Does mean iMessage to Apple and competition

Already a week ago that he was released a new app in iOS 5, iMessage, a native application is actually a return of twist to an already existing prior to this, the place from where to send SMS or MMS messages on our iPhone. July we just describe fairly well how the application works, so it will not be the subject of this post, in this article we want to rather focus on to reflect on the implications that can result in this release.

Because as in practically every new product introduced by Apple, the consequences tend to be enormous, both inside and outside the company. Is this same with iMessage? We think Yes, and we will try to prove it by means of the following analysis.

Lets recap a little thinking how many services now has same Apple in their platforms with a similar objective, the allow the communication between several people. Facetime first, by another iChat and other iMessage. While each of them has a different side in substance and form, the truth is that Apple has ended up creating three services that may be one.

And this is the first consequence of iMessage that we could expect in the coming years, the unification of all these applications or services in one only that is capable of concentrating its benefits. This idea fits in with the policy of Apple that services work transparently to the user, as it is the case with iCloud. If iMessage is able to detect if the receiving device of our message is iOS or not to send an SMS in a case or not a message through our network of 3 G or WiFi data, then why not create something to differentiate if what we want is to make a call with video conferencing, chat or message?

Afternoon or early Apple will have to do something like this if dont want to confuse the user of a foot. What is more, perhaps to take some time working on the matter as a Mac user found evidence of an application called Message in a message of notification of the new version of Mail in the fourth preview of Lion a few days ago. Could it be of the desktop version of iMessage, one of the things that more are missing in similar apps like WhatsApp?

We have a whole week listening to say that the great injured iMessage is RIM and partly not lack reason. One of the best advantages that this company had so far on their BlackBerrys was blackberry messenger, a product without having to setup that allows you to talk with other smartphones the same brand without additional cost.

With the advent of iMessage this trump card ceases to be a claim of young people to become a common feature. So Canadians will have to put the batteries if they dont want to be harmed in the long term for this and other similar initiatives.

But the thing is not there, because Google has transcended that they could be working on something similar in their Android platform. Chat services must evolve if they dont want to lose share of use, and integrated applications as iMessage or the famous WhatsApp show very well to where have to walk this evolution. So it is expected to wait for an improvement in Gtalk or a completely new service that offers an alternative by the Mountain View.

We are not going to delve much into this idea because we already did the same day following the keynote, but it is not difficult to imagine that some applications cross-platform, like Fring, LiveProfile and WhatsApp, will suffer slightly with the advent of iMessage.

We are not talking about a significant decline in its use and downloads, but given that some use the cross-platform App Store applications to speak exclusively with other family members or friends who have iPhones, something will end up noticing over time. To what extent is something that can only be measured in a few months, quite a few, when iOS 5 is released for everyone and you begin to educate users in their use, convinced of their virtues and ease of use.

As we said at the outset, when we are talking about a secondary improvement of iOS, it seems that iMessage will have many consequences in their environment, for better and for worse. Well see how other companies and even the same Apple, are assimilating this novelty in Instant Messaging.

Read More..

Apple makes piracy price 25 per year

Now the time to analyse carefully the "One more thing" this keynote: iTunes Match. We explained yesterday in passing in the post for the presentation of iCloud but now we want to give all the details and to provide our subjective view of the matter.

What is iTunes Match? iTunes Match is a paid service, and therefore external to iCloud but complementary to it. Its price will be $ 25 per year and will be available from autumn, when that iCloud is definitely released to all users. The purpose of this product is the set up a music library in the cloud from the library person of the user. "That already makes iTunes cloud" you might say, it is true, but iTunes cloud only works on a principle with items purchased in the Music Store for the Apple.

Lets be honest, many of us do not have a pure music library, in the sense that in our Macs coexist purchased parts with pieces downloaded from P2P networks or topics that are part of old CDs that we no longer know or where they are. What will happen to these songs? With the free iCloud service will only be in the Macs origin, may not synchronize with iCloud and will therefore not be available for the rest of our dispositivos… unless we pay those $25 per year.

If we do, then iTunes Match will come into action, analyzing each of our "third party" songs from the iTunes application and comparing them with the 18 million titles available in the data base of Apple. If there is a match service will replace our theme for one of higher quality (256 kbps AAC format and DRM-free) and thus make it available in iCloud to use it to our own liking. If not the iTunes Match coincidence it will upload that song or album to iCloud so the user can also enjoy the benefits of the cloud in this specific case.

So no matter the origin of these albums, so if they are old CDs passed to the Mac as if they are downloads from P2P networks or loans from our brother, with iTunes Match the problem will be resolved, at a price of $25 per year. That seems to be the price assigned to piracy, i.e. insurance which in part is the price that Apple has to pay the record companies to allow semejente substitution method. Or put another way, it is a way to make money products from piracy and regularize the situation.

And I think it is a masterstroke by the Cupertino, they knew that they could not offer a satisfactory service if only based on the acquired music and they devised a plan, a way of including external. And step they reeducan to the user so that you buy more and less download.

Read More..

Demand Apple for infringing a patent on video telephony and applications

AT & T, Apple and U.S. Cellular this week have been demands for Visual Interactive Phone Concepts Inc. who has submitted a formal complaint to the Court of the District of Michigan. The company claims infringement of the patent numbers 5.606.361 and 5.724.092, both titled "interactive mail videotelefonico and method of information processing system".

About Apple referred to his "service to view, download and use of videophones applications provided by a central data center" citing more specifically iTunes Store and iBookstore.

VIPC understands that the Cupertino should have requested the relevant licence and considers that the infringement has been willful and knowing. It requests the Court to be compensate it with reasonable royalties.

The company already sued a Big Planet. Inc. and Infogear Technology Corp. in 1999 and Leap Wireless Inc. in 2007, achieving important payments in exchange for cesar the legal challenge.

AT & T and U.S. Cellular, for their part, are demanded by its mobile video and TV services.

Read More..

Apple unveils plans to go greener Yahoo! News

"Apple Inc. (Nasdaq:AAPL - news), responding to criticism from environmental groups, unveiled plans on Wednesday that Chief Executive Steve Jobs claimed would make the company greener than most of its competitors. "

Read More..