Instagram brings ‘3D Touch’-like functionality to Android
When Apple rolled out its latest handsets, the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, the company took great pains to highlight a snazzy feature called “3D Touch“. With the help of a pressure sensitive screen, users can more efficiently access the phone’s various menus and options. Turns out, Instagram is working on a very similar feature for its Android app, no pressure sensitive screen required.
Honestly, it’s really just a glorified long-press menu. When looking at another user’s image grid, you can press and hold on a thumbnail to pull up a near full-size preview image. Conversely, drag your finger to the edge of the screen to shrink it back down. Hold and swipe down towards the Share and Like buttons to activate them — all without lifting the finger. This feature is currently in beta but is expected to migrate to the official app within a few update cycles.
Source: Android Police
iOS 9.2 gives you more control over Apple Music and iBooks
Apple is clearly hoping to clear its slate before the year is over. On top of that iPhone battery case, it just posted an iOS 9.2 update that brings big improvements to Apple Music and iBooks. For a start, it’s much easier to reconcile your iCloud Music Library with the streaming service — you can see whether or not any song has been downloaded, and quickly download whole albums or playlists. It’s easier to start a new playlist or add a song to a recent list, too. iBooks, meanwhile, supports both 3D Touch (for peeking at pages) and background audiobook listening while you browse books inside the app.
There’s more under the hood. This update USB Camera Adapter support to the iPhone, Mail Drop (from OS X El Capitan) for giant email attachments and Siri support in Arabic. The 9.2 release may also include AT&T’s unified NumberSync calling, although later betas didn’t include it — if you see it, let your fellow readers know in the comments. All told, there’s enough here that you’ll likely want to install the new version tout suite.
Photo by Will Lipman.
Via: MacRumors
iOS 9.2 Tidbits: Top Stories for News, AT&T NumberSync, Mail Drop, USB Camera Adapter Support, and More
The second major update to iOS 9, iOS 9.2, was released this morning, with a long list of bug fixes and improvements to features and apps like Apple Music, News, Mail, Podcasts, Safari, iBooks, and more. There are quite a few outward-facing changes tweaks and changes to the operating system, and we’ve gathered up a list of the major new features below.
News – Apple’s News app has been updated with features that are designed to make it more attractive to users and publishers. As outlined by Re/code, News will now include lists of top stories curated by Apple editors and published a “couple of times a day.” For publishers, Apple is also implementing integration with Comscore.
AT&T NumberSync – iOS 9.2 adds support for AT&T’s NumberSync service, which is an expansion of Wi-Fi calling. As outlined in Apple’s updated Wi-Fi calling support document, it is now possible for AT&T users to place Wi-Fi calls from their iPads, Apple Watches, and Macs (with OS X El Capitan) even when an iPhone is not nearby.
Continuity previously allowed a similar feature, but required an iPhone to be nearby as it used the phone’s cellular connection. Similar advanced Wi-Fi calling features are also available to T-Mobile and Sprint users.
Apple Music – There are a lot of small tweaks to Apple Music to remove various pain points. When adding a song to a playlist, for example, it’s now possible to create a new playlist instead of having to use an existing one, and playlists are ordered by most recent changes. There are also clearer indicators for which songs have been downloaded, and albums or playlists from iCloud Music Library can be downloaded by tapping the iCloud download button. The classical music catalog in Apple Music has been improved with works, composers, and performers.
Mail Drop – For the first time, Mail Drop can be used on iOS to send attachments up to 5GB in size. Mail Drop is a feature that was previously limited to the Mac version of the Mail app.
iBooks – iBooks includes support for 3D Touch, allowing users to peek and pop into pages from the table of contents, notes and bookmarks, or search results with force press gestures. iBooks also includes support for listening to an audiobook while browsing a library, reading other books, or viewing the iBooks Store.
USB Camera Adapter – With iOS 9.2, iPhones are now able to support Apple’s USB Camera Adapter and related accessories for importing pictures from a digital camera or DSLR. Previously, only iPads supported the USB Camera Adapter. The iPhone 5 and later appear to work with the USB Camera Adapter/iPad Camera Connection Kit. The iPhone 4s and the iPod touch do not support it.
Safari View Controller – The Safari View Controller, which is what allows a pop-up Safari window to be used within third-party apps, has been imrpoved. In iOS 9.2, the Safari View Controller supports third-party Action Extensions, letting apps like 1Password be accessed in the Safari view of other apps like Tweetbot. There’s also a new ability to long tap on the Reload button to load content without content blockers, support for the request desktop site function, and an edge swipe feature for dismissing the Safari window within apps.
In the Hipchat app for iOS, clicking a link brings up an in-app browser. In iOS 9.1, seen on the left, there’s no option for third-party extensions. In iOS 9.2, seen on the right, there’s support for third-party extensions like 1Password.
We’ll be updating this tidbits post should any new features in iOS 9.2 be discovered. Our dedicated iOS 9 forum is also a great place to get more details on the new update, as users are discussing all of the changes that have been discovered in iOS 9.2.
The new update is currently available to all users with an iPhone 4s or later and can be downloaded over-the-air by going to Settings –> General –> Software Update.
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Apple Remote App for iOS Now Works With New Apple TV Following tvOS 9.1 Update
Today’s tvOS 9.1 update for the fourth-generation Apple TV enables a feature that many have been missing – support for the Remote app on iOS devices and Apple Watch. Prior to today, the new Apple TV was not compatible with the Remote app that has long allowed iPhone and iPad users to control their second and third-generation Apple TVs with their iOS devices.
Apple likely skipped implementing Remote support for the new Apple TV initially because it includes a touch-based remote control that enables many of the same gestures, but users have expressed some disappointment that the app didn’t work. The Remote app may mimic the touch-based interface of the physical Apple TV remote control, but it will be handy in a pinch should that remote become lost or misplaced.
Being able to use the Remote app will also remedy one of the most frustrating aspects of the new Apple TV — text entry. Prior to today, it was necessary to use the swipe controls on the physical Apple TV remote with an on-screen keyboard to enter text. The Remote app will allow iPhone and iPad owners to use their devices to enter text much more quickly.
The Remote iOS app does not require updating to work with the fourth-generation Apple TV, but the set-top box does require tvOS 9.1 to be installed. Today’s iOS 9.2 update is also not required and we have confirmed that the Remote app works with iOS devices running earlier versions of iOS 9.
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Apple Watch 2 will reportedly debut at March event
If the rumors are true, Apple’s next big reveal will happen in March. 9to5Mac reports that Cupertino is planning to pull the wraps off of the Apple Watch 2 at the event, which would be the second consecutive year the company held a product announcement in that month. Details are scarce on version 2.0 of the company’s smart watch for now, but reports suggest that Apple has a new camera, wireless connectivity, revamped sleep tracking and upgraded health sensor tech in the works for the device. Bands with built-in senors are also rumored to be on the way and the report says that the Watch 2 will go on sale in April.
What’s more, 9to5Mac’s sources say it’s possible that we may also see the long-rumored iPhone 6c break cover at the event. If you’ll recall, the 6c is said to offer a 4-inch handset in a metal chassis, differing from the “unapologetically plastic” shell of the iPhone 5c. The iPhone 6c is also rumored to house Apple’s A9 chip and NFC to drive mobile transactions with Apple Pay. As is the case with these reports, the company could change plans leading up to the event, especially given the fact that we’re three months out. That being said, 9to5Mac’s Mark Gurman has a solid track record as of late, so don’t be surprised if both of these gadgets are revealed this spring.
[Image credit: John Taggart/Bloomberg via Getty Images]
Source: 9to5Mac
Apple Planning March 2016 Event to Unveil Next-Generation Apple Watch, iPhone 6c Possible Too
Apple may be planning to host an event in March of 2016 to unveil the next-generation Apple Watch, reports 9to5Mac citing sources with knowledge of Apple’s plans. The updated device could then ship a month later in April, marking one full year between Apple Watch releases. Apple released the first-generation Apple Watch on April 24, 2015.
Rumors about the second-generation Apple Watch started leaking out well before the original Apple Watch launched, as there were health-related features Apple was forced to shelve because of inconsistent performance. Apple experimented with sensors for measuring things like skin conductivity, blood pressure, and blood oxygen, and some of these could make their way into the next-generation device following a year or work on improving the technology.
Apple CEO Tim Cook recently said the company’s efforts in the health arena would be conservative, because it does not want to deal with the FDA. “We don’t want to put the watch through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) process,” he said.
Other features rumored for the next-generation Apple Watch include a front-facing FaceTime camera to allow Apple Watch users to make and receive FaceTime calls and a new Wi-Fi chip that may allow the Apple Watch to do more without a connection to an iPhone.
Today’s report on the Apple Watch also says the much-rumored iPhone 6c could also be unveiled at the event, in line with rumors that have pointed towards an early 2016 launch. The iPhone 6c is a next-generation lower-budget 4-inch phone designed to follow in the footsteps of the iPhone 5c. It’s rumored to include an aluminum shell, an upgraded A8 or A9 processor, Touch ID and Apple Pay support, and a curved edge cover glass like the iPhone 6.
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Apple TV Billboard Campaign Begins Featuring Content Including ‘The Simpsons’
Apple continues to ramp up promotion of the new Apple TV, building on its series of advertisements focusing on the television shows and games available to users on the set-top box. As noticed by MacRumors reader Jordan, the company has begun to expand its previous colorful billboard campaign by featuring content available on the new box, including an ad themed after The Simpsons.
Image via Jordan Schau on Twitter
The billboard is similar in theme to the multi-colored advertisement campaign Apple introduced following the launch of the new Apple TV. Over the weekend, the company used its official App Store Twitter account to continue the campaign and share a few new tie-in ads. So far it has promoted various games, apps like Nat Geo TV, and television shows including Veep and Game of Thrones.
"Siri, let's watch Game of Thrones." #AppleTV #HBONOW pic.twitter.com/jrGhPtaHp7
— App Store (@AppStore) December 7, 2015
http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Apple began its new Apple TV campaign in the middle of November, a few weeks after the device launched in late October. Some of the earlier commercials included promotions of Crossy Road, Orange is the New Black, and The Muppets, all playing on the fourth-generation Apple TV.
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Apple Releases OS X 10.11.2 El Capitan With Multiple Bug Fixes
Apple today released OS X 10.11.2 to the public, marking the launch of the second update to the El Capitan operating system that was first released on September 30. In testing since late October, OS X 10.11.2 follows the October 21 release of OS X 10.11.1, an update that introduced Office 2016 bug fixes and new emoji, among other improvements.
The OS X 10.11.2 update can be downloaded through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store. It is currently rolling out to all users who are running OS X El Capitan and should be available soon.
Throughout the beta testing period, OS X 10.11.2 did not appear to include any outward-facing changes, instead focusing on under-the-hood bug fixes and performance improvements to address issues discovered since the launch of OS X 10.11.1. Bug fixes introduced in today’s update were outlined in Apple’s release notes and are listed below.
The OS X El Capitan 10.11.2 update improves the stability, compatibility, and security of your Mac.
This update:
-Improves Wi-Fi reliability
-Improves the reliability of Handoff and AirDrop
-Fixes an issue that may cause Bluetooth devices to disconnect
-Fixes an issue that prevented Mail from deleting messages in an offline Exchange account
-Fixes an issue that prevented importing photos from an iPhone to a Mac using a USB cable
-Improves iCloud Photo Sharing for Live Photos
OS X El Capitan has only been available for two months, but it has already received multiple updates to address bugs and other issues. Apple will continue to push regular updates to El Capitan to keep it running smoothly until the next major operating system update, expected in late 2016.
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Apple Releases tvOS 9.1 for Fourth-Generation Apple TV
Apple today released tvOS 9.1, the first major update to the tvOS operating system that runs on the fourth-generation Apple TV. tvOS 9.1 has been in testing since November 3, just a few days after the final version of tvOS was released alongside the new Apple TV in October.
tvOS 9.1 can be downloaded over-the-air through the Settings app on the fourth-generation Apple TV by going to System –> Software Update.
tvOS 9.1 betas introduced support for Siri search for Apple Music, allowing fourth-generation Apple TV owners to ask Siri to play content from Apple Music. Siri for Apple Music on the Apple TV works similarly to Siri for Apple Music on iOS devices, enabling queries like “What was the top song in 1980?” or “Play Adele’s latest single.” It is not yet clear if this feature made it into the final version of tvOS 9.1.
The tvOS update includes several bug fixes for issues discovered in the current version of tvOS, and according to beta testing notes, it features improvements to networking and scrolling.
tvOS 9.1 is the first major update to tvOS, but it’s the second update overall. Apple previously released tvOS 9.0.1 with under-the-hood bug fixes and performance improvements.
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Apple Releases iOS 9.2 With Safari View Controller Improvements, AT&T NumberSync Support and Bug Fixes
Apple today released iOS 9.2 to the public, marking the second major update to the iOS 9 operating system since its September launch. Prior to being released, iOS 9.2 was in testing since late October after being seeded to developers and public beta testers one week after the launch of iOS 9.1.
Today’s iOS 9.2 release is available as an over-the-air update to all iOS 9 users. Though it is the second major update, iOS 9.2 is actually the fourth update to iOS 9 in total, following the launches of iOS 9.0.1, iOS 9.0.2, and iOS 9.1. Xcode 7.2 is also available today.
iOS 9.2 includes a huge list of bug fixes, which we’ve outlined below.
This update contains improvements and bug fixes including:
– Apple Music improvements
–You can now create a new playlist when adding a song to a playlist
–Your most recently changed playlist is now listed at the top when adding songs to playlists
–Download albums or playlists from your iCloud Music Library by tapping the iCloud download button
–See which songs have been downloaded with the new download indicator next to each song in My Music and Playlists
–See works, composers, and performers while browsing Classical music in the Apple Music catalog
– A new Top Stories section in News so you can stay up to date with the most important news of the day (available in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia)
– Mail Drop in Mail for sending large attachments
– iBooks now supports 3D Touch to peek and pop pages from the table of contents, your notes and bookmarks, or from search results inside a book
– iBooks now supports listening to an audiobook while you browse your library, read other books, or explore the iBooks Store
– iPhone support for the USB Camera Adapter to import photos and videos
– Improved stability of Safari
– Improved stability of Podcasts
– Fixing an issue that caused mail attachments to be inaccessible for some users with POP email accounts
– Resolving an issue for some users that caused attachments to overlap text in mail
– Fixing an issue where Live Photos could have turned off after restoring from a previous iCloud backup
– Addressing an issue that could cause search in Contacts to display no results
– Resolving an issue that could have prevented Calendar from displaying all seven days in week view
– Fixing an issue where Camera screen on iPad could be black when attempting to capture video
– Addressing an issue that could cause instability in the Activity app when viewing the day of Daylight Savings Time transition
– Fixing an issue that could prevent data from appearing in Health
– Fixing an issue that could prevent Wallet updates and Lock screen alerts from displaying
– Addressing an issue where updating iOS could prevent an alarm from going off
– Fixing an issue where some users were unable to login to Find my iPhone
– Fixing an issue that prevented some manual iCloud Backups from completing
– Addressing an issue where using the iPad keyboard could unintentionally trigger text selection mode
– Improved keyboard responsiveness when using Quick Reply
– Improved punctuation input on the 10-key Chinese (Pinyin & Stroke) keyboards with new expanded view of punctuation symbols and better predictions
– Fixing an issue on Cyrillic keyboards where caps lock would be enabled when typing in URL or email fields
– Siri support for Arabic (Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates)
– Accessibility improvements
–Fixing issues with VoiceOver when using Camera face detection
–Adding support for VoiceOver to wake up the screen
–Adding support for VoiceOver to invoke app switcher with 3D Touch gesture
–Fixing an issue with Guided Access when trying to end phone calls
–Improved functionality for Switch Control users when using 3D Touch
–Fixing an issue with speech rate of Speak Screen
Beyond bug fixes, iOS 9.2’s biggest change is a tweak to the way the Safari View Controller works within third-party apps. The Safari View controller is what allows a pop-up Safari window to be used within third-party apps, and with iOS 9.2, the Safari View Controller supports third-party Action Extensions, letting apps like 1Password to be accessed in the Safari view of other apps like Tweetbot.
In the Hipchat app for iOS, clicking a link brings up an in-app browser. In iOS 9.1, seen on the left, there’s no option for third-party extensions. In iOS 9.2, seen on the right, there’s support for third-party extensions like 1Password.
The Safari View Controller has also been updated with the ability to long tap on the Reload button to reload content without content blockers and it now supports the request desktop site function and an edge swipe to dismiss the Safari window.
iOS 9.2 also includes support for AT&T’s NumberSync Wi-Fi calling feature, allowing AT&T users to accept calls on any device even when their phone is not nearby.
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