iPhone Applications

Shazam has announced a major expansion of its television companion service, officially known as Shazam for TV. The update brings television fans in the US access to audio recognition during practically any show on any channel. Shazam now has support for 160 channels, with the exception of some shows such as local news broadcasts or local paid advertising programs.

You may have seen the "Shazam for more" logo pop up on your television before. The popular app is also capable of tagging TV shows and ads at any time, right from your smartphone. So what information can Shazam deliver about your favorite program?

Apple is not only kicking Google Maps to the curb, it's also removing the stock YouTube app with the release of iOS 6. YouTube responded by releasing its own standalone app in the App Store on Tuesday. YouTube fans can either download the new app, or keep their old stock app by ignoring iOS 6 when it's released.

The new YouTube app brings an improved channel guide where users can swipe left or right to navigate their subscribed channels, better search tools that give suggestions while you type, and the ability to share videos on Google+, Facebook, Twitter or via text. YouTube promises the new app will give YouTube users a better mobile experience than the old stock app.

Apple is finally rejecting copycat apps that confuse users by mimicking other applications' icons and names. iOS developer Benjamin Mayo shared an app rejection notice with CultofMac that shows the app Clear Todo was rejected for violating the App Store guidelines by containing "false, fraudulent or misleading representations". Clear Todo looks a lot like the list-keeping app known as Clear.

Mayo explained on his blog:

"Traditionally, Apple has steered clear of protecting app trademarks which has resulted in a lot of copycat apps hitting the store."

"It appears this policy has changed and Apple is taking a much more proactive role; rejecting apps which attempt to mislead users by aping successful apps’ trademarks. In short, Apple is helping to protect real developers from being ripped off. This is a good thing."

Version 5.0 of the iPhone and iPad Facebook app has finally landed in the app store! Facebook has rebuilt the app from the ground up making it much faster. The app now launches immediately and the news feed and photos load a lot more quickly.

The new app allows you to easily scroll through your news feed without having to refresh, and now features notification banners for recent posts. The app doesn't look any different, but you will immediately feel the changes the first time you use it. Facebook did not add the must asked for "Share" button featured on the web version.

Skype updated their iPhone and iPad apps to version 4.1 on Tuesday. The upgrade brings a new photo sharing feature, a few minor bug fixes and minor visual improvements. The photo sharing feature requires that both users are connected to Skype’s instant messaging service to work.

If sharing pictures of food is not your thing, Skype 4.1 is also supposed to improve the app’s battery performance, plus fix a bug related to Bluetooth and calls. Existing users can upgrade to version 4.1 starting today.