Google has added a new iOS 14 widget for iPhone users, and it could be enough to make Android fans glance over at their Apple brethren jealously. Taking advantage of iOS 14's new home screen widget support - that has, it's fair to say, been a long time coming - the Google widget promises swifter access to the search giant's services than has been possible on iPhone before.
iOS 14 finally brought a long-awaited feature that allowed users to change their default browser and email apps but it seems to be a bit confused about that itself. Users are reporting that settings for these apps don't seem to stick and get reset every time your restart your iPhone or iPad. While most likely a bug, it doesn't seem to bode well considering everything else that's happening with iOS 14 and Apple in general.
The drama between Apple and Epic Games has not yet subsided as the two await their day in court. Epic Games is still pushing for an injunction that will allow Fortnite to return to iOS, including the new direct payment option that started this whole situation. Apple, on the other hand, is also pushing to practically block Unreal Engine on iOS, this time by halting its development in the interest of keeping iOS devices secure and uncompromised.
Once the household name in productivity, Evernote's fall from grace in the past years has been widely documented and narrated to death. It promised to turn the ship around but, as it admits, it took far longer than they thought. For the first time in a long while, Evernote is launching what is practically an overhaul of one of its apps, this time for iOS, and promises again that the ball has just started rolling.
Today the folks at Razer released their universal gaming controller Kishi for the iPhone. This device is universal insofar as it's able to connect with a Lightning plug and it's large enough to fit the vast majority of iPhone devices. An earlier version of the Kishi was released this year with compatibility for USB-C devices running Android and it emerged as the best mobile gaming controller in its class - there's little reason to think that bit doesn't continue here.
This week Apple revealed that the release date for iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 was... today. Today is the 16th of September, 2020, one day after an Apple event in which a new Apple Watch, Apple Watch SE, iPad, iPad Air, and a new Apple One subscription were revealed. Today you'll be allowed to download iOS 14, the newest version of Apple's mobile software, for your iPhone. But you shouldn't. At least, not right away.
There's a new version of iOS that'll be released tomorrow, ahead of the new iPhone. This is very different from what's happened in recent years, where Apple releases a new iPhone at the same time as they release a new version of their software system. On September 16, 2020, we'll see the release of iOS 14 as well as tvOS 14 and iPadOS 14 as well.
The Apple Watch SE was revealed by Apple today as a low-cost alternative to the main series wearable. This device works with the same look and feel of the full-powered Apple Watch. It has the same display as the main Apple Watch Series 6, and it works with standard Apple Watch straps - so what's the drawback?
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced a lot of activity that used to be done in-person to move online. Work is being done remotely and friends are chatting in video calls instead of getting together in-person. In response to this massive shift toward online collaboration and communication, we've seen a number of companies roll out new features and functionality. Facebook has been building out Messenger's feature set as the pandemic progresses, and today it added a new tool called Watch Together.
In recent weeks and months, Apple has been catching some heat for its App Store rules, particularly as they apply to gaming apps. Not only has Apple come under fire from Epic for the fact that it takes a 30% cut from each in-app purchase, but the company has also drawn criticism from Facebook and Microsoft, as its App Store policies have made it impossible to get their game streaming apps - Facebook Gaming and Project xCloud, respectively - on iOS devices. Today, Apple updated its App Store guidelines, and while the new rules cover a number of different apps, there are a few specifically for game streaming.
Today Epic Games revealed that they'd cut their connection with Apple's sign-in system as of September 11, 2020. This is the latest in a line of actions by Apple and Epic Games in a legal battle over in-app purchases. Much like the rest of the updates from both companies over the last couple of weeks, Epic Games blames Apple for the update in sign-in abilities in Epic Games accounts.
A lot more people are spending their time online these days but those are probably done on their desktops and laptops. There will come a time, however, when they will have to leave the comfort and safety of their homes but moving their information from computer to mobile isn't always as seamless as moving from your desk to your car. Sure, Google Chrome can sync your tabs but what about that meticulously planned driving route you made? You can now transfer that to your phone, too, provided you were using Waze in the first place.