Are Users Ready to See Ads in their Personal Chats?
Are users ready for ads to enter the personal chat space? Facebook seems to think so, as they recently announced they’ll be integrating ads with their messaging platform in small tests in Australia and Thailand. The move has sparked both approval and outrage from different corners of the app development industry. Predictably, many iOS app […]
Net Neutrality on the Chopping Block at New FCC
Ajit Pai, Trump’s pick to head the FCC as Tom Wheeler steps down, has made no bones about his attitude toward Net Neutrality. “[It’s] days are numbered,” Pai said in previous press statements, adding that he plans to “take a weed whacker” to regulations that allegedly make life difficult for small business owners. However, in […]
Lyft vs Uber Debate is More Than Business Politics
Personal politics and business deals aren’t the only issues on the line anymore when it comes to the fabled fight between Uber and Lyft, the two biggest ride-sharing apps in the US (among other countries worldwide). Bay Area app developers have been following the conflict for years, but the issue just took a sharp turn […]
App Store Reviews Will Let Developers Respond in iOS 10.3
If you’ve ever combed through reviews in the Apple App Store deciding which app to choose, you’ve probably noticed something weird. Unlike Google Play, Yelp, TripAdvisor, and most other review-based digital ecosystems, Apple doesn’t let developers respond to reviews. This is too bad for iOS app developers, because it leaves them completely at the mercy […]
Paris Takes on London as FinTech Capital in Wake of Brexit
This time last year, few developers would think of the Parisian tech scene when they thought of FinTech and mobile banking app development. In the wake of Brexit, the tech community is starting to see that change. Just this week, Paris held it’s first FinTech Forum event, highlighting exciting work going on in the French […]
Apps for Chromebook are an Underrated Opportunity in 2017
Here are a couple facts. One: Chromebooks outsold Macs in 2016. Two: every Chromebook launching in 2017 will be compatible with Android Apps. So what’s the big picture? In short, “more opportunity for Android app developers.” Bringing the full contents of the Google Play store to the Google-driven desktop experience puts the Chromebook on tier […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]