Beyond Devices Podcast

This is the week's News Roundup episode. We'd hoped to have a Question of the Week for you too, but we had a technical hitch in recording and it'll be out at some point in the next couple of weeks instead, with a deep dive on Apple earnings as usual next week. For today, we cover two other companies' earnings: Twitter and Amazon. Both offered more of the same, albeit in very different ways, with Twitter seeing more revenue declines and anemic user growth, while Amazon posted rapid growth but a big drop in margins. We also talk about Apple's culling of the iPod line and the iPod's historical significance, and Adobe's announcement of the end of life for Flash.

As usual, the show notes below include links to all these stories on Tech Narratives.

News stories we covered:

• Twitter Earnings:

1. Release from Twitter: http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/AMDA-2F526X/3731695548x0x951003/11DEB964-E7A5-43F8-96E2-D074A947255B/TWTR_Q2_17_Earnings_Press_Release.pdf

2. Jan's take: https://www.technarratives.com/2017/07/27/twitter-reports-q2-earnings-no-mau-growth-slowing-dau-growth-revenue-down/

• Amazon Earnings:

1. Release from Amazon: http://phx.corporate-ir.net/External.File?item=UGFyZW50SUQ9Njc2MzU4fENoaWxkSUQ9Mzg0NDA0fFR5cGU9MQ==&t=1

2. Jan's take: https://www.technarratives.com/2017/07/27/★-amazon-reports-strong-growth-much-smaller-margins-in-q2/

• iPod Line Culled:

Business Insider: http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-kills-off-ipod-nano-ipod-shuffle-2017-7

• Death of Flash:

1. Axios: https://www.axios.com/adobe-is-finally-killing-flash-2464992190.html

2. Jan's take: https://www.technarratives.com/2017/07/25/adobe-announces-end-of-life-for-flash-in-2020/

You can also find the Beyond Devices Podcast on iTunes (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-devices-podcast/id1002197313), in the Overcast app (https://overcast.fm/itunes1002197313/beyond-devices-podcast), or in your podcast app of choice.

As ever, we welcome your feedback via Twitter (@jandawson / @aaronmiller), the website (podcast.beyonddevic.es), or email ([email protected]).

Here's our News Roundup episode for the week, with a deeper dive on a few of the big news items from the past few days. We kick off earnings season with a discussion of Netflix earnings and what if anything it has to worry about in future. Secondly, we discuss Lyft's announcement that it's working on a self-driving system, as a complement to recent announcements on working with partners on this area. Third, we talk about the rebirth of Google Glass as an enterprise and industrial product, and the broader implications for related products like Microsoft's HoloLens and AR headsets in general. We wrap things up with a discussion of abuse and harassment on Twitter, which continues to be a problem despite the progress the company touted this week.

As usual, the show notes below include links to all these stories on Tech Narratives.

News stories we covered:

• Netflix Earnings (Jan's take on Tech Narratives – a free post):

https://www.technarratives.com/2017/07/17/★-netflix-q2-earnings-later-house-of-cards-launch-drives-strong-sub-growth/

• Lyft Self-Driving System:

1. https://medium.com/@lvincent/introducing-level-5-and-our-self-driving-team-705ef8989f03

2. Jan's take:

https://www.technarratives.com/2017/07/21/lyft-announces-its-own-vaguely-defined-autonomous-driving-effort/

• Google Glass:

1. Wired deep dive: https://www.wired.com/story/google-glass-2-is-here/

2. Jan's take: https://www.technarratives.com/2017/07/18/google-glass-relaunched-as-enterprise-and-industrial-product/

• Twitter Abuse

1. BuzzFeed article: https://www.buzzfeed.com/charliewarzel/twitter-is-still-dismissing-harassment-reports-and

2. Twitter blog post: https://blog.twitter.com/official/en_us/topics/product/2017/Our-Safety-Work-Results-Update.html

3. Verge article: https://www.theverge.com/2017/7/20/16000834/twitter-anti-abuse-tools-data-update

4. Jan's take: https://www.technarratives.com/2017/07/20/twitter-provides-data-on-abuse-efforts-fails-to-address-inconsistent-application/

You can also find the Beyond Devices Podcast on iTunes (itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/beyon…ast/id1002197313), in the Overcast app (overcast.fm/itunes1002197313/be…odcast/id1002197313), or in your podcast app of choice.

As ever, we welcome your feedback via Twitter (@jandawson / @aaronmiller), the website (podcast.beyonddevic.es), or email ([email protected]).

After a couple of weeks' break, we're back with another Question of the Week, this time focused on Apple's health and wellness products and services and the ecosystem it's built around them. Jan attended a set of briefings last week in which Apple laid out its portfolio and that of its device and software partners, and it makes for a good jumping off point for an evaluation of the breadth of Apple's portfolio in this space, and the value third parties add. We run through a brief history of Apple's efforts in this area, then discuss the current state of things across five major domains – Activity, Mindfulness, Nutrition, Sleep, and Medical. Lastly, we talk about where things might go from here.

Here are some links relevant to today's discussion:

• Jan's Techpinions column summarizing the recent briefings is here:

https://techpinions.com/apples-health-and-fitness-push-accelerates-as-it-turns-3/50536

Jan also mentioned the new Tech Narratives Podcast, which you can find on SoundCloud (https://soundcloud.com/user-500920953), iTunes (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/tech-narratives-podcast/id1252808525?mt=2), and Overcast (https://overcast.fm/itunes1252808525/tech-narratives-podcast), and which should be available in many other podcast apps too.

You can also find the Beyond Devices Podcast on iTunes (itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/beyon…ast/id1002197313), in the Overcast app (overcast.fm/itunes1002197313/be…odcast/id1002197313), or in your podcast app of choice.

As ever, we welcome your feedback via Twitter (@jandawson / @aaronmiller), the website (podcast.beyonddevic.es), or email ([email protected]).

Once again, there's no Question of the Week episode this week, but here's our roundup of the major news of the week. We start with Microsoft's push to expand access to broadband in the rural United States through the use of wireless technology running in white spaces spectrum. The second item is Amazon's third annual Prime Day and what it's likely to mean for the company. Third, we discuss Uber's capitulation in the Russian ride sharing business and its decision to merge its operations there with those of Yandex, the dominant market player. And lastly, we talk about the report from Bloomberg that Facebook's Oculus is working on a standalone VR headset for next year.

As usual, the show notes below include links to all these stories on Tech Narratives.

News stories we covered (Tech Narratives links unless otherwise stated):

• Microsoft broadband plans:

https://www.technarratives.com/2017/07/11/★-microsoft-announces-plan-to-help-provide-broadband-in-rural-america/

• Amazon Prime Day:

https://www.technarratives.com/2017/07/12/★-amazons-third-prime-day-grows-60-again-echo-devices-the-big-sellers/

• Uber and Yandex:

https://www.technarratives.com/2017/07/13/★-uber-joins-forces-with-yandex-in-russian-ride-sharing-market/

• Facebook VR headset:

https://www.technarratives.com/2017/07/13/★-facebook-reportedly-working-on-a-200-standalone-oculus-vr-headset-for-2018/

You can also find the Beyond Devices Podcast on iTunes (itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/beyon…ast/id1002197313), in the Overcast app (overcast.fm/itunes1002197313/be…odcast/id1002197313), or in your podcast app of choice.

As ever, we welcome your feedback via Twitter (@jandawson / @aaronmiller), the website (podcast.beyonddevic.es), or email ([email protected]).

There's no Question of the Week episode this week, but here's our roundup of the major news of the week. We kick things off with a discussion of Jawbone's reported liquidation and what it might mean for the broader wearables market. Secondly, we discuss preliminary disclosure of financial or operating results from Samsung, LG, and Xiaomi, which emerged this week. Third is a quick evaluation of a report from CIRP that Amazon now has 85 million Prime subscribers in the US, which Jan is skeptical of. And last is a discussion of the reports this week that Apple might ditch the Touch ID sensor in at least one of this fall's new iPhones.

As usual, the show notes below include links to all these stories on Tech Narratives.

News stories we covered (Tech Narratives links unless otherwise stated):

• Jawbone liquidation:

https://www.technarratives.com/2017/07/06/jawbone-has-begun-liquidation-proceedings/

• Samsung preliminary results:

www.technarratives.com/2017/06/27/fa…active-users/

• LG preliminary results:

https://www.technarratives.com/2017/07/07/lg-preliminary-q2-results-suggest-revenue-and-earnings-miss-despite-growth/

• Xiaomi Q2 smartphone shipments:

https://www.technarratives.com/2017/07/07/xiaomi-claims-70-quarter-on-quarter-smartphone-shipment-growth/

• Amazon Prime subscribers:

https://www.technarratives.com/2017/07/07/amazon-said-to-have-85-million-prime-subs-in-the-us-but-probably-has-fewer/

• Touch ID reports:

https://www.technarratives.com/2017/07/03/kgi-and-bloomberg-report-leaks-on-iphone-8-security-features/

Jan also mentioned the new Tech Narratives Podcast, which you can find on SoundCloud (@user-500920953), iTunes (itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/tech-…d1252808525?mt=2), and Overcast (overcast.fm/itunes1252808525/te…-narratives-podcast), and which should be available in many other podcast apps too.

You can also find the Beyond Devices Podcast on iTunes (itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/beyon…ast/id1002197313), in the Overcast app (overcast.fm/itunes1002197313/be…odcast/id1002197313), or in your podcast app of choice.

As ever, we welcome your feedback via Twitter (@jandawson / @aaronmiller), the website (podcast.beyonddevic.es), or email ([email protected]).

This week's News Roundup episode focused on three major news items, plus one smaller related one. First up, we discuss the European Commission's action against Google over Google Shopping integration in search, including a 2.4 billion Euro fine. Secondly, we discuss Facebook's announcement of 2 billion monthly active users and its significance, as well as a subtle shift recently in Facebook's focus. In the context of those two items about giant companies, we also talk briefly about the Canadian Supreme Court's ruling that Google needs to take down links in search to IP-infringing product listings not just in Canada but globally and the ramifications of that ruling. Lastly, we discuss both the formal reviews released this week of Amazon's Echo Show and Jan's own first impressions on using the device for a couple of days.

As usual, the show notes below include links to all these stories on Tech Narratives.

News stories we covered:

• Google & EU:

Jan's Tech Narratives piece (no paywall): https://www.technarratives.com/2017/06/27/eu-fines-google-e2-4bn-2-7bn-over-favoring-google-shopping-in-search-results/

The EU's announcement: http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-17-1784_en.htm

• Facebook's 2 Billion:

Jan's Tech Narratives piece: https://www.technarratives.com/2017/06/27/facebook-hits-2-billion-monthly-active-users/

Jan's longer blog post (no paywall): https://medium.com/beyond-devices/facebooks-first-second-and-third-billions-2dffc63e20e7

• Canadian Supreme Court ruling against Google:

CNET article: https://www.cnet.com/news/google-must-yank-search-results-globally-says-canada-court/

• Amazon Echo Show reviews:

Tech Narratives piece: https://www.technarratives.com/2017/06/26/★-amazon-echo-show-reviews-suggest-solid-performance-limitations-creepy-factor/

Techmeme: http://www.techmeme.com/170626/p8#a170626p8

Jan also mentioned the new Tech Narratives Podcast, which you can find on SoundCloud (@user-500920953), iTunes (itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/tech-…d1252808525?mt=2), and Overcast (overcast.fm/itunes1252808525/te…-narratives-podcast), and which should be available in many other podcast apps too.

You can also find the Beyond Devices Podcast on iTunes (itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/beyon…ast/id1002197313), in the Overcast app (overcast.fm/itunes1002197313/be…odcast/id1002197313), or in your podcast app of choice.

As ever, we welcome your feedback via Twitter (@jandawson / @aaronmiller), the website (podcast.beyonddevic.es), or email ([email protected]).

This is our Question of the Week episode for this week, with our News Roundup to follow on Friday. This week's question is "Is Voice the Next Big User Interface, and is Amazon Really Winning? " The question comes from the prevailing narrative in the media, which often seems to hold both that voice is going to be the user interface that replaces current ones like touch screens and smartphones, and that Amazon is dominating that voice interface market. We pour some cold water on both assertions and use survey and other data to evaluate the true state of the market, what's really going on, and whether anyone is really "winning".

Here are some links relevant to today's discussion:

Various voice surveys that Jan mentioned:

USA Today survey:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/talkingtech/2017/06/05/alexa-fun-siri-because-typing-hard-survey/102436072/

Creative Strategies Survey:

http://creativestrategies.com/voice-assistant-anyone-yes-please-but-not-in-public/

Siri as mobile search engine:

http://searchengineland.com/survey-siri-googles-nearest-mobile-search-competitor-272640

Satisfaction with voice assistants:

http://pages.experts-exchange.com/virtualassistants.html

Jan also mentioned the new Tech Narratives Podcast, which you can find on SoundCloud (https://soundcloud.com/user-500920953), iTunes (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/tech-narratives-podcast/id1252808525?mt=2), and Overcast (https://overcast.fm/itunes1252808525/tech-narratives-podcast), and which should be available in many other podcast apps too.

You can also find the Beyond Devices Podcast on iTunes (itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/beyon…ast/id1002197313), in the Overcast app (overcast.fm/itunes1002197313/be…odcast/id1002197313), or in your podcast app of choice.

As ever, we welcome your feedback via Twitter (@jandawson / @aaronmiller), the website (podcast.beyonddevic.es), or email ([email protected]).

This is our first episode for two weeks, as Jan's been traveling, and since Aaron is now busy this is a solo News Roundup from Jan on some of the big news stories from the last two weeks. On the agenda today are all the big Uber news including the Holder Report and the resignation of Travis Kalanick as CEO; Amazon's acquisition of Whole Foods; a new Xbox from Microsoft; the hiring of two former Sony TV execs by Apple; and an end to email scanning for the purposes of targeting ads by Gmail.

As usual, the show notes below include links to all these stories on Tech Narratives.

News stories we covered (Tech Narratives links unless otherwise noted):

Uber:

• Holder investigation: https://www.technarratives.com/2017/06/13/★-uber-investigation-recommends-many-changes-travis-kalanick-takes-leave-of-absence/

• Emil Michael leaves: https://www.technarratives.com/2017/06/12/uber-svp-emil-michael-leaves-company-and-board-gets-a-new-female-member-from-nestle/

• Travis Kalanick resigns:

https://www.technarratives.com/2017/06/21/★-uber-ceo-travis-kalanick-finally-does-the-right-thing-and-resigns/

Amazon-Whole Foods and related topics:

• Amazon-Whole Foods:

https://www.technarratives.com/2017/06/16/★-amazon-announces-intention-to-buy-whole-foods-for-13-7-billion/

• Walmart Bonobos:

https://www.technarratives.com/2017/06/16/walmart-to-acquire-online-mens-clothing-retailer-bonobos-for-310-million/

• Amazon Prime Wardrobe:

https://www.technarratives.com/2017/06/20/amazon-launches-prime-wardrobe-a-mix-of-home-try-on-and-clothing-box-service/

New Xbox: https://www.technarratives.com/2017/06/12/★-microsoft-debuts-xbox-one-x-smallest-and-most-powerful-xbox-at-es/

Apple Sony TV execs:

https://www.technarratives.com/2017/06/16/apple-poaches-two-sony-tv-execs-to-lead-video-programming/

Gmail email scanning:

https://www.technarratives.com/2017/06/23/gmail-will-stop-scanning-emails-to-target-ads-due-to-enterprise-confusion/

Additionally:

• Episode 85 was our deep dive on Uber – find it in your podcast app or on the site at: podcast.beyonddevic.es/2017/03/episo…um-mac-vs-pc/

As ever, we welcome your feedback via Twitter (@jandawson / @aaronmiller), the website (podcast.beyonddevic.es), or email ([email protected]).

Following our deep dive on Apple’s WWDC news on Monday, here is our News Roundup episode for the week. We kick things off with a bunch of Uber news, much of it involving hiring and firing of executives and others, in a sign that Uber may finally be taking its cultural problems seriously. Secondly, we talk about Alphabet’s sale of its Boston Dynamics and Schaft robotics businesses to SoftBank. And third, we talk about two other bits of Apple news from later in the week: Apple’s launch of Business Chat, and news that it won’t include “gigabit” modems in its next iPhones.

As usual, you'll find links to other relevant material in the show notes below:

News stories we covered (Tech Narratives links unless otherwise noted):

Uber fires Anthony Levandowski:

https://www.technarratives.com/2017/05/30/★-uber-fires-anthony-levandowski-for-refusal-to-cooperate-in-lawsuit/

Uber hires Frances Frei:

https://www.technarratives.com/2017/06/05/uber-hires-harvard-business-school-professor-to-help-with-culture-and-strategy/

Uber hires Bozoma Saint John:

https://www.technarratives.com/2017/06/06/bozoma-saint-john-leaves-apple-music-to-become-ubers-chief-brand-officer/

Uber fires Asia business exec:

https://www.technarratives.com/2017/06/07/uber-fires-exec-loses-bid-to-keep-doc-private-says-management-changes-coming/

Uber fires 20 as a result of investigation:

https://www.technarratives.com/2017/06/06/★-uber-fires-20-and-takes-action-against-others-over-inappropriate-behavior/

Alphabet sells Boston Dynamics and Schaft to SoftBank:

https://www.technarratives.com/2017/06/09/★-alphabet-sells-boston-dynamics-and-schaft-robotics-businesses-to-softbank/

Apple Business Chat:

https://www.technarratives.com/2017/06/09/apple-announces-developer-preview-of-business-chat-for-imessage-customer-service/

Apple "gigabit" iPhones:

https://www.technarratives.com/2017/06/09/apple-reported-to-hold-off-on-gigabit-modems-in-next-iphones/

Additionally:

• Episode 85 was our deep dive on Uber – find it in your podcast app or on the site at: http://podcast.beyonddevic.es/2017/03/episode-85-ubers-ethical-vacuum-mac-vs-pc/

• Aaron mentioned a friend's article on compliance crises being a terrible thing to waste, and you can read it here: https://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/publications/natural_resources_environment/Winter%202016/NRE_v030n03_feat02_Galli.pdf

As ever, we welcome your feedback via Twitter (@jandawson / @aaronmiller), the website (podcast.beyonddevic.es), or email ([email protected]).

This is our annual deep-dive episode on announcements from Apple's WWDC developer conference. We handle the news from today's keynote in more or less chronological order:

• Introduction, tvOS, watchOS

• macOS and new Mac hardware

• iOS and iPad

• HomePod.

We discuss each of the announcements and share our thoughts and what we think the implications and prospects are for the products announced.

Here are two links relevant to today's discussion:

Jan's media comment on WWDC:

https://jackdawresearch.com/2017/06/05/apple-hosts-its-most-hardware-centric-wwdc-in-years/

Apple's Newsroom, with press releases on all of today's announcements:

https://www.apple.com/newsroom/

You can also find the podcast on iTunes (itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/beyon…ast/id1002197313), in the Overcast app (overcast.fm/itunes1002197313/be…odcast/id1002197313), or in your podcast app of choice.

As ever, we welcome your feedback via Twitter (@jandawson / @aaronmiller), the website (podcast.beyonddevic.es), or email ([email protected]).