Apple launches GymKit Certification Assistant app

Apple has launched a GymKit Certification Assistant app that should help with streamlining approvals.

GymKit launched in 2017 and enables the Apple Watch to pair with supported gym equipment for quick and accurate syncing of information.

The rollout of GymKit has been steady but probably not quite at the pace that Apple envisioned. Part of the reason may be the cumbersome certification process, so Apple is simplifying it.

In the app’s description, Apple...

7 September 2022 | iOS

Xcode 14 beta practically confirms iPhone 14 Pro will get an AOD

The latest beta of Xcode 14 all but confirms that an always-on display (AOD) will arrive with the iPhone 14 Pro lineup.

AODs have featured on numerous Android devices since around 2016. Over in the Apple garden, the only device to feature an AOD is the Apple Watch (Series 5+)

Rather than have to fully wake up your display to obsessively check for information, AODs enable data to be seen at-a-glance.

AODs require very low refresh rates to preserve battery. The...

2 August 2022 | Development Tools

Apple opens registrations for next App Store Sessions

Apple developers wanting to optimise their listing and marketing strategies can now register for the next round of App Store Sessions.

The sessions connect developers with Apple’s experts to learn more about all things App Store, including:

Improving your listing pagesAttracting customersTesting marketing strategiesImplementing subscriptionsSuccessfully using TestFlight for beta tests

App Store Sessions were first introduced in February to significant interest. They...

27 July 2022 | Analytics

Xcode Cloud is now available to all developers

Apple has announced that Xcode Cloud is now available to all developers.

Xcode Cloud was first announced during WWDC 2021. Over the past year, it’s gradually been rolling out in beta to lucky developers.

A year (and a WWDC) later, Xcode Cloud is leaving beta.

Xcode Cloud is a continuous integration and delivery service that’s built into Xcode. The solution accelerates the development and delivery of apps by bringing together cloud-based tools that help...

8 June 2022 | Continuous Delivery

Judge rejects Apple’s bid to dismiss lawsuit by Cydia’s creator

California District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers has denied Apple’s bid to dismiss a lawsuit brought against the company by Cydia’s creator.

Cydia was a third-party app store which, as you will be well aware, is officially a no-no in Apple’s books. The store was popular among the “jailbreak” community and even pre-dates the official App Store.

The creator of Cydia, Jay Freeman (AKA ‘Saurik’), ended up shutting his app store down in...

30 May 2022 | App Stores

Tim Sweeney: The App Store is a ‘disservice’ to developers

Epic CEO Tim Sweeney has continued his company’s fierce criticism of Apple and called the App Store a “disservice” to developers.

In an interview with Financial Times, Sweeney explained his reasoning behind taking Apple to court.

The long-running feud between Epic and Apple is the result of the latter’s infamous “walled garden” mobile ecosystem that many see as anti-competitive.

While Google has faced similar criticisms, its relatively open approach...

26 May 2022 | App Stores

Apple allows subscription price increases without explicit consent

Apple is changing its policy around auto-renewing subscriptions; allowing them to be increased in price without explicit user consent.

Under the previous policy, a user would be alerted to the price change and have to manually accept any increase. Failing to accept the new pricing would result in the subscription being automatically cancelled at the next renewal.

The new approach still alerts users to price changes but no longer requires the user to opt-in before it...

17 May 2022 | App Stores

Apple begins notifying developers invited to WWDC22

Apple is sending out RSVPs to developers invited to attend its first in-person WWDC since the COVID-19 pandemic.

With Google I/O now behind us, Apple’s conference will be the next big event in many developers’ diaries. The annual event is normally packed to the rafters but over the pandemic had been relegated to online-only affairs.

This year’s event is returning to having a physical presence and the company has invited a limited number of developers to...

13 May 2022 | Developer

ARCore Geospatial API helps developers build immersive experiences

During I/O 2022, Google launched its ARCore Geospatial API to help developers build more immersive, richer, and more useful experiences.

Augmented reality experiences are beginning to gain traction beyond Pokémon Go. Now there are AR apps for making floorplans, seeing how furnishings will look in your home, understanding the world around you, and even getting real-time information about the night sky.

Google showed off enhancements to its own AR solution, Lens, during...

12 May 2022 | Android

Apps will soon need to be submitted to the App Store using Xcode 13

Apple has reminded developers that apps will soon need to be submitted to the App Store using Xcode 13.

From 25 April 2022, Apple will only accept the submission of apps that are built using the latest version of its IDE.

“iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS apps submitted to the App Store must be built with Xcode 13, which includes the SDKs for iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and watchOS 8,” wrote Apple on its developer site.

Apple goes on to tout how Xcode 13 enables developers...

16 March 2022 | App Stores