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Feedback Loop: must-play video games, Netflix woes and more
June is here! Let's get this summer started with a fresh edition of Feedback Loop. Kris finds a list of video games we must play before we die; Netflix tries to shame ISPs; Tetris hits the big three-zero and we discuss whether everything announced at WWDC was innovative enough. All that and more past the break!
Guest blogger Aaron Watkins: iOS 8 Provides New Features to Help App Marketers
The WWDC keynote can be a stressful time for app developers. You never know quite what is going to be presented when that famous "one more thing" is revealed. Whether it's a whole new programming language to learn, or Apple suddenly takes the key selling feature of your number one app and makes those features part of the native operating system, the surprises aren't always welcome for developers. While consumers were dazzled by some of the fun new features their Apple products would be giving them this fall, app developers listened anxiously yesterday to learn what features of the new iOS 8 might help or hinder their product marketing efforts. 1. Videos in the app store They say a picture is worth a thousand words... which makes a video worth a thousand pictures. App developers will now be allowed a short video to be added in the first position of your app store screenshots, which will take up the full screen when played. Android has had this feature for a while, and Google has claimed that it is one of the most important aspects of getting your app downloaded once a user is on your app store page. It is unclear yet what restrictions are being put on the videos – Apple has a long history of regulating what can and cannot be in the app screenshots, though the enforcement of those rules is sometimes spotty. For example, we do not know if the video must only be screen capture of the app in use, or if developers will be allowed to make more trailer-like videos. It is important to note that the ideal orientation of these videos is portrait to fit an upright iPhone screen, not landscape like most videos for YouTube and other channels. 2. App Bundles For developers that have an extensive portfolio of apps, the ability to sell multiple apps together at one (presumably discounted) price is a huge advantage when trying to grab valuable screen real estate on a user's iOS device. Travel app companies could sell sets of guides for multiple cities in the same area, while gaming companies could easily bundle in sequels with their original counterparts. It will be interesting to see how free apps play into the bundle scheme – a developer could make it so that if you wanted to get their two premium apps at a bundle price, you had to also download one of their free apps as well. 3. Widgets Widgets are micro features of an app that can be integrated into the notification center of your iOS device. The example given on stage was eBay, showing off a widget that would allow the user to change their bid on an auction without ever having to open the actual eBay app. It will be interesting to see what other micro-features can be added into this notification section, and app marketers should seriously consider how widgets can help provide solutions to the problem of user engagement. With one more way to talk to your user, your app is more likely to have engaged users, which is more important than ever with the ever growing options available in the app store. 4. Extensibility Extensibility is the ability for apps to more fully integrate with the deeper iOS operating system, allowing app functions to be made available while in other applications. Through this, photo apps like Instagram could provide their filters in the native photo app, or a translation app could show you a German language web page in English on Safari. While not obviously a marketing tool – the savvy app marketer knows that expanding your apps features into more areas in the phone will create more reliance on your app by the user. More reliance generally means more usage, which can lead to additional ad revenue, social sharing, in app purchases for additional features, or simply consumer goodwill which can translate into that hard to control "word of mouth" that we all desire for our apps. Aaron Watkins is the President and Founder of Appency, the world leading app marketing agency dedicated to helping app developers and brands succeed in the mobile app economy. Appency, which launched in 2009, has helped hundreds of app developers achieve success in the app store and have had clients in the top 10 of nearly every app store category.
Apple attempts to conquer the connected home
It was only one announcement among many at WWDC 2014's opening keynote, and Craig Federighi, Apple's SVP of software engineering, made mention of Apple's new foray into home automation practically in passing. HomeKit is a common network protocol that seeks to make Siri your preferred method of controlling all of the smart things in your home. We're talking garage door openers, lighting, thermostats, door locks, the works. Federighi spent just one and a half minutes of a two-hour keynote talking about HomeKit -- scant attention paid to such a massive undertaking.
Engadget Daily: Apple announces OS X Yosemite, iOS 8 and more!
Today, we watched Apple unveil OS X Yosemite, iOS8 and its own smart home platform, went hands-on with ASUS' new Zenbook NX500, learned about Samsung's Tizen-based smartphone and more! Read on for Engadget's news highlights from the last 24 hours.
Here are a few lesser-known new features in iOS 8
Widgets! QuickType keyboard! Hey, Siri! Interactive notifications! Like most new versions of Apple's mobile OS, iOS 8 comes with its fair share of features that, in theory, will help improve the experience from the previous version. Our list of new features covers nearly every highlight from Apple SVP Craig Federighi's presentation, but every year there's always one slide filled with additional enhancements the company doesn't have enough time to call out individually on stage, and every year that slide disappears within a few seconds. So, what else will iOS 8 offer that wasn't specifically called out by Hair Force One?
SwiftKey, Swype and Fleksy are already making iOS 8 keyboards
When Apple revealed that iOS 8 would allow third-party keyboards, one big question came to many people's minds: would some of the better-known Android keyboards make the leap? In short, yes. SwiftKey says it has "already started" porting its heavily customizable software to iOS; Swype tells Engadget that it "can't wait" to support Apple's platform. Fleksy, meanwhile, is going so far as to take sign-ups for a beta program and vows to be "one of the first" with a solution. The odds aren't high that you'll get something like Google Keyboard on your iPhone (we've asked to be sure), but you won't be hurting for input methods when iOS 8 is ready this fall.
iOS 8 lets your iPhone make WiFi calls on T-Mobile
Apple covered a lot of ground during its iOS 8 launch, but it glossed over a big, big deal for some iPhone owners: WiFi calling support. When the upgrade is available in the fall, subscribers on T-Mobile and other supporting networks can use WiFi hotspots for phone conversations instead of worrying about cellular reception or roaming fees. The feature is arguably overdue when Android and Windows Phone have supported it for a while, but it's a welcome addition for iOS fans who'd rather not switch platforms (or rely solely on voice over IP apps like Skype) just to get a better calling experience. [Image credit: John Moore/Getty Images]
Watch Apple's WWDC 2014 keynote in full
For those of you who have been living under a rock for the past few hours, Apple had a number of things to announce on the first day of WWDC 2014. And in case you weren't paying attention to our liveblog from Moscone West, or able to keep up with the livestream, there's now archived footage of the event for you to watch (update: also posted to YouTube, and embedded after the break). The presentation was kicked off by CEO Tim Cook, though it was Craig Federighi, Apple's Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, who led the charge most of the way -- so much so that his boss referred to him as "Superman" during the keynote. Once you press play on the 118-minute video, expect to see anything from the unveiling of OS X Yosemite to the revelation of iOS 8 -- plus a lot, a lot more.
Apple's Swift is a new programming language with a focus on speed and ease of use
Apple's used Objective-C as its programming language of choice for right around 20 years now, but it's brought something new to its yearly developer conference: Swift, a new tongue of its own making. Apple describes its new lingua franca as "Objective-C without the C," but it keeps (and improves on) the speed of its progenitors. Even if you don't know what those terms mean, it's easy to pick up that apps iOS and OS X developers build with Swift should run even smoother and faster than counterparts made with the Objective-C language they've been using. According to the folks from Cupertino, Swift can be used to craft anything from social networking apps to 3D games.
iOS 8 apps can share data, features with each other
Apple's annual developer conference is well underway, and it just revealed what could be a seismic shift in the iOS world: Third-party apps will soon be able talk to each other. Historically, applications on iOS have lived in their own silos, without being able to share data and features, but that's set to change in iOS 8. Apple has given developers "Extensibility" tools -- a suite of APIs, if you want to get technical -- that they can wield to let their apps share everything from documents to translation services. A demo onstage showed a Bing extension for Safari doing inline translation of a Japanese website, and using Pinterest to share a photo from a website in just a few taps.
Apple will let you log into other apps with Touch ID
Guess what folks! With iOS 8, Touch ID will finally be useful for something besides unlocking your phone and buying apps. During the big keynote at WWDC 2014, Apple announced the debut of an API for Touch ID. That means other apps will be able to use the fingerprint scanner on your iPhone for authentication. Your actual fingerprint data is still stored securely on the hardware, and is never actually exposed to developers. That means you could quickly and easily order a bombproof case for your precious phone just by holding your thumb across the home button and never worry that a bug in the Amazon app could expose your fingerprint to nefarious actors. That should relieve some of the pain associated with keeping all your various accounts secure -- which, as you've been told countless times, should all have unique passwords with a mixture of letters, numbers and special characters. Android users may have in-app access to LastPass, but simply scanning your thumbprint seems that much easier.
Siri in iOS 8 will let you identify songs and buy from iTunes
Siri is going to learn a few new tricks in iOS 8. As rumored, the voice assistant will now identify songs using Shazam; if you want to find out the name of a catchy track, you don't have to fire up a separate app. You'll also have the option of buying iTunes content. The speech-recognition system is smarter, to boot -- it now shows what you're saying in real time, and you can start commands by speaking, "Hey, Siri" (much like Android KitKat's "OK Google") instead of holding down the home button. There's no mention of integration with third-party apps so far, but this is still a big step forward for iOS users who prefer voice dictation for all their tasks.
Apple's smart home initiative is called HomeKit
We heard it was coming, and here it is: Apple's smart home platform. Taking the stage in sunny San Francisco, Apple's Craig Federighi announced HomeKit: Cupertino's solution for the connected home. Don't expect to pick up a unified automation system at your local Apple Store, though -- the firm's foray into the field is a communication standard, not a product. Federighi describes HomeKit as a "common network protocol with secure networking to ensure only your iPhone can open your garage door or unlock your door."
Apple will finally support third-party keyboards in iOS 8
After years of waiting, Apple has finally brought support for third-party keyboards to iOS. Inside iOS 8, keyboards like Swiftkey and Swype, which have enjoyed huge usage on Android, will have system-wide access to all apps and services on your iPhone and iPad. Swiftkey has confirmed it's on board, but if you don't fancy that, you'll still able to enjoy Apple's new QuickType keyboard. The company says the improved keyboard learns from the way you type and text, offering a pick of suggestions for your next word based on the content of your message or the person you're conversing with. Planning a meal with your friend or loved one? The keyboard will auto-populate words like "dinner" or "eat" as you type. At launch, QuickType will support 14 regions including the US, UK, Canada, Australian English, Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese (that includes Hong Kong and Taiwan), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish and Thai.
Apple's iOS 8 supports widgets in Notification Center
It's been a long time coming, but Apple is finally adding support for widgets to iOS. On stage at its Worldwide Developers Conference, the company's Senior VP of Software Engineering, Craig Federighi, revealed that devs can now start building widgets within the Notification Center on iOS 8. Unlike Google's take on widgets with Android, Apple's equivalent won't have them living on the home screen of your smartphone or tablet. Instead, iOS widgets will share the drop-down hub with app notifications. Still, there's a lot of potential here, as it's going to let those of you with an iOS device have more interactivity and quick access to your favorite applications. iOS 8 will be available this fall.
Apple App Store getting developer bundles and video previews
As Tim Cook embarked on the developer section of the keynote at WWDC, it might have been easy for end users to disconnect. But, if you did, you'd have missed out on two fairly solid updates: developer app bundles and (finally) video previews. Now, developers can combo their apps and sell the bundle for a discounted price should they choose. Likewise, previews allow developers to give us a better taste before we buy. If you happen to dabble in developing yourself, then you might also be relieved to hear that TestFlight is now officially part of Apple's developer setup, too.
Family Sharing on iOS spreads photos, purchases and more amongst relatives
With the arrival of iOS 8, sharing amongst the family is about to get a lot easier. Once you set up all the members of your household (up to six total), you can automatically share photos, calendars, reminders, location and more. But that's not all. You know that catchy tune your son bought last week? Well, you'll be able spin it on your iPhone too. Sharing books, movies, apps and songs is also thrown in, and it can all be tied to a single credit card. Don't worry parents: You'll get a notification when your kids want to make a purchase.
Apple's Health app for iOS 8 collects your vitals from Nike and more (update)
Apple's iPhone is going from part-time health stat monitor to full-time mobile monitoring unit. HealthKit is a new service coming to the iPhone that tracks, records and analyzes your fitness level across a variety of metrics (sleep, movement, etc.). The way you use it on iOS 8 is through a new app called, simply, "Health." The initiative works with companies like Nike to bring all your health information into one place, under the Health app in the next update to iOS. It looks a lot like Passbook, using cards to identify various stats. Thusly, it enables customization of the stats you want tracked and how you want it presented.
OS X Yosemite will let you answer calls to your iPhone from your Mac
As part of OS X Yosemite's focus on creating a more seamless experience between your Mac and iOS devices, Apple's updating iMessage to keep conversations going. Now, it's not just instant messages from other Apple devices that show up on the desktop app, but also texts and multimedia that've been sent from other platforms (texts from your friends' Android devices, for example). Oh, and you can now make and take regular phone calls from your Mac when your iPhone is in range. As part of the new "Handoff" feature that means your computer and iDevice know exactly what the other is doing, a call to your phone will trigger a pop-up asking if you want to answer right from your computer. It works the other way around, as well, so you can make calls without touching your phone. And, what better way to show off the new feature than to call Dr. Dre live on stage? Show-offs.
Apple reveals iOS 8 at WWDC, available for free this fall
We all knew it was coming, and now it's here. Apple CEO Tim Cook just put months of breathless speculation to rest by pulling back the curtain on iOS 8 during the company's WWDC 2014 keynote address in San Francisco. It doesn't look like the sort of quantum leap that iOS 7 was, but Apple's head honcho assures us that it interacts in some fantastic ways with the new version of OS X and that it pairs great end user features with great developer features. Well, we'll be the judges of that. The big keynote just wrapped up -- here's what we know and what it means for you. First things first. There's a lot to dig into, but you'll get iOS 8 as a free update sometime this fall for the iPhone 4s and newer, the fifth-gen iPod touch and the iPad 2 and newer. If you're a developer though, you'll be able to access the iOS 8 beta and SDK today.
