Comment: Samsung buying Viv is bad news for the future of Siri, but all is not lost
As regular readers will know, I’m a long-time fan of Siri. It’s my default way to interact with my iPhone: from checking the weather forecast through opening apps to dictating text messages. It was the sole reason I upgraded from the iPhone 4 to the 4S back in the day.
At the same time, I’ve also long wanted Siri to do more. Last month, Apple finally granted the request I made last year: to give her access to third-party apps. But I was also hoping then for more – much more – while Apple seems to be content to expand Siri’s capabilities at a relatively leisurely pace.
Many of Siri’s original developers, it turned out, had also grown frustrated at Apple’s apparent lack of ambition for the intelligent assistant. They wanted to proceed at a much faster pace, and finally parted company with Apple to develop a next-generation assistant, Viv. The demonstration they gave back in May seriously impressed me, and I said then than Viv was what Siri should always have become …
Filed under: Apple
Former NSA staffer demonstrates Mac malware that can tap into live webcam and mic feeds
Security researcher and former NSA staffer Patrick Wardle is this afternoon demonstrating a way for Mac malware to tap into live feeds from the built-in webcam and microphone. His presentation is being delivered at the Virus Bulletin conference in Denver later today.
Although any unauthorized access to the webcam will light the green LED – a firmware-level protection that is exceedingly difficult to bypass – Wardle’s presentation shows how a malicious app can tap into the outgoing feed of an existing webcam session, like a FaceTime or Skype call, where the light would already be on …
Filed under: Apple
Search ads start showing up in iOS App Store, early examples not encouraging
Apple recently started offering developers the opportunity to buy search ads in the App Store, allowing their apps to be shown when users search for particular keywords. Those ads have now started showing up for U.S. users.
Filed under: Apple
Apple’s new ‘Orchard’ program aims to discover the next best marketing talent
Apple has quietly created a new program called Orchard with the goal of seeking out the next best marketing talent. Job listings have been appearing gradually over the past few weeks for the program, but Apple this evening has launched a new Orchard page on its website that talks about the program.
Filed under: Apple
Samsung acquires Viv, the AI bot developed by the original creators of Siri
Over the last year, the artificial intelligence assistant “Viv” has garnered a lot of attention. Viv was cofounded by Dag Kittlaus, Adam Cheyer and Chris Brigham, the original creaters of Siri, and has been billed as a more powerful and more capable personal assistant than Siri. Now, TechCrunch reports that Samsung has acquired Viv and plans to implement it into its devices.
Filed under: Apple
Report: Twitter to make acquisition decision this month, Disney, Salesforce & Alphabet in the running
Twitter has been rumored to be searching for potential buyers since last month, but a new report out of Reuters today suggests that its negotiations could soon come to a close. According to the report, which cites “people familiar with the matter,” Twitter hopes to conclude negotiations with a buyer by the time it releases its Q3 earnings on Ocobter 27th.
Filed under: Apple
Apple inexplicably terminates developer account for popular developer app Dash, apps removed from App Store
For unknown reasons, the developer account associated with popular developer app Dash, a utility tool providing offline API documentation, has been terminated by Apple. Consequently, both Dash apps for iOS and macOS have been pulled from the respective App Stores, crippling the developer’s business model in an instant without any explanation. The iOS app cannot be sold outside of the App Store, but the Mac version is now only available through the developer’s site.
What is particularly strange is that Apple gave no reason for the removal, after years of Dash existing in the App Store without issue. In a blog post describing the situation, the company says they literally “don’t know” what happened …
Filed under: Apple
Apple’s first iOS App Development Center opens in Naples this week
Apple first announced plans for an iOS App Development Center in Naples earlier this year, confirming in July that the location would open this October. Now, The Guardian reports that Apple’s iOS Developer Academy will open in Naples this week, hosting 200 students for its inaugural program.
Filed under: Apple
Remembering Steve Jobs 5 years on [video]
The Apple community and the world lost Steve Jobs five years ago today. Five years after his passing, enjoy some of the lighter, behind the scenes side of Apple’s co-founder and “Spirit and DNA” of the company in these never before seen in public clips.
Enjoy.
Filed under: Apple
How-To: Use Apple Pay on the web with Safari in iOS 10 and macOS Sierra
Thanks to macOS Sierra and iOS 10, you can now use Apple Pay on the web through Safari. Apple Pay was previously not available on the Mac and required apps for use on the iPhone and iPad. Apple Pay makes checking out online secure and convenient without the need to fill out billing and shipping information with an online form. Here’s how to get started with Apple Pay on the web:
Filed under: Apple