Archive
iOS 7.1 Tips and tricks
I upgraded to iOS 7.1 this week I have to say I really like the new features and UX upgrades. Many of the updates that you will notice are UX related and the iOS team has done a good job. There are many other feature updates that you may notice for a while since they are future focused and nuanced and hard to find. For example unless you already are using services such as accessibility, you won’t notice or find the feature updates.
Here are some links to the best update reviews I’ve seen
Brad Reed’s iOS blog – he always does solid reviews and has great videos that get to the heart of the matter. Here’s his review of the iOS 7.1 updates, including a video overview
Cult of Mac – these guys usually have pretty succinct reviews and they hit all the main points for the iOS 7.1 update. Here is their review.
Pocket-Lint – always like reading review from these guys – solid and usually have several good screen shots. This iOS 7.1 review is another great one from Pocket-Lint
Enjoy!
The iPad2 Cover – Smart. Innovative. Revenue and Margin King!
Ever since my parents bought my first computer – an Apple IIe, I’ve been an Apple Fan. Sure they have made their mistakes along the way and I’ve owned (and still own) Windows based computers. I love great design and one thing Apple has always done is great design, even the boxes their computers are packed in are smart, well thought out and have excellent UX.
When Apple lunched the iPad2, I was immediately taken by the cover – more so then with the iPad2. The iPad2 had the features I expected but the cover surprised everyone and I have yet to met a person that doesn’t love the design and ingenuity. Aside from the great design, my quick follow on thoughts are this:
- I want one
- They just captured the lost revenue on iPad2 accessories
- Everyone will buy one vs. the other third party covers – since only Apple’s will have magnet
- BIG REVENUE and BIGGER MARGINS
- Second quarter will blow past Wall St. expectations
If you have ever walked into an Apple store, I’m sure you have spent time at the accessories wall. Apple has certainly created a great business for a lot of accessory companies over the past years and they have always had some great accessories. I had an Apple joystick at one point (I was great at Karateka). Apple’s Magsafe power cords are a great example of smart design and great margin accessory products, for which Apple holds the patent and does not license the technology. Not many people buy multiple power adapters. I bet people will buy multiple covers. But even if consumers only buy one iPad2 cover, Apple still wins since it’s one more cover sale they were not getting with the last device release.
I’m not the only one that is thinking this way about the sheer brilliance of the iPad2 cover [revenue] strategy. I follow Asymco “curated marketing intelligence”. This past week Horace Dediu’s (@asymco) acticle, The Billion Dollar Smart Cover nailed it. Although I think his estimate of only 60% of iPad2 buyers getting the cover is conservative. I bet that Apple reports 85%.
Whatever the percentage, I really like the continued smart design that Apple keeps cranking out. Call me a fanboy if you want but all I can say is show me another device or media company that innovates and has the margins of the kids down in Cupertino.
Thunder House 