Category Archives: IT News

The iPhone 7 sales of opening weekend showed unimpressive

Apple did not reveal its iPhone 7 sales of opening weekend this year. However, the third party statistics data showed its sales make even with its predecessors’.

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iPhone 7 is available in some countries and regions now. According to the statistics data from Localytics,  iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus penetration are respectively 1% and 0.2% since the release.

As a contrast, iPhone 6s penetration was 1% on opening weekend last year, and iPhone 6s Plus penetration was 0.3%. The media judged that the sales of iPhone 7 are basically even with the one of iPhone 6.

iPhone 6 was the first big-screen edition which released in 2014. Its two models won a great popularity from the market. It even hit the sales record in Apple history. The statistics showed that iPhone 6 penetration reached 2% after opening weekend.

In recent, Apple announced that iPhone 7 Plus equipped with dual cameras would be out of stock soon. What’s more, the American and Japanese operators made hits in pre-orders in its history.

However, the Wall Street and American media felt negative towards the sales of iPhone 7. It still applied the body design of 2014. Apple just upgraded its flash memory and released dual cameras which is far from the expectation from market.

The Nikki news reported that Apple cut 30% of component orders this year as it lost faith in iPhone 7 sales performance. Apple encountered the first sales decline in 13 years owing to drag of iPhone 6s. In addition, Apple iPhone sales declined by 15% in Q1 and Q2.

Is good news to wearable manufacturers that Apple Watch Series 2 featured with fitness function?

Wall Street Journal claimed that Apple Watch 2 emphasizes on sport and fitness functions. It may affect the sales of wearable fitness devices on the market.

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When Apple Watch was initially released two years ago, Tim Cook introduced its functions included email, calendar, weather broadcast and telephone dialing. Cook also mentioned its fitness function for Apple Watch then.

When Apple Watch 2 was debuted last week, its featured functions focus on sport and fitness. COO Jeff Williams stated:”We assume Apple Watch is the ultimate device of healthy life.”

Apple redesigned the new generation of Apple Watch and named it as Apple Watch Series 2. Its water-proof function and stand 50 meters beneath water which owes to the water-proof feature of customized speaker system. Apple addressed the cooperation with Nike and released a sport-theme customized Apple Watch Nike+. It is set with GPS which allows this device track the data of hiking, running and cycling.

Apple sold 12 million Apple Watches since its release. However, Apple Watch did not make a hit as iPhone. It sold 1 billion iPhones in past 9 years. Forrester J.P. Gownder pointed that:” Apple Watch has no core function yet, while it develops into a nice sport and fitness device.”

Brad Erickson claimed that Apple Watch Series 2 will may affect the sales of other wearable fitness devices, including Garmin and Fitbit.

Garmin spokesman said:” Apple Watch will bring more consumers for our wearable fitness devices. It is thrilled that Apple released the similar smart watch. It is a sign that wearable fitness device has been authorized.”

While Fitbit spokesman indicated that there will be enough room for fitness devices growth based on the past records.

Will Snapchat launch AR hardware for joining Bluetooth SIG?

Snapchat joined Bluetooth SIG. It is a strong sign that Snapchat wish to explore its business from apps to hardware. This action plus with the recruitment and acquisition it made in consumer electronics field gave the public an expression that it will launch AR glasses.

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Apple, Google, Microsoft and Faceboook expressed the interest in AR technology. Snapchat applied the similar technology for filter by customizing the snapshots with funny animation.

Snapchat filter has 150 million daily active users so far. It is becoming a online streaming and professional publishing platform. Users can also use this platform to communicate with friends.

Concerning the news of Snapchat launched wearable device could date back to March. CNET claimed then Nokia and Logitech joined a screte research lab.

The capitalization value of Snapchat is said to be over $15 billion. Its major investors include Fidelity. Snapchat has never commented on the plan of hardware development. However, it is an obvious signal that it would expand business in hardware field as it joined Bluetooth SIG.

Being a membership of Bluetooth SIG is necessary to those manufacturers who wish to use wireless devices on hardware. Snapchat has been listed as a membership on Bluetooth SIG official website. It showed that Snapchat has registered a unique identifier.

The confirmed source claimed that Snapcaht had been seeking for OEM to make original helmets in the summer. It implied that Snpachat is in the early stage to launch such product. The helmets won’t be released this year.

The participants of this plan claimed that Snapchat will accelerate the hardware project. It recruited some new employees from Nest and GoPro.

Snapchat spokesman did not make any responds for joining Bluetooth SIG and its development plans.

The development of Facebook AI technology

In the beginning of this year, Mark Zuckerberg set his personal challenger for 2016 was to build a simple AI to run his home and help him with work. He told the audience during the interaction at Facebook Town Hall held in Rome that he would display the AI assistant system at home next month.

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It is said that he can control the lights, gates, inner temperature and even oven with AI assistant. He has no need to use key to open doors as AI system is employed with face recognition, as well as voice control.

Let us learn more about the develoment of Facebook AI technology.

Facebook started arranging the AI technology when Yan LeCun joined the company in 2013. To invite LeCun to join Facebook, Zuckerberg built an AI Lab in Manhattan as LeCun was unwilling to leave New York.

In 2014, its DeepFace technology was highly affirmed in peer assessment report. The accurate rate for face recgonition was 97%.

In the beginning of 2015, Facebook acqured voice command startup Wit.AI and built a voice technology division. Shortly after the acquisition, Facebook Messenger users could transcribe voice messages to text messages.

In June, 2015, Facebook AI Research built lab in Paris in order to recruit more European AI talents.

In 2016, Facebook Asscessibility Team released artificial interlligence technology that describes the provided images with voice for the blind users and visual impaired users.

Zuckerberg displayed how to communicate with chat robots on Messager at F8 meeting. Users can hire a car, order a meal, receive weather forecast and read news on Messenger.

In addition to the development of AI technology, Zuckerberg focuses on VR business. Facebook has been launching VR apps since the acquisition of Oculus.

Zuckerberg once announced Facebook 10 -year roadmap, whose Connectivity, AI and AR/VR would be the major pillar industries.

Pokémon Go seems past its prime

An eight-minute AR film introduced Tokyo with sports, technology, games and animation at the closing ceremony of Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

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Among those Japanese culture symbols, Mario plays an important role. Nintendo benefited from this introduction with stock price increase. It is a bit pity that Pikachu, a symbol of Pokémon Go did not show up in the film.

The market made some bad feedback concerning Pokémon Go. According to the figures of Bloomberg, players show less interest in playing Pokémon Go now.

The daily active users of Pokémon Go came to its prime in the late of July, then it started declining. The Pokémon Go engagement also suffered decline.

Pokémon Go has a great connection with AR technology due to its game feature. Players play this game based on AR technology.

A data made by Google Trends showing that the attention of AR has been increased thanks to Pokémon Go, but AR attention also suffers decline as fewer players play Pokémon Go. In the meanwhile, the attention of Virtual Reality technology keeps stable.

Pokémon Go hasn’t been introduced to mainland China yet. Its prime attention occurred in mid July and then declined after a week.

It enjoyed a great popularity when Pokémon Go was just introduced to a new market. For example, it attracted a great amount of players in Pokémon Go stops or gyms a month ago in Hong Kong.

The popularity of Pokémon Go recorded the development of smartphone on the other hand. Time will tell us how far Pokémon Go goes.

Google releases Duo for Cross-Platform video call service

Will Google call users from iOS and Android platforms together? It works as it released Duo by which a one-to-one video call app. It is said that Google released Duo at 2016 Google I/O conference in May. It is now available for users.

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Duo supports 78 languages. It is obviously that Duo is considered as a competitor of FaceTime. iOS users can make video call to their friends who use Android system with Duo.

It is a pity that Google Duo is unable to create group voice call, make video processing and text chat.

Nick Fox, vice president of Google Consumer Communication product management department, claimed they focused on simplicity, speed & stability and humanity factor for Duo.

Users can access Duo without Google accounts. The app will show users their current calls or telephone contact list on the bottom of main interface. It sets a shortcut key of accessing contact list. It will enter the full screen mode as long as the video call is made. If your friend fail to answer your calling, he will receive a notification of missed call.

The most innovative feature of Duo is considered as Knock-Knock. It sounds like knocks when you stop by a friend’s. Users can receive the scenes before their friends answer the video call.

It is weird that Duo can not connect with other Google messaging apps or website. It can possibly be forgotten by users shortly.

Google has Duo, Allo, Google Chat, Android SMS, Spaces, RCS and Hangouts. It previously announced to end Hangouts soon. Its communication business still requires more focuses.

iPhone 7 Special Event held on September 7

It is reported that iPhone 7 Special Event will be held on September 7. The confirmed source revealed that Apple has been testing MacBook Pro since the beginning of this year.

Apple has less opportunity to dispaly MacBook Pro update on September 7. Up to now, Apple spokesman Bill Evans made no comment on this new.s

Since the release of iPad in 2010, Steve Jobs once considered it as post-PC device. It indicated iPad would be the replacement of laptop. However, the release of MacBook Pro surprised the public. Mac products included pro line contributed $25.5 billion revenue in 2015 fiscal year, increaed by 6%, while iPad revenue declined by 23%, down to $23.2 billion.

Apple research statistics showed that consumers would upgrade their iPad each three years, upgrade iPhone each 18to 24 months. This is why iPad sales encountered decline after 2013.

MacBook Pro upgrades its touch screen bard for key board. Some analyst predicted it would apply thinner and lighter OLED for MacBook Pro eary this year.

MacBook Pro is said to save more energy than the current products. It will apply AMD chip while it used to apply Intel product. It is unclear the updated Macbook Pro is equipped with which processor.

It is said that MacBook Pro supports USB-C technology. It will offer three color options for consumers as iPhone, iPad and 12-inch MacBook did.

Apple may apply Touch ID for MacBook Pro line. Technically, MacBook Pro is supposed to support Apple Pay certification.

Amazon plans to open Alexa to all home appliances

Amazon released its first voice assistant Echo in November, 2014, with fantastic means to display music, turn on lights and adjust temperatures. By this June, Amazon had sold 3 million Echo devices. It sold about one million Echo during summer vacation in 2015. Echo received 4.5 rating score in Amazon website.

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Echo is supported by Alexa which was launched by Amazon independently. As the core part of Amazon product in voice recgnition field, Alexa is available to all developers though their applications made threats to Echo.

Besides Alexa, Apple also launched its own voice assistant Siri. Recently, Google debuted Google Assistant. While Microsoft has Cortana to compete some share in recent years. Until now, only Amazon opens its API to developers and enjoys a great popularity for all kinds of app creation.

Alexa has been applied to Uber for taxi reservation. Users can also apply Alexa to order pizza on Domino platform.

Amazon obtained over 10,000 developers since it open Alexa. David Limp, senior vice president of Amazon hardware department, claimed Alexa would be connected to more home appliances regardless of their manufacturers.

“Our long-term goal is to operate Alexa as the Central Computer of Star Trek Beyond does,” said Limp. It must be wonderful to control everything by voice as it does in the movie.

Amazon faced much pressure from Apple and Google since the failure of Fire Phone in smartphone market. Now, they can popularize their own voice assistants on Google and Apple smartphones. In other worlds, the failure of Fire Phone led to the success of Alexa as Amazon could focus on the development of voice recognition system.

Worldwide market share of Microsoft Edge is far behind Google Chrome

Microsoft Edge is the default browse of Windows 10 operating system. With the popularity of Windows 10 OS, it is said that Microsoft Edge will obtain more users. However, the statistics show the negative feedback.

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Edge browse just maintained its users in June, 2016. It still needs to take time to win more users to rival Firefox and Google Chrome. In fact, the user share of Google Chrome keeps increasing each month.

Though the worldwide market share of Windows 10 increased by 2% in July, it did not help much for Edge to obtain more users.

By now, Google Chrome ranks No.1 among PC browsers, with a total market share of 50.95%. Microsoft IE market share comes with 29.60%, but it keeps declining as Microsoft just upgrades patches instead of upgrading new features for this browser version.

So far, worldwide market share of Mozilla Firefox among PC devices accounts for 8.12%, while Microsoft Edge is just only 5.09%.

Microsoft aims to obtain more market share of Edge with the Anniversary updates of Windows 10. The major Windows 10 anniversary update for Edge is to offer it plug-ins. Microsoft plans to support Edge plug-ins on Google Chrome without changing any plug-ins.

In the meanwhile, Edge will be upgraded with more features, such as Touch gesture navigation and other performances based on Touch devices.

There is no doubt that Edge has great potential to increase market share. However, it needs to keep upgrading its performance to catch up with Google Chrome.

Popular Programming Languages: Python, JavaScript and Java

Packt Publishing, the biggest worldwide publisher concerning programming books, investigated that JavaScript and Python are the most popular programming languages, Java comes with 3rd.

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The survey was done by interviewing 11,000 interviewers. They also answered some other questions, including what programming languages they used, favorite frameworks and salary.

The survey showed the top 10 programming languages based on web developers used each day: JavaScript, Python, Java, PHP,HTML,C#, SQL, CSS, C++ and R.

Packt Publishing also found that the income of web developer is not the direc proportion to the popularity of programming languages. For example, The annual average salary of Bash, Perl, Scala web developers is over $80,000, while PHP and C web developers is under$ 40,000.

In terms of tools used by web developers, AngularJS ranks first. Followed React.js frameworks of Facebook, Node.js, Docker, Laravel, Bootstrap, WordPress and AWS.

The most popular programming languages in a few years ago were Swift, C#, Go, Rust and Elixir. The most popular new Frameworks are Docker, Apache Spark, Amazon Web Services, Hadoop, Azure, Xamarin and so on.

Rasmussen College posted an article in May, 2015 that the following 14 programming languages earned much for web developers among hundreds of programming languages: Ruby, Objective-C, Python, Java, C, Perl, JavaScript, Shell, C#, C++, R, SQL, PHP and Visual Basic.