Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Software : Tim Cook calls OLED screens 'awful,' says $8B paid out to developers

Software : Tim Cook calls OLED screens 'awful,' says $8B paid out to developers

Tim Cook calls OLED screens 'awful,' says $8B paid out to developers

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Tim Cook calls OLED screens 'awful,' says $8B paid out to developers

It should come as no shock that Apple CEO Tim Cook is an avid proponent of the Retina display technology used in the latest generations of iPhones, iPads and MacBooks.

But what might surprise you is the extent to which he'll pan the OLED displays that competing devices ranging from the Samsung Galaxy S3 to the Nokia Lumia 820 use.

Cook told investors at a meeting hosted by Goldman Sachs Tuesday that the color saturation of OLED displays is "awful."

"You should really think twice before you depend on the color from an OLED display," he said.

Harsh words

While we may not agree about OLED displays (which can often look quite nice, as anyone with a Sony PS Vita can attest), Cook went on to make a good point about the mobile arms race.

Whereas many companies compete to get the highest specs on their devices, Apple "sweat[s] every little detail," Cook said.

Focusing on the specifics of hardware - which seem abstract at best to your average consumer - is what companies who can't "create an amazing experience" resort to, Cook said.

He said he thinks Apple's devices have the "best display" - no surprise there.

All about the apps

Superior display technology isn't all Apple has going for it; according to Cook, the Cupertino company has paid $8 billion (UK£5.1 billion, AU$7.8 billion) to app developers over the years.

Apple's app store has been incredibly successful; CNET reported in January that app store downloads had passed 40 billion, 20 billion of which were in 2012, and as of October there were 700,000 apps available for download.

"We built an ecosystem that is the best customer experience on the planet," Cook said during Tuesday's meeting.

According to CNET's January report, app developers had made $7 billion (UK£4.47 billion, AU$6.79 billion) from the app store. To see that number rise so quickly, from January to February, could be an indication of Apple's "enormous momentum," which Cook attributed to the aforementioned ecosystem.

Android users burned as Nike FuelBand companion app binned

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Android users burned as Nike FuelBand companion app binned

Nike appears to have abandoned plans to make its FuelBand wellness monitor compatible with Android devices, according to a tweet sent out by the company on Monday.

The wristband, launched in January 2012, keeps track of the bearer's kinetic activity throughout the day, with the aim of earning 'Nikefuel' and lighting-up LEDs on the display as goals are ticket off.

The device has been boosted by an iOS companion app since day one, which wirelessly syncs data, tracks steps and calories, enables social sharing and allows users to track their achievements over time.

As of last summer, Nike company had vowed that an Android-based solution was also on the way, but a tweet from the @NikeSupport account now suggests a serious change of heart.

Fueling the Apple/Nike alliance?

The post, picked up by the Droid-Life website, was made in response to a question urging Nike's developers to "do your job."

The reply said: "Right now, we're focused on iOS and web. We're not working on an Android app," and while this doesn't rule out a launch in future, it doesn't look particularly promising.

Android users can, of course, use the online-based portal in order to make use of the FuelBand, but the lack of a mobile app certainly detracts from the device's usefulness for would-be buyers.

It means that Android users may now be better off looking at solutions like the Larklife wristband and the Fitbit Flex, which both have Android compatibility, or the Jawbone UP which promises one is on the way.

Shutout

So why would Nike want to shut out the majority of the smartphone-wielding population? Business Insider's Steve Kovach suspects there's a little more to the decision to scrap the app than meets the eye.

He wrote: "Here's a theory: Keep in mind that Apple's CEO Tim Cook sits on Nike's board, and we know Apple is experimenting with wearable tech itself in the form of an iOS powered watch. Nike's fitness tracking app "Nike + iPod" is also built into every iPhone and iPod touch. In short, Apple and Nike are very close."

Do you think there's a chance Apple wields that much influence at the world's most famous sportswear company? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

Sony PS3 finally gets a native YouTube app in Europe and Australia

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Sony PS3 finally gets a native YouTube app in Europe and Australia

Sony PS3 users in Europe, India, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa now have access to Google's native YouTube app for the console.

The Google-made app was launched in North America back in August, but had been missing in action in other Sony's territories until today.

The free portal is available to download from the PS3's online TV/Video services menu in 19 new countries in total.

The arrival of the official YouTube app frees PS3 users from the hassle of having to access videos using the console's web browser.

720p and Watch Later on board

Videos play in up to 720p HD resolution, users can summon those previously viewed as well as those added to a Watch Later folder, which is a great option for those who'd prefer to save interesting clips for watching on a larger screen.

Users are also able to make use of their smartphone and tablet devices to stream videos to the console, for similar benefits.

Coupled with today's news that YouTube has agreed a deal for a standalone TV channel on Freesat in the UK, it's been a good day for British-based viral video-lovers.
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