HTC plans to exit the low-end smartphone market in 2017

Why it matters to you

HTC’s canning most, if not all, of its affordable smartphone line. If your heart’s set on an HTC phone this year, you’ll have to spend big bucks.

HTC has apparently had it with low-cost, low-margin smartphones. That’s according to company boss Chia-Lin Chang, who revealed during the company fourth-quarter earnings call that the company would focus most of its future efforts on pricier flagships like the U Ultra and U Play.

Chang described the market as “ultra-competitive,” a factor she blamed on the company’s failure to turn a profit this quarter. In the final quarter of last year, HTC took in $722 million and recorded an operating loss of $117 million, a minor improvement from Q3 2016’s loss of $133 million.

More: HTC smartphone VR headset coming by end of the year

HTC says it’s going to drop cheap phones from its 2017 lineup. In their place, it plans to release six to seven high-margin smartphones.

Interestingly, this isn’t the first time the company’s pledged to refocus its manufacturing efforts on high-end devices. In 2012, the firm announced that it would only focus on “top-tier phones,” a strategy which it subsequently relaxed.

Generally speaking, it’s a well-founded approach. Take Chinese smartphone maker Huawei’s recent earnings, for example: According to analysts at the International Data Corporation (IDC), high-end phones accounted for around 57.2 percent of its smartphone shipments in the third quarter of 2016.

More: HTC wants U! Everything you need to know about the HTC U Ultra and U Play

But for HTC in particular, it’s a risky move. The Taiwanese smartphone maker will release its first 2017 flagship, the U Ultra, in Europe with a global release to follow soon after. But it has yet to secure a launch partnership with a U.S. carrier, meaning that it’ll retail at the carrier-unlocked priced of $750 and up.

And the competition won’t sit around waiting. Late last year, new estimates showed that Apple took 103.6 percent of the profits from all smartphone sales in the third quarter of 2016. By comparison, Samsung captured just .09 percent.

HTC may have better luck in other markets. During an earnings call with investors, the company announced that it will introduce a mobile VR headset by the end of 2017 “designed to work with the U Ultra.” Last year, HTC split off its virtual reality business into a separate entity and announced Vive X Accelerator, a $100 million incubator with the mission of investing resources in promising VR games and experiences. More recently, it announced a $10 billion VR Venture Capital Alliance and launched Viveport, a VR-focused storefront, on mobile devices.

iOS 10 problems and the solutions to deal with them

The latest version of Apple’s mobile operating system, iOS 10, is out now and it has a lot going for it. The biggest additions change how people use their iOS devices — transforming the way they write and send texts, interact with notifications, and use Siri within apps. The new version of iOS was in beta for quite a while and was made available to the public, meaning thousands of people got to experience iOS 10 prior to its official release. People came to grips with the new features during this period, but there were some iOS 10 problems that Apple didn’t catch.

More: Handy new iOS 10 tips and tricks to try out

Fortunately, making the beta available to the public resulted in more bugs, glitches, hardware and software issues being discovered, which gave Apple a chance to fix them before the official release. That said, it’s always convenient to have one place to find any and all iOS 10 problems, which is where we come in. We’ve scoured as many forums as we could to find the biggest problems people have run into while using iOS 10, and provided workarounds and solutions for as many of them as we can.

Problem: Battery drain

Excessive battery drain is a problem for some people using iOS 10, as well as other versions before it, even when the iOS device is being used normally. The problem isn’t universal, as many people report that their batteries are performing as expected, but if you’re using iOS 10, you should be prepared to charge your phone more than usual. These threads from Apple’s own forums are filled with people saying their phones are turning off completely when the battery drops to about 30 percent, or drain rapidly from 80-90 percent to 25 percent. The battery indicator will sometimes suddenly drop to 1 percent, then shut down. In other cases, if the phone is above 30 percent and manually shut down, it may not turn on unless plugged back into a charger. The phone will come on and be back at 30 percent again.

Workaround:

• If your phone shuts down when it hits 30 percent, connect it to a charger and turn the phone back on, or reboot it before it shuts off.

Potential solutions:

• Update your phone to the latest version of iOS 10, which is currently iOS 10.2.1.
• Turning off the Raise to Wake feature has been said to help some users. To do this, go to Settings > Display & Brightness and toggle off Raise to Wake to disable the feature.
• We’ve written a few iOS guides that include tips for fixing poor battery life. Here are a few for the iPhone 6S, iPhone SE, iPad Air and Air 2, and the iPad Pro.
• You can find more tips and suggestions in our iPhone battery tips roundup.

Google’s Project Loon update lets balloons cluster for better coverage

Why it matters to you

If you live somewhere remote, Project Loon could one day give you reliable high-speed internet access via balloon.

Google’s Project Loon might sound “loony” when you first hear about it, but the idea of using balloons to provide internet access to various parts of the world is gathering traction. Utilizing air currents for essentially free transport, Google has developed a system for delivering balloons to key areas that need additional coverage.

How to affordably provide internet access to remote rural regions has been a challenge for many countries around the world, the United States included. Google’s solution uses balloons fitted with solar panels and transceivers to provide an internet broadcast station that uses natural air currents to travel around the U.S. Its latest innovation, however has allowed them to stay near stationary, using those same air currents.

Typically Google’s Project Loon required a consistent stream of balloons in order to provide internet access to an area. Once the balloons moved out of range, they stopped being useful to any one community, so another needed to come along on a regular basis to maintain that connection. That’s not the case anymore, though.

More: Google’s Project Loon runs test of balloon-based internet service over Peru

This navigational update to Loon uses the same air currents to keep balloons clustered in a certain area. This not only has the potential to offer internet access to far-flung communities, but could mean Google’s system could be used to provide wireless internet access in disaster-hit areas, or to ease load when capacity of existing networks is reached.

With balloons able to remain airborne for up to 190 days, making them reactive to ongoing trends rather than simply requiring a massive fleet makes the technology far more useful and economically viable. If Google can have the balloons provide viable internet access to those in need for a greater proportion of the balloons’ “up time” then it’s far more useful than having them simply rotating through and helping out for only a short period of time while the wind is right.

Although the end goal for many tech organizations is to provide worldwide, satellite-based internet access, Project Loon is an effective middle ground that is far cheaper to orchestrate and maintain.

Why do new phones ship with older versions of Android?

New phones shipping with outdated versions of Android isn’t too surprising. The reasons? Release cycles, and Benjamin Franklin.

This summer, you’ll see phones sold — expensive phones — that have older versions of Android. Brand new phones that cost hundreds of dollars and are the best models available. They will be on shelves beside other brand new phones that have “old” software on them, too. And not just models that have been available for a while, but just-released devices that we have heard about and are waiting to buy. For some, that can be frustrating. But there is a reason, and it’s pretty simple.

It’s known as opportunity cost. The idea behind opportunity cost is that all resources must be used efficiently. These resources could be monetary, but they also include things like time or any other corporate benefit. We’re all more familiar with the idea the way Ben Franklin expressed it: “Remember that Time is Money.”

It’s no secret that most phones that run Android aren’t using the latest software. The main reason is that it’s not an easy task to keep phones updated because of Android’s software licensing, and nobody involved in making your phone or the software on it wants things to change. Many of those same reasons apply when we see brand new shiny phones that have old software on them, too.

Building an operating system is hard and you can’t change the platform in the middle of doing it.

Google only makes Android for the products they sell. They allow companies like Samsung or LG to build their own operating system based on Android any time they like because of a liberal software license. That’s why Android became the dominant operating system so quickly, and it’s also why your phone probably has an older version of Android, and has ever since you bought it.

It’s not cheap to build and test an operating system. Sometimes it’s comparatively easy; think of BlackBerry’s Android phone and how they are patched on time every month when Google releases a security bulletin. The new code was designed to be merged into existing code, and all a company using it needs to do is check the parts they have changed compared to the download Google provides. Actual changes to the Android core are another matter, and even a bump from 7.0 to 7.1 can prove challenging. And expensive.

Software cycles versus hardware cycles

Samsung is likely going to show us a Galaxy S8 in late March. It may run Android 7.0 or it may run 7.1. The chance that it will be running 7.1.1 (the latest official version) is very slim because that particular version wasn’t ready when Samsung was finalizing the software the way it wants it to be on the S8. And that’s not going to be a big deal. It will be running Android Nougat and have the same application support as Google’s Pixel. Phones that release near the beginning of the year are usually all like this and will only be a point or two behind.

Those point releases are nice but not critical. 7.1 is still just fine.

This becomes more of a problem for phones that come later in the year. Android gets its yearly platform update every autumn. Recent versions have had a beta testing cycle so we get to see them a few months before. But companies can’t build their software based on beta code so any phone in late stages of production before the Android platform update will be a full platform version behind. That can have major implications when it comes to security and app compatibility.

In both cases, the time it would take to stop production and update the software before selling them would directly affect the amount of money a company makes from selling them. Companies that make things like phones exist only to make money.

Nobody at Samsung or LG or anyone else wants you to have old software on your phone. But because they have to do the updating themselves, it takes time. And time equals money.

Android Nougat

• Android 7.0 Nougat: Everything you need to know
• Will my phone get Android Nougat?
• Google Pixel + Pixel XL review
• All Android Nougat news
• How to manually update your Nexus or Pixel
• Join the Discussion

Do you really need a PS4 for PlayStation VR?

Skip the PlayStation part of PlayStation VR.

PlayStation VR is a great headset and has an expanding library of games with a few standouts that really make it worth the money. Just because it has PlayStation in the name, however, doesn’t exactly mean you need a PlayStation 4 to use it.

To indulge your curiosity and to help some of you decide if you should buy a PSVR on its own, we explain how the PSVR works and how to use it without a PlayStation 4.

Read more at VR Heads!

How to get Alexa in your home without buying an Amazon Echo

You don’t need an Amazon Echo to enjoy Alexa.

One of the coolest parts of Amazon’s Alexa service, especially when comparing the tech to other platforms, is the commitment to many different hardware partners. Any company can make something that works with Alexa, giving that new accessory complete control over all of the things an Amazon Echo has access to. That may mean a more capable speaker, or something a great deal more portable. There’s a lot of flexibility here, and that means there are many different options to choose from.

Here’s how you get Alexa in your home without an Amazon Echo.

No hardware at all

You don’t actually need a new piece of hardware to use the Alexa service, if you want to see how useful it would be to you. There’s a website designed to offer developers a way to test Alexa skills before releasing them to the world, and it’s a pretty great way to get used to Alexa before buying.

EchoSim can do just about anything Alexa in your home can do, right from your browser. All you need to do is keep the browser tab open, click the microphone or hold down the space bar to speak, and enjoy exploring Alexa.

Try out EchoSim yourself!

A cheaper speaker

Maybe your gripe with Amazon Echo is cost, and the Echo Dot doesn’t handle music very well. Naturally, there’s something in between. A speaker not quite as expensive as the full-sized Echo, but significantly more capable of filling a room with music than an Echo Dot.

The Fabriq speaker is part Wi-Fi speaker, part Bluetooth speaker, and all battery powered cleverness. When connected to Wi-Fi, you have access to the Alexa service and all of the skills connected to it. If you decide you’d like to play music from your phone away from Wi-Fi, the Bluetooth mode lets you take the speaker with you anywhere.

It also comes in several different fabric covers, and while that’s not functionally significant it can help your speaker stand out in a room.

See at Amazon

Alexa you can wear

Having a microphone set up in your house to ask a computer to obey your every command is only useful if that microphone is where you are. Amazon would prefer you solve this problem by putting an Echo Dot in every room you think you’re going to use Alexa, but for some it may be easier to just wear Alexa on your shirt.

Orion Labs has a smart walkie talkie solution called Onyx, and it’s built to be worn like almost like a Star Trek communicator. You pin it to your clothing, and on top of being able to communicate instantly with whoever is wearing its mate, you can access Alexa at any time. Perhaps the best part of this design is when you don’t want Alexa to be listening you don’t have to go far to silence it.

See at Amazon

Available soon: Alexa on your phone

It’s not available yet, but Amazon is working with several Android phone manufacturers to include the Alexa service baked in. The idea is to be able to access Alexa just like you would access Google Now or Google Assistant, giving you everything you need to have your preferred home control service with you at all times.

Alexa is currently expected to be available on the Huawei Mate 9 later this year, and it has been rumored LG will be including Alexa on the LG G6 as well. We’ll be keeping an eye on this, and will update it when more information is available!

Amazon Echo

• Amazon Echo review
• Echo Dot review
• Top Echo Tips & Tricks
• Tap, Echo or Dot: The ultimate Alexa question
• Amazon Echo vs. Google Home
• Get the latest Alexa news

Amazon

Panasonic 4K HDR choices for 2017: EZ1002, EZ952, EX750, EX700, EX600 compared

Panasonic has confirmed its full line-up of 4K HDR TVs for 2017, making quite a shuffle to the line-up compared to 2016. There’s a shift in technologies and a change to the numbering scheme, but fear not, because we’ve got you covered. 

The 2017 Panasonic TV selection contains a range of models that should suit all types of customer, from those looking for a top OLED TV, down to those looking a potent 40-inch TV set.

Hold on tight as we give you a full run down on the differences between all of Panasonic’s 2017 4K TVs.

Pocket-lint

Panasonic EZ1002 OLED

• Screen sizes: 65in, 77in
• OLED, 3840 x 2160 pixels, HDR
• Price: £TBC – expect expensive

The Panasonic EZ1002 is Panasonic’s flagship TV for 2017, seeing a return to using OLED technology. Presenting glorious 4K HDR, the EZ1002 (or EZ1000 outside the UK) is most distinctive because of the Technics-tuned soundbar that’s attached to the base. This delivers 80W of audio to accompany your super-sharp visuals.

Looking to clean up the performance of OLED, the EZ1002 offers the inherent advantages of this display technology, namely deep, deep, blacks and real punch to colours, but also processes to remove noise and improve the presentation of tones just above complete black. There’s an Absolute Black Filter that works to ensure that colour tones are accurately presented, with Panasonic saying this is the Master OLED, its best performer. 

Equipped with a full range of connectivity, this smart TV delivers the online movie services for more 4K HDR content, supporting HDR 10 and ready to accept HLG signals. There is no support for Dolby Vision, however.

• Panasonic EZ1002 OLED TV preview: Stunning OLED punch paired with audio prowess

Pocket-lint

Panasonic EZ952 OLED

• Screen sizes: 55in, 65in
• OLED, 3840 x 2160 pixels, HDR
• Price: £TBC

The Panasonic EZ952 (EZ950 outside the UK), is Panasonic’s alternative flagship OLED TV, taking a small step down from the EZ1002. It uses the same panel technology but is available in a smaller 55-inch size. On the technical front, the only major change is that it doesn’t contain the Absolute Black Filter of the EZ1002, so might not be quite so skilled with visuals, but only minorly so.

The other major change is in terms of design. This model doesn’t include the 80W Technics-tuned soundbar sitting under the display, instead offering a more conventional central stand. If you’re going to be hooking up to an existing sound system, the EZ952 may make more sense than the EZ1002 flagship. Again, there’s no Dolby Vision support.

The connectivity remains the same as the EZ1002 and the design – apart from that soundbar – is close too, with a thin body taking advantage of the slimness that OLED allows. This is likely to be Panasonic’s preferred model offering greater flexibility for those integrating it into an existing system.

Pocket-lint

Panasonic EX750

• Screen sizes: 50in, 58in, 65in, 75in
• Edge lit LED, 3850 x 2160 pixels, HDR
• Price: £TBC

Stepping out of OLED and into Panasonic’s “normal” TVs, the top model is the EX750 (EX780 outside the UK). But unlike 2016, this top LED TV isn’t direct lit (you’ll have to hunt out the DX902 for that), instead using an edge lit illumination system that’s more dynamically controlled for better overall results.

This gives local dimming that is digitally controlled with an LCD shutter system designed to ensure that you don’t get dark scenes destroyed by bleed from the backlight. This is also the only TV in Panasonic’s 2017 line-up that offers 3D.

Aside from the display, the design of the EX750 uses a swivel and lift system. This has a central four-footed stand that offers swivel, so you change the angle of the TV to suit the room (only on 50, 58 and 65in sizes). There’s also the “lift” aspect, which allows you to lengthen the pole in the stand, so on the 50 and 58-inch models, you can have up to four heights, for a unique look, like standing on a pole in your kitchen.

Pocket-lint

Panasonic EX700

• Screen sizes: 40in, 50in, 58in, 65in
• Edge lit LED, 3850 x 2160 pixels, HDR
• Price: £TBC

Taking a step down from the EX750 is the 700. This offers much the same technology as the EX750, although there isn’t the same degree of control on dimming and the panel is less capable overall, with less contrast and a slightly lesser drive system. This model, however, still offers a local dimming system designed to keep fidelity in high contrast scenes. 

It also loses that innovative stand of the EX750, but still has a few options. Offering a choice of two positions, you can have the feet at the edge or toward the centre, as well as being reversible: the feet have a long curve on one end, so you can choose to have that on display or not, depending on your preferences. 

Finished with a thin brushed metal bezel, it’s a good looking television.

Pocket-lint

Panasonic EX600 

• Screen sizes: 40in, 49in, 55in, 65in
• Edge-lit LED, 3850 x 2160 pixels, HDR
• Price: £TBC

Panasonic’s entry point for 4K HDR is the EX600. This TV is a step down from the EX700 technically, and switches from local dimming to an active backlight control system that’s unlikely to be able to match the performance of the other sets in this family of TVs – it’s the same system used on Panasonic’s Full HD TVs, for example. 

However, you still get the benefits of an Ultra HD TV with HDR and in a design that has a good premium look to it, with a nice slim bezel and a stand that offers reversible feet and two positions, again so you can suit the position you want to put it in.

One of the interesting details about the shape of these feet is that they have been designed to allow you to slip one of the new Panasonic soundbars between for a nice tidy finish.

Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus vs Galaxy S7 edge: What’s the rumoured difference?

Samsung is expected to announce its new flagship Galaxy S smartphones at the end of March, followed by their purported release around mid-April.

The two devices, which are being called the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus, have been the subject of plenty of leaks over the last couple of months however, so while we still have a few weeks to wait for the official details, we can make a few guesses as to what is likely to appear.

Based on the speculation and rumours, here is how the Galaxy S8 Plus looks like it will compare to the Galaxy S7 edge. You can also read our separate feature on how the Galaxy S8 could compare to the Galaxy S7.

• Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus rumours
• Samsung Galaxy S7 edge review

Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus vs Galaxy S7 edge: Design

• Slimmer bezels expected for S8 Plus
• Rear-mounted fingerprint sensor expected on S8 Plus
• Both reported to be similar size

According to the rumours, the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus will be slimming down the bezels surrounding its display considerably for an almost “all-screen” front. It is thought the company will ditch the physical home button and move the fingerprint sensor to the rear of the device, on the right of the camera lens, while also introducing a dedicated side button for launching the Bixby voice assistant, Viv.

Although physical dimensions have yet to be detailed or leaked, rumour has it the S8 Plus will have a similar footprint to the S7 edge. The new device will apparently have the same width as the S7 edge, and we’d also expect it to have a similar thickness, despite the increase in screen size reported. The IP68 waterproofing is also expected to remain.

The S7 edge has a beautiful solid, premium design featuring a combination of metal and glass that measures 150.9 x 72.6 x 7.7mm and hits the scales at 157g. It has a front-mounted fingerprint sensor within the physical home button that sits below the dual-edge display and it offers an IP68 water and dust resistance rating.

• Samsung Galaxy S8 vs Galaxy S7: What’s the rumoured difference?

Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus vs Galaxy S7 edge: Display

• S8 Plus reported to have bigger 6.2-inch display
• Both reported to have dual-edged screens 
• S7 edge could have sharper display

The Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus is reported to be coming with a 6.2-inch dual-edge display, which as we mentioned is claimed to fit into almost the same footprint as the S7 edge, meaning a big improvement in the screen-to-body ratio compared to last year’s device.

Rumour has it Samsung will improve the technology within the Super AMOLED display for VR purposes but the resolution will remain at 2560 x 1440 pixels, meaning a pixel density of 473ppi, if true.

The Samsung Galaxy S7 edge on the other hand, has a smaller Super AMOLED display at 5.5-inches. It is dual-edged too and it also features a Quad HD resolution, which means it squeezes a few more pixels in per inch at 534ppi thanks to its smaller size.

• Samsung Galaxy S8 rumours

Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus vs Galaxy S7 edge: Camera

• Both reported to have 12MP rear cameras
• S8 Plus should have higher resolution front camera
• S8 Plus could have iris scanner  

There have been a number of rumours claiming to know what cameras will be on board the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus, but the most recent suggests a 12-megapixel Duo Pixel rear camera, coupled with an 8-megapixel front camera.

Both cameras are expected to come with an aperture of f/1.7 and the rear is said to feature a new visual search function, while the front is reported to be offering autofocus over fixed focus, as well as possibly iris scanning technology too.

The Samsung Galaxy S7 edge has a 12-megapixel Duo Pixel rear camera with an aperture of f/1.7, phase detection autofocus and optical image stabilisation, suggesting the S8 Plus will have the same sensor but with improvements. The S7 edge’s front camera has a 5-megapixel resolution, also with a f/1.7 aperture and Auto HDR.

Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus vs Galaxy S7 edge: Hardware

• S8 Plus should have faster hardware and more RAM
• S8 Plus should have USB Type-C, but battery might be smaller
• Both should have headphone jack and microSD

The Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus is reported to be coming in two variants, depending on region, as was the case with the S7 edge. One model will apparently have the Exynos 8895 chip, while the other will have the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor. There have been several reports regarding RAM, with some claiming 4GB, others 6GB and a couple even suggesting 8GB.

Storage options for the Galaxy S8 Plus are claimed to be starting from 64GB with microSD support for further storage expansion and the battery capacity has been cited as 3500mAh, with USB Type-C for charging. It has also been claimed Samsung will retain the 3.5mm headphone jack.

The Samsung Galaxy S7 edge comes in two region-dependant models, as we said above, one of which has the Exynos 8890 chip, while the other has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820. Both models have 4GB of RAM and both come in storage options of 32GB, 64GB and 128GB, all of which have microSD support. 

There is a 3600mAh battery powering the S7 edge, which is charged via Micro-USB, and there is a 3.5mm headphone jack on board too.

Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus vs Galaxy S7 edge: Software

• Both will eventually have Android Nougat with TouchWiz
• S8 Plus should have a couple of extra features, including Viv assistant
• Familiar experience expected

The Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus will no doubt launch on Android Nougat out-of-the-box, with Samsung’s TouchWiz software over the top. The company has confirmed the Bixby-powered assistant, Viv, will be on board the new handset and it has also been claimed there will be an always-visible status bar, as well as support for connecting the device to a monitor for a desktop view of Android.

The Samsung Galaxy S7 edge launched on Android Marshmallow with the TouchWiz software, but the update to Nougat started rolling out mid January. There will no doubt be some new features on the S8 Plus but the overall experience between these two devices should be familiar.

• What is Bixby? Everything you need to know about Samsung’s assistant

Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus vs Galaxy S7 edge: Conclusion

Based on the rumours, the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus will feature an improved design over the S7 edge, along with a larger display, better hardware and a few camera and software enhancements.

It is likely to be more expensive though, and the the S7 edge is still a fantastic phone so even if the new device is better looking and faster, it might not necessarily be the right choice for everyone, especially those on a budget.

Everything is speculative for now but we will update this feature when the official specs of the S8 Plus are announced.

• Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus vs Google Pixel XL: What’s the rumoured difference?

The Engadget Podcast Ep 28: Disconnection Notice

On this episode, managing editor Dana Wollman and senior editor Devindra Hardawar join host Terrence O’Brien on to debate the value of reviving dead products and really dig deep on the value of unplugging. First they’ll look at three things primed to come back from the dead: Verizon’s unlimited data plans, nudity in Playboy and the Nokia 3310. Then, fresh from a weekend reading by a fireplace and drinking whiskey in the woods, Terrence talks about the importance of unplugging — even if only for a few hours — every week. We’re more connected than ever and that’s a good thing. But even too much of a good thing can be bad for you.

Relevant links:

• Playboy goes full-frontal, again
• Why is Verizon offering unlimited data again?
• The Nokia 3310 will reportedly return this month

Engadget recommends:

• Arcadia
• A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail
• What I Talk About When I Talk About Running: A Memoir

You can check out every episode on The Engadget Podcast page in audio, video and text form for the hearing impaired.

Watch on YouTube

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Subscribe on Pocket Casts

Uber can’t even fake concern for drivers in Q&A session

Given how eager Uber seems to replace drivers with autonomous cars, a Q&A session conducted by CEO Jeff Jones on Facebook went about as well as you’d expect. He answered just a dozen or so questions (out of over 500) and cut the session off after less than half of the allotted 60-minute time. The worst part as far as the drivers were concerned, however, was that his responses to their existential concerns were mainly platitudes and irrelevant links.

Perhaps Jones’ most substantive answer was in response to a question about pay and overall treatment, saying that company has implemented “things like earning on your way home with driver destinations or back-to-back trips or paid wait times beyond two minutes.” However, with regard to driver’s very legitimate concerns about safety and rider behavior, he simply dropped a link to Uber’s “Community Guidelines” document.

Drivers pointed out that the “copy and paste” reply didn’t address the fact that riders never actually read the document. “No one reads these things! Kids argue with me daily about how they can take Uber but in the terms it says they can’t,” one person noted.

For another query on driver ratings, Jones dropped a link to a Wired article about its new “Compliments” feature that’s supposed to motivate drivers with badges and other rewards. However, one driver called it a “puff piece” and others said they’d rather get rewarded with something more useful, like a tip. “Nobody cares about these compliments, Jeff,” one driver noted. “How about you replace your six-figure or more salary with ‘compliments’ and see how you feel?”

The rest of the session was mostly in that vein, in part because the format itself was ripe for a fail. Since Jones didn’t really answer any questions, drivers responded and commiserated among themselves, giving some illuminating insight into what they face daily. “The only thing you made clear to the majority of us is that you don’t have any productive answers,” one said. “You made it crystal clear … that Uber does not care about its drivers.”

Via: Business Insider

Source: Uber