iOS

A new feature in Apple's forthcoming iOS 5 update, Find My Friends, will help users see where their contacts are. Think GPS tracking for your social life, included in iOS.

According to sources reporting to 9to5Mac a few months ago, Apple had been working on the Find My Friends feature for quite some time, though the project was on and off several times.

Now, after new HTML code in the MobileMe/iCloud Web site has been found, it appears that Find My Friends is back. And it could signal one of the most significant entries into the social networking … Read more

Apple has reportedly already begun training its retail store employees on both iOS 5 and iCloud, sources have told 9to5Mac.

Such training usually kicks in a couple of weeks before a new product actually launches, which could mean that the latest iOS release and new cloud-based service may debut before the rumored timeframe of mid or late October.

These dates may also indicate the timing of the iPhone 5, according to 9to5Mac, which says that Apple usually unveils a new iOS version "in the days surrounding" a new iPhone. Last year, Apple released iOS 4 on June 21, … Read more

Several great new games were released this week for iOS that are perfect for keeping you busy during downtime over the long Labor Day weekend.

A couple of days ago, I wrote about Spy Mouse, Firemint's latest game that has you play as Agent Squeak, the mouse who stealthily steals cheese across tons of cleverly made levels. I highly recommend that you grab that game in addition to this collection, but I found three more that will satisfy just about every gamer's personal taste.

This week's collection of iOS apps are all hot new games from different genres. The first lets you draw your path around a racetrack; the second lets you use a jetpack to go for distance; and the third is a beautifully made hack-and-slash RPG.… Read more

It's hard to believe, but Frogger has been hopping around the gaming business for 30 years now, and to commemorate the event, Konami has released a new installment of the franchise in Apple's App Store.

Dubbed Frogger Decades, the title gives gamers the familiar Frogger experience, requiring them to get across an area by maneuvering around obstacles and finding safe haven as they move to the other side. According to the description of the title in the App Store, the game offers classic D-pad controls for the nostalgic among us, as well as touch controls for those who want to experience the title in a new way.

Frogger first launched as an arcade game in 1981. The game, while quite simple, caught on with people around the globe who tried to get frogs across a road or river packed with obstacles. Over the years, as Frogger's popularity grew, several new versions of the title were made available, including Frogger II, Frogger 3D, and others.

But Frogger Decades is not the first title in the franchise to be made available on iOS; Konami already offered Frogger in the App Store. That title costs 99 cents.

Those hoping to get their hands on Frogger Decades can download it now to their iPhone or iPad. The game costs $1.99.… Read more

According to new data out of Nielsen, 40 percent of U.S. mobile consumers now use smartphones, up from 30 percent just one year ago. And of those smartphones, Android takes the biggest share of 40 percent, followed by Apple's iOS at 28 percent.

Nielsen asked participants a number of questions to determine what kind of buyers they were in order to better understand their attitude toward new technologies. The company found that while iOS tends to attract most early smartphone adopters, very early adopters (aka "innovators") tend to favor Android as the platform of choice.

Though &… Read more

Apple this afternoon released yet another beta version of its iOS 5 software to developers, the seventh time it's done so since offering a test version of the software in June.

As usual, Boy Genius Report has posted a full copy of the change log, which developers are not supposed to share as per Apple's non-disclosure agreement. From that list, the release looks to contain mainly bug fixes from previous versions of the software, as well as additions to Apple's Xcode and user interface building tools. In other words, the nitty-gritty things developers are likely to enjoy, … Read more

If you've been hoping for a live television option for your iPad 2, the prospects of realizing that dream are one step closer. Mac accessory maker Elgato has announced its EyeTV Mobile iPad 2 TV Tuner, a dongle created specifically for the iPad 2 to bring live television to your mobile lifestyle.

The dongle takes advantage of the 30-pin dock connector and has a retractable aerial antenna that is able to pick up local broadcast television signals. The device includes a free app that allows users to record their live programs to their iPad 2 to watch later. The … Read more

Apple has reportedly completed a diagnostics solution for iOS that will enable users to send reports to Apple about their device remotely, obtaining useful tips and repair information when needed.

French Web site Hardmac reports that Apple has made the announcement of this new tool internally. According to Hardmac, the iOS device will connect to Apple via a special link (sent over e-mail or entered manually) and served in Mobile Safari as well as a connection to your phone service.

Apple will check your phone's reports and offer a solution based on any software or hardware malfunctions it detects. … Read more

Try as it might to catch up to Android, iOS simply isn't gaining ground, a new study from research firm ComScore has found.

During the three-month period that ended in July, Android captured 41.8 percent of the U.S. smartphone market, representing a 5.4 percentage point increase over the 36.4 percent market share it had in the quarter that ended in April.

Apple's iOS platform came in second during the three-month period, earning 27 percent market share, up from the 26 percent it had in the prior period. RIM's BlackBerry OS came in third … Read more