SwiftKey Keyboard for iPhone Gains New Emoji Insights Feature
The popular SwiftKey keyboard for iPhone was today updated to add a fun new tracking feature, Emoji Insights. Emoji Insights gives users a look into their personal emoji usage habits, offering up data on top emoji used, signature emoji, and emoji state, as detailed below.
My Signature Emoji – The emoji you use more than other people. This emoji is generated by the emoji you overuse compared to the average – this is not the emoji you use most often.
My Top Emoji – The emoji you use most often. This is a cloud-like visualization of the emoji you use the most – the bigger the emoji in the ‘cloud’, the more you use it.
Emoji State – The US state that most reflects your emoji use. We looked at how people use emoji in each state and compared your emoji use to that data to generate this stat. Do your emoji match up with your home state, or somewhere totally different?
Emoji Insights within SwiftKey are accessible to all users who use SwiftKey Cloud, the feature that allows user preferences and learned language data to be backed up and synced across several different devices. Emoji data can be accessed and shared with family and friends via social networks through the My Profile option in the SwiftKey app.
SwiftKey has aimed to distinguish itself from other third-party keyboards through the inclusion of typing statistics and inside information on how the app works for each individual user. In April, the SwiftKey keyboard was updated with usage statistics, letting users get a look at words typed, distance Flow-ed, words predicted, words corrected, and more.
Today’s new emoji usage statistics come seven months after the SwiftKey keyboard was updated to include both emoji and predictive emoji suggestions.
SwiftKey Keyboard can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
Nearly Half of Apple Music Users in U.S. No Longer Using Free Trial
A new study by consumer research firm MusicWatch finds that 77% of iOS users in the United States are aware of Apple Music, with 11% currently using the streaming music service. Additionally, among those that signed up for Apple Music’s three-month trial, 48% said they are no longer using the service and 61% reported they have turned off the auto-renewal subscription option in iTunes.
Apple Music has attracted more users from Spotify Premium than ad-supported services such as Spotify Free and Pandora:
More than one quarter (28 percent) of Spotify Premium customers also use Apple Music, but the draw from popular ad-supported services is more modest: Just 11 percent of Spotify Free users, and 6 percent of Pandora users, now use Apple’s offering.
“In terms of benchmarking Apple Music, 40 percent of iOS users are buying digital downloads from iTunes, suggesting trial of Apple Music could be higher,” said Russ Crupnick, managing partner of MusicWatch. “That’s the disadvantage of not being the first mover in a market where very good services currently exist.”
While nearly half of iOS users that have tried Apple Music are no longer using the service, with some maintaining their loyalty to Spotify, Pandora and other rivals, the study finds that 64% of current users said they were “extremely” or “very likely” to pay for an Apple Music subscription following the free trial period, which concludes on September 30 for those that signed up on launch day.
The research study also claims that 30% of Apple Music users listen to Beats 1, while 27% use Apple Music Connect. MusicWatch’s data is based on an August 2015 survey of 5,000 U.S. consumers age 13 and older, and the results were weighted to the U.S. population. The research firm has been cited by publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Fortune.
Apple Pay Gains 18 New Participating Issuers in United States
Apple updated its Apple Pay participating issuers list today with 18 additional banks, credit unions and financial institutions supporting the contactless payment service in the United States. Apple Pay now has over 400 participating issuers nationwide, and several more plan to support the NFC-based mobile payment service in the future.
The newly added Apple Pay participating issuers are reflected below, although it’s worth noting that some banks, credit unions and financial institutions listed may have already had support for the contactless payments service and are only now being reflected on Apple’s website.
The full list of new Apple Pay participating issuers:
- Arlington Community Federal Credit Union
- Bank of Idaho
- BankFirst
- Charter Bank
- Community Bank
- Community Bank of Oak Park River Forest
- Corporate America Family CU
- Credit Union of New Jersey
- Del Norte Credit Union
- Empower FCU
- FORUM Credit Union
- Gesa Credit Union
- Institution for Savings
- Mid-Missouri Bank
- Owen County State Bank
- Pacific Service Credit Union
- Statewide Credit Union
- Vinton County National Bank
Apple Pay remains limited to the United States and United Kingdom, although Apple is committed to an international rollout of the mobile payments service in additional countries such as Canada and China in the future. The Wall Street Journal previously reported that Apple is planning a November launch of Apple Pay in Canada.
10 most iconic mobile phones of all time
Ask people what their favourite phone of all time is and chances are you’ll get a wide variety of answers, with a select few being chosen by many people. Everyone has a particular device they remember, but what devices have defined mobile phones as we know them?
The word iconic has been branded to a lot of different devices and innovations but is there a particular device that has withstood the test of time to remain as iconic as the day it was first released? Here’s 10 phones (some of which you probably know of) that have defined the mobile industry as we know it.
1. Nokia 3310
When it comes to mobile phones, very few are as iconic as the Nokia 3310. Simply put – you either had one, or you know someone who had one. In fact, you probably had one – just about everyone had either the Nokia 3310 or its predecessor, the Nokia 3210. These were the phones that made Nokia the mobile phone king.
The handsets brought Nokia’s XpressOn Covers and the iconic game, Snake (as we know it, with the image of a snake) and permanently changed what we considered to be a mobile phone. Built like a brick with a battery life that people crave today, the Nokia 3310 was the first mobile phone to radicalise an entire industry.
2. Motorola RAZR V3
Where the 3310 made Nokia, the RAZR V3 made Motorola. Before the V3, the concept of a slim phone was alien and even the 3210 and 3310 were bricks compared to this ultra-slim metal-clad mobile device.
The design proved so popular that Motorola continued using it for years and not only was it ultra-slim, but it proved that flip phones could be cool. It forced Motorola’s rivals to reconsider what could be possible with mobile design and brought about an era of manufacturers attempting to make sexy smartphones.
3. Nokia N95
There’s a pattern here and for good reason; Nokia, Motorola and RIM (now known as BlackBerry) were the undisputed kings of the mobile phone industry. The smartphone industry is an entirely different kettle of fish, as you’ll see below, but the Nokia N95 began defining what it meant to be a flagship smartphone.
Nokia’s N95 takes its place on this list for one reason and one reason alone; it heralded a fiercely contested battle (that still rages today) about mobile cameras and gave birth to an entire market devoted to cameras for mobile devices. Add in the cool design, powerful (for its time) OS and tons of neat tricks, the N95 was another device that sold in the tens of millions and is iconic for so many people.
4. Apple iPhone 3G
Let’s be completely fair – it wouldn’t be an iconic phones list without the iPhone. However, unlike other lists, we’re not talking about the original Apple iPhone here. In my personal opinion, the iPhone 3G deserves the plaudits, as it fixed a few basic bits of functionality that were missing from the original iPhone and added a feature that defines smartphones: the App Store.
The rest… is history
Before the App Store, the concept of applications was a myth to most but within six months, it was legendary. When the App Store launched in July 2008, it offered 552 apps but this had swelled to 15,000 apps by January 2009 (when the App Store hit its 1 billionth app download). In September, there were 85,000 apps from 12,500 developers and the App Store had hit 2 billion downloads. The rest, as they say, is history.
The first iPhone also introduced the concept of a touch-friendly OS, unlike RIM and Nokia who had attempted to make non-touch platforms friendly for the new trend of touchscreens. Indeed, Google had been planning a BlackBerry-like platform for its devices but went back to the drawing board after it saw the iPhone; Android was born and it set off down the path towards world domination.
5. T-Mobile G1
To combat the new incumbent iOS, the Open Handset Alliance (with Google as its leader) debuted the Android-powered T-Mobile G1, made by Taiwanese manufacturer HTC. The first real Android handset, the G1 was the first step in the rise of Android, with the platform now firmly dominating the smartphone market.
The G1 was iconic not just for being the first Android handset but because it aimed to also cater for those who may not be ready to give up the keyboard. The unique slide-out keyboard was a concept that faded with time – although some manufacturers are aiming to bring it back through unique accessories – but Android certainly hasn’t and shows no signs of abating for years to come.
6. Samsung Galaxy Note
We said there was a trend and there certainly is; the first iPhone saw incumbent heavyweights such as Nokia and Motorola replaced mainly by new challengers from Asia. We’ve already had HTC front the Android movement and while the G1 was iconic, the impact of the Samsung Galaxy Note is still felt today.
The new Note is coming, but is it still special?
The Galaxy Note is iconic for one main reason; it invented the phablet industry. The current trend in the market is for big screen devices but before the Galaxy Note, a 5.5-inch display would have been ridiculed. The Galaxy Note showed that it was possible, it was what customers wanted and out of nowhere, Samsung began on its own journey towards domination.
7. Samsung Galaxy S II
From the big-screen Galaxy Note to the Galaxy S II, and the smartphone that many believe made Samsung the behemoth it is today. Before the Galaxy S II, we had the HTC Desire which was an excellent device but the Galaxy S II was slim, powerful and resembled the iPhone better than anything before it.
The Galaxy S II was soon followed by a spate of new devices from Samsung, with each attempting to be more powerful and with more features than the one before it. The Galaxy S III sold in the millions, the Galaxy S4 even more and after a flop with the Galaxy S5, this year’s Galaxy S6 attempts to continue the trend.
8. Motorola Moto G
Where Samsung set about revolutionising the flagship market, Motorola looked at the low-end and the company’s next big innovation after the RAZR V3 took the market by storm. Simply put, the Moto G redefined what was possible from an entry-level smartphone.
The excellent design, the removable covers and the close to stock Android platform, which delivered a superfast platform, were all refreshing at a time when manufacturers were loading devices – both flagship and entry-level – with bloatware, resulting in poor performance. Since the Moto G, we’ve seen the lower mid-range market become as fiercely contested as the flagship market is and it shows no signs of abating with competition from everyone higher than ever before.
Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi has made it a mission to dominate this market and its new Redmi Note 2 does this, by offering flagship specs with a $140 price tag. No wonder Xiaomi sold 800,000 handsets in just 12 hours, setting a new Chinese record.
9. Samsung Galaxy Note 4
Putting this handset on this list was interesting as it is rather subjective but it made it on the list for one very big reason; as discussed in our podcast a couple of weeks ago, Josh and I both agreed that the Galaxy Note 4 camera rocks! There is a lot to like about Samsung’s phablet flagship last year and while the bloatware and performance left a lot to be desired, the camera was the first time that mainstream Android smartphone cameras were truly unflappable.
Who’s who in the smartphone camera business
The Galaxy Note 4 camera is particularly impressive as Samsung finally adopted Optical Image Stabilisation in its smartphone cameras and in doing so, righted everything that was wrong with the Galaxy Note 3 camera. Even now – almost a year later when the Galaxy Note 5 has already been announced – the Galaxy Note 4 camera continues to perform brilliantly.
10. Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge
Samsung has dominated the later parts of this list for one main reason; it came from nowhere to become the world’s largest smartphone and mobile phone manufacturer. It emulated sunken behemoth Nokia to capture the two coveted crowns and it was largely thanks to the Android-powered Galaxy line.
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The last eighteen months however, has been extremely difficult for the Korean manufacturer and after the failures of the Galaxy S5, this year’s Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge bought about one of its most radical smartphone designs yet. In the space of a year, the plastic clad Galaxy S5 was replaced by a premium (in every sense of the word) smartphone that’s unlike any other. Not the Galaxy S6 but the Galaxy S6 Edge.
Last year saw Samsung release the Galaxy Note Edge and while that didn’t take off too well, the dual-curved Galaxy S6 Edge is, without doubt, an iconic device. Why, I hear you ask? Simple: it’s the first time a curved smartphone has become widely available and had Samsung made more, it would probably have sold tens of millions more.
Notable Mentions
Given that hundreds of thousands of different devices have been released over the years, picking the iconic devices list was certainly a challenge. Many devices have come close to the list but the ones that stick in the mind range from early basic devices to some of the most powerful and recognisable modern day devices.
Top Phones of 2015:
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The first mention has to go to the Motorola DynaTAC, which was the first phone used to make the world’s first mobile phone call in April 1973. From there, we move to the Nokia 2110, which was released in 1994 and was the first time we heard the iconic Nokia Ringtone, which has gone on to become a cult classic.
Its well documented that Nokia was too slow to respond to the iPhone but when its first big response did come, it managed to sell over 130 million Nokia 5230 handsets. It wasn’t enough however, as the Apple iPhone 4 the following year redefined the iPhone again and reaffirmed Apple’s dominance of the flagship market. It was followed by the iPhone 4S, which introduced Siri, sold better than its predecessor and remains one of the most iconic iPhones of all time.
In response to this, Samsung introduced the Galaxy S II (above, which followed by the Galaxy S III a year later) and 40-50 million of each handset. Since then, we’ve seen the market become ever more saturated and the past twelve months has seen the introduction of devices like the OnePlus One, Huawei Ascend Mate 7, LG G4, HTC One M9 and Xperia Z3 Plus as manufacturers aim to dominate once again.
What was YOUR most iconic device of all time?
That’s our list of iconic devices and there were definitely at least 50 other devices that could have made it onto the list. Making a smartphone standout in the here and now is certainly something that many manage to do but very few remain iconic for years and generations to come.
Chances are you’ve had some of the phones on this list (I’ve still got a RAZR V3, N95, Moto G and S6 Edge which all still work); if so, which ones did/do you have and do they still work? What did/do you like most about them? Let us know your views in the comments below and don’t forget to vote for your most iconic device!
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Misfit Partners With Speedo for New ‘Speedo Shine’ Swimming Activity Tracker
Misfit today announced the launch of the “Speedo Shine,” a new activity tracker that’s been designed in partnership with Speedo, a company known for its swimwear and swimming accessories. Like Misfit’s other products, the device tracks steps taken, various exercises, and sleep, but it also is able to track swimming activity.
The Speedo Shine is waterproof and features proprietary lap counting algorithms to measure laps taken when in the pool. According to Misfit and Speedo, the lap tracking capabilities feature “industry-leading accuracy” and have been tested at Speedo’s Aqualab.
Lap counting works for all stroke types, and the data that’s collected is displayed in the Misfit app for iOS. The app collects information on swim distance, lap count, calories burned, and fitness points earned. In the near future, the Speedo Shine will also sync with the Speedo Fit swim tracking app.
As with the existing Misfit Shine, the new Speedo Shine is a circular activity tracker worn on the wrist. It’s crafted from aluminum and available in a new light silver color the company calls “Pure” with a black or white band.
The Speedo Shine with swim tracking capabilities will launch on September 1 and it will be sold in Apple retail stores, on Misfit’s website, and on Speedo’s website. It is priced at $79.99.
‘Square Cash’ Introduces Apple Watch App For Easy Money Transfers on the Wrist
Square today announced that its money transferring app “Square Cash” is making the leap to Apple Watch, allowing users to make and receive money transfers on Apple’s new wearable device (via TechCrunch). The original iOS and Android app allows users to send money to family and friends for free (business transactions are charged a 1.9% fee) by linking a Visa, MasterCard, or Discover debit card within the app.
The company promises a more streamlined money exchange with the new Apple Watch app that prioritizes favorite contacts and presents users with accept or deny transfer messages right on their wrists. After choosing a contact on the app’s home screen, users can input their desired amount using a combination of six values: $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, and $100.
Square also lets users collect money from others without the need of doling out personal information they’re only comfortable with family and friends knowing. Called a “Cashtag,” the service essentially lets each user claim a unique username — all beginning with a “$” — and share it with the person from which they want money.
Those with the Square Cash iOS app already installed — and automatic downloads turned on — can expect to see the Apple Watch app on their smartwatch starting today. Everyone else can download the app for free on the App Store [Direct Link].
You can now send money to friends with your Apple Watch
If you’ve ever wanted to quickly send money to a pal to cover your share of the restaurant bill, you can now do so with your Apple Watch. Square has just updated its iOS Cash app — which lets you send money to anyone via email or text — so that it also loads on the wearable from Cupertino. Simply enter in the amount you wish to pay in increments of $1, $2, $5, $10, $20 or $100, tap in the appropriate contact info, and your friend will get her money back in a matter of seconds. The Cash app can push payment request notifications to the Watch as well, which you can accept or deny right from your wrist. Aside from just email and text, you can also send money to folks via Bluetooth LE (just like its phone counterpart) as long as they’re in range. So now that you can settle your debts without having to take out your wallet and your phone, there’s no excuse to skip out on paying up — especially if you’ve got the cash to plunk down on a pricey smartwatch in the first place.
Filed under:
Wearables, Software, Apple
Source:
Square Cash (App Store)
Tags: apple, applewatch, square, squarecash
You can try an Apple Watch without an appointment
To date, you’ve had to book an appointment to try the Apple Watch in a store. That’s something of a hassle when you only want to find out if the Leather Loop is comfy, isn’t it? Thankfully, you shouldn’t have to jump through hoops any longer. According to 9to5Mac, Apple retail stores are dropping the appointment requirement from this week onward. So long as there’s an available staffer and a place at the tryout table, you can stroll up and get a hands-on (wrist-on?) with the company’s first wearable. You can still provide your Apple ID if you want to be reminded of your pick later on, but it’s no longer a prerequisite.
There’s no explanation for the policy change. However, it’s likely an acknowledgment that the initial rush is over. The appointment system existed partly to avoid disappointment for a crush of early customers that were determined to buy the Watch, and didn’t want to wait while the merely curious had their turn. Well, that first wave has its wristwear — the tryout tables are that much more likely to be quiet, especially now that you can buy a Watch on the spot or visit Best Buy.
Photo by Will Lipman.
Source:
9to5Mac
Tags: apple, applestore, applewatch, retail, smartwatch, watch, wearable
Apple Watch Users Embracing Apple Pay for Everyday Purchases
Apple Pay on iPhone is a convenient and secure way to make payments without taking a debit or credit card out of your wallet, but you still need to take the smartphone out of your pocket to make a purchase. For that reason, Apple Pay has proven more transformative on Apple Watch, since the device is worn on the wrist and readily available for contactless payments.
Apple Pay with a phone is still just taking something out of your pocket. Not transformative. With a watch it's amazing. End of friction
— Benedict Evans (@BenedictEvans) June 28, 2015
The latest data from research firm Wristly supports that notion, with 80% of the over 1,000 respondents surveyed in the U.S. and U.K. claiming they have used Apple Pay on an Apple Watch at least once. The remaining 20% of respondents indicated they “do not perceive a benefit” to Apple Pay, have security concerns or believe their payment needs are already being met.
Just over half (51%) of respondents described using Apple Pay on the Apple Watch as “magical,” an adjective often used by late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, while 42% indicated that the service is “convenient.” An additional 3% of respondents said Apple Pay is “good,” but with some areas of concern, and the remaining 4% of users found Apple Pay “not that useful.”
Given the choice, 79% of respondents preferred to use Apple Pay on the Apple Watch and 9% preferred to use the mobile payments service on an iPhone. The survey panel most commonly used Apple Pay for everyday shopping (81%), in addition to recurring services such as Starbucks (60%), bigger purchases (35%), in-app purchases (29%) and other purchases (11%)… Read more 
Apple’s rebranded Music Festival will be livestreamed on Beats 1
Apple’s iTunes Festival is coming back to London with a new name and a slightly different format. For starters, it’s now called Apple Music Festival — an obvious move to promote the recently launched music streaming service. It’s still being held at the city’s Roundhouse venue, but this year the company is opting for a 10 night run (September 19-28) rather than its usual month-long affair. That could put extra pressure on its free and seemingly randomised ticket allocations, so Apple has also decided to stream the festival through Apple Music. Everyone will be able to watch the performances both live and on-demand, with coverage on Beats 1 and social media snippets on Apple Music Connect.
So far only four headliners have been announced: One Direction (September 22), Disclosure (September 25), Pharrell Williams (September 26) and Florence and the Machine (September 28). That leaves six headliner slots to fill, as well as the traditional supporting artists that open each night. In truth, it’s not a massive departure from the old iTunes Festival setup — but a rebrand could help Apple to push adoption of Apple Music, or at least persuade users that it’s trying to put some soul back into music streaming.
#AppleMusicFestival is coming! @Pharrell, @OneDirection, @Flo_Tweet, @Disclosure and more. http://t.co/6fVYjqZZmR pic.twitter.com/a0YyGdkMpK
— Apple Music (@AppleMusic) August 18, 2015
[Image Credit: Samir Hussein/Redferns via Getty Images]
Source:
Apple Music Festival
Tags: 1d, apple, applemusic, applemusicfestival, beats1, disclosure, onedirection, pharrell, PharrellWilliams
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