The Tech Landscape #201 🍎
Apple under fire, Playstation’s Discord, and more social audio: this is issue 201 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.
I just want to say a big thank you to everybody who tips me the price of a coffee or two for writing this email. I genuinely, honestly, and wholeheartedly appreciate it.
It’s a public holiday in the UK today (Monday) so I treated myself to an extra day to write this. I’m sure you won’t mind.
It’s a big news week for Apple, with stories about its anti-competitive App Store practices, and using its dominant position to completely upend the online advertising market. I’d thought about writing some analysis of this, but honestly there’s so much written already that I don’t know how much of value I can add. Also, I’m on my second glass of wine and my desire to write more is diminishing. Instead, I’ll pop in a couple of extra contextual links which I suggest you read.
Enough preamble. Hope you’re well!
I Made This
Recent announcements about maps and mapping hint at the future of technology; so I shot this short video about it. The video’s about 80s long, so if you have a couple of minutes please watch it, and give it a Like if you… well, liked it.
Top Stories
Apple released the latest version of iOS, with controversial app tracking changes. Under the new changes, apps will have to request permission for cross-site tracking—which privacy fundamentalists love, but small web-based businesses will be less happy about. The update also includes masked face unlocking with Watch, and new Siri voice options.
apple.com/newsroom/2021/04/ios-14-5-offers-unlock-iphone-with-apple-watch-diverse-siri-voices-and-more/
Read for context: The Web’s Missing Interoperability (esp. the section on Shopify and Facebook).
Apple in Court
Apple’s App Store model–—specifically, the 30% fee for all in-app digital sales—is under fire on two fronts.
Epic Games’ case against Apple began in the US federal court. This is about allowing alternative payment systems in apps, and is going to go one for ages.
theguardian.com/technology/2021/may/02/why-are-apple-and-epic-going-to-court-over-fortnite-currency
The EU’s competition commissioner says the 30% tax is unfair on rival services like Spotify. Apple Music doesn’t have to pay the 30% tax that rivals do, which means it can keep prices lower. theguardian.com/technology/2021/apr/30/apple-eu-law-app-store-iphone-ipad-music-streaming
My own opinion is that the 30% fee is untenable and shouldn’t stand—Apple makes billions by doing little except providing a platform, and its own apps and services are given an unfair advantage. But whether that will be found to be the case, and if so what will be done about it, remains to be seen.
Read for context: Apple, Its Control Over the iPhone, The Internet, And Yes, The Metaverse
Audio Social
Twitter’s audio social feature, Spaces, is now more generally available. Any Twitter user can join a Space, and any user with at least 600 followers can start one. It’s a significant move, as Clubhouse has yet to release an Android version (although one is apparently in closed testing), so Spaces is going to reach more people, more quickly.
twitter.com/TwitterSpaces/status/1389270063807598594
Instagram added audio controls to its Live videos. Hosts can switch off the microphone, and the camera, during a stream. It may not sound like much, but it does allow a simple Clubhouse-like social audio feature.
techcrunch.com/2021/04/29/instagram-live-takes-on-clubhouse-with-options-to-mute-and-turn-off-the-video/
Spotify will relaunch social audio app Locker Room as Spotify Greenroom. It acquired Locker Room last month, but will widen its emphasis from sports to everything.
engadget.com/spotify-greenroom-locker-room-rebranding-221537708.html
Everything Else
Apple’s Clips app added AR Spaces, to apply visual effects to captured videos. It uses the LiDAR scanner on iPhone 12 to capture scene data to which dynamic lighting and objects can be added. I think this is suggestive that Apple’s long-rumoured AR glasses are going to use the Snap Spectacles model and capture scene data for post-processing, not to display AR effects in the glasses display itself.
apple.com/newsroom/2021/04/clips-adds-immersive-new-arspaces/
XR
Sony is working on integrating Discord with PlayStation. Sony made an investment in Discord as part of the deal; the timing is interesting as Microsoft was said to be in talks to buy the social company just recently.
sie.com/blog/announcing-playstations-new-partnership-with-discord/
Social Gaming
Telegram is adding group video calling to its app. It says it will be a full-featured Zoom competitor, but with enhanced privacy.
t.me/durov/160
Messaging
Facebook’s mobile apps can now play Spotify podcasts natively. It provides better discovery and reach for Spotify podcasters, but Facebook recently announced its own podcast player so we’ll see how the two get on together.
newsroom.spotify.com/2021-04-26/share-explore-and-discover-music-and-podcasts-via-spotify-in-the-facebook-app/
Audio
Spotify launched a paid subscription feature for podcasts. Creators (in the US for now) using the Anchor app will be able to mark episodes as for subscribers only, but the subscribers will be able to listen on their chosen podcasting app. Spotify’s also opening up its advertising network to more independent creators.
newsroom.spotify.com/2021-04-27/spotify-ushers-in-new-era-of-podcast-monetization-with-new-tools-for-all-creators/
Audio
Google added more travel features to its apps. Search offers email updates when COVID-19 travel advisories change, Travel suggests new holiday destinations, and Maps will suggest things to see on road trips.
blog.google/products/flights-hotels/helpful-tools-when-youre-ready-travel/
Maps
Google Assistant is gaining improvements to its natural language understanding. It’ll be able to understand uncommon names, and manage context better in searches, alarms, and timers.
blog.google/products/assistant/loud-and-clear-ai-improving-assistant-conversations/
Assistants & Voice
Google Pay added new features for its US users. These include weekly supermarket deals, transit tickets, and spending insights. Interesting to see the regional differences in Pay; the UK app is very transactional, whereas the US app is more about shopping, as is the version for India.
blog.google/products/google-pay/save-commute-manage-money-google-pay/
Payments
Oculus acquired game developer Downpour Interactive. It makes Onward, a popular VR shooter.
oculus.com/blog/welcoming-downpour-interactive-to-facebook/
XR
8th Wall released a big performance improvement for its browser-based AR engine. It claims to provide a boost to accuracy and performance for AR placement, playback, and video recording.
8thwall.com/blog/post/45786174106/introducing-release-16-8th-walls-world-class-ar-engine-for-the-web-just-got-even-more-powerful
XR
Snap acquired Pixel8earth, which uses camera data for 3D mapping. It has obvious applications for Snapchat’s Landmark and Local Lenses, using AR to enhance physical locations.
techcrunch.com/2021/04/26/snap-has-acquired-pixel8earth-a-3d-mapping-developer-for-7-6m/
XR
Dapper Labs and Genies are teaming up on an NFT-powered avatar fashion marketplace. Genies is a little like Bitmoji, but has recently teamed up with celebrities for virtual merch sales; Dapper Labs makes the popular NBA Top Shot trading game.
forbes.com/sites/ninabambysheva/2021/04/28/dapper-labs-reveals-plans-for-next-nft-marketplace-after-nba-top-shot/
Identity
Stat of the Week
62% of all UK adults, and 92% of those aged 16-24, say they play video games. The number has risen during the pandemic, according to Ofcom data.
ofcom.org.uk/research-and-data/media-literacy-research/adults/adults-media-use-and-attitudes
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