Google ships first beta of Flutter framework for developing both iOS and Android apps

Google has released its first beta of Flutter, a mobile user interface framework that intends to help developers create interfaces for their apps on iOS as well as Android smartphones, a toolkit that could speed up and simplify cross-platform app development.

Malcolm Owen 8 years ago 48

Apple HomePod preorders outpaced all other smartspeakers, except Amazon Echo Dot

Priced at $349, the Apple HomePod saw more pent-up demand at launch than virtually all of its competition, save for one budget-priced smartspeaker: Amazon's $50-and-under Echo Dot.

Neil Hughes 8 years ago 33

Apple confirms use of Google cloud services to store iCloud user data

Apple has confirmed it is using Google's cloud storage services to hold iCloud user data, with a notification in a security document effectively acknowledging rumors from 2016 suggesting Apple is paying Google alongside other major third-party companies for access to their cloud infrastructure.

Malcolm Owen 8 years ago 17

Video: Apple HomePod vs. Google Home Max

Apple's HomePod and Google's Home Max are both vying for the high end of the audio market. But which one is worth your hard earned cash? AppleInsider put these premium speakers to the test to tell you which one wins out.

AppleInsider Staff 8 years ago 43

Failure of Pixel 2 exposed a larger problem: Google's ads don't work

Across 2017, Google heavily promoted its Pixel phone brand. Despite being lauded as being "the world's most valuable brand" and its status as the world's largest purveyor of advertising, all of Google's global efforts, including DoubleClick and YouTube, resulted in inconsequential Pixel sales. Worse than its failure to sell hardware is the fact that Google has proven that its advertising simply isn't very effective.

Daniel Eran Dilger 8 years ago 94

YouTube TV hikes prices for new subscribers, adds missing Turner channels like CNN & Cartoon Network

Google's YouTube TV on Wednesday announced the long-awaited addition of Turner networks to its lineup, though new subscribers will soon have to pay a higher monthly fee.

Roger Fingas 8 years ago 11

Android-powered Essential Phone estimated to have shipped just 88K units in 2017

Despite being one of the first handsets on the market with an edge-to-edge display, the Essential Phone, pioneered by former Android chief Andy Rubin, failed to compete with the likes of Apple's iPhone X in any meaningful way, with one new estimate suggesting just 88,000 units were shipped last year.

Neil Hughes 8 years ago 21

Google's next big Android update to support iPhone X-style 'notches'

The next major iteration of Android, due later this year, will reportedly support devices with "notches" like the one on Apple's iPhone X — as well as other unusual display designs.

Roger Fingas 8 years ago 50

Test finds HomePod's Siri 'at the bottom of the totem pole' in smartspeaker AI

While the Apple HomePod is the "best sounding" smartspeaker and has a "measurably better" user experience in many areas, its underlying AI assistant — Siri — failed dramatically in a query test versus Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Microsoft Cortana, according to Loup Ventures.

Roger Fingas 8 years ago 113

Stacking up Apple HomePod, Amazon Echo and Google Home

Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Apple all have voice assistants vying for attention, and all are moving the concept of computer-human voice interaction forward. AppleInsider offers an abbreviated history of how we got here and the capabilities of these assistants and their devices in anticipation of HomePod. What do these things do? What do people use them for? And what is Apple doing differently?

Victor Marks 8 years ago 37

iOS 11 News app adds curated reporting of 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics

Apple has added a new feature within iOS 11 News to supply human-curated updates on the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. The special coverage, in collaboration with NBC, is designed to not overwhelm iOS users' existing News feeds while at the same time providing timely, accurate and high-quality reporting for everyone interested in the Olympic events.

Daniel Eran Dilger 8 years ago 1

Nest absorbed into Google to better battle HomeKit, Alexa for home automation supremacy

Google is merging the Nest and the native Google Home hardware team to "supercharge" the goal of conquering the smarthome market.

Mike Wuerthele 8 years ago 40

Native YouTube TV app coming to Apple TV 'very soon'

People wanting to watch Google's YouTube TV on an Apple TV will soon be able to do so natively, without AirPlay, a YouTube representative said on Thursday.

Roger Fingas 8 years ago 8

Google closes $1.1B HTC deal, setting up collision course with Apple's iPhone

Google has officially cemented its $1.1 billion deal for HTC's engineering and design teams, putting the company in a position to more directly challenge Apple in the smartphone market.

Roger Fingas 8 years ago 46

Kantar calls iPhone X pricing 'vindicated' as Apple sees marketshare grow across Europe, China, Australia & Japan

As hand wringing over the $999-and-up pricing of the iPhone X continues, analysts at Kantar Worldpanel see the premium-priced handset as a wise move for Apple, after tracking marketshare gains for iOS in a number of key markets across the globe.

Neil Hughes 8 years ago 14

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