iPhone Software

Opera Software will launch a new mobile web browser based on WebKit dubbed "Opera Ice". The app will launch in both iOS and Android flavors, and provide a new design intended to simplify the smartphone web browsing experience. Opera's current app, Opera Mini will remain available in the App Store.

Opera plans continue development of Opera Mini and use the software as a platform to introduce its users to new mobile apps. When it comes to Opera Ice, the browser will feature an optional home page much like the Speed Dial featured on Opera's desktop software. Users can set their favorite or most-used web pages into a grid of icons for quick access.

After a delay last month, Apple is likely to release iTunes 11 before the end of November. This is according to a report in MacRumors that confirms the software launch will take place within the next few days. Apparently labels have been asked by Apple to submit photos and galleries of their artists.

iTunes 11 will feature a redesigned music store layout, which is where Apple could feature the new artist images. Feiyr, a German music distribution service, sent an email to their artists requesting new art for the upcoming iTunes update. Their message stated that iTunes was coming within days and pointed artists to the Promotion section of their website to submit images.

For those iPhone owners who aren't the biggest fans of Apple's home grown Maps application, take heart. The company has explicitly stated during its earnings call today that work continues on improving Maps. Apple made the decision to replace Google Maps with the launch of iOS 6.

The announcement came directly from CFO Peter Oppenheimer, who stated that Apple has "made a number of improvements to Maps over the past month and will work nonstop until Maps lives up to our incredibly high standards." No doubt Apple has Google in their sights and does not want to be considered the inferior solution.

The images we've seen so far from Apple's 3D mapping software destined for iOS 6 are nothing less than stunning. AppleInsider gives us an in-depth comparison between Apple's Flyover maps and Google Street View, which provide more insight into how the new Maps app will look on the iPhone 5.

The level of detail in cities where 3D mapping and aerial photography data exist is much better in the Apple product according to screenshots. Although Google Street View lets us see everything close up from the ground level, the aerial view provided by Apple is continuous and still allows the viewer to look down individual streets for landmarks.

Ever worry that someone is trying to spoof the origin of text messages on your iPhone? Well according to developer pod2g you should. Although the security flaw he cites is not capable of executing malicious code, it can be exploited to fake the origin of an SMS to an unsuspecting iPhone user.

Pod2g is hoping Apple fixes the problem before the final release of iOS 6. If iOS dealt with incoming text message information properly, the message would display the reply-to (spoofed) phone number as well as the actual originating phone number. As currently configured, iOS only shows the reply-to number.

Ever wonder why Apple requires an Apple ID linked to a credit card to download free apps on the App Store? Obviously it makes sense when you're purchasing something, but there are so many free apps that many iPhone owners never buy anything.

iDownloadBlog now says the latest beta of iOS 6 has dropped the requirement to sign in for free apps, meaning if you aren't interested in linking a credit card to your App Store downloads, you won't have to. This is a welcome change for many iPhone users watching their wallet, and their security.

If you're a retro video game fan you might remember playing Summer Games from Epyx. Well now you can watch the real thing on your iPhone or iPad with two new apps from NBC Olympics. Featuring everything you need to know about the London 2012 Olympic Games, the first app is called NBC Olympics.

This app will include highlights, schedules for TV and online programming, live event results, columns and features a Primetime Companion designed to be used while watching the games on TV. The second app, NBC Olympics Live Extra, will stream live events for cable, satellite and telco TV customers totaling over 3,500 hours of sporting competition.

If James Bond had an iPhone, he'd be using Wickr. Secret messaging between iOS devices has been around for some time, with apps such as Black SMS which encrypt messages to keep them private. Now a free app known as Wickr has taken the concept to a new level.

Not only does Wickr encrypt messages in transit, keeping them away from prying eyes, but the app actually is capable of sending self-destructing messages with a limited lifespan. After these messages are received, they are securely erased from the recipient's iOS device based on the sender's instructions.

Interested to see Apple's Passbook app in action on the beta version of iOS 6? With all of the buzz surrounding potential NFC payment technology possibly making its way into the next iPhone, the Passbook app just got more interesting. Already Apple has explained that the app will save retail loyalty cards, plane tickets and more all in one convenient place.

Activating Passbook on your device is easy if you already have the developer beta of iOS 6 installed. The app is already installed, however in order to work it requires individual entries to be created. Luckily there's a website that you can access using mobile Safari that will set up Passbook info, activating the app.

Now that WWDC 2012 is only a few days away, there's been plenty of time for speculation, research, rumors and leaks. Apple is set to show off its latest mobile operating system next week, iOS 6. So what have we learned is already in the works for the firmware?

According to reports, Apple will focus primarily on major improvements to apps, while most functions of iOS will remain unchanged. iPad 3 owners will be happy to know that Siri is expected to launch on their devices with the release of iOS 6. So what does iOS 6 have in store for the rest of us?