iOS 10 has brought apps to iMessage—this week’s roundup features some of the new offerings. Read on!
If you enjoy playing chess with friends, Chess42 ($1) offers the game as an iMessage app. No account is needed; just tap and play. And you can play on multiple devices—start a game on an iPhone, then shift to iPad and keep going until somebody yells “Checkmate!”
iTranslate (free) has introduced an iMessage app with its latest update—you can have two-way, real-time communication when both users have the iTranslate iMessage App on their phone: iTranslate for iMessage automatically detects the language of the iMessage conversation and remembers default languages. The updated app also features support for the Apple Watch.
SwiftGift (free, iPhone only) has also updated with an iMessage app. The makers have partnered with an array of brands, including Amazon, Apple, Beats by Dre (so, Apple), and more. You can select a gift, and the recipient will immediately receive a message to “unwrap” it virtually. Once they’ve done that, they can select the time and place to take physical delivery of the item. Now? The entire process can be conducted in iMessage.
It’s playoff time, which means it’s time for another update for MLB.com At Bat (freemium). The new features include support for iOS 10, the ability to watch game highlights in the Notification Center, and an iMessage sticker pack for your favorite team.
Bynd (free, iPhone) is an app that combines all your feeds—Twitter, Facebook, and more—into a central hub. Version 2.0 has launched with an array of new features, including private messages, push notifications, landscape mode for videos, and more.
Leaf for Twitter ($5, iPhone only) is a new Twitter client. How’s it different from competitors? “Leaf considers every tweet with photo/video attached and personalizes it by smoothly merging the two together as one, taking up less screen space and in return, allowing you to read more tweets on the screen.”
If your kid is lonely at lunch, or is willing to sit with another lonely kid at lunch, the new Sit With Us app (free) is there to help. The app was created by a 16-year-old to promote kindness and inclusion in schools by helping students connect with each other.
Skype’s (free, iPhone only) latest update includes several new features, like the ability to use Siri to start a phone call, the ability to answer Skype straight from the lock screen—like a regular phone call—and the ability to store your Skype contacts in your phones contacts list.
Spotfund (pictured) allows users to donate $1, $2, or $3 to their favorite presidential candidate … Facebook Messenger has added a new polling feature … Google for iOS now allows private searches in incognito mode.
Author: Joel Mathis
Joel Mathis is a regular contributor to Macworld and TechHive. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife and young son.