Apple Plans to Unveil a Revamped Apple Music UI at WWDC Next Month

Bloomberg is reporting that Apple is all set to debut a completely revamped look and feel for Apple Music at the company’s annual developer conference in June:

Apple is altering the user interface of Apple Music to make it more intuitive to use, according to people familiar with the product who asked not to be identified because the plans aren’t public. Apple also plans to better integrate its streaming and download businesses and expand its online radio service, the people said. The reboot is expected to be unveiled at the company’s Worldwide Developers Conference in June. The changes will be accompanied by a marketing blitz to lure more customers to the $10-per-month streaming service. An Apple spokesman declined to comment.

According to the report, the redesign is being overseen by content head Robert Kondrk and Trent Reznor, with inputs from Jony Ive’s team, as well as Jimmy Iovine and Eddy Cue.

Following the Beats acquisition in 2014, Apple scrapped the international rollout of iTunes Radio just a few hours before an event where it would have been announced. Employees who had been working on the project for more than a year were told it would be rolled into a new streaming service based on Beats.

Ouch!

May 4, 2016 ✚ Permalink

Apple’s New ‘Redesigned & Reimagined’ Support Site

Apple has unveiled a fresh new design and layout for its support site yesterday. The new look and feel of the site is very streamlined and looks great. There are different ways you can seek help right on the homepage.

May 1, 2016 ✚ Permalink

New Spider-Man Movie Is Under Marvel’s Creative Control, Not Sony’s

Here’s some good news for the Spider-Man fans out there. For the upcoming Spider-Man re-reboot, which is titled Spider-Man: Homecoming, Sony is apparently letting Marvel Studios call the shots:

In an interview with HeyUGuys, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige talked about his company’s relationship with Sony and how the upcoming movie is coming along, revealing that Marvel is calling the creative shots on Homecoming.

“Well, I’ve known all those people [at Sony] for a very long time. Amy Pascal, Tom Rothman, who runs Sony now, I’ve known for years. So, it’s been great,” he explained. “They really are supportive in allowing us to make the creative decisions to make that movie, but they’ve been great partners. So far so good on that movie.”

The Amazing Spider-Man was a complete disaster. If this is indeed true, I’m glad the folks at Sony no longer have their heads up their asses.

April 29, 2016 ✚ Permalink

Safari Search Suggestions Now Available in India

It looks like Apple has just flipped the switch that enables Safari Search Suggestions for iOS users in India. Up until now, this feature which was introduced by Apple with iOS 8 and shows you smart suggestions based on what you’ve typed in the search bar, was only available in a select few countries. Now, when you type in some search terms, Safari automatically looks them up and presents you with relevant content. This way, you completely bypass Google search results and can jump directly to where you wanted to go. Of course, you can still completely ignore this and still do a Google search using Safari.

Here’s what the smart suggestions work and look like in Safari on iOS.

safari-search-suggestions

Click to enlarge

 

Some suggestions can be expanded into a detailed view and have the “>” symbol on the right. These, when tapped, display additional information like so:

the-jungle-book-info-safari-ios

In case you aren’t seeing this, make sure you have enabled them under Settings > Safari > Safari Suggestions

[h/t @jayeshb for pointing this out]

April 29, 2016 ✚ Permalink

Comcast buys DreamWorks Animation in $3.8 billion deal

CNN Money’s Brian Stelter is reporting that NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, is acquiring DreamWorks Animation studio for $3.8 Billion

Comcast said DreamWorks “will become part of the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, which includes Universal Pictures, Fandango, and NBCUniversal Brand Development.”

NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke said “DreamWorks will help us grow our film, television, theme parks and consumer products businesses for years to come.”

In comparison, Disney bought Pixar back in 2006 for $7.4 Billion.

April 28, 2016 ✚ Permalink

Govt. May Relax 30% Sourcing Norms for Apple in India

If you’ve been waiting to see official Apple Stores in India, your wait might’ve gotten even shorter. The Indian government might consider relaxing the 30% local sourcing norms for Apple, after the company gave a presentation before a committee headed by industrial policy and promotion secretary Ramesh Abhishek.

According to the Economic Times, the presentation did prove fruitful:

“The committee has found that the company’s products are cutting edge technology and state-of-the-art. It has recommended to exempt them from the local sourcing norms,” sources said.

April 28, 2016 ✚ Permalink

Nokia to Acquire Withings for $191 Million

Nokia has today announced that it has plans to acquire Withings — the health and fitness wearables company based in France. With this acquisition, Nokia plans to “accelerate [its] entry into Digital Health”, according to the press release.

“We have said consistently that digital health was an area of strategic interest to Nokia, and we are now taking concrete action to tap the opportunity in this large and important market,” said Rajeev Suri, president & CEO of Nokia. “With this acquisition, Nokia is strengthening its position in the Internet of Things in a way that leverages the power of our trusted brand, fits with our company purpose of expanding the human possibilities of the connected world, and puts us at the heart of a very large addressable market where we can make a meaningful difference in peoples’ lives.”

Withings is known for its products such as Activité the analog watch with a fitness tracker inside, Pulse activity trackers, Smart Body Analyzer and weighing scales, Home baby monitoring system, etc.

The acquisition values Withings at €170 Million and Nokia expects to close the deal in early Q3 2016.

April 26, 2016 ✚ Permalink

Airtel Seeks TRAI Nod Before Deal with Video Content Provider

Trying to avoid any controversy on net neutrality, Bharti Airtel on Monday has written to the telecom regulator seeking its permission for a deal the company is mulling with a “big global content provider” for video content.

Airtel might just be at it again, but are playing it cautious this time.

April 25, 2016 ✚ Permalink