iOS 10

iOS updates might drain your battery faster

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iOS 10 wins in a battery life comparison with iOS 11 and iOS 12.
iOS 10 wins in a battery life comparison with iOS 11 and iOS 12.
Photo: iAppleBytes

A side-by-side test of four iPhones running current and older iOS versions found that the more recent ones drain batteries more quickly.

This result is likely to feed the concerns of people who refuse to upgrade their iPhone’s operating system for fear that doing so will render the device useless.

Almost half of all iPhone and iPad users are already running iOS 12

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The official iOS 12 release date is next week, but you can download it now.
Are you enjoying iOS 12 yet?
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Almost half of all iPhone and iPad users have already upgraded to iOS 12, according to new data.

It’s an impressive adoption rate for a major upgrade that’s only been officially available for just over two weeks. Its speedy uptake can likely be attributed to its new features and significant performance improvements — especially for older devices.

Apple confirms massive iOS leak but says it’s not so bad

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iphone
This leak is bad news for iPhone users.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple confirmed this morning that the leaked iOS source code that hit the web yesterday is indeed authentic.

The iPhone-maker ordered GitHub to pull the iBoot source code from its servers. Security researchers remain worried that the leak could help hackers compromise iPhones and iPads, but Apple says there’s nothing to worry about.

iOS 11 adoption can’t keep up with iOS 10

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iPhone X
iPhone X wasn't the first, but it certainly boosted the trend.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

More than half of all compatible devices are now running iOS 11. It has taken just over six weeks for the update to reach this milestone since its public release. iOS 10 managed to get there a little faster.

iOS 11 already has more users than iOS 10

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ipad ios 11
iOS 12 could pack a ton of big surprises.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

iOS 11 has already overtaken iOS 10, less than a month after making its public debut.

Last year’s release is still installed on over 45 percent of devices, but its reach has been falling rapidly since September 19. Users are clearly keen to get their hands on Apple’s latest software features and improvements.

No, Apple is not slowing down your iPhone to force upgrades

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5 tips to fix an unresponsive iPhone screen
Is your iPhone slower with iOS 11? It's all in your head.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Every major iOS update slows down older devices to force users to upgrade. At least that’s what recent reports have suggested.

The truth is, Apple is doing no such thing. Benchmark data proves that iPhone performance drops over time are just a myth. The 4-year-old iPhone 5s is about as fast with iOS 11 today as it was with iOS 7 when it made its debut in 2013.

Apple teases iOS 10 users with new iOS 11 features

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iPhone 7 iOS 11
A redesigned Control Center is one of many changes to look forward to in iOS 11.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple has begun promoting new iOS 11 features to iOS 10 users ahead of the update’s public release.

The Tips app is issuing notifications that tease things like iOS 11’s redesigned Control Center, giving users a chance to preview them before the mobile operating system’s release in coming weeks.

Barclays customers can now make payments using Siri

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Barclays bank sign
Barclays just made Apple Pay even greater.
Photo: Barclays

Barclays is making it even easier for its customers to spend their hard-earned cash.

The latest update to its Mobile Banking app on iOS lets you use Siri to send money to any existing payee, but there is a limit to how much you can send with your voice.

The evolution of iOS: From iPhone OS to iOS 11

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Original iPhone running iOS 1
A lot has change since 2007.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

iPhone turns 10 The operating system that powers the iPhone has undergone radical changes since Apple launched the device 10 years ago.

As part of Cult of Mac’s collaboration with Wired UK to mark the 10th anniversary of the iPhone, we took a look at the evolution of iOS, from a simple touchscreen operating system lacking key features into a true computing behemoth with more tools than any one user could possibly need.

iOS 11 brings big UI changes, smarter Siri and much more

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iOS 11 is Apple's biggest update in years.
iOS 11 is Apple's biggest update in years.
Photo: Apple

Developers received an early look at iOS 11 today, Apple’s next big update for iPhones and iPads that adds a host of new features and user-interface changes to make iOS devices better than ever.

“Today we’re going to take the world’s best and most advanced operating system and turn it up to 11,” said Tim Cook.

Liveblog: Apple unveils new software lineup at WWDC 2017

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Get ready for WWDC 2017.
Get ready for WWDC 2017.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple’s 2017 Worldwide Developers Conference is set to kick off in just a few short hours, and rumors indicate we could be in for the iPhone-maker’s most action-packed keynote in years.

Not only is Apple expected to unveil iOS 11, macOS 10.13, tvOS 11 and watchOS 4, but today’s event could also showcase some fresh new hardware. Cult of Mac will be here to liveblog all the festivities with up-to-the-minute analysis on all the new software, hardware and more.

Tim Cook and company take the stage today at 10 a.m. Pacific in San Jose, California, but we’ll be kicking off the fun a little early. Come join the action!

iOS 11 wish list: Features we’d love to see

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iPhone 7
Here's what to expect from the next version of iOS
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

With WWDC 2017 right around the corner, it’s that time of the year when Apple can fix all the annoyances of iOS 10 and unveil something truly revolutionary for the next generation of iPhones and iPads.

Apple is expected to show off all the major features of iOS 11 at the WWDC in a couple of weeks. Surprisingly, the rumor mill has been quiet on what to expect, but that hasn’t stopped a flurry of speculation. We’ve got some ideas of our own too that we really want to see come to iOS 11.

This is what we want in Apple’s next big update:

BYOA! Build your own apps with this killer App Builder Bundle [Deals]

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CoM - The 2017 iOS 10 Complete App Builder Bundle
Get in on the app building game with this comprehensive set of lessons.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Any time is a good time to sharpen your skills for creating apps. The market for mobile and desktop applications is as hot as ever, and any extra skill in developing for iOS will make your work that much more marketable. With more than 250 hours of lesson content, this bundle of nine comprehensive courses can offer a jumpstart to anyone looking to get involved in app development, or sharpen the skills of even seasoned coders. And right now, you can get the 2017 iOS 10 Complete App Builder Bundle for just $59.99 at Cult of Mac Deals.

Name your price to master mobile app development [Deals]

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CoM - Pay What You Want- Mobile Cross Platform Development Bundle
More than 100 hours of training will prepare you for a fruitful career in mobile development.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Mobile is the platform of the future, and learning to build apps for mobile devices is where the work is for developers. In a vast and fast-changing field, you’ll want a leg up to get started. That’s exactly what this massive bundle of nine iOS coding courses offers.

Clocking in at more than 100 hours of lesson content, it will teach you a wide range of tools, techniques and languages to build scalable mobile apps. The best part? Right now you can name your price for the entire Mobile Cross Platform Development Bundle at Cult of Mac Deals.

iOS 10 bug lets you freeze any iPhone with 3 taps

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Qualcomm patents
Watch out for this bug.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

A newly discovered bug in iOS 10 is wreaking havoc on iPhone owners by making Control Center more unstable than ever.

With just three taps, the bug allows anyone to crash an iPhone in seconds. Once the trick is executed, the only way to unfreeze an affected iPhone is with a hard reboot.

Here’s how to do the dirty:

Apple Music for Android finally gets new iOS 10 design

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music streaming
The latest release also includes Chromecast support.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Apple Music subscribers on Android got some much-needed love from Apple today in the form of an update that brings a fresh UI to the streaming app.

It’s been nearly a year since Apple unveiled its Apple Music redesign as part of iOS 10 at WWDC 2016, but Android users are just now getting a taste of the interface’s bold, streamlined look.

Apple updates iOS 10.3 to fix Wi-Fi security problems

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iPhone
A crucial security fix is out for iPhones.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

iPhone and iPad owners received a new software update today from Apple in the form of iOS 10.3.1.

The new iOS 10.3.1 update comes just a week after Apple released iOS 10.3, which was its biggest software update of 2017 so far. While iOS 10.3.1 doesn’t contain nearly as many new features as the last update, it does bring some crucial fixes.

iOS 10.3 is out with Find My AirPods, Apple File System and more

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iPhone 7
Grab iOS 10.3 while it's hot!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The first big iPhone and iPad update of 2017 has finally arrived.

Apple finally released iOS 10.3 to the public today after months of beta testing the new software. iOS 10.3 can be downloaded now as an over-the-air update, or installed via iTunes. iPhone and iPad owners can expect a rash of new features that not only make iPhone and iPad easier to use, but also more secure.

Here’s everything that’s new:

Samsung nearly tops Apple in J.D. Power smartphone rankings

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Samsung
The exploding Note 7 didn't hurt Samsung's status.
Photo: Jim Merithew / Cult of Mac

The gap between Apple and Samsung is narrower than it has ever been, according to J.D. Power’s 2017 smartphone satisfaction rankings that have the iPhone-maker in the lead by just one point.

Apple took the number one spot with a total score of 840. Meanwhile Samsung somehow crept up to the second spot with 839 points, even though it had a disastrous last half of 2016 with the exploding Note 7 fiasco.