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The Platform-Philosophy Edition Tuesday, September 29, 2020

iOS And iPadOS 14 Review: iPhone Transformation, iPad Iteration, by Samuel Axon, Ars Technica

With iOS 14, Apple has brought some of the biggest comparative advantages of Android—home screen widgets, better app management, and default app customization for email and the browser—to iPhones. These features so heavily resemble those in Android, it’s hard to look at it any other way.

But in doing so, Apple has further shifted the debate about differentiators between these two platforms to privacy, services, and policies. It’s not my place as a reviewer to tell you which platform’s philosophy is better for you personally. There are good arguments for both. And it’s a good thing that the features of these two operating systems have gradually grown closer together, because it lets users more freely invest in the platform that represents their values and needs.

The Magic Of iOS ‘App Clip’ Demos, by M.G. Siegler, 500ish Words

Given how well this works, I can see a world in which other developers beyond gaming take advantage of this technology to demo their apps. And, if I squint, I think I can even see a world of “micro-apps” that don’t need full apps to operate. Perhaps these are more ephemeral style apps. Apps where asking for a full download is a lot in this age of app saturation.

COVID-19 Apple Store Changes Uncover Opportunities For Long-term Improvements, by Michael Steeber, 9to5Mac

It’s been seven months since COVID-19 fundamentally changed the way Apple Stores operate. In that time, we’ve learned to accept the realities and limitations of a new store environment. We’ve seen new ideas that work remarkably well. And we’ve even discovered parts of the store experience that are nicer now than before the pandemic.

Apple Stores across the world have been caught in a loop of closing, reopening, and closing again since February, all while trying to juggle a stack of safety precautions and keeping customers satisfied. These challenges have forced Apple to pare back store functions to their essential elements. COVID-19 inadvertently offered an opportunity to re-evaluate the entire retail experience.

On Health

I Tested Apple Watch Sleep Tracking To Save You Time And Battery Life, by Jeremy Horwitz, VentureBeat

Even with the latest and greatest Apple Watch, users can expect little in the way of actionable insights, coupled with the inconvenience of mid-day smartwatch recharging, every day — a step beyond the prior “leave it on a nightstand dock” system people grudgingly began to accept years ago.

Apple Watch Calls Triple-0 After Owner’s Ladder Fall, by Jack Paynter, News.com.au

He said to have a heavy fall and then hear a voice from his watch asking if he needed assistance was “comforting”.

“It’s like, that’s clever, it’s nice to know that worked,” Mr Potts said.

“Eighteen months ago when I bought it I must have known something about triple-0 because I didn’t want to test it, what are you going to do to test it?

It Took Two Years For Apple And The Singapore Government To Develop Lumihealth, by Germaine Wong, Geek Culture

The great part of working with a great ecosystem of hardware and software is that it was relatively to tap on the full features of the Apple Watch. The seamless integration allows users to access numerous tools and apps to stay fit and take note of a user’s well being, such as the Activity Rings, ECG and oxygen level measurements, and even fall detection.

[...]

“And so, with that in mind, looking around the world, it’s very evident with Singapore’s track record as a country has a world-leading healthcare system, but also importantly, a really progressive one,” said Myoung Cha, Head of Health Strategic Initiatives at Apple. “With all the investments the government’s made in promoting health, and not just health care, it’s really leaning in on prevention in a way that is really with intent towards a longer-term impact.”

Stuff

Third-Generation Apple TVs Suffering From Apple TV Software Update 7.6, by Adam Engst, TidBITS

Third-generation Apple TV users are now experiencing crashes when pausing YouTube videos, and others are having intermittent AirPlay problems that include freezing and audio-only over a blank screen.

Sticky Widgets Lets You Put A Virtual Post-It On Your iPhone Home Screen, by Ben Lovejoy, 9to5Mac

The app is a simple one. Install it and then add it as a widget to your home screen. Just tap the note to edit the text on it.

Smart Tasks App Lets You Easily Organize Your Entire Week, Now With iOS 14 Home Screen Widgets, by Filipe Espósito, 9to5Mac

The app lets you organize your entire week in an extremely easy way.

iHeartRadio Debuts New Standalone Apple Watch App With Streaming Support And More, by Michael Potuck, 9to5Mac

We’re starting to see more audio services take advantage of Apple’s wearable and today iHeartRadio is the latest to launch streaming support with an Apple Watch app. It also brings library syncing and more.

Notes

20 Macs For 2020: #12 – Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh, by Jason Snell, Six Colors

Yes, the Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh was ridiculous. But at the same time, it was a preview of Apple’s decade of resurgence.

Judge Suggests Apple Vs Epic Should Go To Jury, Trial Expected In July 2021, by Malcolm Owen, AppleInsider

Towards the end of a virtual hearing on Monday morning at the US District Court for the Northern District of California, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers told the legal teams of Epic and Apple that it would be worth considering having the trial with a jury to weigh in on the "Fortnite" saga.

The Inside Story Of How Signal Became The Private Messaging App For An Age Of Fear And Distrust, by Billy Perrigo, Time

Signal is an end-to-end encrypted messaging service, similar to WhatsApp or iMessage, but owned and operated by a non-profit foundation rather than a corporation, and with more wide-ranging security protections. One of the first things you see when you visit its website is a 2015 quote from the NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden: “I use Signal every day.” Now, it’s clear that increasing numbers of ordinary people are using it too.

Bottom of the Page

Both the G4 Cube and the 20th Anniversary Mac were, to me, unaffordable luxuries. But, in my opinion, the Cube was so much more refined and polished, while the 20th Anniversary Mac was simply loud and look-at-me-ish.

The two computers were just five years apart. Sure, Jony Ive has five more years of experience, and that's not nothing. But the Cube probably also demonstrated the positive influence by Steve Jobs on product designs.

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Thanks for reading.