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.
If you're an Instagram user, and even if you're not, you'll probably have taken some note of the selfie craze, and as well as enabling users to readily share their selfies with anyone who cares to look, the Instagram app also makes it easy for folks to edit and prime these self-snaps with filters and other effects. One such feature, known as lux, brings a warm feeling to shots, reducing overexposure and, most importantly, making people look prettier. And now, an update to Instagram for iOS bring more control over lux, and full details of what else is inside Instagram 5.0.6 can be seen below.
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.
It seems to have been in development for longer than iOS 7.0 itself, but the 7.1 update to iOS is now here, and even though it's not got all the gusto of a big point-0 release, there's still a fair few changes gone into an offering that many will be pleased to see arrive.
Everybody's talking about the release of the iOS 7.1 software update, which has finally trickled out earlier on today after a few weeks of incessant speculation, but it's not only Apple’s mobile devices to get a handsome software bump. Apple TV users can now pick up firmware update 6.1, and to supplement the experience for users of the company's set-top, the corresponding iOS Remote app has just been updated.
In between the major upgrades to its iOS device roster, Apple often quietly pushes refreshed hardware, tweaking a certain fault or improving overall efficiency or performance. Today's iOS 7.1 update appears to indicate that the iPad range has been subject to one or two subtle alterations, with the list of devices compatible with the new firmware revealing two new unidentified iPad device numbers. iOS 7.1 for iPads 4,3 and 4,6 - neither of which have been announced by Apple - suggest that the Cupertino has been doing a little hardware-based housekeeping, but since no announcement was made, any changes are probably rudimentary, with no immediately apparent differences.
FaceTime serves as a great way for owners of iOS device users to communicate in a face-to-face manner, but while it's ideal for video chatting with family and friends, there's no platform for meeting new people. Thanks to a new little website called FaceTime Plus, though, this is now possible, and in essence, it's very much FaceTime meets Chatroulette.
The next Apple smartphone, unofficially dubbed the "iPhone 6," will reportedly arrive in two different configurations - both of which are said to be larger than any iPhone released hitherto. As well as a 4.7-inch model, there will, it has been suggested, also be a 5.5-inch variant, and both of these new handsets could, as other bits of info have implied, be notably thinner than its would-be predecessor, akin to the new iPad Air. With this in mind, one concept maker has come through with an 'iPhone Air' concept, and as well as a stunning appearance, it also boasts a fairly tasty list of specs. Check it out below.
The beauty of Kickstarter is that it makes it possible for people to launch products that would normally never see the light of day. In the technology arena especially, we've seen all kinds of awesome and not-so-awesome things come out of the crowd-sourcing funding machine that is Kickstarter. We're not really sure which side of that fence we're going to put the SlatePro desk just yet, but it sure looks nice.
At Mobile World Congress towards the end of February, Samsung showcased its latest and greatest Galaxy S5 smartphone to the world. Like the launch of the Galaxy Note 3 back in September, the Korean outfit also added a smartwatch to proceedings, and after a generally negative response to the initial Galaxy Gear, the company will be hoping that the Gear 2 fares a great deal better. To whet the appetites of fans excited about the forthcoming releases, Samsung has delivered a hands-on video offering a walk-through of the Galaxy S5, as well as a further clip demonstrating the numerous bells and whistles of the Gear 2 and Gear Fit. Check them out after the break!
