Apple Launching 'Apple Store' App for iPad

Nearly three and a half years after the debut of a dedicated Apple Store app for iPhone, Apple is launching a new iPad version of the application today, reports TechCrunch. The new app, which appears to be U.S.-only for the time being, offers a "sparse" iOS 7 design aesthetic and makes use of high-quality images and context-aware panels to offer an exceptional user experience...

Read the full story here... Source: Mac Rumours

Teardown of Retina iPad Mini Reveals A7 Chip, LG Display, Larger Battery

The experts at iFixit have performed another one of their usual high-quality teardowns on Apple's new iPad mini with Retina display, revealing that while the device is nearly unchanged visually from the original iPad mini, it features a number of internal upgrades such as an A7 chip and M7 motion coprocessor alongside the new high-resolution display...

Read the full story here... Source: Mac Rumours

Apple's iPad Air Adopts IGZO Technology for Thinner, Lower-Power Displays

Apple's new iPad Air marks a significant technological step forward for the company, improving performance while reducing the device's volume and weight by over 25%. Much of the size and weight savings have been enabled by improved power efficiency, allowing Apple to reduce the device's battery thickness and capacity by roughly the same 25%...

Read the full story here... Source: Mac Rumours

75% of Early iPad Purchasers Already Own an iPad, Early-Adopter Upgrade Cycle Around 23 Months

According to a survey by PiperJaffray, 75 percent of U.S. iPad Air purchasers on launch day already owned an iPad, compared to only 58 percent for last year's iPad mini launch.

Gene Munster, a PiperJaffray analyst, believes the U.S. market may be getting slightly more saturated.

Surveying 71 day-one iPad buyers, Munster found that the early-adopter upgrade cycle is around 23 months, significantly shorter than the general public's upgrade cycle of 30 months. Also, the average capacity purchased today was 59.7GB versus 40.5GB for the 3rd-generation iPad launch...

Read the full story here... Source: Mac Rumours

Top tweets on Apple's iPad event

Apple was once again the talk of Twitter during a media event that introduced new iPads and revealed that Mavericks would be released free of charge. The Cupertino company's event spawned more than 770,000 tweets between 10:00 a.m PT and 12:00 p.m. PT, according to data shared with CNET by analytics firm Topsy.

Collectively, the people of Twitter showed the most enthusiasm around the lighter, full-sized iPad Air and the new Mac operating system, but the top tweets surrounding the affair, measured in retweets and replies, highlight a mix of different emotions.

From 10:00 a.m PT to 12:00 p.m PT, actor Darren Criss, seemingly an enthusiastic Apple fan, had the top four tweets, which altogether generated 1,753 retweets and replies during the two-hour block...

Read the full story here... Source: CNET

After Numerous Delays, BlackBerry Messenger for iOS to Launch Today

Five months after it was initially announced, and after an unplanned delay due to unexpected demand, BlackBerry Messenger is finally launching on iOS. The app, which is similar to Apple’s own iMessage, was first announced back in May. It should launch on the App Store later today. 

Back in September, the BBM for Android and iOS apps were delayed after an unreleased version of BBM was leaked that "caused issues" with the BBM servers...

Read the full story here... Source: Mac Rumours

Apple Testing Keyboard Case for Potential Release Alongside iPad 5

According to ex-Apple Developer Relations employee and industry analyst Jamie Ryan, Apple has been testing a first-party keyboard case to be potentially released alongside the upcoming fifth-generation iPad. The case itself would reportedly be similar in nature to Microsoft's Touch Cover, which is made for the Surface line of tablets...

Ryan also adds that the primary motivation behind the development of the case is that Apple's current Bluetooth keyboard is not as integrated as Microsoft's Touch Cover, and that Apple is interested to create a better keyboard solution for the full-size iPad in order to distinguish it from the iPad mini. The analyst also adds that other cover-like accessories are also being looked at for release...

Read the full story here... Source: Mac Rumours

iPad 5 Rumor Roundup

If history is any indication, we can expect Apple to unveil the latest iPad and a new iPad Minisometime this fall. In October 2012, Apple updated its popular Retina Display iPad with slightly better specs and introduced a smaller, more portable tablet called the iPad Mini.

The rumor mill quieted for a few months after last fall's iPad launches, but it didn't take long before people started wildly speculating about the next generations of Apple's tablet line. Now, with possibly only a few weeks to go before we expect to see some new iPads, the rumors of a delayed iPad Mini with Retina Display and a thinner iPad 5 are cropping up every few days...

Read the full story here... Source: CNET

New Photos Offer Clear Look at Fifth-Generation iPad Ahead of October 22 Event

Apple is set to reveal its revamped fifth-generation iPad later this month, and ahead of the event, new high-resolution images of the upcoming iPad’s casing and front panel have been released by Australian writer Sonny Dickson, offering a clear view of what can be expected from the redesign. 

Though the iPad’s components have been shown off in multiple photos and videos, these high-quality images provide a better look at the slimmer, mini-style iPad 5...

Read the full story here... Source: Mac Rumours

Microsoft Office for iPad Awaiting Completion of 'Touch First' Interface for Windows Version

Dating back to the launch of the original iPad in early 2010, Microsoft has been considering the possibility of releasing a version of its Office productivity suite for the tablet platform. But despite repeated claims of an imminent launch, the only iOS release so far has been an Office Mobile app for iPhone available for subscribers to the company's Office 365 service...

Read the full story here... Source: Mac Rumours

New Report Summarizes Display Rumors for Future Apple Devices

Apple is shaking up the display market with a multitude of upcoming product debuts and enhancements, according to Korean site ET News. The site summarizes several known product rumors that will impact display manufacturers, including larger iPhone and iPads, an OLED iWatch, and IGZO displays for its MacBook lineup...

Read the full story here... Source: Mac Rumours

Rumor Has It: iPad rumor avalanche

If it weren't for the redesigned Home button and larger flash, the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5 would look like identical twins, at least on the outside. Take the new 5S apart, however, and the differences are more apparent -- even if only slightly so. And although it isn't the easiest phone to repair, with the right tools and a little patience, it is possible...

Read the full story here... Source: CNET