This Week's Sponsor:

Collections Database

A Powerful Database with iCloud Sync

Posts tagged with "iOS 6"

Apple To Developers: Submit Your iOS 6 Apps Today

Following the introduction of the new iPhone 5, new iPods and an upcoming new iTunes earlier today, Apple has now sent an official mail to its third-party developers. In it, Apple asks its developers to submit updates of their apps or completely new ones built with the newest iOS 6 SDK and APIs.

iOS 6 will soon be in the hands of hundreds of millions of customers. Take advantage of beautifully designed and smooth panning maps using the new vector based engine in MapKit. Provide tickets, loyalty cards, and other passes with Passbook. Integrate sharing capabilities for Facebook. Explore new camera APIs and new features for Reminders, In-App Purchase, and Game Center to create your best iOS apps yet.

To prepare your apps for submission, download the GM seeds for iOS 6 and Xcode 4.5 and test your existing apps for compatibility. Be sure to review the updated App Store Review Guidelines and the iOS 6 Readiness Checklist, and submit your apps today.

Developers can now head over to the Apple Developer website to download the new GM seeds for iOS 6 and Xcode 4.5.

The Rise Of Third Party Services And Fall Of Google In iOS

When Apple introduced iOS 6 to the world at this year’s WWDC, one of the most talked about moves was Apple’s decision to step away from their partnership with Google Maps and create their own maps app. In many respects, it wasn’t too surprising given the increasingly strenuous relationship between Apple and Google in the years since the iPhone launched and Google became a competitor with Android, but in recent weeks it was also revealed that YouTube will also no longer be included as a pre-installed app from iOS 6. That leaves Google Search as the only remaining Google service to be integrated into iOS. Yet whilst Apple has been severing its relationship with Google, it has been courting numerous other service providers and integrating them into iOS over the past few years.

Curious to visualise this information, I made a list of every notable service that has been integrated with iOS (and when) and then created the above graphic (click on it to view a larger version). When I had compiled the list, it was pretty compelling (and longer than I had realised), but I think the graphic takes it to the next level and really tells a story about iOS and Apple’s relationship with other services.

Read more

Apple Removes Native YouTube App From iOS Beta→

Apple Removes Native YouTube App From iOS Beta

The Next Web has an excellent round up of today’s news that the native iOS YouTube app will likely be removed from the upcoming iOS 6 operating system which was reported by both Macrumors and 9to5Mac. The article includes the expected generic PR response from Google and a few more details from Apple they obtained in a statement issued to The Verge.

Panzarino makes some excellent conclusions on why this change was not only inevitable, but beneficial for both companies. I won’t spoil the entire article because it is definitely worth the read however he makes one point specifically that matched my first thought when I heard the news:

Remember, though, that Google’s YouTube app will likely be at a disadvantage to Apple’s native one. The hooks that normally direct a user out to the app will now simply play in Mobile Safari, rather than bumping people out to the app.

There will be tradeoffs to an App Store specific version of YouTube made by Google and many of those tradeoffs will effect us as users. The app will likely see more frequent updates that reflect the growing features of the website, however now they are at the mercy of Apple’s rigorous approval process. Other changes, as Panzarino mentioned, include the fact that users will be redirected to Mobile Safari instead of the official app, much like the experience of clicking links for Twitter. This will likely be a negative for most users however I don’t think I will personally mind the change in which app opens to play the video. I enjoy the Mobile Safari experience and with HTML5 progressing so far, there are fewer downsides to the YouTube web app experience. I am far from a YouTube power user and find myself enjoying other services more, e.g. Vimeo.

This could change again before the final release of iOS 6, however for the reasons Panzarino mentioned, I feel this change is permanent. Nevertheless, the native YouTube app is in good hands being developed by Google. I feel Google proved they can ship a polished, native iOS app in their recent release of Chrome for iOS and I look forward to the direction they take their mobile video offerings. Perhaps they can even woo me away from my aforementioned preferred service Vimeo if they don’t flood mobile users with too many advertisements.

Permalink

A Newsstand-like Platform For iOS 6 Podcasts→

A Newsstand-like Platform For iOS 6 Podcasts

Jake Marsh writes about a possible implementation of Apple’s rumored standalone Podcasts app for iOS 6 [via Marco Arment]:

Now the really big one. A universal (iPhone & iPad) iOS application entitled “Podcasts”. This application would provide a way to browse available shows, read about them and subscribe to your favorites. Basicallly extending the existing functionality avaiable in the Podcasts section of the iTunes Store today.

Since Apple will now control the experience end-to-end, they can now provided fantastic support for things like new episode push notifications.

As Cody wrote last week when AllThingsD was first to report on speculation about a separate podcast app for iOS 6 devices, podcasts have been neglected for a long time on iOS. Bundled with iTunes within a unified interface for the Store, support for podcasts on iOS has spurred the creation and popularity of third-party solutions like Instacast and Downcast, which make it extremely easy to create playlists, stream episodes without downloading them, and sync settings (including play position) across devices. These are all features Apple’s iOS iTunes app is lacking, but it doesn’t necessarily mean Apple is ignoring the podcast category.

As we suggested, Apple could provide a separate directory for discovering podcasts and a native podcatcher to simplify the process of listening, downloading, and managing podcasts and playlists. What Marsh envisions isn’t too dissimilar from Newsstand – a platform that allows developers to host content on Apple’s servers and manage new releases from iTunes Connect, and that enables iOS users to conveniently browse audio and video content through a dedicated storefront.

It’s important to keep in mind that, if Apple were to provide a new platform for Internet audio and video producers, they’d likely want to see a revenue opportunity to at least break even and cover the costs of offering a better experience. With Newsstand, Apple got several publishers (including Time) on board with the revenue cut business model whilst providing an integrated solution to the end user. With podcasts on iOS, there is certainly room for improvement – but it has to make sense for Apple too, not just the developers and end users.

 

Permalink

On Breaking Out the Podcast App in iOS 6

Based on Monday’s WWDC 2012 opening Keynote, I can confidently say that Apple is closely listening to their customers, introducing numerous features that the Apple community has been asking for in the previous couple of years. (I really see iOS 6 as a direct response to customer’s wish-lists.) Apple’s goal is to both provide an ecosystem that developers can thrive in, make customers happy, and balance the two by introducing new features in way that makes the most sense. In the course of this discussion, AllThingsD writes that Podcasts will be broken into its own separate app in iOS 6.

People familiar with Apple’s plans tell me that when its new iOS 6 software becomes widely available this fall, podcasts will have their own app, where users will be able to discover, download and play them on mobile devices. Users who access iTunes via laptop and desktop machines will still find them in that version of iTunes, though.

AppAdvice made note that Podcasts, iTunes U, and Audiobooks have been removed from the iTunes app in the iOS 6 beta, sparking thoughts that Audiobooks could find itself reintegrated into the iBooks app, while Podcasts become its own thing.

Myke Hurley of the 70Decibels Podcast Network writes,

However, if Apple are going to make it a separate app it could help highlight the medium even further to people—they’re no longer in the purgatory of the ‘more’ button. What would be even better is if the app comes built in with iOS6 (like the Videos app) or is promoted by a pop-up like iBooks at least.

Podcasts have been neglected for a long time on iOS. While the iTunes Store provides a platform for success, the podcast player itself is currently in a lackluster state, offering only basic functionality for downloaded episodes. As people began listening to more podcasts, alternative 3rd party podcatchers appeared in the form of apps like Downcast and Instacast to fill in gaps for streaming and creating custom playlists. People love talk radio, and podcasts provide a means for both amateurs and professionals to reach large audiences who want to share in the discussion of their favorite topics. In particular, Apple must enjoy the presence of companies like 5by5 and 70Decibels whose success directly corresponds to the Apple community. Apple’s platform lets popular Internet broadcasters like TWiT, CNET, and Revision3 make podcasts available to audiences interested in tech, while companies like CBS and NBC utilize the service to publish the nightly news, political debates, and important broadcasts pertaining to current events.

Podcasts, whether provided as a platform for news or entertainment, aren’t being ignored by Apple. My guess is that it’s in their best interests to expose new customers to the incredible amount of content they host — again I think this is a case where they’re listening to the community and responding accordingly. As with Reading List vs. Instapaper, Apple’s own podcatcher wouldn’t supplant the 3rd party apps in the App Store. Rather, it could do one of two things: 1.) Get more people discovering and subscribing to podcasts through a podcast directory separate from the iTunes Store (currently the conglomerate for all media), and 2.) Provide those customers with a podcatcher that makes downloading, playing, and finding episodes from their subscribed-to podcasts easy. People who want more functionality already have it and will continue to be able to find it from the App Store.

If Podcasts is an app on iOS 6, I’d be really happy to see it happen. There’s a lot of great content available that people are otherwise missing if they only know the iTunes Store for music and video.

Edit 5:42 pm: Updated the article to note that the iTunes app, not the Music app, removed references to Podcasts, iTunes U, and Audiobooks.

[AllThingsD via MacRumors | mentioned: AppAdvice, Myke Hurley]

FaceTime Over 3G To Support iPhone 4 and iPad 2 In Australia? [Updated]

As noted by poster “macrob” on MacTalk’s forums, the Apple Australian webpage for the recently announced iOS 6 suggests FaceTime over cellular will work on the iPhone 4 and iPad 2 in Australia. As indicated in a fine print at the bottom of the page (point 4), “FaceTime over a cellular network requires iPhone 4 or later, or iPad 2 or later with cellular data capability. Carrier data charges may apply. FaceTime is not available in all countries”. This compares to Apple’s other iOS 6 Preview webpages, where Apple states “FaceTime over a cellular network requires iPhone 4S or iPad (3rd generation) with cellular data capability”.

Announced earlier this week by Scott Forstall at WWDC, FaceTime over cellular wasn’t given exact specifications on stage during the keynote; on Apple’s iOS 6 Preview webpage, a number of features – such as VIP list and Shared Photo Streams – are shown as available only on newer devices, as collected by MacRumors in this list. It appears Apple’s Australian website is the only one to report FaceTime over cellular as compatible with the iPhone 4 and iPad 2; every other webpage says the feature will only work on the iPhone 4S and iPad 3.

It is unclear whether the fine print on Apple’s Australian website could have been posted by mistake, or if Apple really is planning on supporting older devices for Australian customers. While technically possible as a number of jailbreak tweaks have shown in the past years, some have speculated Apple might want to limit FaceTime over cellular to newer devices due to their improved antenna design and networking capabilities over older generation models.

We have reached out to Apple for comment and we’ll update this story with clarifications when available.

Update: Apple’s Australian website has been updated to clarify FaceTime over cellular will work on the iPhone 4S or iPad 3.

iOS 6: Our Complete Overview

Taking the stage at WWDC, Apple’s head of mobile software Scott Forstall kicked off his iOS 6 presentation noting how, with over 365 million iOS devices sold through March, Apple’s mobile software is doing very well in the market. The latest publicly available version, iOS 5, has been installed on over 80% of available devices. Released in October 2011, iOS 5 has seen exceptional adoption: over 140 million iMessage users have sent over 150 billion iMessages to date, making it over 1 billion on average every day. Directly integrated into iOS 5, Twitter saw a 3x growth increase, with over 10 billion tweets sent from iOS 5. The numbers go on and on.

There’s no denying on Apple’s part that iOS 5 has been a success for developers, the companies involved, and, ultimately, the users. iOS 6, previewed and released to developers as beta today, is a major new release that, with over 200 new features, will take iOS devices in “entirely new directions”.

Jump past the break for our complete overview of the next major release of iOS, shipping this Fall. Read more

iOS 6 Confirmed: New Banners Up at Moscone West

It’s been a couple days since we last checked in on the progress at Moscone West, and today it appears that new banners at WWDC are confirming expected discussion around iOS 6, Apple’s next iteration of their mobile OS. Banners in the halls of Moscone West are showing off a slick blue logo with a silver 6 inside, perhaps signifying that fresh coat of paint Rene Ritchie discussed as a possibility on iMore. We’re looking forward to Monday’s Keynote, and in the meantime we’ll continue updating our Moscone West 2012 post with great photographs as they come in.

The first floor layout of Moscone West is different from last year — in the photo above you can see the iOS 6 signage in comparison to last year’s open floor with rope lines. Banners have been hung on the 2nd floor of Moscone West, and there’s different banners for Mac Messages, Mac Notification Center, and for a Mac Game Center. WWDC 2012 is already shaping up to be a big event, and we’ll have more photos soon.

Past the break, we have a couple more photos for your viewing pleasure. Thanks again to @SteveStreza for the amazing pictures!

Read more

iOS 6 and Media Integration→

iOS 6 and Media Integration

At Applingua, Tom Klaver argues that Apple shouldn’t provide a separate “Files.app” in iOS 6:

I completely see this improved integration happen throughout iOS 6. There won’t be yet another separate app — a collection library of all possible files a user can interact with will do. Would you want yet another icon on your Homescreen? Remember one of Apple’s (Sir Jony Ive’s) undisclosed philosophies: you shouldn’t see something unless you need it.

You say you want to add a photo from Hipstamatic while composing this email? No problem. Tap “Attach”, pick the Photos category, tap Hipstamatic, and you’ll see all your photos from Hipstamatic.

I don’t know if iOS 6 will feature a revamped document picker for better file management across apps, but Klaver’s proposed solution isn’t too dissimilar from what I envisioned two weeks ago. Rather than providing a separate app just to manage files, I think it’d be interesting to see Apple leveraging the existing iCloud interface (pictured above) to seamlessly let third-party access each other’s documents and data. Klaver thinks this menu could be organized by media type, such as “Photos”; as I have previously written, I believe the key point will be providing a simple, yet reliable way to work with documents across apps without creating duplicates. We’ll see at WWDC next week.

As an aside, Ole Begemann recently dug up an interesting quote by Steve Jobs from 2005:

Now, e-mail, there’s always been a better way to find stuff. You don’t keep your e-mail on your file system, right? The app manages it. And that was the breakthrough, as an example, in iTunes. You don’t keep your music in the file system, that would be crazy. You keep it in this app that knows about music and knows how to find things in lots of different ways. Same with photos: we’ve got an app that knows all about photos. And these apps manage their own file storage.

Permalink