Users of Apple's iPhone, iPad and iPod touch could be set to receive a new iOS update for their devices, with the news that the company is working on an update that it hopes will eradicate some of the issues that have cropped up with the recent iOS 6.1 release.
Apple has just seeded iOS 6.1.1 beta 1 for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. It is available for download now for developers registered on the iOS Dev Center.
The release of iOS may have been shrouded in controversy, but in terms of adoption rates, it has continually proven itself to be prolific. Early statistics showed that, despite the bad press, consumers were buying and upgrading their devices to iOS 6 at a rate of knots, and in its iOS 6.1 press release earlier today, Apple has revealed that nigh on 300 million iPhones, iPads and iPod touches are now running the latest firmware.
It's that time of the quarter again already - the time when analysts start guessing, journalists start analyzing and everyone else starts buying or selling Apple stock. That's right folks, it's Apple earnings call time!
Once upon a time, it was extremely easy to gift an app to a loved one directly from the iOS App Store. It was a simple case of selecting the Gift App button, and then passing in the relevant details of the recipient. Payment would then be removed from the registered payment method held against the account and everyone would go on their way, happy in the knowledge that the gift of giving had been accomplished satisfactorily. For some reason, Apple changed the giving game with the introduction of iOS 6, and actually removed the facility entirely from the App Store for a while, but thankfully it is now back.
The iPhone, iPod touch and iPad are fantastic and powerful devices. We get that, we really do. However, we should all know by now that smartphones like the iPhone have transcended from just being a typical mobile phone, and act more as portable mini computers when we can't be near our laptop or desktop computer. Having that power with us all the time to be able to browse the web, play games or instantly check email is fantastic, but unfortunately, it also brings computer-related issues like locking up, becoming unresponsiveness or getting stuck with a troublesome app on the screen.
Apple's iOS 6 may have been adopted in record numbers initially, but the release of the latest and greatest mobile software has been far from a smooth ride. Maps, which was meant to replace Google Maps at stock level, turned out to be as much use as a chocolate fire shield for many, and after a fair amount of controversy including a complaint from Australian Police suggesting its frailties potentially endanger lives, Maps has somewhat re-replaced Apple Maps following its App Store release last week. Meanwhile, iOS SVP Scott Forstall has gone the way of MobileMe, and with Apple is looking to turn a corner with its iOS software by bringing the updates at frequent intervals, iOS 6.1 Beta 4 is now available to developers.
Keeping up with the latest and greatest releases in the mobile industry can be a very expensive pastime. With each year comes a handful of new releases from each of the biggest tech companies, and if your favorite device happens to be of the Apple persuasion, your costings are as high as they get in the market. So while lots of consumers can count themselves as iPhone users, the vast majority will be in ownership of the older devices - running all the way back to the first couple of generations. Whited00r has long since given these older devices a freshen up, by offering a utility which makes them appear as though they're running on newer firmware and today, said utility has been updated for iOS 6.
If you're a regular follower of our coverage here at Redmond Pie, there's a pretty good chance you're into your jailbreaks. As most of you will probably be aware, progress on an iOS 6 untethered jailbreak has been steady, but trying at times, and although the usual dev suspects have been plugging away, Apple's robust security enhancements have made things just that little bit trickier than ever before. So you can imagine our amazement when a group by the name of "Dream JB" took the scene by storm by not only claiming to have found an iOS 6 untether, but set a date for its release. Unfortunately, like most things that seem too good to be true, it would appear this is nothing more than the elaborate ploy of a hoaxer, with various established and credible modders and developers having already stepped out to refute the very notion of "Dream JB."
Keeping up on the jailbreak coverage is something we strive towards here at Redmond Pie, and in light of the recent release of iOS 6.1 beta 3 to developers, we've got the low-down on how you can jailbreak this latest firmware preview. Of course, it's a tethered jailbreak for Pre-A5 based devices, so if you're rocking a brand new iPhone 5, an iPhone 4S, iPad 2/3/4, iPod touch 5th-gen or iPad mini, you unfortunately won't be able to enjoy the perks of the jailbreak, laid on - as ever - by the iPhone Dev Team's Redsn0w tool. If, however, your device is susceptible to the Limera1in exploit (basically any device I didn't mention above that isn't completely antiquated), then you can enjoy a tethered break right now - details after the jump.
