iPhone Atlas

iOS 7: What about the iPad?

There was a missing device at Apple's 2013 WWDC keynote, and it's one of the company's most popular product lines. iPad, where were you?

iOS 7, a product of Jony Ive, Apple's design mastermind, took the stage at WWDC -- but the iPhone 5 was the featured runway model. Apple's Web site shows app after app on the iPhone 5's 4-inch screen. iOS 7 beta is available, but just for iPhone and iPod Touch. the iPad was mentioned for all of a few seconds. Macs and iPhones ruled the day.

The iPad beta is … Read more

Avengers Alliance game assembles on iPhone, iPad

iPhone and iPad users can now do battle as SHIELD agents, courtesy of Avengers Alliance.

Launching Thursday for iOS devices, the free game first requires that you qualify as an operative of SHIELD, the not-so-secret government agency made famous in Marvel comic books and movies. You then move on to recruit your team of heroes, including Iron Man, the Black Widow, Captain America, Thor, Hawkeye, and the Hulk. From there, you and your super-powered teammates face off against the bad guys in a series of 60 hazardous missions.

As you polish off each mission by defeating your foes, you can … Read more

Game change: iOS 7 welcoming game controllers is a big deal

With one small feature, iOS 7 might introduce the biggest change in iOS gaming since the App Store.

There's something I've wished for on both the iPhone and iPad for years: a true, universal, dedicated game controller. iOS 7 has granted my wish: indeed, one of the small but very significant additions to the next mobile OS announced at WWDC allows for third-party controllers. It's funny this happened to be announced during E3, because it just might be the trigger to change the mobile gaming industry.

Why it's big Third-party accessory-makers have tried making game controllers … Read more

Four things iOS 7 tells us about Apple's next iPhone

Apple has played the game long enough to keep its secrets heavily guarded, but a close look at some of iOS 7's lesser-known features hints at a few hardware changes we should count on (or not) for the next iPhone -- and maybe for the next iPads, too.

Camera enhancements It doesn't take an OS upgrade to guess that Apple will improve its camera's still-life and video capture hardware. That's a given.

Now here's a little evidence: iOS 7 supports 60fps video capture, while 30fps is the smartphone standard.

That means that the next iPhone … Read more

Apple's new products won't cheer investors, says analyst

Apple tried to wow the world on Monday with a host of new products and services. But investors aren't likely to get all abuzz, says J.P. Morgan's Mark Moskowitz.

At its WWDC keynote on Monday, Apple served up peeks at iOS 7, iTunes Radio, a new version of Mac OS X, new MacBook Airs, and the next Mac Pro. Many of these updates will certainly appeal to Apple users. But that doesn't necessarily translate into a higher stock price or stronger sales growth.

"We do not expect investors to cheer the latest software and services … Read more

iOS 7 tells Apple users to 'get excited' again, says analyst

The updates that Apple showed off in iOS 7 could prove to be the most important ones since the iPhone debuted in 2007, at least in the opinion of Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster.

To kick off Day 1 of its Worldwide Developers Conference this week, Apple revealed a whole new look for its iOS interface and icons, along with a slew of new features and enhancements. Some of the early takes on the new UI have been decidedly mixed. But Munster feels the revamp is cause for Apple users and investors to get excited about both current and upcoming … Read more

Anki, blessed by Apple, takes AI and robotics to consumers

When Apple turns over part of its oh-so-important Worldwide Developers Conference keynote address to an unknown startup, you can be sure Tim Cook and Co. think they're dealing with some very cool technology.

That was very much the case with Anki, which was handpicked for a coveted slot as the poster child for what unknown developers can do with iOS. During its time onstage, Anki showed off what at first appears to be a simple toy car racing game, but what in reality might be the most advanced intersection of consumer-grade artificial intelligence and robotics ever.… Read more

iOS 7 specs versus Android 4.2, Windows Phone, BlackBerry 10

Apple's iOS 7 comes out swinging with an overhauled design that reskins practically every element with a gleaming-new interface. From what we've seen so far (including hands-on time with iOS 7 on an iPhone 5), we like the latest 'do. A lot.

While some new behaviors go along with the updated apps, iOS 7's changes are more cosmetic and iterative than they are groundbreaking. That's completely understandable; not every update can spark a revolution.

However, apart from a few notable innovations, iOS 7 doesn't seem like it's enough to overturn criticism that its growth … Read more

iTunes Radio vs. Pandora

Apple may be the top dog when it comes to digital music sales, but does it have what it takes to get a late foothold in the world of Internet radio?

To cut through the hype and get a sense of what Apple's newly announced iTunes Radio service really offers that may be noteworthy, we've stacked it up against the gold standard of personalized Internet radio, Pandora.

iTunes Radio Pandora Free option Yes Yes Premium tier $24.99/year $36/year $3.99/month Platforms iOS, Apple TV, Mac OS, Windows iOS, Android, Windows Phone, BlackBerry, Mac OS, … Read more