AppleInsider podcast talks rumored 'iPhone X Plus,' Face ID 'hacks,' iPad Pro 2018 and mor...

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This week on the AppleInsider podcast, Neil and Victor talk about what's up with the HomePod delay, the possible 2018 iPhones, and what it means to have an ARM chip in the iMac Pro.




In our latest episode, AppleInsider editors Neil Hughes and Victor Marks discuss:
  • Apple delays the HomePod until next year. Why? And what's a HomePod really trying to accomplish? What's Apple's long-term plan here?
  • Apple reportedly stopped and started HomePod as a project repeatedly. What is the strategic thinking here?
  • What happens when you use an A10 coprocessor in an iMac Pro? What implications does that have for macOS beyond 'Hey Siri' at the Mac?
  • 2018 iPhones rumored to have 4x4 MIMO and gigabit LTE
  • iPhone SE 2, made in India?
  • Apple acquires VRvana for 30M USD. Neil and Victor talk about what Apple's intentions are with AR and this acquisition.
  • Project Titan: Apple research publishes a paper on LIDAR and using voxel clouds to better detect objects
  • FCC Chairman Ajit Pai reveals his plan to undo Title II Net Neutrality. Neil has some very understated comments.
  • Google's Fuchsia OS gains support for Swift applications. Victor thinks this is huge down the road in terms of Swift adoption.
  • Foxconn accused of using teenage labor to meet iPhone X production demand. Victor wonders why this even happens? It's not as if Foxconn aren't aware of their need to staff up in advance, is it?
  • Victor reviews CardHop, an application by Flexibits for macOS. Short version: it's good, and good to see innovation in a space neglected by Apple
  • Neil reviews a battery case with Qi compatible charging for iPhone X
The show is available on iTunes and your favorite podcast apps by searching for "AppleInsider." Click here to listen, subscribe, and don't forget to rate our show.






Listen to the embedded SoundCloud feed below:




Show note links: Follow our hosts on Twitter: @thisisneil and @vmarks.

Feedback and comments are always appreciated. Please contact the AppleInsider podcast at [email protected] and follow us on Twitter @appleinsider, plus Facebook and Instagram.

Those interested in sponsoring the show can reach out to us at [email protected].

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 6
    k2kwk2kw Posts: 2,075member
    This is a great podcast.   The criticisms of Apple are very valid.  I’m surprised that DED didn’t write a rebuttal to this.

     It is rediculous that Alexa has gotten so much better than Siri so quickly.
    Cook should have fired Eddy Cue a long time ago under whom SIRI languished so long.
    As good and beautiful iPhone’s are , the virtual assistant is the most important software for the future and Apple is losing in a very embarrassing way.
  • Reply 2 of 6
    cgWerkscgWerks Posts: 2,952member
    Next time you use your 'virtual assistant' carefully consider that this is the same state of AI-tech you'll find driving those cars and semis around soon... (let that sink in)
  • Reply 3 of 6
    k2kwk2kw Posts: 2,075member
    cgWerks said:
    Next time you use your 'virtual assistant' carefully consider that this is the same state of AI-tech you'll find driving those cars and semis around soon... (let that sink in)
    Can’t wait.
    cgWerks
  • Reply 4 of 6
    cgWerkscgWerks Posts: 2,952member
    Regarding the HomePod, I too am saddened by the state of the modern 'stereo system,' speakers, etc. While I suppose a great pair of headphones can give people an excellent representation of the music (for the few that have them anymore), there's just something about 15" or 18" woofers in big cabinets with several smaller speakers each designed to cover part of the range.

    I'm guessing most people under a certain age don't even know what it's like to both listen to good quality music, and feel it as well (aside from maybe live concerts where the sound-quality is often horrible). My wife and son seem quite content just listening to the sound coming out of their iPad minis, TV speakers, or cheap ear-buds. I cringe, but aside from some studio monitors I had in my office for a while, haven't been able to get the budget allocated (or space) for some of the kind of stuff I enjoyed as a youth anymore. :)

    Have either of you gotten to hear a HomePod yet? Did they have actual working demos, at least of the sound quality? I have a hard time believing it would be all that great, though I have heard some pretty good smaller (not THAT small though) speakers over the years. I could care less about talking to my speaker. But, I suppose if the sound quality was pretty good, and it incorporated well with the Apple eco-system, that's a plus.

    But, I'd rather find a way to route audio to a 'real' amp and speakers! (Once said budget gets allocated, and space, that is... if that ever happens.) (The best audio I probably have currently is actually in my car, which is half-way decent.)
    edited November 2017
  • Reply 5 of 6
    kapps7@me.com[email protected] Posts: 1unconfirmed, member
    @Niel I agree with the comparison of Siri to other VAs. Its also not a mystery why this is the case. I'd much rather a company take the time to work out a way to practice the privacy and security principles that it lives by. A. more difficult task to accomplish with a VA which relies heavily on private data.. Nothing new that Apple comes late to the party and perhaps much later because of the challenge of the task, so be it
  • Reply 6 of 6
    cgWerkscgWerks Posts: 2,952member
    [email protected] said:
    @Niel I agree with the comparison of Siri to other VAs. Its also not a mystery why this is the case. I'd much rather a company take the time to work out a way to practice the privacy and security principles that it lives by. A. more difficult task to accomplish with a VA which relies heavily on private data.. Nothing new that Apple comes late to the party and perhaps much later because of the challenge of the task, so be it
    That's somewhat fair, but on the other hand, when you ask Siri something more complex, Apple *is* processing it. I think rather than privacy, the better explanation is that Siri probably suffers similar problem as Apple's other search and cloud mechanisms (i.e.: they SUCK!). The search for podcasts, apps, etc is quite horrible... like worse than some of the early search engines back in the 90s.

    Google, on the other hand (as much as I might criticize them!) has really advanced search technology. And, it isn't just breach of privacy that makes it good (in fact, often I wish it *wouldn't* do that, as that makes search results worse... *assuming* I'm looking for something local, or based on my 'history' etc.), but it's better with natural language. And, I'm not even talking any AI magic here, but just word order, word root, synonyms, etc. Apple's search technology is just bone-dead stupid.

    For example, after upgrading to iOS 11, since Apple nerf'd Control Center, I have actually started using Siri to turn off WiFi (which come with the hassle of having to explain to family members why I suddenly talked to myself and wasn't trying to get their attention). But, my initial attempts of, "Hey Siri, turn off WiFi" wouldn't work. I had to restate that as, "Hey Siri, turn WiFi off." If it can't handle something so simple like that, what hope is there for a home VA? (Hmm, lets see, I'd like to have my home VA turn on the coffee pot... search the manual to find the proper syntax.... sheesh! I could have just gone to the coffee pot more quickly and easily.)

    And, as mentioned above.... this same Apple is hoping their 'technology' will find it's way into our self-driving cars? Run for the hills, people!
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