Victor Marks
This week on the AppleInsider podcast, Neil and Victor talk about what's up with the HomePod delay, the possible 2018 iPhones, and what it means to have an ARM chip in the iMac Pro.
In our latest episode, AppleInsider editors Neil Hughes and Victor Marks discuss:
- Apple delays the HomePod until next year. Why? And what's a HomePod really trying to accomplish? What's Apple's long-term plan here?
- Apple reportedly stopped and started HomePod as a project repeatedly. What is the strategic thinking here?
- What happens when you use an A10 coprocessor in an iMac Pro? What implications does that have for macOS beyond 'Hey Siri' at the Mac?
- 2018 iPhones rumored to have 4x4 MIMO and gigabit LTE
- iPhone SE 2, made in India?
- Apple acquires VRvana for 30M USD. Neil and Victor talk about what Apple's intentions are with AR and this acquisition.
- Project Titan: Apple research publishes a paper on LIDAR and using voxel clouds to better detect objects
- FCC Chairman Ajit Pai reveals his plan to undo Title II Net Neutrality. Neil has some very understated comments.
- Google's Fuchsia OS gains support for Swift applications. Victor thinks this is huge down the road in terms of Swift adoption.
- Foxconn accused of using teenage labor to meet iPhone X production demand. Victor wonders why this even happens? It's not as if Foxconn aren't aware of their need to staff up in advance, is it?
- Victor reviews CardHop, an application by Flexibits for macOS. Short version: it's good, and good to see innovation in a space neglected by Apple
- Neil reviews a battery case with Qi compatible charging for iPhone X
The show is available on iTunes and your favorite podcast apps by searching for "AppleInsider." Click here to listen, subscribe, and don't forget to rate our show.
Listen to the embedded SoundCloud feed below:
Show note links:
- Apple delays HomePod launch until 'early 2018'
- Apple allegedly 'dithered' over HomePod development, canceled & restarted project
- Video: 'Hey Siri' might come to the iMac Pro thanks to an A10 Fusion coprocessor
- 'Hey Siri' may come to iMac Pro with rumored inclusion of A10 Fusion co-processor
- 2018 iPhone models to boast enhanced LTE transmission, support 4x4 MIMO
- Apple's 'iPhone SE 2' rumored to ship in first half of 2018, made in India
- Apple reportedly acquires Canadian AR headset startup Vrvana for $30M
- Apple research paper details LiDAR-based 3D object recognition for autonomous vehicle navigation
- FCC Chairman Ajit Pai reveals Net Neutrality repeal plan, vote on Dec. 14
- Google's upcoming 'Fuchsia' OS to support Apple's Swift language
- Foxconn accused of using illegal student labor to build Apple's iPhone X
- Hands On: Cardhop by Flexibits attempts to rein in the mess that Apple's Contacts can be
- The iPhone X battery case Neil bought, Qi charging compatible!
Follow our hosts on Twitter: @thisisneil and @vmarks.
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Charles Martin
Christine McKee
Oliver Haslam
6 Comments
This is a great podcast. The criticisms of Apple are very valid. I’m surprised that DED didn’t write a rebuttal to this.
It is rediculous that Alexa has gotten so much better than Siri so quickly.
Cook should have fired Eddy Cue a long time ago under whom SIRI languished so long.
As good and beautiful iPhone’s are , the virtual assistant is the most important software for the future and Apple is losing in a very embarrassing way.
Next time you use your 'virtual assistant' carefully consider that this is the same state of AI-tech you'll find driving those cars and semis around soon... (let that sink in)
Regarding the HomePod, I too am saddened by the state of the modern 'stereo system,' speakers, etc. While I suppose a great pair of headphones can give people an excellent representation of the music (for the few that have them anymore), there's just something about 15" or 18" woofers in big cabinets with several smaller speakers each designed to cover part of the range.
I'm guessing most people under a certain age don't even know what it's like to both listen to good quality music, and feel it as well (aside from maybe live concerts where the sound-quality is often horrible). My wife and son seem quite content just listening to the sound coming out of their iPad minis, TV speakers, or cheap ear-buds. I cringe, but aside from some studio monitors I had in my office for a while, haven't been able to get the budget allocated (or space) for some of the kind of stuff I enjoyed as a youth anymore. :)
Have either of you gotten to hear a HomePod yet? Did they have actual working demos, at least of the sound quality? I have a hard time believing it would be all that great, though I have heard some pretty good smaller (not THAT small though) speakers over the years. I could care less about talking to my speaker. But, I suppose if the sound quality was pretty good, and it incorporated well with the Apple eco-system, that's a plus.
But, I'd rather find a way to route audio to a 'real' amp and speakers! (Once said budget gets allocated, and space, that is... if that ever happens.) (The best audio I probably have currently is actually in my car, which is half-way decent.)
@Niel I agree with the comparison of Siri to other VAs. Its also not a mystery why this is the case. I'd much rather a company take the time to work out a way to practice the privacy and security principles that it lives by. A. more difficult task to accomplish with a VA which relies heavily on private data.. Nothing new that Apple comes late to the party and perhaps much later because of the challenge of the task, so be it