Swift Playgrounds on iPad makes learning how to code fun for all users

Coding can be fun and easy to learn if you spend time with Apple's Swift Playgrounds app now available for iPads.

With Swift Playgrounds, real coding concepts are brought to life with an interactive interface that allows students and beginners to explore working with Swift, the easy-to-learn programing language from Apple used by professional developers to create world-class apps. 

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Apple launches Apps et jeux en français on the Canadian App Store

Apple has added 'Apps et jeux en français' to tis Canadian App Store to highlight Canadian-made apps and content with specific curated lists of apps that best represent this genre of Canadian contant. 

Some of the collections featured this week include:

• Apps créées au Québec (Apps Made in Quebec) 
• Préparez la rentrée (Get Ready for School) including apps for teachers and older students (productivity, organization, note taking etc.)
• De nouveaux lieux à explorer (Go Somewhere New): collections of apps  including Explore Western Canada, Explore Eastern Canada, Explore Atlantic Canada, as well as excellent apps to help plan your trips to new places (including Airbnb, Packing Pro, KAYAK, Turo, and more)
• Apps et jeux pour la longue fin de semaine (Apps and Games for the Long Weekend)
• Jeux créés à Montréal (Games Created in Montreal)

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Apple gets in the spirit of 2016 Olympics with limited edition Watch bands

Apple is reportedly issuing a series of limited editon Apple Watch bands to commemorate the 2016 Olympics. The bands represent country colours to bolster national pride during the awaited event which kicks off in Rio next year. 

Available exclusively in Brazil at the Apple Store at VillageMall in Barra da Tijuca, the nylon bands will represent the 14 top competing countries and should make for a nice keepsake or gift for attendees of the Olympic events. These are sure to become valued collectors items for Apple Watch aficionados.

Source: GQ

Purported iPhone 7 video leak hints at larger camera, lack of headphone jack

There have been a significant number of purported iPhone 7 leaks from casemakers, component manufacturers and part sourcers. While everything is far from official until Apple reveals the next generation iOS flagships, we're seeing some details consistently standing out.

The above video posted on Weibo shows the alleged design of the iPhone 7's enclosure with redesigned antenna lines, a larger camera bulge and, no surprise, no headphone jack. Overall dimensions of the 4.7-inch iPhone 7 dummy shows that it is quite identical to the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6S. iPhone 7 is also expected to have a Smart Connector and additional speakers, similar to the iPad Pro line. This is all we know so far from extremely unofficial and dodgy sources but its good to see that iPhone rumours are still as exciting in 2016 as they were in 2007.

Source: Weibo via 9to5Mac