ios

Apple deluged by police demands to decrypt iPhones

Apple receives so many police demands to decrypt seized iPhones that it has created a "waiting list" to handle the deluge of requests, CNET has learned.

Court documents show that federal agents were so stymied by the encrypted iPhone 4S of a Kentucky man accused of distributing crack cocaine that they turned to Apple for decryption help last year.

An agent at the ATF, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, "contacted Apple to obtain assistance in unlocking the device," U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell wrote in a recent opinion. But, she wrote, … Read more

What to expect from Android Key Lime Pie

With Google's I/O developer conference just a week away, all eyes are on the company's plans for the next version of Android.

For much of the last year we expected to see Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie. After all, leaked slides from a January Qualcomm presentation showed a midyear debut for this next build, but they were immediately pulled from the Web site.

But now, recent rumors suggest that we might actually see the debut of 4.3 Jelly Bean instead of Android 5.0. Details found in various server logs show that a JWR23B build … Read more

iOS 7 showing up in Web traffic logs ahead of public reveal

Apple's next mobile operating system is showing up increasingly in Web traffic logs ahead of its public debut.

That's according to Onswipe, a startup that makes Web sites more touch-friendly for tablets and smartphones. The company tells TechCrunch the testers running the yet-to-be-released version of the software made up nearly a quarter of people visiting sites that used Onswipe's technology last week.

In a follow-up report, Macrumors says it too has noticed a bump in devices running iOS 7 that are visiting its site.

It's not unusual for future versions of Apple's software to get … Read more

Make your old iPhone run like new

My friend is convinced that the slowing of his iPhone 4S is part of a vast Apple conspiracy. I'm not completely persuaded.

I mean, sure Apple has sent out updates to iOS that are arguably a step in the wrong direction, like that whole Apple Maps fiasco. But I believe the main culprit for decreasing smartphone performance (from any phone) is software cruft. Sometimes, you just have to do a little housekeeping.

So here's what I suggest. First, take a minute to get rid of any bulky apps you never use. Dive in to Settings>General>… Read more

Apple's iOS 6.1.4 tweaks iPhone 5 speakerphone

Apple released an iOS update on Thursday, though it's a tiny change.

iOS 6.1.4, which appears to be available only for the iPhone 5, updates the "audio profile for speakerphone."

The software weighs in at 11.5MB and is available by way of the over-the-air iOS software update tool, and in iTunes.

Apple's last iOS update was 6.1.3, back in March. That update fixed a lock screen security bug and improved some Apple Maps features for users in Japan.

Android 4.3 could debut at Google I/O, not Android 5.0

With only a few weeks to go until Google I/O kicks off, Android followers expect to see the debut of Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie, the platform's next-generation build. Well, you know what they say about assuming, right?

According to Android Police, recent server logs for 4.3 Jelly Bean version of Android are being tested and used in the real world. Specifically, an Android 4.3 JWR23B build has been tracked to Google IPs, and allegedly tied to a pair of employees who "have a lot to do with Android."

Reportedly, two devices were … Read more

Prizefight: HTC One vs. Apple iPhone 5 (video)

The next generation of Android phones is coming, and you can't ignore the HTC One with its beautiful design that makes Apple fanboys drool. So we're taking the two of the best designed phones on the market and throwing them inside the Prizefight ring!

Does the iPhone 5 still have enough in the tank before its next refresh to hold off the hard-charging HTC One?

Or will the next generation of Android phones and HTC's cleaned-up Sense UI reign supreme in 2013?

Which is your Prizefight King of the Ring?

Pic Stitch for iOS 2.9 Review

You've got a high-resolution camera, an Internet connection, an iPhone or iPad, and an itch to share your photos with your friends and the world. What to do? Enter the free iOS photo-editing app Pic Stitch, allowing you to easily combine, filter, and change photos on your device and share them with friends.

Pic Stitch's interface is surprisingly simple to navigate considering how many features it includes. The free version of the app does have periodic ads, and quite a few features require paid upgrades to use in full, but every core feature is available for free.

To … Read more

Digital comic not banned over gay sex images, says iOS app publisher

Note: This story was originally published at 8:57 a.m. PT under the headline "Apple bans digital comic over gay sex images, say its creators." It was republished at 11:55 a.m. PT with new information from Comixology about the root cause of the holdup in the comic's availability and a new headline to reflect that change in the story.

The ban on the latest issue of the digital comic "Saga" was apparently due to confusion over Apple's policies and not its images portraying gay sex. At least, that's the word … Read more