VEVO Airplay video support for iOS

Music video app VEVO was today updated to version 2.8 adding full AirPlay support, which will allow users to stream both audio and video to the Apple TV. 

The addition of complete AirPlay support for the iOS version of VEVO comes just days after news leaked that VEVO would release a 24/7 music video app for the Apple TV. 

VEVO's iOS app includes a catalog of 75,000 music videos from 21,000 different artists, plus a VEVO TV channel that plays continuous non-stop content, which is similar to how a potential Apple TV app will work. Vevo's just pushed an updated version of its iOS app into the wild, and it should delight Apple TV owners who like watching their music videos instead of merely listening to them. The fresh upgrade adds full AirPlay support, which means that both video and audio can be streamed to televisions using Apple's set-top box. Naturally, a grab bag of unspecified bug fixes and optimizations accompany the latest release. Click the source link below to load up your iDevice of choice with the application.

VEVO is an iPhone-only app that can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link] There's also a free HD version for the iPad. [Direct Link]

SOURCE: Vevo (iTunes)

VIA ENGADGET 

Android or iOs ? Why not both ! Dual-boot dual-OS Android +iOS ultraphone concept

Google Inc.  Android and Apple Inc. ) iOS combined control more than 92% of global Smartphone market. However, never-ending race between the two is showing no sign to slow down. While Apple has tried to scale up the benchmark of Mobile OS with the latest launch of iOS7, Samsung – a company primarily driving the growth with 51% of Android market share – is also not letting it go by improving hardware capabilities in new Android Smartphones. Though, Apple has kept the ecosystem closed, Google has allowed almost every mobile device maker to play in Android ground including HTC and Huawei. Consequently, each Android maker is also trying to catch the eyeballs of billions of Smartphone users by introducing new features in their various models.

Unfortunately, Smartphone has yet not reached to the stage where users can customize the device with best-of-all-worlds. But what if you could pick the best parts and features of each Smartphone to build the world’s greatest Smartphone? Here is a 3D concept Smartphone video that brought together the most admirable elements of Apple, Samsung, HTC, Sony and Nokia. The concept phone, dubbed as Ultraphone, is a mix of best hardware, Operating system, features of all above smartphone makers.
Ultraphone With Bests Of Android and iOS

The concept Smartphone contains dual OS capabilities – Android and iOS. Interestingly, it also contains other features, derived from respective makers, like longer battery life, high-resolution camera, 2X quad-core processor for ultimate processing, Super AMOLED 3 Gorilla Glass Screen, 41 Mega Pixel camera, dual-boot of latest iOS 7 and Android 4.2.2 and powerful 6100 mAh battery.

We can’t say whether the phone could ever come into existence – which seems quite difficult if not impossible – but definitely it’s an admirable thought process of the ‘day dreamer designer.

VIA DAZE INFO

Google shuts Google+ Local For iOS, App Now Pulled From iTunes App Store today

Google + Local app is considered as an important and helpful tool for local marketing. That is because the app helps iPhone and iPad users enjoy special and customized features. First, the app enables checking out feedbacks from Google connections about local businesses. Second, it provides reviews of businesses that were patronized as well as the places they have gone to.

As a social network feature, Google + Local app facilitates sharing of information about local venues and businesses that users have found online. There is easier and quick access to online local information where available. Lastly, the app enables users to perform specific searches by category covering local businesses like cafés and restaurants.Google+ Local for iOS, Google’s mobile search and discovery app, will cease to exist on August 7th, just over one year after it made its appearance on iPads and iPhones.

According to an email from the Mountview company, Google+ Local for iOS will no longer be available as a standalone app on mobile Apple devices. However, of the app’s entire functionality will be merged into the Explore feature in Google Maps.

As mentioned, most of the ideal features of Google + Local app for iOS would be integrated into Google Maps for iOS. Thus, the useful features would not be completely gone for Google customers. First, Google Maps would now enable search for places and businesses by category, making it easier to find coffee shops and restaurants in an area.

Second, Google Maps would now provide more information about places and businesses in a locality. There would be reviews, addresses, street views, and average price estimates. Third, the app would monitor feedback from Google + circles about places and establishments in a locality.

Google+ Local for iOS, formerly known as Google Places, lets users voice search for nearby restaurants, check Zagat restaurant ratings, and read and post reviews of local establishments. The app was itself a rebranded version of Google Places.

According to the email, all user reviews and ratings will remain accessible via Google Maps and one’s Google+ profile. Users would also be allowed to review and then rate places and establishments where users have been to. Lastly, there would be a feature to share locations. It goes without directly saying that Google + Local app would continue to live on but under the ‘Explore on Maps.’

And because ratings and reviews features would be preserved on Google + profiles, the death of the app may not be completely felt. Anyone looking for a good night out in an unfamiliar locality could still turn to other designated Google apps. However, as far as we can tell, the app has already been removed from Apple’s iTunes App Store, and links pointing to the app, when clicked, provide the message that “the item you’ve requested is not currently available in the U.S. store.” However, the actual link to the app from a Google Search result or other webpage is currently broken. In addition, a search inside the iOS App Store for all Google apps shows that the app is no longer available there. (Though we did spot what appears to be a beta test of something calledGoogle Coordinate. Oops, that’s an enterprise product. We knew that.)

Google+ Local for iOS isn’t the first location-oriented service that Google has phased out as it revamps its mapping and local search offerings. Two weeks ago the company stated that Latitude, its map se-based location-sharingrvice,would retire on uAgust 9th.

Earlier this year Google initiated a sizable overhaul of its Maps application, which included enhanced navigation, live traffic updates, the new Explore feature, and on the Apple front, improved visuals on the iPad. Last June the company acquired Waze, the Israeli social traffic and navigation app, for over $1 billion.

Coming soon ; 4 OS for mobile phones that can create a huge buzz and be a damage to Android, iOS and Windows Phone 8 (Ubuntu Touch, FirefoxOS, Jolla sailfish , Tizen)

We have seen very few OS for mobile phones (iOS, Android , WP8 , BBOS , Symbain) but in the coming year we are going to see a lot more with 4 OS for mobile coming up. Can these OS make a difference only time will tell. Here we take a look at them : 

1.UBUNTU TOUCH

Ubuntu Touch is a touch-friendly interface based on the desktop Unity interface. It is based on Qt and QML and various software frameworks originally developed for Maemo and MeeGo such as oFono as telephony stack, accounts-sso for single sign-on, and Maliit for input. Utilizing libhybris the system can often be used with Linux kernels used in Android, which makes it easily ported to most recent Android smartphones.
Ubuntu Touch utilizes the same core technologies as the Ubuntu Desktop, so applications designed for the latter platform run on the former and vice versa. Additionally, Ubuntu Desktop components come with the Ubuntu Touch system; allowing Ubuntu Touch devices to provide a full desktop experience when connected to an external monitor. Ubuntu Touch devices can be equipped with a full Ubuntu session and may change into a full desktop operating system when plugged into a docking station. If plugged the device can use all the features of Ubuntu and user can perform office work or even play ARM-ready games on such device.

2.FIREFOX OS

Firefox OS (project name: Boot to Gecko, also known as B2G) is a Linux-based open-source operating system for smartphones and tablet computers. It is being developed by Mozilla, the non-profit organization best known for the Firefox web browser. It is designed to provide a "complete" community-based alternative system for mobile devices, using open standards and approaches such as HTML5 applications, JavaScript, a robust privilege model, open web APIs to communicate directly with cellphone hardware,and application marketplace. As such, it competes with proprietary systems such as Apple's iOS, Google's Android, and Microsoft's Windows Phone as well as other upcoming open source systems under development such as Ubuntu Touch.

Firefox OS was publicly demonstrated in February 2012, on Android-compatible smartphones, and again in 2013 running on Raspberry Pi. In January 2013, at CES 2013, ZTE confirmed they would be shipping a smartphone with Firefox OS, and on July 2, 2013, Telefónica launched the first commercial Firefox OS based phone, ZTE Open, in Spain which was quickly followed by Geeksphone's Peak+

3.JOLLA SAILFISH

Sailfish is a Linux-based mobile operating system developed by Jolla in cooperation with the Mer project and supported by the Sailfish Alliance. It is to be used in upcoming smartphones by Jolla and other licencees. Although it is primarily targeted at mobile phones, it is also intended to support other categories of devices.

4.TIZEN

Tizen  is an operating system for devices including smartphones, tablets, in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) devices, and smart TVs. It is an open source system that aims to offer a consistent user experience across devices. Tizen's main components are the Linux kernel and the WebKit runtime. The Tizen project resides within the Linux Foundation and is governed by a Technical Steering Group (TSG) composed of Intel and Samsung

Android rules with 80% market share. iOS and WPOS in 2nd and 3rd spot. BBOS and SymbianOS at the depth

Android is marching its way toward outright dominance in the smartphone operating system market.

During the second quarter of 2013, Android captured a record 80 percent of the worldwide smartphone market, research firm Strategy Analytics reported Thursday. Out of the 229.6 million smartphones that shipped during the period, 182.6 million of those were Android-based handsets. Apple's iOS came in second place with 13.6 percent market share on 31.2 million shipments. Windows Phone was able to nab 3.9 percent share on 8.9 million unit shipments.

"Competitive licensing costs, numerous hardware partners, and a large apps store continue to be among the main drivers of Android's success," Strategy Analytics executive director Neil Mawston said in a statement. "Apple iOS reached 14 percent global smartphone share in the quarter, its lowest level since Q2 2010."

Despite the decline for iOS, it was still a strong quarter for Apple, which saw shipments rise from 26 million in the second quarter of 2012. Android device shipments were 108.7 million in the second quarter of 2012. All told, just 156.5 million smartphones were shipped in the second quarter of 2012 -- 73 million less units than this year.

Strategy Analytics noted that Windows Phone is making some strides in the mobile space, but cautioned that the only way for Microsoft to nab serious market share is if the company charges less for software licensing, making its platform "more competitive to compete with Android in lower price-bands." The other section has BlackberryOS which had its way below the WindowsPhoneOS (something for Microsoft to cherish about) and Nokia's soon-to-vanish Symbian OSIt's clear that the days of neck and neck competition are behind us.

Prince of Persia : The Shadow And The Flame for Andorid and iOS

The sequel to the very first Prince of Persia, at least canonically, namely Prince of Persia: The Shadow and the Flame is now available on iOS and Android. It is a side-scrolling adventure that has been developed by Ubisoft Pune, located in India. It will follow the events of Prince of Persia: Classic.

The game is actually an HD remake of Prince of Persia 2 released in 1993. Despite being a 2D platformer, the game features 3D environments and players will be able to either use touch-based mechanics for controlling the Prince or by using a virtual joystick. It will also have revamped sound and a more friendly difficulty curve in comparison to the original while still remaining challenging.

Prince of Persia: The Shadow and the Flame is currently retailing for Rs 200 on the Google Play store. It is available on Apple iTunes for Rs 170. As always, make sure to check system requirements before purchasing the game for either platform.

Prince of Persia: The Shadow and the Flame will allow players to jump into environments that have been modeled in 3D, but still, stay true to those portrayed in the original game. These include 14 levels that will be set in 5 distinct environments. Moreover, it has also been revealed that Prince of Persia: The Shadow and the Flame will be seen heralding the introduction of a fresh combat system

Said to put forth tactical challenges through multiple enemies, this system will feature new combo moves as well. And that’s not all; the developers also tell us that fresh weapons have been infused into this game. The controls in Prince of Persia: The Shadow and the Flame have of course been designed for touchscreens, and gamers will have the option of choosing from two different schemes. While they will be allowed to play with gesture-based touch commands, the classic joystick will also be made available to them virtually.

iOS in Car - a smart move by Apple

In the very last minute of its earnings call question and answer session with analysts, Apple's chief executive Tim Cook addressed "iOS in the Car," the company's strategy for automotive, calling it "very, very important" and a "key focus for us." Here's why.

What if Apple just came out and told you what it was doing next?

It's telling that the group of Apple analysts on the call, who have long been digging at Apple for clues as to what it might do next (netbooks? TVs? watches?) didn't think to bring up iOS in the Car until literally the last minute of the call.  This is particularly noteworthy given that iOS in the Car was publicly outed last month in the company's Worldwide Developer Conference keynote, where a detailed overview of its features were provided by Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Internet Software and Services, the group that manages iTunes, iCloud, the App Store, iMessages, Siri and Maps. Asked by Raymond James analyst Tavis McCourt if iOS in the Car was a "licensing opportunity" or what the "strategic relevance" of it might be, Cook answered, "I see it as very important." Cook explained, "It is a part of the ecosystem. And so just like the App Store is a key part of the ecosystem, and iTunes and all of our content is key, and the services we provide from messaging to Siri and so forth, having something in the automobile is very very important. It's something that people want. And I think that Apple can do this in a unique way, and better than anyone else. And so it's a key focus for us." That's certainly a stronger endorsement than Cook's recent descriptions of the state of Apple TV, which have morphed from a "hobby" to being "a string we keep pulling to see where it takes us."

The origins of iOS in the Car

iOS in the Car appears to be Apple's first significant new hardware product that isn't a standalone device. It's an outgrowth of the company's car integration features, which originated as a way to control music playback from the iPod. Between the iPod's release in 2001 up until 2003, Apple experimented with basic serial interfaces, starting with iPod Accessory Protocol. This morphed into the more sophisticated Advanced iPod Remote (AiR) with the capacity to depict artist and title information, navigate songs within a playlist, handle shuffle playback and even show album art. In 2004, Apple launched a program with BMW to provide USB iPod integration in its BMW and Mini vehicles, followed by a 2005 announcement of partnerships with Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Nissan, Alfa Romeo and Ferrari. In 2007, Apple launched the new iPhone and iPod touch, adding support for Bluetooth integration to control audio playback and support phone calls. In 2010, Apple upgraded its auto integration with iOS 4's "iPod Out," a feature designed to present Apple's familiar iPod interface on a car's built in display. By that point however, the success of the iPhone and iPod touch were eclipsing more basic iPods, so presenting a simple "classic iPod" as the only interface for vehicle playback ended up a short-lived objective. Additionally, there has been increasing interest by government safety officials to reduce the dangers of distracted driving.  In response, last summer Apple launched a new initiative designed to focus on iOS by integrating iOS 5's Siri feature into automobiles as a voice-only interface branded "Eyes Free." Apple's focus on Siri and the new Maps in iOS 6 led AppleInsider to predict last winter that Apple's next major market for iOS was likely to be in automotive, noting that Apple is now "in a position to offer a vehicle's entire entertainment system with the release of Siri-integrated Maps in iOS 6." 

Apple introduces iOS in the Car

It's therefore fitting that the enhanced new features of Siri in iOS 7 served as a segue for Cue to introduce iOS in the Car at WWDC. "Siri is also a big part of our next feature, 'iOS in the Car,'" Cue announced to developer applause. "Now, 95% of cars sold today have integrated music playback and control from an iOS device," Cue said. "But we want to take this integration to a whole 'nother level. What if you could get iOS on the screen that is built into your car?" iOS in the Car expands upon Siri Eyes Free integration, which Apple introduced last summer with the release of iOS 6, by actually installing iOS in the dash. Apple depicts iOS in the Car as running on a dash-integrated screen installed above a physical power button. In the bezel on either side of the power button, Apple depicts what appears to be LED-illuminated Volume and Home controls.

Source: Apple

Cue highlighted a series of features iOS in the Car will support, including the ability to "get phone calls, play music, go to Maps, get your iMessages right on the screen of your car, or Eyes Free using Siri." As Cue spoke, Apple depicted iOS in the Car features in a series of slides, which it now presents on its iOS 7 preview website with additional detail.  In addition to initiating a phone call Eyes Free via Siri, as Cue demonstrated on stage, Apple's site notes that "Siri will play back your voicemail and return missed calls, if you ask."

Source: Apple

In addition to playing music, again Eyes Free via Siri, through a specific song title request, as Cue demonstrated, Apple now states that you will be able to "use your car’s onboard controls for your music, including iTunes Radio, audiobooks, podcasts, third-party audio apps, and more."

Source: Apple

In addition "going to maps," Apple highlights that iOS in the Car will give you turn-by-turn directions, and even "knows when you’re leaving home for work — or vice versa — and displays traffic conditions and your ETA with Maps." 

Source: Apple

Additionally, Apple notes that iOS in the Car will feature the same kind of Apple Data Detectors integration AppleInsider profiled as a new feature in both the upcoming OS X Mavericks and iOS 7, stating that you can "enter an address or let iOS in the Car serve up any address you received in an email or text" (emphasis ours).

Source: Apple

Finally, in addition "getting your iMessages," Apple notes that "text messages appear right on your car’s display. Siri can read them to you while you listen over your car’s speakers. And to reply, just dictate to Siri."

Here's the new iOS form factor you've been waiting for

In the screen shots above, Apple depicts iOS in the Car as having an appearance similar to iOS 7 running on an iPhone, yet it's also as different as the iPhone is from iPad. For example, there's a software home button centered on the bottom of the landscape-oriented display. Also, typical features of the iOS top title bar, including the mobile carrier strength, current time and battery level are presented on the bottom of the screen. It's also interesting that Apple presents mobile signal strength at all, suggesting that iOS in the Car might require its own data plan.  It's possible the display is simply relaying the signal and battery life of a tethered iOS device that's providing the data signal. That would also explain why a car's built-in display would need to have a battery strength indicator, and potentially harmonize with discovered details pointing to AirPlay support over both WiFi and USB in iOS 7 running on mobile devices. 

At the same time, if iOS in the Car necessitated a tethered mobile link to work, it simply wouldn't work for a lot of people who don't (or can't) use tethering on their mobile plan. Apple hasn't publicly announced how iOS in the Car will work with data carriers, but lots of high end cars already include basic 3G data service to support certain features, including navigation and emergency assistance. This is sometimes paid for by a subscription service, or simply bundled into the cost of the vehicle, similar to Amazon's "Whispernet" service for its e-ink Kindle devices. 

A new UI for iOS

The user interface of iOS in the Car is also different from iOS devices in other subtle ways, from the "X" close button to dismiss the "traffic overview" panel (shown previously) to the round, easy to target buttons presented for audibly playing an incoming message or to activate 3D persecutive in Maps. 

Source: Apple

This new user interface is even more evident in the Maps slide shown at WWDC, which presented familiar controls in an auto-optimized layout (above). In contrast with iOS 7 Maps on an iPhone (below), the car display shows larger, simpler icons for search, recent locations, bookmarks and information, as well as simplified location centering and zoom buttons that will likely replace the precise pinch gestures that make sense on a handheld device but not on a dash mounted screen.  The conventional iOS 7 Maps interface for mobile devices not only positions controls differently, but also invites typing text into a search field (a feature that appears to be replaced with Siri or by selecting recent, saved or suggested location bookmarks), as well as offering other features that aren't really car-appropriate, such as Twitter sharing and AirPrint (no word on whether iOS in the Car maps will support satellite or Flyover imagery, but it will no doubt include iOS 7's new night mode). 

How iOS in the Car presents Maps is also dashboard-optimized, with fewer location labels and more apparent street labels when compared to iOS 7 on an iPhone at a similar zoom level. Specifically, there are more parking locations highlighted, a similar number of significant landmarks (albeit without a lot of text), but no transit stops and none of the many schools, coffee shops, hotels, bars (and Apple Store) labels that make Maps on the iPhone too busy to easily read with a quick glance.  In general, iOS in the Car also appears to lack the conventional Home Screen of Apple's iPhone and iPad, using Siri as its default interface instead. Additionally, the phone screen is missing three buttons on the iPhone when making calls: there's (understandably) no FaceTime or Speakerphone button, but there's also none for Contacts, reminding you that iOS in the Car is designed to be navigated by voice through Siri, rather than being a busy interface full of buttons to fuel distracted driving. 

This means Apple now has four distinct user interfaces: one for Macs, one for iPhone and iPod touch; one for iPad, and a familiar but new Siri-centric, iOS for the Car user environment thoughtfully optimized for safer, Eyes Free automotive use. 

iOS users love free apps , 90% apps free in App Store

iOS users love their free apps, and developers have taken note.

A full 90 percent of all iOS apps available in the App Store are now free purchases, according to a report from Flurry Analytics.

Apple’s online app warehouse, which recently celebrated its fifth anniversary, has always been a hub for free downloads. According to Flurry’s data, which is collected from the 350,000 apps that use its analytics platform, the number of free apps in the App Store has hovered between 80 and 84 percent since 2010. But this year, that number has spiked upwards.

Free apps are often ad-supported versions of an app that costs money, or “light” versions of paid apps which rely on lower-quality content. And, as Flurry says in its report, the majority of app consumers are OK with that.

“People want free content more than they want to avoid ads or to have the absolute highest quality content possible,” the report reads.

Many apps use the in-app purchase model, which makes a free version available in the App Store, then encouraging users to upgrade the free version for a few bucks to unlock advanced features.

RunKeeper is one of these. While the company says that it has grown the app’s paying user base significantly this past year, those paying users are still a small percentage of the total users (it wouldn’t disclose exact figures).

But if RunKeeper wasn’t a free download, the company wouldn’t be able to reach the casual downloaders or have the opportunity to turn them into dedicated (paying) users. It also wouldn’t have as many people building profiles, logging their runs, and interacting with others — all things that bring value to RunKeeper’s service, which relies on runners sharing their achievements.

“We would never be able to create network effects and unlock the value in our aggregate data if we operated at the restricted scale of a paid app,” says RunKeeper VP of product Fareed Mosavat.

And then there are ad-supported apps. Including ads is a common way for free apps to monetize — so common that it may not present a problem to most app users. But there are inherent trade-offs to using a free, ad-supported app that do concern iOS device owners.

“When a user gets a paid app, he knows that he paid for something and expects a certain amount of value,” says Denys Zhadanov, a developer for productivity app-maker Readdle. “When a user gets a free app, he is concerned on how his data might be used and how the developer will monetize this download in the future.”

We’ve seen that time and again with free apps like Path, which downloaded users’ address book information without their consent in early 2012. Also, Instagram and Facebook have each caused freakouts among users when features changed or terms of service updates occurred.

Flurry’s report also found that many developers who originally debuted their app for a price eventually decided to make their app free after conducting A/B pricing experiments. In 2010, 65 percent of price-tested apps were free. As of April 2013, that number is up to 80 percent.

“I don’t know anyone building a paid app,” RunKeeper’s Mosavat says. “In-app purchases allow for broader distribution and more control over what you charge for and what the experience is for paying users.”

On Android, users crave free apps even more than on iOS. The average price of an app as of April of this year was $0.06 on Android, $0.19 for iPhone apps, and $0.50 for iPad apps.

VLC media player back with a bang in iOS app store

Did you ever want a better video player that could play all the type of videos?? don’t worry we are here to give you some good news. The VLC has returned to the App store and can now play all kinds of videos playbacks. The great open source video playback application VLC has again made its way back to the iOS app store after a public withdrawal in 2011. The app now can play all the file types like the one on desktop including .mkv and .avi and also it can stream into your device. The improvements just don’t end with that, it now has integration with dropbox, supports subtitles and also you can change the speed of the playback. It is also possible to adjust real time filters like saturation and gamma and share files over Wi-Fi by uploading them through the browser. VideoLAN says that it works like a charm in devices with iOS 5.1 or higher, but you might experience slower playback sometimes. Speaking this to the developers helped us understand that third party apps cannot actually use the harware acceleration for videos playback without using the apple’s frameworks. This whole project is opensource so you can download it for free and if your adventurous you can even look at the Xcode Back in 2011, VLC developer Rémi Denis-Courmont filed a complaint against the original VLC iOS app, created by developer Applidium. At the time, VLC was licensed under the now-outdated, open source GNU General Public License version 2. The dispute revolved around whether an app violated the GPL by releasing on a mobile platform. According to VideoLAN, the non-profit behind VLC, the version 2.0 of the app is licensed under the Mozilla Public License v2, which makes it fine for App Store distribution.

Google Maps now for iPad , update to iPhone maps

Ever since the Google Maps application got separated from iOS and started life as a standalone app on the App Store, it has only been available on the iPhone with iPad users having to rely on Apple Maps for navigation. The latest update, however, fixes that and Google Maps is now available on the iPad as well. The iPad version makes good use of that big beautiful canvas and hides all the controls and just keeps the search bar in the top left corner. The UI is similar to the one on the new web version and the Android app. Additional options are hidden in a drawer on the left, accessed by tapping a button on the top left. Other changes in this update include:

● Enhanced navigation including live traffic updates and incident reports

● Explore: A new way to browse and discover popular local places to eat, drink, shop, play and sleep

● Simple 5-star ratings and reviews from friends, plus expert Zagat content 

● Great deals from your favorite brands with Google Offers

● Indoor maps with walking directions for malls, transit stations, airports and more

The update is now available for download from the App Store.

Improved discoverability of places is one feature that Google’s been trumpeting in this update. A new Explore feature lets you quickly search for specific types of locations; tap in the search field, and then tap on the Explore card to bring up options for Eat, Drink, Shop, Play, and Sleep. Each of those is divided into a number of sub-categories—so, for example, under Eat, you’ll find restaurants, fast food, bakeries, ice cream, and so on. Tapping on any of the categories will then show you cards—Google’s big on cards—for the sub-categories, each with nearby places that fit the bill; you can tap ‘View’ all for a full list of those types of places.

The new Explore feature lets you find nearby locations in a variety of categories and sub-categories.

In another improvement, Google has standardized its review process, so that each location now has a simple rating of one to five stars, alongside content that Google pulls in from Zagat. The company’s also integrated Google Offers, which provides deals and bargains from certain brands, though I haven’t yet encountered any.

Google’s also changed up the list of quick-access shortcut icons it offers: It now lets you search, by default, for grocery stores, pharmacies, banks, and gas stations instead of restaurants, bars, and so on, which are now covered by Explore. (A much longer list is still accessible, though I wish they’d make the first slots more customizable).

As per iOS 6's own Maps, Google Maps will now show you live construction alerts and traffic incidents.

Lest you think that mapping has fallen by the wayside here, there are a couple of nice enhancements to navigation. For one, Google Maps now includes a bicycle layer that shows you biking paths in your area, highlighted in green, and offers turn-by-turn bicycling directions. And, in a rare bit of catching up with Apple Maps, there are now live listings of traffic incidents and construction—tapping on one will give you details.

Perhaps the niftiest new feature—on a scale of one-to-nifty—is Google Maps’s new indoors mapping feature. No longer do you have to wander around your local mall or an unfamiliar airport, trying to figure out where a particular shop or restaurant is located: Google Maps has that information baked right in—if you zoom in far enough, you can even toggle between multiple floors. However, some of this info is spotty right now—one of my local malls showed only an incomplete floor plan.

Indoor mapping means never again having to wander around until you find a Directory kiosk in your local mall.

While the iOS version of Google Maps for the most part maintains parity with its Android counterpart, there is one notable omission in the iOS edition: On Google’s own platform, Maps will automatically route around traffic problems. That’s not available in the current update for iOS, but Google has intimated that it’s due to come, uh, down the road, if you will.

Just in case iOS-based mapping isn't your bag, you can also check out the new and improved Google Maps interface on the Web, which the company made available to all users on Wednesday.

Whatsapp free or iOS now

WhatsApp Messenger for iOS devices is now free. With this, the app now has the same subscription model as can be seen in the Android and Windows Phone versions, with the first year being free for new users and maintaining subscriptions for subsequent years costing $1 per year. However, those who have already bought the app need not worry about the subscription, since they already have a lifetime subscription to the service at no extra charge. This move hasn't been a surprise. WhatsApp CEO Jan Koum had talked about bringing the subscription model to the iOS version of the app in an interview with Dutch journalist Alexander Klopping back in March. This is undoubtedly in an attempt to widen the potential audience for WhatsApp. For many, even the low price tag of WhatsApp (Rs 55) was too much for something they just wanted to try out. However, it is worth noting that even back when it was a paid app, it was still on the top 10 paid apps list on the iTunes App Store. WhatsApp has maintained its leadership, claiming over 250 million monthly active users with more than 27 billion messages processed in a single day. While it was always free on Android, WhatsApp used to cost $0.99 on iOS, which also made it among the all-time top 10 revenue grossing apps on the App Store. Despite growing competition in the mobile messaging space, WhatsApp has maintained its leadership, claiming over 250 million monthly active users with more than 27 billion messages processed in a single day. The move of making WhatsApp free on iOS is particularly interesting considering its paid status would have been a barrier for a big chunk of iPhone users especially in emerging markets who don’t buy paid apps from the App Store. However, WhatsApp is not exactly free as it would charge $1 every year after the first year. That’s the same case with Android, though we are yet to hear of anyone who’s been charged after the first year and the free period automatically gets extended. WhatsApp remains one of the few free services that doesn’t make revenues by serving ads to users. (WhatsApp’s co-founder Jan Koum explains why WhatsApp doesn’t sell ads here.) It also does not advertise its services anywhere, unlike rival WeChat that has roped in football star Lionel Messi as its brand ambassador. Setting the iPhone app free could be WhatsApp’s way of responding to competition for the moment while it prepares to release new features. The latest update, for instance, adds the ability to share multiple photos and backup chats on iCloud. We here the company is also working on features like push-to-talk, which could be released in the near future. Recently, the company said it was bigger than Twitter

iPhone 5S mass production begins

Will the next gen iPhone 5S shake the world like the arch rival Samsung Galaxy S IV did? The long-awaited next generation iPhone will enter mass production by the end of this month, according to Jefferies analyst Peter Misek. Peter Misek believes that Apple is going to order about 50-55 million iPhones for the fourth quarter out of which, 5 million will be iPhone 4Sand up to 25 million of its upcoming flagship smartphone. Lastly, Peter Misek expects Apple to announce its iPhone 5S in late September or in early October. The iPhone 5S has a history at the rumor mill. Pictures in December showed an exterior identical to the iPhone 5, just a couple of months off the launch of the iPhone 5. Other pictures surfaced last month. More recently, a Korean news outlet expected a version of the iPhone 5Swith LTE-Advanced technology. A recruitment firm, which is responsible for hiring at Foxconn’s plant in Zhengzhou in northern China, has begun recruiting workers on a large scale, indicating that mass production of the iPhone 5S has begun, CNET reported, citing China Business News. The report by China Business News was based on information from an anonymous source at the Zhengzhou plant, who said that Foxconn currently has 210,000 workers, which is way below the 300,000 people employed during the production peak in 2012. Therefore, the company is now assumed to be filling assembly line positions with new employees. “As the seasonal hires file onto the production floor, it is widely believed that Foxconn is preparing to enter the mass production phase of the so-called ‘iPhone 5S,’ a handset thought to carry over the design of the iPhone 5, but with upgraded internals,” an Apple Insider report said. The unidentified source also provided a new twist in the iPhone 5S tale, saying that the Zhengzhou plant is working on a completely different iPhone, which could feature a “borderless” design, an aluminum and carbon fiber shell, and weighs 40 percent less than the iPhone 5. The iPhone 5S is expected to have a form factor similar to that of the iPhone 5. However, the device is likely to feature a more powerful processor, a fingerprint sensor, a longer-lasting battery, an improved camera with dual LED flash andslow-motion video capturing capabilities.

Rumors are rife that Apple will launch the iPhone 5S, along with iOS 7, in September, followed by a release date in the fall. The Cupertino, Calif.-based tech giant is also rumored to be working on a more thoroughly redesigned iPhone 6 for 2014, which will follow this year’s iPhone 5S. Also Multi coloured iPhones are expected

MORE ON iPHONE 5S

http://pitstoptech.blogspot.in/2013/07/slow-motion-mougul-camera-on-later.html

http://pitstoptech.blogspot.in/2013/07/iphone-5s-to-be-phablet-apple-to-launch.html

http://pitstoptech.blogspot.in/2013/06/head-movements-to-be-included-in-ios7.html