Apps
The latest news on all your favorite apps.
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Grindr president defends controversial LGBTQ marriage remarks
The president of Grindr is trying to walk back controversial same-sex marriage comments reported by the app's in-house magazine and elsewhere. "Some people think that marriage is a holy union between a man and a woman, I think so too, but that's your own business," Scott Chen wrote on Facebook yesterday. The post, originally reported by Grindr's Into magazine, had users of the app and LGBTQ+ publications like Out wondering whether he supported gay rights.
Nike uses AR to tease its biggest Jordan launch of the year
If it wasn't already clear that Nike sees augmented reality as a big deal for footwear, it is now. The company is using AR inside its SNKRS app to offer a peek at its biggest shoe release of the year, the Air Jordan 11 Concord, days before you can buy it on December 8th. The immersive feature is no longer there just to help in "the hunt" or serve as an "unlock trigger," a spokesperson tells Engadget. Rather, it's there to "enhance the shopping experience" in your feed.
Roland's latest iOS app syncs music with video clips
If you're a dance music fan, you know that the videos of DJ gigs are sometimes as important as the performances themselves. They capture the electricity of the set and might just convince you to attend the next show. But how is an up-and-coming DJ supposed to stand out? Roland might help. It's launching a Beat Sync Maker app for iOS that links scene changes and visual effects to the beat. You don't need a computer-based editor and the expertise that goes with it -- you just need to have a feel for the timing and effect intensity you're looking for. You can also introduce another video from your camera roll if one isn't enough.
Netflix's updated iOS controls speed up your streaming marathons
Sometimes it's the simplest updates that can have the most impact. Case in point: Netflix has updated its iOS app with new controls that should help you get to what you want to watch that much sooner. You can double-tap the sides of the screen to skip forward and back, helping you revisit a favorite scene and then return to where you left off. And yes, there's finally a "next episode" button so that you can marathon a season a few seconds faster.
Tumblr reportedly pulled from App Store over child exploitation
When Tumblr for iOS suddenly vanished from the App Store a few days ago, neither the social network nor Apple issued an explanation for it. According to Download.com, though, the tech giant removed the app because some images depicting child sexual abuse got past Tumblr's filters. The website says it confirmed the cause of the app's disappearance with Tumblr (owned by the same company as Engadget) after learning about it from independent sources. It presented its findings to the platform, which admitted that it had discovered content on its website that haven't been added to the database of known child sexual abuse material yet.
Twitter tweaks profiles in iOS app to emphasize names and bios
If you've glanced at your Twitter profile lately and noticed your follower number has shrunk (in terms of text size, at least), you're probably not just seeing things. That's because Twitter has tweaked how profiles appear in its iOS app to place more focus on names and bios. A spokesperson told Engadget the company reduced the font size and spacing on details such as follower and followed account numbers, locations, join dates, birthdays and mutual follows.
Google Photos update brings depth control to iOS
Google has added a useful feature to its Google Photos app for iOS. You'll be able to tweak background blur levels and adjust the focus on portrait mode photos. The depth editor tool is arriving on iOS soon after Google added it to the app on Pixel 2, Pixel 3 and some Moto phones. Notably, Pixel 3 phones have a built-in depth control feature, as do iPhone XS and XS Max.
Microsoft opens the door to native ARM apps on Windows 10
ARM-based Windows 10 devices have improved in performance, but the software is another story -- without official tools to write native 64-bit ARM apps, it's been difficult to help these machines reach their potential. That shouldn't be an issue after this week. Microsoft has released Visual Studio 15.9, which gives developers the tools they need to craft native ARM64 apps. They can submit those apps to the Microsoft Store, too, although they can also release ARM apps elsewhere (or bundle them into releases for other chip architectures) if they'd prefer.
Tumblr for iOS disappears from the App Store
You won't want to rush to get Tumblr's iOS app at the moment... because you can't. Users have noticed that the social network (part of Engadget's parent company Verizon) has been unavailable on the App Store. It's not certain what prompted the disappearance or who was responsible, but the outfit has talked about addressing an "issue" with the iOS release since November 16th. We've asked the company for comment.
Verizon app puts four extra numbers on one phone
Multi-SIM phones are all fine and dandy, but they have their limits: you rarely get more than two lines, and they may be overkill if you just want a new set of digits rather than a wholly separate connection. Verizon (Engadget's parent company) thinks it has a fix. The carrier has launched a My Numbers app for Android and iOS that puts as many as four extra numbers on your phone. You can divide them by personal and work lines, and use them for unlimited domestic calling and texting.
Tinder's Swipe Surge tells you when there's a rush of potential dates
If you've used dating apps long enough, you know it tends to be easier to find a potential match at certain times than others -- you might have better success on Friday night than Wednesday afternoon, for example. And Tinder wants you to capitalize on that. It's testing a Swipe Surge feature that alerts you when there's a rush of activity in your area, increasing the chances of both finding a match and striking up a conversation. People who've joined the Swipe Surge will bump to the front of the queue, and you'll even know who's currently active.
Lyft will offer automatic tipping and driver ratings
Lyft is launching another campaign to improve the experience for its drivers, and at least a few of the changes could affect you as a passenger. In December, it's conducting a limited launch for both default tipping and mid-ride tipping. If you always tip at the end of a journey or occasionally forget to tip after you've stepped out, this will make sure your driver gets your money. Only "select" passengers will see this at first, but it'll be more widely available in 2019.
District app helps you shop thousands of fashion brands
It's no secret that the fashion industry dislikes Amazon, but it might have a relatively simple solution: put many of its brands in one place. Checkout network ShopRunner has launched District, a mobile shopping app that lets you buy from "thousands" of apparel and beauty brands (including Bergdorf Goodman, Cole Hann, Kate Spade and Neiman Marcus) using one cart, with free two-day shipping across the board. If you want to complete an ensemble from multiple labels, you don't have to complete sales one at a time.
Bunch lets you video chat while playing mobile games
Live gaming with friends via console is nothing new, but as more live games come to mobile, there's a gap in the market for better experiences to connect friends that want to play together on this platform as well. Enter Bunch, an app that lets users play mobile games with friends over video chat.
Facebook starts rolling out Messenger's 'unsend' feature
Facebook didn't take long to roll out Messenger's unsend feature, although it may be a while before you have the option of correcting missteps in your part of the world. Unsending is now available in Messenger's Android and iOS apps in Bolivia, Colombia, Lithuania and Poland, with promises it will be available in other countries as soon as it's possible. The functionality is the same wherever you go, at least. You'll have up to 10 minutes to retract a message, with a marker telling others where the ex-message was. Facebook will keep unsent messages for a short amount of time in order to prevent harassers from using the option to cover their tracks.
Pocket Casts' new features make it arguably the best podcast app
Even with a number of workable free services for listening to podcasts, Pocket Casts is a popular option for episodic audio. Indeed, it does cost you a few dollars, but the app is well designed and offers a more comprehensive feature set that some of the free software doesn't. Following its sale, in May, to a public radio group that includes NPR, Pocket Casts is debuting a big overhaul today that makes what many consider to be the best podcast repository even better.
L'Oreal's wearable sensor tracks UV, pollen and pollution
L'Oreal isn't a brand you'd usually associate with medical technology, but over the past few years it's been making major inroads in skin protection innovation. There was My UV Patch, designed to inform wearers how their skin was being affected by the sun, and then UV Sense, a thumbnail-sized smart device that helped monitor sun exposure. Now, it's launching a battery-free wearable electronic that tracks your exposure to UV, pollution, pollen and humidity.
Senators call for FTC investigation into ads in children’s apps
Last month, a study published in the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics described just how prevalent advertising is in apps geared towards children, and its findings have now led three Senators to ask the FTC to investigate. Senators Ed Markey (D-MA), Tom Udall (D-NM) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) sent a letter to the commission today, citing the study's findings and urging the FTC to act. "The FTC has a statutory obligation to protect consumers from unfair and deceptive advertising practices. That responsibility is all the more urgent when the potential victims of such practices are children," they wrote. "As parents increasingly permit kids to engage in online games and apps for entertainment and fun, it is imperative to ensure that these playtime options are compliant with existing laws."
Spotify officially debuts its Apple Watch app
That didn't take long -- mere days after it became clear Spotify was testing an Apple Watch app, that client is now available to the masses. The streaming music giant has updated its iOS app with an Apple Watch app that can control the service from your wrist. It currently doesn't serve as much more than a glorified remote with playlist selection, track skipping and other basics, although it will let you choose to stream music on Spotify Connect-aware devices. However, there's more on the horizon.
Cloudflare's privacy-focused 1.1.1.1 service is available on phones
Cloudflare launched its 1.1.1.1 service in April as a bid to improve privacy and performance for desktop users, and now it's making that technology available to mobile users. The company has released 1.1.1.1 apps for Android and iOS that switch the DNS service on and off with a single button press. So long as it's on, it should be harder for your internet provider to track your web history, block sites or redirect traffic. You might also see performance improvements, particularly in areas where connections aren't particularly fast to begin with.