Tim Cook has more faith in augmented reality than VR
When Tim Cook is not busy showing off the newest iPhone to celebrities, he is doing interviews on morning shows and speculating on emerging technologies. During an interview with Good Morning America this morning, the Apple CEO told ABC News’ Robin Roberts that he believed augmented reality to have a more promising future than virtual reality.
In response to Roberts’ question on where Apple sees virtual reality, which she said is “all the rage” right now, Cook said, “There’s virtual reality, and there’s augmented reality. Both of these are incredibly interesting.”
But to Cook, AR is the “larger of the two, probably by far.” He explained that augmented reality allows people to be more present and share experiences with each other, which would eventually make the tech more commercially viable. VR, on the other hand, is more closed off, Cook said. Even though it immerses people in really cool experiences, “less people will be interested in that,” he said, so it will likely inspire less commercial interest over time.
While this is far from a new AR product announcement from Apple, it does shed some light on why we might not have seen any moves in virtual reality from the iPhone maker. The company hired a virtual and augmented reality expert in January and bought an augmented reality company last year, but has not said anything on an AR/VR device.
Still, Cook’s apparent interest in augmented reality could mean a difference in focus. Apple’s biggest rivals, Samsung, Google and Facebook (which owns headset maker Oculus), have all developed virtual reality products, but few have made headway into AR. If the Cupertino company can produce something better than Google’s Glass, it could beat the competition to that punch.
Via: The Verge
Source: ABC News
Apple can never release an ‘iWatch’ in the UK
Long before Apple actually launched its first wearable, a trademarking spree sent the rumour mill into overdrive. Understandably so, because what else could an “iWatch” be? The Swiss clocksmiths at Swatch weren’t best pleased with this application, however, challenging the filing with the UK’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) in 2014. The IPO recently brought an end to the dispute, siding with Swatch in its opposition of the trademark. It doesn’t really matter now, of course, with the Apple Watch already in its second generation. But, if the company ever wanted to launch an iWatch? Well, it can’t.
Swatch successfully argued that iWatch was too similar to trademarks it had already registered in the UK, namely iSwatch — a digital number released in 2013. Apple contested this on the basis it was known for the “i” prefix because of all its other iThings, so using the name iWatch was unlikely to cause confusion among consumers. The IPO thought otherwise, denying Apple the trademark. That’s true for smartwatches, anyway, with the company still allowed to use it for software, computer peripherals and components, as well as other things it wouldn’t really make sense to call iWatch.
Like patents, trademarks are a messy business, as Apple knows all too well. The company had to pay $60 million to secure the iPad trademark in China after a local firm laid claim to the name and briefly had tablets pulled from shelves. Apple famously battled with a Brazilian company over the iPhone trademark in the region, too, though that’s just another entry on a very long list of examples. In another iWatch dispute, a company that owns the trademark across Europe sued Apple last year, claiming that although it wasn’t stamped on any product, Apple was using the term behind the scenes to promote its smartwatch in searches and ads.
Via: BBC
Source: Intellectual Property Office
Twitter comes to the Xbox One, Apple and Amazon TV boxes
Much like Shia LaBoeuf declaring that he isn’t famous anymore, Twitter is now out and proud about not being a social network. No, instead, Twitter is now a broadcasting platform, which means that it needs to put itself in the sort of places you use to watch TV. That’s why the company has announced that it’s launching apps for Apple TV, Amazon’s Fire TV and Microsoft’s Xbox One. It’ll be on these that you can watch some of the new video content that’s coming to the service, including Thursday Night Football.
Twitter isn’t just for NFL nuts, and has signed deals with other sports outfits including MLB Advanced Media and Pac-12, which covers college sports. If you’re more into current affairs, then you’ll be able to view footage from Bloomberg News and tech/finance/video for millennials startup Cheddar — which does two shows a day from the floor of the NYSE. Twitter’s ace up its sleeve is that it also has video platforms of its own: Vine for edited comedy clips and Periscope for live events.
In addition, those using the app on Apple TV are entitled to watch video and have Twitter’s video clip service running alongside. At least, that’s how the release reads, although it’s not clear why people would necessarily want to be distracted from gripping sports events with Harambe vines. What’s more valuable is that Twitter will offer-up a commentary overlay from members of the public that’ll run alongside live events. Company CFO Anthony Noto is quoted as saying that “Twitter has always been a great complement to TV, and now fans can enjoy even more premium video with live Tweets.”
Back in the day, there was an online service called Zeebox that took Twitter’s social component and used it exclusively for adding commentary to live TV. Twitter (and broadcasters) would eventually cotton onto the same idea, turning the service into a real-world peanut gallery that went alongside big name reality shows. But being the most beautifully created peanut gallery doesn’t earn you much money — which is why Zeebox transformed into a beauty blog called Beamly and then became a marketing agency.
Twitter needs to get more eyeballs pointing at its product, because it’s got something of a user growth problem. It has a core audience of passionate tweeters, but that appeal hasn’t translated across to the broader mainstream. Its monthly active user count has remained roughly stable at just over 300 million, putting it well behind services like Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook. Wall street has often punished Twitter for not being as popular as its rivals, even though Twitter’s cult appeal deserves preserving.
Live video, especially sports video, could be the magic bullet that Twitter needs both to invigorate its user base and broaden its appeal. It’s not the only tech firm that’s come to this conclusion, with Amazon reportedly ramping up its interest in bringing sports to Prime. Twitter will also have to fight with Facebook, which considered buying those same Thursday Night Football rights and is also making forays into live sports. Unlike those other companies, however, Twitter doesn’t have a huge war chest that could be used to buy such rights. But given that the big networks can earn up to 21 million viewers for a single game, it may be worth the risk.
Of course, Shia LaBoeuf’s still famous and Twitter’s still a social network, albeit one which is attempting to be many different things to different people. That’s why, in addition to making a big push into broadcast video, it’s encouraging people to come to Periscope with notifications and turning DMs into a WhatsApp-esque chat service. The company is also hoping to make some sort of progress in counting its toxic atmosphere through algorithmic-based abuse removal.
The new apps are launching today, with each platform offering a slightly different global footprint. Twitter for Apple TV is launching wherever you can purchase the device, while the Fire TV edition is only available in the US and UK. If you’re a rocking an Xbox One, you’ll be able to get at the goodies in the US, UK, Australia, Brazil and Mexico.
iOS 10 Messages Apps and Games Worth Checking Out
With iOS 10 now available to the public, there are hundreds of new Messages apps available in the dedicated Messages App Store. For the first time, we’re getting a look at just what apps in Messages are going to be capable of, and it’s more than a just a gimmick.
There are apps for all doing all kinds of things, from expressing yourself with GIFs and stickers, to sending song lyrics, sharing movie information, maps locations, weather reports, and more, plus there are even more in-depth tools for figuring out what restaurant to eat at, sending money to friends, and other conveniences that are sure to save you a lot of time.
In the list below, we’ve gathered up a handful of some of the most useful apps in the Messages App Store, so if you’re looking to see what Messages apps can do, this is a good starting point.
Installing a Messages App
To install an app from the Messages App Store, tap on the “App Store” icon when in a conversation. From there, tap on the icon of four dots to open the app drawer, then choose the “+” button to access the store itself. The Messages App Store is similar to the iOS App Store, so choose an app and then tap on the price or “Get” to download it.
Messages apps are usually installed automatically, but can be accessed in the App Store by tapping on “Manage” and toggling apps on and off.
Notable Apps and Games
– GIF Keyboard (Free) – GIF Keyboard from Tenor is available as a Messages app, making it easier to insert GIFs directly into chat conversations. It features a create-a-GIF- option, trending GIFs, GIF categories for access to quick reaction GIFs, and a search tool.
– ETA ($2.99) – With ETA, you can share the arrival time before you reach your destination directly in the Messages app, so if you’re on your way somewhere, the person waiting for you will know when you’re going to arrive. You can share from your saved location or search from any nearby destination.
– Carrot Weather ($3.99) – Carrot Weather lets you check the weather within the Messages app and share weather forecasts with friends. It features the same humorous weather updates available in the main Carrot Weather app.
– Fandango (Free) – Fandango’s app lets you send movie suggestions and times to friends with just a tap, and once you agree on what to see, you can purchase movie tickets to the local theater without leaving Messages.
– Drafts ($4.99) – Drafts, an app for quickly taking down notes and sending them almost anywhere, now has an iMessage extension that lets you insert text snippets from Drafts into Messages. It’s a quick way to share notes or other information with friends and family.
– iTranslate (Free) – iTranslate is a useful app that will let you translate text in Messages just before sending it. More than 90 languages are available, and it features a Direct Voice Translation feature. When the person you’re communicating with has iTranslate installed, there’s an option for easy two-way real-time communication in two different languages.
– Music Memos (Free) – Apple’s Music Memos app, which is meant to be used for recording and saving quick song and melody ideas, now works in the Messages app. You can share your song ideas in Messages using the new Music Memos for iMessage app, giving you a quick way to send what you’re working on to friends and family.
– OpenTable (Free) – Reservation app OpenTable’s Messages app aims to answer the question “Where should we eat?” It offers the ability to suggest restaurants to friends and family, vote on options, and then make a reservation all without leaving Messages.
– Genius – Song lyrics and music app Genius has a Messages extension that allows users to look up lyrics to songs and then send them to friends. It’s a handy way to share the lyrics to what you’re listening to without having to look them up in Safari or another app.
– Truth Truth Lie (Free) – From the creator of SketchParty TV, Truth Truth Lie is a Messages game that allows users to record three video clips, two containing a truth and one containing a lie. The objective is to guess which ones are the truth and which is the lie.
– Square Cash (Free) – As long as you’ve connected the Square Cash app to your phone number and bank account, Square Cash for iMessage lets you quickly send money to your friends from within iMessage. You can choose an amount and send it in just a couple of taps, making Square Cash’s already-simple money sending process even easier.
– Snappy Browser ($1.99) – Snappy Browser is a third-party browser that lets you use the web within Messages for looking up quick tidbits of information. You can look something up and then send a link without having to exit Messages to use Safari.
– ESPN (Free) – With the ESPN Messages app, you can watch game highlights in iMessage and share current scores with friends. It pulls data from from your ESPN account, displaying the teams you follow, and offers a quick way to send a score to keep someone up to date on a game.
– Momento ($1.99) – Momento is an app that scans your photos and makes GIFs from your images, which can then be shared in the Messages app. It takes two or more images that were taken at the same time and combines them, for quick little animations that resurface old memories.
Found an awesome app or game we haven’t covered? Make sure to share it in the comments.
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Tidal lost huge sums of money fighting streaming rivals
If you guessed that it would be expensive for a small streaming service like Tidal to compete with heavyweights like Apple and Spotify, especially through exclusives… you guessed correctly. Tidal’s parent company, Aspiro, has reported a $28 million loss for 2015, the year Jay-Z bought it. That’s more than twice the $10.4 million loss it chalked up in 2014. While the Wall Street Journal understands that this doesn’t include all US financial data (it’s not a “complete picture”), it’s not exactly flattering.
Tidal has certainly had some success in the Jay-Z era, having racked up 4.2 million paid subscribers as of June. You can likely attribute some of that to customers sticking around after listening to streaming exclusives from the likes of Beyoncé, Kanye and Prince. However, the loss underlines the challenge it faces adding more listeners. Apple and Spotify both have larger war chests to spend on exclusives, and much larger customer bases to boot — Apple Music has picked up 17 million paying users in 15 months, while Spotify has over 30 million. Tidal may have to work overtime (whether it’s scoring more exclusives or marketing itself) if it wants to turn a profit while maintaining a high profile.
Source: Wall Street Journal
Apple’s iOS 10 is bricking iPhones
Apple’s iOS 10 just dropped this morning and, less than an hour after launch, the landings haven’t been smooth for everyone. From the get-go, Twitter has lit up with reports of people’s phones (including your humble Engadget contributor) getting bricked or otherwise stuck in the update-restore process.
It appears iPhones weren’t the only devices having trouble with the update, either. As Brianna Wu noted on Twitter, the update has also bricked her iPad Pro.
Do not install iOS 10. It’s also bricked my iPad Pro. iPhone 6S Plus will require PSU wipe. No access to calls, email, or calendar today.
— Brianna Wu (@Spacekatgal) September 13, 2016
Apple, for their part, issued a statement saying: “We experienced a brief issue with the software update process, affecting a small number of users during the first hour of availability. The problem was quickly resolved and we apologize to those customers. Anyone who was affected should connect to iTunes to complete the update or contact AppleCare for help.”
Of course, that’s cold comfort for someone still staring down the “Connect to iTunes screen.”
Apple’s iWork for iOS Apps Updated With Real-Time Collaboration
Apple today updated its iWork line of apps, including Pages, Keynote, and Numbers, for iOS 10. The new versions of the apps include a real-time collaboration feature, which is available as a beta.
With real-time collaboration, first announced on September 7, multiple users can edit an iWork document at one time using a Mac, an iOS device, or iCloud.com. Real-time collaboration allows all users to see what each person is doing inside the document, with multiple cursors and a list of document editors.
Also included in today’s update is a new formatting pane designed for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, support for wide color gamut (a feature coming in the iPhone 7), improved downloading, and enhanced keyboard navigation and keyboard shortcuts.
What’s New in Version 3.0
– Real-time collaboration (feature in beta)
– Edit a document with others at the same time in Pages on Mac, iPad, iPhone, and iCloud.com
– Share your document publicly or with specific people
– See who else is in a document
– See participants’ cursors as they’re editing– A new format pane takes advantage of the display on the 12.9-inch iPad Pro
– Improved downloading – Pages now downloads documents from iCloud only when you’re ready to work on them
– Wide color gamut image support
– Enhanced keyboard navigation and additional keyboard shortcuts
In Keynote, there’s an option to present a slideshow that users can follow along with from their Mac, iPhone, iPad, or iCloud.com, and there’s a feature for highlighting with the Apple Pencil while presenting on the iPad Pro. Pages and Keynote also both feature support for opening and editing Pages and Keynote ’05 documents.
Apple’s line of iWork apps are free to users who have recently purchased a new Mac or iOS device. Otherwise, each iWork app for Mac is available for $19.99 while each iWork app for iOS is available for $9.99.
Pages for iOS – [App Store]
Keynote for iOS – [App Store]
Numbers for iOS – [App Store]
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Apple Says Over-the-Air iOS 10 Update Issue is Fixed
In a statement given to BuzzFeed’s John Paczkowski, Apple says the issue that was causing iOS 10 updates installed over-the-air to fail on some iPads and iPhones has been resolved, making it safe to resume iOS 10 downloads.
“We experienced a brief issue with the software update process, affecting a small number of users during the first hour of availability. The problem was quickly resolved and we apologize to those customers. Anyone who was affected should connect to iTunes to complete the update or contact AppleCare for help.
Shortly after iOS 10 was released, a number of people who attempted to install iOS 10 using an over-the-air download saw their installation fail, effectively bricking devices until plugged into iTunes for an update or restore. For people who are not near a computer or who do not own one, this is a significant problem.
Users who were already affected by the problem will need to continue on with the restore process using a computer, but new users who attempt to install the update should not run into the problem.
Apple recommends creating a backup before installing any new iOS update, and those worried about having the install fail can instead download the update through iTunes, an installation method that has not been affected.
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Adobe Lightroom gives the latest iPhones RAW support
Adobe has launched Lightroom 2.5 for iOS 10 with a big new feature — support for capture and editing of RAW files in the “DNG” format. Using the app, you can take a photo with the iPhone’s built-in camera(s) and save all the image data with no loss or compression. The feature is limited to models with the 12-megapixel iSight camera, meaning it’ll work with the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, the iPhone SE and the iPad Pro 9.7-inch model. It’ll also support the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus once they arrive, of course
Apple’s Camera app doesn’t support RAW capture, but as the company revealed at the iPhone 7 launch, it supports third-party DNG support through an API. Adobe has taken advantage of that with Lightroom 2.5, letting you snap and edit DNG photos. It also supports the iPhone 7’s P3 “wide color,” which will add 25 percent more hues than with the iPhone 6S.
With large file sizes and post-processing often needed, RAW isn’t for everyone, but Adobe’s Lightroom 2.5 is targeted at pros or others who want to get more out of an image. Once a DNG photo is snapped, you can use the app to bring back “blown out” highlights that would normally be lost with a JPEG (above), or recover detail from deep blacks. With no JPEG artifact compression, images will be sharper, too. If you’d rather work on the desktop, you can sync up DNG files with the Lightroom CC via iCloud.
The app is now available for free on iTunes, but as mentioned, DNG is only supported on cameras with 12-megapixel camera (sorry, iPhone 6 owners). The iPhone 7 will start shipping in a few days, but Adobe says that it’s “working to profile the new sensors and lenses found in the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus and will have an update available as soon as possible.”
Source: Adobe
iOS 10 Over-the-Air Update Bricking Some iPhones and iPads
The new iOS 10 update, released today, appears to be causing problems for some iPad and iPhone owners who are installing it over-the-air. On the MacRumors forums, we’re seeing multiple reports from users who have attempted to install iOS 10 and have had their devices put into recovery mode, requiring a restore.
It does not seem to be limited to a single device, but most reports from iPad owners are coming from those who have the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, which has had trouble with new software releases in the past. Multiple iPhone models also appear to be affected. From MacRumors forum member bit_bucket:
What the actual heck. iPhone just bricked itself as well. That makes 2 devices screwed up by the OTA update and I have to try and restore to the older version now. I do not jailbreak and I did not preinstall the update. Just installed for the first time now. Come on apple. Appears since I hit update right after it hit the servers, I somehow got a corrupt install.
Anyone else having these issues?
Users who have their iOS 10 devices bricked by the update will need to do an iTunes restore, which will erase all data.Here’s the message users are receiving:
There is a problem with the iPhone “iPhone” that requires it to be updated or restored.
The problem may be fixed by updating your iPhone, which preserves your settings and content. However, if updating doesn’t work, it may be necessary to click Restore, which erases all settings and content. If you backed up this iPhone to this computer or iCloud, you’ll be prompted to restore the backup onto the iPhone.
In light of the installation issues some users are facing, those who are concerned about their devices being sent into recovery mode and bricked should hold off on downloading the iOS 10 update for the time being until more information can be uncovered. A backup before installing is also recommended.
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