Rumor or Fallacy? Let’s Check the Scoreboard After WWDC

by Aaron Kirchner-Loeser
Aurnhammer Marketing Coordinator

With the 2014 Worldwide Developers Conference now wrapped up, several things need to be addressed and some people need to be fact-checked regarding the rumor mill leading up to the five-day long event. Given some pretty inevitably significant announcements, there were also several anticipated announcements that simply did not happen as many users, techies, and bloggers expected and proclaimed.

As the WWDC kicked off last week, it was great to see that iOS 8 will be available to the public this year. Most likely in the fall, dubbed “the world’s most advanced operating system” by Apple, iOS 8 will come with a host of new functions and features. One of the neatest new perks that iOS 8 offers is the updated keyboard. Now, the keyboard will be able to distinguish between who you are sending a message to. This means that it will come up with different suggestions and spell checks depending on your desired recipient, whether it is a business colleague or your uncle from San Francisco. Another awesome feature is the updated Spotlight. In an age of globalization, this feature will be able to better contextualize what you are searching for. For instance, Spotlight will now be able to use your location, pull up Wikipedia pages, and more in order to better suit your search.

From these additional rumored products, Apple will indeed be releasing OS X 10.10 in the upcoming months. Moving from large, wild cats like Leopard to towns and parks of California, this operating system will be called OS X Yosemite to connote the system’s shear power and beauty. One of the most astounding features of OS X Yosemite is the new way in which one can send attachments via e-mail. Instead of high-resolution picture and video e-mail attachments being bounced back because the file is too large, users can now send attachments as large as 5 GB to the recipients’ mailbox via the iCloud. The way this will work is that the attachment one sends will first be sent up to the iCloud, compressed, and then back down to the recipients’ mailbox.

While some significant software updates wowed us at this year’s WWDC, bloggers and writers were off-base in some of their predictions regarding any new Apple hardware being presented. For instance, neither an updated MacBook nor iHome was mentioned. Additionally, Apple TV was completely left out of the discussion as Re/Code correctly predicted.

One of the most circulated rumors leading up to the WWDC that did not come to fruition was the presentation of the iPhone 6. Anticipated to have a screen between 4.7 and 5.5 inches, there was no mention of it at all. Looks like those that predicted the release of a new iPhone got this one wrong!

Given these momentous announcements and…not-announcements, it will be exciting to see how the world of Apple develops over the next few months. With iOS 8 releasing in October, we already have something to eagerly await. But for now, let the rumors begin for WWDC 2015!

Rumor or Fallacy?

by Aaron Kirchner-Loeser
Aurnhammer Marketing Coordinator

Between June 2nd and 6th, developers from around the world will converge on San Francisco to attend Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference. Although rumors leading up to the conference in the past have sometimes been true, such as the unveiling of iOS 7 at WWDC 2013, many rumors did not come to fruition.

With the upcoming conference in just a few days, there have been a slew of enticing rumors about new devices and technologies that Apple may unveil, ranging from introduction of iHome to the presentation of the iPhone 6. Since Apple is remaining close-lipped, everything is speculation and we look forward to seeing which rumors are true and which rumors are not.

IPHONE 6: The iPhone 6 is one device that techies and users think will be introduced at the conference. As the iPhone 5’s screen is significantly larger than the iPhone 4, the iPhone 6’s screen is expected to grow. According to MacRumors, the iPhone 6’s retina display could potentially be anywhere between 4.7 and 5.5 inches, which would level the playing field between the size of the iPhone’s screen and that of Android devices like Samsung’s Galaxy and the Nexus. Also, there are rumors that the iPhone 6’s screen will move from Corning Gorilla Glass to sapphire crystal, which is already used in small parts of the iPhone 5 such as the camera lens. This is what the rumored iPhone 6 may look like:

IOS 8: As iOS7 was speculated to be presented at WWDC 2013 and it was, insiders believe that iOS 8 will be introduced at WWDC14. Although the physical and aesthetic appearance of iOS 7 will not change, several new features are expected to be added, including split-screen apps, which will help users multitask, and an Apple Maps update, which will improve not only navigation by adding public transportation directions and more detailed streets, but also connectivity in an age of globalization.

IHOME: Another rumor that has been circulating leading up to WWDC 2014 is that iHome will be introduced. A smart home platform that will run on BLE and possibly NFC (near field communication), iHome would allow users to control the most basic functions of their home from the palm of their hand. This could be anything from opening the garage door when one pulls in from work to cranking up the heat in the winter to turning up the volume on the speakers at a 4th of July party.

APPLE TV: To the dismay of many hopeful onlookers, it doesn’t seem like Apple TV will be one of the keynote presentations at WWDC 2014. In fact, John Paczkowski of Re/Code claims that there will absolutely be no Apple TV at the conference.

With the conference less than a week away, these rumored technological unveilings will not only spark heated and productive dialogue, but also potentially change our lives for the better. Stay tuned for a follow-up WWDC 2014 blog post next week to see which rumors actually become reality!

Additional Rumored Products

-       iOS 8
-       OS X 10.10
-       iTunes radio and Healtbook
-       Updated MacBook air, updated MacBook Pro, and updated iMac
-       New Mac mini
-       IPad mini 3

When adventuring
Be sure to use Google Maps
Over Apple Maps

by Tim Aaron
Aurnhammer Philosopher and Social Media Strategist

In recent decades, mapping has seen a major change. Though one might think this change has resulted from melting ice caps and shifting tectonic plates, what I am actually referring to is the change in the inherent nature of maps and how users interact with them. What once was a fixed representation of the globe has now become a dynamic, interactive assistant during travels and location searches. And with multiple corporations competing to be crowned king of this novel mapping experience, countless technological innovations have been made in the endeavor to develop a mapping platform that is flawless and that outperforms the competition. So then, between the two most common, free, mapping applications for Apple’s most recently released operating system, namely Google Maps and Apple Maps, let’s look at which location finder exceeds the other performance-wise.

Investigating this question, I began by looking into what others have said on the issue and, not to my amazement, the statements that both Apple and Google gave about their own apps spoke for many. In an interview with James Fallows, national correspondent for The Atlantic, Michael Jones, Chief Technology Advocate for Google, said, “We’ve worked to invent the most comprehensive, authoritative, useful mapping solutions that humans can build, and I think we’ve been pretty successful at that.” Jones’ positive account of Google Maps reflects the detailed, consistently updated map app that Google should be proud of. If we look at Jones’ statement in comparison to the apology that Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, gave the week after the release of Apple Maps, we see a stark difference: “At Apple, we strive to make world-class products that deliver the best experience possible to our customers. With the launch of our new Maps last week, we fell short on this commitment. We are extremely sorry for the frustration this has caused our customers and we are doing everything we can to make Maps better.”  Apologizing further, Cook even went on to suggest other map apps as an alternative, including Google’s, during the interim while changes were being made to Apple’s Maps.

With my knowledge of both the way that the two companies felt about their own apps as well as the way that many others in the tech community felt, I moved to perform a side by side comparison of Google Maps and Apple Maps. What I concluded was that three months after Cook’s apology, it seems as though people will remain lost using the Apple application whereas people will be brought back from their off-course journeys by using the Google application. Why? Google’s search-speed and map accuracy are far superior.

 

Search-Speed

 

Testing search-speed, I chose my favorite restaurant, City Hall Restaurant, which is located right in my neighborhood in TriBeCa, and began typing the letters into Google Maps’ search bar. As you can see, after typing “City h”, my restaurant of choice had already popped up… search complete and I’m happy (and soon to be full). What’s more, the rest of the options that Google provided me with, aside from the correct search option, took my search location into consideration and output other options that began with “City h” located in New York City and in my area. Now, if we look at what happened when I typed “City h” into Apple Maps’ search bar, there’s a whole different story.

If you look, typing “City h” into Apple’s search bar does not even give me the restaurant that I am looking for. The “city hall” that Apple provides as its first suggestion is a government building located in Philadelphia. Odd, but possibly not too out of the norm; I did only type five letters at this point. But what really doesn’t make sense are the other suggestions that Apple provides. I am searching from New York City and Apple gives me suggestions of City h’s that range from being located in Durban KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa to North Port Florida, none of which are in New York City. Looking for a location in New York City, Apple’s suggestions are a non sequitur.

After going through many searches, the results were in and Google stood as the victor in terms of search-speed and assistance.

 

Map Accuracy

 

Looking at a map accuracy comparison, if your jaw just dropped you’re not the only one. Taking a look at an intersection in my neighborhood, Google Maps populates the area with the schools, banks and other businesses that are near by. What’s more, the places are all there in their correct, respective locations. However, when we look at the exact same intersection in Apple Maps, we see a barren wasteland with four businesses and one school in the area. What’s worse, the SoulCycle, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Barnes & Noble that Apple Maps does present are all in the incorrect locations. Unless you want a bed when you’re searching for a bank or food when your mind is set on working out, Apple Maps seems not to be the app you’d want to use.

So again, after many searches, the results demonstrate Google to be the victor in terms of map accuracy.

One advantage that Apple Maps does have over Google Maps is iOS integration with Siri. However, if you’re more of a talk person than a touch person, there is a way to use Siri with Google Maps as well. If you solicit directions from Siri and tack on “via transit” to the end of your sentence, Apple Maps will open with Google Maps and other “routing” maps as options to take you to your final destination. Simply click the “route” button and Google maps will outline your excursion and you’re good to go.

While Apple has made progress since its release of Maps, Google maintains superior data and more advantageous search algorithms. As Apple accepts map corrections and users contribute to its searches, Maps will become more detailed and accurate. But, as of now, if you want to get where you’re going when you’re going, Google will ensure a journey that is much less likely to end in stress and tears than Apple, especially if you’re final destination is slightly obscure.

Now that you have some food for thought, check out the differences between Apple Maps and Google Maps yourself and add to the conversation. Only through collaborative discussion will we advance knowledge and achieve enlightenment.