iOS 6 unveiled with Siri enhancements and Facebook integration
arstechnica.com
arstechnica.com
Because less than 8% of Android users use 4.0 and Google is already about to unveil 5.0, we have to compare differently.
Google may have released these features into the wild faster than Apple, but when iOS6 launches this summer and then passes the Android 4.0 install base in what, 2 weeks, there will then be more Apple users using these features than Android users.
I think that will be the future going forward: Apple will take longer to release a feature, but will reach critical mass for the feature much, much faster than Google.
And like Windows and it's hardware partners, I think that there is jack-diddly-squat that Google can do about it. They can whine but they have no say, as their in-house devices sell like crap compared to Samsung's flagships or Apple's phones.
I think hardware will move similarly: Android manufacturer, eager for ANY advantage, will implement brand new technology on their product lines. They can also pull this off because they don't push iPhone-like quantities (minus the rare Samsung flagship launch). It's easier to put brand new tech in a device that is only selling 50,000/mo and will hit maybe 1 million total, because you don't have to have a source for 5,000,000 of that part by launch day...
The bigger worry for Google is if Samsung decides it doesn't need Google anymore, forks and goes it alone in an attempt to match Apple. At that point Google Android is left with a bunch of manufacturers almost all of which are losing money.
Not a great position to be in.
It really wouldn't surprise me if Samsung was looking to assert much more control over Android even to the point of forking it.
They already control their devices, TouchWiz isn't simply a different launcher - what more control could they want (at such great cost)?
That's incorrect. All of the features announced in ios 6 (and ios 5) are catching up with features available to android 2.3 users. Pointing out that ICS only runs on 7% of devices while ios 5 runs on 80% is fun marketing games. But technically, that's like comparing apples to robots.
Google has updated their apps slowly over time, as they're being developed, for devices with old OS version. While apple waits for these big announcements for the big marketing show. So android users will always be getting the fresh new features before ios users. Some of those android users with newer features will be running android 2.3. Why are we even bringing up the OS version when comparing features available to older OS versions?
(For example, you don't need to upgrade to android 4.0 to upgrade the Google Play Store app to the latest version. Which has all these social integration such "your friend has liked this app". Which is a brand new feature on ios, that android 2.3 users have already been enjoying for quite a while.)
How is this fun, marketing games ? It is a fact.
Even if 2.3 was amazingly awesome and way better than anything else available, 20% of Android is still on 2.2.
Maps was a unique case: They were paying the price of having partnered with Google in the beginning. A steep price to pay, but ultimately their solution is quite elegant. The combination of 3d+yelp+inhouse traffic is almost an all-in-one replacement of what Google provides. I guess we saw the beginning of that with Siri + Yelp already.
But you're right, Apple has some catch up to do.
But more so than I ever I feel that owning an Apple device isn't just a device, but it's buying into entire ecosystem. I'm digging their conservative, metered approach to rolling out features. I like the consistent, timely updates that the userbase is adopting in mass, reliably.
No one can deny that this is a good groove they've got: yearly updates with occasional feature updates that 70%+ of their userbase is adopting. It reminds me of the update model that Chrome and now Firefox use.
They both existed years before Android was even a figment in someone's mind.
Also, Google were first to offer free turn-by-turn navigation on Android with a better feature set than established companies like TomTom that charged you a premium price. Google disrupted the market back then.
I think that says a lot.
Check smackfu's comment for device feature support breakdowns: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4096633
"Flyover and turn-by-turn navigation will be available only on iPhone 4S and iPad 2 or later"
Pretty disappointing.
I suspect Apple just didn't want to compromise on how detailed the 3D was so they left older devices out.
(Not to mention that all of this is probably limited to few select regions, just like with the 99$ GPS..)
- Passport looks really cool. I also can't help but think this app is a further hint to an iPhone 5 "NFC" feature
- Really impressed by maps. I hope it works as good as it looks. I'm currently using MotionX GPS Drive for turn by turn directions and I can't wait to get rid of it
- Do Not Disturb: THANK YOU. Turning on Airplane mode at night was a bad substitute for this much-needed feature
- Siri enhancements are nice, but would have loved to see API integration. I understand why they aren't doing this (yet), though. iOS would need, at the very least, some kind of Andriod-like "intents" system to make it work. Even better would be a standardized way to "teach" Siri about things (think RDF). This seems like one of those things they won't release until they really make sure it's done correctly, as otherwise the disparity between how Siri works natively and what it understands via API integration would be laughable.
- Also with respect to Siri, I'd like to see Apple improve the voice synthesis. Don't get me wrong, it's pretty good, but it also isn't state of the art. The voice could be made smoother and better able to communicate Siri's "mood" (if and when Siri is synthesized to have one). Even without a "mood", her voice could stand to be less monotone. I would also like to be able to purchase different voices.
- Guided Access (specifically the "one app mode") is going to be huge for enterprise as well as education. I've been on more than a few iPhone "enterprise feasibility" projects where the fatal bullet was lack of the company's ability to lock out the home screen
- Facebook integration is nice (and predictable). I really look forward to the contacts and calendar integration more than anything
- I thought they might announce third party apps for Apple TV, but I bet they're going to wait until the new TV product announcement for that
And if anyone at Apple is reading, here's my obligatory wish-list:
- Siri API integration and expandability (duh)
- A "guest code" if you have a password lock. I shouldn't be worried about prying eyes if someone borrows my phone. I should just tell them to enter "1234" on the lock screen and it should open up to some kind of "guest account" with none of my personal data, push notifications, browser history, emails, etc.
- Better support for external displays in the iTunes and Maps apps. If I am driving, I'd like my car's display to show me the artist and song information at minimum. I won't switch to Map's turn by turn unless it integrates with my external display. If it does, I'd like it to overlay new artist and song information briefly when I change tracks
Welcome to iOS fragmentation.
An app written for iOS 6 can run on the iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, and iPhone 3GS (not to mention the iPad 2 and 3, and the newest iPod Touches).
An app written for ICS can only run on those 7% of devices running ICS.
This is how fragmentation works. The only fragmentation happening on iOS is for the original iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPad 1, and the old iPod Touches.
The only one that I don't quite grasp is the original iPad. Running on the same processor as the iPhone 4 and is much faster than the iPhone 3GS. Color me somewhat confused by this one.
Second, you are confining yourself to fragmentation from a developer perspective, and fragmentation matters for other purposes too.
Third, your Android example is flawed; to just shuffler your argument; a function developed for Android 2.3 can run on 2.3 and later versions. And you only need ICS, in case you need a new "built-in feature" available in ICS. Alas, an ios6 app benefiting from new maps, won't work in a substantial proportion of ios devices.
Fourth, the other side of fragmentation is diversity; and you may write a corporate app, for a pen based samsung galaxy note, with a giant screen and give it to your sales users.
If the new Apple Maps app is now a crippled maps app for my iPhone compared to the existing Google Maps iPhone app, that's a big problem.
* Some features may not be available in all countries or all areas. Flyover and turn-by-turn navigation will be available only on iPhone 4S and iPad 2 or later. Cellular data charges may apply.
* Siri will be available only on iPhone 4S and iPad (3rd generation) and requires Internet access. Siri may not be available in all languages or all areas, and features may vary by area. Cellular data charges may apply.
* Shared Photo Streams requires iOS 6 on iPhone 4 or later or iPad 2 or later, or a Mac computer with OS X Mountain Lion. An up-to-date browser is required for accessing shared photo streams on the web.
* FaceTime over a cellular network requires iPhone 4 or later, or iPad 2 or later with cellular data capability. Carrier data charges may apply. FaceTime is not available in all countries.
* VIP list and VIP and Flagged smart mailboxes will be available on iPhone 4 or later and iPad 2 or later.
* Offline Reading List will be available on iPhone 4 or later and iPad 2 or later.