Top AppAdvice Industry & App News Of The Week

This week, we celebrated the iPhone 4's birthday, but we were more interested in the next iPhone coming. Meanwhile, it looks like Apple wants to be a television star. These stories and more were just a few of the topics covered in the week that was. Story Of The Week Unconfirmed: Next Generation iPhone To Be "Major Update," Available In August? A new report from Boy Genius Report claims that Apple's upcoming iPhone will be a "major update," and that the handset could be announced and released in August, as opposed to September. Previously, many had speculated that Apple's fifth generation iPhone would be a minor update, merely adding improved internals (like an Apple A5 chip). Furthermore, several rumors suggested that Apple might announce the handset at its annual September event, which usually focusses on the company's line of iPods. Now, Boy Genius Report has posted an article suggesting that the handset could be released in August, and that Apple's fifth generation iPhone will be a "major update." The news reportedly comes from a "reliable source," and Boy Genius Report itself has a reliable track-record, suggesting that there may be something behind this story. Other News Happy Birthday iPhone 4 (Everything You Need To Know) Today, Apple's iPhone 4 turns one year old, and - wow, what a year it's been! Throughout the year, we've seen everything - from antennagate to locationgate, the launch of Retina-optimized apps and even an iPhone in space! (Though this wasn't an iPhone 4.) However, now Apple's fourth generation iPhone isone, we've got to discuss a few things. First, what to do about warranty? Yesterday, we talked about the fact that today, the warranty on the very first iPhone 4 handsets sold will expire. Apple offers a one-year warranty on all iPhone handsets - once this has expired, you'll have to deal with any problems you encounter with your handset yourself. Don't Plan The iPod touch Funeral Just Yet Remember the rumor floating around that Apple might kill off the iPod touch? Well, that rumor might have just been debunked. New code has been discovered in iOS 5 beta that suggests the iPod touch will live to see another day, according to Cult Of Mac. Just last week, folks at TUAW were engaged in a heated discussion about why Cupertino might discontinue its high-end iPod. Much of this talk began when iOS 5 beta was released during WWDC and developers discovered there was no mention of an iPod touch in the code. Well, now code has been discovered. Is September 7th The Day For iPhone 5 & iOS 5? If you believe a certain International Business News today, as well as many other sites quoting them, the next iPhone will be released September 7 along with iOS 5. They also suggest Apple will delay the launch of its new line of iPods until a later date. Traditionally released at WWDC, the next-generation iPhone (called iPhone 4S or iPhone 5) should be unveiled two days after U.S. Labor Day and will, obviously, include iOS 5 preinstalled. Still according toIBN, Apple will begin production of the new iDevice next month with sales beginning sometime in September. Yes, we also can't wait for the new iPhone. After all, it will have been 15 months since the iPhone 4 debuted in June 2010. However, it's pretty clear that nobody, and probably not even Apple knows right now when the next iOS and iPhone will launch. Is Apple About To Purchase Hulu? [Updated: Potential Buyer Is Not Google] Web-video site Hulu LLC is weighing whether it should sell itself, according to Wednesday’s The Wall Street Journal. This move comes after an unsolicited offer was recently made for the site from an unknown company. Launched in March 2007, Hulu is a joint venture of NBCUniversal Media, LLC, Fox Entertainment Group, and Disney-ABC Television.  By accessing Hulu.com, users are able to stream free TV and Movie content from a number of different media sources, including Viacom and Sony Pictures. Your iPhone Will Smell So Good You Might Want To Eat It! Would you believe there is an iPhone case that taps into our sense of smell? ESI has developed a colorful and scented line of cases by partnering with the creators of Jelly Belly jellybeans. Your device will smell just like some of their most popular flavors. If president Ronald Reagan were alive today, he would love this case for his iPhone 4. This is a great gift for any jellybean lover, or those who want to make their purse or pocket smell sweet and fruity. Currently, the cases are available for the iPhone 4, iPod touch, iPod nano and BlackBerry devices. Sorry iPhone 3 users, you are left out of the fun! The case is made of a durable TPI plastic and will protect your device along with making it smell great! Apple Wants To Be A Television Star, Uncovered Patent Suggests Apple is cooking up something tasty for all of us couch potatoes: interactive widgets by way of its Apple TV. Unlike traditional TV widgets, these would allow us to 'talk back' in real-time about current television programming. The proposed system, described by Apple as being an enhanced TV widget paradigm, is part of a new patent application, according to Patently Apple. Good News, Game Developers: iCade SDK Available Now For Free A free software development kit is available to download for ThinkGeek's iCade Arcade Cabinet, meaning iOS game developers can now create applications that are compatible with the "retro" accessory. Currently, the only application that is compatible with the $99 accessory is Atari's Greatest Hits, a free app that features a variety of retro games (and more, which can be purchased for $0.99 in-app). Now, the iCade Arcade Cabinet is available to purchase online, with an expected shipping date of June 27. In order to fill the App Store with iCade-compatible applications, a free software development kit has been released. Using this, iOS developers can create applications that can be used with the accessory, much like Atari's Greatest Hits. Confirmed: Skype For iPad 2 Coming [Video] Skype is coming for the iPad 2 and we’ve got the video and confirmation to prove it. Apparently someone accidently posted a video showing Skype for iPad onto the company’s official YouTube.com page. While the video was quickly pulled down, RazorianFly re-uploaded it. Soon after, others got onboard the “Skype is coming to iPad 2” express too including 9 To 5 Mac and TUAW. On Way To America, Spotify Might Have Wounded Itself The Swedish-based Spotify music service could arrive stateside sometime between July 5th and July 15^th. When it does, however, it won’t offer a free package like one long enjoyed in Europe, according to Billboard. Spotify USA will arrive sometime next month and cost users $10 per month. This is according to “a post by The Noisecast, which claims to have spoken with a source who claims to have received the details in an e-mail correspondence with a major label executive.” Billboard suggests once it arrives, Spotify USA will be available by invitation only, which is typically how music services are launched today. Apple Can’t Cast A Spell Over Harry Potter Or His Creator It was once said that iTunes would not be complete without The Beatles albums. The same could be said about iBooks and J.K. Rowling’s series of Harry Potter books. However, while Apple was finally able to get the band from Liverpool, England to take up residence in its ecosystem, and same may never be said about the boy wizard. This week’s announcement that Rowling is set to debut an online extension of the Harry Potter universe called Pottermore, isn’t just bad news for Apple, but for e-book providers everywhere. To date, none of the seven Potter books are available in e-book format. But, that will change in October with the introduction of Pottermore, which will offer DRM-free copies of each novel. Apple Publishes MobileMe To iCloud Transition Q&A - Will Save Your Webmail Apple has just released a new MobileMe to iCloud transition FAQ that answers many of the questions many have had since the iCloud service was announced earlier this month. In particular, we now know that yes, users will be able to access iCloud apps on the web. However, not all of them. MobileMe, Apple’s hodgepodge of web services, is eventually going away with the introduction of iCloud. As such, MobileMe, which originally sold for $99/year, is already no longer available as a paid sync service. Therefore, for those of us that had an active MobileMe account as of June 6, 2011, your service has been extended through June 30, 2012, at no additional charge. After that date, MobileMe will no longer be available. However, what’s to happen with MobileMe’s existing services? Will Time Warner And Viacom Agree To Higher Costs For iDevice Owners? Time Warner and Viacom will attempt to resolve their fight over video streaming outside of court, in news first reported by The Wall Street Journal. But, does this mean higher costs in the end for subscribers? The two giants had been fighting for months over who owns the rights to video streaming. Their argument began when Time Warner released its TWCable TV iPad app, which allows its existing customers to stream content to their tablets via Wi-Fi at no additional cost. This didn’t sit well with Viacom, which presented Time Warner with a cease and desist order on March 24. Soon after, Time Warner pulled Viacom programming from its app. Comex Confirms: JailbreakMe 3.0 Will Be Compatible With iPad 2, iOS 4.2.1-4.3.3 In a recent Twitter post, jailbreak mastermind @comex confirmed that JailbreakMe 3.0 will be compatible with the iPad 2, running iOS 4.2.1-4.3.3. Recently, the famous hacker posted a teaser image to his Twitter account, which suggested that JailbreakMe - the online, Web based jailbreak tool - was going to be resurrected. However, we were not sure exactly what device or iOS version would be supported by JailbreakMe, when it did launch. App News Hills of Glory: WWII Hits The App Store Tower defense games are a dime a dozen on the App Store. However, how many of them take place in World War II? Not many until now. Hills of Glory: WWII comes from developer Bulkypix and offers a solid take on the genre and a breath of fresh air for iPhone gamers. Unlike many tower defense games, in Hills of Glory: WWII, players will be able to directly issue attacks or commands by tapping icons. An air strike can be ordered, for example. The game also offers two gameplay modes, they are: the campaign and survival. Apple Pulls Pro-Palestinian Application From App Store Apple has removed a pro-Palestinian application from the App Store, following its condemnation by a Jewish human rights group and a top Israeli official. The iPhone application, ThirdIntifada, can no longer be downloaded from Apple's App Store. Following the app's release, the Simon Wiesenthal Center called for Apple to remove the application, as did Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg. Furthermore, Yuli Edelstein (an Israeli Minister) contacted Apple, requesting the "immediate removal" of the application. Less than 24 hours later, Apple has kicked the application out of the App Store, citing section 19 of the company's approval policy as the reason behind the removal: "Apps containing references or commentary about a religious, cultural or ethnic group that are defamatory, offensive, mean-spirited or likely to expose the targeted group to harm or violence will be rejected." Use Your Strategy And Time Management Skills In Royal Envoy Royal Envoy HD ($6.99) by Playrix is a clever and addictive strategic time management game. You will be captivated for hours by this smooth playing game, as you efficiently complete the required tasks in each level. Royal Envoy has been a very popular computer game for some time, and now you can play it on your iPad in HD. You have been appointed to the position of city chief planner of Islandshire, the land of many islands. Recently, the islands have been devastated by a terrible storm. Work with your hired help to build and upgrade homes so the residents will survive the rainy season. Then, they will create beautiful handcrafted items for the kingdom to enjoy. Does Readmill Bring Anything New To The World of E-books? Readmill (Free) by Readmill Network Ltd. is an app hoping to carve out a niche in the world of e-book readers by focusing on social networking. In fact, you won’t even be able to use the app if you don’t attach your Facebook, Twitter, or email account information. After your setup is complete, you can link with friends who happen to use Readmill as well. This app will only accept ePub books that are Digital Rights Management (DRM) free. Setting up DRM free ePub books can be done either through iTunes (if you already have books) or downloaded to the iPad. There are links to Project Gutenberg as well as Feedbooks to find more books. The app generates a running tally of how far you are into the book and how long you’ve read during your sessions. Dumbed Down Project Magazine App Might Just Work Before the hype that was The Daily, we heard a lot about Richard Branson’s Project Magazine app, the first iPad-only monthly magazine. Now, after six issues, Project has been completely rebuilt for Issue #7. Was the update worth it? That depends. Sometimes it’s difficult to think of a world before the iPad debuted in April 2010. Equally difficult is to remember a time when the number of interactive publications available for the iPad could be counted on a few hands. Still, that time wasn’t that long ago.   Top AppAdvice Industry & Apps News Of The Week is published each Sunday, and is a wrap-up of some of the stories we felt were interesting during the last week.  

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