iOS 7 Golden Master (GM) Release Date is Likely September 10th

In addition to announcing the next-generation iPhone at a media event on September 10th, it is likely that Apple will seed the iOS 7 golden master to developers for testing. While the GM version will still be considered pre-release software, it should be virtually identical to the public-facing version that is released in the ensuing weeks.

Ahead of that release, a sixth beta of iOS 7 is expected to be released. There is a slight chance that iOS 7 beta 6 could drop at some point today, but it is more likely to be seeded on August 19th. Apple had been sticking to a two-week release cycle for its iOS 7 betas, until unexpected Developer Center downtime delayed that schedule.

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iOS 7 Beta 4 Changes Log

Apple on Monday seeded iOS 7 beta 4 to registered developers for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The update comes three weeks following the release of iOS 7 beta 3, and over one month after the first beta was announced at WWDC 2013. Below, we have a running log of all notable changes in the fourth beta. 

New Lock Screen

There is now a right arrow icon next to the “slide to unlock” message, while the pull-up and pull-down tabs for Control Center and Notification Center respectively have been straightened. See the feature image at the top of this post for how the lock screen looked in the first three betas.

Tweaked Phone App

The various call, end and dial buttons in the Phone app have been tweaked in the fourth beta. The buttons are now rectangular with rounded corners.

Tweaked Spotlight

• Shuffle all music from the artist tab in Music app
• Search bar in Reminders¹

• Tweaked photo filters UI¹
• HDR mode toggle relocated¹
• Safari graphic tweaks¹
• New AirPlay icons¹

• Minor UI tweak in Newsstand¹
• Improved animations and folder transparency on home screen¹
• New resolution changing button on iPad¹

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iOS 7 Shows Lengthy iMessages in Full Screen Mode

While there are more effective mediums for long-form communication — yes, there is still a thing called email — you might find yourself in the middle of a lengthy iMessage conversation from time to time. Apple is looking to improve that experience in iOS 7, by showing long iMessages in full screen mode.

When you receive a lengthy iMessage on an iPhone, Cult of Mac discovered that it will now truncate the message and display an ellipses with an arrow. You can then tap the conversation bubble and read the entire message in full screen mode. I like to think of it as Reading List for iMessage.

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New 'iOS In The Car" Feature To Work Over WiFi Via AirPlay

Yesterday Apple seeded the third beta for iOS 7 which came with a lot of new features and bugs fixes, among the new features Apple introduced in iOS 7 beta a new feature called "iOS in The car" It enables you to mirror your iPhone on your in-car display, allowing you to access Maps, Messages and other apps without having to take your eyes off the wheel.

Outside of that, and a list of the handful of auto-makers that have pledged to support it, not much has been said about the feature. A new report is out this afternoon, though, that offers up some new details on the whole thing. And apparently it’s going to work over Wi-Fi…

9to5Mac has the scoop:

“Since then, we have heard from the same sources that the feature is designed to work over AirPlay (in addition to USB/Lightning).
Hamza Sood, who has located several hidden features in iOS 7, corroborates this with a finding inside of internal Accessory Developer options in iOS 7.
These settings say iOS in the Car can work over WiFi, and this goes nicely with our independent iOS in the Car over AirPlay claims.”

And here's a quick screenshot from your iPhone and how to enable it:

The site goes on to say that it’s hearing Apple is already at work on a point update (something like 7.1 or 7.2), and this new version will include built-in support for iOS in the Car. Apple has said itself that the new feature will officially launch in 2014 with several auto-makers.

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Additional Photos of Alleged Low-Cost iPhone Surface

A second set of photos depicting the purported low-cost iPhone have surfaced on French website Nowhereelse, consistent with the design seen in the original photos that leaked just five days ago. These latest photos are consistent with rumors that have circulating about the budget iPhone, including a polycarbonate rear shell and round rear microphone hole.

Based on the photo, it appears that the low-budget iPhone could be available in red, yellow, white, green and a never-before-seen blue color. We cannot confirm that these photos actually show the real low-cost iPhone, however, as these types of rear shells are often manufactured as knock-offs by Chinese manufacturers. 

It has been speculated that the plastic iPhone could retail for as low as $99, without carrier subsidies, yet multiple sources report that the price range of $300 to $400 is more likely. At that price, and for a product bearing the premium Apple logo, these rear shells might just be too cheap looking for something designed in Cupertino.

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Tethering App ‘iRinger’ Available in the App Store; Get It Before It’s Gone

Update: Regardless of the app’s reviews, I can confirm that the app indeed works well enough on iPhone 5 running iOS 6.1.4 . You have to change your device’s language to French to prevent crashing if necessary.

Every once in a while, an app containing hidden tethering functionality makes it past Apple’s review process and, while it lasts, lets users bypass whatever charges their carriers may impose for the very same features. Luckily, if you manage to download one of these apps before they’re pulled from the App Store, Apple can’t remotely delete it and you should be able to use it as long as you have the app on your iPhone.

There have been many such apps available in the past and, as soon as they are covered by a site such as this, they are quickly pulled from the store. One app, entitled “iRinger” falls into this category and is still available for download from the App Store for a cool $1.99. It goes without saying that if you’re in the need of a tethering app, you might want to act quickly.

To access the app’s tethering functionality:

1. Make a new event by clicking the “+” symbol (top right corner).
2. Name the event Tethering123
3. Click done

From this mysterious page you can configure the tethering to run Ad Hoc with your desktop or laptop computer. If you need more complete walkthrough to get the app up and running, there’s a convenient “Instructions” section within the app that should help you out.

I apologize for publicizing the app and I realize that this post may very well be counterintuitive. But if you’re someone looking for the app, take advantage of this news and download it while you can.

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Could a New iPhone Hack Fuel Future Jailbreaks?

In june 3rd, it was reported that an iPhone could be comprised in less than one minute with a malicious third-party charger. The hack involves leveraging USB capabilities to bypass iOS d

efense mechanisms, allowing a user to inject malware code right into an iOS device.

A trio of hackers will be demonstrating these vulnerabilities at the upcoming Black Hat USA conference, and it has fuelled interest that the concept could be applied to future jailbreaking methods. At least one iOS hacker in Joshua Hill (p0sixninja) confirms that it’s indeed a possibility, so it’s exciting to see what could happen.

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Jailbreak iOS 7 Untethered / Tethered Update

Jailbreak iOS 7? What is the status of iOS 7 jailbreak? Well, have you tested the awesome iOS 7 on your iPhone? if not yet, you can check the new amazing features of iOS 7 from Apple iOS 7 Official Video. The gap between iOS 6 and iOS 7 is huge comparing to iOS 5 and iOS 6. In case you don't have a developer account to install iOS 7 beta 1 on your iPhone you can head over this link which shows you how to install iOS 7 beta 1 on your iPhone without UDID activation nor developer account which costs you $99 a year. The notable and strange matter, is that we didn't hear any official statement from iPhone hacking teams regarding iOS 7 jailbreak.

P0sixninja

Few days ago, and before releasing iOS 7 we told you that ex-Chronic team iPhone hacker, Joshua Hill (aka P0sixninja) is the only hacker who have un-patched exploits which allow him to create iOS 7 untethered jailbreak. P0sixninja said "iOS 7 is mine"

Today, and few hours ago, p0sixninja has confirmed it again, that iOS 7 untethered jailbreak belongs to him only. So far, we couldn't confirm whether he will work in iOS 7 untethered jailbreak individually or will join one of the famous jailbreak teams (iPhone dev-team, Chronic dev-team or evad3rs team).

iOS 7 tethered jailbreak status:

P0sininja confirmed today on the above tweet that iOS 7 tethered jailbreak will be a task for amateurs, Does he mean iPhone dev-team? 

It's highly expiated that iPhone dev-team will release new version of Reds0w to jailbreak iOS 7 (tethered) for iPhone 4 only which is already jailbreakable with the help of Geohots's limera1n exploit.

It's obviously that iOS 7 jailbreak for iPhone 5,4S, iPad 4, 3, 2, mini and iPod touch 5G will be p0sixnija responsibility. 

 

an old post
Source

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Redesigning an App for iOS 7

iOS 7…

Some of it looked incredible. The parallax effects, zooming user interfaces, and advanced physics got me excited about the possibilities for new, unexplored user interface ideas.

But man, those icons…

Borderless buttons!?

I understood the move away from leather stitching but wow, now realistic ornaments are suddenly of no value whatsoever?

Like many designers, my reaction to iOS 7 went something like this:

But we’ve all had an earful from whining designers so I won’t go down that path. I promised myself that I wouldn’t judge the UI until I’ve spent at least a week or so using it regularly.

Despite my initial fears, I actually really enjoy using iOS 7 on a daily basis. I still have some complaints about several visual design choices but you have to remember, Apple has only been working on this for a matter of months. That’s pretty insane. I mean, it takes us at least a year to put out a single app, let alone an entire operating system!

So give them a break. I talked to a number of folks at Apple. They understand that this thing isn’t finished yet and they want our feedback. It’s only going to get better.

Now, to the pressing question…

How do we respond to iOS 7?

Answering this question may very well play a large role in the future success or failure of indies around the world over the next few years, so it’s important to talk about. Based on my conversations with folks at Apple and leaders in the app community, I’ll lay out a few thoughts.

We have work to do

• Apps built on top of the iOS 6 skeleton, with lots of gradients, bevels, and realistic details — apps like Tweetbot and Grades — look heavy and out of place in iOS 7. That’s just a fact.
• No doubt, apps that embrace Apple’s paradigm shift will have an edge over apps that don’t. Apple will more likely feature them and users will more likely download apps that fit in. Evolve or die.
• I think Marco Arment’s attitude is a good one: this is the single biggest opportunity iOS developers have had since the App Store launched. Every category is up for grabs once again.

But… as always, innovation is what matters

Just for kicks, an early mockup that completely mimics iOS7′s default design language.

• Winning apps won’t merely take Apple’s default look and mimic it. Think about how boring it would be if all of our apps looked like iOS 7 Calendar or Settings. It would get old really fast. But that’s nothing new. Think about if all the apps on iOS 6 looked like iOS 6 Calendar and settings… Yep, it would be really boring.
• Apple realizes that the diversity of styles on the App Store is one of their strong points and hopefully that won’t change on iOS 7.
• The best iOS 7 apps will take Apple’s new governing principles of clarity, depth, and deference, and interpret those principles in a unique way. They will innovate on top of the platform just like the best iOS 6 apps did.
• Designing for iOS 7 will mean much more than merely adjusting your visual style. Although I think we should try to give our apps a unique look through subtle twists on the iOS 7 design language, I’m excited to focus more on making our apps unique by experimenting with novel interaction models, transitions, and physicality, making our apps a lot more visceral. Since iOS 7 is more focused on these kinds of interactions, I think the best designs will innovate in those areas. That might mean us designer types might need to start learning a thing or two about Xcode.
• Don’t throw away all thought of metaphor and realism. Both minimal and realistic interfaces are tools in our toolbox and we need to focus on making the best experiences for our users. Fitting into the iOS 7 environment is part of that. Realistic-leaning apps on iOS 7 will be different than realistic-leaning apps on iOS 6. I don’t know how exactly but that’s something we’ll be figuring out as the platform continues to mature and users seek more unique and delightful experiences. Some people really like realistic interfaces and I don’t think they are going away forever, despite being somewhat out of style.

Redesigning Hours

Redesigning Hours has been a ton of fun. We have only just gotten started but removing visual noise has allowed us to focus on some interesting interaction issues that we hadn’t thought of before. Simplifying buttons allows us to also do some really interesting animations and transitions, making for a more visceral and fun experience.

I still like the old design and can’t say that the iOS 7 version is necessarily a huge improvement in the visual department, but thinking about the principles of iOS 7 design has sparked breakthroughs that will definitely make Hours a better app over all.

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iOS 7: in a Normal Voice, Siri Speaks to You & Comprehends You’re Talking !!

   A huge amount of improvements Siri is getting in iOS 7, most likely the majority out of any stock app / service in Apple’s updated mobile OS.

 The supporter, in iOS 7, acquires a novel appearance, a new sound and new functions…  Currently, the interface fades into view and sits atop of your screen (over any running app), and speaks to you in a clearer, more natural-sounding voice, female or male…  From additional sources (such as Bing, Wikipedia, and Twitter), it fetches information for you and answers questions faster…  More and more, the helper can do such as play voicemail, control iTunes Radio, and even return calls…   At the rate this is going Siri in iOS 8 will also act as a representative on your behalf.

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The Forgotten iOS Device: Why You Should Make Apps For Apple TV

SAN FRANCISCO, CA

Brad Smith wants to encourage developers to explore the final frontier: making apps for Apple TV.

Smith, director of engineering at RadiumOne, spoke at AltWWDC about facing the challenges for this new territory.

“I like to think of it as the forgotten iOS device,” Smith said, showing a slide of Tom Dickson, who has blended every device from the Cupertino company — with the exception of the Apple TV.

For starters, Apple hasn’t opened the platform to third-party apps for the digital media receiver, which launched in 2007. In some ways, Smith says, Apple making moves to make it even more closed. Smith hopes his talk will drive more developers to make apps anyway.

“It’s moving in a scary direction, if anything there are indications that they’re moving to close down rather than open up,” Smith said. “From a hacker perspective, it offers up challenges because you can write your code in different ways, though.”

To get started, you need a jailbroken second-generation Apple TV. That’s the “sweet spot” since the third-gen has yet to be jailbroken (“We’re working on it,” an audience member interjected) and first-gen doesn’t run iOS.

Smith didn’t give a detailed how-to on cracking it open but says that “It’s become very very easy, one Google search and a download and you’re in.” (SeasOn Pass is the way to go for many, he said.) One caveat: iOS 6 on Apple TV 2 is a tethered jailbreak, so you have to plug it into a USB cable every time you reboot the device. “Definitely OK for hackers like us, but it’s not ready for real-world consumption.”

He recommends taking a look at current third-party Apple TV apps, many are open source, look at code and see how things are running, including: XMBC, NitoTV, Last.FM and AirControl.

To get you started, also check out BackRow, essentially a UI Kit that acts as a replacement for your basic iOS kit on Apple TV. Once a private framework, it’s now inside the AppleTV you can stack it or dynamically pull it into runtime, but after the iOS 6 update, Apple removed BackRow. Still, he says, the core data is there and so is most of the low-level stuff you need to get started.

“Developing even before there’s an open platform can encourage Apple to see there’s a potential there and encourage people to push the platform forward.”

You can watch the full talk with his mini-tutorial, here.

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Here’s How Apple Made Finding Photos Way Faster In The iOS 7 Messages App

If you send friends a lot of pictures via iMessages, you’ll love this new little feature in the iOS 7 Messages app that makes it easier to find old photos you’ve sent friends.

To view all the files that you’ve ever sent someone from your iPhone you can tap the new folder icon at the bottom of a photo preview screen and you’ll get a list of all the files the two of you have sent to each other. No more hunting through chat logs to find that funny pic your friend sent you that you forgot to save.

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iOS Users Are 30% More Likely To Buy Stuff Via Device Than Android Users

Apple’s iOS platform has continued to be the top platform for users who actually like to buy stuff via their smartphone, says a new study from Forrester. Consumers with iOS devices are 30% more likely to buy something via their device, than Android users.

Even though iOS is where more of the money is at, Android isn’t getting ignored by U.S. companies. Forrester’s study also reported that 96% of ebusiness professionals surveyed for the study plan to launch a native or hybrid Android app by the end of 2013, while 99% said they plan to do the same for iOS.

As reported by TechCrunch, Forrester says that the amount of resources companies are throwing into their iOS and Android apps is preventing BlackBerry and Windows Phone from getting much attention. Only companies with big budgets are really looking to make apps on platforms other than Android and iOS:

That’s because around 41 percent of ebusiness pros have only $500,000 or less to spend on their mobile budgets, and 56 percent have less than $1 million. That money can only go so far, and still pales in comparison to general marketing budgets, and even budgets devoted to general web-facing property. This alone is a prime reason why cross-platform solutions will continue to succeed, even as developers debate the merits of cross-platform technologies like HTML5 vs. native tools.

As Apple and Google’s mobile platforms have matured developers have to devote more resources than ever before to keep apps supported across all current and new devices and OS versions.

The fragmentation has actually helped Apple and Google maintain their marketshare lead on Microsoft and BlackBerry by unintentionally diverting companies’ resources away from a third and fourth competitor.

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