Apple : Microsoft: Apple's walled garden isn't its main app issue

Microsoft: Apple's walled garden isn't its main app issue
Phil Schiller: iPad mini is not too expensive
Apple tweaked iOS 6 to be better at detecting intentional touches
Skype 6 arrives for Windows and Mac

Microsoft: Apple's walled garden isn't its main app issue

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Microsoft's coroporate VP for Windows web services has told TechRadar that he believes that is not Apple's walled garden that upsets consumers, but the Cupertino-based giant's decision to not allow apps that compete with its own products on its store.

Speaking at a round-table, Antoine LeBlond was asked by TechRadar is the decision of Microsoft to have its own store would bring criticisms of creating its own walled garden.

But LeBlonde insisted that it was important to dig a little deeper into what people expect from their app stores.

Walled gardens

"The funny thing is that I think you have to dig a little bit into the walled garden argument because there are a lot of different parts to it," he said.

"There really, truly is a pure philosophical point of view that says 'I should be able to create and distribute an app that has all kinds of horrible things in it no matter how horrible they are' and I don't really know what to say about that."

"I think what frustrates people with Apple's model in particular is that they have carved out some specific things for their own ownership, so the fact that you can't build an app that sells music, you can't distribute a competing browser [although this is actually possible], you can't distribute a mail app - those are the things that become frustrating to people.

"There's that and then there's the economic side of it that says you can't distribute an app where you acquire subscriptions without sharing 30 per cent of fees with Apple.

"It's a pretty drastic constraint on developers."

Microsoft Store

LeBlond believes that Microsoft has avoided these pitfalls with its own offering, as Windows 8 makes its long-awaited public debut.

"We've taken a very different approach to this," he added. "We're happy with having stores in our store, we're happy having mail apps, browser apps.

"If you read our terms and policies we're not carving places out for ourselves."

Phil Schiller: iPad mini is not too expensive

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Apple's Phil Schiller has rejected suggestions the new iPad mini is too expensive to compete with rivals like the Google Nexus 7 and Amazon Kindle Fire series.

The senior vice president of worldwide marketing unveiled the 7.9-inch tablet at Tuesday's launch event, which the company has slapped with a $329 (£269) price-tag.

Apple's competition, and some would say reason for launching the iPad mini, are the aforementioned Android-powered tablets, which come in at under $200 (£159 for the cheapest Nexus 7).

As a result it has been questioned whether Apple's pricing is low enough to lure those potential buyers seeking a lower-cost, yet high-powered, well-built solution.

Disdain for Android tablets

Naturally Schiller, who was full of disdain for the 7-inch Android tablets during the keynote claiming they had "failed miserably", is convinced.

In fact, he says customers are already picking the $399 (£329) iPad 2 over the Google and Amazon-made tablets, and the new launch will only increase the number of buyers opting for Apple.

He told Reuters: "The iPad is far and away the most successful product in its category. The most affordable product we've made so far was $399 and people were choosing that over those devices.

"And now you can get a device that's even more affordable at $329 in this great new form, and I think a lot of customers are going to be very excited about that."

Bravado

Regardless of Schiller's bravado, the industry consensus appears to be that the iPad mini will cost a little more than expected, but premium pricing has never been a problem for the company's loyal supporters.

Ultimately, Christmas shoppers will be the judge of whether Apple has made a pricing misstep.

Are you in the market for a mid-sized tablet? Will you be willing to pay the extra dinero for an iPad mini? Let us know in the comments section below.

Apple tweaked iOS 6 to be better at detecting intentional touches

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The new iPad mini has been a hot topic of conversation since its unveiling Tuesday alongside other Apple newcomers like the fourth-gen iPad, iMac and 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display.

Even though there are plenty of positives (adding Siri) and negatives (losing GPS in Wi-Fi versions) to the iPad mini, Apple has made sure the tablet still provides a great user experience.

Much has been made about the 7.9-inch screen having a larger surface area than other competitor tablets like the Kindle Fire HD and the Nexus 7.

However, to get that surface space, Apple had to trim the size of the bezel down a bit, which means users' hands will rest on the screen when holding the device in portrait.

Not to worry though, as Apple revealed it improved iOS 6 to be better at recognizing accidental touches on the outer edge.

Smaller and smarter

In making the iPad mini, Apple had to consider the size of the bezel along the side of the device.

Leaving it as large as those found on the iPad wouldn't give users as much screen space, and thus the iPad mini won't be able to replicate the iPad experience nearly as well.

Since the bezels are smaller, that means the odds of a user's hand resting on the screen increase when holding the device upright.

To alleviate the response of a thumb resting on the screen, Apple refined iOS to allow it to better detect the difference between resting and intentional touches.

Apple's design page for the iPad mini describes the new feature, saying, "iPad mini intelligently recognizes whether your thumb is simply resting on the display or whether you're intentionally interacting with it. It's the kind of detail you'll notice - by not noticing it."

It's the kind of feature that doesn't necessarily make the device more or less attractive, but does make it better for everyday use.

Skype 6 arrives for Windows and Mac

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A new version of Skype was released Wednesday for both Windows and Mac OSX.

The desktop client for the telecommunication software includes a few new upgrades for both operating systems, as well as individual adjustments for Microsoft and Apple desktops.

Windows gets the bulk of the updates, even though a separate Skype client is planned for Windows 8, but Mac users will find some welcome improvements nonetheless.

Skype gets social

The key new feature both versions of Skype will see is the ability to sign up using either a Facebook or Microsoft account.

No longer will users have to create a separate Skype account just to use the service, which should make it even easier to start using the service and start connecting.

Skype will also integrate with Windows Live Messenger, Outlook and Hotmail to provide a one-stop location where users can instant message with any contacts.

There's also promise of the ability to make audio and video calls directly through Windows Live Messenger. However, that feature is still a few weeks away.

More languages, Retina support

The Windows client will also play host to improvements such as a new user interface and improved telemetry.

Six more languages - Thai, Croatian, Slovenian, Serbian, Catalan and Slovak - are now included in the Windows version as well, bringing the total tongue count to 38.

On the Mac, Skype will finally support the Retina display, which is a huge addition considering Apple just announced a Retina version of its most popular laptop, the 13-inch MacBook Pro.

Users will also be able to have multiple chat windows open at one time on the Mac, which is a welcome addition according to Skype's feedback.

It should be noted there is already an issue with Mountain Lion's compatibility where the image picker doesn't work properly, but that shouldn't stop any user from making calls or engaging in chats.

Yahuui Blog

Thursday, October 25, 2012