Misfit Unveils ‘Beddit’ Smart Bed System for Sleep Monitoring [iOS Blog]

Misfit, the company behind the sleek Shine activity monitor, today unveiled its newest product, the Misfit Beddit Sleep System. Using a built-in sleep sensor that is described as “the world’s thinnest,” the Beddit monitors sleep cycles and sleep quality through heart rate, respiration, movement, snoring, and sound.

The “paper thin” Beddit sensor is designed to be placed under on a user’s mattress, just under the sheets. It displays collects data on sleep habits, measuring physiological signals and wirelessly transmitting them to a smartphone. The accompanying Misfit app then uses the data to draw insights on sleep habits, which are shared with the user.

“Shine delivered on the important function of activity tracking, but we saw that sleep tracking was one of the most engaging features because Shine does it automatically, unlike other activity monitors,” said Sonny Vu, CEO and founder of Misfit. “With Beddit, we’re making our sleep tracking functionality even more robust. Not only are we able to measure more, but even less is required of the user–a frictionless experience.”

The Beddit’s sleep tracking capabilities are designed to work alongside the Shine’s movement tracking abilities (and its own less advanced sleep tracking), with the combination of both apps offering a “comprehensive solution for 24/5 wellness monitoring.”

Beddit first appeared in an Indiegogo campaign back in 2013, which raised more than $500,000, but now the company has partnered up with Misfit.

The Beddit Sleep Monitor can be purchased from the Misfit website for $149.99.

Spotify Approaching 10M Paying Users, Revenue May Soon Surpass iTunes in Europe [iOS Blog]

Streaming music service Spotify is growing in the UK and soon may overtake iTunes as Europe’s biggest digital music service, reports Music Week, which spoke to Spotify’s European head of media relations Kevin Brown [Via The Guardian].

Spotify’s growth in the UK is quickly accelerating with the service adding more than 1 million active users in the past four months, claims Brown. Many of these new customers are lucrative subscribers who are paying for the premium service instead of listening to the ad-supported, free version. Brown attributes this growth to Spotify’s partnerships with Vodafone and the Sunday Times.

“Some of our partners are saying Spotify is now generating more revenue each month across Continental Europe than iTunes,” Spotify’s head of label relations in Europe, Kevin Brown, told industry site Music Week.

“Given that download sales are declining and Spotify is growing rapidly, particularly in the UK, it is only a matter of time before Spotify is bigger than iTunes across Europe as a whole.”

Spotify last year had 24 million active users and 6 million paying users worldwide, but the company has not updated those figures to reflect this recent increase. Brown believes the company is close to surpassing 10 million paying users, and many believe the company is waiting for this milestone to announce updated membership numbers.

In the U.S., iTunes is the market leader for digital music downloads and iTunes Radio is number three for streaming music. In the streaming market, iTunes Radio holds an 8 percent market share, with Spotify holding 6 percent. The pair trail iHeartRadio (9 percent) and market leader Pandora, which dominates with 31 percent market share.

In an effort to standardize the experience across platforms, Spotify recently updated its iOS app with a darker theme as well as new fonts and icons that match the web and desktop versions. All platforms also received a new personalized Your Music section and an updated Browse feature.

Rockstar Releases ‘iFruit’ Companion App for ‘Grand Theft Auto V’ [iOS Blog]

Ahead of tomorrow’s Grand Theft Auto V launch, Rockstar has released a companion app for the game, Grand Theft Auto: iFruit (via TouchArcade). Though the name of the app is a parody on Apple devices, it provides a number of helpful in-game features, including allowing users to create and customize vehicles that will then be available in the game.

Customization options for cars include paint jobs, window tints, smoke colors, wheels, hoods, and spoilers. Engines, brakes, exhaust, and suspension can be upgraded, and there are even customized license plates available in the online portion of the game.

The Los Santos Customs app offers players the freedom to create their ultimate vehicle in Grand Theft Auto V from anywhere. At the bar, on the beach, on the toilet. This is the future, we’re almost sure of it.

Gamers can also use the iFruit app to access options for caring for Chop the Dog, an in-game sidekick in GTA V. Though a virtual pet system, the app provides in-game benefits that cause Chop to be more helpful, performing tricks, and locating hidden items.

Depth of content, high production values, defecation. It’s the app that has it all. Because who doesn’t love tending to a virtual pet? Chop is Franklin’s canine sidekick in Grand Theft Auto V. Look after him well in the “Chop the Dog” app and you will reap the benefits when playing as Franklin in Grand Theft Auto V. Pet him, feed and water him, play fetch and tug-of-war, teach him tricks.

In addition to providing customization options and access to Chop the Dog, iFruit offers GTA V news, access to the Rockstar Games Social Club, and links to other Rockstar Games apps.

Grand Theft Auto: iFruit can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link] Grand Theft Auto V will launch on September 17 for the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360.

Google Acquires ‘Bump’, One of the App Store’s First Hits [iOS Blog]

Google is acquiring Bump for an undisclosed sum, according to a blog post by company cofounder David Lieb.

Bump’s eponymous app allows users to share contact information, photos and more with other Bump users by ‘bumping’ devices with each other, including across platforms. Bump’s apps will continue to operate normally for now.

Our mission at Bump has always been to build the simplest tools for sharing the information you care about with other people and devices. We strive to create experiences that feel like magic, enabled behind the scene with innovations in math, data processing, and algorithms. So we couldn’t be more thrilled to join Google, a company that shares our belief that the application of computing to difficult problems can fundamentally change the way that we interact with one another and the world.

Bump and Flock will continue to work as they always have for now; stay tuned for future updates.

We’d like to extend a special thank you to all of you who have used our products so far. It continues to be a pleasure to serve you, and your feedback and evangelism inspire us every day.

Bump is a free download for the iPhone and iPad on the App Store. [Direct Link]

Twitter’s Little-Used Music App Shutting Down April 18 [iOS Blog]

One year after it launched, Twitter is killing off its #Music iOS app. The company announced today that it will be removing the app from the App Store this afternoon, with existing users continuing to have access to the app until April 18.

Twitter said in a tweet that it will “continue to experiment with new ways to bring you great content based on the music activity we see every day on Twitter.”

AllThingsD reported back in October that the app was likely to be discontinued because of “abysmal” download numbers and a lack of user interest. With Apple launching its iTunes Radio streaming music service alongside iOS 7, the iOS music scene has become increasingly more competitive and crowded.

It was reported earlier today that Apple is considering a new on-demand streaming music service similar to Spotify, along with an Android platform of the iTunes Music Store and iTunes Radio.

Shazam Testing Redesigned iOS App Aiming for Deeper User Engagement [iOS Blog]

Music recognition app Shazam was today updated to version 7.4.0, adding a few minor enhancements and laying the groundwork for a larger content rollout happening later this month. With the update, Shazam is aiming to refocus its app on content, offering quicker, more integrated access to song lyrics, TV results, and music videos.

Shazam, which is designed to “listen” to a song and identify its name and the artist from a large database, has given some “test group” users access to its upcoming redesign. That means some users who download the new 7.4.0 update will have immediate access to the app’s new features while other users will need to wait for the update to rollout later.

The revised Shazam app includes a new card-style layout that gives more prominence to lyrics, other recommended songs, and tools to listen to songs within other apps such as Rdio or Spotify.

The new experience means Shazaming becomes the beginning of a journey, giving users effortless access to:

– A brand new look and feel for music and television results with easy access to previewing, buying, and sharing a track;
– Quick access to lyrics with a preview as soon as a track is matched;
– Direct access to the music video and additional videos related to a song; and,
– Recommendations unique to Shazam.

Users who were not selected to be members of the test group will see few changes to the app, aside from more information within the news feed and improved handling of pending tags. The update is available for both the free and Encore (ad-free) versions of the Shazam app.

Shazam is a universal app that can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Shazam Encore is a universal app that can be downloaded from the App Store for $6.99. [Direct Link]

‘Anki Drive’ App Updated With New Weapons and Upgrades [iOS Blog]

Anki Drive, the iOS-controlled AI-based racing game that first debuted at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference, got a major app update today, adding new weapons, support items, and a new upgrade system.

Following the update, there are a total of 20 upgrades that can be used to customize cars, in categories like Combat, Chassis, Engine, and Energy Systems. The Anki Cars, which are largely self-operating and steer by themselves via Bluetooth, can be upgraded with different abilities and statistics that make each car unique.

Additional weapons have been added as well, such as the EMP, which is used by the player to shoot other cars as they race along the track. There are two new support items, the Reverse Drive and the Kinetic Brake, which allow users to do a 180 degree turn or come to a dead stop on the track.

Players are also no longer locked into specific upgrades as they were in the past and can freely choose to buy and sell upgrades.

We’re proud to announce a major app update to improve and enhance Anki Drive:
– EXPANDED UPGRADE SYSTEMS
Enter the Garage and customize the new Combat, Chassis, Engine, and Energy Systems. Choose your path, buy & sell upgrades, and level up!
– NEW WEAPONS AND SUPPORT ITEMS
Arm yourself with the all new EMP, Reverse Drive, Horn, and Kinetic Brake. Remember: swipe left & right on the triggers during gameplay to switch weapons.
– THE ARMORY HAS MOVED
Each vehicle now has it’s own set of Weapons and Support Items. Configure them via the Armory in the Garage.
– EARN BOUNTIES
Earn greater rewards for defeating stronger opponents. The higher a vehicle’s Level, the more bounty you earn for defeating it!
– VEHICLE SOFTWARE UPDATES
Once updated, vehicles can use the new Upgrade Systems. All existing purchases have been refunded, and you’ll get even more points for each vehicle you update in the Garage.
– SMARTER AI
Think you can beat the AI on hard? We sure don’t… especially with our recent improvements. It’s smarter than ever. Think you’ve got what it takes?
– IMPROVEMENTS THROUGHOUT THE GAME
Enhancements and fixes make it even more fun to play.

Alongside the update, the creators of Anki Drive have released a few statistics on the game, which has been available for more than two months. Anki users have raced approximately 42 million laps around the track, the equivalent of 540,000 Monaco Grand Prix races. The game’s AI, when set to hard, has also managed to win 9 out of 10 races.

The Anki Drive Starter Kit, which includes two cars and a track, can be purchased from the Apple Store for $199.95. The accompanying Anki Drive app can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Google Brings Gmail iOS App Interface to Its Mobile Web App [iOS Blog]

Google has updated its Gmail experience when using mobile browsers like Safari. The company is aiming to replicate the experience users have using the Gmail for iOS app, updated back in December.

Since launching the rebooted Gmail app for iPhone and iPad in December (http://goo.gl/2m7pd), we’ve heard from many of you that you like the redesigned UI, along with new features such as improved search and integration with Google Calendar. Today we’re rolling out a similar refreshed look to the Gmail mobile web app as well as Gmail Offline (http://goo.gl/0f1ae) that includes many of these same changes. Try it out at gmail.com in the browser of your Android, iOS, Blackberry or Kindle Fire device

Mophie Announces Juice Pack Air for iPhone 5 [iOS Blog]

Mophie today announced the iPhone 5 version of the Juice Pack Air, which offers more battery life than the recently announced Juice Pack Helium for the iPhone 5.

The ideal case for the everyday 9-5er and for those whose day doesn’t always end when they leave the office. Lighter and thinner than previous generations, but packed with more power to make sure your phone can keep up with your busy lifestyle.

While the Helium comes equipped with a 1500mAh battery, the Air offers a 1700mAh battery, which promises to double the iPhone 5’s battery life, adding an additional eight hours of LTE use. The Helium, in contrast, is only capable of charging an iPhone battery to 80 percent, offering six hours of LTE use.

The Air and the Helium share a similar thin design, but the Air is slightly larger in all dimensions, including weight. The Air is 2.60 in x 5.54 in x 0.63 in and 2.68 oz, while the Helium is 2.49 in x 5.49 in x 0.59 in and 2.44 oz.

The black version of the Juice Pack Air will ship in 7-10 days, while the red and white versions will ship on March 22. All three cases can currently be purchased through Mophie’s online store. for $99.95.

THX Releases iPhone App to Calibrate Televisions and Surround Sound Systems [iOS Blog]

THX, the company behind Lucasfilm’s audio/visual reproduction standard for movie theaters, A/V equipment, and more, has released a new iPhone app to assist consumers with calibrating their HDTV’s and home theater setups. The app is currently free for one week, but will rise to $1.99 after.

THX prefers that users connect the app to their television via Apple’s official HDMI adapter, but AirPlay Mirroring can also be used for the visual tests — audio tests won’t work over the AirPlay protocol.

But those that do try out THX’s method will be rewarded with modest improvements. In our tests, it worked as advertised. Speaking to The Verge, company reps made clear that Tune-Up isn’t meant to be a substitute for having a professional visit your home for a thorough calibration. Instead, it’s a tool that can (fairly quickly) help your new TV look better than it did the first time you turned it on. And as an added bonus, you’ll be able to play the famous “deep note” that moviegoers hear before THX-certified movies in lossless audio.

THX tune-up is a free download on the App Store for 1 week, before rising to $1.99. [Direct Link]