Amazon and Tesla Pledge to Train Veterans for Tech Jobs
The US Department of Labor has joined forces with Amazon, Tesla, and a handful of other leading tech companies to promote an apprenticeship program for veterans and military families. Amazon alone plans to create over 25,000 positions using the program, playing an important role in creating a job market that doesn’t punish veterans for dedicating […]
Study Shows Half of App Store Growth From Chinese Users
2016 was a stellar year for app sales—especially on Google Play. Bay Area app developers saw record-breaking statistics quarter after quarter, leading into the strongest holiday sales season of all time. (Or at least, the ten years of the iPhone era.) According to a new study from analytics group App Annie, we might have a […]
The End of Mobile Gold rush is a Good Thing for Developers
A new report from analytics group Flurry broke yesterday, suggesting that the “mobile gold rush” may be coming to a close. Thanks to a second analysis from TechCrunch, iPhone app developers have quickly built a discussion around the data, which shows that while mobile growth is still strong, some categories are growing at the expense […]
Developers Look Back at 10 Years of iPhone Fever
The iPhone, arguably the most iconic product of the century (so far), had it’s 10th birthday this week. For iPhone app developers, it’s hard to believe it’s been a full decade since that first announcement — you know, the one with Steve Jobs pacing the stage in his trademark black turtleneck, pitching the smartphone concept […]
Apple Moving Select Manufacturing Back to the US
According to a Notification of Proposed Production Activity submitted by Apple in recent weeks, the tech giant will be expanding an existing production center in Mesa, Arizona to increase domestic hardware activity. Does this mean your next iPhone will come with a “made in America” stamp? Almost certainly not. It does, however, point to the […]
On-Demand Startups Save Money by Increasing Employee Pay
The on-demand marketplace is one of the most controversial topics in the great American tech growth spurt, and for good reason. Depending on your perspective, the part-time contractors who make apps like Uber and Sprig function are either liberated from traditional work, or trapped in a dog-eat-dog game of diminishing returns. While big-player apps like […]
Could Tech Automation Disrupt 50% of the Job Market?
50% of jobs, wiped out in twenty years. That’s the figure that pundits have been pushing lately — and while it’s largely based on speculation, the fact is that we’re already losing jobs to automation. Quickly. While it’s often presented as a negative thing or a sign of American failures, let’s be honest: if tech […]
App Developers Shaping Media to Favor Simple, Direct Content
Facebook just launched a feature to automatically subtitle videos posted to their platform. Why does this matter for iPhone app developers? It matters because it illustrates that Facebook has successfully brought back the “silent movie,” forcing content creators to cater their wares to the limitations of the platform rather than the other way around. Following […]
2017’s Unicorn Startups Could Be in “Brick-and-mortar” business
“Brick and mortar” or employee-reliant tech companies often face an uphill battle in Silicon Valley. The costs are high. Investors are suspicious. But if Amazon’s strategy has anything to teach us, it’s that so-called “traditional” businesses could be some of the hottest tickets for new entrepreneurs in an increasingly crowded, competitive app store. Does that […]
App Development and Ethics at the Crossroads Post-Election
In the past five years, the effects of the app economy on the social and financial structure of America has grown far beyond what anyone expected. The Ubers and AirBnBs of the app store have revolutionized how we rent, buy, and even think about property. Social networks like Facebook have connected us in ways we […]