Apple Could Be Plotting Game Changer on E-Commerce

Apple could be launching an attack on e-commerce. 

You probably don't know this unless you following the daily in-and-outs of Apple news. On New Year's Eve 2011, an app called GameStore was accidentally published and let lose in the App Store. 

Really, there was nothing to GameStore other than that it was meant to allow users to buy things, fconceivably, in-app purchases. However, there was nothing to buy. And moreover, GameStore costs $0.99. 

Now, Apple has informed buyers that they will be issuing a refund for the purchase. Macrumors has tracked this back to 2009 when it was iOS 3 that dominated the landscape. 

You might think that it was a mistake. Well, it was and Apple has acknowledge it so. However, the official explanation from Apple was now what everyone expected. It certainly was not what I expected. 

According to Apple, the app was prematurely launched and "was made available for sale prematurely".  

What those words mean is that an app will be forthcoming. However, a dedicated in-app app for apps in general makes very little sense unless Apple includes other forms of goods along with it. And I am not talking about ebooks, music, or videos since there is iBooks and iTunes for that. 

With hundreds of millions of accounts with active credit cards in its database and continuing talk over the last couple of years about mobile payment, I surmise Apple is close to launching a bold mobile commerce plan and will revolutionize e-commerce. It seen since Amazon came out and changed book buying during the dotcom boom. 

Whether Apple will charge to process transactions or take a percentage, what is really going on is that Apple is looking to monetize its legions of iOS and Mac users who have demonstrated over the years their collective willingness to spend.  

So to recap, an app for commerce is forthcoming. And we know Apple has designs on those iTunes accounts. And we know Apple has patents for mobile payments. 

Put all of that together and you are looking Apple for people to buy "things", just as the description says. On top of that, it has placeholders for SKU and picture for product. 

I am pretty sure I am right. Question is when this will happen and to what extent is Apple going to put itself between its users and stores or restaurants. 

Source: <a target="_blank" href="http://iphone.macnn.com/articles/12/01/04/was.available.for.almost.three.days/">Macnn</a>. 

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPod touch

iPhone 4S Available Jan 13th: Start Of Chinese Influence On Mobile

Apple to begin selling the iPhone 4S officially in China on January 13th, 2012. I said officially because the black market has already had their fill of the 4S for months since the introduction of the 4S in the US back in October.  Furthermore, more than twenty countries and territories will be also be getting the 4S on that Friday.

While the iPhone 4S going on sale isn’t typically something most read unless its your turn to get it, this is China after all, the Middle Kingdom with its hundreds of millions potential smartphone users – not the typically 2 or 3 hundred million users like the US or the EU.

I’m talking about big as in like 700 to 800 million users.

Things I Like Siri To Do - Integration With Apple Apps And Work Less As A Standalone App

Siri seems to be a standalone app on the iPhone 4S that requires the user to activate it in order to use it.  What's interesting, however, is that Apple will likely allow some sort ot third-party support on it.  Before that happens or concurrently, I like to see Apple integrate this further.

How about integrating Siri into its own apps?  Right now, if you're using Siri to make calls, conduct searches, or making appointments, you're fine but once you get into the mail, calendar, or browser apps,  you lose Siri.

I like to see Apple find a way to integrate Siri into its own apps.  Mail search via Siri quickly comes to mind. Also, I like to see Siri populate mobile Safari that allows the user to quickly access a website or search.  

I know that some will argue that there is the new voice-to-text function but I want to see something more than that.  I want to be able to say "go to CNN" and Siri takes the browser there.  Or "open new tab for the Apple Store" and a new tab will open taking me to the online Apple Store page.  Heck, if I have the Apple Store app installed, Siri should just take me there directly; launching an app within an app.

That example I've outlined above is merely a small function of what I imagine is possible with Siri.  Another example I like to be able to do is say "mail this page to George" and Siri will open up a mail page for me with "George's" email already there and I'll have to do is say send or dictate any message.  

All of this is done via voice command through Siri.  

Is this something that Apple needs more time to develop into Siri?  I'm not so sure that they cannot do it right now.  My guess about Siri still in beta status has to do with Apple's peculiar and welcoming need for perfection.  And I don't mind it.  

Apple will make what I'm talking about above happen – if not iOS 5, maybe iOS 6 or 7.  But it'll happen.  As I've said in previous posts on Siri, it's a brand new platform that Apple is developing, not just an app.

And it's time people see Siri in that light.

Siri - The Start Of The Spoken Platform

It's time that we realize what's going on. For the record, Apple did not invent voice command or even showed much interest in it on the Mac. However, with the release of iOS 5 along with Siri in beta, Apple has once again showed just how much foresight into the future of mobile computing for years if not decades to come.

At this moment and this time, we could very well be looking at a voice platform and trust me when I say that others from Google, Microsoft, Nuance, and others will soon follow.

On top of that and more importantly, we are at the cusp of a new AI implementation in Siri that will only become more intelligent with each passing version. One that will truly become a mobile assistant that augments our human abilities and expand our horizon.

Now, I am not saying that Apple isn't going to dominate this new AI platform but Apple has opened the door for other companies to pour billions into researching, innovating, and, for some, copying to develop their own intelligent assistant.

The equation for such a AI will require balance that few will be able to implement. Many will fail but those who bet on this big and is successful could rule a whole generation of computer user interface.

With intelligent voice control and interaction, Siri and others like it could spread its influence across multiple markets. And not just PCs, smartphones, or tablets but also the home, auto, and countless other industries.

Be prepared to be wowed. The future has already started.

Verizon Backs Off On $2 Fee For Payments

What does Verizon Wireless and Bank of America have in common?

Verizon Wireless is wisely backing away from the $2 fee set to be imposed on its subscribers, those who can least afford it, after foolishly thinking it could get away with this.  We are after all in the "Occupy Whatever" era with social media becoming a weapon of choice for consumers, vigilante hackers, and those who would seek to overthrown their governments.

And what's interesting is that VZW learnt nothing from Bank of America's own bone-headed adventure to raise debt card fees on its customers.

I think most readers, my fellow mobile warriors, will agree with me when I say that while the banks are getting a lot of hate from the general American public (or people of the world for that matter), wireless carriers come in  a pretty close second on this "dislike" list.

Galaxy Note Success Shows Any Screen Size Can Find A Market

The Samsung Galaxy Note is a 5.3" Android device with a stylus.  Forget what Steve Jobs and Apple feels about the stylus or the screen size for a sec.  Samsung, the current boogyman of the mobile war as far as Apple fans are concerned, has shipped (not sold) one million Notes and will bring it to the US market.

Now, having said that, it's an incredible opportunity.  Would I want a 5.5" iPod touch or iPad?  I would not mind having a go at it and seeing for myself just how such an iOS device would fit into my mobile warrior life and I'm sure that there are many of you out there that are thinking the same thing and agree with me.

Obviously, Apple's dogma to conform to the UI and experience likely is going to prevent this from happening.  Fine.  Still, smartphones to tablets with screen sizes from iPhone's 3.5" screen to the 10.1" Galaxy Tab are on the market.

Apple has a commanding control of the tablet market for now and it has a respectable 30% or so control of the smartphone market (and a huge, huge chunk of the mobile revenue/profit), Apple doesn't have all of the market-share.  I know, that's fine with me too but what I'm getting at is that there are a lot of people who does not agree with Apple's screen size issues.

And I would like a 5.5" iPod touch that can still fit in my pocket or an 8" iPad that weights like half a pound.  Just saying.  And as far as screen resolution fragmentation issues goes, who better than Apple to solve this issue.  I figure if it works on the Mac with different resolutions and screen sizes, why not the iPads?

Tablet: Apple Will Make a Sub-9.7” iPad

Would you get a $400 (if we’re lucky, $350) iPad with about an 8” screen?  I would in a heart beat if we’re talking about having at least 16 GB of storage.  And I think Apple will make it so.  So, that means I am disagreeing with Steve Jobs on this point.

Let’s refresh a bit.  Steve Jobs, a year and a half ago, blasted the 7” tablets that were just beginning to go on sale, in particular, the 7” Galaxy Tab from Samsung.  I would have to agree with Steve that that particular tablet sucked.  It was just a smartphone OS in a tablet.  And even today’s Honeycomb, Android 3, doesn’t measure up to what iPad’s iOS can do and, in terms of usability, doesn’t come close.

However, we have to examine what Android 4 means.  So far, we haven’t really seen a tablet with Android installed.  I think it’ll be awesome compared to what we’ve seen from the Android camp so far.  And iOS 6 should look about the same as iOS 5 on the iPad.  But my point is this.  While the iPad with its 10” screen is definitely better as far as viewing media, productivity, and general computing use goes, I’ve seen enough proof that a 7”, 8”, or even a 9” tablet can come close as far as allowing the user to be satisfied with them.

I spent a lot of time with the Galaxy Tab 8.9 and I was blown away.  As far as the OS is concerned, Android 3 doesn’t have it and it’s too complicated compared to iOS and even Web OS.  But as far as tapping on icons and general typing goes, it’s doable.  It’s even doable on a 7” tablet like the Kindle Fire.  Yeah, I spent time with the Fire as well.  With the 7” tablet, you definitely cannot type with both hands like you can with the iPad but you might be able to get away with it if you don’t have gigantic hands on an 9” screen.

So, giant fingers and filing them down aside, here are five reasons why I think Apple has found a way to make it work with a sub-10” tablet.

First, split keyboards.  Apple has instituted split keyboards on the iPad.  You can now type and hold they iPad in portrait mode and not worry about overreaching with your thumbs.  It’s very reasonable to expect that when (no longer if) Apple releases a smaller iPad, the split keyboard will be featured prominently.

Second, reading on the iPad is something folks do a lot of.  I’m not talking about ebooks but reading pages on the browser.  With the Reader function, the user can now access text on the Webpage without having to double tapp or try to zoom in.  I mean, if you can read a Webpage, tap the links, and multitouch your way on an iPhone, why not a 7” or 8” iPad?  And with the reader function, it becomes massively easier.

Thirdly, if typing is an issue, there is Siri.  Well, not Siri but the dictation function.  I find the dictation on the iPhone 4S very good, even superior to Dragon Dictate on the iOS and it’ll get better over time as well.

Fourth reason is that Apple is meticulous.  Painstakingly so.  It will not release a half-baked product.  It did release Siri as a beta because it had no choice:  Apple needed public participatioin to help make Siri better.  However, with its other products, Apple doesn’t release them until perfection is achieved.

I don’t find carrying about the iPad difficult.  It’s light.  Lighter than my Macbook Air and at times, with the wonderful battery life, it’s my choice of mobile weapon when I venture out.  I see a lot of mobile warriors carry around an iPad instead of their laptops.  I reckon a smaller iPad could help expand the tablet market further.

So, I’ll hold off a bit and continue to use my original iPad (we do have an iPad 2 but the original iPad has a special place in my heart) and see what Apple offers as far as a smaller iPad goes.