The Transport Guy: What to expect from Apple in 2017 (AAPL)

Steve Kovach December 31, 2016 at 05:00AM

2016 was a bit of an off year for Apple.

iPhone sales were down for the first time in the product's history.

The iPhone 7 turned out to be a great phone, but Apple upset a lot of people by removing the headphone jack.

The AirPods were delayed two months, meaning most people couldn't get them in time for the holidays. (You'll have to wait until February 2017 for them to arrive if you order them now.)

And Consumer Reports torched the new MacBook Pro for its inconsistent battery life.

So what does 2017 look like for Apple? Here's what I predict will dominate the conversation around Apple's products next year. It's not an all-inclusive list, but it's the stuff you'll likely care the most about.

New iPads

It feels like an eternity since Apple had anything to say about the iPad. We got the new 9.7-inch iPad Pro this past spring, but every other iPad model is one to three years old at this point. 

The lineup is well overdue for a refresh, and it sounds like that may be coming soon.

Rumors are all over the place, but it sounds like Apple is planning to release some new iPad models in the spring of 2017. Some reports say the new iPads will have slightly larger screens (10 inches, up from 9.7 inches), and that the non-Pro models will work with the Apple Pencil.

Unfortunately, the early reports about the new crop of iPads are so consistent that it's tough to lock down exactly what Apple will end up launching. But it is pretty clear Apple's 2017 will start with the iPad.

A greater emphasis on Siri

Two of Apple's biggest rivals doubled down on voice assistants this year, leaving Siri in the dust.

Google launched its excellent new Assistant on the Pixel phone and Google Home speaker. Assistant can tap into Google's vast library of internet knowledge to bring you the answers you want.

Amazon continued to define the voice assistant category by expanding Alexa to new Echo devices like the Dot and Amazon Tap. Plus, third parties started integrating Alexa into their gadgets. (Expect to see so much more of that in 2017, by the way.)

Despite its five-year head start on the competition, Siri still feels woefully behind. Apple added limited third-party support for Siri, but there are few signs it's really taking off. 

What could we see from Siri in 2017?

The good news for Apple is it's sitting on a lot of excellent AI and voice control technology, especially thanks to its purchase of a UK-based startup called VocalIQ. I wrote about VocalIQ way back in May. The technology would allow users to control all their Apple gadgets with just their voice, which will be useful in the home, car, and while using the AirPods.

Here's what I reported at the time:

Because VocalIQ understands context so well, it essentially eliminates the need to look at a screen for confirmation that it’s doing what you want it to do. That’s useful on the phone, but could be even better for other ambitious projects like the car or smart-speaker system Apple is reportedly building. (VocalIQ was being pitched as a voice-controlled AI platform for cars before Apple bought the company.)

In fact, VocalIQ only considers itself a success when the user is able to complete a task without looking at a screen. Siri, Google Now, and Cortana often ask you to confirm tasks by tapping on the screen.

2017 would be a great time for Apple to start incorporating VocalIQ's technology into Siri, considering how far ahead the competition is today.

Another dull year for the Mac

The only thing of note to happen with the Mac this year was the launch of the new MacBook Pro. And even that was met with a lot of anger. Many were upset that they had to purchase a lot of adapters to get their accessories to work with the new Thunderbolt 3 port. And then everyone learned the MacBook Pro's battery life was nowhere near as good as Apple claimed.

Bummer.

It doesn't look like much more is in store for the Mac in 2017. The iMac could get a spec bump and the battery life on the MacBook Pro could (and should!) get fixed, but don't expect much else.

Modest improvements to the Apple Watch

Apple learned a major lesson with the Apple Watch, and has since scaled back expectations for the device and focused on health and fitness instead with the new Apple Watch Series 2. It's unlikely the Apple Watch will get a significant update in 2017, but I wouldn't be surprised if a new model showed up with 4G connectivity so you could use it without your iPhone.

A major iPhone refresh

2017 will mark the iPhone's tenth anniversary, and it sounds like Apple is gearing up for a blowout.

The next iPhone is said to be a major refresh with an all-glass design, no bezels around the screen, and possibly a version with a curved display. Not to mention wireless charging, the death of the home button, and a new screen technology called OLED, which provides deeper, richer colors. By now there are so many reputable reports backing up these claims that it's silly not to believe them.

The iPhone is Apple's most important and profitable product. If it feels like the company has shifted focus from other categories to focus on the iPhone, it's easy to see why. It's the product you're going to care the most about and spend the most money on. Expect to start seeing the first design leaks early in 2017.

Rebound?

After a year full of various stumbles, Apple is exiting 2016 on shakier ground than it started. Besides the next iPhone, there doesn't seem to be too much coming in the pipeline to get super excited about. The big challenge for Apple in 2017 will be to unlock more potential from its products by continuing to improve where it's always been the weakest: AI, software, and other digital services.

SEE ALSO: The latest 2017 iPhone rumors

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A security expert explains why you should put tape over your laptop camera

What to expect from Apple in 2017 (AAPL) from Business Insider: Steve Kovach

The Transport Guy: How to use Signal, the app that lets you send encrypted messages from your smartphone

Steve Kovach December 27, 2016 at 08:12AM

After a nasty year of hacks and leaks, it's only natural to wonder how you can keep your own digital communication private.

One app promising to do just that is rapidly growing in popularity.

Signal is an encrypted messaging app that lets you send photos or text messages. You can also make secure voice calls over a data network. That means the only people who can see the messages you send are you and the person who receives them.

There's a lot of work that goes on in the background to make it all possible, but just know Signal is one of the best at keeping everything secure. In fact, Signal says it saw a 400% increase in sign ups in the week after the US presidential election in November.

You can download Signal for iPhone or Android for free. And keep reading to see how the app works. And listen for more about encryption in our lives in the latest episode of our podcast, Codebreaker, from Marketplace and Business Insider. 

SEE ALSO: The first 13 apps you should download for your iPhone

Signal is one of several encrypted messaging apps for smartphones. But it's often perceived as one of the best.

The app is dead simple. Here's the inbox where incoming messages live.

You sign up with your cell phone number. The app can automatically detect which of your contacts also use signal.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

How to use Signal, the app that lets you send encrypted messages from your smartphone from Business Insider: Steve Kovach

The Transport Guy: The first 13 apps you should download for your new iPhone (AAPL)

Steve Kovach December 24, 2016 at 09:00AM

New iPhone? Time to load it up with apps. 

If you're just getting started with a brand new iPhone, here are the apps you should check out first. We already know you're going to download Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, and the like, so we picked some other options and hidden gems you might not normally think about.

SEE ALSO: Wearables are dead

Super Mario Run

It's the first Super Mario game for the iPhone, and it's as awesome as you'd expect.

"Super Mario Run" is a fresh take on the franchise. Instead of using directional controls, Mario is always moving forward. You just tap the screen to perform jumps and make it through each level.

Our only complaint: The game is pretty short. You can beat it in a few hours.

Price: Free to play the first few levels, but you have to pay $9.99 to unlock the full game.

Download it here.

Google Photos

Google Photos gives you unlimited online storage for all your photos and videos.

But it's more than that. The app also lets you search by object and automatically groups your photos into albums. It's much better than Apple's Photos app that comes with your iPhone.

Price: Free

Download it here.

Microsoft Solitaire

Microsoft's iconic card game is finally on the iPhone, and it's the perfect way to kill some time.

Price: Free

Download it here.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The first 13 apps you should download for your new iPhone (AAPL) from Business Insider: Steve Kovach

The Transport Guy: Mark Zuckerberg has flip-flopped on his fake news stance since the election (FB)

Steve Kovach December 21, 2016 at 01:16PM

Less than two months after the US presidential election, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's stance on his company's role as a news distributor has evolved quite a bit.

On Wednesday, Zuckerberg hosted a Facebook Live video chat with the company's COO Sheryl Sandberg where the two recapped the year and talked about what they were looking forward to in 2017.

Zuckerberg also briefly addressed the controversy of fake news that spread throughout Facebook during the election.

Here's what he said:

Facebook is a new kind of platform. It's not a traditional technology company. It's not a traditional media company. You know, we build technology and we feel responsible for how it's used. We don't write the news that people read on the platform, but at the same time we also know that we do a lot more than just distribute the news, and we're an important part of the public discourse.

That statement is a reversal from Zuckerberg's stance just one day after the election when he was speaking at the Techonomy conference:

Personally, I think the idea that fake news on Facebook, it's a very small amount of the content, influenced the election in any way is a pretty crazy idea.

He went on to imply that most people were smart enough to determine on their own what's fake and what's real.

Still, studies like this one from BuzzFeed were published that showed hoaxes and fake news stories, like the Pope endorsing Donald Trump for president, were some of the most shared and engaging stories on Facebook.

Zuckerberg's comments stirred up a bit of controversy immediately after the election, and he massaged his stance in a post on his Facebook page, saying:

Of all the content on Facebook, more than 99% of what people see is authentic. Only a very small amount is fake news and hoaxes. The hoaxes that do exist are not limited to one partisan view, or even to politics. Overall, this makes it extremely unlikely hoaxes changed the outcome of this election in one direction or the other.

That said, we don't want any hoaxes on Facebook. Our goal is to show people the content they will find most meaningful, and people want accurate news. We have already launched work enabling our community to flag hoaxes and fake news, and there is more we can do here. We have made progress, and we will continue to work on this to improve further.

Last week, Facebook made good on those remarks and started rolling out new tools that let users and third-party fact-checkers like Snopes flag stories as fake news.

And that brings us back to Zuckerberg's statement Wednesday on the Facebook Live video with Sandberg.

Weeks after pushing aside any responsibility in the way people consume news, Zuckerberg now seems to realize Facebook is as much a media company as it is a technology company. He's right to say "it's not a traditional media company," of course, but there is a responsibility as a distributor of media that goes along with the awesome power of informing such a massive audience. 

SEE ALSO: We're asking tech execs the wrong question about fake news

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Here's why your iPhone has a tiny hole next to the camera

Mark Zuckerberg has flip-flopped on his fake news stance since the election (FB) from Business Insider: Steve Kovach

The Transport Guy: Lawsuit claims Google employees can't write novels about working in Silicon Valley without permission first (GOOG, GOOGL)

Steve Kovach December 20, 2016 at 01:57PM

If you're an aspiring novelist at Google, you may need approval before putting pen to paper.

In a strange portion of Google's internal confidentiality policy found by The Information in an employee lawsuit against the company, employees are not allowed to write novels about working at a Silicon Valley tech company without Google's approval first.

Weird.

That's not the main complaint in the lawsuit, which was filed by an anonymous Google employee earlier this week, but it is one of several bizarre allegations about the company's policies designed to protect the company from leaks and legal threats. For example, the lawsuit says employees are supposed to report when they suspect colleagues are digging for information that could be leaked outside the company. Those kinds of policies are illegal, according to the lawsuit.

We've reached out to Google for comment.

You can read more about the case in The Information.

SEE ALSO: Alphabet keeps losing its top executives

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: This quarter-mile wall folds out of a truck in 60 seconds to protect soldiers

Lawsuit claims Google employees can't write novels about working in Silicon Valley without permission first (GOOG, GOOGL) from Business Insider: Steve Kovach

The Transport Guy: REVIEW: Apple's new AirPods are good, but get ready to make a lot of tradeoffs (AAPL)

Steve Kovach December 20, 2016 at 01:10PM

Better late than never.

After a two-month delay, Apple's new wireless headphones, the AirPods, are available.

Well, sort of. Good luck getting a pair before Christmas. Supplies are extremely limited. But hey, there's always eBay if you don't mind paying $300 or more!

Overall, I mostly enjoy the AirPods, and while there's a bit of sticker shock, I think they're mostly worth the $159 if you want to go wireless.

After testing the final version of the AirPods for a few days, it seems like Apple knocked out a lot of the glitches I've experienced while testing the pre-production model over the last few months.

They're not perfect, but they're probably the best option you have now that the headphone jack is gone from the iPhone 7. I already wrote a review of the pre-production AirPods back in September. For the most part, everything I wrote there holds true.

But now that AirPods are here for everyone, it's worth revisiting them. Let's take another look.

Pairing

The best feature in the AirPods has nothing to do with audio at all. It's how Apple fixed the annoying Bluetooth pairing process. Instead of digging through your settings, all you have to do is flip open the AirPods case while holding it close to your iPhone. A card pops up that prompts you to pair, and you're all set.

This is thanks to the special W1 chip inside each AirPod. The W1 chip also tells your iPhone when the AirPods are in your ears so music will only play when you're wearing them. It's amazing that it took this long for someone to solve the hassle of pairing Bluetooth accessories.

Sound quality

No complaints here. While the AirPods don't sound as good as high-end, over-the-ear headphones, they sound just about the same as the wired EarPods that come with your iPhone. For me, that's good enough. But if you're a hardcore audio nerd, you probably shouldn't be using earbuds anyway.

Siri and voice controls

The AirPods have a built-in microphone for phone calls and controlling Siri. A double tap on one of the AirPods activates Siri. From there, you can use it as you normally would, making a phone call, having your text messages read to you, setting a reminder, and so on.

I'm not a heavy Siri user, but it is an interesting way to interact with the iPhone, as long as you can get past looking like a weirdo while muttering to yourself in public. But there are some problems when you rely on Siri for everything, which I'll get to in a bit.

Battery life

It's rare I get to say this about a new gadget, but battery life on the AirPods is really good. Apple says you can get up to five hours per charge, which seems about right based on my experience. But you can also top up the battery on the go using the charging case, even if it's not plugged in. I was able to get well over a day's use out of a single charge this way.

Plus, you should always pop your AirPods back in the case when you're finished anyway. You're going to lose them if you don't. And Apple will charge you $69 for a replacement AirPod. 

Do they fall out?

That depends. I've used the AirPods at the gym, running on the treadmill and doing push ups, sit ups, and other strength exercises. They stayed put the entire time. But I've seen some people complain that the AirPods don't fit snugly in their ears, so I guess it all depends on your ear shape. My advice: Try them on at the store before you buy them to make sure they fit. In general, if the wired EarPods fit you, then the AirPods will too.

There's a lot more to unpack than I can fit in one review, so check out my handy AirPods FAQ if you want to learn even more about how they work.

"Siri, raise the volume"

I only have two major problems with the AirPods.

The first is the design. AirPods look nearly identical to the wired EarPods, just with the cords snipped off. That design is fine until you put them in your ears. They look like goofy plastic earrings, so good luck walking around in public looking like this:

The second major problem is much worse though. Controlling audio with the AirPods is a frustrating experience.

Since there are limited physical controls on the AirPods, you have to use Siri for everything. For example, if you want to raise the volume, you have to double tap the one of the AirPods. That pauses your music and activates Siri. Then you have to tell Siri to raise or lower the volume. Assuming Siri understands you, the music starts playing again at the adjusted volume. But if the volume isn't what you wanted, you have to go through the process again.

Oh, and Siri needs an internet connection to work. So, yeah, you literally need an internet connection just to adjust the volume or switch tracks using the AirPods. Welcome to 2016.

Yes, you can just adjust the volume or change tracks by whipping out your iPhone. And yes, you can use the Apple Watch. But it's not as good as using that handy dongle on the wired EarPods. Plus, not everyone wants or needs an Apple Watch.

There's also an option to change the double-tap gesture to play/pause music in you iPhone's settings, but then you lose your Siri functionality on the AirPods. It's all kind of a mess. I think it would've been a lot better if Apple had added other tapping gestures for music controls. (Maybe a triple-tap to adjust the volume? I don't know. But the folks at Apple are pretty smart. I bet they can figure it out.)

I also experienced some crackling audio at times with the AirPods. It rarely happened, maybe a few times a day for a second or two, but it was there. Apple told me that shouldn't happen, and the AirPods they sent me to review could be defective. They're sending me another pair to test soon, and I'll update this review after I get a chance to try them. For what it's worth, I haven't seen anyone else with this issue, so maybe I'm just unlucky.

Conclusion

Like it or not, traditional headphones are becoming obsolete. Wireless alternatives may not be better yet, but they're good enough for most people. That applies to the AirPods, too. 

For now, AirPods work better when used passively just to listen to music. Some have lumped grand expectations on them, dreaming about an experience similar to what we saw in the movie "Her" with Siri buzzing in your ear. That's not what the AirPods are.

The AirPods are more of a mixed bag. They're fine for listening to wireless audio, but they're expensive. They pair easily with your iPhone, but you still need your iPhone to easily control them. They fit well in most ears, but boy do they look goofy. 

All those tradeoffs are proof that we're in a transitional period from wired to wireless audio. It's fine for now, but it's going to be a bumpy road for awhile.

SEE ALSO: The Apple AirPods FAQ

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: People try on Apple's new wireless 'AirPods' for the first time

REVIEW: Apple's new AirPods are good, but get ready to make a lot of tradeoffs (AAPL) from Business Insider: Steve Kovach

The Transport Guy: Everything you need to know about Apple's new AirPods (AAPL)

Steve Kovach December 19, 2016 at 01:03PM

Apple's decision to remove the headphone jack in the iPhone 7 has sparked more controversy and curiosity than any other recent move by the company.

Part of Apple's reasoning behind the decision to kill the headphone jack was to push everyone towards using wireless headphones. So it made its own pair called AirPods.

The AirPods were originally supposed to launch in October, but were delayed until this month. They finally appeared in Apple Stores on Monday, but quantities appear to be limited. Good luck finding some before Christmas.

So, what are the AirPods and how do they work? Here's a handy FAQ:

What are AirPods?

AirPods are Apple's new wireless earbuds.

How much are they?

$159.

When can I buy them?

Now. But online orders won't arrive until next month. You might get lucky and find them at the Apple store or other third-party retailers.

Do the AirPods come for free with the iPhone 7?

No. The iPhone 7 comes with a pair of wired earbuds called EarPods (confusing!) that plug into the Lightning port at the bottom of the phone.

I heard the iPhone is missing a headphone jack. Does that mean I have to use AirPods?

No. The iPhone 7 will work with wired headphones that plug into the Lightning port and any other pair of Bluetooth wireless headphones. You can also use the included dongle that works with normal wired headphones.

Are the AirPods Bluetooth?


Yes. The AirPods connect to your iPhone via Bluetooth.

But wait, what was all that talk about a special chip inside the AirPods?

The AirPods have a processor inside called the W1. There's a W1 chip inside each AirPod, and it helps the AirPods do a lot of neat stuff normal wireless headphones can’t do. Think of W1 as the “brains” of the AirPods.

Here’s the rundown:

The W1 chip makes pairing to your iPhone easier. Just flip open the case while it’s near your iPhone and a window will pop up prompting you to pair the AirPods to your iPhone. It’s a lot faster and easier than poking through the settings menu.

W1 also helps the AirPods better manage power, giving them longer battery life.

The chip helps the AirPods detect when they’re in your ear so they don’t start playing your music until you pop them in. They can also tell your iPhone if you’re only wearing one AirPod at a time. W1 also manages a unique connection for each AirPod, something that no other wireless earbuds can do.

Do other headphones have the W1 chip?

Yes, but only headphones made by Apple. In addition to the AirPods, Beats, which is owned by Apple, has a few models of headphones with the W1 chip.

Are there any other sensors in the AirPods?

Yes, there are infrared sensors in each AirPod that can detect when you’ve put them in your ears. There’s also an accelerometer inside that can detect when you tap your AirPods. (More on the tapping later.)

Can I use one AirPod at a time?

Yes. Each AirPod pairs to your iPhone individually, so you can use one at a time if you want. This is good if you want to walk around and take phone calls or use Siri but still keep one ear free. The W1 chip tells your iPhone which AirPod you have in your ear.

How do I charge the AirPods?

The AirPods come with a magnetic carrying case that doubles as a charger. There’s a Lightning port at the bottom the case for charging.

The case also has its own battery that's separate from the batteries inside the AirPods. That means if the case is charged, you can top up the battery in the AirPods while you’re out and about.

How long does the battery last?

Apple says you can get up to five hours of listening time on a single charge. The charging case will give you up to 24 hours of listening time. It should be more than enough to get you through a day.

Can I use the AirPods with my Mac or Apple Watch?

Yes. In fact, when you pair the AirPods to your iPhone, they automatically pair to your Mac and Apple Watch too. However, your Mac will need to be running the new version of the macOS operating system called Sierra, which launched on September 20. Your Apple Watch will need to be running the new watchOS 3 software, which also launched in September.

If you want to switch over from listening on your iPhone to your Mac, you just select the AirPods from the task bar at the top of your screen.

Will AirPods work if I don’t have the iPhone 7?

Yes. AirPods will work with any iPhone running iOS 10, the latest version of iOS.

Can I use the AirPods with non-Apple devices?

Yes. The AirPods can connect to any standard Bluetooth audio player. You can pair them by pressing the button on the back of the AirPod charging case.

What happens if I lose one of the AirPods?

Unfortunately, the AirPods are tiny and could be easy to lose. If you lose just one, Apple will sell you a replacement for $69. Be careful!

How's the audio quality?

They sound nearly identical to the wired EarPods that come with the iPhone.

Are the AirPods waterproof?

No. However, they will be fine if you use them in the rain or while sweating at the gym. Just don’t go swimming with them!

Can I make phone calls with the AirPods?

Yes. Each AirPod has a built-in microphone for phone calls and talking to Siri.

Siri? How does that work?

Double tapping on one of the AirPods launches Siri. You can use Siri like normal after that.

Can I do anything else by double tapping?

Yes. Under Bluetooth settings, you have the option to make the double tap activate Siri or play/pause your music. But you can't have both.

How do I control volume or change tracks in my music player?

This one is annoying.

There are no physical controls on the AirPods, so you have to use Siri for everything. This gets really bad when listening to music. Let’s say you want to turn up the volume on a song you’re listening to. First, you double tap one of the AirPods. Then the music pauses. (Ugh!) Then you tell Siri you want to turn up the volume.

Alternatively, you can just adjust the sound with the volume buttons on the iPhone. You’ll also have to use the on-screen controls to change tracks while listening to music.

This is probably the biggest drawback to the AirPods. There’s no easy way to adjust the volume or switch tracks like you can with the volume dongle on the wired EarPods.

How do I answer phone calls?

If you get a phone call while wearing the AirPods, just tap one of them to answer.

Are they comfortable?

They feel exactly like the wired EarPods. If you think those are comfortable, then you'll think the AirPods are too.

Do they fall out if you shake your head or move around?

Nope. The AirPods are pretty secure. You should be fine wearing them while working out or running. 

SEE ALSO: Wearables are dead

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A regular guy tests out Apple's wireless AirPod headphones — here’s what he thought

Everything you need to know about Apple's new AirPods (AAPL) from Business Insider: Steve Kovach

The Transport Guy: How the hot startup that stole Apple's thunder wound up in Silicon Valley's graveyard (FIT)

Steve Kovach December 17, 2016 at 05:00AM

For a moment, it looked like the story would have a happy ending.

As struggling smartwatch maker Pebble discussed selling itself to Fitbit, a larger competitor in the wearable technology market, the chatter among the Pebble team was that they would continue working on their product under the wing of a new, more stable corporate parent.

Fitbit’s co-founder James Park even visited Pebble’s offices and, following a brief introduction from Pebble CEO Eric Migicovsky, talked reassuringly about how excited he was to welcome Pebble into the Fitbit family.

But within a month it became apparent that Fitbit’s $40 million acquisition wasn’t a lifeline for Pebble, it was a fire sale.

Choice assets and employees were cherry picked, the rest discarded. Most employees out of Pebble's staff of about 100 were laid off, their stock suddenly worthless.

It was a sad ending for a company once seen as a brilliant example of Silicon Valley chutzpah, a scrappy startup that had forced tech giants like Apple, Samsung, and Google to play catch-up.

But it also capped a tumultuous year of poor sales, supplier problems, failed acquisition talks, and a general lack of consumer interest in smartwatches, according to several sources that Business Insider spoke to. 

And at a time when Silicon Valley is racing towards the next big thing, from artificial intelligence to self-driving cars, the demise of Pebble is a stark reminder that even the most promising and buzzed about innovations don’t always survive the harsh realities of the marketplace.

"By the time we got into late spring and june of this year, I was like, OK, it does not look good," one Pebbler insider said. "I didn't think we were going to make it to 2017. It was dragged out forever."

Early success

According to the sources Business Insider spoke to, the signs of trouble for Pebble began to appear early on, though they were often ignored among the excitement of a nascent smartwatch business that many believed would be as big as smartphones.

Pebble burst on to the scene in 2012 after launching what was then the most successful Kickstarter campaign in history, raising $10.2 million to fund the production of the first smartwatch. Pebble proved there was interest in the wrist-worn gadgets, well before Apple introduced the Apple Watch and other big tech companies followed suit.

The first Pebble launched in early 2013 to positive reviews. Although it appealed mainly to techies, the product was a solid first attempt at a modern smartwatch. The watch could display notifications like incoming texts and calendar alerts and run a bunch of apps ranging from ESPN to Evenote. Pebble continued to launch new products, including the Pebble Time, the first device with Pebble’s new take on a smartwatch operating system.

But things started getting hairy in 2015 when Apple, the world's largest technology company, released its long-awaited smartwatch. 

Migicovsky was unfazed by the new competition, telling Business Insider shortly after the Apple Watch was announced that he wasn't worried Apple might cut into his sales. "I think it will drive a lot more interest and a lot more volume at Pebble." 

The Apple Watch did initially boost interest in Pebble, as consumers viewed Pebble's product as a cheaper, more capable alternative.

But sales eventually began to shrink, sources say. Apple's brand was so strong, recalls one insider, that it sucked up all the oxygen. 

And Apple's decades of product-building experience gave it another big advantage.

Sources familiar with Pebble's supply chain said the company had difficulty paying suppliers building the products in Taiwan throughout 2015, especially payments related to production of the Pebble Time Round. In some cases, these suppliers would call for payments on outstanding purchase orders and get no response from Pebble. Some of those outstanding orders still remained unpaid by the time Fitbit entered acquisition talks with Pebble. Some people close to the company also blamed Pebble's supply chain team for playing favorites, attempting to move a lot of production from Taiwan-based Quanta Computer to Compal Electronics.

Pebble continued to raise money through Kickstarter, sales of current products, and other private sources. But it wasn't enough to fund the production of new products.  

The expected wave of consumer demand for smartwatches never materialized; even Apple appeared to be having trouble convincing the world that a smartwatch — like the iPhone — was another must-have gadget. The market was not as big as everyone had hoped, and the market was getting crowded.

Layoffs and deal talks

When Pebble's head of sales sent an email to his team after the Black Friday/Cyber Monday holiday shopping weekend in 2015, there was no more ignoring the magnitude of the problem. Sales during the biggest shopping weekend of the year were down from the year before. If things didn't improve, the email warned ominously, adjustments would have to be made. 

Pebble's business never fully rebounded, and internal discussions began after the holiday shopping season about what changes needed to happen so that the company could survive. In March of 2016, Pebble laid off 25% of its staff, as Business Insider first reported.

Pebble began searching for more outside investment or a possible buyer. One insider said they were asked to compile internal data about sales, which fueled speculation Pebble was trying to sell itself. By May of 2016, Migicosvky admitted to the staff that the company was trying to sell, but that a deal had recently fallen through. That deal turned out to be from chipmaker Intel, which wanted to buy Pebble for about $70 million.

It's not clear why the deal fizzled, although it was Intel that ultimately walked away, not Pebble. (The Pebble side wanted the deal to happen.) One source close to Migicovsky said they were told that Intel's offer was initially higher than $70 million, but was lowered after due diligence.

"Something rubbed him the wrong way and he was uncomfortable," the source close to Migicovsky said regarding the failed Intel deal.

A high-profile collaboration with Japanese watchmaker Citizen also proved disappointing. 

Pebble had hoped to learn from Citizen's expertise building and designing traditional watches. But throughout the development of the Time Round — a version of the Pebble watch with a circular screen that the two companies collaborated on — the Pebble team felt that Citizen lacked the technical chops in software and hardware development to be of much use, according to sources. Plus, Citizen typically took a lot longer to develop and launch products, often a year or more, which didn’t jibe with Pebble’s desire to push out new products faster.

In the end, Pebble thought Citizen's designs were too thick and chunky and ultimately went with a design from internal Pebble employees. Pebble did pay Citizen about $50,000 for its work, according to one source with direct knowledge of the deal.

Citizen did not respond to a request for comment. While TechCrunch reported that Citizen considered acquiring Pebble for roughly $740 million in 2015, no deal ever happened. One source directly familiar with Pebble's acquisition talks said Citizen never discussed buying Pebble, and accused someone of spreading a false rumor to TechCrunch.

Facing the music

Following the failed acquisition talks and the round of layoffs, Migicovsky leveled with his remaining employees late this spring. If they wanted to stay and see Pebble through to the end, their shares in the company would be doubled. If they wanted to cut their losses and leave, they would receive a severance package. While some took the buyout offer, most Pebble employees stuck with the company, hoping new products like the Pebble Time 2 watch and Pebble Core, a tiny device that lets you listen to Spotify music offline, would reinvigorate sales.

In fact, Pebble Time 2 and Pebble Core were on track for their launch at the beginning of 2017. As recently as a week before discussions with Fitbit began, Pebble employees were visiting their manufacturing partners in Asia and finalizing production plans for the new devices, sources say.

In a recent interview with Steven Levy of Backchannel, Migicovsky said he he spent the summer months scrambling across the globe, trying unsuccessfully to raise money from private equity funds and other private investing groups. 

Pebble was out of time and out of money. In October, at least one bank that gave money to Pebble called in its loan, unconvinced Pebble would be able to raise more funding or sell enough product to solve its cash flow issues and debt to suppliers.

Keep your resumes

Once Migicovsky decided to sell the company, sources close to him say that his main goal was to find a buyer that would honor the consumers on Kickstarter who backed the Pebble Time 2 or Core — either by refunding their money or building the product. 

Fitbit turned out to be the only suitable buyer willing to do that. While the Time 2 and Core products have been canceled, Kickstarter backers will at least get their money back.

Other aspects of the Fitbit deal have not unfolded as expected, however.

The original deal discussions had Fitbit, which makes wearable products focused on health and fitness, acquiring all or most of Pebble, including the staff, several sources told Business Insider. But something changed as the deal was negotiated and Fitbit ended up buying only the software technology that runs Pebble's products and hiring certain employees. 

One source speculated that Fitbit was worried about its stock price after delivering a disappointing sales forecast for the fourth quarter, which caused its stock to tank about 30%. Taking on all of Pebble could’ve looked extra risky to Fitbit investors.

A Fitbit spokesperson declined to comment.

On the day Fitbit’s team came to visit Pebble’s office about a month before the acquisition closed, many Pebble employees had concerns about what would happen to upcoming products. One source said Fitbit largely dodged those questions and that their true intentions didn’t come to light until they began interviewing Pebble employees.

During the interviews, Fitbit quizzed Pebble employees on their roles at the company, but in the end Pebble employees learned there was no interest in the hardware team. Fitbit didn't even ask for resumes, according to one source, instead just pulling in their LinkedIn profiles. Once it became clear these interviews were going nowhere, Pebble hardware employees were encouraged to apply to open positions on Fitbit's website.

By the time it was all over, most Pebble employees were sent home with severance packages. Many others took the Fitbit offer, and several former Pebble employees now list Fitbit as their employer on LinkedIn. As for Migicovsky, he'll be working at the startup incubator Y Combinator next year.

Pebble's software may live on within Fitbit products, but it's now up to other companies to prove whether Pebble's pioneering product represents the future of computing or just an interesting footnote in history.

SEE ALSO: Wearables are dead

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A regular guy tests out Apple's wireless AirPod headphones — here’s what he thought

How the hot startup that stole Apple's thunder wound up in Silicon Valley's graveyard (FIT) from Business Insider: Steve Kovach

The Transport Guy: Verizon will disable the Galaxy Note 7 with a software update on December 19 (VZ)

Steve Kovach December 15, 2016 at 12:45PM

Verizon has reversed a decision not to disable Galaxy Note 7 phones still in use via a software update.

The wireless carrier updated its support page for the Galaxy Note 7 on Thursday, saying it would start pushing out the software update on December 19. Once installed, Galaxy Note 7 owners won't be able to charge the phone's battery, rendering it pretty much useless.

This is the same software update Samsung announced it'd push a few days ago. However, Verizon was the only wireless carrier to say it would ignore Samsung's wishes and allow customers to continue using the Galaxy Note 7.

Now the carrier is reversing its decision.

Samsung says 93% of Galaxy Note 7 owners have returned or exchanged their devices. The software update will disable the remaining Note 7s still in use.

If you have a Galaxy Note 7 (regardless of carrier) you can still return or exchange it before the software update hits your phone. That software update will begin rolling out on some carriers starting Thursday.

SEE ALSO: Wearables are dead

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: I just played Nintendo's first 'Super Mario' game for the iPhone — here are the best and worst things about it

Verizon will disable the Galaxy Note 7 with a software update on December 19 (VZ) from Business Insider: Steve Kovach

The Transport Guy: Good luck finding Apple's new AirPods in time for Christmas (AAPL)

Steve Kovach December 13, 2016 at 08:12AM

After about a two-month delay, Apple's new wireless AirPods are finally on sale.

But since we're less than two weeks away from Christmas, good luck finding a pair in time.

Minutes after the AirPods went on sale at apple.com, shipping estimates were pushed from December 21 to December 29 or later. AirPods will show up in Apple retails stores and some third-party retailers this week, but quantities will be limited.

It's a rare snafu for Apple to miss an original launch date for a product. The last time was in 2010, when the white version of the iPhone 4 was delayed several months.

Apple made the controversial decision to remove the headphone jack in the iPhone 7, touting wireless headphones as the future of audio. But it wasn't able to deliver its own AirPods in time for enough people to get them this holiday season. And its other wireless earbuds, the Beats X, are delayed until February.

If you're desperate, take a look at eBay. The $159 AirPods are already being sold for $300 and up. One person is even asking $500 for his pair.

SEE ALSO: Wearables are dead

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: How to supercharge your iPhone in 5 minutes

Good luck finding Apple's new AirPods in time for Christmas (AAPL) from Business Insider: Steve Kovach

The Transport Guy: Apple is changing how you watch videos on iPhone and Apple TV (AAPL)

Steve Kovach December 12, 2016 at 10:53AM

Apple's new TV app for iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV launched Monday in the US.

The TV app, which was originally announced at the company's new MacBook Pro unveiling in October, is supposed to act as a hub for all the content you watch across your devices.

Think of it as a TV guide for all your digital content. You'll have to update the software on your Apple TV, iPhone, or iPad to get the new TV app.

On iPhone and iPad, the TV app will replace your old videos app. It ties to your Apple account, so you can start watching a video on one device, and pick up where you left off on another. 

But the app is pretty limited right now. It works with HBO Now, Huu, and movies and TV shows in iTunes, for example, but Netflix is still conspicuously absent.

Monday's Apple TV software update also includes a new feature called single sign on, which lets you log in with your cable provider and automatically access streaming apps from various cable channels. (Before you had to sign into each individual app one by one.) Unfortunately, single sign on is very limited right now. Most cable providers don't support it.

Finally, Siri is getting an update on Apple TV to give you more controls over what you watch. For example, you can ask Siri to show the news or a live sporting event, assuming you have the appropriate streaming app.

SEE ALSO: Wearables are dead

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Apple revealed why some iPhones are randomly shutting down despite having battery life left

Apple is changing how you watch videos on iPhone and Apple TV (AAPL) from Business Insider: Steve Kovach

The Transport Guy: Wearables are dead

Steve Kovach December 11, 2016 at 07:21AM

Three years ago, smartwatches were supposed to be the next big thing.

They were going to be the platform where the next big app or social network was built. They were going to free us from our smartphones. They were going to go from a nerdy dream to a mainstream reality.

None of that happened.

In fact, it was the opposite. The market for wearables has proven to be insanely volatile, claiming victims much faster than we saw with the companies that went kaput following the introduction of the iPhone.

Last week, Pebble, the startup largely responsible for juicing interest in smartwatches back in 2012, sold itself to Fitbit for basically nothing. Its future products were canceled, and support for current products will end soon.

Then there's Android Wear, Google's operating system for smartwatches. Google had to delay the next version of Wear until 2017, and several partners have abandoned their plans to make new Android smartwatches this year. Motorola even said it halted its smartwatch plans indefinitely.

And there have been signs of struggle all across the industry from once-hot Jawbone to giants like Intel.

The smartwatch and other wearable gadgets have had more than enough time to prove themselves as major tech products, but the only companies seeing any kind of success are Apple and Fitbit. (Even then, Fitbit has had its own struggles since its entire business revolves around the shaky wearables market.)

It's time to admit that as enthusiastic as the tech industry was about wearables a few years ago, the gadgets we got either didn't live up to that promise or failed to dazzle enough people to become major hits. At best, they're niche products, great for fitness gurus or geeks who like getting emails on their wrist.

The signs have been there from the beginning too. While Pebble had an impressive Kickstarter debut, it never sold enough watches to seep into the mainstream, only crossing the 1 million mark after about two years. Apple failed to adequately explain why it made a smartwatch and what it was for, only to pivot this year and focus on the Apple Watch's fitness-tracking capabilities instead. Fitbit has been a roller coaster of minor successes and major disappointments.

I recently spoke to someone familiar with Pebble's business who told me signs of real trouble started creeping in around this time last year when the company saw disappointing sales over the Black Friday/Cyber Monday holiday shopping weekend, failing to beat the numbers from the year before. The company quickly learned that it couldn't expand its products to a mainstream audience, no matter how excited techies were about smartwatches. Things never got better.

Some might think that's because it was Pebble's first holiday season going against the Apple Watch. I read it as people don't want smartwatches, they want an Apple Watch.

There is no smartwatch market. There's just Apple and Fitbit.

SEE ALSO: Where the heck are Apple's AirPods?

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Here's why Boeing 747s have a giant hump in the front

Wearables are dead from Business Insider: Steve Kovach

The Transport Guy: Tech CEOs from Apple, Google, Microsoft, and more will meet with Trump on Wednesday (AAPL, GOOG)

Steve Kovach December 11, 2016 at 07:12AM

Tech executives from some of the top tech companies in the world will meet with president-elect Donald Trump in New York on Wednesday, according to reports from Recode and The Wall Street Journal.

The list of attendees includes Apple CEO Tim Cook, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Alphabet CEO Larry Page, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, and IBM CEO Ginni Rometty.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos was invited to the meeting, but it is unclear if he will attend, according to the reports. Bezos has been openly critical of Trump, and Trump has had several public battles with the Bezos-owned Washington Post during the course of his presidential campaign. Trump has also aimed his Twitter account at Amazon.

Most of the attendees have not publicly said they will attend the meeting with Trump, except for Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins and Oracle CEO Safra Catz, although it'll be hard to miss the invitees as they stroll through the lobby of Trump Tower this week.

It's also unclear what the meeting will cover, but it's probably safe to assume there will be discussion around Trump's calls to bring manufacturing of items like smartphones to the US and changes to the tax code.

SEE ALSO: We're asking tech execs the wrong question about fake news

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Apple revealed why some iPhones are randomly shutting down despite having battery life left

Tech CEOs from Apple, Google, Microsoft, and more will meet with Trump on Wednesday (AAPL, GOOG) from Business Insider: Steve Kovach

The Transport Guy: Samsung is going to stop the Galaxy Note 7 from working with a software update

Steve Kovach December 09, 2016 at 07:48AM

Samsung says it will issue a software update to remaining Galaxy Note 7 phones that causes the devices to stop working.

The move, which was announced Friday, comes months after the company decided to stop making the phone amid reports that it might overheat and explode. Samsung issued a recall for the Note 7, but not all of them have been returned.

Here's the full statement from Samsung:

Consumer safety remains our highest priority and we’ve had overwhelming participation in the U.S. Note7 Refund and Exchange Program so far, with more than 93 percent of all recalled Galaxy Note7 devices returned.

To further increase participation, a software update will be released starting on December 19th and will be distributed within 30 days. This software update will prevent U.S. Galaxy Note7 devices from charging and will eliminate their ability to work as mobile devices. Together with our carrier partners, we will be notifying consumers through multiple touchpoints to encourage any remaining Galaxy Note7 owners to participate in the program and to take advantage of the financial incentives available.

Anyone who has not yet returned their device should immediately power it down and contact their carrier to obtain a refund or exchange, or visit our website at http://ift.tt/2cRW8wF for more information.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 7 places you can’t find on Google Maps

Samsung is going to stop the Galaxy Note 7 from working with a software update from Business Insider: Steve Kovach

The Transport Guy: The idea for Google's huge reorg came out of a secret Larry Page project called 'Javelin' (GOOGL, GOOG)

Steve Kovach December 08, 2016 at 08:38AM

Google shocked nearly everyone when it made the surprise announcement that it was reorganizing itself into a conglomerate of companies called Alphabet last year, but the idea had been kicking around CEO Larry Page's inner circle well before that.

According to a profile of Alphabet in Bloomberg, Page began offloading responsibilities for Google's core business to Sundar Pichai in 2014 and assembled his own group of close advisers to tackle wild ideas and new areas for Google to explore.

Page called the group Javelin, according to the Bloomberg profile, where he came up with wild ideas like creating smart cities, which eventually became the Alphabet company Sidewalk Labs.

In addition to crazy ideas though, Javelin laid the groundwork for a conglomeration of individual tech and science companies under the Alphabet umbrella. The goal of Javelin, and eventually Alphabet, was to stop divisions within Google from essentially competing with each other and force each various "Other Bets" that operate with their own goals, executives, and budgets, according to the Bloomberg profile.

But a year in, things have been pretty rocky at Alphabet, as several of these Other Bets have shown signs of turmoil. Several top Alphabet execs have left the company, including former Nest CEO Tony Fadell, GV CEO Bill Maris, and many more. And at least one Alphabet company, Google Fiber, has seen its plans cut back significantly by Alphabet's leadership.

The theme at Alphabet over the last year has been that CFO Ruth Porat is tightening funding on companies under her purview that can't demonstrate a path to profitability.

Know anything about Alphabet? Email skovach@businessinsider.com. We'll keep it anonymous.

SEE ALSO: We're asking tech execs the wrong question about fake news

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Here's how Facebook and Google's new 8,000-mile deep sea data cable will work

The idea for Google's huge reorg came out of a secret Larry Page project called 'Javelin' (GOOGL, GOOG) from Business Insider: Steve Kovach

The Transport Guy: We're asking tech executives the wrong question about fake news (FB, GOOG)

Steve Kovach December 08, 2016 at 07:41AM

Sheryl Sandberg became the latest tech executive to play down the fake news problem on Thursday.

The Facebook COO was asked on Today whether or not fake news stories spread on the social network had an influence on the US election. Her answer was the same as her boss Mark Zuckerberg's: Nope.

But it's also the wrong question.

Of course executives at Facebook and Google are going to say they don't believe fake news on their platforms had any influence on the election, even as they promise to work on the problem. (That's been proven false, of course, as everyone from Pizzagate truthers to the president-elect have fallen for fake news stories.)

The better question for tech execs like Sandberg, Zuckerberg, and the rest is this: Do you think large distributors of news media, whether it's user generated or not, have a responsibility to vet that content for the truth?

It's a responsibility that the tech community doesn't appear to understand. I spoke with one high-level tech executive this week who told me the vast scale of content being posted online makes it nearly impossible to police for accuracy.

But while that argument makes sense on the surface, it falls flat when you consider that companies like Facebook and Google are able to filter out plenty of other types of content like porn and copyrighted materials from their platforms. They don't have to block people from posting conspiracy theories, but they should have the capability to make sure that content doesn't bubble to the surface and go viral.

It benefits these platforms to allow as much content as possible and deliver it to the people who want to see it. Otherwise, they risk alienating huge swaths of their audience. As CNN's Brian Stelter put it Wednesday at Business Insider's IGNITION conference this week, if people can't find the content that makes them feel good on Facebook, then Facebook risks losing them to some other site that will peddle that content.

So it's not a question of can fake news be tamed. It's a question of whether or not tech companies want to do it. Whether they want to admit it or not, distributing news comes with editorial decisions about what best serves the public.

With such a massive scale comes an equally massive responsibility. And I think we can all agree that that responsibility is to distribute the truth.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author.

SEE ALSO: And now for a reality check on the future of TV

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: We sleep much differently than our ancestors — here's why

We're asking tech executives the wrong question about fake news (FB, GOOG) from Business Insider: Steve Kovach

The Transport Guy: Analyst Gene Munster predicts Apple will make an iPhone with a foldable screen (AAPL)

Steve Kovach December 07, 2016 at 08:05AM

In a presentation at Business Insider's IGNITION conference Wednesday, Piper Jaffray analyst Munster said he believes Apple will release a version of the iPhone with a foldable screen.

The idea is to have a phone that can fold open into a tablet form factor when you need a larger screen. Think of it as an all-in-one tablet and phone hybrid.

Keep in mind this is just a prediction from Munster, and there's little evidence Apple will actually build a device beyond where Munster and his colleagues see smartphones going in the future.

Business Insider caught up with Munster after his presentation for a bit more color on his prediction. He said he thinks Apple will want to release a foldable iPhone in about five years.

Munster is one of the most dedicated Apple watchers in the world, and his near-term analysis is pretty good. But he famously whiffed when he said Apple would release a television set. That project was canceled by Apple, according to The Wall Street Journal, though it was in the works.

Still, a foldable iPhone isn't a completely insane concept. Apple's biggest smartphone rival Samsung has been experimenting with foldable smartphone displays for years, and there's even a chance that such a device will launch in 2017.

SEE ALSO: Where the heck are Apple's AirPods?

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 9 reasons the iPhone 8 will blow everyone away

Analyst Gene Munster predicts Apple will make an iPhone with a foldable screen (AAPL) from Business Insider: Steve Kovach

The Transport Guy: And now for a reality check on the future of TV (T)

Steve Kovach December 03, 2016 at 05:00AM

This week, the tech world was hyperventilating over the latest attempt to revolutionize TV with the launch of AT&T’s DirecTV Now, a streaming service that delivers live TV over the internet starting at $35 per month.

On paper, it sounds like a stellar deal. No contracts. No equipment. No waiting for a contractor to come to your house and drill holes in your wall or bolt a satellite dish to your roof. Just the content you want on the device you like to use.

Maybe DirecTV Now is the start of something bold and new, but after testing it for the last few days, it’s clear that it simply isn’t as good as traditional pay-TV and not even close to fixing the fundamental problems that have caused so many to cut the cord from cable in the first place.

It’s not just DirecTV Now either. Sling TV and PlayStation Vue are two similar services that have the same promise as DirecTV Now, yet still fail to deliver. They’re incomplete, buggy, unreliable, and there are far too many caveats to what you get for your money compared to traditional cable.

We’ve been promised the future of TV is just around the corner for years. Instead, the state of internet TV today is a garbled mess.

Too many caveats

None of the streaming TV services offer all the channels you want. In DirecTV Now’s case for example, that means no CBS, Showtime, and some local news or sports stations. It all depends on where you live, and unlike traditional cable, you just have to hope your DirecTV has what you want in your market.

There’s also no DVR option with DirecTV Now and Sling TV (both say it’s on the way though), and on-demand options are limited or hard to track. An example: I could watch episodes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 of “Westworld” on-demand through DirecTV Now, but not episode 5 for some reason. Other shows have 72-hour windows for on demand viewing, confusing things even further.

Then there are restrictions on NFL games on mobile devices. And how many devices can be streaming at the same time. And some thorny net neutrality issues.

I can go on and on, but you probably get the idea. (My colleague Nathan McAlone listed more caveats with DirecTV Now here.) With all these streaming services, you have to compromise on a lot of features we’ve learned to take for granted just so you can stream TV to your devices and save a little money. But those savings don’t add up when you take into account everything you have to give up.

Bugs

It’s been well over a year since Sling TV launched and just a few days since DirecTV Now’s debut, but their bugs and glitches are pretty similar.

DirecTV Now has been off to a particularly bad start. On Thursday, I couldn’t stream for more than five minutes without the video freezing. I also got an error message that said I was streaming on too many devices to watch on my Apple TV, even though I knew for a fact that wasn’t the case. Several other customers had the same issues, but a company spokesperson told Business Insider the problems are being worked out.

Plus, most of these live-streaming services are usually behind the actual live feed. When I was watching the Democratic and Republican conventions this summer on Sling TV, CNN’s time stamp was always at least a minute or two behind real time. Sling TV has had an especially tough time keeping up with major shows like last year’s “Mad Men” finale.

Despite the flaws with cable, it never stumbles as often as streaming services do. The technology is clearly way too early to stand toe to toe with traditional cable’s reliability. I’m sure it’ll get better one day, but it’s a mess for now.

The dream

People who cut the cord do so because they think cable is broken. Providing essentially the same product as before over the internet for a little cheaper isn’t revolutionary, it’s just polishing the turd that is the pay-TV experience.

Just because DirecTV and Sling TV are able to beam TV to you over the internet doesn’t mean it’s any better or fundamentally different. DirecTV Now is being pitched as an alternative for cord cutters, but it’s just giving them the same product they rejected in the first place.

The real dream is a reimagining of the cable TV package — a merging of on-demand and live, linear TV when you want it. Call it the Netflixification of TV.

That’s not where we’re at yet. I have no doubt these services will continue to improve, but the transition isn’t going to be as simple as it was when music shifted from CDs to digital downloads to all-you-can-eat packages on Spotify or Apple Music.

It’s no wonder Apple abandoned its plans to launch its own streaming TV service last year. Networks simply put too many restrictions on their content that Apple couldn’t work with. Instead of releasing an incomplete product that mulled its vision, Apple chose not to release anything for the time being. (It also probably didn’t help that Apple VP Eddy Cue showed up to negotiations with TV executives wearing jeans and a Hawaiian T-shirt, as The Wall Street Journal reported, but that’s another issue.)

We’re in the experimental phase

DirecTV Now, Sling TV, and the rest are just experiments. And as the companies learn what works and what doesn't, they'll get better over time. Some people will sign up for them, sure, but they’re hardly viable replacements for traditional paid TV. Even worse, they’re not what cord-cutters are asking for.

Instead, they’re a way for companies to gauge interest in over-the-top services and protect themselves against the oncoming generations that’ll grow up never experiencing cable in the first place.

But for now, plenty of people are willing to pay for cable, despite its flaws. The reality is this: If you want the best pay-TV experience, you’re going to be stuck with the traditional bundle for several more years.

SEE ALSO: Where the heck are Apple's AirPods?

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Here’s what it’s like to use DirecTV Now — the $35 online-only cable service trying to change how we watch TV

And now for a reality check on the future of TV (T) from Business Insider: Steve Kovach

The Transport Guy: Apple Store workers are getting frustrated with the rampant iPhone battery flaw (AAPL)

Rob Price, Steve Kovach and Alex Heath and Kif Leswing December 02, 2016 at 11:07AM

A serious bug (or two) is causing iPhone batteries to malfunction, and Apple Stores are inundated with customer complaints, employees tell Business Insider. 

Over the past few weeks, complaints have been mounting that something is causing iPhones to suddenly shut off with 30% battery. 

In a statement posted to its Chinese website on Friday, Apple re-stated that the issue is a hardware issue, and that it only affects certain iPhone 6S devices. iPhones with qualifying serial numbers can be brought into an Apple Store for a free battery swap.

But technicians and Geniuses at Apple Stores tell Business Insider that the issue is very common, and that it seems to affect more models than just the 6S.

Apple has declined to comment several times to Business Insider about whether the issue may affect more devices than just the iPhone 6S. 

Complaints at Apple Stores are rising

Apple Stores are now seeing large numbers of complaints from customers concerned about why their devices are malfunctioning, several store employees have told Business Insider.

An Apple Store "Genius" employee in Manhattan said that 80% of their cases are currently a result of the bug. It appears to be affecting more iPhone models than just the 6S, the employee said. 

"We have been seeing a lot of customers for this particular issue, and I have personally dealt with the issue on not just the 6S, but the 6S Plus, which is not part of the program," according to one Apple Store manager in another part of the US. "I've also seen the issue a lot for batteries outside of the manufacturing date."

Another US-based Genius said that his store had placed 80 part orders for batteries after the replacement program was introduced, and there weren't enough batteries on hand when Apple first announced the program. "It really hasn't been that bad, to be honest," he told Business Insider.

A different Apple Store employee based in the U.S. told Business Insider that they do not believe the reports of battery failures are related to iOS, but, rather, they are caused by a hardware problem with the batteries (as Apple has stated). But even though the batteries fail and shut down when they get to about 30% charge, Apple's internal battery diagnostics tool still says the batteries are healthy, this employee said.

The employee also said they were getting several returns due to the battery issue, but had no guidance from Apple on how to fix the problem until recently, so they ended up replacing the phones instead of just the batteries in most cases.

Another longtime Apple Store employee said that customers frequently complain about battery issues after installing beta software or failing to install the newest version of iOS. "A lot of times it's older phones with consumed batteries or really old software," the person said.

One person who went to get his iPhone 6S fixed at an authorized Apple Service Provider in London was told the shop had a huge backlog of phones to fix, and couldn't even provide a date on when it might be able to fix theirs.

Two bugs 

There is some debate about the cause of the problem. Apple says that it is related to "a battery component that was exposed to controlled ambient air longer than it should have been."

But some have pointed at a recent iOS 10.1 update that was pushed to people's iPhones. People with the problem — including several BI staffers whose phones are not covered by the replacement program — are seeing their battery drain abnormally fast and switching off around the 30% charge mark.

A Chinese government watchdog is also claiming that the 6s hardware issue is also affecting other devices, including the iPhone 6, the iPhone 6 Plus, and the iPhone 6s Plus. For now, it's not clear what the relationship is between the two issues.

Apple is replacing batteries in affected 6s devices free of charge, but it isn't talking about the apparent 10.1 bug. An Apple spokesperson declined repeated requests for comment on the 10.1 bug from Business Insider.

If you're having the issue, you can check if your device is covered under Apple's current replacement program and if it is, you can have your battery swapped at an Apple Store. Instructions are here.  

If Apple says your phone is not eligible for a battery replacement but you are seeing the random shutdown bug, email kleswing@businessinsider.com.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: We sleep much differently than our ancestors — here's why

Apple Store workers are getting frustrated with the rampant iPhone battery flaw (AAPL) from Business Insider: Steve Kovach

The Transport Guy: Motorola appears to be giving up on smartwatches (GOOG, GOOGL)

Steve Kovach December 01, 2016 at 01:01PM

Motorola is putting its smartwatch plans on hold.

While the company already announced it wouldn't launch a new version of its Moto 360 watch in 2016, the company told The Verge on Thursday that it won't have one early next year either, when Google plans to release the new version of its Android Wear operating system for watches.

Motorola's head of product development told The Verge that there isn't "broad appeal" for wearable devices like smartwatches.

Android Wear has seen its own problems. Google was forced to delay the launch of Android Wear 2.0, the new version of the OS, this year until early 2017. The company didn't give a reason why though.

Motorola isn't the only manufacturer that has turned against Android smartwatches.

Huawei and Asus, which have made Android Wear watches in the past, both said they don't plan to make new devices this year. There has even been speculation that Huawei would abandon Android Wear altogether. A spokesperson for Huawei told Business Insider earlier this year that the company remains committed to wearables, but didn't mention those running on Android.

Business Insider has also heard from people familiar with the situation that internally there's still interest in Android Wear at Google, and that the company is considering making its own smartwatch, just like it made its own smartphone this year.

SEE ALSO: The 15 most exciting new tech products launching in 2017

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: This smartwatch runs on your body heat

Motorola appears to be giving up on smartwatches (GOOG, GOOGL) from Business Insider: Steve Kovach

The Transport Guy: The top 10 Android apps and games of 2016 (GOOG)

Steve Kovach December 01, 2016 at 09:06AM

The year is nearly over, and it's time for a little reflection. Harambe. The election.

And the top Android apps, of course.

Google released its annual list of the top Android apps on Thursday. The list is split into the top 5 apps and the top 5 games.

Google ranked the apps by "top trending," which is a mixture of downloads and popularity at the time the apps were released. These aren't the most-downloaded apps of the year, just the ones that were trending the most.

Check them out below. Don't worry. Pokémon GO made the list.

SEE ALSO: The 15 most exciting tech products launching in 2017

Top trending apps

Below are the top trending Android apps of 2016. We've ranked them in reverse order.

5. MSQRD

MSQRD, which was bought by Facebook earlier this year, lets you add filters to your face for goofy selfies. It's very similar to the lenses feature in Snapchat.

Download it here.

4. Emoji Keyboard Pro

Not all Android phones come with a readily accessible emoji keyboard. Emoji Keyboard Pro fixes that.

Download it here.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The top 10 Android apps and games of 2016 (GOOG) from Business Insider: Steve Kovach