Skip to main content

iOS 7: Code reveals Apple testing deep LinkedIn integration

linkedin contactsWhile plenty of iPhone-owning professionals may already have the LinkedIn app on their handset, it appears Apple may be considering deep integration of the social network with iOS 7 when it launches in the fall.

The news comes courtesy of 9to5Mac, which received information from a developer working with the first beta of the forthcoming iOS operating system. The Apple-centric website points to references within the new OS’s code which indicate a single-sign-on system for LinkedIn accounts that resembles the way iOS integrates Facebook and Twitter.

Recommended Videos

“The references also indicate that users will be able to easily post content, such as Web links, to LinkedIn via a share-sheet or through iOS applications,” 9to5Mac says in its report.

However, it also points out that despite the indications that LinkedIn could be coming to Apple’s recently unveiled iOS 7 mobile operating system, the absence of particular segments of code means there’s currently no active LinkedIn functionality in the beta version. This may mean that, for whatever reason, a final decision on integration is yet to be made.

9to5Mac notes that Apple has previously omitted other social networks from iOS test versions, including Facebook which showed up in the beta version of iOS 4 in 2010 but wasn’t integrated in the operating system until iOS 6 two years later. The delay was apparently because the two companies failed to reach a deal as to the specifics of the integration, a situation which could be affecting LinkedIn now.

If the social networking site for professionals does end up launching with iOS 7, it’ll be following in the footsteps of not only Facebook but Twitter, too, which has been integrated since iOS 5. With Twitter for iPhone, users can sign into their account once and tweet with a single tap from apps like Safari, Photos and Camera.

iOS 7 marks the biggest overhaul of Apple’s mobile operating system since it first came on the scene with the iPhone in 2007. Although it unveiled its latest iOS at WWDC last week, it’s expected to undergo a lot of changes before it’s finally rolled out to Apple handsets and tablets later in the year.

On Tuesday it was reported that another developer with access to the beta version had discovered code suggesting Apple was experimenting with various new swipes and gestures which could feasibly makes their way onto the release version of iOS 7.

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
The next iOS 18 update is on its way. Here’s what we know
The iPhone 16 sitting on top of orange mums.

When iOS 18.2 released just over a week ago, it unlocked a lot of long-awaited features like Image Playground, Visual Intelligence, and improvements to writing tools. Now, it seems like another update could be just around the corner: version 18.2.1.

MacRumors found evidence of the update in their analytic logs, a source that has supposedly revealed quite a few iOS versions before release. Given that this is a minor update, it isn't likely to come with new features or anything groundbreaking. Instead, it will most likely be targeted at bug fixes, although no specific problems have been named. You should expect this update to drop either in late December or early January, but a year-end release is more likely.

Read more
How to use Visual Intelligence on your iPhone with iOS 18.2
Using Visual Intelligence on an iPhone 16 Pro showing ChatGPT answer.

Though the iPhone 16 series launched in September, it shipped with iOS 18 sans Apple Intelligence. Instead, Apple began rolling out Apple Intelligence features starting with iOS 18.1, and then more AI tools arrived in iOS 18.2, including Visual Intelligence for the iPhone 16.

Read more
Have an old iPhone or iPad? You can no longer use this iCloud feature
An iPhone 6S in gold held against a red pipe.

If you own an older iPhone or iPad, it may be time to consider upgrading. As of December 18, the minimum requirement for using iCloud backups is iOS 9 or later, as support for iOS 8 and earlier versions has ended. This information was initially communicated to Apple users in November.

As noted by MacRumors, while iCloud support for devices running iOS 8 or earlier has ceased, you can still create manual backups on a Mac or Windows PC. If your device is currently on iOS 8, but can upgrade to a newer version, your iCloud backup capabilities will be restored.

Read more