Is Competing with Apple’s iOS Apps Getting Tougher? 
Retrobatch Retrobatch is a node-based image editor for the Mac that allows you to set up multi-step workflows to automate the processing of image files. Developed by Flying Meat, the maker of image editor Acorn, Retrobatch comes in basic and pro versions, the main difference being the modules available in each. Most nodes are available...
App Debuts Pixelmator Photo Pixelmator Photo has been updated with a new Vignette tool that allows users to adjust its exposure, black point, and softness. The iPad app has also added four new color adjustment presets. PDF Viewer PDF Viewer is updated regularly by the folks at PSPDFKit. This week, the app added the ability to...
Q&A Question: In iOS 13, does the updated Reminders app have a “repeat after completion” option when creating a new repeating reminder? (Dan M.)
Unfortunately, no. For example, if you set up a repeating task for every third day that is first due on a Monday, but you complete it on Tuesday, the task will...
Last week, The Guardian reported on Apple’s Siri grading program in which contractors listen to snippets of audio to evaluate the effectiveness of Siri’s response to its trigger phrase. That article quoted extensively from an anonymous contractor who said they and other contractors regularly heard private user information as part of the program.
In response, Apple has announced that it is suspending the Siri grading program worldwide. While suspended, Apple says it will re-evaluate the program and issue a software update that will let users choose whether to allow their audio to be used as part of the program.
In a statement to Matthew Panzarino, the editor-in-chief of TechCrunch, Apple said:
“We are committed to delivering a great Siri experience while protecting user privacy,” Apple said in a statement to TechCrunch. “While we conduct a thorough review, we are suspending Siri grading globally. Additionally, as part of a future software update, users will have the ability to choose to participate in grading.”
In an earlier response to The Guardian, Apple had said that less than 1% of daily Siri requests are sent to humans as part of the grading program. However, that’s not very comforting to users who are left wondering whether snippets of their daily life are part of the audio shared with contractors. Consequently, I’m glad to see that Apple is re-examining its Siri quality-control efforts and has promised to give users a choice of whether they participate.
Pro or Premium? Characterizing an app as ‘pro’ carries expectations of quality and value, and it usually comes with a price to match. The functionality of the app compared to its competitors, the intended users, and its economics all inform users’ perceptions of whether an app is pro or not, to varying degrees. On the surface, categorizing...
Apple has just published its financial results for Q3 2019. The company posted revenue of $53.8 billion. Apple CEO Tim Cook said:
“This was our biggest June quarter ever — driven by all-time record revenue from Services, accelerating growth from Wearables, strong performance from iPad and Mac and significant improvement in iPhone trends,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “These results are promising across all our geographic segments, and we’re confident about what’s ahead. The balance of calendar 2019 will be an exciting period, with major launches on all of our platforms, new services and several new products.”
Apple’s revenue guidance for Q3 2019 fell between $52.5 billion and $54.5 billion, with gross margin estimated to be between 37% and 38%.
Going into today’s earnings call, Yahoo Finance said that analysts, who were not expecting extraordinary financial results from Apple, would be focused on News+ and other revenue generated by services,
But according to Bloomberg’s MODL consensus, iPhone sales are expected to fall 10.3% in Q3, pushed lower by the ongoing trade war between the U.S. and China.
The same consensus, however, also points to an increase in sales of iPads, Macs, wearables like the AirPods and Apple Watch, and services by as much as 14.4%. Don’t forget, Apple recently revamped its iPad and Mac lineups, and released a new version of the seemingly ubiquitous AirPods.
In the year-ago quarter (Q3 2018), Apple earned $53.3 billion in revenue. During that quarter Apple sold 41.3 million iPhones, 11.6 million iPads, and 3.7 million Macs. As announced on Apple’s Q4 2018 earnings call, however, the company no longer reports unit sales for any of its products.
On this week’s episode of AppStories, we talk about pro app subscriptions in the context of the recently-released flight tracker, Flighty, and the new home automation possibilities available when combining new features of iOS 13 with an app/service like Pushover.
Sponsored by:
Pick 2: Flighty and Pushover
This week, Federico and John talk about pro app subscriptions in the context of the recently-released flight tracker, Flighty, and the new home automation possibilities available when combining new features of iOS 13 with an app/service like Pushover.
Federico
