Think Forward

iPhone OS 3.0 Will raise the bar yet again

 After attending the iPhone event in March I realized just how much this new software platform will again raise the bar for the iPhone hardware and give software developers innovative opportunities for consumers to engage better with their applications.   

I say this because what struck me is that now applications on the iPhone will become dynamic instead of static.    What bothered me the most about iPhone applications is that they had to be running to be useful.   Which is logical but what happens with an IM for example when I exit the application.   The answer is I leave the chat only to have to pick it back up by opening the app and re-logging in.    The push service was always supposed to be the answer to this since Apple announced it last year but nothing came.    

That is why this new OS release will be so interesting as it will bring new life to applications by making them dynamic.    I will illustrate this with an example.   My wife and I both have iPhones, we both have Scrabble on our iPhones and enjoy playing scrabble on local WIFI and through Facebook.    We can have these great continues play at your leisure games, only the problem is I have to open the application to see if she completed her turn.    It would and hopefully will with OS 3.0 be far better for scrabble to notify me when her turn is complete so that I know it is my turn.     

This is just one example of many where OS 3.0 will be extremely valuable.   Another great use could be with Loopt or any other location based social network.   It would be great if I could be notified when friends are near me in case I want to arrange a get together.   Or potentially if a food service I have an application for allows my favorite restaurants to push me coupons when I am their area.

Once the applications resident in our most personal device which is our handheld it changes the way we can now again interact with the applications and brings an element of added usefulness to them as the applications them self become ubiquitously connected to the Internet. 

Microsoft's "Apple Tax" Campaign

Ina Fried over at CNET covered a new tact by Microsoft to advance their "Apple Tax" slogan.  I've been watching this for a while now and find it entertaining and a little disturbing.

 Now as a technology industry analyst I have to watch and analyze Microsoft and make judgement calls on them as a company. What disturbs me about this campaign is that it demonstrates to me that they don't know why Apple is doing as well as it is doing.   It concerns me that Microsoft is running a campaign that completely misses the point while Microsoft is also completely missing the point.  

Ina makes a point that I have been making as well which is that consumers are making very specific decisions to go with Apple hardware and software for a reason.  These consumers know they are paying more for it and it and they are fine with paying more.   Analyzing both these companies I know that there are positives and negatives to both platforms.   Consumers however know that the platform they are choosing is the best one for their computing needs.  

I would argue that consumers are not always looking for the cheapest product on the market.   They are looking for the exact one that works for their unique life / computing needs.   Microsoft needs to accept the fact that consumers are not choosing their platform and others hardware for reasons other then cost.  In fact I would love to know the answer to this question:

" If computers did not come with any operating system installed and consumers had to purchase either WIndows or OSX to install what percentage would choose Windows and what percentage would choose OSX."  

I would argue that the so called "Apple Tax" is the Apple software and it is valuable.

I advise Microsoft to focus on the areas and experience they are passionate about and target the consumers who want that experience.   I advise them to pick their battles wisely.

What I think is most interesting thing about this battle is that for a while it seems consumers did not know they had a choice in the Apple platform.   Perhaps they didn't really until Apple moved to Intel and supporting running Windows, but that is a longer debate.   None the less consumers now have a choice, are aware of that choice and a growing number of them are choosing.   To my point above they are not simply choosing on price but are looking for value, peace of mind, ease of use, and many more things.   

I could spend a very long time going on about what is good and bad about both platforms but the point remains that Microsoft needs to start picking it's battles with Apple more strategically while simultaneously keeping a constant eye on Google. 

Online Services and Ubiquitous TV

With the 2009 MLB season around the corner I thought I would share more on my experience canceling TV service to get all my TV for free online, well almost free.   Streaming all your shows online has one huge bonus that the service providers can't offer you.  That is "Ubiquitous TV."  Meaning TV anywhere you want it, or anywhere you can connect to the Internet, which is quickly becoming everywhere.   When I travel now I don't have to miss out on my favorite shows while my wife watches them at home.   Sling Box offers similar capabilities but often doesn't work when someone is watching the one box at home and the other wants to connect to it from somewhere else.   What streaming shows brings you is the ability to watch them anywhere at any time.  It is truly TV anywhere and I have found that end of the experience to be great.    However where streaming TV shows for free leaves off is where the service providers really come in and that is premium TV services.  

I've looked at the cost analysis and have concluded for my TV watching needs it is cheaper to simply purchase the services you are interested in, instead of subscribing to outrageously high cable or satellite bills and getting them bundled.    So all though I am getting all the shows I watch for free I will be subscribing to MLB.TV for $79.95 a month.   This will bring with it all the benefits of ubiquitous TV as I can watch games on the road as well as at work.   Something I couldn't have done without a Sling box setup before.   I also subscribe to ESPN 360 and get all the college sports I want online.   So the only thing left for me to figure out before the fall is how I am going to get the NFL online, preferably live.   There are archived ways of doing this but I like to watch my sports in real time.  This is why previously cable or satellite was the only way to go.   Quickly though I think the sports leagues are learning that streaming services can be an incredibly profitable way to move forward.