Amazon Prime has revealed its 2018 bestsellers, with its own Fire Stick and Echo Dot the most purchased items.
Why Apple Won't Focus on Units in Fiscal 2019
Daniel Dilger wrote an informative article on why Apple will be focusing more on users, instead of units in the fiscal 2019 year.
The real value of Apple’s business has never changed. The real reason why Apple has always been uniquely able to sell premium hardware in a marketplace full of less expensive, generic commodity is its ability to successfully reach people, convince them that things are better inside the Apple ecosystem, and then retain their loyalty by delivering what Apple’s chief executive Tim Cook refers to as “user sat.”
At every keynote Apple emphasizes how customer satisfaction is its number one priority. Apple won’t be reporting unit sales anymore. Plenty of other companies don’t either, but it’s Apple so everyone is freaking out and death knelling.
Here's How Siri Works on the HomePod
Although the journal entry is highly technical in nature, it’s a fascinating glimpse into the technology underpinning the HomePod.
How a Former Google Employee Avoids iPhone Distraction
Jake Knapp used to work on the Gmail team at Google. He recently wrote how he avoids iPhone distraction. He basically went full nuclear and deleted all of his apps, although it looks like he re-downloaded only the most important ones. If want to start limiting your phone usage, try his approach. In my opinion though, if you’re suffering from digital addiction, just get one of those flip phones. Buying an expensive smartphone only to delete 99% of the apps seems like you’re defeating its purpose, and you’ll save yourself a lot of money.
iTunes Downloads Aren't Encrypted on Purpose
Researchers from privacy service Disconnect discovered a “feature” of App Store and iTunes downloads.
Improving Our Moral Reasoning in the Digital Age
I’ve previously written about calls to Silicon Valley to embrace ethics, and how companies should have a Chief Ethics Officer. But you can’t really have ethics without morals, and this article explains how we can improve our moral reasoning.
Addressing the issues brought upon by artificial intelligence, biological advances, and the information age, I’d like to create a generalized method of moral reasoning for any human being in our current age to address issues like gene editing while remaining faithful to the work of philosophers and historians.
Where Next for Apple and the Music Industry
Apple has a long history of working with the music industry. Steve Jobs changed how songs were sold when he got the music industry to go along with US$0.99 songs on iTunes. Apple changed the game again when it decided to try and compete directly with Spotify and launched Apple Music. An interesting piece of analysis in the Financial Times looks at where Apple and the music industry might go next.
Music executives say that after a late entrance to music streaming in 2015, the tech group has been gaining confidence and ratcheting up its efforts to grow Apple Music. The number of subscribers has grown to 56m, up from 50m in May, and Apple recently overtook Spotify to become the top music streaming service in the US, the world’s biggest music market by revenues. “Apple stumbled out of the gate with an inferior product three years ago. Apple Music did not become this spectacular product like iTunes was,” said a senior executive at one of the “big three” record labels.
UK Smartphone Vendors Criticised for Black Friday Smartphone Deals Failure
LONDON – Online smartphone retailers in the UK are being criticized for wrongly refusing customers Black Friday deals. UK cellular service provider Vodafone experienced problems with its credit check systems. As a result, some customers wanting the cut-price deals were mistakenly declined. According to the BBC, “5% of consumers experienced the issue.” Mobiles.co.uk, owned by Carphone Warehouse, was particularly affected as it attracted many customers on the back of significant deals for the iPhone XR. From the BBC’s report:
Carphone Warehouse-owned website Mobiles.co.uk and other online phone retailers are facing a backlash from customers wrongly refused Black Friday smartphone deals. A problem with Vodafone’s credit check systems meant that some applications submitted via the contract resellers were incorrectly turned down.
Apple Removes 700 Apps from China App Store
Apple has deleted a further 700 apps in its App Store in China over recent days, following the deleting of thousands of apps in the country back in August.
Former World Chess Champion Gary Kasparov is Upbeat About AI
Gary Kasparov, former world chess champion (1985-2000), is upbeat about the future of AI in this article at ZDNet. He says:
AI is a tool, it’s a technology it’s not a harbinger of utopia or dystopia, it’s not a magic wand it’s not the terminator, it’s a tool. And at the end of the day how you use a tool will determine our future.”
This is a thoughtful, well-written article. Mr. Kasparov does much to bring a steady frame of mind to the technical issues and natural human fears.
Kasparov prefers the term ‘augmented intelligence’ because he sees that as a more precise way to describe human-machine collaboration, and also that ‘artificial’ sounds a bit too scary. He says he is an optimist by nature and sees the fear of AI as a psychological obstacle we need to overcome.