charlesn

Stabitha_Christie said:

Apple has rounded the quality corner when it come to AppleTV+ but now needs to figure out how to turn that into subscriptions. 

Context is everything. Apple TV+ will only be 6 years old as of November, and it launched from literally nothing: no prior experience in the television or movie business, no library of its own content to lean on, etc, and no identity as a "brand" of television. No one knows for sure how many subscribers it has, but estimates seem to coalesce at around 45 million. And you know what? That puts Apple+ about 10% ahead of Peacock, the streaming service of NBC/Universal, which is backed by NBC, a slew of cable channels including the very popular Bravo and, oh yeah, a little studio called Universal.

Honestly--and I say this from the perspective of someone who has been in the television business for decades--what Apple TV+ has accomplished from a standing start in just 5.5 years is nothing short of ASTONISHING. A Best Picture Oscar and a boatload of Emmys in major categories for a company that had never been in the TV or movie business before? That kind of defines "impossible." Sure, Netflix is almost at 300 million subscribers, but they've been at the streaming game since 2007 -- their huge success hardly happened overnight. Apple just needs to keep doing what it's doing (which isn't easy!)--making hit, buzzy shows that get a lot of press and critical praise, and its subscriber numbers will continue to grow.  

602warren said:

Well well well. Maybe someone at Apple is reading my comments here on this site… Hopefully this is a ‘good’ orange and not the peach abomination they called orange on the current AirPads Max.

Oof, you are so right about the AirPods Max! FUGLY! The real color orange should sue Apple for defamation and would easily win in court. 

I just can't get my hopes up again for Apple to finally take a bold swing at color for the iPhone Pro. Ain't gonna happen. The new snooze this year will be Sky Blue, which happens to be a fabulous blue for anyone who hates the color blue. 

chasm said:

FWIW, I think the long-awaited Apple Home Hub will not look anything like a wall-mounted iPad as seen above, and look more like an Apple TV box -- a small device that connects at an industry-standard nexus point for home comfort/security, and will be controlled by ... your iPhone or iPad, which is nearly always with you or close at hand. Not all homes will be able to use this, but potentially homes built in this century could be.

Apple has been working with security systems providers for years to add HomeKit compatibility, and I think it is doing the same for home comfort systems.

Ironically we've now seen proof that HomeKit compatibility can rescue a product that has been discontinued by its own manufacturer! (HomeKit may keep some Wemo devices alive after shutdown in 2026). That could be a big selling point for some consumers.

I certainly think that iPhone or iPad will be another means of control, IF you buy into the Home Hub device, itself, but I don't see Apple passing up the chance to sell consumers another screened device. 

macxpress said:

Apple could be a big player in the future for all sporting events in the US. They have the money to get these agreements and the additional money and technology to make them great. As a motorsports fan I would love for them to get F1 and NASCAR in the future. 

"Could be," yes, but I"m not sure about "wants to be." Or at least to what extent. Apple didn't make a run at the NBA rights that were in play this year, despite basketball being a global sport, and worldwide appeal is very important to Apple. I guess NASCAR's a possibility, and would give Apple a real hold on the motorsports category, but NASCAR seems very America-centric in a way that F1, soccer and baseball are not. 

Mark Gurman is now reporting on the usabilty/legibility issues that have forced Apple to really scale back the Liquid Glass appearance in iOS 26 beta 3. I haven't been using the betas, so I don't have a personal opinion, but with reports that the interface now looks like a frosted or diluted glass look, this is starting to sound like a half-assed UI appearance that isn't going to make anyone happy. smh. How are we 8 weeks from launch and JUST realizing that the splashy new look headlined at WWDC a month ago has serious usability/legibility issues? Isn't that the kind of UI 101 problem that should have been recognized long ago in alpha testing?