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Blog Post: Don’t Let iOS 7 Scare You

I wasn’t sure how to take this Business Insider piece about concerns over how iOS 7 was going to break all my apps at first. What most likely happened is someone at uTest saw this as a great marketing opportunity, and the folks at BI gladly responded.

What concerns me is the intended panic the headline intends to create.

Rest assures, iOS users, the developers behind your favorite apps have been working hard to upgrade their code to be compliant with the coming update September 18. The customers at uTest probably encountered frustration a month or so ago and have most likely fixed the issue.

Apple did not leave its users high and dry with the update from 6 to 7. Even though I don’t work there I am confident they are not in the business of doing so.

I am excited to see all of the new UI enhancements with all of my favorite apps next week. One thing is for sure, iOS 7 will do a good job of weeding out the bad apps from our home screens. The ones that didn’t utilize forward compatibility or put in the time to refactor probably weren’t worth my time to begin with.

Blog Post: Don’t Let iOS 7 Scare You

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Blog Post: Get Your iPhone Jabs In Now

It’s still about a month away from the rumored iPhone (and other Apple product releases) announcement on September 10, and people are already ramping up their negative comments about it. We’re at the point where no matter what is announced, it won’t be good enough.

This article form The Next Web does it’s best to keep from spilling any condescension all over the story, although I’m sure a separate opinion piece by an expert will do so.

I’ve heard it already in a podcast and two other Internet posts: it’s not going to be revolutionary, but an iteration. It’s predecessor wasn’t that great either so don’t get your hopes up. Even the camera hardware and software, which were once thought unparalleled in the market, is being trashed by recent competitors.

Frankly, I don’t have any skin in the game other than the fact that my whole family uses Apple products. I would sure love it if Cupertino shut everyone up, but it won’t upset my day if the event is a dud. I am invested in the ecosystem and I don’t have any reason to change at the moment.

Which, of course, is the only thing that matters right now to many customers. If we are in the market for a phone right now, chances are it’s not our first. We probably bought an Android or iOS device already, and don’t want to have to pay for the apps and songs again. So, we’ll keep buying whatever we have for now.

I think Apple product work together very well, and there isn’t a single Windows machine in my house. When a company that provides software or media services would be worth the shift, my wife and I won’t have a problem. It won’t come from Microsoft for sure at this rate, and the other products are in the same boat. 

When you read comments from these cynics, just remember that they change their mind all the time and anyone who writes about this stuff is wrong a lot. If you want a new Apple product, September 10 will be a great day. If not, the announcements coming a week earlier will probably be of interest.

I’ll just be patient and remember that my experience holding the device is what matters, not someone else telling me what does.

Blog Post: Get Your iPhone Jabs In Now

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Blog Post: How Concerned Should Apple Be Over iPad Market Share?

This time last year, Apple’s share of the tablet market was still in a dominant position. Even though Android was technically higher in terms of tablet OS use — 51% to 47%, respectively — the split of Google’s platform among all the OEMs can help make iOS more appealing to developers.

Unfortunately, a lack of innovation and release of new products has changed that argument tremendously.

With a 14% decline in iPad shipments this past quarter, Apple now only owns 28% of the share of the tablet market.

2012 vs. 2013 Market Share

Many are pointing to the lack of a new version of both the 10-inch and 7-inch iPads as the main reason for such a steep decrease in sales. With more recent releases from Samsung and Google, in addition to the Windows offerings, the competition has more than caught up to Cupertino.

Earlier this year, I read projections by many industry experts reporting that Apple’s lead in the tablet market will remain for much longer. Of course, those reports weren’t counting on Apple standing pat for this long. Some are now opining there won’t be an update to the iPad Mini in 2013 period.

That sound you hear is the continued drop in Apple’s stock price.

I still have hope in the fall announcement that Tim Cook promises will be ground-breaking. Who knows what it will include, but if it’s anything like last September’s it should be a doozy.

One could argue that it may not be enough, in time. We shall see.

Blog Post: How Concerned Should Apple Be Over iPad Market Share?

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Blog Post: A different take on the war of map apps

In full disclosure, once Google Maps was re-released in the iOS App Store, I added it to my home screen and haven’t looked back. Every once in a while, Siri makes me use Apple’s version, but that’s it.

The Cupertino giant has the same problem as other tech companies in that they can’t find enough good talent. It’s unfair to make them catch up to Google who is years ahead in development and resources.

Perhaps Apple decided to change the tenor of the pace by altering its focus.

The shared link today comes from GigaOm details the recent purchase of indoor location startup WifiSlam by Apple. This industry is not an unknown to Google, they already employ it in many countries in public locations. If Apple could get a step ahead of their main competitor in this space, however, think how the conversation could change in regard to mobile applications.

WifiSlam uses wifi signals to position devices within a 2.5 meter radius of your location. Just think how that could change app development in the next few years.

I’m not naive enough to think this could be in time for iOS 7, but what about next years WWDC? Interesting indeed.

Blog Post: A different take on the war of map apps

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