Apple in 2013: Five predictions
1. Apple TV, take fourHas there ever been an Apple product withthis much rumor intensity behind it? Well sure -- the iPad, and the iPhone before it. As the saying goes, where there's smoke there's fire, and the chances of Apple finally releasing a big new TV product in 2013 are looking hot.Uncertainty remains over just what kind of a product Apple's working on though. The company already has a set-top box, but it's not for plugging into your cable. Instead, its main purpose is to connect with Apple's digital stores, along with third-party streaming services like Netflix and Hulu. More recently Apple's added options to pipe video and other media content from iOS and Mac devices on the same Wi-Fi network. Would Apple really forgo something small, simple, and cheap for what is likely to be an expensive piece of hardware that's difficult to ship, stock, and that people are likely to replace maybe once every five years? While a full-fledged TV set is a possibility, expect Apple to roll out a smarter set-top box with better ways to view TV programming and control basic TV functions -- two things Apple's current models can't do.2. More settling with rivals. If 2012 was the year of nasty court fights, 2013 will be the year of peace. We already had a taste of that with the 10-year truceannounced between Apple and HTC in November. I think there's a good chance we'll see the same from two remaining fights Apple's in with rivals. The clear frontrunner is Apple's spat with Samsung. It's been a nasty fight, and one that's got more nastiness in line with yet another trial that kicks off in 2014. The two sides have already met several times to talk things out, something that did not go anywhere. Samsung, for its part, has gone back and forth saying it's not willing to negotiate, while also recently pointing out that it was "willing" to sit down to talk it out again. The other big fight is between Apple and Google. While late Apple CEO Steve Jobs pledged a "thermonuclear war" on Google's Android, current Apple CEO Tim Cook has suggested he's not as interested in litigation. Both fights with HTC and Samsung have been seen as proxies for a larger battle with Google. With that said, the first jabs in that fight -- in the form of a lawsuit between Apple and now Google-owned Motorola Mobility -- has not gotten off to a very promising start. A Wisconsin judge tossed out the case last month. Wait, doesn't Apple already do radio?Josh Lowensohn/CNET3. iRadioRumors that Apple has been on the cusp of a subscription music service have swirled for years, but have not resulted in an actual product. Meanwhile, developer competitors like Spotify and RDIO have flown past Apple in offering cheap ways to get a massive collection of music, on demand, and on a multitude of devices. Where has that left Apple? In the past few years it's been a platform enabler, giving these companies a place to hawk their apps. Meanwhile, it's slowly added more features to iTunes through iCloudthat let users get their own music on demand. Sources have told CNET that deals with the big three record companies are "nowhere near to being completed." However that doesn't rule out Apple dipping into its massive cash pile to sweeten the deal and get the service up and running. 4. Small maps improvements, but big investmentsApple's maps was easily the biggest new piece of software the company put out during 2012 -- not counting new versions of iOS and OS X. It was also a source of embarrassment, as users and press alike found places where the software fell short. In 2013 improvements will be made, as some have been made already, but don't expect an overhaul overnight. Some of the software's staunchest critics were quick to point out that it took Google years to get its own maps software right, and that it had far more people working on it. Adding to that is the fact that with Google's own mapping software back on the platform, Apple may not get as many users on its own service to help improve its data.There are already signs Apple ishiring additional staff to boost the group in charge of maps. That includes a slew of job postings that went up the same day the software went live, as well as reports Apple has been recruiting heavily from rivals.Apple5. Siri out of betaApple's got some serious work to do with Siri. Now more than a year old, the once spiffy software is showing its age. Apple gave the voice assistant some new tricks with iOS 6, but Google made the service look slow and clumsy as part of its Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update. That software feature, which later trickled over to Google's search app on iOS, served up answers faster and often with more useful results. So what can Apple do? Expect a big speed boost and integration with more third-party apps and services. There are also signs Siri might be headed to more places, like Apple's Mac and Apple TV platforms.
iTunes 9 screenshots probably not the real deal
iTunes 9 screenshots probably not the real deal
But the entire proposition seems out of character for Apple, and is leading us to think we won't see these features in iTunes 9 when it is released. Here's why:• First, Facebook already launchedFacebook Connect for iPhoto earlier this year. Getting that partnership in place was a big deal for Facebook. But the implementation is very subtle. The fuzzy screenshots show a slightly confusing implementation, at least when it comes to the visual organization, with the tiny (and misaligned) Facebook icon on the bottom of the iTunes window. And more importantly, people in a position to be familiar with the situation suggest to CNET that Facebook-iTunes hooking up is unlikely, at least for now. • Second, Apple doesn't just partner with anybody. When it does link up with other companies, they're established brands: think Motorola, Nike, U2, AT&T, Google, and Microsoft. Twitter does not appear at the moment to fit that bill. While it might be the word on the lips of celebrities and journalists, Twitter is a tiny San Francisco outfit that hasn't shown it knows how to turn a profit, and one whose serviceisn't very reliable. Not exactly a rock-solid partner for a company like Apple that prides itself on offering products that "just work." Plus, Twitter seems a little trendy for Apple, a company that rarely races ahead with the latest technological obsession--see its stance on Blu-ray for the past few years as an example.Last.fm (also owned by CNET News publisher CBS Interactive) is far from being an established brand. It's simply one of many streaming music services available on the Web. And the inclusion in iTunes seems contrary to Apple's purposes. The point of iTunes is to sell you music, not let you listen to songs for free whenever you want. And the other useful features Last.fm offers aren't new to iTunes: there are already plug-ins, like the one from iLike, that connect to your iTunes account, analyze your library, find music you'll like, direct you to concerts you may want to attend, and provide artist info--all things Last.fm does, too.• And finally, cosmetically, the images just don't look all that convincing. Comparing the implementation in iPhoto and the two little logos of Facebook and Twitter below, the Facebook logo in the screenshots just doesn't look right. The blog Pocket-lint UK talked to some image experts, who point out that many of the pictured logos show a lot of imperfections: including the "9" in relation to the "iTunes," and other clues that point to a Photoshop job.CNET News' Caroline McCarthy contributed to this report.
But the entire proposition seems out of character for Apple, and is leading us to think we won't see these features in iTunes 9 when it is released. Here's why:• First, Facebook already launchedFacebook Connect for iPhoto earlier this year. Getting that partnership in place was a big deal for Facebook. But the implementation is very subtle. The fuzzy screenshots show a slightly confusing implementation, at least when it comes to the visual organization, with the tiny (and misaligned) Facebook icon on the bottom of the iTunes window. And more importantly, people in a position to be familiar with the situation suggest to CNET that Facebook-iTunes hooking up is unlikely, at least for now. • Second, Apple doesn't just partner with anybody. When it does link up with other companies, they're established brands: think Motorola, Nike, U2, AT&T, Google, and Microsoft. Twitter does not appear at the moment to fit that bill. While it might be the word on the lips of celebrities and journalists, Twitter is a tiny San Francisco outfit that hasn't shown it knows how to turn a profit, and one whose serviceisn't very reliable. Not exactly a rock-solid partner for a company like Apple that prides itself on offering products that "just work." Plus, Twitter seems a little trendy for Apple, a company that rarely races ahead with the latest technological obsession--see its stance on Blu-ray for the past few years as an example.Last.fm (also owned by CNET News publisher CBS Interactive) is far from being an established brand. It's simply one of many streaming music services available on the Web. And the inclusion in iTunes seems contrary to Apple's purposes. The point of iTunes is to sell you music, not let you listen to songs for free whenever you want. And the other useful features Last.fm offers aren't new to iTunes: there are already plug-ins, like the one from iLike, that connect to your iTunes account, analyze your library, find music you'll like, direct you to concerts you may want to attend, and provide artist info--all things Last.fm does, too.• And finally, cosmetically, the images just don't look all that convincing. Comparing the implementation in iPhoto and the two little logos of Facebook and Twitter below, the Facebook logo in the screenshots just doesn't look right. The blog Pocket-lint UK talked to some image experts, who point out that many of the pictured logos show a lot of imperfections: including the "9" in relation to the "iTunes," and other clues that point to a Photoshop job.CNET News' Caroline McCarthy contributed to this report.
Apple teases iCloud-centric photo app for Mac in 2015
Apple teases iCloud-centric photo app for Mac in 2015
In its keynote presentation at WWDC 2014, Apple spent much of its time talking about iOS and OS X launches that will happen this year. But it also spent some time teasing some new features that will be available next year.Consider the new Photos app that was built from the ground up, according to Apple senior vice president of software engineering Craig Federighi. The app lets users zoom in to individual albums or out to years, and stores all of the photos and videos in their original format and resolution taken across all iOS or OS X devices.Like other photos apps, Apple's Photos for OS X allows for modifications to images that can boost color or change tones. Related storiesFull coverage: Apple WWDC 2014First take: Apple Mac OS X 10.10 YosemiteFirst take: Apple iOS 8WWDC 2014 keynote in picturesThe big change with Photos compared to Apple's own iPhoto app image-storing app is that the former relies on iCloud for storage. That, of course, has brought with it some pricing considerations for users who will store lots of content in the cloud.Apple says that the first 5GB of iCloud storage will be free. Those who want 20GB of storage will need to pay 99 cents per month. Boosting storage to 200GB will bump the price to $3.99.For Apple, this year's WWDC, with about 5,000 developers in attendance,comes at a critical time. Apple continues to sell millions of iPhones and iPads, but demand for the devices has started to slow. Google's Android software, and particularly vendors such as Samsung, have been gaining market share and also have made inroads in former Apple strongholds like education. Apple also hasn't released any truly revolutionary products since the iPad in 2010, while rivals such as Samsung introduce new devices every few months.Apple has used its WWDC keynote as a chance to introduce new products in the past, but it more recently has focused on software, saving new mobile device announcements for separate events.The company is expected to launch many new devices in the fall as part of what it calls its "best product pipeline in 25 years." However, concerns have emerged that Apple may have lost some of its innovation edge -- a worry that Cook and his team have tried to quell by promising "exciting new product categories" for 2014 Photos for Mac is set to launch next year. It's not clear yet whether it'll be a free download or part of an upgrade to the newly announced OS X 10.10 Yosemite.
In its keynote presentation at WWDC 2014, Apple spent much of its time talking about iOS and OS X launches that will happen this year. But it also spent some time teasing some new features that will be available next year.Consider the new Photos app that was built from the ground up, according to Apple senior vice president of software engineering Craig Federighi. The app lets users zoom in to individual albums or out to years, and stores all of the photos and videos in their original format and resolution taken across all iOS or OS X devices.Like other photos apps, Apple's Photos for OS X allows for modifications to images that can boost color or change tones. Related storiesFull coverage: Apple WWDC 2014First take: Apple Mac OS X 10.10 YosemiteFirst take: Apple iOS 8WWDC 2014 keynote in picturesThe big change with Photos compared to Apple's own iPhoto app image-storing app is that the former relies on iCloud for storage. That, of course, has brought with it some pricing considerations for users who will store lots of content in the cloud.Apple says that the first 5GB of iCloud storage will be free. Those who want 20GB of storage will need to pay 99 cents per month. Boosting storage to 200GB will bump the price to $3.99.For Apple, this year's WWDC, with about 5,000 developers in attendance,comes at a critical time. Apple continues to sell millions of iPhones and iPads, but demand for the devices has started to slow. Google's Android software, and particularly vendors such as Samsung, have been gaining market share and also have made inroads in former Apple strongholds like education. Apple also hasn't released any truly revolutionary products since the iPad in 2010, while rivals such as Samsung introduce new devices every few months.Apple has used its WWDC keynote as a chance to introduce new products in the past, but it more recently has focused on software, saving new mobile device announcements for separate events.The company is expected to launch many new devices in the fall as part of what it calls its "best product pipeline in 25 years." However, concerns have emerged that Apple may have lost some of its innovation edge -- a worry that Cook and his team have tried to quell by promising "exciting new product categories" for 2014 Photos for Mac is set to launch next year. It's not clear yet whether it'll be a free download or part of an upgrade to the newly announced OS X 10.10 Yosemite.
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