Peter Thiel To The New Yorker: “I Don’t Consider [The iPhone] To Be A Technological Breakthrough”

Peter Thiel is a grump, but a special kind of grump. He is a dystopian utopian (if such a person can exist). The investor who wrote the first check for Facebook both believes in the power of technology to transform our lives, and is perennially disappointed by it. A lengthy profile in the November 28, 2011 edition of the New Yorker (summary here) states: “his main lament is that America—the country that invented the modern assembly line, the skyscraper, the airplane, and the personal computer—has lost its belief in the future.” It is an argument he’s made before. Last September, at Disrupt SF he made the case that innovation is dead across most of the economy (you can watch the video of the session below). He is co-authoring a book on the subject with Max Levchin and Gary Kasparov, called The Blueprint. But what about something like the iPhone? ”I don’t consider this to be a technological breakthrough,” he tells the New Yorker. Technology simply isn’t creating enough jobs or moving the needle in areas like transportation, health, or energy. From the article, here is his assessment on the impact of the Internet, Apple, and Twitter:

“The Internet—I think it’s a net plus, but not a big one,” he said. “Apple is an innovative company, but I think it’s mostly a design innovator.” Twitter has a lot of users, but it doesn’t employ that many Americans: “Five hundred people will have job security for the next decade, but how much value does it create for the entire economy ? It may not be enough to dramatically improve living standards in the U.S. over the next decade or two decades.”

Thiel is a natural contrarian who is never satisfied with the status quo, which is a good thing in a venture capitalist and startup mentor. But I think he dismisses the global impact of technologies like the iPhone and social networks a bit too easily. Having a fully functioning computer in your pocket opens up entirely new experiences—and markets. Was it predictable? Yes. But that doesn’t make it any less transformative. Social media, combined with mobile technologies, are powering protests and revolutions around the world and changing the way people consume information. But will these technologies improve living standards? The fact that the companies creating the technologies are capital efficient shouldn’t be a mark against them. What about the economic value created by the people who use the technologies. Putting a computer in the hands of business people away from the office, or a farmer in the field could yield significant improvements in productivity. It all depends on what kind of value you place on staying connected.   Source : http://techcrunch.com/2011/11/21/peter-thiel-new-yorker-grump/

Apple Promises iOS 5 Update In A Few Weeks To Suck Less Battery Life

For the past couple of weeks, I’ve heard the same thing over and over again. “The iPhone 4S is awesome, but…” And it’s a big “but”. The battery life. It sucks.

Well, to be clear, it sucks for some users, but not all. For example, I’m not noticing anything out of the ordinary on my device. It’s essentially the same battery life I got with the iPhone 4 running iOS 4, as far as I can tell. But today Apple has acknowledged that some bugs are causing some issues with the battery life. But they say it’s not an iPhone 4S issue, but rather an iOS 5 issue. In other words, it’s software, not hardware. More importantly, a fix is coming.

“A small number of customers have reported lower than expected battery life on iOS 5 devices. We have found a few bugs that are affecting battery life and we will release a software update to address those in a few weeks,” an Apple spokesperson told us today over the phone.

“In a few weeks” sounds a bit vague, but it may actually be a bit sooner than that. This afternoon,Apple issued the first iOS 5.0.1 builds to developers. Guess what’s included? Yep — “Fixes bugs affecting battery life “. They’ll need to test this build with developers for a bit to ensure there are no other bugs, but assuming that goes well, this should be out soon.

In the meantime, we published some tips yesterday to help with battery issues if you’re having them. Again, the good news here is that this is a software issue in iOS 5, nothing fundamentally wrong with the iPhone 4S.

Source: http://techcrunch.com/2011/11/02/iphone-4s-ios-5-battery-fix/

Google, Why Don’t You Hang On To That Gmail App For A While?

By now you’re probably well aware that Google released their long-awaited Gmail iOS app today, only to unceremoniously yank it from the App Store when people pointed out that it didn’t really work. Google offered a mea culpa by stating that they have removed the app while they correct the problem, and that they’re working on a new version to be released soon.

Here’s a thought: just keep it. At least for a little while.

I’m sure this must sound a bit petty, but people have seriously been waiting years for a native Gmail app, and they must have been awfully disappointed today. Even if we set the broken push notifications aside for a moment, the app itself was still… shall we say, lackluster?

Several people pointed out on Twitter that the app was just a slightly-tweaked version of the Gmail mobile web view that we’ve had access to for years now. Sure, it had some welcome additions, like improved search functionality and the ability to star emails, but it’s still essentially the same old thing.

What gives, Google? I can almost forgive the notifications issue — we all make mistakes after all — but what’s with releasing an app that offers little (if any) improvement over what was already available?

Now, I’m sure that Google will fix the problem and issue an fixed version in due time, but what they should really do is put it back in the oven, and leave it in there until it’s better than done. I realize that in the grand scheme of things I’m a nobody, but here are a few things I think Google should fix since they’ve pulled the app anyway:

• Fix those push notifications: I think this one goes without saying. You can set up your Gmail as a Exchange account to make push work email, but a more streamlined solution would be much appreciated.
• Fix the speed issues: One of Gmail’s biggest selling points is that you have so much storage space that you don’t really need to delete emails anymore. The Gmail app seems to have forgotten this though, because it tends to slow down when you try to scroll through your emails.
• Add support for multiple accounts: Maybe I’m in the minority on this one, but I’d wager there are a fair number of users with multiple accounts. My personal and TechCrunch email accounts both run through Gmail, so being able to use the app in multiple scenarios would be a nice touch.
• Let us save attachments from within the app: The stock Mail.app can handle this just fine, so leaving it out of the alternative doesn’t make much sense.
• Make it worth using: In short, give us a reason to use it over the web client. This is a chance to really show that Google knows apps and can develop something that’s just as good as their web options, but catered to an iOS experience.

Or not. Like I said, I’m nobody and Google is, well… Google. Here’s hoping that the next version of the Gmail app (whenever it happens to go live) manages to erase the bitter taste that this release has left in my mouth.

Source: http://techcrunch.com/2011/11/02/google-why-dont-you-hang-on-to-that-gmail-app-for-a-while/

Nokia plans US re-entry

Nokia Oyj will reenter the US smartphone market in early 2012 with the introduction of devices running Microsoft Corp'sWindows Phone for multiple US carriers, Chief Executive Officer Stephen Elop said.

"Our intention is to come back in the United States and grow significant share in this market," Elop said in an interview today at Bloomberg's headquarters in New York.

Elop, 47, last week unveiled Nokia's first Windows Phone models after the Espoo, Finland-based company struggled to sell smartphones based on its own 10-year-old software. Nokia has lost more than 60 billion euros ($85 billion) in market value since Apple Inc. introduced the iPhonein 2007. The company intends to widen its range from the 420-euro Lumia 800 and 270- euro Lumia 710 introduced last week with both cheaper and more expensive devices, Elop said.

"Our plans are to be very competitive and to go head-on with the appropriate devices at the appropriate price points," Elop said. "We know we need to get volume moving and we need from that to develop economies of scale. And then as we do more and more differentiation, we expand gross margin."

Elop didn't exclude entering the tablet-computer market, though he said the company hasn't announced plans to do so. Microsoft's forthcoming Windows 8, which will have a tiled user interface with dynamic updates similar to Windows Phone, is like a "supercharged" version for tablets, he said.

'New opportunity'

"There's a new tablet opportunity coming," he said. "We see the opportunity. Unquestionably, that will change the dynamics" of the tablet market.

Windows Phone may be Nokia's last chance to claw back share in the fast expanding smartphone market from Apple and handset makers such as Samsung Electronics Co that use Google Inc's Android system. Nokia's homegrown Symbian line has suffered from an outdated, hard-to-use interface and the company was slow to introduce faster processors, bigger device memories and sensitive touch screens.

Nokia has fallen to No. 3 in the smartphone market, behind Samsung and Apple, according to market researcher Strategy Analytics. Nokia is still the largest maker of mobile phones by units, including low-end phones that account for about half its handset revenue.

Elop, a former Microsoft executive, said the Windows Phone line will give users access to more of the popular applications that have eluded Nokia with its older systems.

Necessary apps

"There's a small number of applications, in the hundreds, that are must haves, and we'll do whatever is necessary to make sure those are on our platform," he said. "The popular apps, the high end of the curve, we'll be very focused on. It's not a race of total quantity. There's only so many flashlight apps that you need for a smartphone."

Some apps will be better than those on competing devices, such as the ESPN sports information app that will be preloaded on the first Lumias and was produced in partnership with Nokia, he said. Nokia will also focus on working with local developers on filling the store with content and programs for each market.

Nokia has tumbled 43 per cent in Helsinki trading since February 11, when Elop announced the partnership with Microsoft and said he would phase out Symbian. Investors had been skeptical Nokia would be able to deliver a competitive phone in time for the holiday season. The shares fell 5.2 per cent to 4.62 euros at the close in Helsinki amid a broader market decline.

Lumia vs iPhone

The Lumia 800 flagship phone has a higher-resolution camera than Samsung's Galaxy Nexusand a lower price tag than Apple Inc's iPhone 4S. The device will start selling in Europe this month at the price of 420 euros, excluding taxes and without a phone contract.

Apple last month started selling the iPhone 4S, moving more than 4 million units in the first three days after it was introduced at 629 euros for the cheapest unlocked model in Germany and France. Samsung announced the Galaxy Nexus last month without giving a price.

Apple and Google helped cut Nokia's smartphone market share to 20.9 per cent in the second quarter from 50.8 per cent when the iPhone came out in 2007, according to Gartner Inc estimates.

To differentiate the Lumia phones, Nokia's marketing campaign will use the distinctive Windows Phone interface with its big, colorful tiles that contrast with the smaller icons of the Apple and Android interfaces as a main selling point.

Unlike an Apple or Google device, a Windows phone doesn't present users with rows of icons representing apps. Instead, the home screen consists of a layout of tiles that represent the phone's key functions and as well as entities that are important to the user, such as apps and friend groups. The tiles update themselves with the latest information, such as incoming e-mail and next appointments.

Second to Android?

The company intends to differentiate itself with content as well as hardware, said Elop, pointing to the inclusion of free turn-by-turn driving directions with maps on the Lumia. The driving application is built on technology Nokia acquired three years ago with its purchase of Navteq Corp, whose camera- equipped cars drive the world building electronic atlases. Future innovations could also entail acquisitions, he said.

Elop has said that marketing spending on the Lumia handset series, including that by phone companies and retailers, will triple compared with prior product launches. Nokia lined up 31 phone companies including Vodafone Group Plc for the initial sales of the Lumia 800 in six European countries in the next few weeks. Elop today declined to name the first US carriers.

The Lumia 800 will also come to Russia and some Asian markets by yearend, while the lower-priced Lumia 710 will start in those markets in the same period, Nokia said on October 26.

The smartphone market may be big enough to help Nokia win over new customers. Smartphone sales by volume will increase 40 per cent next year to 645 million units, Gartner says. Windows Phone may become the No. 2 smartphone operating system in 2015, with a market share of 21 per cent, according to the researcher.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/news/telecom/Nokia-plans-US-re-entry/articleshow/10577373.cms

Samsung Asks Apple To Hand Over iPhone 4S Source Code

If Apple was a melody and Samsung was a beat, their legal battle would be the song that never ends. On the whole, the war has lasted more than six months, spanned more than half the continents, and is still only in its formative stages. Final decisions have yet to be made in almost all of the cases, and in predictable fashion, the duo are igniting new battles at what feels like a daily rate. This time, Samsung is asking for some juicy deets in its Australian counter suit against Apple.

After Apple won a preliminary injunction on the Galaxy Tab 10.1, Samsung vowed to get more aggressive. And so they have, filing for apreliminary injunction against Apple’s brand new iPhone 4S. In doing so, Samsung has requested the source code for the iPhone 4S, as well as details on Apple’s subsidy deals with Australian carriers.

Samsung’s argument is that the iPhone 4S infringes three patents it holds, all concerned with 3G wireless technology and the transmission of mobile data. However, the patents in question are standard essentials patents, which means the technology they cover is a necessity industry-wide, rather than a specific brand innovation. In that case, Samsung is required to offer FRAND (Fair, Reasonable, and Non-Discriminatory) licensing terms, which, according to Samsung, Apple refused. Apple, on the other hand, says its covered by a third-party licensing agreement made by Qualcomm on the MDM6610 chipset, reports SmartOffice. Still, Samsung asserts that whatever licensing deal is in place may not extend into Australian turf.

In other words, this dueling duo can’t seem to get their licensing deals straight, or are at least doing a helluva job making it appear that way to the judge. Speaking of the judge, the same judge that ruled in the Apple vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab case is taking the reigns here: Judge Annabelle Bennett.

She listened this morning as Samsung counsel Cynthia Cochrane asked for the iPhone source code, along with subsidy agreement details in order to make a case for a sales ban. “If subsidies are given for the iPhone 4S, there are less to go around for my client’s products,” said Cochrane. Samsung is looking to get the subsidy numbers from Vodafone, Telstra and Optus, the three major carriers in Australia.

Meanwhile, Apple is looking for advice from counsel before agreeing to hand over the source code, which is a pretty solid idea. Who knows what infringing features Samsung will find in there?

In any case, this is much less of a blow to Apple than the Galaxy Tab sales ban is for Samsung. The iPhone 4S is “a horse [that has] already bolted,” according to Apple’s lawyers. The iPhone, in particular, tends to sell fast directly at launch, presumably because people want as much time as possible with the “new” iPhone before Apple tosses something better into the market. Plus, if you don’t move fast for a new Apple product, it usually sells out. Despite Samsung’s 4S sales publicity stunt, Apple lawyers are indeed correct in saying that the iPhone has already left the building, while the GalTab never even made it to shelves.

Past that, if Samsung can’t find any further infringement (should Apple offer up the source code), then the case will most likely result in FRAND licensing deals between Samsung and Apple. That is, if Apple’s Qualcomm deal doesn’t hold up. Summarily, Apple has more than a few lines of defense against this attack, and if Samsung wants more than a headache out of this, it’ll surely be an uphill battle.

Source: http://techcrunch.com/2011/11/01/samsung-asks-apple-to-hand-over-iphone-4s-source-code/