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BusinessWeek: iPhone SDK to arrive late
In a recent BusinessWeek blog post, writer Arik Hesseldahl says he has information from one of his sources that the long awaited iPhone SDK might well be delayed. According to the source, the delay could be anywhere from one to three weeks; with February drawing to a close and no announcement yet of an Apple event, this could very well be true. The post goes on to say that last minute preparations are being made, and that the SDK release is a complex process (which tracks with our reporting as well). BusinessWeek has generally been respectable when it comes to sussing out Apple rumors (they did, in fact, break the rumor about the iPhone SDK a day before Steve Jobs announced it back in October). However, like with most rumors, there are always a wide variety of opinions.
BusinessWeek: Why I Won't Buy an iPhone
Arik Hesseldahl has a thoughtful article up today over at BusinessWeek, describing why he won't be buying an iPhone any time soon. There are far too many great lines to quote here so go read the entire post. Hessendahl call's Apple's no-third-party development stance ridiculous. He argues that software developers are an important part of what makes the Mac the strong platform it is -- commercial partnerships and contractual entanglements shouldn't come before creativity and home-brewed innovation. I totally agree. The iPhone is a beautiful OS X platform that deserves to be opened to development. Full disclosure: Arik consulted with me during the writing of his article.
Business Week: Apple "Most innovative"
For the third consecutive year, Business Week has named Apple the "Most Innovative Company" (they beat 2nd place Google with double the votes). Data was collected late last year from the top 10 executives at the world's 1,500 largest corporations.* While acknowledging the accomplishment, Business Week wonders how long their reign will last:"Now that [Apple is] invading the living room and the cell-phone market, will it continue the winning streak?"If the iPhone is a real out-of-the-park home run (a lot seems to be riding on that little device, no?), then 2008 could be Apple's fourth straight year on the top of that list.*Determined by market capitalization in U.S. dollars.
Business Week: Sony ranks 10th in Most Innovative Companies
Business Week just published their yearly list of 'The 50 Most Innovative Companies', and Sony came in at number 10. They seemed particularly impressed with Home, stating:"This traditional tech hardware maker is devoting more resources to software. To turn its PlayStation 3 console from living-room box to virtual gateway, it created a 3D online world that simulates the real one."Sony beat out Nintendo, who came in at a lowly 39th, but lost out to Microsoft, who came in 5th on the strength of the Vista launch. Apple dominated them all though, staying in first place for the third year in a row.
Rob Pardo talks content with Businessweek
Recently Blizzard's Rob Pardo sat down with Businessweek. He mostly talked about the future of the game, the success of The Burning Crusade, and the creative process. Since reading his interview, I have spent a lot of time mulling over what he said. The first thing that stuck out in my mind was his likening the MMO to a television series. "We're developing episodes just like Lost or Seinfeld," he commented, "We're always trying to come up with something that's true to the theory; that's true to the content that people love; but that is new." I never had the chance to look at the development cycle like this. In some ways it explains the company's drive to constantly bring us new content rather than connecting old dots (Uldum anyone?). The designers are looking forward, and as they mentioned at Blizzcon in 2005, more portals will be opening, new worlds for us to explore. And we as gamers are ravenous for this new content. Our expectations are high, and the company is there to try and satiate our ever growing appetite. What this also means is that there is a story arch with which they are working. I know Lost is working on a seven-year story arch. Does this mean that we can expect a grander plotline connecting the expansions together? I for one am eager to find out. I haven't really thought about the game in these terms. My previous experience with MMOs (*cough* Anarchy Online *cough*) has taught me that games are fairly linear. Yes, there might be a new world connected to the old one, but the story pretty much stays the same. Since playing World of Warcraft I have had to reinvent my view of the MMO, and now I, too am one of those ravenous players dying for new stories and new characters to love or hate. This interview has made me wonder where we are going with the next expansions. So I'd love to hear what you think. Beyond the proposed Northrend and Emerald Dream expansions, where would you like to go as the World of Warcraft universe expands into new worlds?
What should Apple do with twelve BEEEL-lion dollars?
This is the question posed by Arik Hesseldahl in today's Byte of the Apple column for BusinessWeek: what should Apple do with its $12 billion in cash and short-term investments? His suggestion: rather than spending more money on acquisitions (such those that led to Logic, Final Cut and Shake), the big A could start a venture capital fund that would help Mac software startups, and established vendors looking to port to the Mac, with seed money to get products off the ground and out the doors.Hesseldahl points to other tech giants that run their own VC operations, among them Intel, Qualcomm and Motorola. Perhaps it is time for AAPL (back up to $87/share at today's close, erasing a good chunk of Tuesday's losses) to turn some of that spare change into "changing the world, one software company at a time." [via The Secret Diary of Steve Jobs]
Apple TV: Why the delay?
We're bummed out as much as you are about the Apple TV delay. While we are pouting in our room, crying our eyes out, and forlornly staring at our useless without an Apple TV Sony Bravia television, Businessweek's Arik Hesseldahl has been busy spinning some theories to explain the dearth of Apple TVs. Arik talks to some analysts who think that the 2 -3 week delay can be explained by a delay in FCC approval. Since the Apple TV is a wireless device, the FCC must approve of it before it is sent to market. The other theory offered up by Airk is that of a supply shortage. Perhaps Apple's manufacturing partners are having trouble pumping units out due to some constriction in the supply chain, which has necessitated the delayed launch.Whatever the reason, I just hope that Apple gets it all ironed out before the end of March. I want my Apple TV!
Sega still publishing for PS2
BusinessWeek interviews Simon Jeffery, chief operating officer at Sega of America, about the console transition and gamers' plans to upgrade hardware. Jeffery offers insight into Sega's thought process; he expects the PS2 to continue to sell well for at least another year.Jeffery says that retailers have forced the GameCube and Xbox off shelves to make more room for the new hardware. However, he hasn't seen -- and doesn't anticipate -- the same fate for the PS2; the company will still release occasional PS2 games, although Jeffery says they'll be ports from the newest hardware.Who's buying PS2s? Jeffery thinks they're secondary systems for PS3 and Xbox 360 owners, and the Wii may be competing directly with the PS2. But we wonder how many of those PS2 sales are by gamers who can't afford -- or find -- a PS3.See also: PS2 to outsell newer consoles through next year?
BusinessWeek's iPhone wishlist
Over at BusinessWeek, Arik Hesseldahl posts his thoughtful wish list for the iPhone. On top of the obvious music wishes (wireless music downloads, zunelike device-to-device sharing, and iTunes ringtones), Hesseldahl considers how the phone might sync seamlessly with various iApps like iPhoto, iCal, Address Book and Mail. On-board data storage would also be a big win for him. He'd like to see a camera that does both photos and short video clips--and maybe even iChat-like video chat. Bluetooth support is a given in his opinion, but he's looking for a better headset. I personally disagree. I think Apple should continue bundling low-end earbuds with their products and let us buy the headset we actually want and can comfortably wear.
BusinessWeek's Wildstrom: "PS3 is a winner"
BusinessWeek's Stephen Wildstrom has one of the best jobs in the world -- he gets to play with the latest high tech gadgets and then talk about them in his Tech&You column every week. For the Dec. 4 issue, Wildstrom reviews what has become the envy of early adopters, hardcore fanboys, and extortion artists everywhere: the PlayStation 3.While he states up front that it will take months to determine the success of PS3, Wildstrom declares Sony's new console a winner on the gaming front -- a verdict I take exception with because of a simple admission he makes halfway through his write-up: "I'm not much of a gamer." During his short time with the PS3, he experienced how the controls work for Tiger Woods 07, Resistance: Fall of Man, and Genji: Days of the Blade -- and not much else. I enjoy reading Wildstrom's weekly columns, as he spends a lot of time reviewing personal media products that focus on movies, music, and photos. Ironically enough, he says the PS3 comes up short in these areas, and he's not impressed with it as a home entertainment device. Instead, his praise for the system is based solely on its gaming prowess.Even recommending the PS3 for consumers who "have the budget", and are willing to pay "at least $100 more than an Xbox 360", has faulty logic. First off, if you expect to have a PS3 before the end of the year, the difference will be significantly greater than just a few hundred dollars (and the cost has been even higher for those who've been mugged, beat up, and shot). Secondly, how can a system be considered a winner on gaming merits alone when it's currently "a bit short on games"?So, does the PS3 really "got game"? Potentially, but people that don't (like Mr. Wildstrom) are not really qualified to decide.From the same BW issue: Can the "Father of the Xbox" make Microsoft hip?
All kinds of crazy Wii production
According to some silly subscription-only news service (briefing.com, for the unabashedly curious), Nintendo has completed production of some 2 million units in Q3 alone. Nintendo, remember, had only promised 4 million by the end of the calendar year, and 6 million by fiscal year's end (March 31st). But with all of October and half of November to roll out the units, the figures may jump up even higher. The report claims that Nintendo has at least 7 million planned for Q4 production, and even up to 9 million seems feasible. That's potentially eleven million Wiis by year's end. It seems that the later-than-expected release date of November 19th was not a result of hardware shortages, but rather to give software developers a chance to properly finish their titles. While all these consoles sitting around, having tea and just waiting for the 19th is a nice picture, it's also important that Nintendo maintain the image of must-have and hard to find. It's a delicate balance, to supply the demand and yet seem like you can't ... hopefully, Nintendo can pull it off. [via Joystiq]
Samsung most valuable global TV brand?
What's in a name? Everything and anything if you are a manufacturer of consumer electronics. Your brand could have the ability to sell on name alone. Or, have the ability to turn away customers with just the name. Business Week has taken a long look at who is the most powerful brand in the world and Coca-Cola came out on top. We aren't here to cover soda pop though - we would love to, but the boys upstairs probably wouldn't like it too much. In order to even qualify for this list, a company has to have over 1/3 of their total sales outside of their home country; this is a global list you know. The list evaluates brands on not how much they are making now, but rather, how much they are projected to earn in the future. Samsung came out on top of the audio/video business at number 20 based on their LCD and memory chip business. Sony then followed at 26, Philips at 48, Panasonic at 77, and LG rounding out the list at 94.Everyone has their own perception of a certain brand. Do you think that Samsung's brand has reached Sony's level? Business Week sure thinks that they are going to do more with that name.
Developers ditching PS3 for Wii and 360
Gamedaily BIZ has a nice little feature up where they ask if Sony can do something that someone has never done before: dominate the industry for three generations. Based on a report run by BusinessWeek Online, they analyze Sony's high-priced offering and claim that developers are instead diverting resources to the more cost-effective Xbox 360 and Wii. To quote the article:"At its autumn games preview on July 13, for instance, traditional Sony ally Electronic Arts spent far more time showing off innovative Nintendo games than it did titles for the PS3," emphasized BusinessWeek. "EA announced six Nintendo Wii launch titles and showed long working demos for two of those. But it offered only a short clip of a car-racing game for PS3. EA says it's still testing the potential of the PS3."Makes sense since the development costs are already extremely high as it is and with the incredibly-cheap process by which developers can make games on the Wii, a process more expensive on the Xbox 360, however less expensive than on the PS3, we're sure to see this occur even more should the Wii strike gold once released to retail.
Another 10 strangest iPod accessories article
Have you heard? Some manufacturers are making wacky iPod products! Seriously, it is true. Would I lie to you? Luckily Businessweek has yet another round up of these gizmos for us to chuckle about, though I've seen most of these products before.
Apple: "iPod City" investigation still underway
Despite recent comments by a Foxconn spokesperson that Apple had already investigated and found no problems with the Chinese factory that has come to be known as "iPod City," BusinessWeek is reporting that the probe is still in fact underway, with an Apple representative reiterating that the company takes "allegations of noncompliance very seriously." According to spokesperson Steve Dowling, Apple is in the midst of a "thorough audit" of the Hon Hai-owned plant, which had recently admitted to breaking labor laws concerning overtime, but which continues to deny other allegations contained in the original Daily Mail exposé. Specifically, Dowling says that the auditors are looking into "employee working and living conditions," conducting interviews with workers and their managers (separately, we hope), and generally making sure that the factory lives up to a supplier code of conduct that supposedly "sets the bar higher than accepted industry standards." This is all very good news indeed, but now Apple faces yet another hurdle in the form of a jaded public highly skeptical of corporate-speak, meaning that whether the investigation turns up violations or not, the company may still have a hard time convincing folks to accept the auditors' final verdict.[Via AppleInsider, image courtesy of Mail on Sunday]
Apple fourth on BusinessWeek's Info Tech 100
I can hear them chanting in Cupertino, 'We're number four! We're number four!' Apple is occupying the number four position on the BusinessWeek Info Tech 100, which lists the top 100 IT companies of the year. Astounding profits, great products, and no end in sight for iPodmania account for Apple's position. However, Apple isn't the only company to benefit from the iPod craze. Hon Hai Precision, who Apple outsources manufacturing to, checks in at number two on the list.
Book on classic design includes several Apple products
Apple is known for industrial design so it isn't a shocker that Phaidon Design Classics, a three book series on design, features some Apple products. You'll find the original Mac, the iPod, and the iMac G5 (I'm typing this post on one of those!). BusinessWeek online has an article about the books, and a slideshow that features 10 of the objects in the book, including the Mac.Check it out.Thanks, Jon.
BusinessWeek looks at 360 in Japan ... twice
Earlier this month, BusinessWeek ran two stories about the Xbox 360 in Japan: one just before the big Japanese press conference, and one right after. The contrast is notable. They begin discussing the admittedly poor sales of the 360 in Japan, with some choice (and dubious) quotes. "To get an idea of what's ailing the Xbox 360 in Japan, look around the Internet and check out the video game blogs. There, you'll find a litany of complaints directed against Microsoft's next-generation game console. The Xbox-bashing ranges from the machine's perceived uninspiring design to the overall scarcity of enticing must-have game titles to date." Well, perhaps solely in relation to Japan, but I think everyone knew the Japanese market would be difficult to penetrate. Certainly, I think the blogosphere has been impressed with Microsoft's new system, certainly compared to their previous entrant."'The Xbox 360 is not attractive... it's big and heavy,' says Ichiro Ookawa, manager at Sofmap, an electronics retailer in Tokyo's Akihabara district." If this is the metric all of Japan is going to use to measure the potential for future video game consoles, reports that the PS3's already large casing is some 50% too small for the guts mean it will be an immediate failure, right? In Japan, software will sell systems. That's where the second article comes in. Just one day later, following their press conference, BusinessWeek covered the impending torrent of titles aimed at the Japanese market. "Twenty-five software games are out so far for Xbox 360 in Japan, and [new Japanese Xbox manager Takashi] Sensui said 15 more are being developed for release by the summer in Japan. Microsoft plans to have 80 titles available by the end of the year."Microsoft banked on an impressive head start to get a foothold before the PS3 stormed onto the scene. In most of the world (US, Europe, Australia) this tactic seems to be working as planned; however, in Japan, gamers are holding out for games and the perception of a superior PS3. In this market, the comparisons between the two consoles will not only not hurt the Xbox 360, they will certainly drive purchases of it. Games designed for them will be released, and the polish of second-wave titles will compare favorably to PS3 launch titles, removing the fears that the 360 is incapable of competing. Read - Why Xbox 360 Isn't Playing Well in JapanRead - Microsoft to triple Xbox titles in Japan
HTC profiled in BusinessWeek
It's only rather recently that smartphone manufacturer High Tech Computer Corp. became more than just another obscure OEM making reference devices, and BusinessWeek has an inside look at the factors that propelled HTC from unknown to Microsoft's go-to-guy. HTC was founded in 1997 by a group of refugee engineers from Digital Equipment Corp's Taiwanese subsidiary, and they immediately began to focus their efforts on handheld devices -- more specifically those that run one of the flavors of portable Windows. This early dedication to Microsoft operating systems (HTC was responsible for designing the first iPaqs), along with CEO Peter Chou's renowned attention to detail (he sent the Star Trek back three times before he was satisfied with its features) and the creative rein given to employees (whose titles include "Wizard" of this or "Magician" of that) made the company one of Redmond's favorite hardware partners. And even if HTC isn't yet a household name, investors have most definitely taken notice of its performance: the company's consistent double-digit growth (last year's $356 million in profits were triple the previous year's) have caused its stock to skyrocket more than 1000% since 2003.[Thanks, Dave Z.]
HDTV ambiguity from Business Week
Oh Business Week, we're sure you meant well, but it's vague comments like these from Stephen H. Wildstrom that continue to confuse the analog public: "A 30-in. digital CRT with a digital tuner will probably set you back about $650, and that doesn't get you true high definition. HD costs around $1,000 for a 30-in. CRT and upwards of $1,500 for a 32-in. flat-panel."Maybe it's just us, and if it is, we know you'll chime in and set us straight. How exactly does a 30-inch digital CRT with a digital tuner not get you true high definition? If by "true" high-def BW means 1080p, that's a little weak and definitely confusing to folks that are still getting used to terms like 720p and 1080i. We've pointed out numerous CRTs that are under the $650 price range BW mentions and yet, they still get you HDTV. Great intention BW, but ambiguous execution.
