kendog52404

I'm also on Youtube TV and "affected" by the blackout.  However, going to Hulu w/ Live TV simply isn't an option for me, because I was originally on it, but when I switched to T-Mobile Home Internet, Hulu w/ Live TV conflicted with it.  They can't "reconcile" what the IP Address shows (via T-Mobile Home Internet) versus what my physical address actually is.  Youtube TV works with T-Mobile Home Internet, so I switched to it.  I'm now hoping this dispute get's resolved before January 1st, since that's when the Iowa Hawkeyes play in their Bowl Game.  Any service I do end up adding, temporarily, to get the Bowl Game(s) would still need to work with T-Mobile Home Internet.

genovelle said:

canukstorm said:

The new business model surrounding the Windows 11 App Store is the biggest announcement

"Microsoft has always been trying to find a way to get back at Apple for the iPhone revolution that killed their market dominance in short-order. Their new Microsoft Store model could be a major win for them over time if Apple refuses to change their current App Store model in good time."

"While only time will tell if this strategy will actually be a winner for Microsoft, one thing is for sure – Microsoft's new store model has just set the Apple Store model on fire in techland and Antitrust commissions around the globe will only be emboldened by this move and push harder for major changes to Apple's App Store."

"While the security issue is still a good one for Apple, antitrust groups, in general, just aren't buying it. The only question now is, how far will Government's go to force change to the App Store (and Google Play)."

https://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2021/06/microsofts-windows-11-declares-war-on-apple-by-bringing-a-new-app-store-model-to-market-taking-zero-commission-more.html

The problem is Apple does not have a monopoly and a single store is not that. Can Target be a monopoly when Walmart is much larger just because they are more profitable ?

In almost all other areas, I would agree with you.  However, when it comes to the iOS App Store, unless I missed big changes, Apple's own App Store is the only online store that's available for Apps.  Even "business app stores" on iOS are special access versions of the App Store, I think.  They don't allow anybody's third party apps onto the device, without using the App Store, or violating their terms of service, by "jail breaking" the device, I think it was. 

In every other device, (Android, Microsoft Windows, those are the only two I know), there are multiple options to install apps and other content, either directly from 3rd-Parties, or via 3rd-Party App Stores, such as the Amazon App Store, on Android.  Even MacOS has the option for installing 3rd-Party apps/from 3rd-Party locations.

In other words, with such a large market share, and being the only ones who can (legally) install apps on iOS, Apple does have a monopoly on iOS, in my opinion, at least.  They are getting "better", I think, but it doesn't change what I think of the current situation.

muthuk_vanalingam said:

omasou said:

One can only hope that this will put an end to the "a Windows machine cost less" FUD. Those specs should raise the base computer price?

Come on, did you even read the article? It is clearly mentioned - "Microsoft's requirement of TPM 2.0 and other requirements will limit processors to ones delivered in approximately the last six years.". We are talking about specs that belong to 6 year old computers here. How and why would that increase cost, that too to Apple levels?

It's 4 years, not 6 years.  That's because the earliest Intel CPU Architecture that's supported looks to be Coffee Lake, from 2017.  It's basically the same with AMD, but potentially a year later, with Zen+ being the earliest, there.

Soli said:

kendog52404 said:

We'll just have to wait to find out which model works best for Apple. My guess is that if they still keep SD as an option they may not even bother with re-encoding for HEVC if they find that those still buying SD also overwhelming still use old Apple tech that can't reasonable support the HEVC codec anyway. If they keep SD I wonder if 720p might be kicked out so they can keep the Good-Better-Best model over Good-Better-Betterer-Best.

How common is it to have HEVC support built into their WinPCs? I could see Apple just making a blanket "not with iTunes on Windows rule for the time being when purchases, but syncing an iDevice or streaming to an Apple TV may be common enough that it's not a good limitation to have.

In relation to SD content, you would generally have 2-3 "groups" who buy it.  First, are those you mentioned who are on older hardware.  Then you have the content that simply isn't available in HD.  While I haven't looked lately, the Highlander TV Series was one, and Babylon 5 is currently another.  Thirdly, you have some people, like myself, who when buying seasons, can't afford at present to buy the whole thing, so to stretch the gift card further and drop the whole season price down, I buy individual episodes in SD even though I'm planning on buying the whole season in HD.  That being said, I do think iTunes might drop 720P, Vudu has already done that/is in the process of doing so and now offers SD, Full HD, and UHD.

As for Windows PCs supporting HEVC, Windows 10 included support for HEVC from the initial release of the operating system, Skylake chips have supported it, and newer CPUs, (from "Kaby Lake" forward for Intel unknown for AMD) will only run on Windows 10, not previous versions of Windows.  Windows Vista is also "out of service".  It's only Windows 7 & 8 that could have problems.  That being said, it's my understanding the HEVC was designed to have greatly improved software decoding capabilities.  So, while they would need some kind of driver codec, maybe from iTunes itself, they might be able to run it, or at least SD and HD in HEVC.  Or, Apple might simply just not support 4K on Windows 7 & 8 or any CPU prior to "Skylake" at all.  Just like they're likely to restrict HDR content to "Kaby Lake" CPUs and forward.