The Tech Landscape #181 🦃
Snapchat goes TikTok, Stories on Spotify, and wearables for health: this is issue 181 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.
Everything was going as normal this week and then suddenly on Wednesday all the news stopped. I couldn’t work it out at first, then I realised it’s Thanksgiving in the US which means half the population was stopping work to drive/fly off to see their families then go to shopping malls to buy stuff (all in contravention of pandemic regulations/common sense). Which is to say: short newsletter this week.
Everything
Social Snapchat launched Spotlight, a public stream promoting user-submitted Snaps. OK, it’s a TikTok clone. It’s promoting Spotlight by sharing $1m a day with the creators of the most popular Snaps.
snap.com/en-US/news/post/introducing-spotlight-on-snapchat/
Stories Spotify is publicly testing its own version of the Stories format. The Christmas Hits story has exclusive video introductions by artists featured on the playlist. Stories have conquered pretty much every social platform now.
engadget.com/spotify-stories-playlist-test-artists-202540428.html
Assistants & Voice Amazon extended Alexa’s range of natural speaking styles to more languages. The music and conversational styles and emotions are now variously available in British and Canadian English, Italian, and Japanese.
developer.amazon.com/en-US/blogs/alexa/alexa-skills-kit/2020/11/alexa-speaking-styles-emotions-now-available-additional-languages
Health Amazon added fitness features to its Echo Buds earbuds. It uses the Buds’ built-in accelerometer to track steps, with workouts controlled by Alexa.
theverge.com/2020/11/23/21593991/amazon-alexa-echo-buds-workouts-fitness-tracking-wireless-headphones
Health Google revamped its Fit app for Wear OS, with clearer workout data, heart rate zones, and goal setting. Google is still waiting for its Fitbit acquisition to be approved.
support.google.com/wearos/thread/84883193?hl=en
Video BT Sport released Watch Together, a watch party feature for its mobile apps. Up to four friends (with a BT Sport subscription) can join live video chat while watching Premier League games. Services from Amazon Prime to Disney+ have added watch party features this year; BT says it was planning to launch next season but accelerated the release.
bt.com/sport/features/bt-sport-launches-watch-together-functionality-for-bt-sport-app
Gaming Fortnite added Crew, a £9.99 monthly subscription. Players in Crew will receive a Battle Pass for each new game season, plus a quantity of in-game currency and new outfits each month.
epicgames.com/fortnite/en-US/news/the-ultimate-fortnite-offer-announcing-fortnite-crew
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