Apple plans FaceTime camera

Apple Watch 2 – Video Camera/New Wireless System for iPhone

It has been revealed by sources that two months after its initial launch of Apple Watch and a day following the device’s debut at its store, Apple is considering for the 2016 release of a second generation model. As per several sources familiar with the plans of Apple, the Apple Watch 2 is scheduled to gain a video camera, a new wireless system for the iPhone independence together with new premium models and would also have similar battery life to its predecessor.

The present consideration of Apple calls for a video camera to be assimilated into the top bezel of the Apple Watch 2, allowing users in making and receiving FaceTime calls on the move through their wrists. The company has transmitted its interest in growing Apple Watch FaceTime functions at the time of the rollout of watchOS 2.0 during the Worldwide Developers Conference earlier this month and for the first time, the new software enabled users to answer FaceTime Audio calls from the Apple Watch and route FaceTime video calls to be answered or rejected on iPhone. However, plans could change and there could be a possibility that the camera may be pushed back to a later model.

Initiative Internally Known - `Tether-less’

Apple plans for the second generation under an initiative internally known as `tether-less’. Presently, the activity tracking, mobile payment together with music playback operation of Apple works substantially without a connected iPhone. Although several other features which could normally function under a Wi-Fi connection, may not function completely and this could include text messaging receiving updated weather data and emailing.

To make the Apple Watch more proficient without the connection of an iPhone, Apple plans to integrate a more enhanced dynamic wireless chipset in the wearable. However, it would continue to require an iPhone for the purpose of heavy data transfers, with inclusive of software upgrades as well the synchronization of media files and basic communication jobs could be handled without the assistance of the iPhone. The updated Wi-Fi chip also permits the `Find my Watch feature’, reported earlier this year, since Apple will be capable of tracking Apple Watches utilising Wi-Fi router triangulation technology rather than the GPS.

Nightstand Charging Mode

While the consumers as well as Apple were apprehensive about its real world battery life before the release of the Apple’s product, the company had undertaken market research ever since and had concluded that the majority of the customers were satisfied charging their Watches every night.

Apple’s study according to a source specifies that average consumers tend to finish each day within a 30% and 40% charge balance on their Apple Watches thereby enabling Apple’s engineers to change their hardware priorities for the future Apple models.

Though Apple could have considered focusing on major improvement of battery life, for the next Apple Watch, the company is of the belief that it could satisfy consumers by keeping or improving a bit the existing battery life while adding more advanced hardware features.

Apple’s inclusion of a Nightstand charging mode to its Watch suggests that the charging at night will stay on, in the near term and this strategy would trail Apple’s annual iPad hardware plan that has brought about updated features to the product yearly without moving away from the 2010 promise of 10 hour battery life.

Focus on Broader Portfolio

The company is presently focusing in discovering a broader portfolio of the latest Watch models beyond present day’s Sport, Steel and Edition levels and the company is believed to be focusing on the introduction of latest models which would be sitting between the highest end stainless steel Apple Watch with the entry level of a 18-karat gold Apple Watch Edition.

 Moreover, the company is also on the lookout on ways in attracting the consumers at price points within the range of $1,000 and $10,000, though it is not known if it would manage in attracting consumers in lower priced gold Apple Watch variation, higher priced steel models together with more advanced bands or versions along with latest materials. There is a possibility that Apple would introduce Apple Watch 2 differences made with titanium, palladium, and tungsten or as it has previously been suggested, in platinum.

Release of a Full Next Generation Apple Watch Device - 2016

It has been hinted in analyst reports, over the past few months, that with minor hardware upgrades, Apple would most likely wait till 2016 for the release of a full next generation Apple Watch device. Sources have also cautioned that Apple samples several variations of future hardware products prior to the release and hence the plan for a camera equipped model would eventually be saved for another generation owing to roadmap changes or component availability.

Till the new model shows up, Apple will hold off Apple Watch consumers by releasing watchOS 2.O this fall along with the latest Nightstand functions, as well as a trio of new watch faces, with improved email functions and new messaging features of new Digital Touch.

Apple is setting itself Up For a Giant iPad

Apple’s larger Version 12.9 Inch iPad

It has been rumoured that Apple had be working on a 12.9 inch iPad for years.Some report that the company would be unveiling its bigger tablet at the Apple Watch event soon but there are other new reports indicating that the big iPad would not be available till fall. Some of the interesting features revealed by Apple recently are its iOS 9 operating system new controls which have been specifically designed for the iPad.
These comprise of –

• Updated split screen mode to open quickly a second app in the right column and thereafter slide it away. For instance, one could quickly slide the Twitter app to view while reading a website.
• A second much more powerful split screen mode to utilise fully two apps, side by side, for instance one could simultaneously browse through the map while going through, to-do list for the day.
• Picture-in-picture mode which enables a video float above the rest of what one is doing on the iPad together with adjustable positioning and size.
• New set of keyboard features which include the capabilities to swipe over the keyboard with two fingers in order to simulate a trackpad that is designed to make it easy in moving around a document and selecting text.

Striving for Untapped Market for iPad

These additional features could work well in the prevailing iPad line-up, the iPad Air of 9.7 inch screen and iPad mini of 7.9 inch screen. As the preference in tablets has lessen, Apple is striving for untapped markets for iPad and a larger version would add to the appeal to business customers. Presently several companies tend to use iPad while on the go computing and sending employees out in the field, with thinner, lighter and cheaper iPad seems to be an appropriate choice rather than expensive, bulkier laptops.

However, the iPad Air’s 9.7 inch screen is not ideal for work while the 12.9 inch screen would provide workers with around 60% more space to work on and the size would make it appropriate for the purpose of web browsing, creation of document and for presentation.Apple is also likely to provide the larger iPad; support for USB connected devices that would provide the capabilities of powering peripherals like the mouse, keyboard and the external hard drive.

New iPad for Corporate Consumers

Presently the iPad have Bluetooth keyboards but their AA battery power together with confined keys tends to make it far from ideal for good productivity. The new iPad would be one of the few Apple products aimed especially for corporate consumers. Apple had mainly given upon corporate consumers in recent years and companies have been apprehensive in adopting Apple products since Apple had not played well with the corporate customers and without notice, it eliminated critical products such as the Xserve, totally castrated the Final Cut software, thereby making the video producers unhappy. However, Tim Cook & Co have been changing it all and Apple seems to be serious in getting its mobile devices into the centre of the companies which it partnered with IBM – IBM.Tech30 in helping to get business software and security in the iPads. Apple is now actively making attempts to differentiate the iPad as a powerful productivity device and not merely as an entertainment product.

Apple is Going to Kill the Home Screen

Revealed - Home Screen – Centre of iPhone to Move on

The home screen is the centre of the iPhone experience and it has been revealed by Apple at WWDC that they are moving on. From birth, the home screen has been the iPhone’s face to the world and it was the first thing which popped up when on stage,in 2007, Steve Jobs had swiped his finger across the iPhone's screen when locked.

 With the iOS 9, most of the interaction will take place everywhere, spread among quick notification panels, powerful search tools as well as context specific recommendations which could put relevant apps a flick away. However, the reliable home screen will continue to exist though for the first time, it would be secondary. Presently, the home screen has more real estate with less gloss and beside that the two seems to be identical.

The home screen in its initial stage was vital to the iPhone’s appeal and for a gadget which seemed like several gadgets in one – a phone, an iPod and an internet communicator besides a map, a camera and much more. For users from the PC world, the home screen seems to be the desktop and Start button all in one and it was essential that it obtained its own dedicated button, irrespective of what the user does on the phone, if they tend to press the thumb sized disc beneath the screen, they are transported home.

New Options Provided to Move On 

Since we have gone familiar with smartphones, we tend to care less about the comforts of the home screen and Apple has gradually provided us with new options to move around. The multitasking choice offers a quick shortcut from moving between apps instead of returning to the central point of the home screen each time. Spotlight has become a quick way in finding the desired one, as iPhone users accumulated pages of apps.

Interaction shift to the lock screen has been envisaged recently wherein interactive notifications enable iPhone users to bypass the home screen and can go straight to the relevant app. An example is the shortcut for camera enabling them to access the lens by just swiping up on the lock screen. These alterations indicate one basic fact which is that mobile life is quite fast to be routed through the home screen.

The iOS next version portrays this reality and the tent-pole feature is Proactive Assistant. iOS 9, following Google’s Now lead would be trying to expectwhat the user need when the need arises. When the user tend to fire up NYT Now every morning on waking up, iOS 9 tends to attempt to make note of the habit, making the app available in the morning as a shortcut on the locked screen and when plugged in headphones, the new OS will also play up music based on the location without the need of finding the music app.

Features Accommodated on Lock Screen

All these features are accommodated on the lock screen’s present offering in evading the home screen grid. -The swipe-up control centre and swipe-down today window. Besides these shortcuts, the iOS 9 will also be offering new interactive hub like personalized search panel.

Towards the left of the home screen one will find shortcuts for apps and contacts which are filtered by context. It is like the Home Screen 2.0 rather than a dumb grid. It is worth observing that the Apple Watch tends to work in the similar way where on the wrist, notifications as well as messaging shortcut take priority over the home screen of apps.

While using the phone it could be most informative and search in iOS 9 could provide information as well as functions out of the apps itself, dropping it right into the results. For instance, a search for sports score could provide a live card with the score just the way Google does on the web.

API – Third Party Making Own Content Available

Due to the new API, third party apps have the capabilities of making their own content available for the user. In the meanwhile, Siri could achieve new powers such as the ability to deep link reminders as well as messages to certain packets of content within other apps. Information, answers and functions which existed early as icons on home screen will soon be baked in search through text and voice through Siri.

Should one need to look up a movie review, they could open the Rotten Tomatoes app or to open a favourite conversion app if needed to convert cups to quarts. Search could be the easiest option to do all these functions not by just accessing these apps but in fact to use them. When the purpose of checking a sport score or reading movie review is incorporated into search, one would be not just talking about the end of home screen but the end of apps themselves.

Presently the enduring home screen seems to be around right at the heart of the iPhone though there are chances of seeing less in future.

Apple TV Usage is Surging -- At The Expense Of Mac

TV Everywhere on the Rise – Surpassing Roku

According to a report from Adobe, the computer maker’s streaming media box has envisaged its share of TV Everywhere viewings is doubled at the start of this year, surpassing main rival Roku. It seems that much of the growth is people changing in their Apple TV for online video which they previously watched on their desktops or laptops. Tamara Gaffney, principal analyst for Adobe Digital Index stated that looking at the Mac access,it has dropped.

 For Apple, they are transitioning the lover of their computers into a lover of the Apple TV device. Online video is on the rise since several users tend to watch on the go from their mobile devices with more programmers putting in-demand content on the web.

This has given way in the creation of good benefits for maker of `over the top’ boxes such as Apple TV which catches up to television in order to play online video for the big screen in the living room. This quick growth may have hidden dangers for Apple which means that since demand is mounting for one of its lowest priced products at the cost of some of their expensive products, it could mean the services on streaming media boxes may grow in importance when compared to the hardware.

Traditional TV Industry’s Gateway System

Consumer video viewing and browsing behaviour from the first quarter of last year through the first quarter of 2015 had been examined by Adobe. The data had been aggregated from over 500 billion visits with more than 200 billion online video starts and 2.8 billion TV Everywhere authentications for premium video content.

TV Everywhere is considered to the traditional TV industry’s gateway system in putting shows online and the TV Everywhere authentication is when one has been asked to enter the cable or satellite service password before viewing a movie or a show. It was observed by Adobe that Apple TV signified 10% of TV Everywhere authentication during the first quarter which has increased by 5% in the final quarter of last year and surpassed Roku that had an 8% share in the last period and 1% up point.

Apple TV – Popular Holiday Present

According to Gaffney, the data indicated Apple TV to be popular holiday present and observed its share could rise once again when Adobe could examine the data collected after Apple cuts the price of the box to $69 from the $99 in March. A caution with regard to these standings is that TV Everywhere authentications are not the full image of online video viewing and does not include time spent watching free video as well as content that is delivered by subscription services such as Netflix. Other observations from Adobe are –

• TV Everywhere viewing has quadrupled in the last year
• Apple TV and Roku, over-the-top counter devices as well as gaming consoles like Xbox, has made the greatest impact in TV Everywhere share growth to around 24% from 6% from last year
• Although Thursday night has been made traditional `must see TV’, evening for advertising dollars, the most popular for TV Everywhere viewing seems to be Wednesday nights
• Popular online browsers for viewing has been increasing Google’s Android as well as Chrome and continues to grow more than Apple’s Safari, though by a mere few percentage points. Google’s overall rating is 18% and Safari up by 15% which is at the expense of Internet Explorer and Firefox.

Apple's Siri Has New Role in New 'Smart' Home Systems

The First Smart Home Gadget - Siri

Apple had announced its HomeKit project last year but now has taken over the home gadget wherein users would be able to talk to everything from light bulbs to A/c. The first smart home gadgets which will be controlled by Apple’s voice activated digital assistant will be on sale shortly just prior to its rival giant Google’s announcement of the building of its own software for Internet connected home appliances and other gadgets. It will enable firms to utilise the Apple’s Siri voice recognition in controlling their home.

The latest products would be important for the developing industry of smart or connected homes where thermostats, appliances as well as door lock tends to contain computer chips which communicate wirelessly. However, several companies are working on the same products, analyst state that Apple would convince consumers in trying them out to make it easy in controlling various products from familiar devices like the iPhone. The HomeKit certified product which will be hitting the market includes wireless hubs from two companies, Insteon and Lutron Electrons. The hubs which are about the size of a small home router or cable TV box tends to act as the central controller for lights as well as other gadgets.

Hub Handled With Smartphone App

The hub on the other hand can be handled with a smartphone app. For instance, Lutron Electronics is offering $230 for a starter kit with its Caseta Wireless Smart Bridge hub together with two dimmer units for wall switches or plug-in units for lamps which are controlled by the hub while Insteaon states that its hub would be working with compatible lights, power switches and thermostats.

In the coming weeks, it is presumed that there will be three other companies selling HomeKit thermostats, climate sensors and power plugs. Similar products could be purchased from these companies which tend to have their very own smartphone app in controlling them and the tie-in with Apple would mean that a user could control those apps with the voice activated digital assistant, Siri, on Apple’s iPhones and iPads. Users would have to link with an Apple TV box in order to control from outside the house.

HomeKit Software – Meet Standards for Compatibility

Apple is also of the opinion that products utilising HomeKit software need to meet standards for compatibility in order to function with HomeKit products that could be made by other manufacturers as well as for encryption in order to keep hackers from taking control over a system or to steal user information. As Apple wants Siri to play a leading role in smart homes, it main rivals also wants it. Google has recently announced that it would be creating Brillo software, asa common platform for Internet connected gadgets in the home or for commercial setting while Microsoft as well as Samsung is promoting software which would be capable of controlling home systems.

According to research firm International Data Corp, global market for `Internet of Things’, which is the concept of connecting household devices to the Internet, would triple to $1.7 trillion by 2020.It stated that `devices, connectivity and IT services would be making up the majority of the IoT market by 2020. Technology firms like Google Inc., Cisco systems, Intel Corp, Samsung electronics as well as telecoms majors such as Vodafone and Verizon have been betting greatly on Internet devices which are connected to home for the future profit and revenue.