HTC One Has A Better Form Factor And Finish Than Galaxy S 4: Good Enough To Make iPhone Users Switch

Source:  MacNN.

For years, while Android dominate the market, the iPhone market, particularly in the US, has grown at the expensive of Blackberry and Windows but starting to impact Android as well.  And surveys typically suggest that iPhone users are more loyal to their chosen platform than Android users are to theirs or even to their branded devices.  However, I wonder if HTC One could change all that.

In fact, I think it will.  I think HTC has a winner with the One because of its awesome screen and high-end feel to the form factor and use of metal instead of the cheap feel of the Galaxy line.  It's good enough to make some iPhone users take a look at the HTC One as a potential jumping off point for Android than the Galaxy.

However, there are a couple of things that might hold some users off.  One is the camera.  That's a deal breaker for me.  4MP?  Really, HTC?  I know there will be folks who will argue that megapixels isn't everything.  While I buy that argument, 4MP is different from the 8 MP in the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5.  With the next iPhone likely to go to 12MP or higher and the Galaxy S 4 already with 13MP, 12MP, 13MP, or more in these other high-end devices compared to the unique "UltraPixel" in the One is a big difference.  And yes, the iPhone camera will be vastly improved regardless of the MP.

The second issue is a big one.  Android.  I'm not suggesting that Android is inferior to iOS or the other way around.  In fact, Android has innovated in ways that has left iOS behind and look dated.  On the other hand, the ease of use of iOS is still second to none even as some pundits complain about the looking and feel of it being dated.

The real issue for iPhone users regarding Android is the ecosystem. If you spend money with Apple's app and iTunes ecosystem, you will have to reinvest in Android as well.  You will have to repurchase all of the apps again on Android.  And as for movies and TV shows, the DRM keeps Android users from purchasing or viewing content from iTunes (except for music - but then again, if you're an Android user, why would you buy music from iTunes instead of Google Play?).

All in all, I think the advantage for iPhone or even the Galaxy S 4 for the typical mobile buyer has diminished with HTC's release of the One.  If you can get over the camera, some learning curves, and Android itself, HTC One should be among one of your top choices.

HTC One doesn't enjoy the reputation of Samsung's Galaxy S 4 so it isn't going to overthrow Samsung nor really encourage a wholesale defect of iPhone owners over the the One, but it could be enough for HTC to mount a comeback on a global scale.

If I'm HTC, I would spend a lot of money, on the scale of Samsung's mobile ad budget, and promote the heck out of it.  Window is closing as Apple is rumored to be release its next iPhone this summer or early fall.  HTC has one a couple of months before users either stop buying and wait to see what Apple comes up with or simply buy the next iPhone instead.

Also, imagine if HTC put Windows Phone in the One.  Wow.

Future Apple Products Made In The USA - Starting With a Mac

Source:  Politico, Macrumors.

For those waiting for the Mac Pro, looks like it could be one of the first Mac to be made solely in the United States for years.  At least that's the going convention on which Mac Apple's Tim Cook is talking about when he said Apple has invested $100 million to make that Mac here in the US.

Here is an interview with Brian Williams of NBC last year where Tim talked about it.

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As you can see, it's not easy.  $100 million is nothing to Apple but it's something to most companies and what Apple hopes to achieve could be the spark of something big for consumer electronics and electronics in general.

While this is old news, Politico has new details from Tim Cook as Tim start a PR trip through the East Coast which will end with his testimony on corporate taxes in Congress next week.  While that is a very important issue, it is outside the purview of what I normally consider to be Apple and mobile, new details about Apple manufacturing in the US isn't.

Here are a couple of new details:

• States to benefit from Apple's domestic manufacturing:  Arizona, Texas, Illinois (President Obama's home state), Florida, and Kentucky.
• Deep into the project - looks like Macs could be coming off the assembly line soon.
• $100 Million spent on making this possible.  

What's interesting is the public and economic policies of this.  I like to know where the workers will be coming from, what kind of educational background they'll need.  How much automation is involved.  And what comes next for Apple's domestic production agenda.  And what kind of relationship Apple will have with its workers and whether they'll be unionized or not.

And it's also possible that Apple's future domestic expansion could hinge on any corporate tax reforms that Apple and other tech giants are seeking from Washington.

Google Maps: New Features, Photosphere - Improvements Evolutionary But Welcomed

Source: Cult of Android, CNET.

At Google I/O, Google unveiled new Maps services and changes to the UI.  I've simplified it into bullet points.  It doesn't do justice to the whole user experience that will improve as a result but it saves you the effort of having to go through the Web looking for it all.

• 3D support with live cloud view
• Better and easier UI
• Real-time traffic
• Dynamic routing
• Zagat review
• Support for iPad
• Google Offers
• Desktop map search results will overlay on the map directly
• Sign into maps to create your own landmark and have that information available no matter where you are or which device you use

All those are expected and great.  All of the above features have been in one map apps or another already.  What I like about the new Google Maps is the Photosphere which allows users to upload their own pics allowing Google Maps users to create their own street-view.

Google Maps improvements will be coming to Android and iOS devices this summer.

Wanted: Car Accessory for Siri And/Or Google Now For Older Cars

(from Auto Blog)

Services like Google Now and Siri are going to become a bigger part of our lives over the next few years and it’s quite possible that the next generation isn’t going to have to go through the antiquated search process we go through now, whether it’s through Google, Bing, or Siri.


And in all likelihood, cars five to ten years from now will all support integrated systems for these AI systems.  Until that happens, there are millions of mobile warriors who commute in cars without the new and sophisticated integrations for systems like Siri (is there any out there for Google Now?).

It would be great if someone can offer an accessory that would work with our mobile devices via BT or the plug and allow the user to use voice commands hands-free.

Such a device will not cost too much.  $100?  I think even a module or stereo system with such support would be wildly popular for a few hundreds bucks.

So, any enterprising engineers out there who can create such a device?  Maybe go on Kickstarter and get it going?

Google Streams Music!!!

Source:  CNET.

It’s finally here.  Google now offers Spotify-like service – pay $10 a month for streaming music.  Not sure how this changes the landscape of music consumption yet.  There could be some defectors from Spotify and Pandora, even put a dampener on any plan Apple has for its own music streaming service.

Love competition!!!

Rest of 2013 for Apple: No Retina For iPad mini And Other Products We Can Realistically Expect

Tim Cook said no major Apple product launches happening until fall of this year.  So, I find it funny that we still need posts from analysts or pundits affirming that.  The latest is that from the MacDailyNews/Cult of Mac stating that no new iPhone models will be coming.  What's interesting is that the two posts above quoted the same analyst, Peter Misek, as saying that Samsung will carve out a bigger piece of the high-end mobile device market from Apple.  It remains to be seen if that is so.  The thing is that bigger screen smartphones are gaining steam but there is evidence that they're limited in terms of adopters who really want something that big.  On the other hand, Apple's customary 70% of the mobile profit share has shrunk to 57% while Samsung has picked up nearly all of the rest (Fortune).

Let’s go through realistically what we can expect in 2013:

iPad/iPad mini.  I’ll go one step further.  We will see a new iPad this year but we will not likely see a new iPad mini with Retina Display this year.  Personally, I’m fine with that because I’m looking for the next regular iPad with a redesigned form factor.

I don’t know how Apple will improve upon the mini.  Maybe faster internals.  But that’s about it.  I doubt we’ll see a price drop.

iPhone 5S.  While we’re likely to get a new iPhone model, we will not be getting one with a screen bigger than the iPhone 5’s 4” screen.  As for talk about a cheaper third world iPhone, I’m not banking on that.  Frankly, there isn’t really a need for that right now.  Installation plans in China and India has increased iPhone sales and we probably will see some good news out of T-Mobile’s new iPhone installation payment plans.

iPod (including the touch).  I don’t see a major change here.  Apple doesn’t need to upgrade anything here.  Tim Cook did mention a new product category and that’s where he’ll likely lump it into.  Folks are thinking iWatch.  I’m thinking it’s something more genic.  Like iWear.  You can wear iWear as a watch or whatever clever ways you can put it on your person.  But I doubt we’ll even see iWear.

iRadio.  Plenty of talks about Apple trying to strike a deal with the studios for music streaming.  It should happen whether Apple has everyone onboard.  Someone suggested Apple should buy Sirius XM.  They should but won’t.  Apple’s Podcast app is its future radio-like service that it intends to monetize for itself and content providers.  Consider this both Apple’s Youtube and Sirius put together.

Apple TV.  A new model does not appear to be on the books.  There have been false rumblings about an app store for the Apple TV.  I’m not sure Apple is ready with this yet.  The current Apple TV serves both Apple and users.  Unless new features that require upgrade hardware, we won’t be expecting anything new.  Also, forget it, Gene Munster.  No 4K Apple panels coming.  Your vindication will have to come next year.  1080p is just not enough of a splash for Apple.  Though I do believe that should Apple eventually release a 4K panel, it might be generous enough to keep the Apple TV around for those of us who still have and use the 1080p sets.

Trucks.  Macs and Macbooks will get upgrades.  WWDC this June would be a logical place for this to take place.  They may get announced but not ship until July or so in time for the back-to-school rush.  I suggested that we should see a redesign for some of the Macbooks, particular the Macbook Air.  I would love to see a small form factor somehow but that is just mere day-dreaming on my part.  We'll likely see newer Intel parts.  As for Retina on the Air?  I want so much to say "yes" but reality is a "no".  Smaller form factor with Retina Display for the Air is just too perfect for it to happen right now.

New Product Category.  I've already talked about the iWatch.  I'm leaning towards iWear if that.  As for other product categories, I like to see more iOS integration, not just Siri, in vehicles.  Maybe even a accessories for older cars.

I really don't want to speculate beyond this because anything else would be mere wishlists rather than what Apple is realistically willing to get into.  However, home integration seems be something that Apple has shown some interest in.  iHome kit?  Could happen.  I think that's more realistic than an Apple 4K television set at this point.

Conclusion:  iPad.  Yes.  iPad mini with Reina.  No.  Upgraded Macs.  Yes.  iWear/iWatch.  Yes/No.  iRadio.  Yes.  TV-related products.  No.  New Product categories.  No (maybe 2014 as Tim Cook mentioned).  iPhone 5S.  Yes.  5" iPhone.  No.  Cheaper iPhone.  No.

Social: Offering Paid Service Could Solve Privacy Issues

Source:  NBC News.

Last week, I proposed that if Facebook and other social networks or app developers, even search engines offer a paid version of their free services, it could go a long way in giving people choices regarding their private information and what is or isn't being shared.  After all, all these free services that have been blasted for sharing and selling user data to advertisers and third parties has to make money some how.

My beef with the likes of Facebook is the lack of transparency, and not whether they have the rights to sharing information about their users.  Also, I detest how companies change policies on the fly to manipulate the public and change their relationships with the users.

So, while I do believe some legislation is required to rein in those like Facebook, companies that provide free services can start charging them for people who are willing to pay to keep their information private.

Seriously, right?  Why haven't people started doing that?

Frankly, any legislation from Congress or other world regional bodies are themselves going to be so complicated and filled with loopholes that it wouldn't make sense at all to end users.  It will end up being just as bad as those privacy statements and rules Facebook themselves put out.

Right now, a bill in Congress, H.R. 1913, AKA Apps Act, requires companies of app makers and platform makers to "timely, easy-to-understand disclosures about what data they collect and how the data is used". However, I wonder if that is too narrow. There is no mention of social networks.

The bill would require companies to give users the means to delete their data once they stop using the apps.  Do you really think Facebook, Google+, and Twitter will comply.  And even if they wanted to, consider how sophisticated your Google ID is.

It would be infinitely easier if there is paid service that makes control of information much easier. And who knows, with paying users granted more control, they may be more comfortable giving up information of their own volition rather than having companies and their services/apps try to forcibly take it from them.