A recent poll of Cult of Mac readers found very broad support for iPadOS, but a small group remains deeply dissatisfied with the iPad’s software. And while Apple certainly can’t make everyone happy, it could significantly shrink the number of complaints by adding one app. One very long-overdue app.
It’s time for Apple to finally do what developers have wanted for so many years: Bring Xcode to iPad.
Apple just went shopping for a bug hunter. Cupertino scooped up SigScalr, a small startup behind SigLens, an app designed to detect exactly where the software goes wrong — even if the software is basically hundreds of smaller programs working as a single app.
Apple did not announce the acquisition via a press release. It surfaced through the European Union’s paperwork, the same way a lot of Apple’s smaller acquisitions did in the last few years.
But don’t let the quiet rollout fool you. SigLens tackles a problem that’s only getting worse as apps become more complex. And it looks like Apple clearly wants it fixed before it becomes Xcode’s problem too.
June 26, 2008: A year after the first iPhone was released, Apple sends an email to developers calling for smartphone software to be distributed in the forthcoming App Store.
Coders around the world greet the news with excitement. They hurry to submit their iPhone apps and get in on the looming App Store gold rush. Many rake in small fortunes when the App Store goes live less than a month later.
March 6, 2008: Apple releases the iPhone software development kit, finally allowing coders to start creating native mobile apps for the new smartphone. The iPhone SDK gives developers the tools they need to unlock the new smartphone’s potential.
When the App Store eventually opens a few months later, a new industry springs up overnight. Third-party devs rush to take advantage of Apple’s lucrative app distribution network.
On the latest episode of the Cult of Mac podcast: Apple makes a pretty bold move by adding third-party AI coding tools to Xcode. This will make it easier for professional developers to deal with drudge work.
It also makes it simpler for beginners to write their own apps. With AI in Xcode, anyone with a good idea can make their coding dream come true. And this raises all kinds of questions …
Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:
Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.
The new Xcode 26.3 release candidate introduces support for agentic coding, Apple said Wednesday. It allows developers to work with AI coding agents like Anthropic’s Claude Agent and OpenAI’s Codex directly within the development environment.
“Agentic coding supercharges productivity and creativity, streamlining the development workflow so developers can focus on innovation,” said Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations.
Even vibe-coding beginners will have an easier time of it because Xcode can now build apps pretty much by itself, some devs say.
At the Platforms State of the Union, Apple detailed how the new Liquid Glass design works, how Apple Intelligence can be added to third-party apps, how Swift Assist in Xcode will work with third-party AI models and more.
This event goes into all the technical details behind the morning’s announcements. Apple showed how developers can update their apps with the new design and use the latest developer tools.
You can watch the Platforms State of the Union on YouTube, in the Apple Developer app or on the web. Read on below for our coverage of the event.
Apple is using Anthropic’s AI models to build a “vibe-coding” software platform for programming. However, it may limit this platform for internal use, never releasing it publicly.
The Cupertino giant will partner with the young AI startup on this project.
Apple is reportedly working on a major Xcode update with artificial integration. This functionality will apparently emulate Microsoft’s GitHub Copilot, generating code based on text input.
Work on the tool has been ongoing since last year, and its testing is now expanding internally inside Apple.
The just-launched MacBook Pro models are the first with a screen notch. And this apparently came as a surprise to many of Apple’s own software developers as some of the company’s professional apps don’t support the screen cutouts. Which means they can’t fill the new Mac displays and must leave blank areas.
This won’t make it easier for Apple to convince third-party developers to fully support the latest macOS notebooks.
Turns out you can’t trust everything you find on GitHub. Security researchers found an Xcode project that had been modified to install a back door into the user’s Mac.
With nearly 18 million Americans out of work because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Apple, IBM and other companies teamed up with the White House to help workers find new jobs.
The result is the Find Something New campaign. The program encourages to people explore a wide range of education and training options beyond the traditional four-year degree.
Apple on Thursday unveiled a free course to train educators to teach others how to program in Swift and Xcode, tools used to write apps for iPhone and Mac.
In addition, Apple improved its Develop in Swift and Everyone Can Code curricula. And it’s adding new remote learning resources for parents and teachers educating children at home.
A redesigned iMac, a more affordable HomePod, and a powerful new Apple TV are just some of the products Apple has planned for 2020, according to one reliable reporter.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman also revealed expectations for the 5G iPhone lineup, scheduled to launch this fall, and for a 14-inch MacBook Pro during a Twitter Q&A with followers on Tuesday.
macOS and iOS software developers will soon be able to code on an iPad or even iPhone, if an unconfirmed report is correct. iPadOS 14 and the iPhone equivalent will reportedly include support for Xcode, Apple’s software development environment.
Apple lavished attention on all its platforms at WWDC this year. We even got a first look at the all-new Mac Pro. But another announcement, which didn’t grab so many headlines, may prove to be the most important thing to come out of this year’s developer conference: SwiftUI.
SwiftUI promises to fundamentally change the way developers create apps for Apple products. And you don’t need to be a techie to appreciate why it’s such a big deal.
You won’t need iTunes to install the iOS 13 and iPadOS betas when they go public, Apple’s Craig Federighi has confirmed.
Registered developers who want to get their hands on the software now must download the update package and restore their device through iTunes. They must also have the new Xcode 11 beta installed.
That won’t be the case when Apple expands the reach of its betas next month.
There are less than 100 days until WWDC 2019 and new iPad features are looming large on the mind of Apple fans.
In a new iOS 13 mockup, concept designer Léo Valle suggests some simple, yet groundbreaking features that would make the iPad a true Mac replacement. Some of these features probably won’t make the cut on iOS 13 this year, but even if one makes it’d be a game-changer.
Two years ago, my partner and I launched an Apple Watch app to complement our iPhone fitness app. Little did we know that our embrace of Apple’s smartwatch would threaten the very existence of the gym app we’d been developing since 2012.
Each year since we launched Reps & Sets, we updated it to keep up-to-speed with all the cool new features Apple rolled out at its Worldwide Developers Conference. That all changed last year, though. That’s when we discovered that, by adding support for Apple Watch, we had inadvertently taken a poison pill that could effectively kill our iPhone app.
It doesn’t have to be this way. With a few key changes, Apple could turns things around and reinvigorate the Apple Watch app ecosystem.
Building working apps means more than just knowing how to code. Sure, it takes that knowledge. But it also requires an understanding of design.
Learning the development process for iOS is a great way to build up your resume. It’s also a great way to break into a space with massive creative and commercial potential.
Apple is adding another big tool for developers to its arsenal thanks to the acquisition of Vancouver-based startup Buddybuild.
The small 40-person company created a mobile iteration platform that allows devs to streamline their workflow and push app updates out through GitHub, GitLab and the like. Now Apple plans to take those tools and integrate them natively into Xcode.
Apple surprised us this morning by finally revealing the launch date of the iMac Pro, but a few lucky tech reviewers have already gotten their hands on the slick new machine.
The first hands-on reviews of the iMac Pro confirm a lot of what we already knew about Apple’s machine: it’s gorgeous and insanely fast. But according to those that have tested it, the iMac Pro actually blows past the hype of being the perfect iMac for professionals.
To celebrate the start of a new week, we do what we do every week: gather up some of the best deals on gear, gadgets, and more. This round, we’ve got a comprehensive course in iOS 11 coding, and a ‘Hiffecient’ USB charging hub. We’ve also got a tool for streamlining online form-filling, and an upgrade for your Mac’s calendar. Everything is discounted by more than 40 percent. Read on for more details:
At long last, iOS 11 is upon us, along with a bunch of new tweaks and features. So it’s a great time for developers to start making the most of Apple’s slick new OS.