The Tech Landscape #172 š®
Amazon hardware updates, Google Web Stories, and XR Object Anchors: this is issue 172 of The Tech Landscape, a weekly collection of news about consumer digital technology. Stories are selected by me, Peter Gasston, with a little insight and opinion where appropriate.
The long-delayed NHS contact tracing app launched in England and Wales this week. It uses Apple and Googleās contact tracing system to detect when users have come into contact with someone who has been infected, and also has a QR scanner for checking in to shops and restaurants.
wired.co.uk/article/nhs-covid-19-tracking-app-contact-tracing
Inspired by the NHS app I made this Web Story about QR Codes making a comeback. I used Googleās new WordPress plugin (see below) to make it.
petergasston.co.uk/web-stories/the-qr-code-comeback/
Top Stories
Amazon showed off a refreshed range of products at its hardware event: Echo and Echo Dot have had a spherical redesign; the Echo Show 10 has a motorised base and will swivel its head to follow you around the room; an upgraded Fire TV Stick and simpler, cheaper Fire TV Stick Lite, along with a refreshed screen UI; Ring cameras for cars, and an upcoming home drone camera(!); and a cloud gaming service called Luna. Thereās very little thatās new new in there, but refinements to an already mature line of hardware. The drone is weird, though.
theverge.com/2020/9/24/21450413/amazon-echo-alexa-ring-luna-event-recap-biggest-announcements
Google launched the Web Stories WordPress plugin, which makes it easy to create and publish web content in the Stories format. Iāve been trialling this for a while and it works really well. Whatās lacking is an easy way to collate and display Web Stories; anyone want to build one with me?
blog.google/web-creators/create-compelling-web-stories-wordpress/
Google simultaneously announced Web Creators, a new community resource supporting people who create content for the web. It can be seen as a defensive move to keep people away from creating content for social media, where Google has limited access.
blog.google/web-creators/introducing-google-web-creators/
Pinterest announced Story Pins, creator content in the Stories format. Theyāre not ephemeral, like Insta/Snap Stories, and can be pinned like regular content. Itās part of a push to provide tools for creators on its platform, including new creator profiles with the option to receive messages and reactions, and an analytics dashboard. Creators in the US can start using these tools now, but they can be viewed globally.
newsroom.pinterest.com/en/introducing-new-ways-for-creators-to-build-and-grow-with-pinterest
Microsoft launched a private preview of Azure Object Anchors, which allow attaching digital properties to physical objects. Most XR is anchored to flat surfaces and faces or, more recently, bodies and locations; enabling individual objects to be anchors is a big step forward.
techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/mixed-reality-blog/azure-object-anchors-is-now-in-private-preview/ba-p/1696157
Everything Else
Podcasts Spotify is testing Polls in podcast episodes, allowing hosts to get feedback from their listeners. Itās a small step towards introducing interactivity into podcasting, which is already widespread and popular in many Chinese podcasting and audio apps.
newsroom.spotify.com/2020-09-23/get-to-know-your-favorite-podcasts-even-better-with-new-polls-feature/
Social Instagram updated Reels (its TikTok clone) with easier editing tools and the option to allow (slightly) longer recordings, of up to 30s. TikTok has the option to record up to 1 minute, but I guess if Reels allows that much it will be in conflict with its own IGTV product.
techcrunch.com/2020/09/23/instagrams-tiktok-clone-reels-updates-to-allow-longer-videos-easier-edits/
Social LinkedIn showed off its first redesign in five years, with a āwarmerā look, improved search, integration with video conferencing tools, and the introduction of the Stories format for less formal posts.
blog.linkedin.com/2020/september/24/a-new-look-for-linkedin-from-the-inside-out
Social Facebook added images to its Rights Manager tool, making it easier for creators to assert their rights over visual content shared on Facebook and Instagram. This sounds like it might be useful for brand campaigns.
about.fb.com/news/2020/09/helping-creators-and-publishers-manage-their-intellectual-property/
Health Google Maps is getting a new map layer showing COVID-19 cases by area, to help people plan trips safely.
blog.google/products/maps/navigate-safely-new-covid-data-google-maps/
Payments Google Pay users in Singapore can send money to people even if they donāt use the app, as it builds on the countryās PayNow service, which uses phone numbers to make easy payments (the UK has a similar service, Paym, which almost no-one seems to know about). Itās also getting a Groups feature, to organise and share payments and bills, and cinema ticket booking. Google Payās features vary by the habits of each country; in the UK itās a simple contactless payments app. But it will be interesting to see if these features are released elsewhere.
blog.google/around-the-globe/google-asia/google-pay-built-singapore/
Entertainment Googleās Nest Hub smart displays can now play content from Disney+. Iāve mentioned this before, but at the launch of Nest devices they were very much positioned as discreet assistants; now theyāre more like second TVs.
blog.google/products/google-nest/need-dose-disney-just-ask/
Apps Developers including Epic Games, Spotify, and Tile created the Coalition for App Fairness to put pressure on Appleās App Store policies.
appfairness.org/app-developers-coalition-for-app-fairness-competition-innovation/
Games Epic Games invested heavily in Core, a no-code games creation tool and marketplace which uses Epicās Unreal Engine. Coreās makers liken it to a āYouTube for game developmentā.
theverge.com/2020/9/22/21449772/epic-games-fortnite-core-game-development-tool
Games Epic also bought SuperAwesome, a London-based ākidtechā startup which offers privacy and safety tools for making games and online services aimed at children.
businesswire.com/news/home/20200925005012/en/SuperAwesome-joins-Epic-Games-family
Entertainment Pop star Ava Max was the latest musician to hold a show in a virtual space, with the launch of her new album taking place in Robloxā new Party Place.
corp.roblox.com/2020/09/ava-max-host-first-kind-immersive-album-launch-party-virtual-meetup-fans-roblox/
Smart Home Google released Android 11 for Android TV devices. Not generally notable, except that itās widely expected to announce a new Chromecast device next week which will come installed with Android TVāor, rather, Google TV, as the Android brand is being dropped.
android-developers.googleblog.com/2020/09/introducing-android-11-on-android-tv.html
Smart Home Amazon announced that Echo and Tile devices will participate in Sidewalk, its effort to create neighbourhood-wide connectivity which allows connected devices (like Ring doorbells and cameras) to work even without access to broadband.
blog.aboutamazon.com/devices/amazon-sidewalk-a-new-way-to-stay-connected
Wearables Bluetooth announced a new audio codec, LC3, which plays better quality audio at lower power, meaning that wearables can be smaller and/or have better battery life. Expected to come to devices next year.
theverge.com/2020/9/23/21452127/bluetooth-sig-low-complexity-communication-codec-lc3-power-efficient-audio-quality
Social US-based live TV app, Sling TV, is the latest to add a Watch Party feature. Everyone from Amazon Prime Video to Facebook Messenger has introduced watch party features in lockdown, but this is (I believe) the first live TV broadcast app to do so.
theverge.com/2020/9/23/21452744/sling-tv-watch-party-live-tv-beta-chrome-available-now
Stats of the Week
Nikeās digital sales increased 82% in the first financial quarter of this year, leading to higher than predicted revenue. CEO John Donahoe said āWe know that digital is the new normal. The consumer today is digitally grounded and simply will not revert back.ā
risnews.com/digital-new-normal-nike-ceo-says
12,485 unique users attended the main playa of Burning Man in VR, according to host BRCvr. Thatās a lot lower than the number who attend physically each year.
twitter.com/BrCvr/status/1308846417994305537
The BasĆlica de la Sagrada FamĆlia church, in Barcelona, began construction in 1882 and is expected to be completed in 2026. If completed according to plans it will be the tallest church in the world, with its central spire standing at just over 172m.