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Blue vs Green Bubbles ā Blue is In, Green is Out?
A recent article in the Wall Street Journal created a concerted reactions chain from news sites and people on Twitter. In āWhy Appleās iMessage Is Winning: Teens Dread the Green Text Bubbleā, the WSJ article paints Apple as using highly questionable tactics to keep its users locked in iMessage messaging service. I want to share my thoughts on this.
Peer pressure among teens isnāt a new phenomenon, far from it. Way before the Internet became accessible, when I was a teen myself, I vividly remember the feeling of not wearing the same brand of clothes as my friends. The problem here is teen’s social behaviour, not the technology. They are the one to blame if they reject people using non iMessage messaging service. I would argue that Apple as nothing to do with this. Sure, they like the stickiness of their platform, but I wouldnāt say it’s the defining goal when they add features to it.
Of course, Apple canāt provide the dot-dot-dot feedback showing people who are actually writing a response to a text message because the SMS standard doesnāt provide that. Duh.
When Mr. Hiroshi Lockheimer from Google refers to āstandardsā in one of his tweets to fix the interoperability issues of messaging platforms like iMessage, I wonder what standards he is referring to, Googleās RCS. And if this standard is actually a standard, why is it so hard to take off? Why are messaging services like Discord, Telegram, WhatsApp, WeChat, Facebook Messenger, etc.?
I would also argue that, for a company like Apple, the ecosystem stickiness is part of their differentiating factor. Of course, iMessage plays a major role here. For a company like Google, where massively providing free services with ads, the more people who get to use your services, the more revenues you get. Itās their differentiating factor. Itās easy to say: Apple should open up their messaging service.
My anecdotal experience is to the effect that when something breaks in the conversation between an iPhone user and an Android users, they usually go with Messenger or WhatsApp. People still have access to many alternatives.
WSJās article is a prime example that finding the right angle to portray Apple as the devil in the room attracts numerous clicks.
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On Talent Retention Challenges
Iāve been working in information technologies for nearly three decades. Finding competent people has always been a challenge. Keeping them too. But, in recent years, the situation has become simply critical, to the point where businesses are deeply impacted: delayed projects, abandoned initiatives, high pressures on other people, stress, etc. Businessesā bottom line if at stake here.
The news of the departure of one of the directors behind Appleās transition from Intel to Appleās own silicon, Mr. Jeff Wilcox, for its Mac product line is sad but probably just the tip of the iceberg. I wouldnāt read too much into this. I can imagine a team of many hundred engineers working on this program. People come, people go. Apple must cope with this. One could argue that when there are empty seats to fill, it becomes an opportunity for others to move in and try to be their best.
There are an infinite number of reasons why people leave a company. For Apple, the challenge is probably to stay attractive in a sea of opportunities for engineers. Apple cannot please everyone, all the time. I guess salaries is one of many other factors that come into play here. Apple is a legendary company where countless people would like to work there, me included. Pressure most be high in many key positions. Yet, the reward must be satisfying. I guess Mr. Wilcox has done what he thought could be done and succeeded. Itās often the good time to move on, and try something else while being at the top of their game.
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On iPhone 14 Pro Max Pricing
Kuo has also said that the iPhone 14 Max, or whatever it ultimately ends up being called, will be priced at under $900. For comparisonās sake, the current iPhone lineupās āMaxā only includes the 6.7-inch iPhone 13 Pro Max, which is priced at $1,099.
I highly doubt that Apple will reduce the price of the top-of-the-line model of their iPhone line-up. Why would they do that? This would put pressure on lower-end models to go down in price too. Non sense.
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Beyond the iPhone
Remember when people claimed Java would replace all computer languages? Maybe you remember when tech pundits told us that network computers would replace Windows PC? Or what about those who said that netbooks would replace laptops? Why some people consider the tech world to be a place where technologies always get replaced with another one? I tend to view the tech world as a space where several waves hitting the shores. Not everything disappears with each wave, and most of the time, technologies keep adding up.
What will replace the iPhone, you might ask? For me, nothing will replace the iPhone. But, according to Kelly Evans, the iPhone is going away. I donāt think her article will age well. Is she really thinking that a vast majority of people will wear goggles and stop buying smartphones? Really? Is she serious, or am I missing something in her writing?
As much as I despise articles who pretend to predict a product failure on day one, I hate articles who predict success of an unannounced product like Appleās AR headset.
I should create a Craft document where I store those articles with a date attached to them, like five years from now, and get back to them to see how well the prediction came to be.
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A New Project for 2022 ā Every Apple Computersā¦
What if I documented all Apple computers I ever actively used or owned? For each of them, there is a story worth remembering and to write (like this one from 1986), the general context of its use, what software did I use on it at the time, how I bought it, how long did I own it and which new computer replaced it? There is even a ten-years pause where I left the Apple bandwagon to switch to the other side. What happened? Why?
Using the excellent and must-have utility, MacTracker, which I should have included in my post āThe Perfect Apple Enthusiast ā Find Out Where You Standā, I started to process of going back in times. It wonāt be easy to go back forty years back, but itās worth it. I want this article to be as complete as possible and fun to read, full of high-quality pictures. Be patient, it will be a long journey.
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Is The iPad Still Exciting ā It Depends
I want to chime in on a series of posts by Matt Birchler (on his YouTube channel) and Andy Nicolaides (on his The Dent website) regarding the iPad. The question is clear: is the iPad still exciting?
It all depends on the use case. I came to realize in 2021 that the iPad (even in its Pro incarnation) cannot be as powerful and effective in my workflow as the MacBook Air. Besides creating content, is the iPad Pro still relevant? You bet! There is nothing beating the feeling of tearing the iPad from its Magic Keyboard and sitting on the couch for reading or browsing the web. Every single time, I enjoy the experience in all its glory, if such a thing can be said. The other use case that I came to appreciate is Sidecar. The iPad Pro, even in its 11ā size, proves to be a superb and useful second screen to my Mac mini. And using the iPad with its Magic Keyboard, when Iām on the go, is still a superb experience, as long as I set my expectations accordingly.
With iPadOS 15, Apple did address a few more low-hanging fruits from a software perspective. There is still a lot to accomplish, but more than ever I feel Apple is giving the iPad the attention it deserves.
In summary, the iPad can be super exciting, it all comes down to its use case. For me, it still is, when I use it.
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On iOS 15ās Legacy Contacts
I remember working on āA Guide for Preparing to Leave Your Numeric Legacyā, one of the cited challenges was to get access to the deceased personās online data. I provided ways and a methodology to get ready for their numeric legacy. With iOS 15ās Legacy Contacts, Apple is making it much easier. The setup process takes less than 2 minutes to complete. An access key and a death certificate are required to ask Apple to let the legacy contacts to gain access to the online data. At long last, big tech companies now consider important to let people surviving people to keep access to deceased people in a simple and secure way. I can see countless headaches being prevented with this feature, first promised at WWDC last June. Bravo to Apple.
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iOS 15.2 & iPadOS 15.2 are OUT ā A Few Thoughts
The previous screenshots show the release notes, as seen on an iPhone. I just canāt believe Apple cannot fix the font size. Itās been like this life forever. Itās all in the details, Apple, in the details. Gosh.
The most interesting thing for me is the App Privacy Report, which I love. As an IT guy in my professional life, I like to see whatās going on in my devices. App Privacy Report is a great way to show this to me.
Notifications Summary has a refined design. The summary goes edge-to-edge with the screen. Itās a bit weird. I donāt know if this is a bug or a feature. Yet, I like to see more information in the summary as each notification offers expanded content.
As a side note, apparently, Apple wonāt release Universal Control this year. I couldnāt care less because I donāt see this as useful in my current workflow. Maybe there is something to Universal Control that I donāt get.
Wallpaper by Basic Apple Guy.
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Will Apple SharePlay Really Take Off?
Readdle software released an update to PDF Expert with support for Appleās SharePlay. Using FaceTime, up to 32 people can share and annotate a PDF. According to the documented workflow on The MacObserver website, while in a FaceTime call, opening a PDF file with PDF Expert enables the SharePlay feature.
I tried the SharePlay experience using Music and screen sharing to see how easy the SharePlay workflow is to master. Each of my test with Apple Music ended up with a popup saying the selected content couldnāt be shared (probably controlled by the owner of the music track-not surprising at all). With screen sharing, I had more success and the feature worked as expected.
I think this is all cool and SharePlay brings Appleās ecosystem closer to what is possible within Zoom or Teams.
What Iād like to see is more application support for SharePlay. Appleās Keynote would be another winner where people could watch the same presentation together. I find it surprising thatās not already the case. Maybe an upcoming update to iWork will fix that.
lāll definitively play with this more in the coming days because I think SharePlay has a lot o potential, especially in the business space.
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Android Phones Are Forā¦?
A story by MacRumors reports Tim Cookās answer about not being able to sideload applications on the iPhone is not restricting customers choice. Hereās the beginning of Tim Cookās answer:
āI think that people have that choice today, Andrew, if you want to sideload, you can buy an Android phone.ā
Tim Cookās answer reminds me of another one. Steve Jobs once said that if you want porn on a phone, just buy an Android phone. Appleās stance is fascinating. You want shit? Thereās Android for that.
Photo credits: Dainis Graveris on Unsplash
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Remembering Macintosh Floppies
This seemingly insignificant box used to be sold by Apple and contained ten single-sided floppy disks. Those were meant to be used in a Macintosh computer. I had a bunch of them but somehow managed to keep an empty box. It was a great time.
Each floppy contained a whopping 400 KB of storage for a single-sided version. At one point we could get them for 70$ a piece. It was expansive compared to 5 1/4 inches flexible floppy disks that contained either 160 KB or 360 KB that were typically used in IBM PCs. From a design perspective, Appleās floppy disks were rigid, smaller, sturdier and dust proof, hence a higher asking price.
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A Few #Unleashed Observations About That #AppleEvent
The less than an hour Unleashed event took place yesterday, I was thereā¦ watching on my Mac mini. I had these observations.
- The opening sequence with the man in its garage building a song based on sound from Apple devices, like the Mac startup sound was different, some sort of Mac celebration. Is this garage setup intentional and a reference to Appleās beginnings? Probably.
- Today, I would argue that Apple completed 80% of its transition to its Apple Silicon. The Mac Pro will probably be the last to get the Apple Silicon treatment. What a monster it will be. Weāll probably get a bigger iMac and beeper Mac mini meanwhile. 2022.
- There is not much not to like in Appleās MacBook Pro announcement. These MacBook Pro are technical marvels. Lots of āspeeds and feedsā for sure but hey, that was for the pros, right?
- The M1 Pro / M1 Max branding makes me think of Intelās.
- The notchā¦ comes with a bonus, more screen estate. Is there room to complain? I wonder how good apps with many menus will look like. Yet, with all the hardware prowess Apple is capable of, I still wonder why they cannot put the FaceTime camera in the bezel, even that thin. Center Stage? Nope. Requires a better camera for that.
- Iām not looking to buy a new MacBook or any Apple devices for that matter. Iām super happy with my M1 Mac mini and M1 MacBook Air. But, a friend of mine ordered the 14ā. Canāt wait to have his comments.
- This design changes are more or less subtile and it is quite interesting to note that it is reminiscent of the PowerBook G4 Titanium. I love it.
- The keyboard, without the Touch Bar, with its black background, looks soā¦ pro. I love it. The best combination to me is with the silver version of the MacBook Pro, the contrast is even higher, more pro.
- Now, am I alone to think that the iMac / Mac mini could be the next to receive the M1 Pro and M1 Max treatment?
- The ProMotion display, which is based on the Liquid Retina Display, looks impressive. Weāll see what the reviewers have to say next week.
Another solid virtual event for Apple. Oh, Voice plan for Music? That was weird. I donāt get it. I thought Siri was bad as an interface to search for music. Apple must have a different take with that one. Now, the big question, is there any new stuff left for Apple this year? I think so. And thatās ok.
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Itās Becoming Harder and Harder to Sell Second Hand Apple Gear
After many weeks of trying, I finally sold my 2017 21.5 inches iMac. Even though Apple is currently selling M1 iMac at a competitive price, I thought that it would be easier to get rid of my Mac. It was a maxed out configuration, which helped me ask for a higher than usual price compared to other sellers. Yet, it wasnāt easy. As you might guess, Iām not the only one trying to sell an Intel-based iMac.
The next device put on sale was my iPhone 11 Pro with 256 GB of storage. One week before the officiel launch of the iPhone 13 Pro, I put up my older iPhone for sale. I got quite a few people interested in it, but the problem was the price they were willing to offer. It was way under my asking price, closer to what Apple is offering as a trade-in value. I think this is part of the problem. Many people are looking to get rid of their older devices to help pay for the new one, but potential buyers are comparing to what Apple is offering, which shouldnāt be used to fix the value of the second hand iPhone. Apple will refurbish the device or recycle it. This cannot be used as a comparison. After a week of getting my trade-in kit, I decided to return my iPhone instead of bothering to sell it.
When I bought my MacBook Air back in August, it came with a free pair of AirPods. I didnāt need them, so I put them on sale too. That one was easy to sell, though. It took less than half a day to find someone willing to get them.
Itās true that Apple hardware keep their resale value, but I think itās not what it used to be. Apple is no longer the underdog, their devices are everywhere, which puts pressure on pricing.
Whatās Iād like to see come in Canada is the iPhone upgrade program available in the US. I think I would pay a monthly price to always get the newer iPhone.
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Appleās Maps ā Nine Years of Iterative Updates
Today Apple is publishing an article on its newsroom website about all the new thing that comes with Maps in iOS 15. There is a lot to like in this update, like the 3D detailed views in some major cities like San Francisco. These 3D views remind me of SimCity, a game on which Iāve spent countless hours playing. Maps as matured over the years, following the iterative nature of Appleās approach to everything they do. Some donāt like it, others see the value in it. Iām one of those who think this is the best approach as each iteration helps build the next one with good cumulative experience. Todayās Maps, nine year later after a rocky start, in 2012, is impressive and as good as other popular alternatives, in my area at least.
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The waiting combo. Itās the story of a lonely couple waiting for something to happen. Tomorrow they will come together at last.
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Microsoft: Wow. Your Turn, Apple.
Microsoftās announcements this week are nothing less than impressive. Microsoft is showing courage. Their Surface are striking. These things will probably be hot as hell (pun intended, thanks to Intel Inside). Iām hoping users will have a better experience than many of my colleague who had their Surface replaced in the last year because of over heating issues. Stylus On the surface (pun intended) may not work as well as the Apple Pencil on the iPad. Apple is at their best in that regard. Yet, we have to give them credits for what they are doing. They are iterating with more than incremental updates. They try new things. Itās interesting to see Microsoft aligning itself with Apple strategy: vertical integration (hardware + software: Windows) with a yearly release schedule. Designed for Windows 11. Well done.
Now, looking forward to Appleās next announcement: the MacBook Pro āredesignā. Donāt expect anything close to what Microsoft is doing. But expect Apple to reintroduce the HDMI port and the SD Card reader. According the latest leaks.
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Tim Would Love Stopping the Leaks
Of course the memo from Tim Cook about leakers is being leaked. Itās funny to read a leaked memo from Tim Cook expressing his concern and frustration about leakers working within Apple. After reading it, I do think part of the message is for outside leakers too, knowing the memo would beā¦ leaked.
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On iOS 15 Early Adoption Rate
Compared to lastās year iOS 14, early numbers show a much slower adoption rate for iOS 15. The problem? Last year was about the iPhone experience getting widgets. Thatās a very material change. This year? Even if widgets now come to the iPad, it is far less reaching than it was on the iPhone. Things like focus modes are not as flashy as widgets but are damn useful, to me at least.
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Happy iOS 15 & iPadOS 15 to you all!
After a long summer of beta releases, today we get to see the final releases of iOS 15 and iPadOS 15. Are you feeling as excited as a few years ago at the same time? Personally, even if I think those are great iterative updates, I donāt. There is less to grab by developers it seems. Iām not expecting exciting new releases for any of my apps. What about yours?
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The iterative Apple that delivers
If you think that this year’s updates from Apple are meh, I think, either you didnāt pay attention during the keynote or youāre simply bored. You may not like the iterative nature of Apple under Tim Cook, maybe you forgot to remember that the smartphone (and to some degree) the smartwatch are mature products. Since Apple is paying attention to what the majority of people actually care about, improving battery life, adding more storage, keeping prices steady, not having to wait three months to get a new device, stop expecting folding iPhone to prove Apple is still innovating.
There, I said it.
