Apple’s Services Revenue Up 19% on App Store, Apple Music Growth
During today’s third quarter earnings call, Apple announced its second consecutive year-over-year revenue drop, but amid the decline, the company’s services category saw significant growth based on strong App Store performance.
Services revenue was up 19 percent year over year, and according to Apple CEO Tim Cook, Apple saw its highest App Store revenue ever, setting a new all time high. Compared to the year-ago quarter, App Store growth was up an impressive 27 percent, with iCloud, AppleCare, and Apple Music also seeing notable growth.
Over the course of the last 12 months, Apple’s services revenue is up $23.1 billion, and next year, the company expects revenue from services to “be the size of a Fortune 100 company.”
Growth was fueled by Apple’s active install base, which brought in $10.3 billion dollars during the quarter, marking 29 percent growth year-over-year. Apple CFO Luca Maestri said the company set a new record for customers making purchases through the iTunes and App Store, and the average amount spent per customer was the highest Apple has ever measured.
App Store revenue has climbed consistently over the last four consecutive quarters and Cook said he expects the services category to continue to grow “very briskly.”
Tag: App Store
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Tim Cook ‘Optimistic’ About iPhone 7 Sales, Sees ‘Signs That are Positive’
During today’s third quarter earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook told investors that he’s “very optimistic” about prospective iPhone sales this fall, despite rumors suggesting the device will introduce only minor changes.
In response to a question about speculation that iPhone upgrade rates will be low in 2016 based on circulating rumors that the iPhone 7 will mark only a modest update to the iPhone 6s, Cook said he sees “so many signs that are positive” that point towards solid sales numbers.
A mockup of the iPhone 7
I don’t want to talk about new phones that aren’t announced. That aside, what we have seen — in past tense or in current tense — on the upgrade rate is that the iPhone upgrade rate for the iPhone 6s is similar to the iPhone 5s. […]
The iPhone 6 was significantly higher than that and it likely accelerated upgrades that would have been in the current year ahead of those. So what the future holds, we’ll see, but I’m very optimistic about the future because I see so many signs that are positive.
As for the signs in question, Cook pointed towards an install base that has gotten “incredibly large,” a switcher rate that continues to grow, a smartphone penetration rate that’s only at 42 percent, changes coming in iOS 10, and the growing importance of the smartphone itself as it becomes “even more instrumental and important to people’s lives.”
On that last point, Cook said he expects AI to play a major role in turning the iPhone into an essential device that people can’t live without. “As the iPhone becomes more and more your assistant, you’re not going to leave without it,” he said. “I see all of those things as vectors that are incredibly positive,” he continued.
According to Cook, Apple will excel at AI because of the company’s focus on user experience, which will drive people to adopt Apple devices. Apple is continually working to improve its virtual assistant Siri, and Cooks comments hint at Apple’s continued focus on the service.
As the smartphone itself becomes more essential to customers’ day-to-day lives, we think people will put more and more focus on what they’re buying. The thing Apple does best is providing a killer user experience that’s integrated across the entire product line, and that becomes more important and really plays to our advantage.
I think the deployment of AI technology is something we will excel at because of our focus on user experience. So I like that.
Apple will unveil its next-generation iPhone 7 this fall, likely in September. While the device is expected to have a design similar to the design of the iPhone 6s, it will feature camera improvements, a better processor, improved water resistance, no headphone jack, and more.
Related Roundup: iPhone 7
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Apple CEO Tim Cook on Augmented Reality: ‘We Continue to Invest a Lot in This’
Apple CEO Tim Cook today told investors that Apple is continuing to invest in augmented reality, and that the company is “high on AR in the long run.” Cook’s comments came after he was questioned about Pokémon Go, the hit augmented reality game developed by Niantic Labs, Nintendo, and The Pokémon Company.
Cook, who continually referred to “Pokémon” as “Pokemans,” said Pokémon Go is a “testament to what happens to innovative apps,” giving the App Store credit for empowering developers to “press a button” and “offer a product around the world.” He went on to say that augmented reality offers a great commercial opportunity and great opportunities for consumers.
AR can be really great. We have been and continue to invest a lot in this. We’re high on AR in the long run and we think there are great things for customers and a great commercial opportunity. The number one thing is to make sure that our products work well with other developer’s products like Pokémon, and that’s why you see so many iPhones in the wild chasing Pokemans.
Cook went on to say that he believes augmented reality “can be huge.” “We’ll see whether it’s the next platform,” he said. “Regardless, it will be huge.”
In the past, rumors have suggested Apple has a secret research team working on augmented reality and virtual reality, exploring the AR/VR field and investigating how the company could embrace augmented or virtual reality in the future.
Apple has also made a number of augmented reality acquisitions, purchasing companies like Metaio, Faceshift, and Flyby Media. How Apple might incorporate augmented reality into its products remains a mystery, but there are applications related to Maps and Photos that could be on the horizon.
Earlier this year, Cook made similar comments about virtual reality, calling it more than just a niche product. “It’s really cool and it has some interesting applications,” he said.
Related Roundup: Apple VR Project
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Nintendo NES Classic Edition Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
Did you hear? The Nintendo Entertainment System is back, and it’s cuter than ever.
The new NES Classic Edition (aka NES Classic Mini) is an official Nintendo product that crams 30 of the company’s most beloved games into a miniature version of the hit ’80s game system. It fits in the palm of your hand. It comes with an HDMI port so it can plug into a modern TV, and a freshly manufactured NES gamepad for that old-school feel.
And when it ships on November 11 for just $60, £50 or AU$100, it could also be an unbeatable deal: we ran the numbers, and you can’t get this many retro Nintendo games anywhere else for the money.
Surely you have some questions, yes? Here’s everything else you need to know.
Christine Cain/CNET
Can I use my old NES cartridges?
Nope! There’s no cartridge slot — according to Nintendo, the 30 games are all stored in onboard memory, and you can’t add or download any more.
But the little cartridge door opens, right?
Sadly, no. “The console does not use physical media and therefore the Chamber Lid does not open,” Nintendo told Kotaku.
How about my old NES gamepads and Zappers?
Not those either! The NES Classic Edition has a different controller port. You might recognize that port, though — it’s the same one you’ll find at the bottom of a Nintendo Wii remote. If you want to play a two-player game, you can connect a Wii Classic Controller or Classic Controller Pro for player #2.
Which games come with the NES Classic Edition?
- Balloon Fight
- Bubble Bobble
- Castlevania
- Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest
- Donkey Kong
- Donkey Kong Jr.
- Double Dragon II: The Revenge
- Dr. Mario
- Excitebike
- Final Fantasy
- Galaga
- Ghosts ‘n Goblins
- Gradius
- Ice Climbers
- Kid Icarus
- Kirby’s Adventure
- Mega Man 2
- Metroid
- Mario Bros.
- Ninja Gaiden
- Pac-Man
- Punch-Out!! Featuring Mr. Dream
- Star Tropics
- Super C
- Super Mario Bros.
- Super Mario Bros. 2
- Super Mario Bros. 3
- Tecmo Bowl
- The Legend of Zelda
- Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
Which awesome NES games don’t come with the Classic Edition?
Duck Hunt. Contra. Bionic Commando. Dragon Warrior. River City Ransom. Battletoads. A Boy and His Blob. Blaster Master. Crystalis. Castlevania III.
Nintendo’s tiny NES Classic Edition comes…
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What comes in the box?
One NES Classic gamepad, an AC adapter and an HDMI cable, as well as the console itself.
What if I want a second NES Classic gamepad for player #2 instead of using one designed for the Wii?
You’ll be able to buy a second Classic pad for $10, £8 or AU$20.
How does the new old (or old new?) gamepad feel, and how do the games look on a modern TV?
Watch this space! Nintendo hasn’t let any journalists touch the mini-NES quite yet, but we’re hoping to remedy that ASAP. Nintendo’s own video gives us some idea what the games might look like:
Can you save your game?
Yes. Nintendo told Polygon, “Each game has multiple suspend points, so you can start where you left off at a later time.”
What’s the best way to ensure I get an NES Classic Edition this holiday season?
In the UK, you can already pre-order one at Amazon. Pre-orders aren’t open yet in the US, but Best Buy seems to have a listing. In Australia, EB Games already seems to be sold out but maybe you can watch this space.
What if I just want to blow on cartridges again?
Seriously, don’t. But if you really want the old-school NES experience in a modern HDTV-compatible package and have a bucket of cash to spend, keep an eye out for an Analogue NT. It’s a thing of beauty.
2017 Audi R8 V10 Plus review – Roadshow
Jul 2016
The Good The 2017 Audi R8 has sophisticated looks that fly under the supercar radar a bit, but a screaming V10 engine that lets drivers rev to the stratosphere.
The Bad Not a lot of storage, no adaptive cruise control and the steering doesn’t offer much feedback. Oh, and it’s super-pricey.
The Bottom Line If you’ve got nearly $200,000 to drop on a car, the R8 is well worth your money.
“Tell me that’s a car with a ski rack on the roof and not a cop,” I pleaded to my pal just after demonstrating the extreme acceleration of the 2016 Audi R8 Plus. That’s the one with 10 cylinders and a whole gob of horsepower. Unfortunately, the men in blue noticed my (highly illegal) demonstration and immediately pulled me over.
Whoops.
The R8 debuted 10 — yes, 10 — years ago, at the Paris Auto Show. It’s always been an undercover supercar lacking the élan of a Ferrari or the swagger of a McLaren. Still, its 5.2-liter engine, available detuned with 540 horsepower or a full-bore 610, is a twin to the Lamborghini Huracan, thankfully without any of the harsh angles prevalent on that angry bull.
Audi
Instead, this second-generation R8 carries the tight Audi design language seen on the new TT. Smooth curves tuck into a tightly conscripted front fascia. LED headlights and tail lights are standard, and the dynamic sequential rear turn signals grab the attention of the driver behind.
But you can’t talk Audi R8 without talking about the blade. The slash of solid black from top to bottom on the profile of the R8 is no more. Instead, the body color cuts through the blade, bisecting it into two distinct parcels. I love it, but some of my colleagues at Roadshow contend that the new style line interrupts the visual flow of the rear quarter panel.
Track time
Emme Hall/Roadshow
I knew I had to get the R8 on the track to truly appreciate its mid-engine power. Thunderhill Raceway, a few hours north of Roadshow HQ, may not be the fastest track in the world, but there’s enough of a front straight to break triple digits and plenty of turns to toss the R8 around.
Upon startup, the V10 engine roared to life at a timbre that thrilled my soul. I wanted to turn it off and back on again just to hear its basso growl.
After a few warm-up laps on the two mile track, I was finally ready to let the R8 do its thing. I pushed the checkered flag button on the steering wheel to select Performance mode, which then let me drill down further to select Dry, Wet or Snow. The sky was blue and the temperature gauge read 105 degrees. Dry, it is.
Coming out of the horseshoe at turn 2 and into a downhill straight highlighted the Audi’s high-revving engine. The cylinders screamed behind me as I waited for the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission to upshift. The revs climbed higher and higher as I dared a quick peek at the tachometer. 6,500 rpm, then 7,000 rpms and still climbing. I started to get nervous. Will this thing ever shift? Will I blow the motor? Will Audi ever talk to me again?
All my concerns were for naught as the R8’s 5.2-liter engine is designed to rev that high. It doesn’t even hit peak horsepower until 8,250 rpm, and redline comes soon after at 8,700. Keeping on the gas is an exercise in pushing through your fear and trusting the vehicle.
Through the turns, the R8 hugged the track like I’d hug Chris Pratt should he walk into my office. That is, constantly and without interruption. In fact, with the all-wheel-drive technology I would have to work hard to get the R8 to break traction. Had I turned traction control off I might be singing a different tune, but while drifting around a corner is fun and all, it certainly isn’t the fastest way around the track. Instead the Audi stayed flat in the turns, exhibiting little body roll, letting gravity push me into the firmly bolstered (and heated!) racing seat.
Apple Pencil might one day work with Mac trackpads and more
Apple sees a lot of potential in its Pencil stylus.
The Apple Pencil is a stylus pen that debuted alongside the iPad Pro last November. It’s a basic input device, even though it can detect angles, pressure sensitivity, and force, allowing you to apply dark or light strokes depending on how hard you press. While using Apple Pencil with the iPad Pro, you can simultaneously use your fingers. It basically makes electronic drawing on the iPad Pro more feasible.
But there’s only so many ways you can use the stylus in its current form. Luckily for us, Apple has plenty more grand ideas for the gadget. The company has been granted a patent that allows Apple Pencil to work with the Magic Trackpad, which means you could use your Pencil to draw on a Mac. In other words, if this functionality comes to fruition, Wacom’s days are numbered, as you’d no longer need tablet peripherals.
USPTO
Apple applied for the patent in 2014. It describes other powerful features, too, including in-air gestures so that you can change between slides in Keynote or pages in Pages, for instance. You could even use Pencil as a joystick for games. Just keep in mind none of this may ever come to Apple Pencil, but it’s still cool to see what the Cupertino company is considering behind the scenes.
Also, this isn’t the only Apple Pencil patent we’ve seen granted recently. Another one detailed a stylus that uses swappable tips. These tips can be standard ones like a felt-tip pen, or they can be fancy ones such as a force-sensing bristle brush tip, motion-tracking camera, and a flashlight. Fingerprint recognition – similar to Touch ID – is further mentioned for authentication.
We’re hoping all these features make it to Apple Pencil, but only time will tell.
Apple’s iPhone sales are still down, but Wall Street is happy anyway
After seeing Apple struggle through 2016, Wall Street set its sights pretty low for the company’s Q3 earnings report. Those financial results just dropped, and while they’re still not amazing for the folks in Cupertino, Apple did well enough to allay some nagging fears and get its flagging stock price up a bit in after-hours trading.
First, the biggest surprise: Apple shipped 40.4 million iPhones this past quarter, down from 51.2 million over the three months prior and from the 47.5 million shipped this time last year. Some outlets expected this to be the single worst quarter of iPhone sales growth since the iPhone first hit the scene in 2007, but that wasn’t meant to be — though another consecutive down quarter certainly isn’t fun to deal with. We’ve got the iPhone SE to thank for that, at least partially. This was the first full quarter of SE sales on the books, and Apple CEO Tim Cook said the device was popular in both “developing and emerging markets.” I’m not surprised: it’s a damned good little phone.
Since iPhones make up a big slice of Apple’s overall financial pie, it’s perhaps not surprising to see the company bring in more money than expected, too. Apple raked in a total of $42.4 billion in Q3, down from $49.6 billion this time last year. That’s a yearly dip of 15 percent. Again, not a terribly great turn, but it was still enough to appease investors, bolster stock prices and bring some value back to Cupertino. At time of publication, Apple’s share price is up nearly 7 percent.
While revenue and iPhone sales were down for a second straight quarter, there were other bright spots to be found in Apple’s documents. The company sold just shy of 10 million iPads — better than some had hoped — which help offset disappointing Mac sales. App Store revenue hit an all-time high, too, and Apple’s Services business as a whole surged 20 percent over last year. Those successes aside, it’s pretty clear Apple isn’t the juggernaut of growth it once was. You can’t keep up that kind of momentum forever.
Things would’ve looked a little better if Apple still had one of it major strongholds to lean on. For a long time there, Apple could consistently count on strong iPhone performance in China to help boost the bottom line. Faith in that seemingly sure thing was shaken last April, though, as sales in the greater China region (that’s China, Taiwan and Hong Kong) dipped nearly 26 percent. That accounted for more than half of the company’s overall revenue dip last quarter, and things aren’t much better this time around — we’re looking at a revenue drop of 33 percent since last year. Apple’s going to have to look elsewhere (like India) for another major growth engine. Cook said he sees “huge potential in that vibrant country,” but we’ll see how devices like the iPhone SE fare against low-cost competitors that currently dominate the market.
Professional pundits and armchair analysts say Apple’s best days are in the past, and if this were a normal year, that would sound a little premature. After all, the launch of the iPhone 6 in 2014 carried the company to new financial heights. Right now, though, leaks and rumors suggest the new iPhones that’ll be unveiled in September won’t be dramatically redesigned — we’re sure to get the usual performance bumps, a better camera and we might lose that decades-old headphone jack, but overall the hype train has been much quieter than usual. Throw in persistent reports that Apple is switching to a three-year product cycle, and you’ve got to wonder if the company’s financial course will ever swing back into insanely great territory.
Apple’s Q3 2016 Revenue Drops 33% in Greater China as Europe Regains Position as Second Biggest Market
In today’s third quarter earnings report, Apple revealed a significant drop in revenue from Greater China, which is down 33 percent year over year. Revenue from China was at $8.9 billion in Q3 2016, down from $13 billion in Q3 2015.
During the followup earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company continues to be encouraged about growth in the country despite the decline in revenue and remains “very optimistic about growth opportunities.”
He said Apple’s underlying business is stronger in China than the results imply, with the iPhone install base in the country up 34 percent year over year. Cook cited statistics from China Mobile, one of the largest carriers in the country, which says it sells more iPhones than any other smartphone.
According to Cook, channel inventory reduction and currency headwinds have impacted business in the region and presented some significant economic challenges. Despite this, Cook continues to feel “really good” about Apple’s business in China, pointing towards the opening of the 41st retail store in Greater China and a recent $1 billion investment in Didi Chuxing.
With revenue in China down 33 percent, Europe has regained its position as Apple’s second biggest market after the United States, bringing in $9.6 billion in revenue during the quarter.
Tag: China
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Your complete guide to Messages on iOS 10 – CNET
In iOS 10, iMessage looks a lot more like Facebook Messenger. Apple added features like Stickers, “Tapbacks” and even apps that you install within iMessage.
Is it overkill? Maybe. Or maybe it’ll do exactly what Apple wants — make you choose iMessage over the increasing number of competing apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Google’s upcoming app, Allo.
While some of the features (like apps) won’t be completely ready until the fall release of iOS 10, here are the features we tested in the public beta.
Slam, Invisible Ink and other ways to say ‘I love you’
Now there’s more than one style for your messages. Bubble effects add a bit of personality and emotion to your iMessage conversations by letting you change the way they look to the recipient.
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Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
Four bubble effects are currently available:
- Slam: Message body slams into the conversation, with a puff of dust rising off the screen where it landed.
- Loud: Mimicking yelling at the person, the message body starts off huge, shakes a bit, then shrinks back to regular size.
- Gentle: Message body starts off small, really small, then ever-so-slowly it grows to regular size.
- Invisible Ink: The message body is covered with a pixelated overlay, where in order to view what’s hidden underneath the recipient has to swipe his or her finger across the message.
To use a Bubble Effect, compose an iMessage and then force touch on the blue up arrow (if you’re on a non-3D Touch device, long press on the send button).
To preview and select a Bubble Effect, slide your finger across or tap on the circular button next to each effect. As you select each one, a preview will play. Once you find the effect you want, tap on the send button and away it goes. Effects can be used on text and photo messages.
When the recipient(s) open the message, the animation will play and continue to play each time the conversation thread is opened until another message is sent.
Throw confetti all over their screens
Screen Effects are messages that take over the entire screen with an animation and sound. For instance, if you’re congratulating someone, you can make confetti rain all over their screen.
Just write a message, then use Force Touch or long-press on the send button until the Bubble Effect screen is activated. Then, tap on the Screen button at the top of the screen.
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Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
There are five different Screen Effects (at least for now):
- Balloons: A series of colorful balloons float across the screen.
- Confetti: A blast of confetti falls from the top of the screen.
- Lasers: Disco lasers scan up and down, emanating from behind the text bubble.
- Fireworks: A series of colorful firework blasts take over the screen.
- Shooting Star: The nighttime sky lights up as a single shooting star streaks across the screen.
Swipe across the screen to switch between effects, then when you land on one that works for your message, tap on the send button.
The effect will remain active until a new message is sent.
Sticker packs and apps
With the official launch of iOS 10 this fall, you’ll see new and familiar apps available right there, within iMessage. You’ll be able to do things like send money through Square Cash or book lunch reservations while you coordinate with friends. Extra goodies like stickers and emoji packs can be downloaded, too.
To get these apps, you won’t go to the App Store — there’s an iMessage app store built right into iMessage.
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Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
In an iMessage conversation, tap on the “>” button, then the App Store icon. The first view will be recently used stickers, with a swipe to the left scrolling through installed sticker packs and apps. Apple includes an images and Apple Music app by default. The images app searches Bing for GIFs and the Apple Music app lets you quickly share songs and albums with friends.
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Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
You can send a sticker in a standalone message, or (my favorite use) is to drag-and-drop a sticker over a photo or text box of a previously sent message. Doing so adds a bit of life to a photo, or can be used as a response to a message.
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Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
Tapping on the four app icons in the bottom-left corner will reveal the app icons for installed apps, along with a button that opens the iMessage App Store. In this view, you can rearrange the app icons or delete apps the same way you do on any iOS device: Long press until the icons begin to move, then drag and drop to rearrange or tap on the “X” to delete.
During the public beta, the iMessage App Store only contains sticker packs from Apple.
Words become emojis
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Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
Emojis are getting a lot of attention in iMessage. For starters, Apple tripled the size of emoji displayed in a conversation. But the coolest feature is one that instantly translates text into emoji.
For instance, “beer” turns into the beer emoji. “Basketball” turns into a basketball emoji. And so on.
After composing a message, tap on the emoji button on your keyboard. Your iOS device will analyze the text, highlighting words with matching emoji. Tap on the highlighted word to convert the word into an emoji, either instantly or picking for a few different options. Fun stuff, right?
Link previews in Messages
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Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
When you send links, they’ll (almost) instantly be replaced with thumbnail previews. If it’s a video from YouTube, for example, you can play the video directly in the conversation.
Or, you can tap on the link itself just below the preview to open the video or website in Safari.
Send a handwritten note
Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
Turn your phone to landscape orientation while in Messages and you’ll see one of two things: Either the keyboard will remain open where you can keep typing away your next message, or a blank canvas will show up for you to write or draw a message on. If the keyboard shows up, never fear — there’s a button with a squiggly line on it. Tap on it to open the handwritten notes interface.
Here you can write or draw with your finger, or select from a few of Apple’s own designs. However, writing “Thank You” or “I love you” in your own handwriting will undoubtedly earn bonus points with your SO. Messages will save your notes, so you can reuse that shrug emoticon you’ve spent countless hours perfecting (oops, maybe that’s just me).
Once you hit “send” the recipient will see it play back, from scratch.
To edit or remove old drawings, long press on the preview cards and then tap on the “X” to delete them.
A lazy way to reply to messages
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Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
How many times in a day do you reply to a message with just “haha” or “OK”? With Tapbacks, you no longer have to write those words out. Instead, you can double-tap on a message, then select from a list replies.
A small chat bubble containing your Tapback is then placed atop the specific message. Currently there are six different Tapbacks: a heart, thumbs up, thumbs down, haha, exclamation point and question mark.
Better read receipt controls
As covered in our list of hidden features in iOS 10, you can turn read receipts on or off for specific contacts. Previously, the read receipts setting was either on or off for everyone. Now, you can leave it off by default, then turn it on for individual conversations (or vice versa).
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Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
The default setting is still found in Settings > Messages > Send Read Receipts. To change the setting for a specific conversation, open the conversation thread then tap on “i” button > toggle Send Read Receipts. This setting automatically syncs across all Apple devices signed into your iMessage account, which is a nice touch.
Camera shortcuts
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Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
The way you choose and send photos is a lot different in iOS 10.
To send a photo, tap on the “>” button next to the text field, then tap on the camera icon. You will have a preview thumbnail of your camera, allowing you to snap a photo and send it with relative ease. Or you can scroll to the left to view recent photos and videos from your camera roll; tap on one to add it to your message.
If you want to record a video, or view a larger selection of photos from your photo library, swipe to the right and select the appropriate option.
Draw on photos!
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Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
Apple is adding its drawing tool, Markup, to more apps across iOS and that includes in Messages. After adding a photo to your message, but before hitting send, you can use the Markup tool to sketch on the image.
With a photo in the text field, tap on it to open the preview. Tap on the Markup button in the lower-left hand corner, then proceed to highlight, draw and write on the image. Keep in mind, anything you do here will not get saved to the image in your camera roll.
Send fake heartbeats. Because heartbeats?
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Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
First introduced with the Apple Watch, Digital Touch was originally intended to be a cute (if not gimmicky) way to quickly draw someone a picture, send your heartbeat or tap away on the screen and in turn, his or her wrist.
It works almost exactly the same in iOS 10.
The Digital Touch icon is sandwiched between the Camera and iMessage App Store icons, to the left of the text field. Selecting it opens the Digital Touch app in place of the keyboard.
The big black void in the middle of the screen is where you can tap, draw, or place two fingers on there to send a fake heartbeat. You can also send a kiss by tapping with two fingers, or a broken heart by placing two fingers on the canvas and dragging them down once the heart is displayed.
Digital Touch effects can also be added to pictures or videos. Go into full-screen mode for Digital Touch, select the video camera icon, then record a video or capture a photo. You can record and send 10-second clips, but you’ll need to apply any Digital Touch effects while you are recording.
It’s a tricky implementation, but one that’s hopefully ironed out during the public beta.
How does this all look on a non-iOS 10 device?
With so many new features in Messages for iOS 10, it only makes sense the experience is going to look differently on a non-iOS 10 device. For example, a Tapback on an iOS 9 device sends reads “Jason Liked/disliked/etc.” instead of adding the Tapback icon to the message.
Placing a sticker on a photo or message already in a conversation simply sends the sticker to non-iOS 10 devices, lacking context or exact placement.
Don’t Blink — PlayStation VR is available for pre-order again in the UK!
This is not a drill!
If you’re interested in grabbing a PlayStation VR this year, pre-order is the way to do it. Sony has sold out of their pre-orders on multiple occasions now, but it looks like you can grab a spot in line right now if you’re in the UK. Take a look over at VR Heads for the details!
PlayStation VR is available to pre-order again in the UK!
AIVAnet 