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  • Beau’s Number 1 App Review: Twisty Arrow!

    Beau’s Number 1 App Review: Twisty Arrow!

    Beau’s App series. Each week, I install whatever is the No. 1 bestselling app on the iOS or Android store and review it, to save you the effort in case it’s total waste of life. This week a game called Twisty Arrow is in the top spot and we are gonna talk about it. Why isn’t it No. 1? not sure, its a very simple and basic game but it’s free. So let take a look and see what has this game rocketing to the top of the charts.

    Twisty Arrow is a simple tapping game. Shoot arrows at the spinning circle target but don’t touch the other arrows. Use the right strategy to improve your accuracy and hit the bullseye on the circle as it twists every time. The more arrows you shoot, the harder it is to be accurate and hit the bullseye. Can you beat this impossible rotating wheel? What level can you get to? Download right now and spin the wheel to find out.

    The Basics of Twisty Arrow

    • Tap your screen to shoot arrows at the spinning wheel
    •  Hit the bulls eye with the arrows without touching other arrows
    •  Each level requires a certain amount of arrows to hit the bulls eye to complete
    •  Different levels spin, twist, and rotate in different directions and at different speeds

    Highly Addicting

    I started playing for just a few mins just to get an overview next thing 6 hours is gone. Gone, hours ill never get back. Wasted? yes immensely. This should be a five minute game, yet somehow here we are. Its very repetitious and very simple, it gets frustrating and you start to doubt your self worth when you fail at something this simple. I wish there was more to say than its just a arrow into a spinning circle, in black and white.

    The Final Thought

    This is the most uninspired and basic game or app I have ever played. I can not comprehend why this made it to the top of the app store chart. However, it did and now with their incessant ads the creators are essentially printing money, Congrats to the guys a tasty pill. Capitalization on peoples boredom, what a time to be alive.

  • iOS 12 Improves Performance on Older iPhones

    iOS 12 Improves Performance on Older iPhones

    You have probably read our articles on some of the big news out of the WWDC this week already. Apple gave a preview of iOS 12, the next operating system for iPhones and iPads, at its annual WWDC conference in San Jose this week. Today im going to tell you about a big feature that will enhance everyone iPhone, yeah even the older ones. The iOS 12 improves performance ?

    For any iPhone capable of running iOS 11, when upgrading to the iOS 12 you will notice some vast improvements. This is first iOS upgrade that will make your iPhone….faster…

    Yes you heard that correctly, the new iOS 12 improves performance on previous models on the iPhone.Apple says iOS 12 will launch apps 40% faster and the camera 70% faster on an iPhone 6S — the model that came out in 2015.

    Release Date, We Can Guess That

    That is great news everybody! When can we update!!  Its safe to say the iOS 12 update will be available in September, much like every year. They release it a few days before the new iPhone ships. So for those of you with the 6s experiences apples slowdown to maintain your battery life, you will just have to keep waiting. Or will you…

    For a small $99 per year you can subscribe to be an apple developer and beta test new software. Along with getting the software updates way earlier,  you also get access to their developer tools as well. SO yeah you can jump in now and start beta testing the iOS 12 months before the rest of us, with all the new goodies at your disposal. However as fantastic as this sounds remember that ios 12 is not finished and will likely encounter more bugs and crashes than you can handle. You can download the software through Xcode, which is what programmers use to build iPhone apps. You can also install it by adding a profile to your iPhone or through iTunes.

    The Final iOS 12 Improves Performance Thought

    Its gonna be a good software update year, lot of performance perfections coming. Lets hope apple can deliver on this promise..

  • Android P vs iOS 12: Which Tech Giant is Leading the Future of Smartphones?

    Android P vs iOS 12: Which Tech Giant is Leading the Future of Smartphones?

    Both Apple and Google have announced their upcoming smartphone OS updates. On the Apple side, we have iOS 12, a largely iterative and incremental update. Android P, on the other hand, is an OS playing catch-up. It represents Google’s attempt to replicate Apple-like functionality on their open, developer-first platform. Which of them has the edge from what we’ve seen so far? Let’s break down the proposed features of each and find out! 

    When Are They Launching? 

    Firstly, let’s discuss release. It’s most likely that we’ll see both iOS 12 and Android P in September. Both will likely launch alongside their flagship phones. Android P’s beta is going on now, while iOS 12’s is set to come later this summer. So, neither gets an edge, as the two are coming right around the same time. 

    Voice Assistants 

    Photo Credit: Apple 

    Siri is kind of a joke now, sadly. While Google Duplex is making phone calls for you and taking strings of commands at once, Siri doesn’t recognize her own name. Jokes aside, Apple launched the virtual assistant technology in 2011. They’ve had so much time to perfect the tech, to make it awesome, and they haven’t. Instead they were content with a just-OK assistant and let Amazon and, importantly, Google catch up. Now they’ve thrown their lead and have to play catch-up. 

    Siri Shortcuts, coming in iOS 12, is their latest push for the virtual assistant. It’s something of a low-tech answer to Google Assistant. It puts the hard work on the user, having them program action in response to command words. For instance, saying “Going to work,” could pull up your morning news podcast and navigate you past high-traffic routes. This is somewhat lame, considering Google Assistant has similar functions just programmed in by the developers. Google gets the edge, here. 

    Face Unlock 

    Photo Credit: Android Authority 

    Face unlock tech was popularized by the iPhone X as an alternative biometric to fingerprint scanning. The iPhone X has a 3D front-facing camera, making its Face ID an incredibly secure, trustworthy locking function. Android’s, by comparison, is noted for its “convenience.” As Google can’t guarantee all phones that use Android have powerful, front facing 3D cameras, they can’t promise strong facial recognition. As such, Android P’s face scanner was famously fooled by a printout of someone’s face. 

    The edge easily goes to Apple. Apple’s Face ID seems like a fully-fledged security feature. Google’s Face Unlock seems like a cash-in on a fad.  

    Messaging Apps 

    Photo Credit: Apple 

    Apple’s iMessage wins this one. Google doesn’t even have a proper infrastructure for their messaging app. Google Hangouts is super disappointing when you look at how many things iMessage has going for it. For one, you can FaceTime and do peer-to-peer payments from within the app. You have Animojis and Memojis in iMessage, which are adorable, and you have Wi-Fi messaging to other iPhone users.  

    The edge here easily goes to Apple. Google has some catching up to do with messaging apps. 

    Shared AR 

    Photo Credit: Engadget 

    Shared augmented reality is coming to both operating systems. However, iOS 12’s version is limited to just other iPhones. Meanwhile, Google’s Cloud Anchors work across platforms for any phone. That’s really awesome! Shared AR has a lot of neat applications, like playing games or learning in a classroom. This is tech to watch. 

    Google’s Cloud Anchors have the edge here for sheer breadth of usability. Good show, Google. 

    Maps 

    Photo Credit: NDTV Gadgets 

    There’s not a whole lot to say here. Google Maps is still the better app. It’s much deeper and more fleshed-out than Apple Maps. Apple’s map app is fine for surface-level navigation and that’s about it. Thankfully you can just download Google Maps on your iPhone.  

    The edge goes to Google for having a deep, highly-detailed map app. 

    Screen Time Management 

    Photo Credit: Apple 

    This is brand new to both Android P and iOS 12. Both operating systems come with ways to manage your time spent using various apps. This is ostensibly to help manage smartphone addiction. The addition of such responsible software is a good sign. However, as both are brand new and neither have been seen, we’ll have to reserve judgment.  

    Neither side gets the edge here, as we haven’t seen enough of either feature. 

    Gesture Navigation 

    Photo Credit: Apple 

    The iPhone X popularized gesture-based navigation, forgoing physical or onscreen buttons. It takes some getting used to, but it’s intuitive and responsive. It’s fairly seamless, so it makes sense that Android P would hop on the bandwagon and try their hand at gestures. However, the operating system still relies on a back button for some navigation. Additionally, Google’s hands-off design philosophy means that app developers are free to use gestures or buttons. This fragmentation is the Achilles Heel of Google’s Android platform as a whole. 

    The edge in this one goes to Apple, for their closed-ended, tightly focused OS. Gesture navigation is so much better when it’s across the whole ecosystem. 

    Android P and iOS 12: Who has the Edge? 

    We do. The competition between Google and Apple keeps heating up, and the two massive companies are deadlocked. They keep one-upping one another, and it’s great for consumers. We keep getting better and better phones and better features. It’s still early, in terms of the new OS’s, to tell who’s winning. Both companies have some heavy-hitting features. Apple has the edge in security with their closed-ended platform. Google has Apple on shared AR and the excellent Google Assistant software.  

    Bottom Line 

    Time will tell who wins this cycle. However, Google and Apple being neck-and-neck with one another is sort of status quo now. Their continuous competition keeps driving them both to new heights, which means we keep getting better and better phones. No matter which side you’re on, you’re in for some cool new features come this September. 

  • Tech Throwback: Motorola E1 Rokr, The First iPhone

    Tech Throwback: Motorola E1 Rokr, The First iPhone

    I like to take a look at where I’ve been to evaluate where Im going. Technology is cyclical after all… wait no its not. That said I still like all the feels that come rushing back like a flood of nostalgia every time I get my hand on the tech I grew up with. Im going to go back periodically and take a looking at the stuff that used to blow our hair back and get our minds rolling. Some of these device blew up and changed the world, some where ahead of their time and some just fell flat and became colossal failures. Today we have a flop but it set the table for one of the greatest tech revolutions of mankind’s existence. Before there was a thought of an iphone, there was Apples first foray into the mobile world. There was a partnership with Apple and Motorola for the Motorola E1 Rokr.

     

     

    The Motorola E1 Rokr

    The Rokr E1 is a repackaged Motorola E398 candybar style phone. However this new bombshell would come with Apple-licensed technology to play back iTunes Music Store purchased music. This doesn’t sound very stellar but at the time this was huge. Phones where just getting cameras. The V3 Razr was blowing up the cellular world, cell phones where now not just fashion accessories but status symbols as well.

    Launched on September 7, 2005 in San Francisco, California, the E1 is the first phone to be integrated with Apple Inc.’s iTunes music player. It features a music player with an interface similar to that of Apple’s iPod music players.

    The next phone being the first iPhone in 2007. This made the Motorola Rokr highly anticipated and tech sites were following the collaborations between Motorola and Apple as far back as December 2004.The Motorola e1 Rokr was a Cingular exclusive. Cingular had dedicated an endcap and standalone display in all of their corporate owned stores.

    Powering Up The Rokr

    I found a gently abused Motorola E1 Rokr on ebay, a new battery and we are powering it back up. It shows the Motorola logo and familiar os pops on. I spent many years with a motorola phone and this brings back floods of memories. It operates just like we all remember, even though the Rokr was not a popular phone the motorola brand was and it was everywhere from 2003-2009. The Cingular brand and Jack icon make me happy. It is basic AF, with only 9 options I’m fully through it a few unceremonious minutes

    But wait! The Rokr has a memory card still full of early ougt hits still on it. Keane, The Killers and Jets “are you gonna be my girl”! the speakers are awful. I am shocked this was acceptable, but at the time it was a wow. The 512 mb card is full with 83 songs on it.

    Its clunky, its slower then I remember the motorolas being. It just has the ipod music player, not the iTunes store so adding music on the fly is not a reality yet.

    The Flop

    Apple scheduled the iPod nano unveiling on the same day as the release of the Rokr. The Nano a success, the Rokr just something to look at in the Cingular store. The relations between Motorola and Apple were bitter and negative. Then Motorola CEO Ed Zander blamed the failure of the Rokr on Jobs and  later accused Apple of purposely undercutting the Rokr. Soon After the Rokr E1 was replaced by the E2, which lacked iTunes support and was superseded by the iTunes-enabled SLVR L7.

     

    The Final Thought

    At the time we had our fingers crossed that Apple and Motorola would unveil exactly what we had been dreaming of for years: a mobile phone with Apple industrial and software design, great call quality, and typically ingenious Apple feature simplification. ingenious Apple feature simplification. We would have to wait another year for that, The iPhone. But the Motorola E1 rocks got Apples gears turning and a stepping stone to Job’s magnificent Vision. Sometime we must fail to change the world and no one embodies that like Steve.

  • Coolest Things Coming to iOS 12

    Coolest Things Coming to iOS 12

    At WWDC 2018, Apple unveiled tons of new info about the upcoming iOS 12. We’re compiling a quick list of the coolest features we know so far, including release date and features. While this isn’t the biggest software change Apple’s ever brought, it’s iterative and responsible. The changes, for what it’s worth, are also all quite welcome. Let’s get into it! 

    Augmented Reality with Other Players 

    Apple promises iOS 12 will sport tons of new features for developers to build multiplayer games. Specifically, Apple showcased how the ARKit 2 software will allow developers to build shared AR experiences. This means that users can both see the same Augmented Reality object from their device, and changes made by one user will be seen by the other. A simple example would be drawing on a virtual chalkboard and your friend seeing it.  

    While this sounds fun for games at first, it also would be huge in the classroom. Imagine the students watching as their teachers shows them a diagram of a cell, pointing and changing things in real time. Then they could all have their own models to toy with, and the teacher could help them locate parts of the cell. Even testing could change to accommodate this more hands-on learning! 

    Backward Compatibility 

    Apple has stated they intend for this iOS update to focus on not leaving older model phones behind. Specifically, the update will support phones from the 5S forward, and iPads from the iPad mini 2 and forward. According to Apple, iOS 12 well help older devices pull up the camera and keyboard functions faster, and just be smoother overall. 

    This is a wise move on the part of Apple. Most smartphone users are keeping their phones longer as technology in the sector plateaus. Despite flashy new phones drawing in plenty of users, a sizable base of Apple users won’t be flocking to buy an iPhone X anytime soon. Keeping support for the older model phones for longer is a smart move on Apple’s part.  

    Upgrades to Siri 

    Siri is now set to be more responsive and generally useful. This update will introduce Siri shortcuts, which allow you to program certain actions to certain words. For instance, you could shortcut “I’m lost,” to pull up the map app and navigate home. This change might seem small at first glance, but it’s actually a huge help. Alexa and Google Assistant are so useful because they’re so smart and responsive. Siri, by contrast, is sort of clunky and you have to use exact phrases to get her to act. Hopefully this update will address this and bring her up to speed with the competition.  

    iOS 12 Release Date 

    The developer beta for iOS 12 started on June 4th, but there is a public beta on the way! The public beta will likely begin on June 26th, if the iOS 11 beta is anything to base things off of. Finally, sometime in September, when the new line of iPhones release, we can expect to see the final version. While iOS 12 isn’t the most exciting or flashy update ever, it’s a much needed one. Siri is in big need of an overall, and older phones have not fared well with iOS 11. Apple’s likely making strides in the right direction. 

  • What Did Apple Show at WWDC 2018?

    What Did Apple Show at WWDC 2018?

    Apple’s big yearly developer conference, the WWDC, was on June 4th, and Apple showcased a ton of new software changes. We’ve rounded up some of the biggest notes from the event here, and we’ll be diving deeper into iOS 12 in a future article. For the most part, Apple focused on security and user protections. This is comforting, as we live in an increasingly-paranoid era where data breaches are all too common. 

    USB Restricted Mode 

    Grayshift, an iPhone hacking tool, uses a USB bypass to brute-force passwords into a locked iPhone. The new iOS has a variation of a previously-discussed mode that will disable these kinds of USB tools. The mode works by locking out USB devices accessing a phone that has been locked for more than an hour. That is, unless the password is put in. This move would keep both criminals and law enforcement from hacking into someone’s iPhone. This move would reignite the ongoing argument between Apple and law enforcement agencies about Apple’s responsibility for helping law enforcement access user data. 

    End-to-End Encryption 

    FaceTime, Apple’s popular video chatting service, now allows end-to-end encryption for up to 32 users. This is great for ensuring that your video calls remain safe from prying eyes, and also shows Apple’s dedication to user privacy. Just how they managed to pull off such encryption with such a large number of simultaneous users is unknown, though certainly impressive.  

    WWDC: Apple Committing to Security 

    Further advancements in iOS security were unveiled. Functions to keep websites and malware from spying on users were shown. Those functions would keep malicious programs from accessing the camera or microphone. Additionally, Apple is integrating software that allows your device to generate a strong password and then store it in iCloud. The password will then be automatically pulled when you need it, keeping your experience hassle-free and well-encrypted. This mimics apps that are already available, but, again, this shows Apple’s commitment to keeping all of their users’ data safe. 

    Upgrades to Siri 

    WWDC was also a chance for Apple to show off the new changes coming to Siri. The virtual assistant will be receiving a new functionality referred to as “Siri Shortcuts,” allowing users to create their own prompts for specific apps. This well help Siri to feel more useful, and hopefully encourage people to actually, uh, use her. Apple also promised that Siri would become more responsive and generally useful. This is critical if Apple wants to compete in the smart home sphere against Google and Amazon. Apple’s HomePod has been struggling, between it’s silly price tag ($350) and under-utilized virtual assistant. 

    While WWDC didn’t show off a ton of new gadgets, the improvements shown are all positive. The company is moving ahead in smart ways, showing a mature, responsible take on security. 

  • More From The WWDC 2018

    More From The WWDC 2018

    I told you id try to keep you updated as much as possible in the ground shattering developments at Apples World Wide Developer Conference. Well here is some more info about the happs at Apple’s WWDC 2018.

     

    Shortcuts To Developers

    Apple announced at the WWDC 2018 it is now allowing developers much deeper integration with iOS 12 and MacOS Mojave. Third-party apps can now build “shortcuts” that allow Siri to execute popular quick actions. They used a real time demo of this with the Tile app. With the short cut they were able to activate tile just by using Hey Siri, find my keys. The programmable short cut is a big shot of B!2 in the arm for Siri. No longer will I wrestle with her over mundane task, I can program her to read my voice for specific commands.

    To sum up Shortcuts easily its a new app coming with iOS 12 that lets you create custom phrases to trigger a specific action using Siri. If she uses this data correctly that should help here understand my voice and commands a little more clearly. Making Siri compete with the Alexa and Google Voice seems to be a big area of focus for apple this WWDC. The WWDC demo also included smart home Shortcuts like “Turn on fan” or “Set thermostat to 70 degrees” — both HomeKit automatons from the Home app.

     

    Mojave and HomeKIt

    Mojave is the next MacOS version. With the update, Apple will add support for the Home app on Macs. Previously, the Home app was Apple’s iOS-only smart-home app where you add, monitor and control you HomeKit-enabled smart-home devices. This is neat and needed, I want my computer to be the brain of my home, If I left it to the phone my home would be left with out a central control system when Im out… 2018 folks, fascinating times, I always thought I would eventually type those words but its still shocking we are here and so causally.

    WWDC 2018 and the Apple TV

    Next at The WWDC, We will also see Apple TV getting some more responsibilities when they add home security and automation companies, Control4, Crestron and Savant. The Apple TV  works with some smart home apps, such as Canary and Nest, for remote monitoring of security camera live feeds. That has always been about it until now. WE will also get the ability to sync HomePods and AppleTV to play music together, Soundbar win!

    Check back tomorrow for more on teh WWDC 2018. Same Time, Same Channel.

  • iOS 12, What We Got at the WWDC Today

    iOS 12, What We Got at the WWDC Today

    Its here! The World Wide Developer Conference is here! In its first day Apple (AAPL) unveiled iOS 12, the next major software update for iPhones and iPads. Here what we are getting in the September update.

    iOS 12 Speed Increase

    Apple Senior Vice President of Engineering Craig Federighi emphasized that with iOS 12, its all about speed. “For iOS 12, we’re doubling down on performance,” said Federighi. We know Craig, we have the need for speed, its important, its inherent, there is nothing we can do about it. Apparently this speed increase will extend to older iOS device users as well.

    Federighi said iPhone users can generally expect apps to get 40% faster, with the Camera launching up to 70% faster.

     

    AR Updates

    I predicted this was coming in my what to expect from the WWDC article earlier last month. I knew as we all dis that the iOS 12 update would include updates to Apple’s augmented reality software tools. Dubbed ARKit 2.0, the upgrades add the ability for multiplayer AR games on separate devices. In other words, both players will see the same scenario through their phones’ displays.

    Also announced by Apple is that USDZ as part of ARKit 2.0. USDZ is  a new AR-focused file format Apple developed in partnership with Pixar that lets users share 3-D models. Abhay Parasnis, CTO of Adobe (ADBE), took the stage to announces USDZ support across Adobe Creative Cloud. Its good to see these two getting along since the ugly adobe flash debates of the late 2000’s.  Parasnis locked in all in by saying.“With Creative Cloud, designers will be able to use apps they’re familiar with to create amazing AR content,”. That is all I needed to hear.

     

    Memoji

    Yeah, who didn’t see this coming. Now you will have the ability to emoji your self to an Animoji of yourself, dubbed Memoji. Sometimes people facetime me before I’ve have my morning coffee, not cool and highly invasive, I say. Now I can respond with my beautiful half me, half Elvis Memoji. Problems solved.  Apple says it will let users create their own personalized Animoji, or animated emoji, down to that new hairdo and sunglasses.

    Yeah more Animojis too,  including a ghost, a koala, and freaking T-Rex! I don’t know why that excites me so much but just let me have this moment people.

     

    Group FaceTime

    Well this scares me to pieces. When group text hit it drained my battery life for years to come, with constant, insistent banter from mild acquaintances grouped with my closest and most despised friends. It wasn’t uncommon in 2013 before group chat etiquette was willed in to existence that one would received 60-70 messages in the 15 minute span that weren’t staring at their phone.   braces yourself people for group facetime…

    Group FaceTime, which will work on iPhone, iPad, Mac, with audio available for the Apple Watch, takes the idea of group video chat to a whole new annoying  level for iOS 12. This will let up to 30 people all participate in the same FaceTime.

    Federighi demonstrated how group FaceTime works, with a row of tiles at the bottom displaying all the FaceTime participants. As someone speaks, a video window above that row of that speaker enlarges.

     

    The Final Thought

    Its the first day people. we still got lots more to come. I just wanted  to share a little bit of what I was excited about and some of the things that will breed new technological nightmares… Ill keep you updated daily with the best from the WWDC. See you tomorrow…maybe..

     

     

     

  • The WWDC is Soon! What Can We Expect from Apple?

    The WWDC is Soon! What Can We Expect from Apple?

    Apple’s WWDC is today! What does that mean? It means that Apple will be unveiling tons of news about software, probably. It seems unlikely that any news of a new iPhone or really any hardware will break at WWDC. This event tends to focus more on the software side of things. With that in mind, what can we expect to hear from them? Here are some of our predications. 

    iOS 12 

    Unless something absolutely unpredictable happens, Apple will be unveiling iOS 12 today. What kinds of things can we expect? We ran an article a few weeks ago on our biggest hopes for new features, here’s a quick recap. We would love a universal dark mode, updated messenger app and smart orientation locking. Another much-requested feature is app multitasking and side-by-side app viewing on iPhone.  

    However, the most needed feature, in our opinion, is a full overhaul of Siri. Sadly, at the moment, Siri is dumb. Alexa is a quick-witted, responsive and helpful assistant. Siri has a hard time executing basic functions. It’s kind of embarassing, actually. 

    Siri and HomePod 

    Changes to Siri are all but guaranteed, thanks to Apple’s emphasis on HomePod. If Apple intends to seriously content with Amazon and Google in the smart speaker market, they need to give Siri some serious upgrades. As it stands, Amazon and Google are winning that race buy a mile. Another focus for the HomePod would be releasing a more affordable, mini-sized version for entry-level smart speaker users. 

    Service Subscriptions 

    According to Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, Apple’s fastest-growing revenue source is their subscription services. Apple Music, Apple Pay and and the App Store are incredibly lucrative for the company at the moment. As smartphone sales begin to finally cool off and slow down, emphasis on these sources of revenue will doubtless increase. Expect announcements related to these types of services at WWDC. 

    Apple’s Most Likely Focus at WWDC: Smartphone Addiction 

    Ways to combat smartphone addictions are a hot topic at the moment. Android P is set to unveil a dashboard that tells users how long they’re spending on various apps. Apple is set to unveil a similar functionality. Experts have been very focused on the problems of smartphone addiction in recent months. To be fair, it is an insidious beast to combat.  

    When you’re in the business of selling a phone, isn’t it against your business model to tell people to use that phone less? Well, sort of. If Apple wants to remain relevant, they need to appear responsible. The responsible thing to do, to be sure, is pay attention to the growing issue of teens and adults who spend way too much time scrolling through various feeds. 

    In any event, we’ll know more about Apple’s focus for this upcoming year very soon. Stay tuned! 

  • What Does HomePod Need to Compete with Other Smart Speakers?

    What Does HomePod Need to Compete with Other Smart Speakers?

    Apple’s attempts to break into the smart speaker market have been unimpressive so far. While Amazon and Google rule the roost, Apple lags behind the competition with the HomePod. What are some ways they could pull the nose up on this crashing plane? Well, here’s hoping someone at Apple is reading this, because we’ve got the answers. 

    Third Parties 

    Apple’s home platform, HomeKit, isn’t third-party friendly. Third party hardware manufacturers interested in pairing with HomeKit had use the MFi Chip, a proprietary Apple piece of hardware. While Apple has since reversed the MFi Chip requirement, it put a black spot on their relationship with third parties. Google and Amazon, by contrast, had no such restrictions, and thus they have a wider base of support from third parties. Apple needs to prioritize winning back those third-party functionalities. 

    Further, Apple doesn’t let anyone outside of their main R&D department make functionality for Siri. While Amazon has allowed tons of third-party developers to introduce new skills to Alexa, Apple has done no such thing for Siri. And it shows: Alexa is amazing! She has so many skills, answers to so many things! Siri, uh, doesn’t. Apple could introduce a platform for developers to submit new Siri skills that they could carefully regulate. This would allow their platform to be more desirable to end users without flooding the software with tons of useless commands. 

    Music Streaming Functionality 

    This one is a sore spot for many. The HomePod is largely marketed as a speaker first and smart device second. So why in the world is it so hard to use anything other than Apple Music on the device? You can only use voice commands from the device to play Apple-approved music sources. Apple Music, Beats 1 Radio and the like are white-listed. Every other streaming service has to be activated from the phone via AirPlay 2.  

    Again, this is disappointing when compared to the competition. Both Google and Amazon smart speakers allow voice commands to bring up Spotify, YouTube and the like. If Apple wants their speaker to be taken seriously as a music-first device, their design needs to be music-first. This one’s a no-brainer. 

    HomePod: About That Price… 

    Both Amazon and Google offer $50 entry-level speakers. The HomePod is three hundred and fifty freaking dollars. $350. That is a positively bananas price point, and likely the main reason the speaker is struggling. Seriously, where is Apple’s budget speaker? HomePod Mini, or HomePod Nano, whatever. They’d think of some cute name.  

    That’s really not even to say that the HomePod, as it stands, itsn’t worth $350. It may well be worth that. But Google and Amazon offering comparable technology for three hundred less dollars makes the premium HomePod a really, really tough sell. 

    Well, there you have it. I hope Apple took note, because I’d love to see them be competitive in this field. Competition, after all, is great for the end consumers (hey, that’s us)!