CarPlay, a term Apple uses to describe its all-new, in-car operating system, was showcased heavily last week at the Geneva Motor Show by the likes of Volvo and Ferrari. Since then, we've seen the Cupertino company drop iOS 7.1, bringing official CarPlay support to the iPhone, and with most of the pieces now seemingly in place, we're just waiting on the manufacturers to come through with the release of compatible automobiles. But while it has seemed, hitherto, like users would probably have to buy a new car in order to take advantage of CarPlay, Pioneer may be poised to develop CarPlay integration for upcoming systems, as well as those already installed.
Apple's AirPlay is one of the more prominent examples of Apple's 'it just works' ecosystem and is arguably the best reason to own an Apple TV. Being able to take audio and video from an iOS device and throw it over to a big-screen TV or audio system is the thing of dreams, and the fact it works so well just adds to the mystique.
Apple is pushing closer to its aim of building of a unified, cloud-centric system that does away with the traditional OS X file system, according to sources of 9to5Mac. The fruit company's long-term goal with iCloud, which has become an integral part of its apps and services over the past few years, is to create a system whereby devices seamlessly integrate with one another, and with some new iCloud apps for iOS on the horizon, the iPhone maker is making good progress in its quest to achieve this.
Apple may have only recent announced CarPlay - formerly iOS in the Car - but there's already plenty of positive news for the Cupertino based company. A number of high profile manufacturers have already committed themselves to integrating Apple's tech in their vehicles this year, and it looks like that list is set to continually grow as time passes. Toyota, the world's largest car manufacturer based on sales volume, has confirmed via an official blog post that it will introduce vehicles with Apple CarPlay compatibility.
Apple has, without too much fanfare, decided to cut down its iPhone returns policy from 30 days to just 14, meaning that new purchasers now have only a two-week grace period after which they can no longer change their mind. The move is part of a wider play aimed at offering a more coherent, uniform returns policy across the company's range of products, while also tying in with similar systems offered by mobile carriers.
Apple is toying with the idea of handing its iTunes Radio streaming audio service its very own app, which the company hopes will help boost adoption rates. Launched alongside iOS 7, the number of users subscribing to iTunes Radio has been modest, but considering the leverage that Apple has in the form of the iTunes Music Store - which boasts one of the broadest libraries of digital songs and albums with over 26 million - the company reportedly has a more proactive strategy in the offing.
In the ongoing patent dispute between Apple and Samsung, it has now emerged that the Cupertino-based company has demanded, in front of a jury, that its Korean competitor stumps up the almighty sum of $40 per infringing device. The total, which Apple has arrived at by highlighting five separate patents per device (around $8 a pop), would equate to an eye-watering total sum, and even FOSS Patents' Florian Mueller - a guy that tends to see these matters from Apple's side - seems to think this is a step too far.
Apple finally brought folder functionality to iOS way back in 2010 with iOS 4, but up until September's iOS 7 update, the feature was extremely limited. As well as making some dramatic aesthetic alterations with the latest firmware, several features, including folders, were greatly expanded. The limitation of around a dozen icons - arbitrary in the eyes of many - was lifted, and pages were introduced, meaning we didn't have to make several folders for one category. As well as all that, iOS 7 also accidentally made it possible for nested folders to exist, but now, thanks to iOS 7.1, the jig is up.
In bringing forth its in-house Maps app along with iOS 6 - a decision that saw Google Maps ousted from the native roster - Apple oversaw what was considered to be one of the greatest tech fails of 2012. But having shaken up its iOS software development team and made a host of improvements, Maps is finally starting to look like a navigation service that folks can rely upon. 9to5Mac has word that with iOS 8, continuing the enhancement of Maps is high on the priority list, with public transport directions services being the main implementation, and beyond that, the Cupertino is also toying with the idea of integrating indoor mapping into Maps.
Apple finally released iOS 7.1 yesterday, bringing some big improvements to Siri and iTunes Radio while also introducing CarPlay - the company's in-car flavor of iOS. But for some iOS 7 users, such as those on the antiquated iPhone 4, the update brought forth some significant speed improvements, reinstating some of the snappiness lost following the iOS 7.0 release back in September.
