Apple’s not picky about what it buys because it’s a cheapskate. In part, it’s picky because of what I just described–the fact that it’s got money to buy companies also means it has money to build stuff itself. Sometimes, buying a company is a really good shortcut–the purchase of Beats, for example, allowed Apple to get a subscription music service up and running much faster than they’d probably have managed on their own. And sometimes the shortcut isn’t worth it.
But there’s another big reason Apple is wary about acquisitions, and it has to do with the company’s very specific culture. If you didn’t notice, Apple’s a weird beast. It’s not like most other companies out there. It’s one thing to absorb a small team of people who bring expertise in an area Apple lacks–and even then, it’s probably quite a culture shock, and talent probably walks out the door rather than adapting to Apple’s culture! But it’s another to try to integrate a large company with its own brands and culture and get it to follow Apple’s rules. And make no mistake, if you’re owned by Apple you will follow Apple’s rules.
Building a social network on top of a calendar makes a lot of sense, and apps like IRL have found some success doing it. But Daybridge is trying to do an awful lot in a single app, from helping you schedule your time and make the most of it to helping you stay aware of all the time-sensitive things happening around you. It’s also going to have to convince a lot of people to ultimately pay for another calendar app and — maybe most important — start to rewrite some of our shared norms and unofficial rules about how calendars work and how we use them. Getting you to send your date a calendar invite is a big hurdle to clear.
Several of the high-end Apple Watch Series 7 models with titanium casings are listed as “currently unavailable” on Apple’s online store in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and select other countries. In the United States, availability of 41mm models is most depleted at this time, but a few 45mm models are out of stock too.
AppleCare+ with theft and loss coverage is available in three additional countries starting today, including France, Italy, and Spain.
A new app-based augmented reality experience called Concrete Jungle has just debuted, literally transforming the public plazas into a playground for animals.
“It’s been exciting to see the product resonate with people, but going forward, we have an even bigger opportunity to become the best way for people to stay in contact with those 10 to 15 people that matter the most,” Moss said. “The main impetus behind the funding is really just to accelerate; it’s just going to let us hire more people and continue to ship new features and become the product that is the best way to stay in contact with your close friends and family.”
The difference between Apple’s business plan and so many others in Silicon Valley is that while others offer compromised products for free to turn you into the product, Apple makes you pay for the products that you use. Though, as the data shows, its solutions remain every bit as addictive. You’re still the product, but that blend of privacy and agency is the unique Apple twist.
Analyzing Apple’s earnings can, on occasion, feel like looking at a jigsaw puzzle with some of the pieces missing.
It's August. It's getting closer to me having complications on my iPhone lock screen. I'm excited.
But, as for new iPhones, I will not be upgrading my iPhone 12 mini. It's still working fine, and, if rumors are accurate, there will not be a small and light iPhone this year.
(Just for fun, I took out my iPhone X from my cupboard the other day. Boy, was that thing heavy.)
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Thanks for reading.