1. prplhze2000's Avatar
    This column appeared in yesterday's WSJ. While the column criticizes Apple, it also shows how it would be hard for BB to keep up in the arms race of smartphones. BB is simply too lean and lacks the ecosystem on BB10 to offer these services (without an Android runtime) and there is no telling how much it would cost to catch up if it tried. Joanna Stern wrote:

    Dear Mr. Cook,

    I hope you had a great long weekend. The weather in New York was beautiful.

    I’ll cut the small talk, though. I want to tell you about something that’s been happening on my iPhone.

    See, I have this folder called Apple Apps. It used to be full of the undeletable apps I had no use for—Compass, Tips, Contacts. I mean, does anyone, even at Apple, use Find Friends?

    But lately the folder has been growing as I add once-essential apps, including Photos, Music and Mail. Your competitors—Google, Facebook, Microsoft and others—have been releasing superior services that have taken their spots. And while Siri is still at thumb’s reach, I find myself talking far more to Amazon’s Alexa these days.

    My iPhone is still reaping the benefits of the expanding smart tech universe, but it isn’t because of services made in Cupertino.

    At Facebook and Google developer conferences over the past few weeks, your competitors demonstrated a future of artificially intelligent software that can take care of things for us—even on Apple devices.

    You may not see this as a problem as long as the millions of iPhone owners use what you put on their plate. And I get that you’re focused on the features you think most people want to use. But if Apple can’t keep up, the iPhone risks becoming an empty shell for other companies’ services.

    Why do I care when I already benefit from the other options? Your users expect superior hardware and software integration, with services and apps that compete—all the while protecting user data, as has been your stated mission. That’s what I hope to see at your upcoming developer conference, and here are particular areas where I hope to see it:

    Smarter Siri

    Five years in, Siri is still great for setting an alarm or making a phone call. But she can’t carry on a conversation or execute complex tasks across many apps and services the way her rivals can.

    Amazon’s Alexa is only in the Echo speaker in my living room, not with me 24/7, yet she is the closest thing I have to a computer-based valet. Alexa is always listening, quicker to respond (even if she doesn’t always know the answer as well as Siri) and works with third-party apps.

    She can get me an Uber, she can order flowers via 1-800-FLOWERS, she can play Backstreet Boys on Spotify. Plus, unlike the hands-free “Hey Siri” prompt on my iPhone 6s, I don’t have to scream her name repeatedly when standing on the other side of the room. Microsoft’s Cortana integrated in Windows 10 may not yet work with third-party apps, either, but it is similarly responsive on the Dell XPS 13 from a few feet away.

    The upcoming Google Assistant also promises to be able to carry a conversation. Available across apps and in a new Google Home speaker, the nongendered assistant will be able to help buy movie tickets and make dinner reservations without you typing or tapping.

    I hope the reports that you may be rolling out third-party app support for Siri and integrating her into the Mac are true. Your colleagues at Apple wouldn’t comment on the speculation when I asked.

    Still, that won’t beat Google’s real competitive advantage: data-driven, predictive suggestions. While Siri reminded me that I had to leave for my 3 p.m. flight to Hong Kong on Monday, the Google iPhone app did that, too—and then piled on loads of helpful information: currency exchange, weather forecast, time zone info, even tourist destinations I should consider seeing. Siri exhibited similar shortcomings on the road when I compared your CarPlay to Google’s Android Auto.

    What makes Google better at this, of course, is its cloud-based data collection. It has records of what I search for in its search engine or in its Maps service, and also knows the contents of my email. By crunching all of that, Google has a pretty good picture of me.

    You, on the other hand, have said Apple doesn’t want my data. You do most of the processing on the phone itself, away from the eyes of advertisers or hackers. While I applaud and appreciate your assurance of privacy, my worry is that you simply can’t afford to maintain that mentality when the competition has such a great advantage—and users haven’t shied away from their services.

    At what point do you admit you need more user data? Your users trust you, but I don’t envy your position
    . (Um, ok, this part sounds way too slavish. I don't want my data protected. please rape me.). .....Rest of column: Dear Apple, Please Make the iPhone Smarter - WSJ
    06-02-16 08:31 AM
  2. Dunt Dunt Dunt's Avatar
    What makes Google better at this, of course, is its cloud-based data collection. It has records of what I search for in its search engine or in its Maps service, and also knows the contents of my email. By crunching all of that, Google has a pretty good picture of me.
    That might be why some BlackBerry users would prefer iOS over Android.....

    I think Apple knows their customers... more isn't always better. I had to turn off Google Now Suggestions, as I was being bombard with info about my area that I didn't need or want.
    anon(5597702) and FF22 like this.
    06-02-16 08:37 AM
  3. ohaiguise's Avatar
    Phones are getting bigger and bigger and loaded with more and more crap ...

    Perfect opportunity for a niche QWERTY manufacturer with clean, efficient software?
    06-02-16 08:45 AM
  4. PantherBlitz's Avatar
    There is absolutely no way I would ever consent to a microphone being placed in my house. How lazy is this guy? Uber is too hard to use via touchscreen?? smh ...
    David Tyler likes this.
    06-02-16 11:49 AM
  5. Polt's Avatar
    There is absolutely no way I would ever consent to a microphone being placed in my house. How lazy is this guy? Uber is too hard to use via touchscreen?? smh ...
    You can't blame a guy for wanting to use the 'coolest' modern smartphone features, although I agree most of them are pretty pointless, I have cortana silenced on windows 10, but I at least know she functions, and I can turn her on if I wanted to.
    06-02-16 12:00 PM
  6. Ment's Avatar
    There is absolutely no way I would ever consent to a microphone being placed in my house. How lazy is this guy? Uber is too hard to use via touchscreen?? smh ...
    The Android vision from Google is that you interact with it like with the Star Trek computer. What became Google Now started out as Project Majel. Now you understand why Google has invested billions in AI.

    From 2013:
    “It comes up often,” Singhal added. “For instance, we might say, ‘Captain Kirk never pulled out a keyboard to ask a question.’ So in that way it becomes one of the design principles—we see that because the Star Trek computer actively relies on speech, if we want to do that we need to work to push the barrier of speech recognition and machine understanding.”
    06-02-16 12:06 PM
  7. johnny_bravo72's Avatar
    The Android vision from Google is that you interact with it like with the Star Trek computer. What became Google Now started out as Project Majel. Now you understand why Google has invested billions in AI.

    From 2013:
    Yup. Because keyboards are so... quaint.


    *A3-A20
    06-02-16 12:36 PM
  8. PantherBlitz's Avatar
    The Android vision from Google is that you interact with it like with the Star Trek computer. What became Google Now started out as Project Majel.
    Kirk's computer was not sending information about him to a large corporate commercial enterprise selling said info to other interested parties.
    06-02-16 01:11 PM
  9. Ment's Avatar
    Kirk's computer was not sending information about him to a large corporate commercial enterprise selling said info to other interested parties.
    Privacy is certainly a concern for many people. What info about YOU is Google selling. Everytime I ask this question its crickets. Perhaps the fact Google is in the ad selling business and not the raw data selling business might be a guide.
    06-02-16 01:25 PM
  10. BerrySoul's Avatar
    Android is crap. BB10 rules on my books.

    Posted via CB10
    06-02-16 01:52 PM
  11. Prem WatsApp's Avatar
    Phones are getting bigger and bigger and loaded with more and more crap ...

    Perfect opportunity for a niche QWERTY manufacturer with clean, efficient software?
    Ouch... don't stir the possums too much, mate! :-D

    �   There's a Crack in the Berry right now...   �
    john_v and jaydee5799 like this.
    06-03-16 12:27 AM
  12. cbvinh's Avatar
    I think Apple knows their customers... more isn't always better. I had to turn off Google Now Suggestions, as I was being bombard with info about my area that I didn't need or want.
    I still don't get why people are cool with giving Apple their credit card info. Sure, you can enter and then delete it, or even enter a fake one and leave it at that, but Apple always demands one.
    06-03-16 02:29 AM
  13. anon(9742832)'s Avatar
    Privacy is certainly a concern for many people. What info about YOU is Google selling. Everytime I ask this question its crickets. Perhaps the fact Google is in the ad selling business and not the raw data selling business might be a guide.
    WOW facts not in evidence.........what do they sell............hmmmm..............photos....for like matching.......................contacts........... ..hmmm so they can reach out (better for you....so they say).....................and the list goes on...........That said Google is not the villain the morons who blindly use systems like this....then will proudly say "I have nothing to hide". Yup the slow witted will inherit the earth ...................should this hurt anyone's feelings.......a safe space is available for thumb sucking.......down the road.

    WooF!
    06-03-16 06:42 AM
  14. blackburberry's Avatar
    There is absolutely no way I would ever consent to a microphone being placed in my house. How lazy is this guy? Uber is too hard to use via touchscreen?? smh ...
    He's a journalist and as such uses artistic licence to embellish his writing.
    06-03-16 07:59 AM
  15. MikeX74's Avatar
    I still don't get why people are cool with giving Apple their credit card info. Sure, you can enter and then delete it, or even enter a fake one and leave it at that, but Apple always demands one.
    Why not? It's not as if Apple would sell it.
    06-03-16 07:59 AM
  16. blackburberry's Avatar
    I still don't get why people are cool with giving Apple their credit card info. Sure, you can enter and then delete it, or even enter a fake one and leave it at that, but Apple always demands one.
    To make transactions easier/quicker. Many consumers are impulse buyers and Apple facilitates this. A symbiotic relationship that not everyone is forced to enter.
    TgeekB likes this.
    06-03-16 08:03 AM
  17. MikeX74's Avatar
    To make transactions easier/quicker. Many consumers are impulse buyers and Apple facilitates this. A symbiotic relationship that not everyone is forced to enter.
    Agreed. Buying things from Apple b&m stores(accessories, mostly) is quite possibly the easiest and painless retail experience I've had, mostly because of the way they tie a credit card to an Apple ID. With the store app, you can pay for things without ever having to deal with an employee. Open the app, scan the barcode, authorize the use of the cc on file, and you're done.
    06-03-16 10:39 AM
  18. Ment's Avatar
    WOW facts not in evidence.........what do they sell............hmmmm..............photos....for like matching.......................contacts........... ..hmmm so they can reach out (better for you....so they say).....................and the list goes on...........That said Google is not the villain the morons who blindly use systems like this....then will proudly say "I have nothing to hide". Yup the slow witted will inherit the earth ...................should this hurt anyone's feelings.......a safe space is available for thumb sucking.......down the road.

    WooF!
    You state facts not in evidence yet give no evidence. Is that how this works? Don't conflate search indexing of public info with actual selling of your private info either.
    mornhavon and hplovecraft like this.
    06-03-16 10:52 AM
  19. Thud Hardsmack's Avatar
    It's interesting to see the two relatively newer companies being discussed beat the two older powerhouses to the home automation scene. Bill Gates had that idea back when he was in charge at Microsoft, but obviously tech wasn't quite there yet.
    06-03-16 02:23 PM
  20. AluminiumRims's Avatar
    I think this article sums it up pretty well why I don't want to use Android.

    I don't want my private data to be collected
    I don't want to store my private data somewhere in a "cloud" I don't know where
    I don't want to be bothered with targeted ads
    I don't want to speak to or have conversations with my mobile phones
    I don't want any AI of either Facebook or Google to "take care of things" for me

    That's why I like BB10, because I can use it like a traditional phone or computer. I does the job I want without getting bothered with ads or stupid conversations with an AI. Call me old fashioned but I also use a Filofax for certain things and guess what, it works well for me.

    So Wall Street tries to force Google upon us and collect our privacy but I don't want it.
    TCB on Z10 likes this.
    06-03-16 04:00 PM
  21. app_Developer's Avatar
    Privacy is certainly a concern for many people. What info about YOU is Google selling. Everytime I ask this question its crickets. Perhaps the fact Google is in the ad selling business and not the raw data selling business might be a guide.
    I don't think people understand how advertising works. If Google sold personal info, Google wouldn't have a business as large as they do. They are smarter than that.
    mornhavon, JeepBB, john_v and 2 others like this.
    06-03-16 04:13 PM
  22. anon(9742832)'s Avatar
    You state facts not in evidence yet give no evidence. Is that how this works? Don't conflate search indexing of public info with actual selling of your private info either.
    what ever you say..........
    06-03-16 05:08 PM
  23. v0id_walker's Avatar
    I think this article sums it up pretty well why I don't want to use Android.

    I don't want my private data to be collected
    I don't want to store my private data somewhere in a "cloud" I don't know where
    I don't want to be bothered with targeted ads
    I don't want to speak to or have conversations with my mobile phones
    I don't want any AI of either Facebook or Google to "take care of things" for me

    That's why I like BB10, because I can use it like a traditional phone or computer. I does the job I want without getting bothered with ads or stupid conversations with an AI. Call me old fashioned but I also use a Filofax for certain things and guess what, it works well for me.

    So Wall Street tries to force Google upon us and collect our privacy but I don't want it.
    Just wondering, have you ever used google? Cause then they have your IP and your search quesry. So they already know some stuff about you anyway.(And yes, they can easily say if you are a caucasian, male with a little bit of healthy paranoia. and so on, according to your search queries. My god, facebook has lagorithms that can say if you are gay or not without you giving them any info, just by the way you browse...)
    And they do not care much about personal data, its global dataminig (I wont say its entirely harmless, but as long as they are not sellling it to govs, I don't mind) I actually trust my goverment less than I trust google...

    And I would wish BB10 would survive, but this way... it has nothing. It has almost no opensource development, hence, appgap, no ulocked bootloader, hence, slow or nonexistent OS development etc. And if you dont trust google, you can always go AOSP with 0 google integration. And you still get android.
    06-03-16 05:22 PM
  24. cbvinh's Avatar
    Agreed. Buying things from Apple b&m stores(accessories, mostly) is quite possibly the easiest and painless retail experience I've had, mostly because of the way they tie a credit card to an Apple ID. With the store app, you can pay for things without ever having to deal with an employee. Open the app, scan the barcode, authorize the use of the cc on file, and you're done.
    I had the opposite experience. It was the most convoluted buying experience.

    I wanted a MacBook Air with 8 GB of RAM. I went to a brick and mortar store thinking I could just buy one and have it that day. Nope. The employee told me that 8 GB was an unusual order that they would need a custom order for. (MacBook Air's either had 4 GB or 8 GB; that's it! Two RAM configs and they /only/ stocked 4 GB.) He then proceeded to try to convince me that I only needed 4 GB by launching a few apps, only to show how sluggish things got. (Whoops!) I reiterated that I wanted 8 GB so he walked me over to an iMac and wanted to walk me through ordering one online! (I could have done this at home without his assistance!) The order page said the order would be ready in 2-4 weeks. I asked the employee if this was the case and he said it would probably come earlier, but that was the expected timeline. Since I was going to be in another city for the holidays, I entered the pick-up to be at the Apple Store in the other city. Four days later, I got an email saying the Air was ready for pick-up, in the other city! The problem, of course, was that I hadn't left yet and wouldn't be for another week. I went back to the Apple Store to have them redirect the Air to them. They couldn't do it, Apple Store to Apple Store. (It's not like I was having it sent to some private address.) I would have to cancel the order and wait for a refund and meanwhile, I could charge for another Air to arrive at their store. I decided to pick-up at the other store... but then I learned there was a time limit on how long they would hold the Air for before canceling the order, about 10 days. I ended up picking up the Air one day before they would have canceled the order.

    I detailed all this to Apple in the post-purchase customer satisfaction survey. A rep actually called me and wanted to know if I remembered the names of any employees involved. No way I was going to get employees reprimanded or fired for poor store stocking inventories, poor policies and wildly off shipping estimates.
    06-03-16 05:34 PM
  25. Ment's Avatar
    I think this article sums it up pretty well why I don't want to use Android.

    I don't want my private data to be collected
    I don't want to store my private data somewhere in a "cloud" I don't know where
    I don't want to be bothered with targeted ads
    I don't want to speak to or have conversations with my mobile phones
    I don't want any AI of either Facebook or Google to "take care of things" for me

    That's why I like BB10, because I can use it like a traditional phone or computer. I does the job I want without getting bothered with ads or stupid conversations with an AI. Call me old fashioned but I also use a Filofax for certain things and guess what, it works well for me.

    So Wall Street tries to force Google upon us and collect our privacy but I don't want it.
    These are valid points to avoid Google services or other cloud/social network services, so I can certainly respect your reasoning. The other tin-foil meanderings can go in the circular file.
    SparkBerryBold likes this.
    06-03-16 05:35 PM
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