idea of what to expect with the mobile version. Epic promised it would deliver exactly the same experience. But I had no idea what the game would look like, or if it would even be worth playing with touch controls.
I was blown away. Here are my first impressions of Fortnite on iOS.
SwiftKey, one of the most popular third-party keyboards on iOS, has just gotten even faster and more efficient — thanks to an update which adds a new Toolbar for giving you super-speedy access to the keyboard’s most popular features.
Apple issued invites Friday for an education-themed event in Chicago on March 27.
The invite promises “creative new ideas for teachers and students.” That could indicate the arrival of more-affordable Apple devices — like the new MacBook Air and iPad we’ve been hearing about.
Epic Games has started rolling out the first early access invites for Fortnite Battle Royale on iOS. It seems a large number of fans have been lucky enough to get one, but a handful have been left heartbroken after discovering they can’t play it.
It turns out Fortnite doesn’t support jailbroken devices.
Microsoft Edge for iOS now boasts support for iPad. It took four months to arrive, and it’s only in beta for now — but it’s exactly the tablet interface you’ve been waiting for.
This week on The CultCast: Siri sucks, Apple knows it, and Cupertino isn’t sure how to fix it … but there’s still hope. Plus: Our 2018 WWDC hardware expectations!
Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode. It’s simple to accept Apple Pay and sell your wares with your very own Squarespace.com website. Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off any hosting plan.
Apple constantly wins plaudits for being a brand consumers feel passionate about, but Fitbit Chief Financial Officer Bill Zerella doesn’t think that applies to the Apple Watch.
Speaking at the recent Roth Investment Conference in Laguna Beach, California, Zerella said that, “I have yet to meet anyone who owns an Apple Watch who’s passionate about the product.”
Steve Jobs’ daughter, Lisa Brennan-Jobs, is writing a coming-of-age memoir.
Given his immense significance as the CEO who turned around Apple’s fortunes, there are many books about Steve Jobs. This newly announced one written by his daughter will offer a different, more personal take on the late Steve Jobs than most of its bookstore rivals.
Any time you slate a product that a lot of people worked hard on, you’re bound to get some pushback.
In the wake of a recent damning report, suggesting that Siri is broken, and has pretty much been that way since the start, Siri’s co-founder Dag Kittlaus has hit back at one of the article’s claims.
Apple has responded to the French government’s plans to take it to court over what French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire calls its “abusive trade practices.”
While the French government is critical of Apple for taking a non-negotiable cut of the profits from developers who use its App Store platform, Apple has taken the opportunity to remind everyone of just how good its “app economy” has been for many devs.
The image-identification technology in Google Photos is now in the iOS version of this software. Google Lens can find objects and text in pictures and then provide more information. For example, by examining a photo of a business card, the artificial intelligence can pull out all the contact information.
Charging the Apple Watch while traveling can be a little tricky. Generally, I lug along a super-long charging cable and a wall plug to get the job done when on holiday.
Nomad — makers of great Apple Watch straps and accessories — offers a stylish and super-portable charging solution called the Pod Pro. The Pod Pro wraps that lengthy charging cable neatly inside a stylish, round enclosure that also holds a massive 6000 mAh of power — enough to keep Apple Watch juiced up all weekend long.
Read on to learn more about this amazing, portable charging puck, and check out the Pod Pro in our Watch Store!
More details have come to light about the GrayKey iPhone unlocker, and it turns out it’s even more likely to fall into the wrong hands than first thought.
This tool is very expensive, and is intended for use only by law enforcement, but stolen units could someday be available on the black market where they would be a goldmine for identity thieves.
iPhone users in Iran are no longer able to access the App Store starting today.
The App Store ban appears to be IP based, which means there are ways for users to get around it, but it’s unclear whether Apple is behind the ban or if it was done by the government.
Apple engineers are looking into a laptop that uses a touchscreen in place of a keyboard. The second screen would be slightly flexible, allowing keys to depress. It would also be extremely customizable –basically like a giant Touch Bar.
Android Wear, Google’s operating system built to be a rival to Apple’s watchOS, is getting a huge name change.
And the iPhone is a big reason why.
While rumors are swirling that Apple will release new products soon, you can get great deals on the latest iPad right now. Plus, this week you can save loads by buying refurbished, unlocked iPhones.
iPhones already replace credit cards, and a pilot program is exploring the next logical step: a digital drivers licence.
Delaware just began testing a mobile driver license (mDL) with some state residents, checking if a smartphone application can be kept secure while offering real advantages over plastic cards.
Apple’s huge lead over Samsung in mobile facial recognition won’t be threatened anytime this year.
Samsung is supposedly working on adding a 3D mapping facial recognition sensor to its next flagship smartphone, but according to a report from Asia, the supplier won’t have it ready until 2019.
Logitech’s new speaker system adds a new dimension to gaming: color. LEDs hidden in the front and back of the speaker bathe your desktop and the wall behind your computer in light.
That’s fine for making your room look like a disco palace while listening to music. But it’s really designed to make video games more immersive.
Intel has redesigned its processors to help eliminate the Meltdown and Spectre flaws once and for all.
Its eighth-generation Core and Xeon chips use protection through partitioning, along with the latest software patches, to kill all three variants of the bug. Intel CEO Brian Krzanich warns, however, that “there is still work to do” to ensure users stay protected.
Music service Spotify has added a voice search feature to its iOS app that allows users to find song tracks, albums, and playlists.
The new test feature takes Siri out of the equation. With Apple trying to grow its music streaming service, it never allowed Spotify to integrate with Siri, including with Apple’s first smart speaker, HomePod.
Responding to concerns about smartphone addiction among younger users, Apple rolled out a new “Families” page to describe the parental controls and safety features currently available on the company’s devices.
The page reveals how parents can track their kids’ location, monitor purchases, and filter what their children can see on their devices. It also reviews Apple’s privacy and health-related features, along with sharing among family members, and Apple’s focus on education.
Apple has formerly requested approval for its Shazam acquisition from the European Commission.
EU antitrust regulators confirmed last month that they had launched an investigation into the deal following concerns from seven European countries. Apple will get a decision next month, but it may not be final.