Coolest free iPad apps of the day, for iPhone, iPod Touch too

One of the coolest free iPad apps of the day, for iPhone, iPod Touch too has just arrived in the App Store Tuesday, according to a Nov 5 article in AppCraver. It's called “Tomato Tycoon” and it combines cool animation and fun sounds with simple game app play to generate lots of fun action.

The goal of this cool arcade game is to avoid obstacles and catch as many tomatoes as you can. While “Tomato Tycoon” begins simply, it gets more challenging as you play and more up its 64 levels (there are also mini-games too). Along the way you'll pick-up some cool facts about tomatoes.

Another cool new free app is an Nike app that has just been released to the App Store today. This cool Nike app follows the release of Nike's long-awaited “FuelBand SE”. “FuelBand SE” is a bracelet-style tracker that you wear on your wrist for it to measure how active you are. Well, rather than shell-out the $150.00 for the “FuelBand SE”, you might want to consider this free and cool Nike app that just hit the App Store.

“Nike+Move” captures your every move and motivates you to exercise, just like “FuelBand SE”. The only difference is you don't need to wear a bracelet—and this app is free. This cool app, which is trending very popular, uses the M7 coprocessor in your iPhone 5s to measure your activities. For example, you can see how much you walk or run each day. You can also compare your day to day activities. Because this free app connects to Game Center, you can also challenge your friends to see who exercises more. How cool is this!

“Tomato Tycoon” is compatible with iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch and is optimized for iPhone 5 and requires iOS 5. “Nike+Move” is also compatible with iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, is optimized for iPhone 5 and requires iOS 7.

Source: The Examiner

The top iPhone and iPad apps on App Store

App Store Official Charts for the week ending Nov. 4, 2013:

Top Paid iPhone Apps:

1. "Duck Dynasty: Battle of the Beards", A&E Television Networks Mobile

2. "Fantastical 2: Calendars and Reminders Done Right", Flexibits Inc.

3. "Angry Birds Star Wars II", Rovio Entertainment Ltd

4. "Minecraft - Pocket Edition", Mojang

5. "Heads Up!", Warner Bros.

6. "LIMBO Game", Playdead

7. "Plague Inc.", Ndemic Creations

8. "Afterlight", Simon Filip

9. "Oldify 2", Apptly LLC

10. "Free Music Download Pro - Mp3 Downloader", ASPS Apps

Top Free iPhone Apps:

1. "Bitstrips", Bitstrips

2. "Emoji for iOS 7 - Free Emojis Keyboard, Emoticons Pics, Stickers, Smiley Icons and Fonts for Texts, Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp Messages", Tap Nation

3. "NinJump Rooftops", Backflip Studios

4. "Deer Hunter 2014", Glu Games Inc.

5. "YouTube", Google, Inc.

6. "Facebook", Facebook, Inc.

7. "Crazy Shave - Free games", Bluebear Technologies Ltd.

8. "Candy Crush Saga", King.com Limited

9. "BBM", BlackBerry Limited

10. "Snapchat", Snapchat, Inc.

Top Paid iPad Apps:

1. "Minecraft - Pocket Edition", Mojang

2. "Duck Dynasty: Battle of the Beards HD", A&E Television Networks Mobile

3. "Angry Birds Star Wars II", Rovio Entertainment Ltd

4. "LIMBO Game", Playdead

5. "Pixel Gun 3D - Block World Pocket Survival Shooter with Skins Maker for minecraft (PC edition) & Multiplayer", Alex Krasnov

6. "Toca Mini", Toca Boca AB

7. "iMovie", Apple

8. "Pages", Apple

9. "Lep's World 3", nerByte GmbH

10. "Photon Flash Player for iPad - Flash Video & Games plus Private Web Browser", Appsverse Inc.

Top Free iPad Apps:

1. "Bitstrips", Bitstrips

2. "GarageBand", Apple

3. "NinJump Rooftops", Backflip Studios

4. "Calculator for iPad Free", International Travel Weather Calculator

5. "Dots: A Game About Connecting", Betaworks One

6. "YouTube", Google, Inc.

7. "The Great Jitters: Pudding Panic Reloaded HD", kunst-stoff GmbH

8. "DEAD TRIGGER 2", MADFINGER Games, a.s.

9. "Candy Crush Saga", King.comLimited

10. "Deer Hunter 2014", Glu Games Inc.

Source: News Day

Apple's iPad Air can better exploit the A7 chip than the iPhone 5S

Apple's A7 chip has trickled down to the latest iPad Air after being introduced in the iPhone 5S, and users will see more benefits of the 64-bit chip in tablets than in smartphones, analysts say.

The iPad Air will deliver two times the CPU and graphics performance than its predecessor, said Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, during an event in San Francisco where the new tablet was announced.

The A7 chip opens the door "for even more robust and powerful apps" on the iPad Air, Apple wrote on its website. Applications and games will run much faster, Apple said.

The benefit of a 64-bit chip in the iPhone 5S has been intensely debated, but Apple will have to spend less time justifying a 64-bit processor in the iPad Air, analysts said. Some critics have called 64-bit technology marketing hype and overkill for a handset, but more relevant for devices like PCs, servers and, to a lesser extent, tablets.

The benefits of the 64-bit A7 chip will be visible as the iPad Air will be able to run more demanding applications than smartphones. But the results may not be immediate as applications need to be ready to take advantage of the 64-bit features.

"Tablet users can create more content and multitask more on their tablets than phones, and 64 bits helps a lot," said Patrick Moorhead, principal analyst at Moor Insights and Strategy, in an email.

The A7 is more justifiable in the 64-bit iPad Air from a value standpoint when compared to smartphones, and the screen size makes a big difference, said Nathan Brookwood, principal analyst at Insight 64.

"It's likely you'll be doing video editing on a tablet," Brookwood said. "People who want to do multiperson, interactive games will have a better experience because of the increased [screen] real estate on tablets."

Apple is taking the lead in bringing 64-bit applications to mobile devices. Brookwood, who attended the event, said the company's 64-bit applications like iPhoto and iMovie, which are both on Mac OS and iOS, were demonstrated at the event and were much faster.

The software for the iPad Air needs to be ready to take advantage of the 64-bit features, said Jack Gold, principal analyst at J. Gold Associates. Apple's iOS and developer tools are 64-bit ready, and applications are under development.

"The silicon is almost always out ahead of the software. It was true in PCs, it's true in servers, it's true here," Gold said.

The switch also helps developers, who can start the transition to 64-bit applications. Tablet app developers will likely move faster to 64-bit than iPhone developers, Gold said.

Source: Computer World

iPhone 5s Gold Color Availability: Apple Inc. (APPL) Gold iPhone Named 'Kardashian' Smartphone by Employees, Says Columnist

The gold model of Apple's iPhone 5s reportedly had a nickname to television personality Kim Kardashian.

New York Times Columnist Nick Bilton, on Twitter, made the iPhone-Kardashian claim.

Bilton tweeted, "A source at Apple told me while they were making the gold iPhone it was referred to internally as 'The Kardashian Phone.'"

The codename for the iPhone 5s was not a serious name for the latest Apple smartphone but simply an "internal joke," according to TechCrunch.

Coincidentally, Kardashian tweeted in Dec. 7, 2012, about her new iPhone 5. The difference between her iPhone 5, at the time, was it was anodized in gold.

The reveal about the codename, although Apple Inc. didn't confirm it, comes as the shipment delays for the gold model iPhone 5s were reduced.

As seen on Apple's official website, the gold iPhone 5s has a projected shipment delay of two to three weeks for its 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB models, regardless of mobile carrier.

On Apple.com, the 16GB gold iPhone 5s will cost the consumer $199 when signing a two-year contract with AT&T, Sprint, or Verizon Wireless. The 32GB model will cost $299, while the 64GB variant is priced at $399.

With T-Mobile, the prices are different. The 16GB gold iPhone 5s cost $649 contract-free. The 32GB variant is priced at $749 and $849 for the 64GB model.

As Latinos Post reported, Apple announced nine million units of the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c were sold during its first weekend on Sept. 20. The Cupertino-based organization didn't reveal specific numbers for the iPhone 5s or iPhone 5c. The nine million units for both phones were four million units more than the first-weekend sales of the iPhone 5 in September 2012, which sold 5 million units.

The features for the iPhone 5s are, for the most part, the same specifications as the discontinued iPhone 5, such as the 4-inch Retina Display with 1,136x640 resolution, 8-megapixel rear-facing camera, 1080p HD video recording camera, to name a few.

The iPhone 5s, however, features a larger f/2.2 aperture for the rear-facing camera with the aim of improving low-light photography. The iPhone 5s utilizes the A7 processor chip with 64-bit architecture, which plays a critical role with the Touch ID.

Via: Latinos Post

iPhone 5s Touch ID Thrusts Biometric Security into the Spotlight

Since the release of the iPhone 5s and its built-in fingerprint scanner, Touch ID, biometric security has been a topic of discussion on social media, in the news and around the water cooler. Everyone is wondering whether Apple’s decision to bring biometric security to the smartphone could make the technology as ubiquitous as the PINs for ATM transactions.

Although Apple is not the first company to use fingerprint scanning as an authentication method, it is responsible for one of the most high-profile biometric security initiatives in recent times.

Security vs. Convenience

Using your fingerprint may be easier than punching in a passcode, but many security professionals wonder whether the convenience is worth the security risks. A fingerprint is just one type of biometric technology that can be used to verify one’s identity. Unfortunately, prints are left on pretty much any surface touched.

The Chaos Computer Club went to great lengths to hack the Touch ID system, and although the hackers were successful, the operation proved to be quite complex. The group outlined its process as follows:

"First, the residual fingerprint from the phone is either photographed or scanned with a flatbed scanner at 2400 dpi. Then the image is converted to black & white, inverted and mirrored. This image is then printed onto transparent sheet at 1200 dpi. To create the mold, the mask is then used to expose the fingerprint structure on photo-sensitive PCB material.

The PCB material is then developed, etched and cleaned. After this process, the mold is ready. A thin coat of graphite spray is applied to ensure an improved capacitive response. This also makes it easier to remove the fake fingerprint. Finally a thin film of white wood glue is smeared into the mold. After the glue cures the new fake fingerprint is ready for use."

Discussions about security and convenience are often directed at the user, but those features are of interest to the hacker as well. The above process might be successful, but the resources involved in securing a high-resolution copy of someone’s fingerprint (without his or her knowledge) and assembling all of the necessary material to reproduce the fingerprint make this type of breach an unattractive option for most hackers.

How Secure Is Touch ID?

Some say Touch ID is “more secure than a short code” because everyone has a unique set of fingerprints. According to Apple, after five failed attempts with the wrong print, Touch ID will not work; instead, a passcode will be needed to gain access to the device. Also, despite concerns that smartphone thieves would go on a finger-snatching spree, the user must present the fingerprint from the correct live finger in order to access the device, so pictures of prints will not work on the sensor, according to a report from Mashable.

On the other hand, there is a possibility that cyberhackers could use sinister iPhone apps to obtain the print from the chip. Little discussion about this potential breach has taken place, but the opportunity for the hack is present, according to a report from ZDNet.

If worrying about these scenarios sounds paranoid, consider the fact that our lives are increasingly becoming digital. Losing a phone is no longer about just the device; it’s also about the personal data the phone carries.

So while there’s no doubting the cool factor of fingerprint authentication, there’s also no doubting the appetite for fingerprint fiascos.

Source: Biz Tech Magazine

Oyster Brings 'Netflix for E-Books' App to iPad, Opens to Public

A little more than a month after launching an iPhone app in invitation-only beta, Oyster is making its e-book subscription service available to all users and expanding to iPad.

Oyster charges $9.95 a month for access to more than 100,000 books from big and small publishers, but it now offers users one free month with the hope of getting more people to try the app experience. The startup declined to provide data on the number of users or books read during the beta period, but noted that 1 million pages were read in the first 10 days the app was available and another million pages were read in the following six days.

"When people first sign on to the [iPhone] app, they engage with several titles and when they find what they want, they generally stick with that from start to finish," Eric Stromberg, cofounder of Oyster, told Mashable in a recent interview. "With the iPad, what we are really hoping for is that people might spend an hour just browsing through books in the same way that you do your local bookshop or local library."

The iPad app very similarly to the iPhone app, but with more of an emphasis on using the screen's extra real estate to enhance the browsing experience. Oyster highlights books in different categories, similar to Netflix, shows which books your friends are reading on the service and lets readers flip through pages by scrolling up and down or tapping on the side of the page.

Just in the few weeks since Oyster unveiled the beta version of its app, the so-called "Netflix for e-books" space has grown noticeably more crowded. Scribd, the popular document sharing service, jumped into the ring earlier this month with a slightly cheaper ebook subscription service — $8.99 per month — but an undisclosed number of books to read.

Trip Adler, Scribd's cofounder and CEO, described the new e-book service as a logical extension of its subscription option for premium documents and argued that Scribd's more established brand made it a stronger contender to dominate what he sees as being a multi-billion dollar market.

"Netflix is worth about $18 billion. Spotify is worth about $3 billion," Adler told us at the time. "I don't see why there isn't a similar opportunity in this space."

Stromberg appeared to be unfazed by Scribd's entrance into the market. "It's no surprise that other people see that same opportunity that we see," he said. "But the space is very early."

When asked whether he too believes e-book subscriptions could be a multi-billion dollar market, Stromberg had a more cautious answer than Adler. "We have aspirations for our company and certainly look to other companies like Netflix, one of the largest technology companies in the world, and see that as a great indicator that a company like ours can grow."

Oyster has raised $3 million to date from Founders Fund and plans to build out its service on other platforms in the future.

Source: Mashable

Obvious Engineering’s Seene app lets you create and share 3D photos on the iPhone

Computer vision R&D startup Obvious Engineering has released Seene, an iPhone app that aims to be a “3D Instagram” by using depth capture technology to let you create photos with a parallax effect.

Seene records an image from four different angles in order to generate its 3D images. The recording process has a steep learning curve, but the results are quite cool. If you’ve captured your subject properly, you’ll be able to rotate your phone to view the scene from different angles.

The technology has a number of limitations. You’ll only be able to rotate around the image by a few degrees, and some objects capture better than others. Sometimes the app would have trouble differentiating between the subject and the background, resulting in a trippy blending effect that would do things like bend a wall onto a person’s head. Plain, transparent or reflective surfaces won’t photograph well in Seene.

The Seene app includes social networking functionality that lets you follow other users and favorite their photos.

“We think this can have a very large number of users. our intention is to grow a social service like a Vine or an Instagram,” Obvious Engineering co-founder and CEO Andrew McPhee said in an interview.

Seene uses a proprietary file format for photos, but you will be able to view your posts on the Web and embed them on Tumblr. The format is compatible with Safari, Firefox and Chrome on the desktop. Seene images should also be viewable on the latest build of Chrome on Android, which includes WebGL support. The team says it has plans to release an Android app in the future.

In its current implementation, Seene is a nifty app to show off to your friends. The tricky recording process is bound to discourage a lot of mainstream users, but Obvious Engineering may have a “3D Instagram” on its hands if it can smooth out the learning curve.

Via: The Next Web

iPad 5 Release Date: Specs, Features, Price News Roundup Ahead of Apple Event October 2013

iPad 5 Silver Rear Shell

The next generation iPad 5 is rumored to be released in October at Apple's eagerly anticipated event, and over recent months rumors about the device's specs, features and price have been swirling.

Here is a round up of some of the most probably rumors concerning the upcoming next generation tablet.

Release Date

Apple is touted to be holding a special event on October 15, 2013 where the iPad 5 will be released. Invitations are expected to be released to the press this week, which should confirm as such.

Traditionally Apple always sends out press invitations a week prior to holding its special events and keynote events where major products are released.

Specs and Features

The iPad 5 is expected to undergo a major redesign – which would be the first for years. The new iPad is expected to be much lighter than previous models, and thinner – similar to that of the first generation iPad Mini.

The iPad 5 is expected to feature the A7 chip, which of course powers Apple's new iPhone 5S device. It is also expected to feature the new M7 chip, which is a motion co-processor that is inside the latest iPhone. The tablet obviously will come with a Retina display.

Rumors have also suggested that a wireless charging feature will be released with the new iPad 5. Apple filed a patent in September 2011 for such a feature and numerous sources over recent weeks have claimed that the iPad 5 will be the first to feature this.

Price

The iPad 5 is rumored to sell starting from $399 and will rise from there for the higher memory devices.

Colors

Although there has not been any confirmation from Apple – there never is in advance to their devices being released – many rumors have been sparked about the iPad 5 being released in different colors.

Apple's iPhone 5S featured a new gold colored version, and many believe that the iPad 5 will also feature a gold version due to the huge popularity of the new color choice. Whether that turns out to be true or not remains to be seen.

Source: Christian Post

Get fabulous fall fashions for less with these iPhone apps

Fashionable style these days is all about knowing how to mix what you have, adding trendy pieces occasionally, and not breaking the bank while making your (what looks like) effortless street-style happen. It makes my head hurt just thinking about it. To keep up that fashionable appearance while on a budget, peruse these iPhone apps meant for savvy and stylish fall shoppers on the go.

Poshmark

Make your fashionable mark this fall for less with the free Poshmark app for iPhone. It’s a savvy way to shop your social media friends’ closets. It’s basically a fashionable eBay in an iPhone app just for fashionable friends. Post gently used and still fashionable pieces for your friends to make an offer on and then, bid on their cool stuff you have been eyeing for months! Investing a little more in shoes and handbags usually begets you a better selling price later so keep that in mind when shopping for new fall pieces. My shopping motto: How much can I resell it for in a year?

Fashion Kaleidoscope

The free Fashion Kaleidoscope iPhone app is your answer to the question: what in the world am I going to wear today? This seriously fashionable app is filled with everyday style inspiration you can imitate in real life from actual people around the globe. From hipsters in Portland to café girls in Paris, find the style you most admire and create a fall fashion statement that is all your own. Then, purchase your favorite pieces via links in this savvy style app. Finally, spread your newly-minted style around the globe by sharing pictures with the Kaleidoscope app.

PINK Nation

We all have our “I just want to wear sweats” moments. And, there is one shopping task I look forward to more than anything in fall: the annual new sweats and yoga pants order! With the free PINK Nation app for iPhone you can easily shop for your new fall lounge apparel from Victoria’s Secrets PINK line, which includes college and NFL apparel perfect for at-home tailgating on the couch. The crafty app is also filled with fun games and deals for new duds.

Topshop US

Looking to stock up on this season’s trends for less than typical department store prices? The best place for trendy but still quality fashion shopping these days is Topshop. If you don’t have one of these lovely stores in your U.S. town yet, never fear, you can shop on your iPhone with the free Topshop US app. You can view Topshop’s blog feed and Tumblr with this chic app so you have even more inspiration to build a one-of-kind fall wardrobe for the fraction of the price of a designer handbag. Think lace dresses, faux leather, and printed pants for fall standout pieces.

Beautylish

With the innovations in makeup and nail design these days, you can make a basic and old little black dress really pop like new by simply buying new eyeliner. Learn some tricks of the trade this fall with the free Beautylish app for iPhone. This pretty app will help you brush up on your beauty skills to spruce up your fall fashions without maxing out your credit card.

Get more details here

Five iPhone apps to help ace your next job interview

Your iPhone rings and you already have butterflies in your stomach. You got the interview! But now what? Hit the iTunes App Store to locate the best apps to help you prepare for your next series of interviews starting with these suggestions, right here on Appolicious.

Business Secrets ($2.99)

Showing up at an interview confident that you are a well-rounded business expert is a must for any industry. Check out the tips in the Business Secrets app to start off on the right path in your interview and even beyond that first meeting. There are 50 tips each for a myriad of business categories including interviews, leadership, career management and more. It’s the perfect business app to help you get your foot in the door and keep it there.

CNN (Free)

The last thing you want to do is walk into an interview unaware of the current state of the economy and world at large. Make a habit of reading the free CNN app for iPhone every day so that you are well prepared for any side conversations on everyday topics. Whether you are in the tech, finance or entertainment industry, the CNN app has reports you can use including breaking news alerts you don’t want to miss, especially right before a big interview.

iFlatter – Compliment Yourself ($0.99)

A strategically placed and appropriate compliment can go a long way during an interview. Resist the urge to brown-nose right off the bat and save your flattery for the perfect moment or your final goodbye. Do you have trouble using compliments? Check out the iFlatter – Compliment Yourself iPhone app. It even has a special section for “work” compliments. A nice and sincere, “I like that tie” or “That shirt makes your eyes pop” can be an easy way to set yourself apart from the mass of interviewees.

Monster.com Interviews by Monster Worldwide (Free)

If you don’t have a lot of interviewing experience under your belt and need more than a little flattery to get you the job, then the free Monster.com Interviews app for iPhone is where you should start your preparation. This iPhone app is your interview coach with step-by-step instructions on how to prep for and ace your next series of interviews. It even includes guidance on how to navigate that oh-so important post-interview follow-up communication that is necessary to your job-acquiring success. Another fun feature allows you to record yourself answering tricky questions so you can prepare for even the thorniest question. Did you get the job offer but not the salary you wanted? This app even has income-negotiating advice.

Jobjuice Marketing ($9.99)

Are you an MBA pursuing a career in marketing and business? In these professions, interview questions tend to veer from the “What is your greatest strength?” to more complicated questions aimed to calculate your creative potential in a few minutes or less. Jobjuice Marketing is a dynamic app that helps you prepare for a higher level of job interview. It offers more than 50 cards filled with marketing concepts and frameworks. This smart app was developed by Wharton MBAs so you will be in fabulous company when you use it.

Source: The Appolicious

AT&T U-verse App for iPhone Now Lets You Watch Live TV

Following a recent update to its iPad app, the AT&T U-verse iPhone app now lets you watch live TV. It also receives numerous updates including new and improved scrollable Guide interaction, updated remote control screens, retina graphics, and more.

Take the U-verse experience with you; schedule your DVR recordings and watch hit clips, shows and movies on your iPhone with the U-verse app from AT&T. The U-verse app gives you access to your AT&T U-verse DVR at home to schedule and manage recordings, view and search within your channel guide, and set favorite shows & channels. U-verse customers can also download or stream popular shows from the mobile library to watch on their iPhone.

Browse TV

Browse or search your personal TV programming guide to find your favorite shows.

Schedule one time or series recordings on your DVR at home.

Set your favorite channels to bring them to the top of your guide view and tag favorite shows for quick access.

Remote Control

Control your home TV receivers with the remote control feature. *AT&T U-verse High Speed Internet Account required.

Recordings

Easily view and edit your scheduled and recorded shows on your U-verse DVR at home.

Watch

Download or stream select shows available in the U-verse mobile library your iPhone for viewing on the go. 

More

See U-verse feature highlights and available apps, configure settings, view the user guide and more.

We don't yet have the rights to make shows available on all devices, or to make more shows available for download and watch. We're working hard to continue to gain rights for mobile access.

U-verse Mobile can be accessed via cellular or Wi-Fi connectivity.

This version of the U-verse Mobile app is compatible iPhone 3GS and newer and iPod touch 3rd generation and newer. It is also compatible with the iPad, however, the download or stream and watch feature is not available on the iPad due to content rights limitations.

What's New In This Version:

New in version 3.0.1:

- Watch Live TV on your iPhone!

- Scroll through the Live Channel Guide to view channels that are available in your U-verse network or those that are available when you’re away from home

- New and Improved ratings-based parental control settings, with channel locking and PIN override, providing primary account holder greater control over master account and all sub-accounts

- New and improved scrollable Guide interaction

- Updated remote control screens, now with sound settings, for improved usability

- Enhanced User Interface with new colors, fonts and layout changes for a brand new look and feel to all screens

- All retina graphics

- Improved search performance

- Launch the myAT&T app directly from within the AT&T U-verse app

- Improved image loading

- Performance enhancements and bug fixes

You can download U-verse from the App Store for free.

Read more....

Apple OS X 10.9 Mavericks hits Gold Master status

Apple has released the Gold Master of its latest OS X operating system, OS X 10.9 Mavericks, to developers ahead of its impending general availability.

Designed as an incremental upgrade from OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, OS X 10.9 promises some serious under-the-hood improvements including a redesigned kernel that is claimed to improve multi-tasking performance while simultaneously increasing battery life. This is boosted further by an 'App Nap' feature which puts backgrounded applications in a special low-power mode.

Additional new features include compressed memory, which will help to boost responsiveness when running multiple applications on Macs with only 4GB of RAM, security improvements, and a new Xcode release for developers.

The updated OS doesn't just change things in the background, either. OS X 10.9 is to include a new version of the Finder file manager, designed to make it easer to find and organise files. Support for multiple monitors, something OS X 10.8 struggles with with, is said to be greatly improved too.

Apple has yet to confirm a launch window for the software update, for which it is likely to charge a small fee, but the release of the Gold Master marks the end of the beta-testing period and a 'code freeze' that means the software is now complete and ready for launch. As a result, you can expect to see OS X 10.9 hitting retail within the following weeks.

Source: Expert Reviews

Apple iOS 7 Apparently Breaks Supervision Profiles For Schools

Lots of Schools use Apple;s iPad in their classrooms, and the iPads that are used in schools are setup with supervision profiles and also filters to restrict what content can be used on the devices.

Now it would appear that iOS 7 is causing an issue where it is removing the supervision profiles and filters from iPads that are used in some schools.

Some schools have had to take the iPads back from students, completely wipe the device and then do a fresh install of iOS 7 to fix the issue, other schools are are blocking devices from updating to iOS 7.

Apple has yet to acknowledge the issue, although we presume that a fix will come in a future release of Apple iOS 7.

Via: Geeky Gadgets

iPad Mini 2 with sharper display 'faces delays'

The company is only now beginning to make the high-resolution screens for the device which could be released with limited stock, sources told Reuters.

Apple are yet to announce what changes will feature in the iPad Mini 2 but it has been widely expected to improve the quality of the display to catch up with rivals.

"Retina" is a term coined by Apple to indicate when a device has a high enough pixel density that the human eye cannot notice the pixelation from a typical viewing distance.

The displays are found in other Apple devices such as the iPhone, iPod Touch, MacBook Pro and some iPads. Similar quality screens are currently found in rival tablets from Google and Amazon.

Sources told Reuters they expected Apple will either wait until early next year for a full-fledged launch of a retina display iPad Mini, or make a retina version only available in limited quantities before the end of the year.

Apple has faced growing competition in the tablet market as rivals look to muscle in on the space with new launches. The company shipped a lower-than-expected 14.6 million tablets in the second quarter last year, down from 19.5 million in the first.

Details of the new version of iPad Mini could be unveiled this month and some believe Apple may lower the price of the handset in order to boost sales in emerging markets.

"Right now the iPad Mini is more expensive than everyone else in the 7- to 8-inch tablet segment," said Arthur Liao, an analyst for Fubon Securities in Taipei.

"If it could reduce its price by even just $50, it would appeal to more consumers."

Read more at Telegraph

Apple TV Gets Live MLS Games And Disney Junior Kids Content Via New Channels

Apple continues to roll out its staged partner additions, with two new channels appearing on the streaming media player today. The Major League Soccer channel brings soccer (or “football,” depending on how European you are) and the Disney Junior channel adds a third outlet for that media giant’s content to invade your Apple TV.

The Disney Junior channel requires authentication via cable providers to ensure you have a subscription that allows access to its live programming and on-demand shows, which is the same et up that Disney Channel XD and Disney Channel on Apple TV use. That’s similar to how its HBO offering operates, and content providers in general seem keen on this kind of arrangement for bringing content to Apple’s streamer that used to be locked to cable company set-top boxes.

The MLS app provides scores and highlights for everyone who enjoys American and Canadian teams playing the sport where you kick a ball towards (or away from) a giant net on a big green field, whatever you choose to call that. It also offers access to live streaming matches via MLS Live, but you’ll need an annual subscription (starting at $14.99, with direct purchase through Apple TV available) to unlock that feature. The nice thing is that it covers an entire season’s worth of games, and also works on the MLS iPhone and iPad apps.

Apple is pretty much always adding new content and channels to the Apple TV these days, and clearly wants to make it a destination device for top-tier providers. It’s competing in a market that includes Roku and various built-in smart TVs from almost every OEM at this point, which have access to channel libraries that can number in the hundreds or even thousands, so building partnerships is a good idea at this point.

The Apple TV is getting lots of love lately from Apple, via a recent software update and a new feature that lets you setup a new streaming box with a simple tap of your iPhone or iPad thanks to the magic of Bluetooth LE. Rumors have been swirling about refreshed hardware coming soon, too, so it’s possible that’s why the company is lavishing so much attention on software of late.

Via: The Tech Crunch

New iPhones Rake in Revenue

Just three days after its iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c models hit store shelves, Apple announced Monday that it had sold a record-breaking 9 million handsets.

In addition, more than 200 million devices were running iOS 7 as of Monday -- a mass upgrade that Apple called the fastest in its history.

Apple did not break down sales between the two devices. However, the iPhone 5s outsold its flashier counterpart by a factor of 3.4 times, according to Localytics.

After three days of sales, the iPhone 5s accounted for 1.05 percent of all iPhones in the United States, the firm said, while the iPhone 5c accounted for just 0.31 percent. Although the 5c was expected to do better in some markets outside the U.S., the iPhone 5s was preferred.

The 5s outpaced the 5c by a factor of 3.7 times in first weekend sales, Localytics noted, and in some cases -- such as in Japan -- the gulf between the two was even more pronounced.

Is the iPhone 5c a Dud?

The big question is whether these early trends will persist.

Wall Street expectations for opening weekend were more than met, which has fueled enthusiasm for the iPhone 5s, N. Venkat Venkatraman, a business professor at Boston University, told MacNewsWorld.

More time is needed for demand to unfold and customer behavior to develop before definite conclusions can be drawn about either device, he said.

During the first few days of sales, early adopters were bound to be out in force, skewing impressions about general customer demand for the devices, Venkatraman noted. It is impossible to know how China and Japan are reacting to the 5c for at least one quarter. More data further down the consumer pipeline will be needed to reach any conclusions about the 5c.

"The 5c is simply a lower price version of 5," he added. "I would be interested to see how many upgrade from 4S to 5c and how many upgrade from 4S to 5s on a global basis before we can declare 5c to be a dud."

For the Kids

A very important 5c constituency is parents, who are not likely to rush into a purchase in the early days, Trip Chowdhry, managing director of equity research at Global Equities Research, told MacNewsWorld.

"I think the 5c will be a formidable device for the younger set, and the chief purchasers will be parents. However, parents don't tend to just buy anything anytime for their children. For a device like this, they will research and think about it. Then, once they have made the decision to buy, they will do it," Chowdhry said.

The 5c will be a big gift item this holiday season, he predicted.

A potential major constituency for the 5s has not weighed in yet either, though. It could turn out that corporations become major buyers, which might mean the 5s will remain the better-selling device, SAP Senior Director of Mobile Product Marketing Adam Stein told MacNewsWorld. "Corporations are investing more rapidly in building out their mobile workforce by purchasing the newest, most powerful mobile devices with processing and performance."

Source: Mac News World

Siri for iPhone Definition

Siri - Siri is a voice-activated app that works with the iPhone 4S and iOS 5 to allow users to take action on their iPhone by speaking. Siri can understand not just basic commands, but also the colloquialisms that are common to human speech. Siri can both speak back to the user and take dictation--transcribing voice to text.

Siri was originally developed as a standalone iOS app by a company called Siri. Apple bought the company in April 2010 for an undisclosed amount of money (some have speculated that the purchase price could have been as high as US$200 million).

While Siri was iPhone 4S-only when it was introduced, iOS 6 in fall 2012 added support for the third-generation iPad.

Hardware Compatibility

• iPhone 5
• iPhone 4S
• Third-generation iPad (with iOS 6)
• iPad Mini
• 5th generation iPod touch

App Compatibility

Siri only works with the built-in apps made by Apple that come with the iPhone. Siri is not currently compatible with most third-party apps. Among the apps that Siri interacts with are:

• Address Book
• Calendar
• Clock
• FaceTime
• Find My Friends
• Mail
• Maps
• Messages
• Music
• Notes
• Phone
• Stocks
• Reminders
• Weather

The dictation feature, however, does work with third-party apps (Apple has, to date, mentioned Facebook and Instagram as compatible apps).

Siri also has some features that aren't app-specific, such as the ability to provide sports scores, stats, and other information and voice-activated launching of apps.

Third-Party Service Integration

Siri integrates with a number of third-party services to provide deeper information. These services include:

Wolfram Alpha to find deep data and process more complex requests

Yelp to find restaurants and provide feedback on them from Yelp users

OpenTable, via Yelp integration, to let users make restaurant reservations

RottenTomatoes, for movie reviews and locations

Facebook and Twitter for social media

Eyes Free Support

As of iOS 6, Siri supports Apple's "Eyes Free" features, which allow the iPhone to integrate with cars to let users interact with the phone without looking at its screen (and thus without taking their eyes off the road). In cars that support Eyes Free, Siri can be activated via a button on the steering wheel. The iPhone's screen doesn't light up, but instead Siri is the primary means of using the iPhone to get directions, read and send email and texts, choose music, and more.

Language Support

Siri works in the following languages:

• English (Australian, U.K., and U.S.) - iOS 5
• French (France) - iOS 5
• German - iOS 5
• Japanese - iOS 5
• English (Canada) - iOS 6
• French (Canada) - iOS 6
• Spanish (Mexico, Spain, U.S.) - iOS 6
• Italian (Italy, Switzerland) - iOS 6
• French (Switzerland) - iOS 6
• German (Switzerland) - iOS 6
• Korean - iOS 6
• Mandarin - iOS 6
• Cantonese - iOS 6

Example Uses

Some example uses of Siri include:

• Tell the iPhone 4S to set an alarm, find a kind of restaurant or add an appointment to your calendar
• Have Siri read text messages to the user and then take dictation for, and send, a response
• Create a reminder to perform an action based on your geographic location
• Dictate an email without touching the iPhone's keyboard.
• Search the web by speaking the search term
• Conversations with Siri

Source: The iPod About

Apple iPhone 5s performance review: CPU and GPU speed compared to top Android phones (benchmarks)

The Apple iPhone 5s is here and that means it’s time for some heavy duty benchmarking.

The iPhone has traditionally been the go to device for games as Apple steps up the graphics every time, and this year is no exception. Starting last year, however, Apple is also designing the CPU processor cores on its own and does not simply rely on ARM designs. Cupertino did a great job with the Apple A6 system chip in the iPhone 5 where it integrated its own Swift processor core. Now, in Apple A7, we have a brand new processor core called Cyclone that is among the best out there. Let's take a look at it all in detail.

1. CPU Explained: 64-bit and Cyclone core

1.1. Unmatched browsing speeds: Sunspider

1.2. The independent test: Mozilla Kraken

2. GPU explained

2.1. Top of the line: GFXBench - Fill test

2.2. Over 30 fps: GFXBench - T-Rex HD onscreen

2.3. Against Nexus 5: GFXBench - T-Rex HD offscreen

3. Conclusion

CPU

First, let’s look at CPU performance. Let’s note that the Apple A7 is most likely a dual-core chip, with two Cyclone cores clocked at up to 1.3GHz. The whole chip is likely made on a 28nm HKMG process by Samsung, a step up from the 32nm chip in the iPhone 5.

It is also the first ever to use an ARMv8 64-bit design and that’s an important step forward. You’ve heard about that before, but let’s explain why this is important. The transition to 64-bit processors first started on desktops around 2005 with a clear goal to allow for more RAM. 32-bit systems are limited to supporting only around 3GB of RAM, and 64-bit systems allow for 4GB and more. However in Apple’s case that’s hardly the reason. The iPhone 5 used 1GB of LPDDR2 RAM and the iPhone 5S remains at 1GB but LPDDR3 RAM. It will be no less than 2 years until Apple needs 4GB of RAM. There thus must be another reason for Apple to move to 64-bit than RAM and there indeed is. Adopting the ARMv8 64-bit design comes with backwards 32-bit compatibility, but Apple’s software tools already allow for apps to be 64-bit aware. In a few years when Apple completes the 64-bit transition, this means it will already have a huge number of compatible apps. Other tangible improvements from the move to ARMv8 and 64-bit are the bigger number of general purpose registers, FP/NEON registers, and new SIMD instructions. iOS 7 itself and all included apps have already made the move to 64-bit.

The 1.3GHz clock speed might look low in comparison to top shelf Android devices, but keeping it relatively low allows for optimal power efficiency. The Cyclone core itself seems to be an evolution of the Swift core. In it, Apple has doubled L1 cache from 32KB/32KB (two separate caches for instruction and data) to 64KB/64KB. Level 1 cache is a static and very fast memory where often accessed data is stored, and it’s key to improving the overall and multitasking performance of a chip. L2 cache remains 1MB, but comes with faster access latency.

Now, on to the tests

The first test we run is the Sunspider Javascript Benchmark that measures javascript performance. The iPhone 5s achieves around 75% better js performance than the iPhone 5, and easily tops the list beating even Cortex A15 competitors.

Mozilla Kraken is an even more stressful javascript benchmark. Sunspider’s popularity has forced companies to optimize their devices, and thus skew the picture, but there seems to be none of that in Kraken. Again, the iPhone 5s tops the charts with extremely fast js processing. The performance gain is more than double that of the iPhone 5.

GPU

The iPhone has traditionally pushed the envelope for graphics and gaming including the best of Imagination Technologies’ graphical chips. This time, Apple has outdone itself and it has indeed included the newest PowerVR Series 6 chip with support for OpenGL ES 3.0. The particular chip is the PowerVR G6430 that makes the switch from a vector to a fully scalar architecture. It is a four-cluster chip that is advertized to deliver 2x the performance of the iPhone 5. In reality, the iPhone 5S probably delivers much more graphical oomph. Double the performance should be reached at around 200MHz, and Apple has likely clocked the G6430 much higher.

Looking at the pure GFlops measurements, we see that Apple’s iPhone 5s is easily the most powerful platform currently available. The graphical performance of the iPhone 5s actually matched the iPad 4 at 76.8GFlops, and starts to approach console grade level. In comparison, gaming platforms like the Sony Playstation 3 score around 230GFlops. The currently available top shelf Android devices like the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the HTC One score around 50GFlops.

On to the benchmarks, we start with Basemark X 1.0. This test runs game simulations running on-screen and at 1080p off-screen. The test is very complex and that explains the low results, yet the iPhone 5s approached very closely the coveted 30fps.

GFXBench, formerly known as GL Benchmark, is one of the most GPU-intensive tests out there and it gives a detailed breakdown of a video card’s performance. Fill rates are the first thing we measure and you’d see that Apple managed to double the performance in the 5s compared to the iPhone 5. The 5s emerges as a clear leader, beating all existing devices.

Next comes the extremely heavy game simulation test in GFXBench - T-Rex HD. The iPhone 5s is the first device to actually break the 30fps barrier here and deliver smooth framerates at 35fps on-screen. The G6430 chip scores a 2.5x performance gain over the PowerVR SGX 543MP3 GPU in the iPhone 5.

The offscreen test shows how the G6430 compares with other platforms independent of a particular device. The G6430 still scores in the tops, but the Adreno 330 in a Snapdragon 800 configuration is close or bests it. The new Adreno 330 is expected to arrive in the Nexus 5 and we’re already seeing how the new Google handset will match or even beat the iPhone 5 in that department. The Nexus 5 GFXBench results have surfaced pre-maturely, and are not verified by us yet.

Conclusion

The Apple iPhone 5s brings is one of the biggest under-the-hood upgrades to ever happen to the iPhone line. Apple’s A7 chip comes with a new Cyclone core that is very well optimized in terms of power consumption and still manages to deliver great performance. It’s a dual-core unit, but we don’t yet seem to have enough optimized software to consider this a downside compared to other quad-core chips. Moreover, the A7 is the first 64-bit chip and that brings tangible advantages and opens up the opportunity for developers to build 64-bit aware apps much faster. Another plus for the great Apple ecosystem.

In terms of graphics, the Apple iPhone 5s is the new phone to beat. It comes with the new 6-series Imagination Technoligies’ GPU that delivers more than double the graphical punch of the iPhone 5 and comes with OpenGL ES 3.0 support. It is the first phone to deliver smooth over 30fps framerates on the most stressful graphical tests.

Overall, the A7 is an impressive chip. The average user will notice its incredible speed in loading webpages and how it resolves amazing detail in games. It’s future-proof. Now, if only Apple could listen and bring us all this in a similarly well designed package with a bit larger display...

Via: PhoneArena

Apple’s iPhone 5s And 5c Launch Draws Big Crowds, Including Biggest Ever Line At NYC Flagship Store

Apple’s iPhone 5s and 5c are now on sale at retail and online stores around much of the world, and the general impression from consumers is one of high anticipation. In North America, lines are being reported at Apple retail locations everywhere, including what analyst and Apple watcher Gene Munster (via Mashable) calls Apple’s longest ever lineup for an iPhone device.

The line at Apple’s 5th Avenue NYC flagship store was 1,417 people long at 8 a.m. ET, according to Munster, which is 83 percent longer than the iPhone 5 line at the same time. Munster’s been keeping tallies on iPhone queue length since 2008 with the iPhone 3G, and that line was 549 people long. The next-longest after the iPhone 5s/5c was the iPhone 4, which attracted 1,300 to the flagship New York location.

Of course, Apple didn’t allow pre-orders for the iPhone 4, which is bound to drive more people to retail since they weren’t able to order early and just wait for the FedEx person to drop off their new devices. One good theory about why Apple didn’t offer pre-orders for iPhone 5s is because of supply constraints, owing to the technical challenge of building the new A7 64-bit system-on-a-chip, and the sophisticated new fingerprint scanner built into the 5s Home button.

Images and video have been coming in on social media channels from around the world showing long lines at various Apple retail locations, including the following shot from TUAW depicting an army of Apple employees preparing for the deluge:

Canadian queues also appear to be much longer than last time around, indicating there’s a strong appetite for the iPhone 5s in that market, too:

Just under an hour and a half remains before the store doors open in San Francisco, but there’s plenty of anticipation there, too:

All reports also seem to be echoing a common refrain of the new gold iPhone finish being the rarest and hardest to get your hands on, which is likely to do with a combination of that model being in relatively short supply to begin with, and it being attractive to buyers because it’s so different and unique from previous iPhone color options.

Apple hasn’t yet reported any numbers regarding its early iPhone pre-order amounts, but it’s almost guaranteed they’ll offer up some kind of figure of cumulative iPhone 5s/5c pre-orders after this initial launch weekend.

Via: Tech Crunch

Apple Touch ID fingerprint tech 'broken', hackers say

Touch ID fingerprint recognition system provides a "very high level of security"

Hackers claim to have broken Apple's iPhone 5S Touch ID fingerprint recognition system just a day after the phone was launched.

Germany's Chaos Computer Club claims it "successfully bypassed the biometric security of Apple's Touch ID using easy everyday means".

By photographing a fingerprint left on a glass surface and creating a fake finger they were able to unlock the phone, the hackers claim.

But Apple maintains Touch ID is secure.

On its website the iPhone maker says there is a one in 50,000 chance of two separate fingerprints being alike and the technology provides "a very high level of security".

Karsten Nohl, chief scientist at SRLabs, a German hacking think tank, told the BBC: "It would have been incredible if Apple had managed to do something the rest of the biometrics industry has failed to achieve after decades of trying, so I'm not surprised it was hacked after just one day.

"Claiming this system offers a high level of security is just ridiculous," he added.

Convenience

Apple does not suggest that Touch ID is a total replacement for traditional passcode security, simply a more convenient way of unlocking the phone.

The Chaos Computer Club believes fingerprint biometrics "should be avoided"

"Touch ID is designed to minimise the input of your passcode; but your passcode will be needed for additional security validation," Apple says.

But it does not address the ability of hackers lifting individual prints and creating fake fingers, as the Chaos Computer Club claims to have done.

Mr Nohl says a five-digit password would be more secure than a fingerprint and believes Apple should have focused on convenience rather than security in its marketing of the Touch ID feature.

On Friday, an influential US senator called for Apple to answer "substantial privacy questions" arising from the technology.

Apple did not respond to the BBC's request for a comment.

Read more....

Dozens wait in line for latest iPhone release

WESTLAKE — Critics and investors may have been underwhelmed at the announcement of the two new iPhone models, but that didn’t stop more than 100 people from lining up in front of the Apple Store at Crocker Park, early Friday morning, to be among the first to get their hands on the new phone.

Friday marked the first day consumers could purchase the iPhone 5s or the iPhone 5c. Most of the people in line were there to get the higher end iPhone 5s with its new security feature of a fingerprint reader.

John Booth, of Westlake, was the first person in line, as he arrived at 1 p.m. Thursday afternoon to start waiting.

“On the launch day, you never know what kind of line you’re going to have,” he said. “I was more surprised that the line didn’t really begin to form until the wee, wee hours this morning. A couple launches ago there were a hundred people line up at 8 p.m. the night before.”

Booth said this was the second time he’s stood in line for a launch, the previous time coming for the release of the iPhone 4, as he usually orders his phone online because he’s out of town for work. This time around, though, Apple didn’t offer orders before the launch of iPhone 5s, so he had to wait it out.

For others, waiting in line was an opportunity to spend time with family, with the added bonus of being one of the first to get the latest Apple product.

“Waiting in line today gave me the opportunity to spend time with my sister,” Alli Harden, of Avon, said. “She’s young and pulls all-nighters all the time, but me being a mom, I don’t to do this very often. This was kind of an opportunity for us to hang out. Besides, I’m kind of a geek, and I want a new iPhone every year. Might as well hit two birds with one stone.”

Standing in line waiting for the latest and greatest gadget from Apple wasn’t anything new to many of the people there, as most people said they do it regularly.

“I’m here every year when they release a new iPhone,” said Jeff Robinson, of Cleveland. “I come here every year. This is a normal thing for me. I like the new devices; it’s new and exciting each time.”

The Apple Store was prepared for the large number of people waiting in line, as they had part of the sidewalk roped off for those who wanted to wait. They also had coffee, water and snacks for those who waited as well.

So why exactly is it so important for people to stand in line for hours, or even sometimes days, to get the new phone?

“They’ve only got about 100 phones in the 5s model and there’s about a hundred people in line,” Booth said. “If you don’t get here first, you don’t get the phone you want.”

Booth said he had his heart set on getting a black 64 GB model.

Toward the end of the line, Apple employees were breaking the bad news to people who were just showing up that they were already out of stock of a number of the models.

For at least one of the people waiting in line, Apple products have become a way of life.

“I’m a die hard Apple fan. I love Apple, and I appreciate Apple and what they’ve done for my life — making things easier, more innovative and more intuitive,” said Nick Piller, of Amherst. “I just need the new iPhone because my iPhone 4 is getting rather out-of-date.”

Source: News Herald

Apple tops PC satisfaction ratings for tenth straight year

Apple has now remained atop the American Customer Satisfaction Index of personal computers for 10 years straight. After consistently ranking behind Hewlett-Packard throughout the 1990s and then subsequently failing to outpace Dell, Apple finally scored the highest rating in ACSI’s personal computer category in 2004 and has never dropped below its competition since.

Some of the factors that ACSI uses when ranking the companies include the perceived quality and value of the computers, customer loyalty and the number of complaints registered. 9to5Mac points out that although the ACSI’s report is called titled “Personal Computers,” ACSI also includes tablets when deciding a score, which means iPads are included as well as Macs.

Via: BGR

Apple's big bet on iOS 7 gaming to play out this fall

There's a good reason why a significant portion of Apple's iPhone announcement last week was dedicated to showing off the flagship iOS game series Infinity Blade. That's because with iOS 7 -- rolling out to the public Wednesday -- and the new A7 chip's 64-bit architecture, Apple is signaling to the world that it's dead set on remaining the preeminent mobile-gaming ecosystem.

iOS has long been the leader in that space thanks to its robust platform and the ease with which developers of all sizes -- from single-app makers to triple-A studios with sprawling mobile suites -- can monetize games. Game apps have heavily populated the most downloaded and highest grossing charts since the advent of the App Store and have launched entire studios to stardom, from Rovio with Angry Birds to King with Candy Crush.

Maintaining this edge means delivering not only full-blown Bluetooth controller support -- initially announced at this year's WWDC as part of Apple's MFi (made for iOS) accessory certification -- but urging developers to round out new hardware with top-notch apps that take advantage of the A7. Both strategies are well under way, and Apple is in a strong position to keep the mobile-gaming crown as it brings them to fruition this fall.

Apple has long had its sights set on making handheld gaming devices less appealing, a battle mobile apps have been winning. Apple's success against traditional gaming has always hinged on whether or not it can convince iPhone owners that devices like the PlayStation Vita, Nintendo 3DS, and Nvidia Shield cannot keep up with the pace of iOS game development and its impending hardware offerings.

Or, at the very least, that those devices are not worth the money. After all, why cast out large chunks of change on a Nintendo or Sony-owned gaming ecosystem, Apple logic goes, when one exists on your smartphone that's steadily catching up to the gaming juggernauts?

While 64-bit smartphone chips will be flooding the market come next year -- as well as updated and cheaper portable gaming devices -- Apple is gunning to be there first, with developers at its side and a line of impressive controllers to boot. If it succeeds, it will be a battle already won.

Optimizing for the A7 has already begun

When iOS 7 goes public, game developers will have already optimized apps waiting for download. It makes sense too when you note that iOS adoption is typically quick and widespread. (One month after iOS 6's release last September, more than 60 percent of users had installed the update.)

"The updated versions of Dungeon Hunter 4 and Playmobil Pirates have cleared Apple approval and are up on the iTunes store," said Thomas Price, a representative for mobile game developer Gameloft. The studio also has a dozen more apps waiting for Apple approval, all optimized for the jump to 64-bit with the iPhone 5S and the more minute software tweaks present in the updated Game Center app.

More are on the way from a number of high-profile developers. At Electronic Arts, developers are taking advantage of the OpenGS ES 3.0 interface, a cross-platform API -- currently supported only by the Samsung Galaxy S4, HTC One, updated Nexus 7, and Sony Xperia Z -- widely used for smartphone graphics rendering.

With the iPhone 5S, Apple joins that batch with the added benefit of being the only one of those smartphones to push a 64-bit processor.

"OpenGL ES 3.0 delivers stunning visual experiences, which will be immediately apparent on EA's graphically rich 3D titles such as Real Racing 3 and Madden NFL 25, as well as FIFA 14 by EA SPORTS and Heroes of Dragon Age, which will launch this fall," said Bernard Kim, SVP of Mobile Publishing at EA.

Developer Kabam, makers of the popular Facebook-integrated Kingdoms of Camelot series, is also prepping a number of updates for iOS 7.

"Kabam will release new game content for its most popular titles, including The Hobbit: Kingdoms of Middle-earth, Fast & Furious 6: The Game, and Dragons of Atlantis: Heirs of the Dragon," said a company representative, though no timeline or specifics on the updates were made available. More notably however is Kabam's plan to utilize iOS 7's unique parallax effect -- a pseudo-3D motion most recognizable in Apple's new wallpapers -- in its upcoming Heroes of Camelot title.

Leading the charge is Infinity Blade 3, which hits the App Store in tandem with iOS 7. Users won't be able to access the graphical capabilities baked into the game that optimize for the A7 chip until they get their hands on an iPhone 5S (sales start September 20). Still, the graphical marketing push from both developer Epic Games and Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller last Tuesday shows that the iPhone maker wants the best and most aggressive mobile gaming advancements to take center stage on iOS.

iPhone controller on horizon, but questions remain 

While new titles and app updates will be rolling out en masse following iOS 7's release, don't expect official controller announcements until right before the holiday season. Most models are in development right now, with expected unveilings estimated for late October and early November.

PowerA, makers of the Moga line of portable and console-style Android controllers, has iPhone controller announcements in the pipeline, though company representatives won't say exactly when we'll see our first iOS 7-optimized handheld or what it will look like.

It's unclear whether the company's current portable offering -- an Xbox-style controller with a flip-out holster to fasten in your smartphone -- will simply be ported over to iOS, or if we'll see an entirely new Moga design. PowerA also offers a pro model in which the device mirrors the smartphone screen to a television through proprietary software. That's an unlikely option with Apple given that a mirroring function conflict directly with the Apple TV's AirPlay.

It's also worth noting that the idea of controller support, despite piquing the interest of hardware makers and game developers alike, is a bit of a turnaround for Apple, who built its smartphone reputation with the launch of the original iPhone on a touchscreen that forgoes the need for physical buttons. But the company sees the value in competing with handhelds not just in experience with low-cost, easy-access apps, but in functionality. An A7 chip means near-console level performance capacity, making an add-on controller a no-brainer, especially if its of third-party make and Apple can test the waters by casually urging developers to add support.

Perhaps the most anticipated iOS controller is in the works at Logitech. The company made headlines in June when leaked images of early handset prototypes hit the Web and the hardware manufacturer confirmed its plans. Early concepts show a diverging design from PowerA wherein the iPhone is fitted inside a controller, turning the device into something akin to a PlayStation Vita.

"We'll support Apple's new MFi game controller framework, and plan to deliver a compelling gaming experience to iOS gamers this fall," said a Logitech representative, though the company declined to elaborate further, as has been the case with many hardware manufacturers since WWDC.

But while the iPhone announcement and A7 unveiling have done little to tip the controller manufacturers into spilling more secrets -- let alone try and speed up the delivery of the hardware -- Apple is still sitting pretty at the forefront of the mobile gaming industry thanks to the marketing bump of the A7's capabilities. It will only further its lead in the coming months with more and more iOS 7-optimized apps and the influx of new 5C and 5S devices running its latest software.

Integral to Apple's lead is the developer-held mindset that iOS marks the cutting edge playground for the newest advancements in mobile gaming. It lets them optimize for the small subset of users who can enjoy the latest and greatest graphics and functionality while the widest audience -- those with the current iPhone 5 and 4S -- gain last year's touted advancements in trickle-down fashion. The "rinse and repeat" annual iPhone strategy will continue to drive the iOS ecosystem's role on this front.

"Important to gamers and game developers like Kabam, which has had four games among the top 25 grossing apps on the Apple App Store, the new interface provides a better game-playing experience," Kabam's CEO Kevin Chou said on September 10 as Apple unveiled the iPhone 5S. "And the new controller puts Apple at the forefront of bridging the ever-shrinking gap between consoles and iOS devices."

Kabam may be bias toward Apple's success, given its tied to the success of its own apps, but the point is still valid: The gap is shrinking, and iOS is up front by a wide margin.

Source: The Cnet News