Apps
The latest news on all your favorite apps.
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iTunes isn't dead
I'll admit it. I had an emotional response to the idea that iTunes, the app that shaped my digital music habit, could be on the way out. With every iPod I owned, iTunes was the lifeline, the sole method for adding to and organizing the precious collection. The only problem was, somewhere along the way, iTunes became the catch-all for everything Apple sold. It wasn't just for music, or even audio content -- apps, movies and TV shows crept into the app as well. And in the end, Apple had a chaotic mess that was confusing and poorly organized.
'Sign in with Apple' protects your email and info from apps
Apple has long touted its approach to privacy as a selling point, and at WWDC, it revealed more privacy-oriented features. It's offering a "Sign in with Apple" option for apps and services it says provides "fast, easy sign in without the tracking" that other login options such as Facebook and Google use.
Recommended Reading: Blame the apps for iPhone privacy woes
iPhone privacy is broken... and apps are to blame Joanna Stern, The Wall Street Journal Thanks in part to Facebook's privacy blunders, concern over personal data security is growing. And we continue to find things gobbling up our info that we didn't know were doing so. The Wall Street Journal tested 80 iOS apps and discovered that a lot of them are tracking users in ways we aren't aware of. It's a topic that could be a focus during Monday's WWDC keynote.
Apple raises iOS cellular download limit to 200MB
Believe it or not, Apple has kept iOS' cellular download limit to 150MB per app since September 2017 -- and that's a problem when many apps can be larger. The company is changing with the times, though, and has quietly upped the cap to 200MB. And that's being modest. This should let you download larger apps in practice (9to5Mac believes the 'real' app size is around 240MB) due to compression and the omissions of assets your device doesn't need.
Apple will reportedly limit third-party tracking in kids apps
As tech companies grapple with safety and privacy concerns, Apple will reportedly limit third-party tracking in kids apps starting next week. While the company hasn't announced the change, a source told The Wall Street Journal that it's in the works. Given that Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) is Monday -- and that Facebook and Google have used their respective developer conferences to tout privacy initiatives -- it wouldn't be surprising for Apple to announce increased privacy for kids.
Flipboard breach exposed usernames and passwords
If you get a password reset request from Flipboard next time you log in, don't worry -- it's not just you. The social news aggregator has revealed that an unauthorized party infiltrated some of its databases more than once and "potentially obtained copies" of the user information they contained. The unauthorized activities took place between June 2nd, 2018 and March 23rd, 2019, as well as between April 21st and 22nd, 2019. While the security breaches didn't affect all its users, Flipboard has chosen to roll out password resets to all its 145 million accounts as a precautionary measure.
Uber could give you the option to ‘favorite’ drivers
Uber might be developing a feature that lets riders add drivers as a "favorite" so they can ride with them again in the future. App researcher Jane Manchun Wong revealed the potential app addition on Monday, noting that Uber was apparently testing the feature -- no other details have been given so far.
Automatic's original car adapters won't work after August 31st
Automatic made its mark by launching an ODB-II car adapter and app that can monitor many of your vehicle's functions, but it just made a move that may upset its original buyers. The company announced that it's not just ending support for the original first and second-gen (Legacy and Silver) adapters, but killing the apps altogether. That will essentially turn the device into an unusable piece of plastic, even though the second-gen version has only been on the market for four years.
Elgato's Stream Deck XL has 32 customizable keys
Elgato's Stream Deck systems offer streamers quick access to a variety of actions and macros, such as to start and end streams, tweak lighting and audio levels, switch between profiles, control music or perform multiple actions at the same time. Less than a year after releasing a smaller version of the Stream Deck, Elgato's going in the other direction with Stream Deck XL, while it has also released an iOS app.
IKEA will finally offer online shopping through mobile apps
IKEA's mobile apps have so far been focused on enhancing the retail experience, not replacing it. You can preview furniture in your home, but you'll have to either visit the web or travel to the store to make a purchase. That's poised to change, digital chief Barbara Martin Coppola told Reuters in an interview. The big-box store is prepping an app that would let you shop remotely for that couch or desk while still visualizing how it appeared in your home. The new app would allow you to enter your room dimensions to ensure a good fit, and choose from different styles and "life stages" to narrow down the selection.
Tools to help quantify your baby’s progress
The most straightforward way to keep track of your baby's data is the trusty spreadsheet. We recommend Google Sheets, since you can easily share it with your partner, and it has most of the features you'd want from a proper spreadsheet application. With the freedom of endless customizability comes complexity though. Now that there are plenty of baby-tracking apps out there, diving into spreadsheets is something we'd only recommend for serious stat-hounds. READ ON: Tools for tracking your child's progress
Grindr's owner gave staff access to sensitive user data
When the US pushed Grindr's owner to sell the app over national security concerns, it made only vague allusions to what might have prompted the decision. Now, however, the situation is clearer. Reuters sources have claimed that Beijing Kunlun triggered alarms after it gave engineers in Beijing access to Grindr's database for several months. While there wasn't evidence that the company misused the data, the tipsters believe the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) was worried that the Chinese government could comb the database to find info on US intelligence and military personnel.
Mac security hole reportedly lets attackers bypass app safeguards
Apple may have another Gatekeeper security flaw on its hands. Researcher Filippo Cavallarin has detailed a macOS vulnerability that he said would let attackers install malware without the usual permission request. As Gatekeeper considers network shares to be 'safe' locations that don't require permission checks, an intruder just has to trick the user into mounting one of those shares to run the apps they like. A maliciously crafted ZIP file with the right symbolic link could automatically steer you to an attacker-owned site, for example, and it would be easy to trick someone into launching a hostile app -- say, a virus masquerading as a document folder.
Apple reportedly buys asthma-monitoring startup
Apple has snapped up a company called Tueo Health, which was working on an app to help parents monitor asthma symptoms of their sleeping kids, according to CNBC. The startup's CEO and chief operating officer switched their employer to Apple on LinkedIn late last year, which is when the deal seems to have closed. Apple declined to comment to Engadget on the report.
Google Duo's group video calls roll out to everyone
Google is making Duo more useful as it's rolling out group video calls to everyone on Android and iOS. You can have up to eight people on a call at once (a far lower limits than FaceTime's 32 and Skype's 50). Group calls gradually went live in some markets this month, but now they'll be available for everyone.
Pandora finally made a native desktop app
Pandora has finally rolled out a desktop app, so you don't have to be stuck using its web player on a browser anymore if you want to play music on your computer. It doesn't play podcasts yet, and it doesn't quite have all the features of the mobile application, but it does give you access to handy keyboard controls that lets you play, pause, replay, skip, shuffle and even rate songs. It also shows on-screen notifications that display the artist and the song that's playing, as well as the album the tune came from.
TikTok's owner launches chat app with a focus on communities
TikTok's owner, ByteDance, has jumped into the wide world of messaging apps. The company has released Flipchat (aka Feiliao), an "interest-based social app" for Android and iOS that combines the usual chats and video calls with a social network-style feed, chat groups and forums. While you can communicate like you would in other chat apps, the emphasis here is on participating in a community. If you're a fan of a movie, you can discuss it in a myriad of ways.
Instagram's revamped Explore section includes Stories
Stories are an increasingly important part of Instagram, and the social network wants to be sure you see more of them. It just unveiled a revamped Explore tab that will feature personalized Stories recommendations. You won't have to track down a specific person (or rely on the carousel on your home feed) to watch ephemeral videos. The feature will roll out in the "coming weeks," Instagram said, so don't worry if you don't see Stories right away.
Instagram is killing its dedicated Direct messaging app
It looks like Instagram is killing its standalone Direct messaging app and laying it to rest very soon. Social media consultant Matt Navarra and a few reviewers on the application's Google Play page have reported getting a notification that says Instagram will no longer support the Direct app "in the coming month." It didn't mention an exact date for Direct's demise, only that your conversations will automatically be transferred to the main Instagram app -- the move won't actually delete your DMs with friends.
Oculus Quest will have Bigscreen's VR theater on launch
You can use the Oculus Quest standalone and the Rift S tethered headsets to watch movies and play games on a massive virtual screen as soon as they become available. Bigscreen, the popular VR movie theater, has confirmed that it's one of the the devices' official launch titles -- simply put, you can enjoy it on the Facebook-owned company's new headsets as soon as they come out on May 21st.