United Airlines Spending $120 Million on Upgrading New Jersey Airport Terminal with iPads [iOS Blog]

New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International Airport is set to receive a $120 million upgrade to United Airline’s main terminal with some of the funds going towards iPads, Bloomberg reports. The airline is planning to offer Apple iPads to customers at certain locations around the terminal, namely restaurants and cafes. Similar upgrades have been utilized by other airlines in high-density airports like LaGuardia in New York.

“From our perspective what we’re looking for, and what we look for in all of our hubs, is something that’s going to be a benefit for our customers — something that’s going to make the time they spend in the airport more productive, more enjoyable, comfortable,” Mary Clark, a spokeswoman for the airline, said in a telephone interview.

As more and more airlines strip away the privileges of air travel to save money, focus is shifting towards ground amenities. By 2015, United plans to have every restaurant and gate seat in Terminal C outfitted with an iPad. The tablets will allow customers to check flight times and updates, browse the internet, buy food, and make retail purchases with a fifteen minute delivery guarantee.

Over the course of the next eighteen months, the Newark tunnel upgrade will add 55 dining venues, 10,000 power outlets, and 6,000 iPads to improve the customer experience in United terminals.

“It’s really become an expectation in society today to have these amenities,” said Alan Bender, professor of aeronautics, airline management and economics at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. “U.S. carriers are catching up to where they should be for their passengers, especially for their business passengers, and most especially for their international business passengers.”

In 2012, Newark’s Airport was rated the fifth worst in the United States according to a Travel & Leisure survey that ranked the country’s twenty-two biggest airports on problems such as delays, concessions, and amenities. Plans are already in motion to change that statistic, as The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey plan to spend $8 billion on upgrades to LaGuardia, JFK, and Newark airports over the next decade.

Spotify Connect for Computers Turns An iPhone Into a Remote Control for Mac [Mac Blog]

Spotify on Friday added a new feature that allows subscribers to use an iPhone or iPad as a remote control for playback on their Mac. The new feature is available for free as part of Spotify’s $9.99 monthly premium subscription.

We’ve just released a great new Premium feature, which lets you play Spotify through your computer, using your phone or tablet as a remote. Use the Spotify app to control the sound. It’s brilliant if your laptop’s hooked up to your speakers. Or if you just don’t want to get off the couch.

Using the new Connect for Computers feature is simple, according to Spotify’s setup instructions. After downloading the latest version of the mobile and desktop app, subscribers only need to log in, tap the “Now Playing” bar and hit “Connect” to direct music from an iPhone or iPad to a computer and its connected speakers.

Spotify is among the leading music streaming subscription services, sitting behind market leader Pandora and edging out Apple’s Beats Music in App Store Revenue. Spotify recently introduced a new Family Plan feature that allows premium subscribers to add up to four additional lines for $4.99 each.

Apple Follows Through With Plans to Stop Selling Fitbit Devices

Last month, news surfaced of Apple’s plans to cease selling Fitbit’s line of activity tracking devices in its stores, and as of today, it appears the company has followed through with that decision. All Fitbit products have now been removed from the online Apple Store and Apple has begun removing the devices from its retail stores as well.

Apple previously sold both the Fitbit Flex, Fitbit’s activity tracking band, and the Fitbit One, a standalone tracker that could be clipped to clothing, for $99.95. It is not known why Apple opted to remove Fitbit’s products from its online stores, but the decision follows Fitbit’s announcement that it had no plans to integrate with Apple HealthKit, as it is “working on other exciting projects” for Fitbit users.

Fitbit’s activity trackers are similar in function to Apple’s upcoming Apple Watch, offering users the ability to track steps taken, distance traveled, calories burned, stairs climbed, and more. Last week, Fitbit announced a new Surge “Fitness Super Watch” that also includes GPS functionality and a heart rate monitor, bringing its tracking capabilities even more in line with the Apple Watch.

Though Fitbit devices have been removed from Apple Stores, Apple is continuing to sell other fitness tracking products, including the UP from Jawbone and the Nike Fuelband. Jawbone recently introduced the UP3, its most recent fitness tracking device that includes skin and ambient temperature sensors along with a heart rate monitor. It is unclear whether Apple will continue to sell these devices as the launch of the Apple Watch approaches or if the ban is limited to Fitbit.

Fitbit’s activity trackers are not the first products that Apple has removed from its stores in recent weeks. Earlier in October, Apple removed Bose audio products from its stores, no longer offering the headphones online or in retail locations.

Monument Valley Expansion ‘Forgotten Shores’ Coming to iOS November 13 [iOS Blog]

Developer Ustwo’s popular mobile puzzle game, Monument Valley, will be receiving a significant update next week that finally adds additional content to the game, reports TechCrunch. The developer confirmed new levels were in the works back in April, a few weeks after the game initially launched.

The original game was released earlier this year and became a big player in the iOS and Android mobile gaming space, despite its brief length. The Forgotten Shores expansion, which will be available as an in-app purchase, is rumored to double the content of the game.

The November 13th update will focus on quality over quantity, according to Ustwo. Not much else is known about Forgotten Shores at this point, including a potential price point, but Ustwo did hint that the expansion would introduce new architectural styles into the game, and even begin to incorporate “landscapes.”

The original Monument Valley game can be downloaded from the App Store for $3.99. [Direct Link]

Lenovo Borrows Heavily From Apple in New S90 Smartphone Marketing Push [iOS Blog]

Leading PC and competitive mobile phone maker Lenovo may have been overly influenced by Apple’s iPhone 6 when it was looking for inspiration for its new S90 smartphone. As reported by Gizmodic (via The Independent), Lenovo’s S90 ‘Sisley’ smartphone closely resembles the iPhone 6 with a marketing push that is almost identical to Apple’s own promotional materials.

Though there are small differences between the two devices, the overall styling of the S90 is remarkably similar to the iPhone 6. Both phones include a rounded metal casing and measure up with the same 6.9mm thickness and 129g weight.

The mimicry didn’t stop with the hardware design, as Lenovo also borrows heavily from Apple’s unique marketing style. The Chinese manufacturer uses an almost identical product layout and brightly-colored, people-focused images that Apple typically uses in its advertising materials.

Lenovo addressed accusations that it had copied the iPhone 6’s design, stating that though there are clear “external similarities” between the two devices, there would have been no time for the company to emulate the iPhone’s design so soon after its launch.

Lenovo has responded by admitting that while there are “external similarities […] Considering the product design lifecycle of any smartphone – at least a year in planning and prototyping – it’s not possible to copy a design so quickly.”

This isn’t the first time competitors have copied Apple’s iPhone. The Cupertino company waged a multi-year battle against rival Samsung over patent and trade dress infringement claims. Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi has also been accused of copying the iPhone and the iPad in its line of inexpensive smartphones and tablets, with Apple’s design chief Jony Ive going so far as to call the similarities in design “theft.”

Growing Number of Users Report Crashing Issue with Latest Nest for iOS Update

A growing number of Nest owners are reporting issues with the latest version the Nest Mobile app that was released on Friday. According to reports on Nest forums, the 4.4.0 version of the app crashes immediately on launch for many users who are running iOS 8.x. This glitch reportedly is affecting recent iPhone models including the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 5s and iPhone 5.

I just downloaded the update to the Nest Mobile App for iOS (version 4.4.0) and the App Crashes immediately upon launch. I am running the latest version of iOS (8.1) on my iPhone 5s. I had no issues with the previous version of the Nest app. I tried to delete the app and reinstall it but it still crashes when launched.

Fortunately, I still had the previous version of Nest Mobile in iTunes on my PC and was able to copy it over to my iPhone. -Nest forum member Columbus_George.

The Nest 4.4.0 update included a handful of small improvements, such as expanded weather and time zone support and improved thermometer history. Users who are experiencing the crashing glitch can restore the previous 4.3 version of the app from their iTunes app library.

Founded by former Apple engineers Tony Fadell and Matt Rogers, Nest Labs was acquired by Google in a $3.2 billion deal that closed earlier this year. Under Google’s guidance, Nest acquired video-monitoring and security startup Dropcam and opened its API to third-party products and services.

Apple Said to Be Stopping Use of TLC NAND Flash in iPhone 6 and 6 Plus After Reported Issues

Apple will switch from using TLC (triple-level cell) NAND flash to MLC (multi-level cell) NAND flash in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus after users have experienced crashing and boot loop issues with the higher capacity versions of both devices, reports BusinessKorea.

Sources have told the paper that flash memory firm Anobit, which Apple acquired in 2011, is to blame for the manufacturing defects. Apple will reportedly switch to MLC NAND flash for the 64GB iPhone 6 and the 128GB iPhone 6 Plus, and will also address crashing and boot loop issues with the release of iOS 8.1.1. Apple previously used MLC NAND flash in previous-generation iPhones.

TLC NAND flash is a type of solid-state NAND flash memory that stores three bits of data per cell. It can store three times as much data as single-level cell (SLC) that stores one bit of data, and 1.5 times as much as multi-level cell (MLC) solid-state flash memory that stores two bits of data. On top of that, TLC flash is more affordable. However, it is also slower than SLC or MLC in reading and writing data.

Apple released its first iOS 8.1.1 beta to developers earlier this week, although the company did not specify whether the included bug fixes addressed boot loop and crashing issues on the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Users who are experiencing an unusual amount of boot loops and crashes with their iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus are recommended to bring their devices back to an Apple Retail Store for a replacement.

Apple Adds Uploading Capabilities to iCloud Photos on iCloud.com Beta Site

Apple has recently updated its iCloud.com beta site for developers, adding the ability to upload images to iCloud Photo Library for the first time. The standard iCloud.com site currently allows users to view all of their iCloud Photo Library images, as well as download and delete them, but there are no tools to allow for the uploading of photos.

On the iCloud beta site, it’s now possible to upload JPGs, but the site does not currently accept other image and video formats like .PNG, .MOV, .MP4, and more. When a file is uploaded to the site, it syncs instantly to all of a user’s iOS devices, much like a photo taken on an iPhone or iPad or added to iCloud Photo Library via the iOS Photos app.

The presence of an uploading tool on the beta site means that the feature will likely make its way to the main iCloud site in the near future, giving users a way to add to their photo libraries from their Macs and PCs.

Toolbar on beta.icloud.com site at top, non-beta iCloud.com toolbar on bottom
Currently in beta and introduced with iOS 8.1, iCloud Photo Library is designed to store all of the photos and videos that a user takes in iCloud, making them available on all iOS devices and Macs. iCloud Photo Library images can be viewed in the Photos app on iOS or through iCloud.com on the Mac, and the upcoming Photos app that Apple is creating for Macs will also work with iCloud Photo Library.

While users now have the ability to upload all of their photos to iCloud Photo Library via the iCloud.com beta site, doing so uses iCloud storage space. Apple offers 5GB of storage space for free, with additional plans ranging from $0.99 for 20GB of storage space to $19.99 for 1TB of storage space.

After being tested on the iCloud.com beta site, the iCloud Photo Library upload feature will make its way to the official iCloud site, but it is unknown how long testing will last.

(Thanks, Konrad!)

Facebook CEO Explains Separate Messenger Download, Points Towards ‘Dedicated’ Experience [iOS Blog]

During a public question and answer session held on Thursday, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg answered a number of questions about Facebook, and finally explained why his company made the unpopular move of forcing users to download the separate Messenger app in order to use Facebook’s messaging capabilities.

As relayed by The Verge, Zuckerberg told the audience that messaging was removed from the main Facebook app because the company believes that a standalone messaging app is “a better experience.

Zuckerberg explained that when the Facebook team looked at other messaging apps, all of them focused on delivering just messaging alone, rather than a multitude of features. Facebook believed there were too many steps involved in sending a message in the main Facebook app, which is meant to be a News Feed, so it began requiring Messenger to cut down on friction.

Messaging is one of the few things people do more than social networking. In some countries 85 percent of people are on Facebook, but 95 percent of people use SMS or messaging. Asking folks to install another app is a short term painful thing, but if we wanted to focus on serving this [use case] well, we had to build a dedicated and focused experience.

We build for the whole community. Why wouldn’t we let people choose to install the app on their own at their own pace? The reason is that what we’re trying to do is build a service that’s good for everyone. Because Messenger is faster and more focused, if you’re using it, you respond to messages faster, we’ve found. If your friends are slower to respond, we might not have been able to meet up.

Zuckerberg went on to say that the company has its “most talented people” working on earning consumer trust and proving that the standalone Messenger experience “will be really good.”

Facebook first began forcing users to switch over to Facebook Messenger to send and accept messages back in July, a move that turned out to be highly unpopular. Before the change, Facebook users could chat through the Messages tab located on the bottom toolbar in the main Facebook app, but after messaging capabilities were removed, the tab began directing users to download Facebook Messenger instead.

As a result, Facebook Messenger began receiving hundreds of negative reviews from users who were unhappy they were forced to download the app, and even today, months later, the app continues to have a 1.5 star rating in the App Store.

Facebook for iOS can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Facebook Messenger for iOS can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

iMovie for iOS Updated With Support for iCloud Photo Library [iOS Blog]

Apple today updated iMovie for iOS to version 2.1.1, adding support for the iCloud Photo Library beta and introducing the ability to share videos with iCloud Photo Sharing. The update also resolves an issue that surfaced when a device was rotated while in the Video browser and it includes performance and stability improvements.

What’s new
-Support for iCloud Photo Library beta
-Share videos with iCloud Photo Sharing
-Resolves issues that could occur when rotating a device while in the Video browser
-Performance and stability improvements

Introduced as a beta service in iOS 8.1, iCloud Photo Library is designed to store all of the photos and videos that a user takes in iCloud, syncing them across all of a person’s iOS devices and Macs to make them available at all times.

Along with today’s iMovie update, Apple has also given several of its other apps minor updates with stability and performance improvements, including Beats Music, Pages, Keynote, Numbers, and iTunes Connect.

iMovie can be downloaded from the App Store for $4.99. [Direct Link]